The event starts at 1pm from the main car park on Friday March 19 and while only six people have enrolled so far, sport on parks officer, Gina Ward, is certain many people will join in on the day.

She said: “We are all a sporty bunch and most of us are doing something for sport relief at home, so thought we should do something at work too.

“If anyone fancies giving it a go they don’t have to run as some people are going to walk the route.”

All the money raised by Sport Relief is spent by Comic Relief to help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people, both in the UK and in the world’s poorest countries.

For more information on Sport Relief visit www.sportrelief.com or come and support the runners on the day.

PC Martin Birch, speaking in a community meeting last week, said people affected by the crime or noticing suspicious activity need to report it instantly – so police can inform others living nearby of the techniques these criminals are using.

This information can now be sent instantly via sms to warn those in the surrounding area who have signed up to the new Voice Connect scheme.

PC Birch said: “Always call it in, because if you don’t, we don’t have the information of what they look like or the sorts of methods used.

“Even let your neighbours know, let your grandparents know – we now need to make sure that these people do not get away with this sort of crime.”

The burglars will often work in groups and knock on doors posing as salesmen  -before using distraction methods to enter the home and steal property.

If you have been affected by this crime or have noticed anything suspicious call PC Birch on 0116 2221021.

Masters degree pharmacy students from De Montfort University and medical students from the University of Leicester, teamed up with trainee nurses to visit patients in their homes on Thursday, March 4.

Ambereen Zafroon, a pharmacy student from DMU said: “It was really good because we got to integrate with professionals that I will hopefully work with in the future.”

As part of an Interprofessional education scheme, the students were divided into six groups of four and five and issued a patient per group.

Miss Zafroon said: “I have never actually seen a patient properly, but meeting them face to face meant I empathised with them more.

“It showed me how the work I am doing can be so important.

Over 1000 people participated in walks during the 2009 ‘Walking Week’ last September. The 79 walks on offer included; strolls for parents with pushchairs, walks for anyone interested in ghosts, history, or pubs, and various country rambles.

Walking Week aims to promote walking as: an easy way to get fit and boost well-being a chance to leave the car behind and help reduce pollution a great way to explore everything the local area has to offer.

Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport, under the Active Together project will be supporting Leicestershire Walking Week with a programme of walks for everyone, available across Leicestershire.

Walks will range from short health walks for beginners to longer country walks and themed walks embracing local culture, cuisine and countryside. All walks will be led by experienced leaders from local groups.

Walking Week showcases Leicestershire’s and Leicester’s beauty and diversity. Leicestershire has over 3,000km of paths, plus parks, waterways and other trails, that are great opportunities for everyone to get out and about.

Andy Reed MP, Chairman for Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport, said: “Walking is an excellent form of exercise and a fantastic way to enjoy the beautiful Leicestershire countryside with friends and family. Regular walking can bring many benefits to your physical and mental wellbeing and Leicestershire Walking Week will showcase an exciting range of themed walks for all to enjoy.”

For more information, please contact: Andrew Watson on 01509 564872 or visit www.leics.gov.uk/walkingweek or www.lrsport.org.uk for details of all local ‘Active Together’ activities.

The latest housing developments around Braunstone have led to fears of overcrowding and heavier congestion.

One new development has almost doubled its number of new housing and has raised concerns that other developments may follow suit.

Thorpe Astley housing development, in the north of Braunstone, has had the proposed amount of new housing increased from 1200 to 1900 homes.

It is now feared that the new Lubbesthorpe development near Leicester Forest East, with a proposed 4500 new homes, may also grow.

Phil Fox, a Braunstone Town councillor, said: “We don’t want our green lungs taken away and to be subsumed into a huge scrabbling mess.

“We’ve had our turn at heavy development; there should be more new housing out in the villages where infrastructure is already in place and there is a need for new housing.”

Despite this, Blaby District Council has decided that the sites chosen for the housing developments are suitable and that they also meet government proposals for new housing.

A spokesperson for Blaby District Council said: “We are required by central government to identify land for 7,600 new homes to be built across the district by 2026.

“While villages will take some of this development the East Midlands Regional Plan says at least two-thirds of the houses should be built next to the edge of Leicester.”

A new flyover has also been proposed to link Braunstone with the new Lubbesthorpe development on the other side of the M1 motorway, making access to the new site easier.

However, this would potentially create further congestion in Braunstone and do little to quell fears of overcrowding.

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If you would like an item included in next weeks edition of the VAL E-Briefing please get in touch. E-mail: ebriefing@valonline.org.uk . Phone: 0116 257 4989 . The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 12pm for the following Friday issue

Facing funding cuts?
If your VCS group is facing funding cuts, VAL is here to help.
You can call the VAL Helpline on 0116 257 5050 or email helpline@valonline.org.uk for advice and support.

Upcoming Events
Voluntary Sector Care Providers Forum
Date: 18 Mar 2010 -  Time: 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Location: Vista, Margaret Road, Off Gwendolen Road, Leicester LE5 5FU
We are reconvening this vital and dynamic Forum and hope that you can attend the next meeting to join the discussion on two important topics.

Leicestershire Dyslexia Support in Leicester and Leicestershire – Maths Difficulties and Dyslexia
Date: Wednesday 10 March – Time: 7.30pm – 9.00pm
Location: The Stoneygate Baptist Churce, 315 London Road, Leicester
Admission: 1 pound – Free to members – reductions for students
Leicestershire Dyslexia Association invites you to a workshop on Maths Difficulties and Dyslexia – Come and learn some skills and strategies to help your children/young people.

Ansaar – Carers Support Meeting
Date: Wednesday 10 March – Time: 11am – 1pm
Location: Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, Belgrave Road

Thinking Family: Supporting Parents Conference
Date: 23rd March 2010
A one day conference for workers and team managers across Children & Young People’s Services, and Adult Services – to launch the LSCB ThinkFamily protocols. Find out the latest developments in working with families in Leicester and Leicestershire and how supporting Parents and Carers makes a difference.

Social Work: Building A Safe Confident Future in the East Midlands
Date: 26 March
Location: Hilton Hotel, Leicester
Skills for Care East Midlands, in conjunction with the East Midlands Social Work Network, is organising an event to provide the opportunity for employers, universities, people who use services, practice educators, workforce planners and all other stakeholders to explore the recommendations relating to social work education in a regional context.

Training & Development
Managing Staff Performance
HR event for voluntary sector infrastructure organisations
Date: Monday 29 March – Time: 2-5pm (1.30pm registration)
Location: Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, 9 Newarke Street, Leicester LE1 5SN
This Free event is organised by NCVO in partnership with One East Midlands and funded by Capacitybuilders Improving Support.

Prince’s Trust Team Programme
Team is a 12 week full time personal development programme for unemployed 16-25 year olds delivered by Leics Fire & Rescue Service on behalf of The Prince’s Trust.

Life and Knowledge – Muslim toolkit Workshop
Date: Wednesday 17th March – Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Voluntary Action Leicester (VAL), 9 Newarke Street, Leicester, LE1 5SN
Do you work in Health Promotion or Health Improvement?
Are you interested in working with Muslim communities on HIV awareness?

Leicestershire County Parent and Carer Involvement Strategy
Half Day Consultation Workshops – Monday 1 March 2010
These workshops are for those working with parents and carers

Job Opportunities
Children and Young People’s Service – Independent Chair for CAF Multi-agency Forum Department
Position:Independent Chair for CAF Multi-agency Forum Department Children and Young People’s Service
Location: As required

Funding & Sustainability
Unltd 15,000 pound Awards
The Spring Level 2 Competition is now open and will close on 22 March 2010.
Level 2 Awards are aimed at social entrepreneurs which have established a social business/project.

Consultation and Participation Opportunities
Consultation on a Strategy for Services for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in England
Since 2005 the Department of Health, the NHS, patients, clinicians and other key stakeholders have been working together to identify the best ways to improve care and outcomes for those with COPD and to reduce the overall prevalence of the disease.

Publications
Oneplace National Overview Report
This report explains what the first year of comprehensive area assessment has revealed about how well the 200 billion pounds spent on local public services is meeting people’s needs.

A unique dance is being promoted in a freestyle disco by professional dancers at the Braunstone Civic Centre.

Ceroc Dance has been running for over ten years in Leicester, and has been described as ‘pure dance addiction’.

Ceroc is a blend of salsa, jive, Latin and Hip Hop.

Jeff Kremer, a Ceroc choreographer, said: “The classes are mostly attended by 35 to 50 year olds; for many people it has completely changed their way of life.

“It provides a social element and we have helped many people stay fit and lose weight and it’s a safe environment with a professional teacher.”

“It is a world that many people are not aware exists. “

The disco night will include funky, house and smooth blues played by a DJ, with an entrance fee of £9 on Saturday.

Organisers hope the event will raise awareness of the growing dance craze and will persuade people to take part in Ceroc classes.

During the lessons participants meet and dance with different partners, following 500 Ceroc moves.

Over one hundred people attend the classes held every Wednesday at the Braunstone civic centre.

Classes start at 8pm for beginners and 9pm for intermediate level followed by free style dancing in a party atmosphere until midnight.

New members pay £10.00 on their first visit, which includes life membership; members pay a special rate of £8 thereafter.

Ceroc, which started in London in the 1980s, runs over 130 classes every week in 100 venues across the UK.

For more information visit http://www.ceroc.uk.com/ or call Jeff on 0115 8440278.

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A national family-run pub and brewery chain has returned home to roll out a new type of pub experience in Knighton.

The Cradock Arms, Knighton Road, re-opened last week after a £350,000 refurbishment to create a ‘traditional family pub with a modern twist.’

The pub is one of many owned by Everards whose founder, William Everard, heralded from Knighton.

Robin Sherwood, retail-marketing manager for Everards, said: “We’ve been family owned since 1849. This means we have an idea of what works and what doesn’t, although we were keen to discuss our final product with the community. To that extent we had meetings with local customers to gauge their thoughts.”

After these discussions it became clear to the owners that an emphasis on playing an integral part in everyday community life would help maximise the pub’s potential.

With this in mind, a monthly book club has been instated, family board games can be borrowed on site and there are hopes to utilise the newly landscaped garden for barbeques in the summer months.

“It’s not just a pub anymore it’s an asset. We want to see the Cradock Arms play an important role in people’s day to day lives,” Mr Sherwood added.

Along with the introduction of a community focus the pub has also installed a new thatch roof, as well as a platform lift to allow disabled access to the upper bar area. There has also been a new menu introduced, and a new kitchen in which to freshly prepare the food.

Licensee Nick Burrell said: “It’s been a long journey, but I’m delighted with the outcome. As it was only closed for six weeks it was a pressured job, but the team has worked hard. We’re finally going to be maximising the value of the pub, which hadn’t been used to its full potential in the past.”

An innovative springtime scheme will see a 16-acre Stoughton Road green-space transformed into an interactive outdoor classroom for school pupils learning about the natural world.

The University of Leicester Botanic Garden, which is normally used for research by biological science students, will welcome children on placements from primary and secondary schools across the county as part of an initiative to give youngsters a hands-on learning experience.

This year will see a new ‘Botanica’ exercise, involving young people aged 12-18 taking on the roles of citizens of a fictional developing country for a day and completing a number of tasks aiming to build team work and logical thinking.

Last year the centre welcomed more than 10,000 children who attended workshops and classes on wildlife, habitats and biology, which offered a ‘close up’ view of topics traditionally confined to the science lab.

Education officer at the garden Ruth Godfrey said: “This programme is all about giving children the opportunity to hands on with learning in an absolutely beautiful setting.

“We want the garden is to be used as an educational tool for everyone not just students at the university,” she said. “It’s all about giving children and young people a more complete understanding of the natural world around them.”

It is hoped the gardens, which contains a water garden, rock garden, and nationwide collections of several species of plant, will offer wider perspective for pupils in urban areas lacking in green space.

Barbara Brennan, former chief executive of children’s wellbeing charity Young Mind’s, said: “It is especially important for those children in city areas which often do not have large gardens or any green space to have the chance to enjoy and benefit from places like this.”

A Clarendon Park toyshop owner has helped to breathe new life into a children’s classic toys at one of the cities oldest venues.

This Saturday Abbey Pumping Station, corporation Road, is opening its doors to the public for the very first ‘Lego Madness’.

Ian Adcock, owner of Midway Models, which has served the community for 26 years, said: “Over the last six years this shop has specialised in Lego. Lego is still where I would say ‘in the unknown’. It has the ability to be enjoyed and to entertain people of all ages and such a great way for kids to get their imaginations working.”

“When the pumping station approached me I thought the idea of a Lego day for the city’s children was a grand idea and have helped to provide the Lego for them, and will be helping people to make different scale models.”

The free event is to be held in conjunction with British Science Week, and will include games, such as guess how many pieces on the model, a Lego trail around the museum and a range of stalls including one from Mr Adcock, making second hand Lego available to buy and displaying models he has previously made.

Volunteers will be running the event and as a bonus the museum will open up its steam train for the public to ride at the charge of 50p.

Minaxi Patel, operations officer for Abbey Pumping Station, said: “We are really looking forward to this event. In my eyes there is so much for children to learn from Lego, it allows them to be creative, and this event is very much about learning technologically.

“We’re going to give them the chance to build small to almighty objects, Lego is amazing you just have to look at the life size house that James May, the Top Gear presenter created.”

The event will run between 11am and 3pm, for more information contact Abbey Pumping Station on 0116 299 5111.