 | Cllr Phil King
Leader of Harborough District Council |
|
Happy New Year for 2023!
We already have plenty to look forward to in the Harborough district.
You can chase away those January blues by checking out the comedy acts set to tickle audiences in Harborough over The Big Weekend as part of The Leicester Comedy Festival. There's a range of shows to amuse all the family. Have you set yourself some new fitness goals? We're sharing details of a wide range of accessible classes and programmes for all levels of fitness. Physical exercise supports positive mental health as it stimulates our bodies to produce natural feel-good hormones which can make problems seem more manageable. If Christmas was more costly than you planned and you're worried about your finances, do reach out to official charities or agencies who can help you. Find a range of support agencies on our cost-of-living page. Need motivation? Then do read the inspiring story from a local resident who has boosted their health with support from a local leisure centre as a result of using the GP referral scheme.
Time to invest in yourself? You'll find free support to help you hit your career targets in 2023. We have job fairs and job clubs where you can refresh your CV and speak with local employers who have real opportunities on offer.
Looking to venture out across the district? Then take inspiration from our heritage trails. With a choice of 11 circular walks, there’s plenty to encourage you to get out and delve into local history to find a few surprises from days gone by. Let's get this year off to a good start. We're here and happy to help you reach your goals for 2023.
Cllr Phil King |
|
| | Food safety risks not worth it |  | The latest FSA Consumer Survey found a growing number of people are taking food safety risks because of money pressures and rising energy costs. Some examples of these safety risks include: 18% of participants turned off a fridge and/or freezer containing food, at least once in the last month, to reduce energy bills and save money. 30% of participants reported that they had skipped a meal or cut down the size of their meals because they did not have enough money to buy food in the last month.
Knowing how to store, cook and reheat food at home helps improve food safety and reduces food waste.
Use the Food Standards Agency website to find top tips to make your food last longer.
There are a number of myths and misconceptions about how long you can store food, when you know it’s gone off, and how to keep your food safe at home. By fact-checking the most common questions, we hope this will help you to stay safe and avoid throwing away good food unnecessarily.
There's also advice for using air fryers, how to chill, freeze and defrost food safely and information on how best to avoid food waste. | | January Christmas tree collection |
|
|
|
🎄Harborough district residents with a garden waste subscription can dispose of their real Christmas trees in the green-wheeled bin collection
🎄The Christmas tree collection will be during weeks commencing 9 and 16 January 2023.
Trees should be cut up / sawn and put in the green bin with the lid closed.
🎄Check your bin collection dates
| |
|
|
|
Leicester Comedy Festival tickles Harborough District |
|
| Tickets are now available for the Leicester Comedy Festival 2023.
It'll be the festival's 30th anniversary, and the 5th birthday of The UK Kids' Comedy Festival.
There are a variety of shows taking part in a range of venues across the Harborough district as part of The Big Weekend, from Friday 17 to Monday 20 February 2023, with acts to be announced in January. |
|
|
|
| Everyone Active client, Terry Eato shares his experience of the GP Referral Scheme. About 6 months ago I was introduced as part of the GP Referral Scheme to Market Harborough Leisure Centre and to be honest was a little nervous as I had not used any of the many activities available on the site. On my first visit we agreed a loose plan that catered for the Parkinson’s I suffer from, so it was general fitness, core strength and balance. Shereen showed me around the gym, which wasn’t as scary as I imagined and selected some equipment that was going to help me. She also listed the other classes like Aqua Fit and Body Balance that I could choose to complement my gym work.
Right from the start my fears were dispelled and a trip to the centre was not a chore but something I looked forward to.
The staff are always helpful and willing to give advice ensuring you do the right exercise safely and have fun while doing it.
I have been going at least one day a week, sometimes two for about an hour each time and from the start have lost nearly 10Kg in body weight. But not only do I enjoy that feeling of being physically fitter, I am sure my mental health is much better in what can only be described as troubled times for many of us!
So why not give the Centre a try, get fitter feel better about yourself and loose a few pounds? See you there! |
|
 | Local Resident Terry Eato at Market Harborough Leisure Centre |
|
| |
|
Accessible fitness for all across the Harborough District |
|
| There are lots of opportunities in the district to help you to improve your fitness levels: Fleckney Steady Steps – a new session is starting in January. This is a 24 week course, aimed at those who are at risk of falling, to improve strength and mobility. Contact activetogether@harborough.gov.uk for more infomation and to register. Chatty Chairs - low impact exercise to build strength and mobility, aimed at those who are at risk of falling and who are waiting to access a steady steps class. £4.50 a session, held in Market Harborough Leisure Centre. Contact activetogether@harborough.gov.uk Steady Steps in Kibworth, Market Harborough, Lutterworth and Fleckney – a new 24 week course will begin in March. Places are limited, so register interest with activetogehter@harborough.gov.uk Accessible yoga – a new session aimed at those who have long term medical conditions or limited mobility, as the session can be completed from seated or using support such as a chair to lean on. Held in Market Harborough, £6 per session. Contact activetogether@harborough.gov.uk for more information. Launching in January, JUST is a physical activity programme that provides the opportunity for women of all ages and abilities to get involved in a range of physical activity sessions across South Leicestershire. You have the opportunity to attend a large selection of local classes, with everything from Zumba to Badminton on offer! Contact activetogether@harborough.gov.uk for more details. Wellbeing Walks – hosted by the Canals and Rivers Trust – Tuesdays at 10.30 at the Wharf in Market Harborough.
|  | |
|
|
|
Rugby Club scores pitch floodlights |
|
| Market Harborough Rugby Union Football Club (MHRUFC), has recently benefitted from a development project which has enabled the installation of floodlights for their pitches. The £250k project was made possible with help from Harborough District Council by facilitating awards from Section 106 funds. The club also received financial contributions from Harborough District Leisure Trust, Market Harborough and the Bowdens Charity and the Howard Watson Symington Memorial Charity. Ward Councillors also supported the project. The club now enjoy match-level lights on 5 full pitches in total, including a main match pitch and off-pitch training area lit for wet-weather days. The new lights are all energy efficient LEDs, allowing the club to increase lit space while reducing energy usage. They also allow for additional training to take place whilst enabling the club to train on pitch rotation to preserve the grass.
|  | Floodlit pitches in Market Harborough. With thanks to Andy Carpenter for the image. | |
|
|
|
| Come along to Job club at The Wycliffe Rooms, Lutterworth on Friday 3 February 2023 between 12:30pm - 3pm.
There is friendly, confidential & tailored advice for all. So if you're: - returning to the workplace after a long break - considering a change of career - want to earn and learn with a local apprenticeship role - setting up your own business in Harborough district - want a new job, or - looking for alternatives to university or college please come along!
Local employers will attend job club to chat about career opportunities in their sector and will offer and informal interviews on the spot! Training providers are also on hand to share information about courses and skills opportunity and can also help you make the most of your CV.
You don’t need to make an appointment, just drop in anytime between 12.30pm - 3pm and enjoy a free hot drink and cake.
Keep up to date with free networking events, training webinars, job fairs, apprenticeship vacancies, career opportunities, skills workshops and more!
You can sign up to receive the free Business E-Bulletin or the Tourism E-Newsletter to read about local events, funding, business news and collaborations. We offer support on a wide range of topics for businesses across the district. Whether you are starting up a new business, expanding your company or thinking of relocating to Harborough, have a look at what support is available to you. Or email business@harborough.gov.uk to arrange a one-to-one meeting with a team member.
|
|
|
|
|
