28-02-2010 | Big It Up Bulletin -February 2010
Here is the latest update for Big It Up campaigners on major projects and good news stories for Leicester and Leicestershire, brought to you by Leicester Shire Promotions.
If you have any more Big It Up stories to tell of how you, your colleagues or organisation have championed the cause of Leicester and Leicestershire, please feed appropriate details through to Simon Gribbon at Leicester Shire Promotions on 0116 225 4001 or email simon.gribbon@l-p-l.com
Tourism businesses shortlisted for national award
Two Leicestershire tourism businesses have been shortlisted for the National Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2010. Imago at Burleigh Court, Loughborough is nominated for the Access for All award whilst Kilworth House Hotel is hoping to be named Small Hotel of the Year. Now in their 21st year, the awards celebrate the finest businesses in domestic tourism. All of the East Midlands finalists were winners of East Midlands Tourism's 2009 Enjoy England Excellence Awards.
Venue to host world-renowned conference
The School of Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Leicester is preparing to host the prestigious and world-renowned Society for Historical Archaeology Conference after a bid to secure the event by Leicester Conferences and Leicester Shire Promotions proved too good to turn down. The Society's annual conference is expected is bring over 1,000 delegates from around the world to Leicester in 2013 and is estimated to bring in around £½ million to the local visitor economy.
Local band clean up at major national awards
Kasabian fans were celebrating after the Leicester rock band was named the Best British Group at the Brit Awards - the biggest and most prestigious music awards in the country. The band, which first formed at Countesthorpe Community College, fought off competition from Doves, Friendly Fires, Muse and X Factor popstars JLS. Further accolades came at the NME awards recently, where the band won the best album prize, and that for best album artwork for their third LP, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, a former UK No 1.
City festivals twinned in Europe
Leicester's very own Summer Sundae Weekender and Big Session Festival are among the chosen festivals to be twinned with likeminded events around the world in AIF Twin Festivals: A Cultural Exchange - a programme run by The Association of Independent Festivals which partners the UK's leading independent festivals with their counterparts abroad. Big Session Festival has been twinned with Tønder Festival, Tønder, Denmark, whilst Summer Sundae Weekender has been twinned with Bergenfest, Bergen, Norway. Participating festivals will help promote their twin's festival locally and help co-ordinate bookings of international artists.
Pork pie baker wins national award
Melton Mowbray pork pie baker Dickinson & Morris is celebrating after scooping a prestigious gold award at The Grocer Food & Drink Awards 2010. The brand impressed the panel of judges with its flagship product, the Large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, in the Chilled Savoury category. Products were assessed by a rigorous judging process, first by a consumer panel and then by expert judges on taste, content, packaging, shelf visibility, brand impact and labelling.
Fashion students to work with top design houses
Two De Montfort University Fashion Design students won sought-after internships with top designers Paul Smith and Jonathan Saunders when their designs hit the catwalk at London Fashion Week. Rebecca came third, winning £1000 and an internship at Jonathan Saunders, and Alice Hutton came second, also winning £1000 as well as an internship at Paul Smith. Previous FAS prize winners have gone on to work for major labels including Vivienne Westwood, Burberry and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Market is the country's best
Hinckley Market is the best in the country - and that's official. It has been awarded the title of the Best Outdoor Market 2010 by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA), which is the country's leading markets organisation. The judges were impressed by the fact that Hinckley's vibrant market, which will be 700 years old next year, is bucking the national trend and continuing to grow while markets elsewhere are in decline.
Leicester children are happiest in Britain
A Government questionnaire of more than 250,000 children aged between 10 and 14 in schools across England has revealed pupils in Leicester are more satisfied than most when it comes to things like friends, worries and whether they can talk to their parents. The conclusions of the study show that in questions relating to emotional health and wellbeing, Leicester children come 11th out of those in all 150 local authorities in England, and first in the East Midlands.
Loughborough student's scarf is in high demand
A silk scarf designed by a Loughborough University printed textiles graduate Jayne Boyle has gone on sale at one of the UK's most prestigious department stores - Liberty of London. The design, which is based on Bergamo, also won the silver award at the TEXPRINT ComOn 2009 scarf design competition.
Shoe duo hope to walk off with prize
An online footwear retailer set up by two fashion graduates from Leicestershire has been shortlisted for a Midlands business award. Beth Widdowson and Lizze Leary launched Kindred Sole in October 2009. The company is among the finalists in the 2010 Women on their Way (Wow) Awards, which are sponsored by Barclays Wealth, Flybe, Radisson and Harvey Nichols. Kindred Sole, which is based at De Montfort University's Innovation Centre, is in line for the start-up award.
Kasabian singer unveils England away kit on stage in Paris
Self-confessed football fanatic and frontman of Leicester rock heroes Kasabian Tom Meighan scored a world first when he unveiled the new England away kit on stage in Paris. The first glimpse of the jersey England will wear at the 2010 World Cup came as the singer stepped out for the band's encore at the Olympia theatre, to perform hit song Fire. Trevor Cairns, Umbro's chief marketing officer, said rockers Kasabian had been chosen to launch the shirt as part of the sports company's efforts to tie in with "modern football culture".
Local university student trains for 2012 Olympics
Fencing champion Gaurav Gupta - a first year economics student at the University of Leicester - has began training for the 2012 Olympics. At 18 years old, Leicester-born Gaurav has already achieved the number one spot in Indian fencing and he has plans to better that by becoming an Olympian in London 2012. This January, Gaurav was the runner-up in the Indian Championships and in January 2009 he become India's number one fencer.
Store is shortlisted for national award
Homewares retailer Dunelm Group has been shortlisted for a national business award. The Syston business is a finalist in the Company of the Year category of the PLC Awards.
Ex-Leicester Panthers coach helps secure Super Bowl glory
Leicestershire gridiron fans will recognise the man who plotted success for New Orleans Saints at this year's Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. Head coach Sean Payton had a spell with Leicester Panthers in 1988. Payton helped Panthers to the national play-off quarter-finals but was unavailable for the clash with London Olympians after accepting a coaching role at San Diego State University. Sean worked his magic once again with the New Orleans Saints, who triumphed at the Super Bowl match with a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
And finally...
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