Orionid meteor shower to light up Leicester skies

October 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment

By Conor de Smith.

The Orionid meteor shower is set to light up the skies above Leicestershire this weekend.

The shower is an annual event that occurs due to debris from the famous Halley’s Comet hitting Earth’s atmosphere.

As many as 30 meteors per hour are expected to be on view and this weekend – notably Sunday at 3am BST – is prime time for star gazers.

The showers will continue until 7 November and are seen best when away from light pollution.

Heavy rain is forecast for Leicester this weekend which might obstruct the views of the falling meteorites.

Halley’s Comet is the only comet visible to the people of Earth without the need for telescopes or binoculars, and comes into view once every 75 years.

As it travels throughout the solar system, the Sun hits it and particles subsequently fall away. These are what will be seen hurtling towards our planet at speeds of 148,000mph.

There is no need to rush to the observatory at the University of Leicester, though, with Astronomer Tom Kerss adamant that eyes will be the only tool the public will need.

“There’s no advantage to using binoculars or a telescope,” he said. “Your eyes are the best tool available for spotting meteors.

“So, relax and gaze up at the sky, and eventually your patience will be rewarded.”

Filed Under: Local, News, Second Year Tagged With: , , ,

Shahanna employs journalism skills in Leicester City Council marketing job

October 19, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Journalism graduate Shahanna Sheikh, pictured, has landed herself a role working to promote the city as a destination for both businesses and visitors.

After graduating in July and spending the summer travelling around Europe with her family, Shahanna started work two weeks ago at Leicester City Council in the marketing team.

She said: “I had never even thought about the possibilities of working for the council but it’s honestly been a dream come true. Not only do I have the chance to use my journalistic skills, but this job has given me the opportunity to learn and develop new skills as well.”

She saw the job of Graduate Project Officer in the council’s Place Marketing Team advertised on the indeed.com jobs website at the beginning of August.

“I applied on a whim just before going on holiday, thinking I’m not going to get this, but I have nothing to lose.

“ The job description seemed to be everything I was looking for – it entailed PR, communications and content writing.”

A month later she heard back that she had been shortlisted for an interview. Shahanna said that because she had been away she had almost forgotten she’d applied.

“Two days after my interview I had a phone call saying I’d been successful and that the council would like to offer me the job. I was absolutely ecstatic!”

Shahanna said she was really enjoying the work, based at City Hall in the city centre.

“Every day is a new task, a new story and I cannot wait to grow and develop my role further.”

Filed Under: Alumni, News, Today's Top Story

Bereavement charity looking to grow after two years of success

October 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment

by Ollie Heppenstall

An award-winning bereavement photography charity is on the lookout for more volunteers after celebrating its second year in operation.

Formed in August 2015 by eight like-minded photographers, some with past experience of stillbirth or miscarriages, Remember My Baby has more than quadrupled in the two years and two months since then.

It has had glowing reviews from families who have had to use the service it provides – “each and every day the photographs become more special” and “can’t thank Remember My Baby enough” being just two of them.

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The charity now has a pool of 230 volunteers up and down the United Kingdom and in Northern Ireland and has provided 1,500 photography sessions free-of-charge in 130 hospitals around the UK, making it the UK’s premier bereavement photography organisation.

Aga Tetera, 31, and a Leicester-based volunteer with the charity for the last year and a half, said: “Remember My Baby provides a free photography service for parents with stillborn children or children who are not likely to live for very long after birth, and provides this service up and down the UK.

“I wanted to get involved early on, even if I wasn’t sure I would be able to handle situations where the parents are grieving and there is a lot of emotion, as I believe I have something to give back to the community in my photography and to be able to provide a service like this is an excellent way to do that.”

She added: “I spent six months thinking about it, and I’m very glad that I joined in the end.

“I’m mainly active in the Leicester and Loughborough area, although I haven’t had to do so many sessions in Leicester because Leicester Royal Infirmary has midwives that are able to provide a similar service.

“It’s more a case of working alongside them and covering whenever they are unable to provide, as opposed to Loughborough, where we’re more able to provide a service.”

The charity can be reached on Facebook at Remember My Baby, on Twitter @remembermybaby and at www.remembermybaby.org.uk.

Filed Under: Latest, Second Year

Roachford rocks The Musician pub

October 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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By Olivia Mumby.

Legendary singer-songwriter Andrew Roachford rolled back the years to delight crowds at Leicester’s The Musician pub at the weekend.

Tickets were sold out in advance of the much-anticipated event, with the venue filled to capacity with 220 excited fans.

The London-based performer, known simply as Roachford, took to the stage at 10pm before launching into his early hits, ‘Cuddly Toy’ and ‘Family Man’.

His career-spanning set also included some of his more recent material, along with some well known covers such as, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ by Bill Withers and, ‘Under The Bridge’ by Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Fans were not disappointed, with one describing the performance as ‘Fantastic’ whilst another stated ‘He sounds just as good live as he does in his tracks’.

One of the younger fans in attendance was local electrician Joe Smith, 18, who said: “I’ve really enjoyed tonight, I even managed to get a picture with him after he finished so that’s one to add to the collection.”

Located in Crafton Street West, The Musician pub is well known in Leicester for hosting live performances from a range of artists at least six times a week since it opened in 2000.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Latest, Music, Second Year

Tesco fail to update their trollies to the new £1 coin

October 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment
By Luke Smith

Tesco will be leaving more than 100,000 trollies unlocked across the UK after it missed Sunday’s deadline to update its trollies to accept the new £1 coin.

The major supermarket chain currently charges a £1 deposit for trollies in more than 200 UK stores, but the trollies were not ready for the currency change on October 15, when the old style £1 coin ceased being legal tender.

Video: Ben Bristow, a DMU Student, discussing Tesco and the new £1 coin

 

In a statement, Tesco confirmed trolleys would be left unlocked and attendants would be on hand to make sure customers could still use them, with Leicester’s superstore one of just 200 nationwide that still charges for trolly use.

However, DMU student Ben Bristow said: “I went to Tesco to do my big weekly shop, kitted out with my new £1 coins, having spent all of my old ones, only to find that I couldn’t access any of the trollies for my shop.

Tesco picture

“I read that all the trollies would be unlocked and help would be available, but all the trollies were locked up and no help was to be seen anywhere.

“Surely a company as big as Tesco would have had the foresight to fix this issue within the six months that they would’ve know about the new coin coming out? It seems a bit of a joke to me.”

Hazel Stronach, another DMU student, added: “I think it’s ridiculous that I’ve just got rid of all my old coins and now I can’t get a trolly for my shopping.

“I always have to buy too much for a basket and this just makes my shopping really difficult and a big issue.”

In a statement Tesco explained its stores would be accepting the old £1 coins in its self service and cash tills for another week only – in order to help its customers who still have some of the £500million old style coins in circulation.

Filed Under: Latest, Second Year, Today's Top Story, Video
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