The initiative, put forward by Leicester City Council’s environmental crime team, was designed to help the community come together and achieve something which everybody could be a part of.

Andy Fairclough, who attended the clean-up on Wednesday, said: “I found the whole event therapeutic, it felt good to help my fellow locals tidy up after ourselves and it genuinely looked much-improved after we had finished.

“Honestly, had I been working on Wednesday I wouldn’t have even known about the event, which is perhaps something to do with a lack of publicising the clean-up.”

The focus of the clean-up event was on coppicing, ditch clearing and tidying up the area surrounding the park’s fishing pond.

City wardens, environment agency staff and local police officers were all on-hand at the event to join the community in helping to improve the state of the park.

Mr Fairclough continued: “Plenty of locals turned up for the event but that number was bolstered by the local Council cleaners and police officers etc.”

The event was held to mark ‘Make a Difference Day’, a national campaign organised by community service volunteers to encourage local people to try out volunteering.

Volunteers were provided with the necessary equipment for the day, which ran between 10am and 3pm.

Sam Smith

The celebration on Saturday November 1 has planned a ‘spectacular’ bonfire, stage shows with Irish pair Hudson Taylor headlining the event, fire performers Juggling Inferno are set to light up the night along with a funfair and food stalls.

Laura Hailstone, festival and events officer for Leicester City Council, said: “It’s going to be a real family friendly event with a variety of entertainment provided and we want to encourage all across the city to attend.

“It will be a colourful and creative night with a friendly vibe.”

Advanced tickets for adults are £4.50, children under five go free and family tickets for two adults and two children will cost £13.

Laura Hailstone added: “We have had up to 20,000 people attend in the past and we would love to reach those figures again.”
Tickets are available from Visit Leicester, De Montfort Hall, New Walk Museum, De Montfort University, University of Leicester as well as libraries and leisure centres.

Visitors can also purchase tickets at the gates, with adult prices at £6 but family tickets cannot be bought.

Gates will open at 5pm and last admission will be 7.30pm and the main firework display will begin at 8pm.

More information is available at visitleicester.info/bonfire.

Photo credit: BBC

Sam Morris