Press Pack - Square Mile - De Montfort University

De Montfort University’s Square Mile Volunteering DayThursday 22 nd September10am-3pm, 5pm-7pmPRESS PACK

there is a community sports programme and a chance for the whole family to get fit.M² community cafe will be an opportunity for members of the community to designand develop their own community social space and the Detached Youth Workerswill see teams from DMU working with young people in the area throughout theduration of the project.To give the local community a sense of place there is a local identity package. One ofour leading history researchers is working on the Street Stories project which willgive the residents of Tudor Rd an opportunity to narrate their experiences of whathome means to them. The Old through New project will connect a DMU PHDstudent with local footage an imagery of the area, his exciting palimpsest viewer willallow residents to view images of their area as it used to be and see how it haschanged to what it is now. What would you change? is a project for people withimagination and will link skilled and experienced architects with local people toimagine how they would like their area to look. The DMU architects will also be onhand to offer advice and guidance to those wishing to make design changes to theirown properties.Health is a very important focus for the Square Mile project and there are a numberof projects that will aim to support people to access health provision in the area.Free Hearing Screenings will be offered throughout the duration of the project withdirect referrals made to DMU audiologists for further testing if needed. Lose weightwith your Pharmacy is a new and exciting idea being offered as a project withinSquare Mile and will give local people support from their local pharmacists to tryways of losing weight. DMU midwives are working with their students to develop aguide of breast feeding facilities as part of the Out and about with your Babyproject. StoryBags uses the skills of DMU speech and language therapists to workalongside nurseries in the area to improve very young children’s literacy throughstorytelling. People with learning disabilities are often overlooked when it comes tosexual health information and the Sexual Health and Wellbeing project will workwith this specific group to improve information for them.There are a number of projects that are being offered that will significantly helppeople’s skills in a certain area, drawing on the expertise of the university to do so.How Green is your House? will culminate in preparing houses and residents forGreen Deal money, Free English Lessons will reach out to the migrant workerscommunity and offer simple and practical language tuition and employment advice,Robot Club will run weekly for Yr 10 students in the area and will encourage youngpeople to get excited about engineering – a few of them will even be flown to Viennato take part in an international competition on behalf of Square Mile. Play Dough is acompetition for primary school children who will compete to see who can invest afictional £1000 most successfully with prizes for the winning school. Street Law willbe of benefit to local organisations who can request information sessions with DMUlegal experts and students on areas of law that affect them directly. DMU will also berecruiting community school governors from its staff body to work with the localeducation providers.

Throughout the entire project Community FM will broadcast events on the radio asthey happen, From Street to Screen will see students will make various filmdocumentaries and in conjunction with the Leicester Mercury DMU will train tenlocal people to become community reporters.The Volunteering DayDe Montfort University is delighted to announce that the Square Mile project willcommence with the ‘Volunteering Day’ On Thursday 22 nd September. Through avariety of activities running throughout the day, De Montfort University willshowcase a number of the 21 projects and engage local residents in taster sessions.The day event will take place between 10-3pm, residents can volunteer alongsideDMU staff and students get their fingers green with the community garden project,transforming Tudor Park into a sensory garden. The M² Community Café will beserving refreshments all day to provide a location for community residents to meetand find out more about the upcoming projects. DMU academics will be leading FreeEnglish Lessons and teaching the younger Mile² residents how to build a robot. Therewill also be rugby, football and basketball tournaments running throughout the dayand BBC Leicester on site as Jonathan Lampon will be broadcasting his show on siteand Tony Wadsworth as the roving reporter. There will be information stalls acrossthe Square Mile on the day to answer any questions from local residents.The evening event between 5-7pm, will hopefully demonstrate the saying ‘What adifferent a day makes!’ The Newfoundpool Neighbourhood Centre will host thecontinuing community café and showcase the journey of the community gardenduring the day. The 5-a-side football tournament for over 16 year olds will be heldon Fosse Recreational Ground and proves to be tough but fun competition!Please see Gantt chart at back of pack for full event listings.Key Square Mile FiguresProfessor Dominic Shellard is Vice-Chancellor at De Montfort University (DMU) inLeicester. He joined DMU in June 2010 having previously been a pro vice-chancellorand professor of English literature at the University of Sheffield. Dominic’s arrival atDMU has heralded a number of exciting developments at the university including adynamic new range of strategic partnerships (with, for example, the British Library,Leicester City Football Club, Leicester’s Curve Theatre and Leicestershire CountyCricket Club) and the launch of the Square Mile Project. Dominic has played aleading role in the development of the Mile 2 concept which closely supports his firmbelief that universities are a public good and ideal centres for this unique kind ofinitiative.James Gardner is Project Director for Square Mile and is responsible forcoordinating and developing strategic direction and overseeing operational activity.James works in Strategic Partnerships at DMU as Deputy Director and works closelywith the Vice-Chancellor on a number of initiatives which include international and

political engagement with local, regional, national and international stakeholdersand partnersDr Jason Wood is the Research Director with responsibility for investigating theimpact of the Mile2 initiative. Jason is a qualified youth worker with research andteaching interests in young people, communities and criminal justice. He hasundertaken high profile work for central and local government and is the author ofnumerous publications in his subject areas. He has been seconded to Mile2 from hisrole as Principal Lecturer and Head of Research in the Youth and CommunityDivision.Frequently Asked QuestionsCan people from outside the Square Mile area get involved in the projects?Leicester residents who live in close proximity to the Square Mile area are welcometo get involved in the 21 projects on offer to the community. Square Mile aims tobuild community spirit – and this is not defined by the lines of a map.Contact DetailsMile2@dmu.ac.uk0116 257 7102Twitter.com/DMUSquareMileFor Press Queries:

Activity10.00-10.3010.30-11.0011.00-11.3011.30-12.0012.00-12.3012.30-1.001.00-1.301.30-2.002.00-2.302.30-3.00Information Stands around Square MileCommunity GardenCommunity CaféHP Information StallHow Green is Your House?Litter CollectionDoor-SteppingDiabetes BusDemon FM CoverageFree English Language LessonRobot ClubOld Through NewWhat Would You Change?Sport: Tag Rugby with TigersSport: Shoot a Hoop with RidersBBC Leciester Radio CoverageWalking Bus (International Students)Walking Bus (International Students)Children's Centres Attending3 x Speeches and LunchColourLocationAll over Square MileTudor GardenRally ParkNewfoundpool Newighbourhood CentreLocal SchoolDMU Campus CentreWoodgate Adventure Playground

Door-Stepping5-a-side football competitionActivity 5.00-5.30 5.30-6.00 6.00-6.30 6.30-7.00Community CaféEvening ShowcaseOld Through New Project TasterDemon Media CoverageColourLocationAll over Square MileFosse Recreational GroundNewfoundpool Newighbourhood Centre