To avoid developing osteoporosis from lack of exposure to sunlight, you may wish to get outdoors and do some actual exercise this summer. But where do you start? If you want to leave team sports like rugby and football in PE lessons in the past, but need something a little more exciting than a jog around the estate, maybe skating will be up your alley.

There’s a whole host of skate disciplines to choose from and most are extremely inclusive, regardless of your ability.

Skateboarding has been popular for decades and still has a loyal fanbase of many. It’s relatively cheap to get started, with complete set-ups available for less than £50. Whether you want to master basic tricks or attack the ramps at your local skatepark, the possibilities are endless with lots of new skills to learn. Skateboard decks may only be a piece of wood, but there’s also a variety of designs on the market to help you represent your scene, let alone other interchangeable parts like wheels, trucks and grip tape. All in all, you’ll never need to blend into the crowd and will gain some enviable calf muscles to boot!

One thing that can’t be denied about skateboarding is that it’s relatively challenging and takes a lot of practice. Although this is a pull for some, others may want something a little simpler and instantly gratifying. Scootering allows for all the trick-learning enjoyment of skateboarding, but is a little easier to crack. Again, basic scooter set-ups are relatively cheap and can be used as transport or extreme sports equipment. Either way, they’re pretty exhilarating and perfect for getting some much-needed exercise.

If you’re more concerned about getting from A to B than learning tricks, then you might want to consider a longboard. Much like a skateboard, but longer (clue’s in the name, I guess), the wheels are also bigger for a smooth ride across distances. Although you’re not likely to rip up a quarter pipe on one, they’re better for your body than a car and look pretty awesome on the street. Definitely a perfect partner for long summer evenings.

If four wheels aren’t quite tickling your fancy, maybe I can tempt you with eight? Inline skates and quad skates add a pinch of retrospective to the skate scene, but not to the extent that they haven’t evolved. With many light and super-comfortable boots available, roller skating is ideal for exercise, whether you’re cruising down the down the boardwalk, LA-style, or throwing a host of geometric shapes at your local roller disco (a scene that’s still very much alive and well, by the way). Available in a host of colours, roller skates make a great gift for all ages. Just don’t forget your knee and elbow pads!

If you can’t take the heat this summer, maybe you’d like to consider ice skating at an indoor rink? You don’t need to be Torvill or Dean to get in on the action, nor must you wear a sparkly outfit… A decent pair of ice skates will do, and if you don’t want the commitment of buying a pair, most rinks will have them to rent. Although professional ice skating is likely to give you a body to die for, anything that gets your pulse racing will potentially be of benefit to you. If you’re an amateur, all that sliding around and attempting not to cause grievous bodily harm to yourself or others will certainly raise your BPM!

So, what are you waiting for? Drop the remote control and get out there!

Having had a fortnight to prepare for this weekend’s rugby union showpiece, a glance around the Tigers’ Oval Park training ground will display a group of focused players – determination etched across each individual’s face as they prepare for a game different to all others experienced over the course of a long, tough season.

And, in Saturday’s Premiership Final, local pride is also on the line, with Tigers’ opponents being that of Northampton Saints, their rivals in the infamous East Midlands derby. It’s an occasion that has all the hallmarks of a classic and the club insist that, on this occasion, there is more to the game as has been in previous years.

“From our end there is (added competitiveness); I’m sure there is at their end,” said Leicester director of rugby, Richard Cockerill, as he addressed the media in the build-up to the game.

“You have the club rivalry and the bit of rivalry between the forwards coaches in me and Westy (Dorian West), but we have a lot of respect for Saints. The reason that we’ve been good against them the past few times is because we’ve approached the game very professionally in order to get the result. We know, if we don’t, they’re more than capable of beating any side, as we saw against Saracens. The whole thing leads in to being a grand spectacle and, hopefully, the right result for us.”

Putting a bet on the Premiership Final? Check out a guide on free bets ‘Understanding Free Bets for Noobs‘

(CONTINUED)

Tigers’ recent record against Northampton Saints is, indeed, enviable. The side has won their last seven encounters over their bitter local rivals, which included a semi-final victory at Welford Road last season.

However, Cockerill refuses to rely on Tigers’ recent dominance, emphasising the class that Saints possess within their ranks.

“The players know the quality of their side; they know what they bring from a set-piece point of view and we know what their dangers are,” he said.

“We know everything about Saints and they’ll know everything about us. They’ve spent a lot of time together in England camps and we’ve played against them enough, so I think the players are just preparing to get themselves right for the game. They know what’s at stake and the past two years have been disappointing for us, falling at the final hurdle, so we have to get it right.”

Saturday’s encounter will be the first East Midlands derby in a Premiership Final, whilst for Saints it will be their first appearance in the showpiece at Twickenham.

One player  named in the Leicester starting XV is lock Graham Kitchener, a player yet to lift the Premiership trophy with Tigers.

“It’s going to be massive,” he said, looking ahead to Saturday’s encounter.

“Saints haven’t been to a final and we’ve lost the last two, so everything’s on the line. The fact that it’s an East Midlands derby always means that it will bring something extra.”

As stated by Cockerill, it will be Saints’ strength in the set-piece that will be a potent weapon against Tigers; however, Kitchener admits that the team would be foolish to believe that it’s their only key strength.

“If you look at their semi-final against Sarries especially, Saints were very dominant up front; the line out, the line out drive, the scrum – you know you will always get that with Saints,” he said.

“However, they have some dangerous guys in the backs as well and when stuff opens up, they’re pretty dangerous. It’s difficult to pinpoint one ‘key strength’ with them, but I think there will certainly be a set-piece focus.”

With such an incredible prize at stake and a sell-out crowd expected at Twickenham, there is no escaping the scale of the occasion and the emotion is can generate. It’s something that Kitchener insists the Tigers use.

“I think you need to use the occasion a little bit,” he admitted.

“Even though we may try, it’s not a normal week for us, but we’re trying to keep as grounded as possible. When we get to Twickenham on Saturday afternoon, we need to use that extra emotion to spur us on.”

For more information on Leicester Tigers and for further build-up to the Premiership Final, visit www.leicestertigers.com

GlaxoSmithKline and The King’s Fund announced the award at a ceremony held at London’s Science Museum on Thursday May 16th.

LASS provides rapid HIV testing, support, information and advocacy to people affected by HIV and AIDS in an area containing many different communities and an above average population of people that are HIV positive.

To slow down the spread of HIV and help people to access treatment, LASS invests in rapid testing services in community settings. There is a particularly low uptake in some African communities, so LASS trains volunteers from these communities to carry out testing and provide information.

They provide testing at a range of events and venues including African football tournaments to reach people who otherwise wouldn’t be tested. LASS also provides services for people with the virus and those who may be coping with other issues like poor mental health, by providing healthy living training.

The GSK IMPACT Awards, GlaxoSmithKline’s flagship UK corporate responsibility programme organised in partnership with The King’s Fund, is seen as a ‘seal of excellence’ in the sector. As well as receiving £30,000 in funding during a difficult financial climate, the winners can take part in a training programme hosted by The King’s Fund that provides training, development and networking opportunities.

Katie Pinnock, Director of UK Corporate Contributions at GSK, OR Lisa Weaks, Third Sector Programme Manager at The King’s Fund said: “Congratulations to LASS, a strong winner in these awards. Their work providing, support for people with HIV and bringing testing into local communities, is making a real difference to people’s lives in hard-to-reach groups. It is sharing best practice to further improve outcomes for its service users as well.”

Patrick Bowe, Chair of LASS Board of Trustees, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised at this high level for the impact of our local work supporting and empowering people living with HIV, and challenging and breaking down stigma and discrimination. Our community HIV testing programme is contributing to government public health targets and has already saved the health service more than £3million through encouraging more people to have an HIV test and know their HIV status.

“This huge achievement for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is due to the continued commitment by a great team of staff and volunteers. They are determined to deliver the highest standard of services possible and make a significant difference in HIV provision locally with a relatively small budget. This award will make a significant difference to the profile of our work and the reputation of LASS and our new social enterprise.”

The calibre of award is reflected in its judging panel who chose the winners, which this year includes Professor Steve Field, Deputy National Medical Director at NHS England (health inequalities); the journalist, Fiona Philips; Peter Wanless, CEO of The Big Lottery; Gilly Green, Head of UK Grants at Comic Relief; Sir Christopher Gent, Chairman of GSK; and, Sir Chris Kelly, Chair of The King’s Fund.

For more information on LASS visit www.lass.org.uk

The Devon club have started the season with two defeats on the road and are led by the high-scoring Australian, Ty Proctor, who doubles up in the Elite League with Wolverhampton.

Leicester Lions Lions co-promoter, Alan Jones, said: “The Plymouth promotion has assembled a team that we thought would be a surprise package this year with plenty of experience and a dash of youth. Why it has not worked out for them so far is a mystery but we will not underestimate their capability especially around their own circuit where they have a very good record.”

Leicester will host the return fixture twenty-four hours later on Saturday (May 25th) at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium.

The Lions have named the same side that completed a successful weekend’s racing with wins at home to Workington and away at Glasgow which propelled them into third place in the Premier League table.

Hospitality

At each of their home fixtures, Leicester Lions provide two hospitality boxes which are situated in a fantastic position in the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium. These boxes can hold up to 30 people and are ideal for corporate events, birthdays, stag dos and other special occasions.

The boxes have a balcony as well as an indoor area, and hospitality packages can be tailored for individuals needs.

The standard package includes admission, a buffet, stocked fridge with alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages, programmes, professional photos of the event and announcements in the stadium.

To make your occasion and visit to Leicester Lions extra special, contact Sarah now on 0116 2350082 or email sarah.braganza@leicester-speedway.com

For more information on Leicester Lions visit http://leicesterlions.co

Claire, who completed the 2012 London Marathon in a robotic suit and has recently finished a 400 mile cycle challenge from Nottingham to London, proved an inspiration to everybody that attended the event.

The ladies were enthralled by Claire’s brave story and her comparisons on life before and after a riding accident in May 2007 that left her paralysed from the chest down.

During the event, Claire was also able to demonstrate the incredible robotic suit that she wore for 17 days in order to complete last year’s London Marathon.

Laura Betts, LOROS Fundraiser, said: “We are delighted that Claire was able to join us as our Guest Speaker at this event, she is a remarkable woman who has accomplished so much.  Her inspirational words combined with her wit and humility touched the hearts of everyone in the room.”

Next year’s Ladies Luncheon will take place on Wednesday May 14th at King Power Stadium with the guest speaker to be announced.

If you would like to attend this event please contact the LOROS fundraising department on 0116 2318431.

For more information on LOROS visit www.loros.co.uk and to find out more about Claire Lomas, visit her official website – www.get-claire-walking.co.uk/

The course, which was run across three weekends between February and April at Knighton Park Table Tennis Club, is the first qualification on the table tennis ladder and provides learners with an introduction to the practical and theoretical aspects of coaching the sport.

The 12 successful graduates, who paid a discounted £25 fee – having accessed the course through the Achievement Project, can now assist more qualified table tennis coaches in delivering coaching sessions to adults and children.

Alice Kempski, a Sport Maker at the Regent and QE Colleges, who took part in the course, said: “Attending the course has provided me with the skills to engage more students at Regent College in table tennis. Having learnt how to put on a session that is fun and stimulating for both those who have never played before and those who are more advanced, has helped me increase regular participation in the sport at the College.”

Mehboob Bachoo, Leicester City Council’s Sports Regeneration Officer for Table Tennis, said: “Through the partnership work of the Achievement Project and Leicester City Council, the course has provided 12 new level 1 coaches. Through this we have seen the workforce multiply to manage the increased table tennis participation through schools, clubs and community settings.”

An increasingly popular sport, table tennis has enjoyed an enhanced profile in Leicester in recent months, following the introduction of 58 tables at locations all over the city as part of last summer’s Ping! Festival, in conjunction with Sport England and Leicester City Council.

The tables were installed at various outdoor locations, including Humberstone Gate, the Town Hall, Highcross, Leicester Market and Abbey Park, and were well received by the Leicester public, meaning many have remained permanently.

Earlier this year, 12 women from Leicester also attended a swimming teaching course through the Achievement Project that they would normally be unable to access.

The Level 1 Teaching Aquatics award was made more accessible with the standard cost of £395 per person being significantly subsidised to £50 for those participating through the Achievement Project.

Another key element of the course, which took place at Cossington Street Sports Centre between February 16th and March 2nd 2013, is that it was made more accessible to Muslim women as it was female only, featured a female tutor and female poolside staff, and the area surrounding the pool remained private throughout the classes.

As well as the return of the Level 1 table tennis coaching course in the future, the Achievement Project are currently offering a number of subsidised coaching courses that run throughout the year for local residents, including Boxing Level 1 and Basketball Level 1.

For more information about the Achievement Project visit www.achievementproject.org.uk

The 27-year-old Rowe was born in Plymouth and played for his hometown club, Plymouth Raiders, for four seasons after graduating from North Georgia University in the States, before joining Riders early last season.

Rowe knocked down nearly 12 points a game and averaged close to 7 rebounds and just over 1 assist per-game for the Jelson Homes DMU-backed Riders, which helped Rowe pick up his first silverware in the BBL.

“I am absolutely ecstatic to come back with the Riders,” said Rowe.

“I was really pleased with the way I was welcomed into the Riders team part way through the season and Leicester has proved a great team, a great club, and a great organisation.”

“Winning three trophies was well beyond my expectations, but well deserved, because this team put in a lot of hard work,” he continued.

“I really always wanted to stay and defend those titles and keep that success coming to the city.”

The forward admitted head coach, Rob Paternostro, was a factor in his decision,

“Rob is a great coach, and good person, and was undoubtedly part of the reason I am here,” Rowe said.

“He has total respect of his players, and I feel I have learned a lot and improved immensely throughout the season.

“As a team, I think we can step up again. It is great we have already got a number of British players back. If you look at successful teams over a number of years in the BBL, keeping a solid group of good British players is a big factor and I really like the way the club is getting on and getting key players under contract early.”

Riders head coach, Rob Paternostro, added:

“Last season, when Rowe arrived, he fitted in really well and proved his ability to adapt to what we were looking for quickly. Anthony can do a variety of things at both ends of the court, but most impressive is his hunger to win. He also brings a lot to the organisation in terms of his outstanding work in the community.

“What I really like is, with Rowe’s signing, we are building a core of young British talent in our team, when you add in Jamell Anderson and Connor Washington.

“These guys send a message to the younger players in our organisation that if you buckle down, train hard and listen and learn, there are openings in our team. And, of course, their signings give huge flexibility to our squad.”

Led by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), Showcase Smoothie launched in February 2012 and is partnered by a range of arts, health and education based organisations, on both a local and national level.

Showcase Smoothie predominantly targets young black men with experiences of mental health issues; a group statistically more likely to face inequalities within the mental health system.

The Smoothie element of the project is open to men and women of any cultural origin and features a weekly schedule of workshops that can be attended on a flexible basis.

In the past, The Smoothie Crew and its associated members have recorded material and performed both regionally and nationally via the project, and Thursday’s show at Duffy’s on Pocklington’s Walk in Leicester will provide another platform of their talents.

Alongside special guests James Williams, Andy Willingale and Tim Sayers, the wonderful Smoothie Crew will be performing their latest mix of exciting sounds between 8pm and 10pm as part of a special event that has been organised in association with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and Bright Sparks: Arts in Mental Health Group, to promote Amnesty International.

For more information about Thursday’s show please contact Tim Sayers, Arts in Mental Health Co-ordinator at the LPT on tim.sayers@leicspart.nhs.uk or 07795 475 806.

For more information on Showcase Smoothie visit www.showcasesmoothie.com

Led by Rob Manley, Senior Market Officer, traders Adam Fairey, Adrian Pole, George Thomson, Dave and Paul Tattershall, Greg Statham and Neil Worrall ventured on the trek in aid of the Harley Staples Cancer Trust, shortly after Leicester Market’s charity day, which took place on 13th April.

8-year-old Harley was diagnosed with a rare, acute form of leukaemia in 2009 and became an inspirational figure during his battle against the illness. The Harley Staples Cancer Trust was established by Harley’s family to raise funds to help aid children who face life-threatening illnesses, by establishing a holiday home in Leicestershire.

“Every year, we try and do something for charity at Leicester Market, so this year I wanted the Market to do something to raise money for the Harley Staples Cancer Trust,” explains Rob.

“It all started through me trying to get a message to my sister on Facebook, as that’s the only way I seem to be able to these days! I first saw the Harley Staples Cancer Trust as a Facebook page that she was connected to, so I clicked on the link and started reading about the charity’s background.

“I spoke to Adam (Fairey), one of our fishmongers in the Indoor Market and he agreed that it would be a fantastic charity to raise money for. The problem was we didn’t know what to do to raise money. Adam had previously climbed Mount Snowdon and put that idea to me and I thought it was perfect.”

At over 1,000 metres high, Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales and one of the highest peaks in Great Britain, forming part of the Three Peaks Challenge which is often a favoured test for climbers. The challenge it presented to the team of relatively inexperienced climbers from Leicester Market was significant.

“What started as just myself and Adam turned into a team of seven of us at Leicester Market climbing Mount Snowdon and it was hard graft,” Rob admits.

“We were told that the latest we could get to the starting point was 8:00am, so we left at 5:30am to get there in time and there were 12 cars already there. A guy is always on the gate and when we told him that we were climbing today, he simply said ‘oh’. When I asked what he meant, he informed us that the weather towards the top was not great and he wasn’t lying! The trail we were on was called the ‘PYG’ trail – fitting. It started off okay, but suddenly the rain started lashing it down. We turned one corner and were suddenly hit by 50mph head winds!

Rob Manley celebrates in horrendous conditions at the summit of Mount Snowdon.

“We stopped on the way, at the trail’s half-way house and, looking around; there were a few people that had a look on their face as if to say ‘what on Earth am I doing?’ It was -6°c outside and conditions were horrible.

“I took the time to remind people exactly why we were going through it all. Our thoughts were that, if Harley could fight against cancer for two years, the least we could do was complete the climb – and that’s all that needed to be said. We reached the top and it was a fantastic feeling.”

Despite the challenge of reaching the summit of Snowdon, Rob reveals that the trek down was almost as testing.

“Coming down was actually harder than going up, because our legs were dead weight! However, we all turned into Bear Grylls on the way; slicing plastic bottles in half so as to serve soup! I have to admit, it does get emotional when you reach the top, but it was absolutely brilliant and it was with a great bunch of lads.”

Whilst the challenge took it’s physical and, sometimes, emotional toll on the team of climbers, thoughts have already turned to further work in aid of the Harley Staples Cancer Trust.

“We’ve all really taken a shine to this charity. On the way down from the peak, we actually stopped and started to talk about what we were going to do next year and I think that the consensus is that we do something for the Harley Staples Cancer Trust again.

“It’s a personal charity, where there are no directors or anything like that. It’s a mum, dad and aunty and I think that’s worth raising money for.”

Any further donations are welcomed and can be made by CLICKING HERE.

On Friday 31st May 2013 at 5:30pm, students and teachers will be entering the hot yoga studio in neon lycra, headbands and legwarmers in a unique 80s ‘Flashdance’ themed session.

In 2011, Bikram Yoga Leicester made a life-long commitment to fund the school fees of two children, Chandra and Manasa, who are based in Karnataka, India. The goal is to ensure that the pair receives the best education possible in a nearby English-speaking school and, as of next year, the studio is also pledging to support Chandra and Manasa’s two younger siblings.

As a result, Bikram Yoga Leicester regularly aims to raise funds in order to secure sufficient money for the current school year and a minimum of the next 12 years.

The brainchild of students Rob Hollway and Peter Barratt, who regularly wear headbands to classes at Bikram Yoga Leicester, the special ‘Flashdance’ themed class will also include the 2012 British Yoga Champion, Faye Huiyu.

All are welcome to participate in the class and help raise funds for a fantastic cause, whilst legwarmers and headbands will be on sale at the studio before the event.

All proceeds from the sales will go towards the charity fund.

Bikram Yoga is practiced in a heated studio, allowing for safer stretching and the ability to sweat impurities from the body. Results include improved flexibility and strength and stress relief, whilst a 90 minute class can burn around 1000 calories.

For more information on Bikram Yoga Leicester, visit www.bikramyogaleicester.co.uk