Rugby Borough Council's Parks Roadshow has started its tour of the town to keep youngsters entertained during the school summer holidays.

The council's Play Rangers have joined forces with Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's education team to offer a range of games, sports, arts and crafts in the borough's parks - all in a COVID-secure setting.

The roadshow rolls into parks from Tuesday to Thursday, every week until the end of the school summer holiday. Sessions run from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Stops on the roadshow's tour include Caldecott Park, Long Lawford's King George V Field, Hollowell Way play area in Brownsover, Whitehall Recreation Ground and Newbold's Centenary Park.

Due to the need to control the number of participants in each session so Government coronavirus guidelines can be followed, the roadshow operates on a 'pop-up' basis - but follow the Play Rangers and Rugby Art Gallery and Museum on Facebook for updates on the roadshow's whereabouts.

Youngsters who cannot attend the roadshow have no need to miss out on the fun - a range of summer holiday activity packs can be downloaded from www.ragm.co.uk/activitypacks - perfect for keeping you entertained at home.

Work has started on a major project to improve access to open spaces in Brownsover.

The project replaces the narrow, crumbling pathway networks through Brooklime Drive and Sorrel Drive open spaces with wide, tarmac paths, suitable for walking, running and cycling.

The work also includes replacing kissing gates on the pathways to improve access for the disabled.

The Sorrel Drive pathway route starts in Newton Manor Lane, leading to Orchid Way with links to Sorrel Drive, Cornflower Drive and the pathway network in Coton.

The Brooklime Drive pathway route also starts in Newton Manor Lane, leading to Brooklime Drive, Saffron Close, Gentian Way and the Great Central Way.

The work in Brownsover, funded by the council and Section 106 contributions, follows a similar project at Freemantle open space, completed earlier this year in partnership with New Bilton Community Association under the council's park connector networks programme.

The programme aims to improve access to the borough's open spaces and offer alternative travel routes across the town by creating a network of wide, quality pathways.

The new Motorway Service Area is under construction at J1, M6 near Rugby.

As the work enters the next phase, in addition to the ongoing traffic management systems, there will be some overnight road closures beginning in mid-August.

The A426 north of the M6 will be closed north and southbound, from the J1 roundabout to the intersection with Coton Road and Arthur James Drive.

Rugby Live, a free online festival celebrating music, art and heritage, takes place this weekend (31 July 2020 - 2 August 2020)

Organised to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, the festival includes live performances by the best bands from the borough and beyond, including Courthouse, Anomaly, The Estates and We Are Giants.

The Rugby Live line-up also features sets from solo artists such as Lorna Dea, Ollie Hayes and Anthony Gliddon, with all acts broadcasting live from the Benn Hall.

Between live music acts, the festival programme includes a series of pre-recorded performances showcasing dance, poetry, painting, spoken word, theatre and the town's history.

The line-up includes Creep Dance, Five Star Theatre, Horizon Dance, artists from Warwickshire Open Studios and a demonstration by Jess Illustrates.

Rugby photographer Jamie Gray explores the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in My Town in Lockdown, while film footage of the town's recent Black Lives Matter protests, together with poetry inspired by the movement, capture recent, significant chapters in the borough's social history.

And Rugby Art Gallery and Museum dips into its own film archives to give festival viewers a chance to watch Turner Prize winner Lubaina Himid and Claudette Johnson talk about the ideas and inspiration behind work which propelled both artists to the forefront of Britain's Black Arts Movement.

Rugby Live's heritage highlights also include a celebration of the town's historic status as the birthplace of the game, with films from the World Rugby Hall of Fame library and footage from the town's official Rugby World Cup 2015 fanzone.

Jo Bailey, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's arts development officer, said: "The entire team was determined to mark the venue's 20th anniversary despite the problems presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

"With the support of the borough's artistic community, we're looking forward to launching Rugby Live and showcasing the diverse artistic talent we have on our doorstep."

The Rugby Live online festival runs from Friday to Sunday (31 July to 2 August), with the live stream starting at 2pm each day.

Line-ups and the live stream can be found at www.rugbylivefestival.co.uk

Liberal Democrat MPs Ed Davey and Layla Moran will be the two candidates contesting the latest Liberal Democrat leadership contest, the Party has confirmed.

At the close of nominations today [09 July at 5.00pm] both Ed Davey and Layla Moran secured the support required to appear on the ballot.

Voting will open on the 30th July and close on the 26th August, after which the Party will announce the next leader.

Liberal Democrat Party President Mark Pack said:

"With two fantastic candidates, I am really excited for the contest for who will lead the Liberal Democrats and champion our vision for an outward-looking, caring country that celebrates diversity and benefits from the highest-quality public services.

"With Liberal Democrat membership at record levels, I urge everyone who shares our values to join us in the coming days and vote in the leadership election."

Today Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has delivered a keynote speech to the Local Government Association outlining his plan for a devolution revolution to drive a green revolution.

Ed Davey called for the government to make £45bn new funding available to local authorities over three years alongside a range of new powers so that local government can spearhead the green recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

"Even as coronavirus has caused unbearable heartbreak and hardship, it has been truly uplifting to see the great work councils right across the country are doing to support local people.

"The sheer cost of failing to prepare for the predicted risk of the pandemic crisis should be a dramatic wake up call to prepare properly, now, for the predicted risk of a climate crisis.

"For too long, Government has paid lip service to the vital role local authorities have in tackling the climate emergency - but failed to match their words with action.

"Our plan requires local authorities to be fully empowered. With central government giving the funding and the powers needed to bring about a Green Revolution in in local communities."

Lib Dem group leader at the Local Government Association, Howard Sykes said:

"I am proud that the Liberal Democrats are the only party to have created a credible, deliverable plan to build a green recovery that will bring jobs to local areas and continue the fight to stop the climate crisis.

"The work that has been done by local councils across the nation through this coronavirus crisis has been inspiring. Councillors and officers have worked tirelessly to help residents in unbelievably challenging circumstances, it has proven the importance of local government, and particularly in a national crisis.

"I hope Central Government will take our plans seriously and give local authorities the power and funds we need to deliver a green revolution in the wake of the coronavirus crisis."

Ed Davey speech to LGA in full

**Check against Delivery**

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum stages a free online festival next month to mark its 20th anniversary.

Rugby Live celebrates music, art and heritage, with a packed programme giving a platform to the town's rich and diverse artistic talent.

The online festival runs over the weekend of 31 July to 2 August, with musicians, bands, poets and performers on the bill.

And the Art Gallery and Museum has issued a call-out to musicians and bands in the town for a chance to perform at a recording studio in Rugby for live broadcast during the festival.

Bands can apply to perform at Rugby Live by completing a form on the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum website - www.ragm.co.uk/rugbylive

Poets, dancers, spoken word acts and other performers who can pre-record pieces for broadcast during the festival should send an expression of interest together with a sample video by email to rugbylive@rugby.gov.uk

All applications must be received by 10 July.

Nikki Grange, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's arts, heritage and visitor services manager, said the coronavirus pandemic had put paid to the original plans to celebrate the venue's 20th anniversary.

"Like everyone, our original plans for 2020 had to be abandoned due to the lockdown, but we remained determined to mark the milestone of being the cultural hub of Rugby for the past 20 years," Nikki added.

"The entire team has come together to organise Rugby Live, celebrating the best of the borough's art, music and heritage, and we look forward to welcoming audiences both old and new, online, over the festival weekend."

Further details of the festival line-up look set to be revealed over the coming weeks.

Volunteers from the charity returned to the foodbank headquarters at The Retreat on Monday 29 June 2020, introducing new opening hours - 12.30pm to 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The council agreed to take over the operation of the foodbank from Hope4 at the start of the coronavirus lockdown in March.

At the time, the charity feared having to close the foodbank due to the risks the pandemic posed to both its team of volunteers and the public.

Council staff were redeployed to run the operation, providing more than 700 food parcels to residents and delivering nearly 150 parcels to people unable to visit the foodbank to collect.

Donations of food and toiletries from generous residents and community organisations totalled 37,500kg, ensuring all residents referred to the foodbank received support.

Diana Mansell, chair of Hope4, said: "I am so grateful to everyone at the council who stepped in at very short notice to keep the foodbank running.

"We are now delighted to be welcoming back many of our existing volunteers and some new ones, and to be back in our new building.

"We anticipate being even busier over the next few months as the economic fallout from the pandemic starts to be felt more acutely. We would like to thank everyone for their continued support over the last few months and the months to come.

"During these unprecedented times the community in Rugby has really shown how it can pull together to support from grassroots up in so many ways."

For more information on Rugby Foodbank, visit www.rugby.foodbank.org.uk

There are around 22,000 people in Warwickshire (2.2m nationally) identified as clinically extremely vulnerable who have been advised to stay at home and avoid non-essential face to face contact (shielding).

These are people of all ages - with specific medical conditions identified by senior UK Clinicians - who are at greater risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

Liberal Democrat and Labour Borough Councillors have called on Warwickshire County Council to once again re-think Rugby's new one-way system in the town centre, after the Prime Minister's statement on social distancing yesterday (23 June 2020) and comments from the town's MP.

Boris Johnson yesterday announced a relaxation of the 2 metre rule down to 1 metre as part of a further easing of the nation's lockdown.