Friends of Evington is the charity for managing the projects/campaigns called Evington in Bloom, and Evington Echo.  The charity is also campaigning for an Eco community centre at Evington Park House LE5 6DE.  The charity is about building community, and looking after the environment.

Evington in Bloom, like all the other Bloom groups in Britain, is the project/campaign of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). For more information follow this link https://www.rhs.org.uk   Britain is divided up into 18 regions.  East Midlands in Bloom emib.org.uk is Evington in Bloom’s regional committee.  East Midlands in Bloom organises an annual competition that all Bloom groups take part in.  The RHS/East Midlands in Bloom support like minded groups called ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ groups to improve their local area.  These groups are also judged annually by East Midlands in Bloom’s judges.  Evington in Bloom mainly gardens on land owned by Leicester City Council.  Parks and Open Spaces in Leicester City have a department called  Leicester Environmental Volunteers (LEV) https://volunteer.leicester.gov.uk  works with  Bloom and IYN groups to give them permission to garden on Leicester City Council land.  The Council, through LEV, organise a special day to celebrate the achievements of Bloom and IYN groups in Leicester City.

Evington Echo is an independent magazine that started in 1981.  The magazine was first published in June 1981 and circulated around the Evington village area.  Today (2023) it is circulated by volunteers to 6,000 homes in the Evington area.  The content of the magazine is about  the charity’s news and local news in and around Evington, clubs and societies in Evington, profiles, opinions, local talent, local history and recording local changes in Evington.  Over time these magazines in themselves become an historical record. An on-line website was set up in 2012 and today, the website can be found at evingtonecho.uk

The campaign for a Neighbourhood Centre in Evington has taken many twists and turns.  Our preferred venue has always been Evington Park House.  In Nov. 2018, the Evington Park House was still not officially recognised as a Neighbourhood Centre but until December 2023 some daytime groups with their own fob access were meeting in Evington Park House.

By January 2023 all the people with access to Evington House were asked to leave, including the Parks Services officer who was managing Evington Park House.  The house was deemed to be an underused asset and no longer needed as a operational base.  Friends of Evington have put in a request for this asset to be transferred into community use.  whether it will be a viable and sustainable future will depend on many things.

The enclosed chart shows the various activities that have taken place in connection with Friends of Evington in 2018.

FRIENDS OF EVINGTON CHART OF ACTIVITIES 2012 – 2018

In 2022, Friends of Evington have the following It’s Your Neighbourhood groups:

Nurturing Roots IYN

The Horston Hill Project IYN

Friends of Piggy’s Hollow IYN

Evington Village and Hall IYN

Sedgebrook Gardening Group IYN

Downing Drive Friends and Neighbours

At the end of 2022 the Community groups meeting in Evington Park House have found new venues

These are:

Friendship Club meeting at Evington Village Hall

Rummikub Club meeting at the Cedars

Evington Social Club meeting at the Cedars

Calming exercise Club with Yoga meeting at the portocabin at Evington Leisure Centre

Quilling and Crafts meeting at Evington Library

Also the following clubs moved out of Evington Park House earlier:

History and Heritage group meeting at the Parish Centre of St. Denys Church

Evington House Yoga meeting in the Community rooms at Evington Methodist Church

For more information about the management of Friends of Evington go to friendsofevington.uk