Patricia Hewitt, MP for Leicester West, is welcoming the launch of the national photography competition titled ‘Postcards from the Park’. The competition encourages hundreds of people to capture what they most appreciate about their local park.

The competition is organised by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (BIG), in partnership with GreenSpace. HLF and BIG jointly run the Parks for People Scheme to help care for the UK’s public parks and put them back at the heart of community life. Since 1997, HLF has awarded more than £400 million to improving historic local parks and making them safer and more enjoyable places, BIG has invested more than £700 million in environmental initiatives since 2004.

Patricia  said: “As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to get out and about in your favourite park. The competition is a great opportunity to spend some quality time in one of Leicester’s beautiful parks and challenge yourself to capturing what you love about it in an imaginative and creative photo.”

Interested residents in Leicester who would like to enter the competition should send their snaps to Clare Makepeace on clarem@hlf.org.uk or post them to ‘Postcards from the Park’, Heritage Lottery Fund, 7 Holbein Place, London, SW1W 8NR. More information on the competition can be found at www.postcardsfromthepark.org.uk

The closing date for entries is 6pm, 1st August 2008.