Glen Parva

Glen Parva is a suburb of southern Leicester. It is outside the city boundaries, and forms a civil parish of the district of Blaby. To the north it runs into Aylestone, and to the east Eyres Monsell. To the south and west it is not immediately surrounded by development.

It is a largely residential area with no main shopping or leisure centre. There a few small shops located in Glen Parva. The main shopping area is known as Carvers Corner. Here there is a Newsagents, Off Licence, Post Office, Chemist, Barbers, Cob Shop and Accountants. In the surrounding area there is also a beauticians and another off licence. On the western side there is also a Working Mens Club which is members only.

There is also at the end of Dorothy Avenue. Located at the park is a play area, a memorial garden and the 62nd Scouts are also based here. Recently the memorial hall has been extended and modernised along with the park facilities. The park has an astroturf pitch with a Football goal and basketball hoop located at opposite ends. It now contains a seating area, a roundabout, a slide, swings and a climbing frame. It also contains a revolutionary roundabout; it contains a hollow centre with a spinning ring on the outside. A section of the park is fenced off and contains an area for toddlers and there carers to play in. There are swings, a small climbing frame and a seating area based here.

The 62nd Scouts are renowned in the area as one of the best scout troops and this is thanks to great leadership over the years. The scout den which is located around the back of the memorial hall was once victim of countless acts of vandalism and robbery but this has improved with the area being fenced off and secured. The scout troop has faced many financial difficulties in the past but the situation has improved in recent years thanks to rising numbers.

The hall can now host parties, wedding receptions and other events with the improved facilities.

The village has two nurseries and a primary school. One nursery is based on Cork Lane and the other at the Memorial Hall. The local primary school is known as Glen Hills. It runs from the ages of 4+ to Year 5. It was once split into two campuses: One based at Cork Lane and the other on Fetherby Drive. It was decided to combine the campuses; the Cork Lane site was sold off for a housing development. Once the new school was built at the Fetherby Drive site, the old building was decommissioned. Unfortunately it was burnt down by arsonist before being demolished.

The village has a young offenders institute, HMYOI Glen Parva, although this is actually based outside the boundaries of Glen Parva. The Grand Union Canal and the River Sence both pass to the south of the village. To the west is the River Soar.

The Great Central Railway used to pass through Glen Parva. The route has now been made into a paved walkway which leads into Leicester.

Glen Parva is called so to distinguish it from Great Glen (rarely Glen Magna).

Glen Parva was made famous by the discovery of the Glen Parva Lady, a rich female Anglo-Saxon Burial, now located at the Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester.

Sue Townsend who wrote the Adrian Mole books grew up here. It is speculated than many of the locations and characters in the books were based on local places and people.

External links

* [http://www.leicestershireparishcouncils.org/glenparva/ Glen Parva Parish Council]