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If you’re out and about in Leicester city centre this October, you may notice hundreds of colourful sketchbooks dotted around Leicester businesses and public spaces.  

They are part of the city’s largest citizen science project and have been designed to collect opinions on what life is like in Leicester, asking where improvements can be made and giving residents a chance to shape their future in a more creative way.  

Dr Deborah Marber at the launch of the Leicester Sketchbook citizen science project

Spearheaded by Professor Rachel Granger and Dr Deborah Marber from ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv (ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv) Leicester, ask a variety of questions about what residents want to see happen in the city, from how public spaces should be designed to future projects they would like to see receive funding.  

Until October 31, residents will be able to pick up one of 2,500 free sketchbooks distributed across 25 shops and workplaces and public places including Jubilee Square, Haymarket and the Highcross shopping centre. 

The sketchbooks can be filled out anonymously with reflections and suggestions before being returned to the same place they were picked up.  

At the end of the month, the completed sketchbooks will be returned to ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv and analysed by researchers to inform new initiatives on civic community investment. 

The whole collection will then be exhibited on 20 November before it is archived by the university to provide a snapshot of how communities in Leicester think and feel in 2025. 

Professor Granger, from ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s Institute for Responsible Business and Social Justice said: “This is about opening new doors for civic engagement. Many people don’t realise they have a route into influencing how the city is run. 

“By using sketchbooks, we’re inviting everyone to think, imagine and express themselves creatively, and in doing so, help shape Leicester’s future.” 

Traditionally, popular citizen science projects task members of the public to monitor environmental changes or wildlife behaviours, such as the breed of birds visiting a back garden or the number of butterflies a person sees over a period of time.  

By asking people to design their own ideas as part of the project, Professor Granger is hoping more people will engage in citizen science projects and that the sketchbooks will prove popular enough to turn the initiative into an annual tradition, building a long-term citizen archive in Leicester.   

She added: “This provides an opportunity for ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv to change the thinking and approach to citizen science approaches in academic and community spheres, but also critically, to engage with the people of Leicester on matters that mean a lot to them in a more imaginative way.” 

The sketchbooks are available at locations across Leicester including: Mattioli Woods, LCB Depot, Knight and Garter, Leicester New Walk Museum, HQ Recording, Freeths Solicitors.