Derby and Ashbourne family-owned funeral directors G.Wathall & Son Ltd have collected more than 1,000 shoeboxes of Christmas gifts, hygiene and school supplies which are now being shipped around the world to children in need.

Derby Cathedral Quarter has organised its first Living Advent Calendar event with 24 different free events and entertainment across the area every day in the run up to Christmas.

The Cathedral Quarter 3aaa ice rink will officially open on Thursday December 1 with the magic from the nearby Market Hall’s Winter Wonderland, produced by Furthest From the Sea, adding extra festive flavour to the evening.

The launch event will begin with characters from the Market Hall Winter Wonderland taking to the ice between 4pm and 5pm whilst there will be musical entertainment under the Guildhall arches by Newhall Brass Band during the afternoon and early evening courtesy of the Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID).

GCSE Art & Design learners joined a workshop by London-based artist Edward Sutcliffe as part of a programme organised by NEMCON (North East Midlands Collaborative Outreach Network) which was hosted by the University of Derby.

Mr Sutcliffe specialises in portrait painting and has exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery. After talking about the fundamentals of portrait painting, he coached the pupils during a workshop session.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has announced that the Coalfields Community Investment Programme is now open for applications. The Coalfields Community Investment Programme make grants of up to £10,000 (£5,000 for capital costs) to community groups that:

    Help people gain the skills they need in order to increase their opportunities
    Increase the number of people in work
    Improve the health and wellbeing of all age groups.

A former CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) apprentice at Derby College has won the silver medal in a prestigious national bricklaying competition and now has his sights set on qualifying for the UK team.

Animal Care learners at Derby College have welcomed two new residents to their department at Broomfield Hall who they will be caring for over the winter months.

Two young male hedgehogs, who learners have named Fall and Autumn, have been found in local gardens and are too underweight to survive hibernation over the coming months.

They will therefore be housed in a special indoor hutch and kept awake whilst they gain weight before being released back into the wild next Spring.

Derby College has launched a new study programme for people aspiring to work with Deaf learners.

The Communication Support Work for Deaf Learners programme is the only one available in the Midlands and is aimed at people who want to become a qualified communication support worker.

The level three programme will start in January 2017 with sessions held one Saturday a month at the College’s flagship vocational campus at the Roundhouse in Pride Park, Derby.

Derby College has launched a special programme to help people make their own festive decorations.

The short courses will be held at the Roundhouse, Joseph Wright and Broomfield Hall campuses in the coming weeks as part of the College’s Learning for Leisure programme - designed to introduce local people to new skills and hobbies.

Two-hour workshops in December will be held on making gingerbread houses, door wreaths, ceramics, bunting, reindeer and table decorations and vouchers are available to buy the courses as an early Christmas present.

Great British Bake Off star Val Stones has teamed up with the bakers at her brother’s Derbyshire farm shop, Croots, to create a new range of bakes.

The selection, named Val at Croots……made with love, features Virtuous Cake (fat free and sugar free), a three-pack cherry shortbread, and two-pack cookies in three different flavours - ginger, M&M and orange & raisin.

A wide range of large and small animals who are cared for by students at Derby College’s Broomfield Hall will take centre stage in a live nativity performance on Sunday December 11.

Alpacas, donkeys, sheep, goats, ferrets, rabbits and even chickens will help tell the nativity story alongside Animal Care learners who will narrate and play the lead characters. The performance will be staged at 12 noon as part of the Animal Care Unit open day at Broomfield Hall.

A leading vehicle finance company is making a positive impact on the results of Business A Level learners at Derby College.

First Response in Chilwell teamed up with the college to launch their Business and Finance Academy last year as part of Derby College’s Employer Academy programme to enable students to make a smooth transition from education to employment.

A young dancer who is a member of the Déda Academy’s award-winning Youth Performance Company Bounceback recently clinched her first role with a professional theatre company.

Martyna Kupczak (17) from Derby, a sixth form student at St Benedict Academy, was invited to submit a video of her performing the audition choreography to Birmingham Stage Company ahead of their performance of ‘Gangsta Granny’ at Derby Theatre in November.

Today, producer Mark Goucher has confirmed that following the phenomenal success of the recent UK tour, the smash hit production of Hairspray will embark on a further major tour visiting Buxton Opera House from Monday 23 to Saturday 28 October. The big, bold and beautiful production of this much loved musical comedy will visit more than 30 venues across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland until early summer 2018. Star casting will be announced in due course.

Derby Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) is offering people the chance to win £300 worth of shopping vouchers to spend in two local shops of their choice as part of its campaign to showcase the wide variety of entertainment and events taking place in the heart of the city centre this Christmas.

More than 650 people from across Derbyshire have signed up for a unique family sports event around East Midlands Airport on Sunday November 27 to raise money for CLIC Sargent – the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people and their families.

Opens 25th November 6-9pm -continues 26th - 27th November 11am - 4pm

You are warmly invited to Salon 9 - please feel free to join us for the opening of the show on 25th November 2016 from 6pm - 9pm. The show then continues 26th - 27th Noveember from 11am - 4pm.

The Salon exhibitions are held twice yearly at The Old Lock Up Studio in Cromford Derbyshire - and began in the Summer of 2012 - co curated by Rachael Pinks & Clay Smith - with the aim of bringing contemporary art to rural Derbyshire.

A post office with a direct line to Lapland has opened at Derby Market Hall in the Cathedral Quarter for local children to deliver their letters to Santa. Mrs Claus’ Post Office has opened ahead of the Market Hall’s Winter Wonderland which will launch on Thursday December 1 as part of the historic venue’s one-going 150th anniversary celebrations.

The sixth generation of family-owned funeral directors G Wathall & Son in Derby and Ashbourne have joined the business in key roles.

Two former mature learners from Derby College have joined forces to set up their own business – using the arboriculture skills they learnt at Broomfield Hall land-based industries campus in Morley.

Businesses in a key shopping area of Derby’s Cathedral Quarter will be joining together to raise money for Children in Need on Thursday November 17.

Several businesses in The Strand and the Strand Arcade will be opening their doors late between 5pm and 10pm for an evening of games, raffles, competitions, live entertainment and special offers with proceeds going to the charity. They will be joined by a range of pop up stalls including food, drink, and arts and crafts.

Derby College has joined forces with a leading recruitment consultancy to provide a holistic service to local employers and additional support for young people looking for their first step into the jobs market.

Regulars on the Sheffield jazz circuit as well as throughout the UK, Chris Walker's quartet C-Bop will definitely bring back a little bit of the summer.

C-Bop play accessible, groove-laden fusion jazz, latin and funk, and will be entertaining our audience on 17th November from 8:30pm at Club Chesterfield, Chester Street S40 1DL.
C-Bop are:
Chris Walker, guitar
Piero Tucci, keys
Alex Henderson, bass
Phil Johnson, drums

Remember remember to visit Designate in November!
We have a really busy month ahead with loads to look forward to. Andy is a little giddy as we will be opening the doors on Saturday the 12th to celebrate his birthday. This year he has requested a GAMES night! Think cards, darts, scrabble and table football.....what a child!
The following week on the 18th is TDI Friday!
Record club will be joining us and as usual a one pot special, dessert and cocktail will be available.

Looking ahead to spring 2017, Derby Theatre will: co-produce with an exciting regional venue and solely produce to present two incredibly popular plays and well-known titles; play host to top quality touring productions, present family shows and some great one nighters; play host to yet another exciting and eclectic season of cutting edge Studio shows; provide a vast programme of events and performances for new and emerging artists…and on top of all this, will once again offer lots of opportunities for people of all ages to get involved in the work they do.

Legendary Singer To Play A Series Of Fully Seated Outdoor Concerts In Intimate Arenas Built Especially For Sir Cliff And His Fans

Support Act To Be Announced

Tickets are now on sale for the first show by Derbyshire’s newest women’s chorus Ignite UK.

The four-part harmony a cappella chorus will be staging its debut show ‘Christmas Starts Here!’ at Belper School Theatre on Saturday 3 December. It will feature special guests including Sir Richard Arkwright’s Masson Mills Band and 2016 British national championship male quartet Finest Hour and will support two local hospices and a charity which gives terminally ill people the choice to stay living at home.

Entries have now reached capacity for a unique family sports event around parts of East Midlands Airport which are usually reserved for staff members only.

Derby Cathedral Quarter has a narrow lead in the online vote to be named as one of the country’s best high streets.

The Cathedral Quarter is one of three locations in the city location category vying for the award against Broadmead in Bristol and the Castle Arcade district of Norwich. The area will be visited by an expert judge – making up 50% of the score.  The other 50% will be decided by an online free of charge public vote at www.greatbritishhighstreet.co.uk.

Derby College recently hosted a presentation and question and answer session with Dr Ben Broadbent, Deputy Governor at the Bank of England for monetary policy.

The event at the College’s Roundhouse campus in Pride Park, was attended by staff and students at Derby College who were joined by university students and academics from Derby, Nottingham and Loughborough.

A group of local people have qualified as swimming teachers after attending an Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) approved course held at Lonsdale Pool in Mickleover. Seven completed level one qualifications and seven more achieved level two qualifications – enabling them to progress their teaching careers at pools around the local area.

As a fellow member of the Cloud Appreciation Society I simply had to feature this poem, undulatus asperitas by Katharine Towers, I love it.- Ali

Regional dance house Déda in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter has expanded its Associate Artist Programme to reflect the organisation’s national role in creating a fusion between dance, contemporary circus and outdoor performance.

Tickets are now available online for the Cathedral Quarter 3aaa ice rink which is set to open on Thursday December 1 in Derby’s Market Place.

A former Construction apprentice at Derby College will take part in a national skills competition this month with his sights set on qualifying for the UK team.

Derby College has teamed up with risual – Microsoft’s leading UK partner – to launch a new IT apprenticeship qualification designed to address a growing shortage of digital skills in the workplace.

Derby College Equine student Phoebe Kent is gearing up to climb aboard a saddle of a different kind and swap horse riding for The One Show’s Rickshaw Challenge to raise money for BBC Children in Need.

Phoebe (18) from Belper is on the Level three Extended Diploma in Horse Management at Derby College’s Broomfield Hall campus in Morley. She was selected for the challenge following her involvement with Treetops Hospice Trust, a project part funded by BBC Children in Need.

An Associate Director at Derby architectural firm Morrison Design has taken over the helm of Derby College’s Professional Construction Employment & Skills Academy.

Thursday December 8, 6.30pm: Memorial service at Derby Cathedral.  You are cordially invited to attend.  

Around 600 people are expected to attend a special Service of Thanksgiving and Hope at Derby Cathedral on Thursday December 10 – organised by Derby and Ashbourne family-owned funeral directors, G. Wathall & Son Ltd.

Following on from the success of last year’s December party, the Fringe is once again inviting everyone to celebrate the opening of entries to the 2017 Fringe with a festive village carols sing-along.

Invitation to tender for design and production of three interpretation panels to be sited along Cromford canal in Derbyshire.

For further information please contact Rachel Costigan, DerwentWISE Community Engagement Officer - Cultural Heritage, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Sandy Hill, Main Street, Middleton, Matlock, DE4 4LR, telephone 01773 881188  www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
 
Tenders must be received by noon on Friday 11 November 2016.

Can you help provide a lasting legacy to the Tramway men, women and families affected by the First World War?

The National Tramway Museum wish to commission an artist to design and produce a sculpture to commemorate tramway workers who lived, worked and were affected by the First World War. The Museum is initially inviting expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced sculptors.

Expressions of interest should be in by 11th November 2016.

ONE of the world’s great landscape photographers, Colin Prior will headline the Buxton Adventure Festival (BAF) on Wednesday, 16th November.

This year Derby is set for a Christmas festive bonanza, with treats and events galore over the festive season.

The legendary group Afro Celt Sound System will be playing Buxton Opera House for the first time on Friday 11 November at 7.30pm.

Derby LIVE is pleased to announce that comedian Jimmy Carr will be returning to Derby Arena on Saturday 8 July 2017 as part of his Jimmy Carr: The Best Of, Ultimate, Gold, Greatest Hits Tour.

Jimmy is gathering a selection of his very best jokes along with brand new material for the ultimate comedy show. A man who has devoted his life to crafting perfect jokes and has left a trail of laughter in his wake, Jimmy Carr’s new tour will distil everything we love to laugh at and be shocked by, into one incredible, unparalleled night of entertainment.

James Wilton Dance returns to Déda, Derby’s creative centre for dance, contemporary circus and outdoor work, with their latest show, LEVIATHAN, on Thursday 10 November at 7.30pm.

Inspired by Herman Melville’s seminal novel, Moby Dick, the show brings Wilton’s trademark blend of athletic dance, martial arts, capoeira and partner-work, back to the stage, having enjoyed much national and international success in recent years.

Derby City Council and partners are pleased to announce that they will present Weeping Window by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper as part of 14-18 NOW’s UK-wide tour of the iconic poppies.  The installation will be at The Silk Mill from 9 June to 23 July 2017.

Buxton Opera House has announced it is one of the theatres to be included in Bill Kenwright’s brand new 2017 tour of the thriller classic, A Judgement in Stone written by Ruth Rendell!