News from producers around Derbyshire

World superbike ace Alex Lowes and current leader of the British Superbike Championship Leon Haslam have officially opened Derby College’s refurbished Fitness Centre at the Johnson Building in Pride Park.

A giant 20ft walking tree will be among the diverse range of cutting-edge street theatre that will bring the city centre streets alive during this September’s Derby Festé.

Arbor – who looks like a tree but moves like a human – is the creation of award-winning theatre company Smoking Apples who are this year’s chosen commission for the annual festival.

East Midlands Orchestra Sinfonia Viva will return to Derby Cathedral on Wednesday June 28 for a poignant performance as part of Derby Remembers - a season of cultural events and activities to commemorate the First World War and the city’s connection to the conflict.

The concert, starting at 7.30pm, will feature excerpts from Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem – focusing on the chamber orchestra elements and Wilfred Owen’s poems about the First World War.

East Midlands Orchestra Sinfonia Viva has called on support from the University of Derby for help in organising and promoting its busy summer programme.

The University’s Employer Engagement Team matched the Orchestra with students Rebecca Purcell (21) and Erin Hancox (20) who have been working alongside the Viva team based in Shaftesbury Street as part of a paid internship.

Rebecca has just finished her Business degree at the University of Derby and Erin has been studying Graphic Design.  Both are due to graduate this summer.

Derby College will hold its first free event on Monday June 12 for people living with dementia and their carers.

The Dementia Café will be held at the Engine Shed restaurant at the College’s Roundhouse campus in Pride Park between 2pm and 4pm.

Catering and Hospitality students at Derby College are organising a fund raising banquet inspired by the characters from Roald Dahl’s books at the College’s training restaurant in Pride Park on Thursday June 22

The Engine Shed restaurant at the College’s Roundhouse campus will be specially decorated with themes from the authors famous books, students will dress up in characters to serve diners.

Nearly 140 pupils from schools across Derby and Derbyshire have graduated from vocational study programmes at Derby College.

Businesses across Derby’s Cathedral Quarter are currently voting for how they want to spend the prize money won by the area when it was recently crowned the Great British High Street Awards’ best city location.

The Cathedral Quarter awarded prize money of £5,000 and the Business Improvement District management group – made up of local business representatives - has drawn up a shortlist that is now subject to an online vote amongst businesses in the area.

The options shortlist is:

- A Cathedral Quarter Street Party or Celebration Day

Healthwatch Derbyshire, the independent organisation representing the views of the Derbyshire public on health and social care services, is appealing for more local people to get involved in its activities across the county.

The organisation, based in Milford near Belper, currently has more than 45 volunteers working alongside its ten-strong team of staff members in a wide range of roles.

There are however a number of vacancies and Healthwatch Derbyshire is currently recruiting volunteers to help with public events and marketing.

“This? – I’ve had it ages” is a phrase well-used by women over the decades to deflect questions about yet another new fashion purchase.

And now it has been the inspiration for a Derby woman to fulfil her dream of owning her own boutique.

This Little Boutique has been unveiled in Town Street, Duffield, by Mickleover mum of two Emma Auger – a self-confessed fashion fan.

Emma has spent the past 25 years specialising in marketing a wide range of professional services but her first love has always been clothes.