Local people, businesses and canal enthusiasts have so far pledged £60,000 towards Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust’s £100,000 goal to reinstate a ‘Golden Mile’ of canal in Draycott into a leisure attraction.

The total has built up substantially since the open day in November on site showing off the Trust’s recent acquisition of six cottages. Although the Cottage Restoration will be funded from other sources, the public recognised the value of the two projects combined and pledged support for the canal line itself.

QUAD has added to its Patrons, Jack O’ Connell, Paddy Considine, John Tams and the late Sir John Hurt (CBE), with the announcement of two new Patrons, Artist Hetain Patel and Dr Jo Twist (OBE) CEO of The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment.

Are you looking for a new challenge in 2018? Or perhaps a new business venture?

We are looking for caterers to serve refreshments at several of our country sites and parks from April.

So whether you're a budding barista with a love of coffee, have ambitions to run your own ice-cream van or serve up scrumptious snacks, then this could be the opportunity for you.

Leases are available to provide refreshments at:

We know the festive period is not over yet - but we wanted to let you know our 2018 Events Programme is out now! Our first event of the New Year will be hosted by the Dronfield Wildlife and Natural History Group:

Wednesday 3rd January 
“Ancient Sites and Spring Flowers in Southern Turkey”
An evening lecture by Dr Patrick Harding.

After a huge response from concerned members of the public volunteering to help get New Mills Festival on a firmer footing for the future we are very pleased to announce the first in a series of events and fundraisers for 2018 that will see the return of the full festival programme and Lantern Procession in 2019.

Derby LIVE is pleased to announce a host of fantastic music shows to be performed in Derby. With a variety of genres on offer, there is a show to suit every music enthusiast in the New Year.

All Dance - a pioneering project to develop and celebrate the talents of disabled people – has held its first celebratory performances in December in Derby and Chesterfield – attended by more than 200 people.

Groups of disabled adults from across the county  have been working with dance artists to devise new work which they performed at regional dance house Déda in Derby and at the Winding Wheel Theatre in Chesterfield.

A Derby pensioner has won £300 of vouchers to spend in shops in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter after entering a prize draw.

The Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) produced a leaflet showcasing the variety of entertainment and events taking place in the area and invited people to enter a prize draw for vouchers to spend in two shops of their choice.

Joan Clemens from Derby did just that and won vouchers which she has opted to spend at Bennetts and nearby Emily Brigden fashion boutique on Iron Gate.

A bereavement support group, set up and run by family-owned funeral directors G Wathall & Son, have teamed up with a Derby care home to donate provisions to their local food bank.

Residents at Coxbench Hall Care Home in Alfreton Road were invited to design a Christmas card for Derby Dandelions bereavement support group.

The winning design was created by Mrs Carmela Nadolski who received a £25 garden centre voucher and Derby Dandelions donated a further £150 worth of non-perishable food which have been added to the donations from the care home.

Popular Derbyshire farm shop Croots has doubled the size of its car park to cater for increasing numbers of customers.

As it gears up for Christmas and its busiest time of the year, the farm shop near Duffield has opened a second car park to create additional spaces.

The new hardstanding area has effectively doubled the number of car parking spaces at the farm shop in Wirksworth Road to around 56.