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.

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.

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.

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.

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