Rolls-Royce has successfully completed the first engine run on its new state-of-the-art testbed in Derby.

Called Testbed 80, the £90 million facility at the engineering giant’s civil aerospace site, in Sinfin, has been dubbed the largest and smartest indoor aerospace testbed in the world.

With an internal area of 7,500 square metres, the testbed is larger than a football pitch.

Derby’s SureScreen Diagnostics has secured an order from the Government for millions of Covid-19 rapid antigen tests.

The firm is to supply two million lateral flow tests, capable of providing results in under 30 minutes, by this Friday – with the potential to provide millions more in the coming months.

A company that came from an idea floated during a Marketing Derby live webinar has been named as the organisation’s Rising Star for 2021.

Daniel Henshaw’s fifth children’s book Killer Cat From Outer Space was released shortly before Christmas.

Derbyshire Poet Mark Gwynne Jones has released the second chapter of an ‘audio-artwork’ to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Peak District National Park (PDNP).

Voices From The Peak, is a project celebrating the diverse sounds and stories of the Peak District.

Chapter 2: Snow! Is now available and you can listen to an extract online at www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/voicesfromthepeak as well as Chapter 1: Burning Drake.

Derby Museums are excited to invite you to our first virtual auction which is being held on Thursday 11th February, hosted by Auctioneer and TV personality Charles Hanson.

We will be auctioning a variety of magnificent lots from a Midnight Robin Paperweight courtesy of Royal Crown Derby, a private tour and wine tasting courtesy of Renishaw Hall Vineyard, to a spa day with afternoon tea courtesy of Stancliffe Hall. The auction catalogue will go live the week before the event. 

SmartParc has submitted plans for its 155-acre high-tech food manufacturing campus on the former Celanese site near Spondon. 

The 1.8 million sq ft facility will provide manufacturing facilities, start-up incubation units and a potential location for a Food Manufacturing Technology Centre of Excellence. It is thought that the scheme will create 5,000 jobs.

Happy New Year!

So, it's not quite the start that we hoped for but here at Mainframe we've plenty to keep your creative minds busy and nourished over the coming weeks.

Happy New Year! Starting the year slow and steady..

With the amount of changes that have already happened this year I can't decide whether it feels like its been longer or flown by but the first week back but not back at school has been a tiring one. I would like to shout out for all those home schooling either as parents or teachers as its a lot harder when you are not in classroom for all of us.

Your support is vital to our small charity in these challenging times.

It is no secret that these are challenging times for many small  charities across the country - including ours. Your support can make a big difference by helping us sustain the project and maintain the beautiful building. So, if you'd like to continue to support us whilst we remain closed to the public, make sure you renew your Friends subscription in 2021.