News from producers around Derbyshire

A fundraising campaign to secure the future of Sing Viva – the two Derbyshire carers’ choirs set up by Sinfonia Viva, the East Midlands’ professional orchestra – has reached its target.

A fantastic response from members of the public has led to a donations total of £1,800 which has been matched by a generous benefactor.

Plans are now being made for a return to the free group sessions in Derby and Chesterfield as well as potential public performances when allowed.

Safe and Sound, the specialist charity which supports children and young people across Derbyshire who are victims of or at risk of child exploitation, has appointed Lucy Orme as fundraising and marketing officer.

Lucy joins the charity from the University of Derby where she was business development manager and she was previously corporate sales and events officer at QUAD.

Family-owned Wathall’s, Derby’s longest established independent funeral directors, have expanded their unique Dandelions Bereavement Support programme to help more local people come to terms with losing a loved one.

The new bereavement counselling service is run by Wathall’s experienced grief support team members Fay Bloor and Sarah Legg who are both qualified Psychotherapeutic Counsellors and accredited members of the National Counselling Society.

January’s annual stargazing event at Alvaston Park has been a heavenly highlight for ten years, but in these different times it is going online, encouraging you to enjoy the winter skies from the comfort of your own home while staying safe – and importantly at this time of year, warm!

Derby Museums is thrilled to be holding its first virtual fundraising auction on Thursday 11th February, hosted by auctioneer and TV personality Charles Hanson.

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.

‘How to Write a Gripping Commercial Novel’ will be running for 7 weeks from 24th February 7.00pm to 8.30 pm.

The course is packed with secrets and surprising insights, from two friendly and helpful commercial authors published by Big Five publishers. Roz writes the acclaimed DI Meg Dalton crime detective series, short-listed for the CWA Debut Dagger Award  and Sophie has published ‘Cuckoo’ and ‘Magpie’, winning the Bath Novel Award in 2017.