News from producers around Derbyshire

Rosa, a charitable fund set up to support initiatives that benefit women and girls in the UK, has awarded grants totalling £36,450 to 20 projects across the UK through the second round of the Voices from the Front Line programme. The programme aims to support women at the front of the fight for gender equality. Funding of between £500 and £2,000 is available to support projects that will increase the skills, capacity and credibility of women who wish to challenge gender inequality and promote awareness and change. The grants include:

Comic Relief has launched a £1.5 million fund to engage older people aged 65 and over in volunteering. Between 15 and 25 grants will be awarded to projects that specifically target older people who don't usually participate in volunteering or social activities because they are from a disadvantaged community, or face other barriers to participating. Grants of between £40,000 and £80,000 for up to three years’ work will be made to registered organisations based in the community in which they are already working with older people (including those working with national or regional partners).

The big, bold and beautiful production of the much-loved musical comedy Hairspray will visit more than 30 venues across the length and breadth of the UK, including Buxton in October.

A star cast has been announced including Norman Pace as Wilbur Turnblad with Matt Rixon returning as Edna. Also returning is Layton Williams to play the role of Seaweed alongside musical theatre star Brenda Edwards as Motormouth Maybelle. Newcomer Rebecca Mendoza will make her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad.

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Find out more here: http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/news_events/news-updates/2017/augus...

More than 20 representatives of businesses in Derby’s St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) took part in an early-morning litter pick around the area to highlight their commitment to keeping to area tidy.

The Business Tidy event was the first under the new St Peters Quarter five-year BID programme which includes activities to improve the environment and visitor experience in the area.

Derby College has hosted the national final of the Guild of Bricklayers’ annual skills competition at its Derby Construction Academy.

Eighteen students and apprentices from throughout the UK attended the competition organised by the Guild of Bricklayers.

The National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) has announced the launch of the National Training Partnership, a new skills initiative to help solve the growing demand for new talent across the rail sector. 

More than 600 athletes of all ages and experience enjoyed a day of sport in Derby on Sunday (July 23) as part of the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon.

400 individuals and teams of three competed twice during the day with an open-water swim in Markeaton Park lake, a closed-road cycle route in and out of the city’s Cathedral Quarter and then a run route around the picturesque park.

Meanwhile 200 youngsters and accompanying adults joined the family triathlon in the lunchtime break – covering a shorter course before crossing the main finish line.

Healthwatch Derbyshire, the independent consumer champion for health and social care in Derbyshire, has been appointed to ensure that people who use mental health services and their carers are given a greater voice in how health and social care services are run, and changed.  

The public watchdog, based in Milford near Belper, is setting up a new Mental Health Service Receiver and Carer Engagement Service on behalf of Derbyshire County Council and the Clinical Commissioning Groups across the county.

A bereavement support group will expand into Ashbourne in September – holding monthly meetings to help people who have lost a loved one.

Derby Dandelions was set up in October 2014 by family-owned funeral directors G Wathall & Son Ltd who have offices in Ashbourne, Derby, Borrowash and Alvaston.

There are already many members who attend the twice-monthly meetings in Derby city centre.

The first Ashbourne Dandelions group will meet at Cornerstone Café in Church Street on Wednesday September 6 between 1.30pm and 3pm and then on the first Wednesday of the month.