News from producers around Derbyshire

Latest figures from Buxton Festival Fringe show that even though the event as a whole was slightly smaller than in 2015, it still contributed nearly £400,000 to the local economy and made a bigger splash than ever with high satisfaction ratings and Fringe website hits going through the roof.

152 events resulted in an estimated £48,000 being spent by performers during their stay in Buxton according to entrants’ feedback. Meanwhile figures from the audience survey suggest that punters spent some £325,000 on food, accommodation and ticket sales for shows from local performers.

OSG OPEN 2016 - PRIZE WINNERS

The OSG Open 2016 continues until 26th October - still plenty of time to catch the show at the gallery before it ends.  You can vote for your favourite piece of work in the show and the Artist with the most votes will win the Peoples Prize and £100 worth of vouchers to spend.

Healthwatch Derbyshire, the independent organisation representing the views of the Derbyshire public on health and social care services, has carried out the first stage in its programme of unannounced visits to all Derbyshire County Council-run care homes.

Healthwatch Derbyshire has been appointed by Derbyshire County Council to carry out Enter and View visits to all of its 22 care homes that support older people including four services supporting people with learning disabilities by March 2017 and report back their findings.  

The team at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire is celebrating after a Shire horse which grazes at the farm took one of the top slots at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show.

Evie was awarded reserve champion in the Shire Horse of the Year Championship at the event, which is the world’s most famous horse show. Full name Sheepwash Derbyshire Eventide, she was one of two Shire horses from Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, which qualified for the championship.

Agricultural learners at Derby College’s Broomfield Hall have harvested a bumper crop of pumpkins in time for Hallowe’en. More than 70 pumpkins have been collected and are now on sale at the College’s on-site Plant Centre and in reception at the land-based campus in Morley. Agriculture Lecturer Mark Ekin said: “This is the first time that the students have grown pumpkins and they have done a great job. “We have a great crop and have already sold many of them to staff, students and visitors in time for Hallowe’en.”

Businesses and stakeholders will gather to celebrate Derby Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) at a breakfast event on Thursday October 27.

The event will be held at Derby Museum and Art Gallery on The Strand with guests hearing from a number of speakers representing the BID and key sectors operating in the area. It comes in advance of businesses in the Cathedral Quarter developing a new business plan next year with a decision on BID renewal due to go to a vote in Autumn 2017.

Derby and Bakewell based company Gravity Digital have much cause for celebration. Starting out last October, three are now five and have taken on over a dozen new clients to add to their retained business. Having just come to the end of their first year of trading, things are looking great!

An innovative creative project, which celebrated the life and times of acclaimed artist Joseph Wright, has won a Derbyshire Heritage Award.

‘The Enlightenment Comes Alive’ was created by Déda Producing – the outdoor events arm of Déda, the creative centre for Dance, Contemporary Circus and Outdoor Work in Chapel Street – in partnership with QUAD, Derby Museums and artist and digital projection specialist Barret Hodgson as part of The Grand Tour 2015.

Derbyshire Regional SAA – Purple and Grey Art Group Purple and Grey have teamed up with The Society of All Artists to create a regional art group in Derbyshire, the group will meet on selected Wednesdays mornings throughout the year at Tansley Village Hall with a program of meets and workshops along with a couple of outdoor painting sessions planned.

A free programme designed to give support and education to anyone following a bereavement will start again on Wednesday October 26.

The six-week Grief Journey Derby programme is funded by Derby and Ashbourne independent funeral directors G Wathall & Son. The weekly sessions are held between 6pm and 8pm at Derby Rugby Club in Haslam’s Lane and must be pre-booked by contacting G Wathall & Son.