News from producers around Derbyshire

Students and staff at Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre have raised a record £1,121 for three charities at their annual RAG week.

A wide range of competitions and activities were organised throughout the week and the money raised has been split between local charity Children First Derby, Cancer Research UK and Barnardo’s.

Déda is launching a new youth performance company at its Derby studios as part of its creative focus to bring together and develop dance, contemporary circus and outdoor work.

A small group of young people have already joined a preliminary Youth Dance and Circus Company based at Déda.

They performed a short piece which combined contemporary dance with aerial and acrobatic skills in front of a wide range of arts professionals who recently met at Déda to discuss the way forward in fusing the art forms.

The Mayor of Derby Cllr John Whitby officially opened the first street entertainment day organised by St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District since the re-launch of the BID.

St Peters Quarter Live was held for the first time at the re-developed Spot with a programme music, comedy and juggling acts. 

More than 200 people gathered for the annual Derby College Peak Awards at the historic Roundhouse to celebrate the achievements of students across the organisation.

The Derby Conference centre have announced the launch of their brand new conferencing space, the ‘Douie Suite’. The private conferencing area comes as part of their £1 million refurbishment project, which began in 2016.

The Douie Suite is named after Bill Douie, the Chairman of the parent company RTC Group. The suite was unveiled at the annual RTC awards night and has recently been opened to the public.

Horticulture staff and students at Derby College have won an award for the second year running at the prestigious BBC Gardeners World Live show at the NEC.

The team, based at the College’s Broomfield Hall land-based campus, again teamed up with the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Derby and District Group to design and build an entry for BBC Gardener’s World Live 2017 – following their resounding success in last year’s show.

The show celebrates its 50th anniversary - coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Derby Branch of the MS Society.

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has been named the winner of the People’s Choice Award for the Midlands at the Family Business United Awards 2017.

The farm shop and café at Duffield was also chosen as runner up in the Midlands Family Business of the Year Award category.

Family-owned funeral directors G Wathall & Son will be inviting people to its branches in Derby city centre, Ashbourne, Borrowash and Alvaston on Thursday June 15 to help raise money for research into dementia.

The company is taking part in the Alzeheimer’s Society’s annual Cupcake Day and will be serving tea, coffee and cakes for visitors between 10am and 12 noon with every crumb of money raised going to the UK’s leading dementia charity.

A group of 12 Derby College students have completed a work placement programme in Holland as part of their studies.

Sport, Public Services and A level students based at Broomfield Hall and the Joseph Wright Centre spent a week in Sint Michielsgestel near Eindhoven.

Creative Arts students at Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre will showcase their talents at a free public exhibition on Thursday June 15 and Friday June 16.

Students on Art & Design will exhibit their work at the Joseph Wright Centre in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter which will be open to the public between 10am and 2pm on both days.