News from producers around Derbyshire

Free activities to make you feel good – what’s not to love!

Two apprentices from Derby College are a celebrating a double success story – as their mortgage broker employer marks its first birthday in business.

Teenagers Nicole Bullock and Alison Biskup are building their careers at city centre-based firm Create Finance. The two have combined their Derby College Business and Administration Level 2 NVQs with apprenticeships as case administrators at the Full Street company.

Street bunting will be erected across the Cathedral Quarter this week in preparation for a month of festivals and events planned for the area which have been supported by the Business Improvement District (BID).

Colourful flags will adorn the Cornmarket and Irongate – two key streets in the Cathedral Quarter – and will stay throughout September to add to the festival atmosphere in the area. The bunting has been funded by the Cathedral Quarter BID, Derby Feste and Derby Folk Festival.

A surge of interest in swimming thanks to Adam Peaty’s success in Rio and the continued lack of pool space in Derby has prompted Lonsdale Swimming & Sports Trust to step up its recruitment of more swimming teachers and lifeguards.

The charitable Trust oversees Gayton Pool in Littleover on behalf of Derby City Council and also Lonsdale Pool in Mickleover, which it is currently hoping to replace with a new £4 million facility as soon as another local 1.5 acre site can be secured.

Later this month singer Dave Berry, whose hits include 'The Crying Game' will hit the hills of the Peak District to raise funds for local charity Accessible Derbyshire.

Dave, along with friends Jeff Troops and Chris Hermon, are walking the 'Golden Miles': a picturesque, way-marked route through 20 Peak District villages which was created by Accessible Derbyshire's very own Gillian Scotford!

Buxton Festival Fringe has set its dates for 2017 – July 5-23 – and will be open for online entries on December 1 2016.

Fringe chair Keith Savage says: “This summer’s Fringe was one of the happiest on record. Now we are all looking forward to planning an equally successful event in 2017.”

Derby-based Sinfonia Viva – the East Midlands’ only professional orchestra – will open this year’s Derby Folk Festival with a classical music programme inspired by folk heritage.

‘Folk Reflections’ will be performed twice at Derby Cathedral on Friday September 30.  The first concert at 5pm will be free to Derby Folk Festival weekend ticket holders and will be repeated again at 6.30pm.   Anyone can attend either performance for a separate charge of £10 available from Derby Live www.derbylive.co.uk

There’s so much to see and enjoy during the Discovery Days Festival between 22nd and 30th October.

East Midlands bakery Luke Evans has invested £75,000 in new equipment which will allow it to produce up to 9,000 bread rolls per hour. The new machine gives the Derbyshire family run bakery an extra 50% capacity for roll making and has been purchased in response to increased demand.

Amber Valley MP Nigel Mills recently toured the bakery at Riddings, near Alfreton, to find out more about one of the oldest family run bakeries in the country and to meet some of the 50-strong workforce at Luke Evans, which was founded more than 200 years ago.

Ghostly goings on are being served up at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire as part of the very first Duffield Arts Festival.

The award-winning farm shop in Wirksworth Road is hosting three very special ghost evenings which will combine entertainment and hospitality. Running on 14th, 15th and 16th September, each event has a limited number of around 30 tickets available, which include a meal in Shires Eatery at Croots. Only a handful of tickets remain for the Friday performance, however, but tickets are still available for the Wednesday and Thursday.