News from producers around Derbyshire

Local businesses are being urged to look at commercial opportunities that Derbyshire county council are offering.

There are a large number of sites across the county including large country parks, picnic sites, canals and woodlands where businesses could trade. Activities could include catering, shops and retail, events, weddings, festivals, paintballing or other leisure activities.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, Councillor Dean Collins, explained:

Derby-based regional orchestra Sinfonia Viva has launched an innovative music-making education residency which celebrates the work of celebrated author Roald Dahl who was educated at Repton School.
About 100 young people from Becket and Firs Estate primary schools, St Benedict Catholic Academy and Derby College will join the project in the New Year entitled ‘Marvellous Musical Medicine’ – a take on Dahl’s book ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine.

A Derby College apprentice has qualified for a prestigious national apprenticeship competition

Tom Smith (20) is a Plumbing apprentice with Derby Homes and is studying his Level two qualifications at Derby College’s Roundhouse campus.

He will take part in one of six regional heats in February 2016 at Stephenson College in Coalville for a place in the national finals of the UK Heating Apprentice of the Year competition which will be held in April.

The competition is organised every year by HIP Magazine with the winner receiving a £5,000 prize.

Pentrich & South Wingfield Revolution Group are seeking a few more local artists for a project we are currently trying to complete (profession or amateur)

Fifties-style dance fans from Déda in Derby and Ilkeston-based Hopfrogs Dance School have raised £4,300 for Children in Need after appearing on the live East Midlands show for the popular annual appeal.
Over 100 people who attend the Rock ‘n’ Roll classes at Déda in Chapel Street as well as Hopfrogs Dance School classes and events – all run by teacher and ‘all things’ Fifties enthusiast Heather Clements – took part in the Children in Need event at the Derby Arena in November.

A Derby company, which has developed an innovative high-tech home entertainment system, is planning further growth and job creation less than a year after its launch.
Entotem was supported with £80,000 grant and £150,000 loan from the Derby Enterprise Growth Fund (DEGF) earlier this year.
The Fund is part of the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and administered by Derby City Council. DEGF aims to provide a catalyst for growth and job creation in businesses in the city and surrounding area through a mix of loans and grants.

What could be nicer to waking up to toast and marmalade on a winter's day?  Viveka Bowry's sensual poem captures her joy in making her own marmalade - you can almost smell and taste it. It brings the warmth and light of the Mediterranean into all our lives on the first day of the New Year. 

Fujitsu and Intel have launched a new Innovation Hub at Derby College, which is set to put technology at the heart of learning for the College and its students.

As part of the businesses’ commitment to developing IT skills in the UK, the new Innovation Hub, which is the ninth of its kind in the UK,  will transform the learning experience for more than 400 students on degree programmes at the College, support teacher development  CPD, as well as providing a resource for the wider community.

The Belper Passion goes into it's fourth year with the performance on

Saturday 26 March 2016.

The community based project attracts up to 800 visitors who pack the Methodist Chapel and St. Peter's Church. The Walk of Witness links the two venues. With up to 100 people involved in performance, music and organisation The Belper Passion has become a major community event.

Derby College’s involvement in the University of Derby Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes has been awarded the highest accolade from Ofsted.

Ofsted ranked the FE and skills provision as ‘outstanding’ following an inspection in September. The inspection has also ranked the overall effectiveness of the ITE partnership as ‘good’ in Early Years; ‘outstanding’ in Primary and ‘good’ in Secondary.

Derby College is a key main partner in the University of Derby-led programme in the city and has the highest number of in-service trainees.