News

Innovative new programme to help East Midlands business ideas become thriving enterprises

New Start & Sustain programme will actively engage at least 2,000 aspiring entrepreneurs and start-up businesses each year across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Thousands of people across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire who want to start their own business will be able to access practical support to help turn their ideas into successful, sustainable enterprises. The East Midlands Combined County Authority’s (EMCCA) new Start & Sustain programme will provide the tools, expertise and confidence needed to start and grow a business. […]

23 September 2026 31

Freshers Fair at Broomfield Hall in Morley (Credit: DCG)

Borough Wide

Derby College Group welcomes new students in style at Freshers’ Fair 2026

Derby College Group (DCG) rolled out the red carpet for new students this month, with Freshers' Fair 2026 taking place across three campuses including at Broomfield Hall in Morley as well as other sites in and around Derby. Thousands of students attended the events, which gave them the chance to explore everything on offer at DCG beyond the classroom, from career opportunities to wellbeing support, right at the start of their learning journey. Students had the opportunity to speak directly […]

23 September 2026 21

News

New report reveals benefits to biodiversity of gamebird releasing

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has published a new report titled ‘Game for Nature: Why released gamebird management is a lifeline for farmland biodiversity’ based on decades of scientific research on pheasant releasing. In light of the DEFRA’s recent call for evidence, it demonstrates the huge private investment in nature recovery that gamebird management represents. GWCT Chief Executive Nick von Westenholz said: “The work that goes into released gamebird management and how it benefits wildlife is little understood […]

22 September 2026 20

Derby

New Derby driving test centre approved

A new driving test centre for Derby has been approved to help cut waiting times for learner drivers and resolve “significant challenges”. Council bosses have approved plans for a new centre to be located at Chatsworth House at Aspen Drive, Raynesway. The approval comes at a time when learners across the UK are reportedly having to wait as long as five months (20 weeks) for a practical test. The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has made changes to the […]

22 September 2026 39

Seized - another illegal e-scooter which can only be legally ridden on private roads. (Credit: Better Times for the Derbyshire PCC)

Borough Wide

More than 1,000 e-scooters seized across Derbyshire: What Christmas shoppers need to know

More than 1,000 e-scooters have been taken off the streets of Derbyshire since a zero-tolerance crackdown launched to address public concerns. Derbyshire Police has been trailblazing a robust ‘seize and dispose’ policy since 1st November 2024 to tackle the growing menace of illegal and dangerously ridden e-scooters on the county’s roads and in public spaces. The fast-track measure, supported by Police and Crime Commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts, has now seen more than 1,000 e-scooters immediately seized and removed from the roads. […]

22 September 2026 33

The planned Donald Rose mural on the side of Ilkeston Town Hall. Image from Erewash Borough Council.

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Borough Wide

Stunning mural planned for Borough Council HQ in memory of the UK’s oldest WW2 veteran

A “stunning” seven-metre-tall mural in memory of the UK’s oldest WW2 veteran, who died last year aged 110, is set to be painted onto a Derbyshire council headquarters. Erewash Borough Council is set to approve its own plans for a mural of Donald Rose, aged 110, who died last year and was the UK’s oldest surviving Second World War veteran. The council wants to paint a seven-metre-tall (23 foot) mural on the side of the finance block on the western […]

22 September 2026 71 2

Richard Blackmore from The East Midlands Chamber

Derby

Improved outlook and sales performance from East Midlands firms in latest research

Sales and orders are up, both within the UK and overseas; expectations of increased profitability and turnover are up, and more businesses intend to grow their workforce. Findings from East Midlands Chamber’s Q3 Quarterly Economic Survey of 2026 paint an encouraging picture but the Autumn Budget must support business growth, the Chamber has said. More than 300 East Midlands firms took part in the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey for Q3, 2026, delivered in partnership with the University of Leicester. The […]

22 September 2026 12

Community Notices

Families First Partnership showing early positive results for families across Derbyshire

Children, young people and families across Derbyshire are already benefiting from new ways of working introduced through the Families First Partnership (FFP), led by Derbyshire County Council. The programme is designed to make it easier for families to access the right support at the right time by bringing services together, reducing duplication and ensuring children receive help that meets their needs. Families First Partnership is being delivered through three key areas: Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), which helps families and […]

21 September 2026 25

Borough Wide

Review: Joseph Wright of Derby ‘From the Shadows’ Exhibition

Joseph Wright of Derby: From the Shadows Review by Lily Wilson Organised by the National Gallery and Derby Museums, this exhibition is part of The Year of Wright. It is a celebration of the life, art, and enduring relevance of Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), one of Britain’s most visionary painters. From the Shadows is the first major exhibition dedicated to the artist’s ‘candlelight’ paintings, created from 1765 to 1773. As a young artist seeking recognition in the London art […]

21 September 2026 49

Innovative new programme to help East Midlands business ideas become thriving enterprises

Derby College Group welcomes new students in style at Freshers’ Fair 2026

New report reveals benefits to biodiversity of gamebird releasing

New Derby driving test centre approved

More than 1,000 e-scooters seized across Derbyshire: What Christmas shoppers need to know

Stunning mural planned for Borough Council HQ in memory of the UK’s oldest WW2 veteran

Improved outlook and sales performance from East Midlands firms in latest research

Families First Partnership showing early positive results for families across Derbyshire

Review: Joseph Wright of Derby ‘From the Shadows’ Exhibition

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