Ockbrook & Borrowash Parish Council

And next year councillors will receive £3,860, plus a £1,500 Platinum Fund to give to local groups organising activities to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

If you're in a group looking for funding please contact your local county councillor explaining the nature of the project, the amount you're looking for, what other funding may be available, and how it will benefit your community. click here to find out more

Hair stylists to support mental health
Hairdressers, barbers and beauty professionals are being offered free training to help them support their clients' mental health.

Our public health team has commissioned training from the Lions Barber Collective for hairdressers, barbers and beauty professionals so that they can support their customers' mental health.

The Lions Barber Collective is an international collective of top barbers who have come together to help raise awareness on suicide prevention.

It's recognised that customers can often open up to hair stylists about their feelings and state of mind when they might not want to confide in family, friends or colleagues.

The first free four-hour training session for stylists and beauticians based in Derbyshire, excluding the city of Derby, takes place online through Eventbrite on Monday 4 October. Five more will be scheduled. Those dates are yet to be arranged but will be found on Eventbrite when they're confirmed – search Lions Barber Collective. Click here to find out more

Step up during Recycle Week
Recycle Week this year takes place from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 September.

Recycle Week is the one week of the year where retailers, brands, waste management companies, trade associations, governments and the media come together to achieve one goal – to galvanise the public into recycling more of the right things, more often.

This year the theme is 'Step it Up' encouraging people to do even more and we'll be sharing social media posts with advice on how you can help. Please spread the word.

Now in its 18th year, Recycle Week is a national campaign is organised by the charity WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme) and the main funder is Defra. Click here to find out more

Secondary school applications open
If you're a parent of a year 6 pupil living in Derbyshire you can now apply for your child's secondary school place for September 2022.

Around 8,900 year 6 primary school children – who were born between 1 September 2010 and 31 August 2011 – have been sent information about the application process.

The deadline to submit applications is midnight on Sunday 31 October 2021.

Applying online is the most efficient method and also allows our school admissions team to most effectively receive and gather the information it requires to allocate places. Click here to find out more

We're looking for care workers
Our care homes are recruiting care workers and relief care workers to help our residents lead dignified lives.

Working as part of a valued care team, recruits ensure our residents stay happy, healthy and well by helping them with everyday tasks such as washing and dressing, eating meals, taking medication and socialising.

If you, or anyone you know, could make a positive difference to an older person's life and would like a rewarding job with room for progression, we would like to hear from you or them.

No previous experience is needed, hours are flexible, training and a uniform are provided.

From 11 November, anyone working in a care home will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, unless they are exempt.

There are vacancies across the county but the Leys Home for older people in Ashbourne is in particular need at the moment.

Read more about jobs across Derbyshire

Click here to find out more

Our libraries in national awards
The shortlist for a prestigious awards scheme recognising the achievements and good practice of people working in libraries has named our staff and services three times.

The first Libraries Connected Awards 2021 were launched earlier this year and aim to celebrate the achievements of people working in libraries, acknowledging excellence and showcasing good practice.

The national Libraries Connected charity, which is part-funded by the Arts Council, was looking for individuals or teams working in public libraries who have had a positive impact on the library service, library users or the local community.

The shortlist for the award categories was announced this week, with two librarians and one of our service teams making the list. click here to find out more

Virtual Christmas market planned
Small and medium-sized businesses – ranging from food and drink producers to artists and craftspeople – can apply to take part in a virtual Christmas market opening in November.

Following the success of the first virtual Peak District & Derbyshire Christmas Market last year, Derbyshire-based creatives, artisans and producers are once again being given the opportunity to showcase and sell their products to thousands of potential customers when the popular online event returns in November.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire is inviting stallholders to apply for a place at the virtual market, which aims to support the recovery of local businesses impacted by Covid-19 restrictions by boosting online sales while celebrating the range of quality gifts available in the area.

The free opportunity is open to small and medium-sized businesses based in Derby and Derbyshire and is part-funded by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire's European Regional Development Fund project.

Categories include accessories and jewellery; art, ceramics and glass; experiences and annual passes; local food and drink; homeware and books; landscape calendars and prints; short breaks and afternoon tea; and pet-friendly gifts.

The virtual market is also open to members of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire who offer vouchers for afternoon teas, meals, short stays, annual passes, workshops and experiences, with a focus on products that make great Christmas presents.

Successful applicants will be featured on the virtual Peak District & Derbyshire Christmas Market webpage at visitpeakdistrict.com, where links will lead to the stallholder's own selling platform – allowing visitors to browse and purchase festive gifts with ease.

Businesses can apply for a place here

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 12 October. Successful applicants will be notified via email and the market will go live on Monday 1 November.

To find out more click here.

More statues added to miners' memorial
Five new statues have been added to the 'Walking Together' mining memorial at our Markham Vale Business Park, commemorating miners who tragically lost their lives in three major disasters at Markham Colliery.

Markham story mine
The 'Walking Together' memorial trail by Artist Stephen Broadbent symbolises a miner's journey to the pit and back and represents the men who lost their lives in the disasters of 1937, 1938 and 1973.

The new statues take the total of life-sized steel figures at the site to 93, and we are continuing to work alongside partners to fundraise to see the target of all 106 figures installed.

The Markham Vale Business Park is being developed by us and HBD on the site of the former colliery. The memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the site's significant mining heritage.

To find out more click here. » Less