Community Fayre Autumn 2003

Junior

Hidden

Skatepark progress: page 14

Letters: page 24

page 27

Wirksworth Junior school wins ofsted ‘good’ rating

“This an amazing result for the school and the community, and we know for some parents it has been a long journey to achieve good,” said head teacher Isabel Webb. “We would like to thank all the parents for continuing to support us, and we hope that they have seen positive changes in their child’s education, which we will continue to build on throughout their time at this school.”

The Ofsted report spoke highly of the school’s progress since the last inspection: “Leaders have created a school that is highly inclusive. They have high expectations of all pupils. Leaders want pupils to be ‘creative, curious and caring’. Pupils live up to these expectations. They enjoy

attending school.”

“The school’s bespoke curriculum was identified as a strength,” said Ms Webb. “It has been written and sequenced for

the children in the Wirksworth community, and they even mentioned the role that the guinea pigs play in supporting the children’s wellbeing and

emotional needs.”

She thanked all the staff, as well as governors past and present who have been involved in helping the school achieve a ‘good’ rating.

“This has been a team effort,” she said, “and thanks must also go to Derbyshire County Council and the network of the Cluster of Gell Schools, who have been an invaluable source of support, with a huge thanks to Jo Poyser, headteacher at Wirksworth Infant Schools, and all the headteachers at the local cluster schools. We are really proud of our little school in the heart of beautiful Wirksworth.”

The full Ofsted report can be seen on the school website at www.wirksworth-junior.com.

Warmer Wirksworth plans for winter

although thE WEathER is still warm (mostly!), the steering group of Warmer Wirksworth is already planning warm space venues for the winter months.

There is little hope that heating bills will reduce, and therefore somewhere warm and friendly to spend a few hours in pleasant company, or alone working on a laptop, will help make the winter months more friendly.

In response to feedback from questionnaires that residents responded to, the group is looking into the possibility of providing transport for one warm space session each week.

Also in response to feedback, the group is planning that there will be an activity to join in at some venues for those who would like to do so.

The warm space initiative will run from november to the end of March. nearer the time, look out for details of venues and events on notice boards around the town. It is anticipated that the venues will include the Feather Star, the Dining Room, the Heritage Centre, Wellspring Church, the Maltings, United Reformed Church, and Wirksworth library. In some of these venues there will be free access to wi-fi as well.

FolloWing an oFstEd inspection in June, Wirksworth Junior school has regained the ‘good’ rating it last achieved in 2013 – the subsequent inspections in 2017 and 2019 both resulted in a ‘requires improvement’ rating.

thE toWn CounCil is thinking through its priorities, both short and long term. i’d like to ask people in the town about the long term: what is Wirksworth for? a dormitory for derby? second homes and holiday lets? a hub for small industries?

not that the town council can do much to change things – we don’t have the powers, nor the resources. But what we

the mayor’s message

Sean Barker

What is WirksWorth For?

can do is influence: raise residents’ concerns with the district and county councils, help in the development of local plans, support applications for grants and funding, and so on.

For the short term, I’d like to set realistic expectations. Most of what the council staff do is to keep things running – letting rooms in the town hall for events or classes, getting grit bins filled, keeping the Tuesday market going, and so on. They also have various legal duties, such as keeping proper accounts, supporting council meetings, and checking that play equipment is safe. And then there are the ‘extras’: stopping bits falling off the town hall, running the consultation on the Meadows, or dealing with vandalism in

news from Wirksworth and area police

the public toilets.

All this is to support the people of Wirksworth going about their daily business, whether it is getting to work in icy weather or keeping supple with yoga classes.

The other only resource is the councillors themselves: volunteers who give one or two evenings a week alongside their work with other community groups. And it is that connection with the community which is the value of local councillors. So when we ask: ‘What are the council’s priorities?’ the answer will depend on what the people of Wirksworth – not the government, not the county, not the newspapers – are telling us.

AGS Prom

august saW thE staRt of our new quarterly priority – anti-social behaviour in Wirksworth.

We have seen an increase of concerns from residents, whether that was through speaking at street meets, Derbyshire Alert surveys or calls for service. So we will be increasing patrols and working together with partner agencies to tackle these issues.

We ask residents to make us aware of any anti-social behaviour issues, so we can add affected areas to the patrol strategy. Contact us on Twitter @DerbysPolice; Facebook derbyshireconstabulary, or by calling 101 (but dial 999 for emergencies).

We have had a few calls for service around scams and frauds. Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations, and the police. They can contact you by phone, email, texts, letters, social media or in person. We encourage everyone to stop, think and tell a relative, friend or police to get their view on the situation before committing to anything further. If you think you have fallen victim to a scam or fraud, contact your bank immediately, and report it to Action Fraud via www.actionfraud. police.uk or 0300 123 2040.

MoRE than 130 ags students came together at shottle hall on 13 July for the Year 11 Prom, celebrating their achievements at anthony gell to date

Students arrived with a wonderful array of transport modes and beautiful outfits, supported by an army of parents and family members. The weather held for us all evening, and the students enjoyed a great meal, professional photography, and hitting the dancefloor for the traditional disco. A great time was had by all.

Wirksworth musicians’ joint celebration

this YEaR MaRks 40 years since the founding of the Wirksworth Community orchestra, and 30 years since the founding of Wirksworth Music Centre – and to mark the event, the two groups held a joint celebration at anthony gell school on 15 July, with members past and present invited to take part.

The agenda for the day was that each group would come together to rehearse a number of pieces, and at the end of the day play a short concert at the school, for friends and family.

The two people largely behind both groups, Ken and Jenny Acons, were also at the event. At break time, between them, they told the story of how the groups got started (interestingly, the orchestra came out of the same event that gave birth to Community

Fayre) and how they were run in the early days, and remembered some of the other personalities who helped to get the projects off the ground and keep them going. Jenny remains a key member and motivator of the team running the Music Centre today, and Ken still plays tuba in the Community Orchestra.

Liz Rowbottom, chair of the Community Orchestra, and Gabriel Babenko, chair of the Music Centre’s trustees, also spoke to commemorate the

occasion, Gabriel also formally launching the Friends of Wirksworth Music Centre support group.

Of course, an event such as this demands a celebration pastry, and after the speakers a large, brightly decorated cake was cut up and shared among the members, friends and families of the groups. During the break there was plenty of opportunity for everyone to catch up with old friends.

For the concert at the end of the day, Adam Green conducted the Community Orchestra through Four Handel Highlights, Well Dressing Dance (composed by Colin Humphries from Wirksworth), Chabrier’s

Choir plans Fauré recital

EXaCtlY 10 YEaRs since it was last performed in Wirksworth, Fauré’s Requiem is to receive a full choral performance in st Mary’s on saturday 28 october.

Many will know this beautiful and moving piece, and the Wirksworth Community Choir would again like to invite singers to take part in the workshop, starting at 9.30am, and the full performance at 5pm.

The choir’s new music director, Adam Green, will be leading for the first time in Wirksworth,

and Lynn Dean will also guide the choir through Cantique de Jean Racine and other short pieces. The aim for the workshop is to give regular singers an opportunity to sing with a larger choir, to tempt new singers and younger singers into choral singing – and simply to enjoy ourselves.

The full performance at 5pm will be open to the public, with a modest ticket price of £5. There will also be an opportunity to have a couple of taster evening sessions on Wednesdays leading up to the choral day.

Joyeuse Marche, and an Abba medley. nick Stacey meanwhile conducted the Wirksworth Music Centre group through a Lion King medley, and Irish Ayre for Wind, among others.

The day was an incredibly special one for everyone, the atmosphere of excitement, friendship and camaraderie palpable. In all, 82 current and former members of the two groups took part – enough to fill the audience space of the school’s main hall. The ages of participants ranged from 10 to well over 70, and musicians came from as far afield as Southampton, Taunton and Carlisle to take part.

Panto news (OH nO IT

ISn’T!)

to staRt the Christmas season, the Glee Club of Wirksworth invite you to join them on a journey full of laughter, music, and audience participation, down the yellow brick road to visit the Emerald City and to meet The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. With a witty, exciting script by George Gough and directed by Claire Butler, the cast will lead you to a land of imagination and wonder. Shows will be at Wirksworth Town Hall on 29 and 30 november and 1 and 2 December. Tickets are available from the end of October at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ glee-club-of-wirksworth

Adam Green conducting Wirksworth Community Orchestra.

Ken and Jenny Acons (centre), stalwarts of both groups.

hidden gardens raises £5k for charity

MoRE than 900 visitors to Wirksworth enjoyed the warm, sunny weather of the hidden Courtyards and gardens weekend on 24-25 June. they visited dozens of gardens the length and breadth of the town – and consumed plenty of cakes and refreshments as well

Visitors admired the skill of the gardeners to make the most of their individual plots, and enjoyed the range of plants and flowers on display. The most frequent comments our gardeners heard was how warm and welcoming were the people of Wirksworth, and how much the visitors enjoyed exploring the ginnels and the ups and downs of the town.

The motivation for the Open Gardens team to organise and the run the weekend is to encourage a wider public to share in the delights of

Wirksworth, and help raise money to support local groups and charities. Over the past few years, the team has shared more than £35,000 with local groups, and with our international charity, Study Guatemala. Jane and I are trustees of Study Guatemala, which set up a school in the poorest part of Guatemala City, and has for the past 22 years helped pupils to gain an excellent education and improve long-term prospects for them and their families.

This year’s weekend raised

more than £5,000, which will help to support Study Guatemala and several local groups, including Wirksworth Music Centre, the Friends of Waltham House, Wirksworth Playgroup, Young Futures based at Anthony Gell School, Ashbourne and Wirksworth Parkinsons Support Group, and the Wellspring Church for its community activities.

Many thanks go to the gardeners who were willing to

open their precious plots to the public; to the visitors who bought tickets and shared their enthusiasm; and to the people of Wirksworth who tolerated any small inconveniences caused by the influx and who so warmly welcomed the visitors. Put the weekend of 2930 June 2024 in your diary, and join us next year for Wirksworth’s great gardening event!

Peter Riddle

Author visits Middleton school

in MaY, Middleton Primary school hosted a special visit from Wirksworth author daniel henshaw, who left a lasting impression on both students and staff alike.

Daniel, a talented author known for children’s books such as The Great Snail Robbery and The Curious Case of the Missing Orangutan, showcased his passion for storytelling by conducting a captivating whole-school assembly, followed by writing workshops. His ability to engage children in the art of writing and nurture their creativity was evident throughout the day. “Daniel delivered a brilliant assembly which had all the children engaged and

enthused to write their own mystery story,” said Year 5/6 teacher Michael Allen. “All the children thoroughly enjoyed the tailored writing sessions, and produced excellent work as a result.”

Daniel is a qualified primary school teacher, though now he writes full-time. In 2016, one of his stories was shortlisted in the Best novel for Children category at the Wells Festival of Literature, and his short story Grandad’s Ghost was featured on BBC Radio in 2020.

To find out more about Daniel’s books find him on social media @AuthorHenshaw or to book a school visit email mrdhenshaw@gmail.com

Visitors enjoy one of Wirksworth’s many hidden gardens.

Festival 2023: aiming to beat last year

WiRksWoRth Festival trustees, volunteers and staff are gearing up for Festival 2023. We had loads of feedback that 2022 was one of the best festivals ever, so we have a lot to live up to.

As always, we open with the Trail Weekend, when more than 140 artists exhibit their work in peoples’ homes, in public spaces, in gardens and in sheds, with artists including painters, ceramicists, jewellers, textile artists, ironworkers and print makers. Each year we aim for onethird of the artists being new to the Trail, so every year there is something new to see.

Throughout the weekend there are pop-up shows and we are supported by MusicWirks with music throughout the town – and of course with the Gig on the Roof on the first Sunday night. The festival continues until the following weekend, with a whole performance programme every night thanks to our partners Town Hall Events. This year includes jazz, films and soul music, and the week finishes with the wonderful Lemn Sissay with Let The Light Pour In.

For the past few years the festival has been sponsored by the Ampersand Foundation to manage an Artist in Residence programme. Our 2022 artist, Jemma Gunning, has curated this year’s exhibition in the Maltings. Her time in the area last year led to an interest in both our industrial archaeology and in the Peak District, and as testament to how important our residency is, two of our artists in residence are in the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition.

Our 2023 artist in residence, working as Feral Practice, has just taken up her three months’ stay, and has already explored the old mines and the plants and animals that live on them.

A Trail Weekend wristband is £10, and gives you access to all festival exhibitions.

town hall Events

Children 16 and under are free. Other events may be free, or there may be a small charge. The performance programme has tickets available from www.ticketsource. co.uk/townhallevents

For full festival events listings, see diary dates, page 27. We always need volunteers to offer their

support, and volunteering for one session gets you a free wristband. We need help with the build-up to the festival, with the Trail Weekend sale points and support for events, and with the wind-down afterwards. Call Martin on 07944 620137, or call into the office in the Maltings.

Carol Taylor, festival chair

MusicWirks – empowering youth through music

WiRksWoRth FEstival’s tRail weekend is complemented by a varied programme of street music from local artists, curated and coordinated by the team at MusicWirks.

From 1pm-5pm on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September, festival-goers can take in performances featuring solo artists, bands, choirs, ukelele groups, Morris dancers and more. There are four music venues: the Memorial Gardens, the Old Lock Up on north End, a Busk Stop on the Market Place, and Church Walk. It’s all free to listen, though donations are welcome. The venues are clearly marked in the main trail guide, and the running order is posted by each stage on the day.

Thomas Truax will play a ticketed event at the Old Lock Up on the evening of 9 September. An American singer, musician, inventor and artist, Thomas is one of the most imaginative characters on the pop music fringe. For tickets, go to www. eventbrite.co.uk/e/thomas-truax-at-lockstock-23-tickets-642832448157.

As an organisation, MusicWirks is focused on empowering young, local performers to showcase their skills and develop their artistic identities, and ticketed events like Thomas Truax help generate funds to support the free-toattend events at the festival. “MusicWirks became incorporated as a Community Interest Company in April 2022, which has enabled us to grow a more formal relationship with Wirksworth Festival and to dedicate more resources towards the music trail,” said director Cathy Brown.

MusicWirks is also developing a mentoring programme to help young people learn about technical support, marketing and event organisation. “One of our guiding principles is that artists should be paid fairly,” said Cathy. “At this year’s festival we are really proud that MusicWirks is supporting two young local people in paid positions providing technical support to performers.”

MusicWirks plans to hold an event in the autumn for young people wanting to enter the music industry. For more information, please contact @MusicWirks on Facebook, email info.musicwirks@gmail.com or at one of the music stages on the Festival Trail.

highlight oF thE performance programme at this year’s festival is the evening with lemn sissay at the town hall on 17 september.

Poet, broadcaster, and Bafta-nominated playwright, he will be reading from his newly published book of verse Let the Light Pour In – just one day after its launch in Manchester.

The performance programme is curated by the dedicated team at Town Hall Events (THE), drawing together a broad and balanced programme, giving local, regional, and national artists (both young and not so young) a platform, and offering original, and thought-provoking work and entertaining evenings.

THE prides itself on nurturing young emerging talent as well as bringing artists of national stature to the town. Check out the festival guide and website for more information about storytelling, poetry, jazz, northern Soul, funk, prog-folk and Wirksworth’s own ukulele festival. Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/townhallevents

Music Centre’s bumper concert

on sundaY 9 JulY, Wirksworth Music Centre (WMC) celebrated another year with a concert at the town hall.

For the first time ever, all the music centre’s groups came together to perform to a packed audience in one bumper summer concert. The audience and the WMC participants enjoyed a variety of instruments and musical styles, played by students from all groups. There were English folk songs, a Gilbert and Sullivan medley, a suite from Carmen, a beautiful performance of A Derbyshire Song by the Youth Choir, with some Elgar and Beethoven; a delightful piece composed during lockdown by WMC tutor nick Stacey; plus outstanding solos from two of our most senior players. The sustained applause spoke volumes.

To find out more about WMC, visit wirksworth-music-centre. org or Facebook @WirksworthMusicCentre.

Rusty Ahearne

barlow at the palace

Rob baRloW, Md of Wirksworth garden furniture business tdP, attended a reception at buckingham Palace with king Charles iii on June 27 after the company won the king’s award for sustainable development.

TDP was the only Derbyshire business to win the award this year.

“We were talking about climate change and what we do,” said Rob. “I found the King to be such a nice, genuine and enthusiastic person who is interested in people, puts you at ease, and really knows his stuff as well.”

Rob has now formed a networking group with other award winners in the sustainability category, with the aim of collaborating in the future.

TDP’s furniture is made entirely from recycled plastic waste, saving it from going into landfill. The company claims that so far it has saved nearly 25 million kilograms of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere, and prevented 10,000 trees from being felled. It has also signed up to the 10 principles of the Un Global Compact on human rights, labour, environment and anticorruption.

aFtER last YEaR’s successful event, the 2023 Wirksworth beer Festival will be on 21 october at the Maltings in st Mary’s gate, from mid-day until 11pm.

A fully covered venue, there is plenty of space to get together with friends and family for a beer, good chat and live music.

As always there will be a wide range of beers from breweries across Derbyshire, plus a selection of food, and live music from the best local bands throughout the day. For those who aren’t so keen on beer, the bar will be serving other drinks as well.

This independent festival is not for profit, and any money raised will go to a local charity. Entry is free, and while cash will be accepted, contactless is preferred. For more information, look for Wirksworth Beer Festival on Facebook or Instagram.

revd Neil Griffiths, Wirksworth team rector

What on earth is the church for?

thE ChRistian Faith has been around and practised for around 2,000 years, and from small beginnings has grown to be a faith practised across the whole of the world, with approximately 2.5 billion followers.

The Christian community here in Wirksworth is believed to date from the mid-6th century, nearly 1,400 years ago.

Across all those centuries, many voices have called for and predicted the demise of this institution, and yet it continues to survive, and in many situations, both in this country and overseas, grow and thrive.

But what, I wonder, is the purpose of the church (by which I mean the institution not the building)? I accept that this might seem a strange question for me to be asking given that I am the new vicar in this town. But I think that every organisation should regularly look at its core purposes to ensure it is still delivering what it set out to do, what is expected of it.

So, what is the church all about? I suspect that there are many reasons for us to be here, and among them are:

• To offer a space where people can be quiet and thoughtful

• To offer a space where we can come together to celebrate the great things of our community

• To help our community when times are not so good, and offer a space for reflection

• To offer a space to celebrate life’s important milestones

• To share the stories of Jesus Christ, and to accompany members of our community on their spiritual journey

• To share the love of God with our friends and neighbours, helping those in need

• To spend time with God, who created the universe and everything in it, and asking God’s help for our community and the world not everyone will agree, but I hope some will. If any of these apply to you or someone you know, please get in touch and we will do what we can.

open day at Waltham house

WalthaM housE, which has played a significant part in the history of Wirksworth since the 1880s, is hosting an open day on saturday 7 october.

The building has had many roles. It was originally the family home of a local mill owner, George Wheatcroft, then replaced Babington House on Greenhill as the cottage hospital, later became a maternity hospital, and then up to 2007 it was the location of Wirksworth’s GP surgery.

Since 2009, however, it has been a residential home for older people, with a total of 39 onebedroom and two-bedroom apartments, and providing an on-site care team for residents who need support with daily living. Residence is open to people over 55 with a local connection, and a mix of flats is available: rented, part-shared ownership, or fully purchased.

The open day will give visitors a chance to see what goes on at Waltham House, talk to the

Friends of Waltham House and to some of the residents, and perhaps have a tour of the building.

The Friends of Waltham House are a group of local volunteers who raise funds and organise activities, outings and entertainments for the residents, as well as offering friendship and support for the residents and their families. Singing groups, music and movement sessions, film nights, games activities, musical entertainment, well dressing and flower arranging are just some of the activities on offer, as well as visits to local places of interest.

So if you have any questions about what happens at Waltham House, who it is for, how much it costs to live there – or to find out more about becoming a Friend of Waltham House –please come in and join us for a drink and a chat on 7 October. We are, indeed, just a friendly bunch of people.

Peter Riddle

New carnival committee starts work

aFtER a YEaR of uncertainty, a new Wirksworth Carnival Committee has been formed. With stephen Maskrey at the helm, the new committee is made up of a cross-section of people from the local community who all strongly believe in upholding this time-honoured tradition.

Dating back more than 90 years, the carnival’s roots are tightly intertwined with the annual well dressings. The carnival usually coincided with the well dressings over the Whitsun holiday, and the combination of the two events created a sense of festivity in the town – something that has been sorely missed for the past few years. So the new carnival committee and the well dressing committee have decided to work together, to keep the tradition alive for local people as well as to attract visitors to the town.

The new committee is currently in the process of organising events for May 2024, and is keen to hear from anyone who has some fresh ideas or would like to be involved in any way: email wirksworthcarnival@ gmail.com

Visitors flock to restored cottage

aQuEduCt CottagE, a 19th century building once owned by the family of Florence nightingale, has welcomed more than 1,500 visitors since opening to the public in March after a four-year restoration from a derelict condition.

now owned by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the cottage is next to the trust’s Lea Wood nature Reserve along the Cromford Canal, and has been lovingly restored by a team of dedicated volunteers. Work included replacing the roof, stabilising and repointing the walls, new floors and tiling, installing an upstairs exhibition and community space, and creating wildlife-friendly gardens.

The cottage is currently open to the public on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. Visitors can look around the restored cottage and hear first-hand from some of the volunteers who worked on the restoration. Monthly workshops and training events are now planned to take place at the cottage over the autumn, including willow weaving, nature-based arts and traditional heritage crafts.

To find out more about volunteering, or about events and workshops, go to derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk

Wam Bam Band supports Friends of WMC

WaM baM band has thrown its support behind the Wirksworth Music Centre’s new Friends of WMC scheme.

The band will bring its inimitable mix of R&B, rock and soul to the town hall on Friday 10 november, with all proceeds going to the music centre.

The Friends of WMC scheme was launched at the end of the summer term, enabling people to support WMC’s work as a registered charity, offering support to local school-age music makers. All the funds raised under the Friends scheme, including the proceeds of the Wam Bam Band gig, will be used to provide local children with more musical opportunities, more access to teachers and instruments, and more adventures in the wider world of music.

The Wam Bam Band gig represents a huge boost to the launch, and tickets will be available at £15 from Marsden’s in the Market Place. For more information about Wirksworth Music Centre and the Friends scheme, go to wirksworthmusic-centre.org.

Aqueduct Cottage

as it was… and as it is after restoration.

Photos: Ron Common

CuRREntlY studYing FoR a-levels at anthony gell school, 17-year-old Molly bond completed a week in July as aquabox’s first work experience student.

Molly had found out about Aquabox at a Y7 assembly and, thinking about what to choose for work experience, decided it would provide a good opportunity to make a difference.

It turned out to be a varied and enjoyable week. Her work included packing boxes of humanitarian aid, helping to assemble water filters, and shelf stocking in the warehouse, as well as learning from depot manager David Wildgoose about the charity’s financial management.

“I hadn’t realised what went into the charity – it’s more like a small business,” she said. “I’ve helped to make water filters, learning how much work goes into them and packed boxes of aid and I’ve learned about the financial planning involved.” She was also asked to consider and recommend ways in which Aquabox could get its message across to secondary schools.

Molly is aiming to do a degree course with a political angle, but wants to travel as well, maybe working for Voluntary Service Overseas. After university, she would like work connected with politics –she has already done a lot of canvassing for the Labour party.

She also works part-time at a pub in South Wingfield, she’s learning to drive, she spends time ‘buddy reading’ with Year 7 pupils at Anthony Gell School, and she’s also a member of the school parliament. “It’s a bit busy sometimes,” she says, modestly.

Asked how she felt as her week came to an end, Molly said “I think young people should get more involved with the charity, because there’s a disconnect with the community. And Aquabox needs to promote the fact that it has a work experience programme – because it’s a really good experience!.’’

Record entry expected for horticultural show

WiRksWoRth gaRdEnERs are predicting a good harvest of fruit and veg this year, thanks to a summer of sunshine and showers – and that should mean a strong entry for the annual horticultural show and bake-off on saturday 16 september.

“We’re looking forward to a great event in 2023, with more of the town’s finest products, both grown and baked,” said nic Pollock, chair of the organising committee. “Last year’s event attracted more than 500 entries across 25 categories, and the quality was very high – and this year we are looking forward to even more entries.”

Entry is easy: just come along to the Memorial Hall between 9 and 10 in the morning on 16 September, bringing your produce or baked goods, and fill in a simple entry form. It costs only 50p per entry, and all children’s entries are free.

“Everybody’s welcome, and we are keen to encourage new

Update on The Meadows

growers and bakers to take part,” said nic. The show awards 10 trophies, shields and plates each year, including the coveted ‘best in show’ award. Donated fruit, vegetables, flowers and baked produce will be auctioned off at the end of the event.

sinCE thE MEadoWs was bought by the town in 2019, shortly before the pandemic, a public consultation has given local residents the opportunity to comment on developing the land in a way appropriate to the town and its needs.

But townspeople are anxious to see some physical evidence of change.

Following the consultations, the town council commissioned the design firm Urban Wilderness – the company which designed the changes to the Memorial Garden – to produce the documents which the council needs to move to the next step. These documents reflect the outcomes of the consultations, and will enable the council to go out to tender to get the changes started. They also allow approaches to

be made to potential funders, and this is an important issue –the pandemic, and changes in the wider economic situation, have had a severe impact on the council’s financial position.

In the meantime, the delay has enabled two things to happen. An ecological survey continues across The Meadows: the whole area is being monitored, and residents have helped by setting up bat detectors and feeding information back to the consultants. The survey is aimed at identifying any significant flora and fauna present, and thus helping to ensure that any changes made will not damage the existing ecological landscape. And the Wirksworth Archaeological Society has been investigating possible building remains in this central part of the town.

Amnesty event highlights life behind bars

What is life like ‘inside’? the Wirksworth & district amnesty international group will be highlighting issues facing prisoners worldwide, and especially those of women prisoners in the uk, in a special event at Wellspring Church on 16 september.

Kate French, chair of the Friends of Foston Hall, will give an update on her group’s activities at the women’s prison in the south of Derbyshire, and will outline opportunities for volunteers to help with prisoner rehabilitation. She will be accompanied by a former Foston Hall inmate, who will

share her experiences of life on the ‘inside’ and her journey to her current post with the Prison Reform Trust.

The event is at Wellspring on Saturday 16 September, from 10:45am to 1pm, with refreshments available. The Wirksworth & District Amnesty branch normally meets on the

third Tuesday of the month at Wellspring at 7.30pm, and all are welcome. Contact wirksworthaigroup@yahoo. com

Wirksworth archaeologists have been exploring The Meadows for signs of ancient buildings.

supporting our school by joining gell Friends

gEll FRiEnds exists to provide some of the ‘extras’ that enhance the student experience at anthony gell school.

School budgets have never been under so much pressure, so finding income from different sources is vital – and we urgently need your help.

AGS has not had a Parents and Teachers Association for many years, so Gell Friends was established in 2013 with the objective of generating unrestricted funds that could be used to benefit the whole school, without the need for more time-consuming methods such as fairs or sponsored activities.

Through discussions with students and staff about their priorities, donations to Gell Friends have already enabled the provision of outdoor seating, table tennis tables and drinking fountains. We have contributed to theatre workshops and end-of-term celebrations, and helped to source a piano, and we are helping to fund new minibuses so that sports meetings and field trips can continue.

Gell Friends supporters give an annual donation of £10 (or more, if they’re able), and donations can come from anyone with an interest in supporting the school. Give once a year by standing order, and know that you’re making a difference.

Gell Friends is part of what makes AGS a unique and special place for young people to learn.

Unfortunately, our membership has dropped significantly over the past three years, largely due to being unable to recruit new members face-to-face during the pandemic. So, whether you have a child at AGS, you went there yourself, you work there, or you just want to help – please join us today, and help us to continue providing these additional resources.

new skatepark team appointed

thanks to overwhelming community goodwill, the group of volunteers working on the skatepark have now completed the tendering process and selected a partner to work with – a significant step towards building the new skatepark.

The selected preferred company is Wheelscape, who have built skateparks up and down the country. The Wheelscape team is committed to carrying out further

community engagement and discussion on the design over the coming few months, and details of this will be published via Facebook and through the schools.

Wheelscape has committed to using local contractors wherever possible, and it is hoped that work will start before the end of the year, with the new skatepark ready for use next spring. The group is delighted to have raised more than £130,000 for the project, including £50,000 from the Tarmac

Connex launches technology help service

tEa, talk, tECh is the name of a new Wirksworth service from Connex Community support, designed to help people get the best out of their mobile phone, tablet, iPad or laptop.

Launched in August, Tea, Talk Tech takes place every Friday morning at the Dining Room in St John Street, from 10 to 11.30. Connex volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about mobile technology, and to show users how to make full use of the features of their phone or computer. “And we’re always interested in hearing from new volunteers,” said Connex spokesman Peter Mayers. “We approached Anthony Gell School, they were very interested, and from September some Gell students will be helping with the project.”

Connex began life as the Ashbourne Voluntary Service around 40 years ago, and now covers the whole of the Derbyshire Dales area. It offers a range of services, all structured around the principle of helping people to continue to live independently in their own homes: befriending, shopping, dog walking, collecting prescriptions, and providing transport to medical appointments.

Among the services is Home from Hospital: a follow-up of up to six weeks’ duration after a hospital stay, to make sure a vulnerable adult can pick up the pieces after a hospital stay. Connex can also help with wheelchair hire, home maintenance and property clearance.

To contact Connex, call 01335 348600, or email dales@connex. org.uk

harboro Rocks clay shoot

Landfill Communities Fund.

“We’re delighted to have got to this point, and look forward to working with Wheelscape,” said Alison Clamp, chair of new Opportunities Wirksworth, which owns the skatepark. “We were very impressed with the work they have done elsewhere, and by their willingness to accommodate ideas from the town.” The skatepark group can be contacted via nowboard23@gmail. com.

Longcliffe supports driver awareness

in JulY, longcliffe Quarries gave members of the derwent and hope valley institute of advanced Motorists (iaM) Roadsmart group an insight into the daily driving challenges faced by lorry drivers.

The IAM Roadsmart group’s aim is to enhance driver and rider skills on the road, improve road safety and prepare people for the advanced driving test. Through mocked-up scenarios with Longcliffe’s bulk tankers at the company’s transport depot near Matlock, the members were able to get a lorry driver’s view and understand the limitations of blind spots around their vehicles.

The scenarios included an opportunity to see the visibility a tanker driver has of other vehicles around it when negotiating a roundabout; a scene to show the view of pedestrians when on a crossing or a path alongside the lorry; and a ride in the cab to see the all-round experience for the driver.

“Our members gained so much from this event,” said the group’s observer Bill Storey. “There is no better way to learn how to drive safely when around lorries than seeing the situation from the lorry driver’s side.”

To find out more about the IAM, email matlockdhv1@btinternet. com or go to www.matlock-iamroadsmart.org.uk

thE thiRd annual charity fun day at harboro Rocks Clay shoot was unlucky to be held on one of the wettest weekends in august.

“But thanks to amazing support from so many people, we raised £3,000 for the local air ambulance,” said Dawn newton, who organised the day with her husband Andy. “The cost of living crisis hit us too, I’m sure,” said Andy. “But we’ll be back again next year. Come and have a go at clay pigeon shooting and enjoy all the stalls.” next year’s event is on Sunday 4 August 2024.

Longcliffe driver trainer Anthony Woodroffe (far right) with the IAM group including chairman Kevin Knight (second left).

sculptor donates her new work to the Eco Centre

a TasTe of Home

tuna PuttanEsCa With linguinE

this is a very tasty and easy sauce for pasta with some of our favourite store-cupboard ingredients. add more chilli garlic if you like. a drizzle of chilli olive oil to serve is a nice addition too! serves 4-6 people.

ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped

• 200g tuna fish chunks or flakes (drained weight from tinned tuna in spring water)

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato puree, double concentrated, or 2 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp red chilli flakes

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• Pinch of sea salt, pinch of sugar and freshly ground black pepper

• 50g-60g green pitted olives, sliced

• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed if salted and roughly chopped

• 400g wholewheat linguine how

to…

Using a large frying pan or saucepan, heat the oil then add the chopped onion and cook on a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then until the onion is soft and starting to brown. Then add the garlic and cook for another five minutes.

sCulPtoR sue allanson has donated her latest work, Mamani, to the derbyshire Eco Centre, where it was created.

There will be an unveiling ceremony on 23 September at 2.30pm, and the public are welcome.

Sue has been working in Derbyshire as a sculptor for the past 30 years. She asked the Eco Centre to let her carve under their eaves so that she could carve a ‘larger than life’ sculpture. She had always wanted to create on this scale, but not had the resources to do so. Over lockdown, however, she thought about it more seriously and managed to get the money to buy the stone and pay for its delivery from an anonymous donor who was impressed by her idea.

She was influenced by the turbulent times of the past few years: Covid-19; conflicts and wars around the world; and women in Iran bravely protesting about the killing of a woman.

Sue took her inspiration from female figurines from 600,000 years ago, when there seemed to be more equality: women were in prominent positions in societies which seemed peaceful and democratic, and there is evidence of goddess worship. The figure is a reminder of that time, evoking a sense of balance and harmony.

There will be live music and poetry to welcome Mamani to her permanent home, and the unveiling will be performed by Derbyshire’s High Sheriff, Wirksworth resident Theresa Peltier.

Add the tuna, tomatoes, tomato puree or sundried tomatoes, oregano, chilli, vinegar, salt, sugar & black pepper. Stir well and continue to cook for five minutes before adding the olives and capers. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Boil a panful of salted water and cook the linguine until al dente. Serve the hot sauce over the pasta.

Natalie Gerrelli

natalie’s recipe book The Food We Love is available at shops locally.

Wil D 1

BarberShop

Wirksworth’s oldest-established barbers

NoW opeN SeveN DayS a Week

Walk in, or call for an appointment to avoid waiting. Wet shaves and facial grooming. Special rates for senior citizens. Car park right outside the door.

17b West End, Wirksworth DE4 4EG

For appointments: Mick Wild: 07955 335829

Gary Woodward: 07701 060747

Jeanette Dracup: 07837 093186

Wild1Wirksworth

new logo for infants school

WiRksWoRth Church of England infant school ended its academic year in July with the launch of a new school logo, developed in partnership with children, staff, parents and carers, and governors.

Fifth open day success for butterfly reserve

its inspiration from St Mary’s Church. The logo is bordered in purple, which symbolises the importance of patience: purple means to stop, be still and take time to think, which we encourage all our children and staff to do as part of their own wellbeing.

dEsPitE thE dull WEathER, around 275 people attended this year’s open day at hoe grange Quarry, near brassington, on 2 July.

it was the fifth time this former working quarry, Derbyshire’s first and only nature reserve focusing on butterflies, has been open to the public.

The logo shows a tree which symbolises strength, individuality, growth and the interconnections of the school community. A myriad of colours behind the tree branches have the appearance of a stained glass window, reflecting the beauty of creation and taking

Last academic year the school introduced a weekly Rising 5s group for children starting the following September. This was so successful that we have decided to run the same group again this year; the sessions run in school from 10 to 11.30 every Wednesday morning, for parents/carers of children starting school in September 2024 to start thinking about applying for a school place.

For more information about our Rising 5s group, or to arrange a look around the school, please contact Amy Haynes or Danielle Kinder in the school office on 01629 822453.

Jo Poyser, head teacher

of the 32 species of butterfly found in Derbyshire, 29 have been recorded at hoe Grange in its relatively short life. this year visitors spotted 11 of them, including the common blue, small and large skippers, and a freshly hatched gatekeeper. Visitors were also able to have a go at ponddipping in one of the two large ponds on the site.

the event was hosted by owners Longcliffe Quarries, with Butterfly Conservation East Midlands and Derbyshire Wildlife trust, who jointly manage the site. the reserve attracts a range of other wildlife, including birds such as little owls, kestrels, spotted flycatchers and whitethroats. to find out more, go to www.hoegrangequarry.co.uk

A common blue butterfly spotted during the Hoe Grange open day.

(Photo: Pete Clark)

seymour interiors clocks up 20 years

sEYMouR intERioRs passed its 20th anniversary in august – and director duncan Maclean marked the event with a new company logo, and a programme of promotions on fabrics and wallpapers during september.

It all started more than 20 years ago, when his mother Christine was working from home as a design consultant, supplying hand-painted furniture and kitchens, and Duncan was working as a photographer doing family portraits and school photos. “The company I worked for kept giving me more territory, and I was getting fed up with the travelling,” he said. “And Mum wanted more space – so it was a joint decision to open a shop together.”

Their first shop was at Cromford Mill (“It was cheap enough for us to get going”), and a year after they opened, they were awarded the Farrow & Ball paint account. “That was a big stepping stone – it brought a lot more people through the door, and it boosted our credibility with other suppliers,” said Duncan. “Then Little Greene came in, and that went well too, and in 2010 they offered us a mixing machine – but we had no space for it.”

Fortuitously, a customer put them in touch with the landlord who was refurbishing The Vaults, the former pub in Coldwell Street, and in 2011 Seymour Interiors made the move. “We were the first tenants, so we were given the choice as to where electric sockets and other fitments were positioned,” said Duncan, “and in 2012 we installed the first mixing machine.” The paint business kept expanding, along with wallpaper and fabrics, and over time the business made a gradual transition from mainly furniture and accessories to mainly decorating.

2019 saw another significant step: opening an account with Leyland to sell a range of trade paints, which brought a second mixing machine into the shop. “There was no-one else in the area supplying trade paints,” says Duncan. “And then it just boomed through Covid, because everyone was at home decorating – both machines were running more or less continuously, and although the shop was shut during lockdown, I was here mixing paint and leaving it outside for customers to collect.”

Christine, meanwhile, embarked on a

gradual plan to retire, handing over more and more of the day-to-day responsibility to Duncan, and although she is still covering for him from time to time she has her eyes firmly fixed on retirement.

And the future? Duncan is keen to promote the Leyland brand, which brings in the professional decorators who are regular and substantial customers; and he’s also aware that the business has plenty of room for growth, especially on the soft furnishings side. CP

old Wirksworthians’ final service

thE old Wirksworthians association marked its formal winding-up with a final church service on 12 July.

Conducted by Rev neil Griffiths, it was well attended, and members welcomed mayor Sean Barker and AGS head teacher Malcolm Kelly to a buffet lunch afterwards at the cricket club pavilion.

The association was formed in 1926, and for almost 100 years has supported Anthony Gell School. The school was founded in 1576 as a grammar school, became a voluntary controlled school in 1944, and finally a comprehensive school in 1965. The association has also taken part in the annual Founders’ Day service in St Mary’s.

Any past scholar could join the association but most memberships date from its grammar school days, and many members are therefore now well over 70. So at a special general meeting last november, the members took the sad decision to wind up the association at the end of 2023.

In the time of the grammar school, all the students would attend on Founders’ Day. This has not been possible for many years, owing to their present numbers, but a few did come, including several from the Music Department who sang and played as part of the service. This involvement has been

Budget Tyres

especially valued by members who have been amazed by the range and depth of talent in the school in recent years.

When the closing accounts have been drawn up at the end of the year, remaining funds will be transferred to the Anthony Gell School Foundation, a long-established trust which exists to benefit the school and its

students. The association’s records will be digitised and sent to the Derbyshire Records Office. If anyone who studied at the school has items of memorabilia and would like to have them included in this collection, please contact secretary Eileen Chadwick on 07902993477, or chairman Pete Widdeson on 07840 794320.

30 years of Wirksworth twinning

WiRksWoRth CElEbRatEd 30 years of town twinning in June, welcoming 25 guests from our twin towns die (pronounced dee) in France, and Frankenau in germany.

Guests were hosted by local families and as the visit coincided with the opening in June of Hidden Gardens of Wirksworth, guests had the opportunity to meet many local people and visit their gardens.

The theme of Our Shared Planet provided opportunities for the visitors to meet representatives of local environmental groups and businesses including: Skopa, Pingle Produce, TDP recycled plastic furniture, Community Land Trust, Wilder Wirksworth, Stoney Wood, the Community Growers and Grassroots.

Wirksworth’s mayor Sean Barker welcomed the delegations to the town hall, and Renate Thuma from Germany and Isabelle Bizouard, mayor of Die brought formal greetings from their towns.

Isabelle was a pioneer of the twinning link and she recalled how on a visit to Wales in the early 1990s she received a call that a town in Derbyshire was keen to connect. She changed her plans and travelled all the way to Wirksworth: “I was the first person from the Die area to visit Wirksworth, from that has grown 30 years of exchanges and friendship.” Several participants at the weekend remembered those very first visits 30 years ago.

Phil Richards and Evan Rutherford offered the story of Wirksworth’s history in German and French, Andy Pollock led a walk

The French group of visitors from Die, with members of the Wirksworth Twinning Association …

of discovery around town and local people joined with guests in a range of activities including yoga, clay modelling, clog dancing, drumming, singing and a presentation from Cornelia Müller from Frankenau on the Bauhaus design movement.

northern Light cinema invited the guests to view memorable highlights from the lock-down online cabaret events, which had played an important role in keeping the twinning flame alight during the Covid pandemic.

More than 100 people attended a celebration meal celebrating 30 years of friendship. Guests were delighted to be addressed by the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Theresa Peltier, and then entertained by two bands of talented local musicians.

Representing Aquabox, Colin Petty demonstrated the charity’s water purification pump, made in Wirksworth and sent to disaster areas and war zones around the world, and each twin town was given a sample Aquabox pump to take home to explain how they can be used in emergency situations

“It’s so inspiring to see the many ways that all our towns have benefitted from our contacts over the years,” said Suzanne Clark, co-chair of the Twinning Association. “We need to thank the council and so many local people and businesses for their support. And twinning really is open to everyone in and around Wirksworth.”

… and the German group from Frankenau, helping to celebrate 30 years of twinning.

For more information, contact wirksworthtwinning@gmail.com, or go to www.wirksworthtwinning.org.uk

Coffee at the Maltings with u3a Model railway show

WiRksWoRth and district u3a coffee mornings are on the move. From october, these popular monthly events will be trying out a larger venue at the Maltings instead of their usual location at the Memorial hall

The coffee mornings start at 10.15 on the first Wednesday of the month, and are open to U3A members and guests. Come along, enjoy the morning and find out more about the other activities U3A offers.

The autumn programme starts on 4 October, when local author and photographer Gavin Muschamp presents a typically quirky look at Alternative Accommodation in the Wirksworth Area. Intrigued? So are we! Gavin’s talk will be

followed by the organisation’s AGM, which is open to members only.

On 1 november, Lyn Murray will be talking about the history of nether House, the large building which from 1780 to 1935, occupied the site currently housing the Memorial Hall and the Stones Building.

Then on 6 December there will be a morning of musical entertainment and mince pies, when local harmony duo Gill and Alan Thompson present an eclectic mix of songs, including a carol or two, and encourage audience participation whenever possible. So do come and sing along.

For more information go to u3asites.org. uk/wirksworth.

a total of 20 model railway layouts are expected at the 18th Wirksworth model railway exhibition on the weekend of 30 september - 1 october.

Layouts will range from n gauge to O gauge, and there will also be a number of specialist model railway traders and demonstrations. As before, the exhibition will be in the Town Hall, the Memorial Hall and the Maltings, and one ticket covers access to all three venues, with a vintage bus running from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway to the town centre.

The large-scale model railway exhibition in June – the first such show in the midlands – was a success, said organiser Mike Craft: “Visitors were pleased with what was on offer, overall feedback was very positive, and we’re considering running it again next year.”

Raising the rafters further afield

RaisE YouR voiCEs ChoiR was delighted to be invited to join with seven other community choirs in the first kirk ireton street sing, an inspired event in June.

The choirs filled the village with music in a variety of locations provided by welcoming hosts. Led by musical director Lester Simpson, RYV thoroughly enjoyed performing in the splendid old church, along with some of his Bakewell Community Choir.

Although RYV exists for the joy of singing, Lester is keen to offer a variety of experiences for members’ development, one being to experience performing in venues with different acoustics from more familiar places. So for a change of scene, the choir will perform their next concert at the Post Mill Centre in South normanton on Thursday 5 October. Harvest Home will be a celebration of harvest in song, music and the spoken word.

Raise Your Voices is also hosting an afternoon workshop in the town hall on Sunday 22 October. It will be led by Carolyn Robson, a renowned singer and choir conductor whose workshops include a diversity of musical genres. She will be advising on many aspects of voice production, from breath control to posture, projection and interpretation, all with the aim of helping people to sing with more confidence. Everyone who loves to sing is welcome to join RYV in what promises to be a hugely useful and fun afternoon.

To book for either event, go to www.raiseyourvoicesww.com or Facebook @RYVWirksworth.

Citizen science, and solutions to the climate crisis

CitizEn sCiEnCE involves members of the public conducting scientific research, often involving trying to find solutions to the climate crisis.

People get involved through gathering information to create data sets, and helping conduct experiments.

Rob and Anne Barlow of Wirksworth company TDP are committed citizen scientists, having previously travelled out to Antarctica where they joined 25 international scientists as part of the

national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (nOAA), releasing weather balloons from a low carbon vessel to study winds and temperature at high altitude.

Scientists were also measuring the impact of microplastics on the environment – a cause dear to Rob and Anne, and at the heart of their business. While in the Indian Ocean, Rob saw firsthand the scale of the plastic problem affecting today’s world. “Remote islands in the Indian Ocean have had hundreds of

tonnes of plastic wash up on their shore lines,” he said.

Rob and Anne are taking another citizen science trip to the west coast of Canada and Alaska later in the year. They will be building on their work in Antarctica, studying humpback whale migration patterns and the effects of sea warming on marine birds, visiting a rescue centre for orphaned bears, and supporting scientists studying weather patterns in the Bering Sea.

bolEhill gaRdEnERs CElEbRatE

bolEhill had a very successful open gardens weekend on 17-18 June.

The weather was kind, visitors flocked in, and more than £1,700 was raised for the funds of Bolehill and Steeple Grange Improvement Group (BIG). The gardeners and artists themselves were much too busy to visit each other, but this problem was remedied in a special event for them a couple of weeks later, culminating in a celebratory supper.

Some of the funding raised from Open Gardens is reserved for the upkeep of the two defibrillators in the village. BIG is also funding the refurbishment of the village notice board, and the erection of a coronation memorial bench on Parker’s Piece, at the top of the footpath up from Wirksworth.

Photo by Phil Richards

Taming the Red Lion – Wirksworth style

a MaJoR nEW PRoJECt, taming the Red lion, aims to involve the local community in discovering more about the history of Wirksworth’s best-known inn. the Wirksworth historians have joined forces with Wirksworth and district u3a to deliver a project which combines historical research with imaginative writing, music and drama.

Anthony Gell School, Wirksworth Community Theatre, the Wirksworth Memory Cafe, Wirksworth Library, Waltham House Trust and other local community organisations will benefit from workshops, exhibitions and performances over the autumn. A booklet is to be published about the history of the inn, and a touring exhibition developed with support from the national Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Red Lion started as a timber-framed building fronting a medieval marketplace, and for several centuries, it was a major feature in the town’s public life. Rebuilt and extended by Francis Hurt in 1767, it became a major coaching inn, where travellers could stop for a meal or stay overnight, and mail could be dispatched and collected. Hurt also added an Assembly Room, which hosted most of the public

gatherings of the town: balls, concerts, auctions and travelling shows.

Before the building of the town hall in the mid-19th century, the Red Lion was also the major meeting place for administrative business. Court hearings were held there, and local dignitaries and businessmen met to discuss future plans.

Already some stories are emerging. At one time, the stabling at the Red Lion housed not only coach horses but also race horses, brought there for the meetings which were held on Wirksworth Moor for a few years before moving to Carsington. William Paxton, designer of the Crystal Palace and the gardens at Chatsworth, came to judge the town’s first flower and produce show, and a local murderer ate his last meal there before being arrested.

Many of these incidents will

be brought to life in Under Pittywood, an original drama production developed by a team of local writers and musicians, which will be performed for three nights from 19-21 October in the Red Lion’s historic assembly room. The audience will be invited to spend an evening in the company of

some of the characters who frequented the Red Lion in the mid-19th century, to share their stories, and to learn more about their town as it was almost 200 years ago. Extracts from the show will then tour to other local venues, so that as many people as possible can share the experience.

Tel/Fax: 01629 820030

email: Info@Elysion.uk.com

Website: www.elysion.uk.com

A Wirksworth institution, due to close down by the end of September. You will be missed – as will your friendly, helpful staff.

FaREWEll to toP kEn’s

successful ags careers week

YEaRs 10 and 12 at anthony gell have had a range of opportunities during our 2023 careers week.

Year 12 have all had the chance to experience the world of work through a face-to-face work experience placement, and we are so grateful to the employers who hosted these placements.

Meanwhile, year 10 have had more than 30 visitors in school, delivering careers talks and representing a huge range of jobs and careers.

Staff from the Department of Work and Pensions have also visited, to give talks about apprenticeship pathways and to deliver CV workshops. Stepnell Construction delivered an employability skills workshop to the whole of year 10 too. We also welcomed ASK apprenticeships into school to deliver a parent/carer workshop on apprenticeships.

Year 10 students have also taken part in a virtual work experience this term, where they have been able to explore a range of career

Stoney Wood film debuts at festival

thE stoRY oF stonEY Wood, a new short film about Wirksworth’s re-wooding project, will have its public premiere on Wednesday september 13, during Wirksworth Festival.

In 2022 the Stoney Wood Group, which manages Stoney Wood on behalf of the town council, secured some funding from

pathways. This platform will be available to students and families all through next year, to support them while they decide their next steps, and we will be in touch with parents and students with login details.

All of year 10 had the opportunity to be taken to either a local college or a university by AGS staff, to explore what their educational next steps might be. We thoroughly enjoyed taking students to Derby College, the University of nottingham and the University of Sheffield. A great careers week has been had by all and we look forward to continuing to support all of our students as they take these all-important next steps.

If you would like to contribute to next year’s careers week, then please contact me on klowe@anthonygell.co.uk. If you would be able to host a year 12 work experience placement next year, please contact jbutt@anthonygell.co.uk

Katy Lowe, assistant headteacher

the Queen’s Silver Jubilee fund, and some of the money went on a commission for a film made by Gavin Repton and Mark Gwynne-Jones.

The film captures the journey from a disused limestone quarry to the woodland so well known to Wirksworth residents today. It has only been screened once before, when Stoney Wood Group members saw it at the group’s AGM, so the September screening is its public premiere. The evening will also include a screening of The Man Who Planted Trees, an animated

Professional framer for 26 years offering expert advice. Artists range of moulding available. Fine

Mon

wirksworthframing.co.uk

classic which was the inspiration for the Foret De Giono in France, which led directly to the concept of a community woodland here in Wirksworth. There will also be a presentation by the Wild Maple Trust about the latest tree project in the town, plus an exhibition of pictures from Stoney Wood past and present.

To book tickets for the screening, which is at 7.30pm on Wednesday 13 September at the town hall, go to www.ticketsource. co.uk/townhallevents

Denise Bristow, Stoney Wood Group

s Artisan Butchery is an independently owned butchers shop, located in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, UK We only deal in locally sourced meats derived from

Meet the new town council

aLISon CLaMP (Lab): a.clamp@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

STeve MaSkrey (Ind): s.maskrey@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

eLISa

e.mcdonagh@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

FranCeS roSTron (Lab): f.rostron@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

p.taylor@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

andy PoLLoCk (Lab): a.pollock@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

ChrIS WhITTaLL (Lab): c.whittall@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

on MondaY 3 JulY, 20 anthony gell students went on a residential trip to london – including a day at the tennis. We had Court 3 tickets for the day, and were lucky enough to watch four games, which included three top 10 seeds and a wildcard british player.

The highlight for the students was getting to meet Jodie Burrage after her first-ever firstround win at Wimbledon. A close second was the strawberries and cream! We stayed until close of play, when the court lost light.

Mrs Roberts, assistant director of teaching and learning – PE

AGS students at Wimbledon sour Cow returns

WhEn thE ChanCE arose to re-open the sour Cow cafe at 12 Market Place, Wirksworth, kelly harrison felt it was too good an opportunity to miss.

now, after a busy few weeks of preparation, the café is open again. Kelly has achieved a warm and friendly atmosphere, with a welcome for everyone. Specialities include a variety of home-made scones and cakes, freshly baked by Kelly herself: tall fruit scones, Victoria sandwich cake, hummingbird cake and chocolate brownies among others. All are temptingly displayed on the counter under shining glass domes.

A menu blackboard on the wall features a choice of drinks, breakfasts, light lunches, sandwiches and snacks, plus daily specials. Different dietary requirements can be catered for, with payment by cash or card.

Kelly’s daughter Diana is also working in the café, with her other daughter Shannon helping from time to time. The Sour Cow’s opening days and times may vary slightly at the moment, but details can be found on Facebook or Instagram.

Sue Mitchell

Sean Barker Mayor (Lab): s.barker@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

andy Jordan (Lab): a.jordan@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

karen PLayer (Lab): k.player@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

PaM TayLor (Lab):

PauL Carr (Lab): p.carr@wirksworth towncouncil.gov.uk

MCdonagh (Lab):

a nEW toWn CounCil was elected on 4 May, and will serve for four years. these are your new town councillors.

havE YouR saY – We welcome letters on all subjects to do with Wirksworth and the surrounding area. Email cfwirksworth@gmail.com or phone 07768 583010.

Thank you

A VERY BIG THAnK YOU to everyone who came to the Summer’s Evening of Music organised by me, my family and friends, at St Mary’s Church on 24 June. You helped raise £900, which was split equally between the nightingale Macmillan Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital, and the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance.

Joanne Flint

We

On the verge

AH, THE JOY of freshly mown grass and seeing a smooth, immaculately cut lawn or verge. But wait – where are the insects, the pollen, the hiding places for tiny mammals, hedgehogs – the life, vibrancy and colour?

Instead of appreciating the beauty of long, waving grasses and wildflowers, some people view them as ‘weeds’ and bring out the chemicals and pellets. not only does this leave no room for wildlife, but the creatures that do venture into such spaces could be poisoned – and if they in turn are eaten by hedgehogs, blackbirds, or robins, well it’s not good news for them, either.

But there is a shift, and let’s hope we are screeching back from the brink of ecological extinction in the nick of time. During the past 20 years we have lost 70% of insects, and as our food, lives and our whole ecosystem depend on them, this has huge implications. The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, Buglife, calls insects ‘the small things that run the planet’ and this is echoed by

Middleton youth

Sir David Attenborough: “If we and the rest of the back-boned animals were to disappear overnight, the rest of the world would get on pretty well. But if the invertebrates were to disappear, the world’s ecosystems would collapse”.

Derbyshire County Council is reviewing the way verges are managed across the county, looking for ways to improve biodiversity and to assess the practical implications and costs associated with different management approaches.

An important part of the trial is to monitor public opinion. To make sure this is representative of all viewpoints, please share yours if you love the cornflowers, oxeye daisies and even the grasses bent by the elements. If you like seeing verges left for wildflowers and pollinators, please email your support and any comments to verges@ derbyshire.gov.uk. Every message counts, and it’s more vital now than ever to give nature a helping hand.

Katie Gallagher

I EnJOYED your item on How Others See Us (CF 201). A favourite of mine appeared in the September 2016 edition of Derbyshire Life: a profile of the village of Middleton by Wirksworth. Ashley Franklin, who wrote the piece, was clearly taken with the place and the people. At one point he wrote the following.

I don’t think I have ever visited a place where I have heard such glowing words about its youth. Several residents remarked on their politeness, behaviour – “We have no graffiti in this village,” said one resident - and respect for their elders. “The children look you in the eye and talk to you,” says Hildegard Wieshover. “The teenagers really engage with the older folk,” says Jane Monaghan. There is an awkward phraseology in the middle, but the content is remarkable and heartening; of course these are AGS students. I hope the many readers wondered why these Middleton youngsters had such a mature and civilised approach: great credit to them, their parents and to their civilised school, a true partnership.

Roy Pearce

last chance to see…

don’t Miss out on the final chance to see the lights, Camera, Wirksworth exhibition at Wirksworth heritage Centre.

This temporary exhibition, supported by the national Lottery Heritage Fund and showcasing the influence Wirksworth has had on the performing arts, will end its run mid-September after the Festival Arts Trail Weekend.

The staff and volunteers, however, are currently busy working on our next exhibition: Sporting Wirksworth, which will be on display at the Heritage Centre from October through to March. This exciting new exhibition explores the many facets of sport in and around Wirksworth, ranging from a cricket club with possible roots back to the first-ever recorded game of cricket played in Derbyshire, to the football clubs of the town and to wheelbarrow racing.

The exhibition will also celebrate the new and upcoming athletes in town, including the tournament-winning Wirksworth Colts, and champion wrestler Shannon Harrison. Finally, keep your eye peeled for an announcement about a very important website!

Gordon Collins, museum manager

a rare Wirksworth timepiece

a RaRE piece of Wirksworth history came up for auction at bamfords in derby on 14 June: a george iii silver pocket watch, by William holliwell of Wirksworth.

Described as having a 4.5cm white enamel dial inscribed with Roman numerals, gold-coloured metal half hunter hands, front and rear winding verge fusee movement, signed and numbered 3524, and dated 1789 with a London hallmark, the watch sold for £170.

Holliwell’s life is documented in Clockmakers & Watchmakers of Derbyshire by Hughes and Craven: he was fortunate to have a connection with the celebrated instrument maker and engineer John Whitehurst, born in 1713. In his early 20s Whitehurst set up in business in Derby, making clocks, thermometers, barometers, and other instruments, and became a very influential engineer and scientist – his memberships would include the Royal Society, the American Philosophical Society, and the Lunar Society. A portrait of him by Joseph Wright is in the Derby Museum.

Holliwell was born in Liverpool in 1740, and was apprenticed in 1754 to a Liverpool clockmaker named Joseph Finney, who happened to be Whitehurst’s brother-in-law. From 1762 to 1773, when Holliwell came to Derby to work with Whitehurst, he was in business in Laughton Street, Liverpool, and he must have visited Derby frequently even then for in 1763 he married Elizabeth Winson, a Shottle farmer’s daughter. When Whitehurst retired in 1776, he recommended Holliwell to Matthew Boulton to make movements for the latter’s exotic ormolu-cased clocks, and Holliwell

subsequently set up in Derby with his sons William (1770-1834) and Francis (1778-1825). It’s not clear when or why they moved to Wirksworth, although the Bamfords watch makes clear that they were here by 1789.

It didn’t end well, though. William the

elder, his brother John and William the younger were jointly made bankrupt in 1806 – possibly due to over-expansion, for they had taken over another business as well – so their business as Wirksworth clockmakers can’t have lasted more than 30 years at the most. Their stock in trade was bought by James Shipley, another Derby clockmaker and part of an extended clock-making dynasty: his uncle, brother, brother-in-law, two sons and nephew were all clockmakers.

After the bankruptcy, William the younger set up with his brother Francis in Alfreton. Francis married Elizabeth, the daughter of the Rev Abraham Bennett FRS (1749-99), who was the curate at Wirksworth, and a teacher at Wirksworth Grammar School. He was also the inventor of the gold leaf electroscope, and a notable protégé of Whitehurst and Erasmus Darwin. His portrait by an unknown artist is in St Mary’s church.

William the elder died aged 72 in 1812, and Francis was killed in a gas explosion at Strutt’s Mill in Belper in 1825, at the age of 47. According to the Derby Mercury, he had been employed as a mechanic at the mill for the previous 12 years, and his widow Elizabeth was left with nine children to support; Strutts “contributed a weekly allowance towards the support of the Family, which They intend to continue till the children are capable of earning by their work a sufficiency for that purpose.” William the younger died in 1834 aged 64, “a man of considerable talent and much respected” according to the Mercury

Can any Wirksworth historians add to the story of the Holliwell family?

Antiques event a big hit – despite the competition

WiRksWoRth’s antiQuEs in the street day on 20 august was a roaring success – despite predictions that the World Cup final would impact on visitor numbers.

Despite the official 10am opening time, stallholders were doing good business by 8 in the morning, the town was busy all day, and the football had no visible effect on visitor numbers at all. At least one vendor packed up well ahead of the 4pm closing time because they had sold practically all their stock.

“Fab street market – I may have bought too much!” reported one shopper. Another contacted organiser Sally-Anne Swindell to say “A couple of friends have messaged to tell me how good it was… do you have any more events coming up?”

Stallholders agreed: “Such a fabulous day, they came, they saw, they bought,” said one. “We even had a queue at one time.”

“Lots of people have said how good it was,” Sally-Anne told Community Fayre. “In fact we’re now thinking about doing it twice next year.”

Obituary

Mike knott

MikE knott, a leading light of Wirksworth Community theatre and other local arts groups, died on 18 July, after a two-year battle with bile duct cancer.

He was born in Coventry, the youngest of three, but the family moved to South Africa when he was very young, his engineer father having got a job there. Mike loved South Africa – the warmth, the bright light, the freedom of running around outside with playmates.

The move back to England a few years later was traumatic. The family moved into Mike’s Aunt Margaret’s property in Disley called The Hut, and that’s what it was – no electricity, heat or running water, in the middle of a dark, gloomy winter. Mike was sent to the local school where he floundered with the schoolwork, as he had had no previous experience of it, and was bullied. His mother was in despair until she heard of a progressive boarding school, Beech Hall, run by an educationalist named Kenneth Barnes, and he was sent there.

Mike enjoyed his time at boarding school, and went on to train as a teacher. He spent

two years teaching in Jamaica, finally ending up in Bradford. He excelled in teaching drama to primary and secondary children alike, and directed and performed in many amateur dramatic productions along the way.

After we met 31 years ago, Mike moved to Wirksworth, and became involved in many facets of Wirksworth life. He joined the Appalachian dance group Soled Out, sang in Raise Your Voices choir, and played the ukulele in Wuzzalele. not long after coming here, he played the part of Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’, directed by Iain McKay. He went on to produce the opera ‘Amahl and the night Visitors’, a collaboration with many talented people including Jonathan Trout and the Derby Chamber Orchestra.

The discovery of so much local talent inspired Mike to put on a production of Howard Richardson’s Dark of the

Camilla’s last service at the URC

CaMilla vEitCh performed her last service at the united Reformed Church in Wirksworth on sunday 16 July, before leaving for a new role in shrewsbury.

The church was crowded with members and friends, and Camilla thanked the church and the town for all the experiences of growth over 16 years.

Synod moderator Rev Geoffrey Clarke paid tribute to Camilla’s many gifts, and the work she had done for the synod, especially as a pastor. Representatives of Rosehill, Holymoorside and St Andrew’s URCs in Chesterfield expressed their thanks and gave

mementos. Rev Kevin Price, on behalf of Churches Together in Wirksworth and District, presented Camilla with a framed picture of the town; and finally, Eva Vallance, a member of the church for 80 years, offered a gift from the church members.

Moon, and out of this, Wirksworth Community Theatre was born. WCT continued to find and involve many and varied local talents in a string of successful theatrical productions. Mike was a cornerstone of the theatre as director, actor, writer and secretary, constantly seeking new ways to move the group forward.

Unknown to many people was that for many years he befriended people in need due to ill health or old age; he still managed to visit Brian, his latest contact, until shortly before his death.

Mike will be remembered for his sense of humour –occasionally acerbic, but most people understood he was a shrewd observer of people and life in general, and he was always able to inject his wry humour into any conversation. This was evident in the photos he chose at my behest for his funeral: at the top of the pack was a

open all hours shortlisted

WiRksWoRth’s shop history project, open all hours, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2023 Engaging People awards, run by the association for heritage interpretation.

The awards recognise excellence in heritage interpretation in Britain and Ireland. Open All Hours is in a shortlist of four in the Community Engagement category, along with Manchester Museum, navrang Arts in Leicester, and SS Great Britain in Bristol. The winners will be announced in October.

cartoon from the Guardian, showing a hearse arriving at the cemetery gates with the caption ‘You have reached your destination’.

Mike was an unassuming and modest man, despite a vast knowledge and deep insight into many subjects, including literature, music, drama and the natural world, which he cared for deeply. He faced his illness with courage and determination, staying positive till the final day, being amazingly stoic. He refused to give in, going on holiday, on walks, and even cutting his hedge and his neighbour’s a week before he died. A truly remarkable man who has left a bigger void behind him than he would ever have imagined.

Helen Knott

If you would like a copy of Open all Hours to find out why it is so good that it has been shortlisted for an award, please visit either www.marsdensgifts.onlineweb.shop or www. wirksworthheritage.co.uk Take a walk through the history of Wirksworth shops for £7.99.

diaRY datEs

Monday 4 september

6.30pm: Environment & Town Committee meeting, Town Hall

Friday 8 september

7.30pm: Cabaret Sauvignon, the Feather Star

saturday 9 september

10am-5pm: Art & Architecture Trail

10am-5pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

11am: Music for Voice and Lute, Babington House garden

Mid-day and 2pm: Wildernests, Infant School, Greenaway Croft

12pm-5pm: LockStock 23, the Old Lockup

1pm and 6pm: A Taste of Fawlty Towers, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

1pm-5pm: MusicWirks, various venues

7pm: Thomas Truax, the Old Lockup

7.30pm: nottingham Chamber Wind Ensemble, St Mary’s

sunday 10 september

10am-5pm: Art & Architecture Trail

10am-5pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

Mid-day: High Edge Recorder Orchestra, St Mary’s 1pm-5pm: MusicWirks, various venues

3pm: Clypping of the Church, St Mary’s

6pm: Gig on the Roof, Market Place

Monday 11 september

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

6.30pm: Finance, Buildings & Personnel Committee Meeting, Town Hall

tuesday 12 september

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

6pm: Upside Down in a Hoop, Studio in the Orchard

6pm: Way to the West, Town Hall

8pm: Fine Feathers, Town Hall

Wednesday 13 september

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

7.30pm: The Story of Stoney Wood, Town Hall

Events in red are part of the Wirksworth Festival; for more information go to wirksworthfestival.co.uk

thursday 14 september

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

7.30pm: Jazz night, Town Hall

Friday 15 september

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

7.30pm: Bonfire Radicals, Town Hall

saturday 16 september

9.30am-3pm: Horticultural Show and Bake-Off, Memorial Hall

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

10.45: Amnesty International event, Wellspring Church

1pm: Children’s Singalong, Town Hall

2pm: Matlock Bath Voices, northern Light Cinema

8pm: Too Darn Soulful 3, Town Hall

sunday 17 september

10am-4pm: Stones and Power, The Maltings

10.30am: Ukulele Day, Town Hall

11am-5pm: Art Car Boot Sale, Haarlem Mill

4pm: Matlock Bath Voices, northern Light Cinema

7.30pm: Lemn Sissay with Seni Seneviratne, Town Hall

Monday 18 september

6.30pm: Town Council meeting, Town Hall

saturday 23 september

2.30pm: Sculpture unveiling, Eco Centre

7.30pm: Derby Chamber

Orchestra, St Mary’s

sunday 24 september

1.20pm: Tea and Tricks, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

saturday 30 september

10am-4.30pm: Wirksworth Model Railway Exhibition, Town Hall, Memorial Hall and The Maltings

sunday 1 october

10am-4pm: Wirksworth Model Railway Exhibition, Town Hall, Memorial Hall and The Maltings

9.30am: Harvest Communion, Holy Trinity, Kirk Ireton

9.30am: Harvest Communion, St Mary’s, Wirksworth

11am: Harvest Communion, All Saints, Bradbourne

11am: Harvest Communion, St Margaret’s, Carsington

6pm: Harvest Evensong, St Mary’s, Wirksworth

Monday 2 october

6.30pm: Environment & Town Committee meeting, Town Hall

Wednesday 4 october

10.15am: U3A coffee morning, The Maltings

thursday 5 october

Raise Your Voices concert, Post Mill Centre, South normanton

sunday 8 october

9.30am: Harvest Communion, St James, Bonsall

11am: Harvest Communion, St James, Idridgehay

11am: Harvest Communion, Holy Trinity, Middleton

Monday 9 october

6.30pm: Finance, Buildings & Personnel Committee Meeting, Town Hall

sunday 15 october

9.30am: Harvest Communion, St James, Brassington

11am: Harvest Festival, All Saints, Alderwasley

Monday 16 october

6.30pm: Town Council meeting, Town Hall

saturday 21 october

Mid-day-11pm: Wirksworth Beer Festival, The Maltings

sunday 22 october

Raise Your Voices singing workshop, Town Hall

saturday 28 october

5pm: Community Choir sings

Fauré’s Requiem, St Mary’s

sunday 29 october

11am: Memorial Service, St Margaret’s, Carsington

6pm: Memorial Service, St Mary’s, Wirksworth

Wednesday 1 november

10.15am: U3A coffee morning, The Maltings

thursday 2 november

7pm: All Souls Service, Holy Trinity, Kirk Ireton

sunday 5 november

6pm: All Saints Service, St James, Bonsall

Monday 6 november

6.30pm: Environment & Town Committee meeting, Town Hall

Friday 10 november

7.15pm: Wam Bam Band gig for WMC, Town Hall

sunday 12 november (Remembrance sunday)

10.50am: Remembrance & Memorial Service at St James, Brassington

10.50am: Remembrance services at Alderwasley, Bonsall, Carsington, Idridgehay, Kirk Ireton and Wirksworth

3pm: Remembrance service at Middleton

Monday 13 november

6.30pm: Finance, Buildings & Personnel Committee Meeting, Town Hall

Monday 20 november

6.30pm: Town Council meeting, Town Hall

Wednesday 29 november

Wirksworth Glee Club panto, Town Hall

thursday 30 november

Wirksworth Glee Club panto, Town Hall

Friday 1 december

Wirksworth Glee Club panto, Town Hall

saturday 2 december

Wirksworth Glee Club panto, Town Hall

Wednesday 6 december

10.15am: U3A coffee morning, The Maltings

Wirksworth under-13s are double champions

thE WiRksWoRth and Middleton Cricket Club under-13s team have had a tremendous season, being both county and league champions.

In the semi-final of the County Cup they beat Swarkestone on number of wickets, in the final in July they beat Hayfield by five wickets, and later in July they were crowned league champions, winning all their matches in the notts and Derby Border Dales League.

Every match was played ‘in the spirit of cricket’ – the boys did the club and manager and coach, Hugh newsome, proud.

The under-11s semi-hard ball team also had a good season coming second in their league.

All Stars and Dynamos, for young ones aged 5-11, took place every Saturday morning from May to July. The stars of

the future had great fun and developed their cricketing skills with the older ones starting to play Kwik cricket in the under-

9s team. An award ceremony with medals for everyone, sweets and cakes, was held in July for more than 30 children.

The Club’s main sponsor is Longcliffe Quarries, and the club is also very grateful to all its local sponsors for their support.

We are an inclusive club and warmly welcome new players and supporters of all ages. The bar is open most Saturdays during the season, weatherdependent, and you don’t have to be a member to have a drink – just have a member sign you in on the day. So come on down and watch some cricket before the season ends on 16 September.

Sue Marshall

SPENCER RECLAIM

Have moved to: Unit 4, Unity Complex, Dale Road North, Darley Dale DE4 2HX

T: 01629 823758

M: 07719 036958

W: www.blackrocksvaleting.co.uk

E: neilbenyon@hotmail.com

16 BoUrNEBrook aVENUE WirksWorth DE4 4Ba

Neil Benyon Valeter