Congratulations to DDCVS Members – Hathersage Befrienders and Cubley Village Hall!

Each year, at our AGM, we present our Annual Award which recognises outstanding contributions to the voluntary sector.  

Our Winner for 2025 – Hathersage Befrienders 

Hathersage Befrienders​ Hathersage Befrienders was established in 2015 with the aim of relieving the isolation and loneliness of vulnerable people in Hathersage by establishing, maintaining and developing a visiting befriending service. It provides regular social contact and support to more than twenty people, of all ages and abilities. It also supports people residing in Moorland House – a residential care home in Hathersage. One person commented: ​ “My Befriender has, with her companionship and friendship, enabled me to live an enriched life. She is my friend, and I am blessed.” 

Pictured Julie Colley and Jess receiving DDCVS Annual Award from DDCVS Chair, Martin Townsend.

And runner up for 2025 – Cubley Village Hall

With the help of grants from the National Lottery, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and the Better Derbyshire Dales Fund and others, improvements have been made to the hall which has been in the village since 1935. The trustees have organised regular events from the village pantomime, quizzes and bingo nights to children’s parties at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Our monthly Pop-Up Pubs have proved massively popular. Most of our events are attended by forty or fifty people, in a village that has only 100 or so residents and our annual Music Festival attracts over 100 visitors. ​ Social connectedness and cohesion have improved, and people who have recently moved into the village have commented on how the hall is an important centre of life in Cubley enabling them to integrate into the community. The number of volunteers that we can call on for help has increased enormously. ​ ​ 

Pictured: Peter Harvey, Cubley Village Hall receiving award from Martin Townsend, Chair of Trustees, DDCVS

We also had two further very worthy nominees for the annual award – Mental Health Initiative and Bakewell Town Hall Community Trust.

BT&CT was set up as a Charity in 2008 to run Bakewell Town Hall.

We run with minimal staff and volunteers to provide for the surrounding community and to ensure the upkeep and improvement of the building. During the last year we have been redecorating turning the entrance hallway and Assembly Room from drab and dated to bright and fresh, making the Town Hall more appealing to the local community. We host Sunday afternoon events, aimed at those that don’t like to go out at night and who are perhaps vulnerable or alone. Our membership has nearly doubled, and we have a larger number of involved regulars.

Mental Health Initiative ​

We have grown from a newly formed group of 6 volunteers to 16 volunteers. Delivering more than 10 events and markets, and we have 6 annual sponsors. We have donated over £2000 to the Young Futures Program at Anthony Gell School Wirksworth. We are soon going to be working with the social prescribing team at Hannage Brook Medical Centre, so our groups and sessions are added to their systems.