Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 

This takes place on 11th – 17th May 2026. This year, Derbyshire Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Team is launching a new Being Kind campaign. It will begin during that week and will run through to October 2026. The aim is to share consistent messaging across our communities about the importance of kindness and support.

To help promote the campaign, we will have a range of resources available, including:

• Outdoor PVC banners (see styles below) – Please seek permissions from landowners before installing.
• A3 and A4 posters
• Digital resources (for TV and Digital Screens)
• Pre‑made social media posts

You can also download digital resources from our Be Kind Campaign toolkit to share in newsletters, social media or digital screens from dccmhsp.com/MHAW .

Any questions, please contact: marina.fournier@derbyshire.gov.uk .

Call Out to All Community Venues and Local Businesses: Join the Breastfeeding Welcome Here Award

Over 400 venues have already signed up across the county, helping to make Derbyshire a more supportive place for parents and babies.
Breastfeeding brings lifelong health benefits for both the breastfeeding parent and their child. By helping families feel confident and comfortable feeding while out and about, we can support them to reach their breastfeeding goals.

The Breastfeeding Welcome Here Award aims to:
· Help community venues show they actively welcome and support breastfeeding.
· Support new families to feel confident feeding in public.
· Improve public awareness of the lifelong health benefits of breastfeeding.
· Remove barriers that may prevent people from breastfeeding when out and about.
Benefits of Signing Up
· It’s completely free.
· Becoming more family-friendly encourages repeat custom and longer visits.
· Your venue will receive free positive publicity.
· You’ll be making a meaningful contribution to the health and wellbeing of families across the district and helping to improve health inequalities.

Complete the short application form here: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/breastfeeding-welcome

Any queries, please contact the Start Well Team: breastfeedingwelcomeaward@derbyshire.gov.uk

Foundation Derbyshire’s 2026 Funding Support Day will be held on Tuesday 19 May.

There will be two different opportunities available on the day to access advice and help with your group’s future bids:

One to One Support

Visit Foundation Derbyshire’s office in Belper to get 1:1 face-to-face bespoke support from its Grants Team. A bank of 30-minute sessions from 9am to 4.30pm are available to book. You will be able to talk in length about the opportunities and challenges you face and how Foundation Derbyshire’s funds are best placed to help.

If you would like to book a slot, email: hello@foundationderbyshire.org with your telephone number and a rough idea of when during the day you would like to book.

Unlocking Philanthropy Workshop

Join Foundation Derbyshire’s online Unlocking Philanthropy workshop, looking at how to craft bids with Foundation Derbyshire’s specific donors in mind.

Led by assistant director Sarah Stainthorpe, the workshop will explore what donors’ motives and thought processes are when reviewing applications. The workshop will take approximately 1 hour, starting at 10am and finishing at 11am, and will involve a chance to reflect on real feedback and experiences from family and individual donor panel meetings

You can book a place via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3L7Rsbb

Hurst Farm Heritage Trail is officially open

Derbyshire Dales District Council led the project in partnership with Community Benefit Society Hurst Farm Wild Works and the opening follows completion of the capital works led by regional contractor G F Tomlinson in October last year.

The project is part of a wider initiative formed by partner organisations to support the physical and mental wellbeing of its residents and making Hurst Farm a better place to live, work and visit. In 2017 Derbyshire Dales District Council alongside Derbyshire CVS, The Friends of Hurst Farm and Platform Housing joined forces to apply for funding.

Thanks to National Lottery players, a £1.26 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund was awarded for this five-year project ending in October 2026, to enhance the natural beauty of the woodland, while also improving accessibility and safety.

The trail provides improved links to community amenities as well as heritage sites, linking the Social Club, Milk Churn Cafe and Farmers’ Community Garden, the Wishing Stone, Bailey’s Tump and the Lumsdale Conservation Area viewing point.

This project is about more than footpath improvements. The Wild Works team run a varied programme of volunteering and activities aimed at getting people outdoors, increasing connection and wellbeing and learning new skills.

The Hurst Farm – Wild Works team can also be found at the Farmers’ Community Garden from 10-4 weekdays above the Farmers’ View on Hazel Grove, Matlock, DE4 3ED, where visitors are welcome to learn more or ask questions in person.

For more information follow the project on Facebook and Instagram @hurstfarmwildworks or book sessions via their website www.hurstfarm.co.uk  You can email the project team at info@hurstfarm.co.uk

Digital Support Derbyshire

Derbyshire County Council has confirmed that they will be continuing to fund Rural Action Derbyshire’s work at Digital Support Derbyshire and the Network for a further two years!🎉🎉🎉

Policy and Partnerships Manager, Charlotte Winterbottom says “RAD is proud to continue this vital work with the Digital Support Derbyshire Network. We will be building on great progress made across Derbyshire over the last few years by providing even more opportunities to tackle the digital divide. Over the next two years we want to get digital support happening in areas where there are currently gaps and will continue to support people and groups with much needed devices and digital skills and confidence.”

The team are also delighted to confirm that another round of the Digital Support Derbyshire Small Grants will be launching soon. Full details will be shared at the next network meeting on the 20^th May.

ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk

Disability Festival – Wed 17th June 

Join Derbyshire Dales District Council Sports Development Team for a fun day of inclusive activities for adults with long term conditions or disabilities. Venue: Hall Leys Park, Matlock, Time: TBC

Please bring a packed lunch for a picnic in the park. Bookings will open nearer the time – Please contact Chris (chris.nightingale@derbyshiredales.gov.uk) for information

Community Asset Transfer Toolkit

Sport England has recently published a new toolkit designed to support clubs and community organisations who are planning to, or are in the process of, taking on their own facility through a Community Asset Transfer (CAT).

The tool outlines the key stages of the CAT process and is designed to help organisations:
• understand what a CAT is
• identify the key requirements needed to ensure they’re ready to take on a CAT
• prepare effectively for a CAT and understand when professional support may be required
• access guidance on how to effectively run and manage their facility after completing a CAT.

Community Asset Transfer Toolkit | Buddle

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Nominations are OPEN for the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026!

We believe every child deserves to grow up surrounded by a wealth of creative opportunities. The mission of these awards is to celebrate the incredible, passionate people – teachers, artists and creative practitioners, youth and social workers, health and wellbeing specialists and community volunteers.

For this year’s awards, we are inviting nominations for 10 categories:
🎨 The Arts Leadership in Education Award
🤝 The Inspirational Local Partnership Award
🧠 The Innovators in Engagement Award
🌱 The Mighty Roots Award
✍️ The Fearless Freelancer Award
1️⃣ The One to Watch Award
🎨 The Young Arts Activism Award
🎆 The Spark the Change Award
⚡️ The Power in Practice Award
🗣️ The Changemaker Award

We are excited to take the Awards national and invite nominations from across the whole of the UK, including our friends in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Please share!

The deadline for submissions is midday (12:00pm) on Monday 1st June 2026 and it is FREE to nominate!

For full guidance, judging criteria and more, please go to The National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026 | Curious Minds:

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Update to November 2025 update to the Code of Fundraising Practice

The Code of Fundraising Practice sets the standards that apply to charitable fundraising in the UK. Any fundraising carried out on behalf of your charitable organisation – whether by staff, volunteers or paid fundraisers – should meet the rules in the code to ensure it is legal, open, honest and respectful.

The Fundraising Regulator is responsible for setting, maintaining and promoting these rules. You can find out more about their role, including an animation that explains who they are and how we promote good practice, on the website, About us | Fundraising Regulator

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Using AI responsibly

Also on 9 December 2025, the Charity Commission produced new guidance to support charities in understanding and using AI responsibly. It includes practical steps on planning, piloting, user testing and data protection.  You can read about it here Guidance for using artificial intelligence in fundraising | Fundraising Regulator