 Derby’s annual St George’s Day celebrations, the city’s family-friendly event highlighting English heritage and tradition in all its eccentricities, takes place in the city centre on Saturday 23 April.
FOLK 3D will use dance, music and song to connect people of all ages and abilities to traditional local and national culture. Along with dance group Folk Dance Remixed, theatre group The Lost Boys and the Derby LIVE dragon they will lead the St George’s Day parade from The Spot through the centre of town to the Market Place ready for an afternoon of entertainment. The parade will leave The Spot at 11am and include Morris dancers, medieval re-enactors, street acts, singers, dancers, and lots more. Join the parade as it weaves through the streets arriving at the Market Place in time for the great tale of St George and the Dragon told by The Lost Boys at 12 noon. Morris dancing will also take place at The Spot and Sadler Gate during the afternoon. St Peter’s Cross will host Morris dancing, singing by local choirs and performances by Smoked Creature Encounter, supported by St Peter’s Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) between 11am and 3.30pm. The Market Place is the scene for The Lost Boys, re-enacting the legend of St George and the Dragon in their own inimitable style, folk act The Last Inklings, and singers from Rough Truffles and Kaleidoscope community choirs bringing folk songs from England, Cornwall, Georgia and Ukraine. Folk Friendzy will host a Maypole Workshop, Folk Dance Remixed will lead a Ceilidh Jam, and Priya Sundar will be performing her take on the story of St George and the Dragon through the classical Indian dance; Bharathanatyam. Throughout the afternoon there will be a variety of events at the Market Place. Reach for the Core are providing free Have A Go Long Bow Archery, there will be displays of Armour and Medieval combat from 14th Century Medieval Combat group Team Falchion, along with a medieval sword fighting display, arts and crafts stalls, Phileas Fogg by Dizzy O’Dare and English tales of magical dragons, bold knights, and brave children by storyteller Maria Buckley Whatton. Make your own memento of the day with Scraggy Moo. The event ends at 3.30pm. www.derbylive.co.uk/whats-on/st-georges-day-celebrations/
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 Parents of children in their first year of school are getting the chance to help improve the School Nursing Service in Derby.
All parents in the city are being asked to complete a health and well-being questionnaire this month. The questionnaire will not only help with the planning of services for the future for all children, but also make sure individual children get the support they may need as early as possible. The Lancaster Model questionnaire covers a wide range of subjects ranging from emotional well-being to diet and physical activity. Parents will be able to complete the questionnaire online, and if necessary a member of the School Nursing Team will be in touch to offer health advice, information and support. Susie Scales, Clinical Lead for School Nursing commented, “Parents will receive a letter asking them to complete this important questionnaire from the 7th of February. It’s a vital part of Public Health England's Healthy Child Programme and support will be available to ensure all families are able to contribute.” After Easter, Year 6 pupils and then mid-teens will be invited to complete their own version of the confidential questionnaire. They will also be supported by the School Nursing Service which is provided by the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Trust. Find out more about the service and how to contact them at: https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/schoolnurse The ever-popular Outdoor Theatre and Cinema season will be returning to the picturesque surroundings of Markeaton Park in July 2022. Derby LIVE and Derby Parks will be bringing audiences a double bill of Shakespeare from Oddsocks Theatre and Derby Shakespeare Company, two great interactive performances perfect for children with Babbling Vagabonds and Pop Up Theatre, and showings of award-winning films.  Held in the Craft Village, the season will kick off with Children’s Pop-up Theatre Fairy Tales on Saturday 2 July and Sunday 3 July at 11:30am and 1pm. Let our fairy, alongside a few of her puppet friends, bring to life tales full of forests, castles, Princes, Princesses, adventures, romance, magic, witches, wizards, and maybe even the odd dragon! Journey deep into the woods to visit Little Red's grandma, join Jack on his adventures in the sky, and find out if Rapunzel will ever escape her tower! This wonderful show is something the whole family can enjoy together, combining great storytelling with the magic of puppetry. There's a mixture of old and new fairy and folktales to listen to and the show also includes a fully interactive story and a 15 minute 'meet the puppets' session to close. Tickets are available for £4.50 full price, £3.50 concessions and babes in arms are free.  Outdoor theatre favourites, Derby based Oddsocks Theatre, bring you a new adaptation of Hamlet the Comedy (7+) for this summer! The play finds the eponymous royal student returning home for the summer holidays to find something rotten in the state of Denmark and it’s more than just the bag of dirty washing! Mum’s married Uncle Claudius and Dad’s dishing the dirt from his grave – it’s enough to make a teenager mad! Things will never be the same again in the Hamlet household... Shakespeare’s famous tragedy will be performed as you’ve never seen before with lots of laughs, music and memorable moments. The production will be at Markeaton Park between Thursday 14 and Saturday 16 July at 7pm, with tickets available for £17, concessions £15.  After a great Christmas run at Derby Market Place, join the fabulous funsters Babbling Vagabonds once again this summer with a wild walk full of adventure for all the family. Will our hero find her way, remember where she was going and what for? If your air-ship crashed and you were lost at sea what would you do? Watch out as colourful characters, wonderful creatures and quirky machines bring this story to life at every turn. Don’t get left behind as the Babblers weave their way through Markeaton Park telling a story of wonder, magic and excitement. Wild Walk - Adventure Shack will be showing from Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 July, with tickets available for £9, under 3’s free. Local Amateur theatre company, Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company will also be at Markeaton Park Craft Village between Thursday 21 and Saturday 23 July with their production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Sir John Falstaff is always short of cash, but he’s got a cunning plan to get back in funds. All he has to do is seduce the wives of two wealthy citizens. But he’s bitten off more than he bargained for and double crossings, disguises, and a basket full of dirty laundry are at the ready, as the witty wives determine to teach the knight a lesson he won’t forget. Tickets are available for £13.  Markeaton Park Outdoor Cinema returns as part of the season in 2022, with more fantastic showings, starting with The Full Monty (15+) on Friday 29 July at 9pm. A runaway success when it was first released, The Full Monty retains a place in the hearts of British filmgoers and is the ultimate feelgood film. Get ready to sing your heart out on Saturday 30 July at 9pm when Mamma Mia (PG) hits the big screen. Follow Sophie’s quest to find her father before her wedding day, which is accompanied, naturally, by ABBA’s biggest hits. On Sunday 31 July at 9pm it’s time to put on your leather jackets and join us for Grease (PG). Sandy and Danny fell in love over the Summer. Then at the beginning of the new High School year they unexpectedly realise they are at the same school. Will they rekindle their romance? Tickets for all the outdoor cinema events are £14. Bring your chair, pack up a picnic full of delicious treats and grab your nearest and dearest to enjoy this year’s Outdoor Theatre and Cinema and we’ll do the rest. Don’t forget your cosiest blanket! It wouldn’t be an Outdoor Theatre and Cinema season without the on-site catering from the Orangery, which will stay open until 8pm for evening theatre show goers and serve speciality coffees, infusions and cakes/ice creams and cold drinks. During the outdoor cinema shows in the courtyard there will also be wood fired pizza between 7pm and 9pm and a bar selling beers, cider, wines & soft drinks. Tickets for the outdoor theatre and cinema season are now on sale and can be purchased through the Sales and Information Centre on 01332 255800, online at derbylive.co.uk or in person at the Sales and Information Centre Riverside Chambers, Full Street, Derby, DE1 2FP.
 On Saturday, The Derby Lots for Tots Editor - Laura, and her young family went to Derby Arena to see the best Panto around; Sleeping Beauty! The Arena had once again been cleverly transformed into a fabulous theatre with tiered seating at the back and a ginormous glittering stage. The whole performance was a visual feast - a rainbow of light, luxurious costumes and sparkling scenery. The dialogue was clever and appealed to both children and grown ups. I particularly enjoyed the music and song choices - the cast all had excellent voices and harmonised really well - creating a really emotional atmosphere when they sang (Snow Patrol's 'Run' was particularly good). My children really enjoyed the show and my 6yr old actually made himself hoarse from shouting too much 'it's behind you' etc. One of his favourite bits was being sprayed with water (me not so much - it was only a tiny bit of water I know!). Both really want to go and see it AGAIN! Car parking at the Arena is £3 per car (unless prebooked). There is a full bar and you can get sweets and popcorn before the show and during the interval. It is a long performance for little people so mine were ready for the interval and having seen other people eating were on a countdown for popcorn after the first 45 mins. Our performance was at 1.30 and we left the Arena at 4.30, but it actually didn't feel that long and they were surprised it was dark outside when it was time to go home! Sleeping Beauty, is on at Derby Arena until Sat 8 Jan. Tickets are still available. 
 Production Images: Pamela Raith Photography  Coming to Derby Arena in 2022 - Aladdin!
Let Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment whisk you away for Christmas to the town of Shangri-La where the sorcerers are sinister, the caves full of surprises and the genies have been bottling things up for a bit. Aladdin will be on stage at Derby Arena from Fri 9 Dec 2022 to Sat 31 Dec 2022 with new, lower-priced tickets starting at £18 for adults, £16 for children and a new under 5s price of just £10 for any performance. Concessions, group, school and family tickets are available. Discounted early-bird tickets are on sale now, offering a saving of £2 when you book by 31 May 2022, helping you plan next year’s festive treat. They also have a number of special access performances available:
It’s never too early to secure the best seats for next year’s festive family treat. Call the Sales and Information Centre on 01332 255800, pick seats online at derbylive.co.uk, or book in person at the Sales and Information Centre, Riverside Chambers, Full Street, Derby.
On Saturday I took my family along to the Derby Market Place Indoor Theatre to see the latest Babbling Vagabonds Storytelling Theatre Christmas show; 'The Hungry Troll's Christmas Dinner' - A tale of trolls, dinner ladies, and yummy scrummy food. It was a wet soggy and windy day but inside the theatre we were warm and dry. The actors in the show moved amongst the seats before the performance - chatting to the audience who were arriving and settling down into their seats. The Market Place bar sold drinks and sweets / snacks for the performance and there were toilets and hand washing facilities too. Once the performance began it was the usual high quality Babbling Vagabonds Performance you'd expect to see if they were back in the Guildhall - lots of singing, shadow puppets, clever jokes that appeal to children as well as parents, and imaginative and creative set changes! Arthur, aged 6, said 'It was good - I thought the troll was whiffy' and, not wanting to spoil the plot, his favourite part was the perilous bit when one of the kiddlies was nearly made into dinner! Eve, age 9 - 'I loved how the characters played different roles and did different parts' and 'I liked the brussel sprout jokes'. She also liked getting a drink at the bar in the Market place outside as she felt 'grown up' (note: it was a soft drink!). As a parent, I have been bringing my children to see the Babbling Vagabonds Christmas Show since they were very small, in fact Arthur has been going since he was a only few months old - it's become part of our families tradition of Christmas! This show did not disappoint and was the perfect length of time for wriggly bottoms! You can get your tickets now by visiting the Derby LIVE website. Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (No Interval) Production Photos Credit: I C Things Photography
 In a purpose built indoor theatre space outside the Guildhall Theatre in Derby Market Place - Let the Babbling Vagabonds share with you a heart warming story for all the family to remember. A tale of trolls, dinner ladies, and yummy scrummy food.
When a strange new dinner lady turns up to school the kids are going to get served up more than a plateful of trouble. Wait until they discover what's really on the menu for their school Christmas dinner! Puppets, storytelling, shadows and song, all thrown into the mixing bowl to make the perfect cosy Christmas. The origins of this tale comes from the ideas of school children. The Babbling Vagabonds held a workshop several years ago and one class came up with such a good story they knew that they had to retell it some day. You can get your tickets now by visiting the DerbyLIVE website. Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (No Interval)  Presented by Tall Stories
The Snow Dragon Wednesday 15 - Friday 31 December 2021 Derby Theatre Studio Derby Theatre is delighted to be partnering with Tall Stories this Christmas to present their ever popular festive production of The Snow Dragon. Billy has everything a young goat could need – and more besides. On New Year’s Eve, Billy is looking forward to the annual visit of the legendary Snow Dragon, who will bring him even more goodies... Toe-tapping songs and lots of laughs for everyone aged 3 and up, from the company that brought you The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale. Running Time is 55 mins Tickets are from £13 (concessions available) Book at: www.derbytheatre.co.uk/snow-dragon-christmas-2021  Food Exploration Revolution
Who would have thought that simply letting children play with food would help them become healthy eaters in the future. A child’s experience of feeding and eating starts from birth and constantly evolves during the early years. When they use their senses to explore food they learn what they like and don’t like without the pressure of needing to eat it. That process of familiarisation is key to them being more willing to try new foods. Finding time to do this at home can be a challenge… and stressful! The eating environment however has a big impact on a child’s relationship with food and the more relaxed the eating space the more they enjoy their food. There are a number of ways that you can introduce food play with your child: 1. Involve them in the cooking of the meal, e.g. give them something to squish, mix or roll. 2. Allow them to make some selections for themselves and try to not to actively encourage them to eat certain foods with rewards or pudding. 3. Try, just for a while, not to worry too much about waste, a little waste now will prevent a lot more food waste in the future. Healthy Intuition offers Little Food Explorer classes that are perfect for introducing your child to a wide variety of foods… and having fun with it! A great chance to connect with other parents about feeding and food choices as well as letting us take care of the mess! Classes are held at: Rolleston Scout HQ (Monday mornings) DE13 9AB Hill Street Children’s Centre (Tuesday afternoons) DE15 9LD East Staffordshire Children’s Centre (Thursday mornings) DE14 2NJ Mobile Phone: 07951514666 Email: support@healthyintuition.co.uk Website: http://www.healthyintuition.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nutritionandmindsetsupport Twitter: https://twitter.com/no_to_dieting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyintuitionuk/ www.healthyintuition.co.uk/little-food-explorers/  Festive Derby comes back to light next month with the return of a live stage show at a new city centre location to mark the official Christmas lights switch on.
This year, all the action will happen on a bespoke stage outside the Council House in Corporation Street on Saturday 13 November, due to the ongoing programme at the Derby Loves You venue at Derby Market Place. Corporation Street will be closed to traffic, so everyone will have the space to Do the Right Thing for Derby and distance from each other while they enjoy the entertainment, as well as getting a better view of the Christmas lights as they are switched on! Final details are being put in place for the show, which will be hosted by Smooth Radio and feature a popular music act, preview this year’s Derby pantomime Sleeping Beauty – and all the family entertainment you can expect from the free switch-on event with some well-known local faces. Starting at 4pm, a parade will weave its way from The Spot and through St Peter’s Street, Cornmarket and Derby Market Place to the stage. It will be led by the Derby Season of Light community lantern parade, made up of adults and children with bright and beautiful lanterns created in workshops led by Surtal Arts. At the head of the parade will be professional artist Stephanie Sian Coley with her show-stopping lantern sculpture, which she will create at the Museum of Making during the Season of Light. Traditional Dhol drummers will sound the parade. Entertainment will start onstage in Corporation Street at 3.30pm, with the show ending with the grand finale of the Christmas lights switch on at 6pm. The event will be produced by Derby LIVE, Derby City Council’s events arm, with the support of media partner Smooth Radio and CityFibre.   Read Easy Derby & District is a charitable organisation recently set up to help adults living Derby City, Erewash, Amber Valley and South Derbyshire to learn to read.
Their team of dedicated and friendly Reading Coaches work with Readers to build their confidence and their ability to read independently. Starting in the Autumn, these sessions will be 1:1 at a time and place to suit both Reader and Coach, and completely free of charge. As Sara Martin, Leader of Read Easy Derby & District, says, “When people can read they can register with a GP, understand food labels and prescriptions, find work and help their children with their schoolwork. The impact is huge and benefits the entire community.” Who can learn? Adults who want to learn to read or who’d like to build their confidence with reading. It’s a flexible, confidential scheme, enabling Readers to learn quietly and comfortably at their own pace with their own Reading Coach. What books will they use? Read Easy Coaches and their Readers use the phonics-based Turning Pages manuals* as their main resource. The programme also includes lots of reading books written for adults. * Published by Shannon Trust Where do they meet? All our reading sessions take place in public yet discreet venues. There will always be other people around but Readers won’t be overlooked. How long will it take? Reading sessions last half an hour and take place twice a week. Some people complete the course in as little as a year, while others take more than two years. The important thing is that everyone can learn at their own pace without feeling rushed. “Since learning to read, I have gained the confidence to read in public and ask questions. In restaurants, I can make my own choices and not have to copy someone else’s.” Alison – Reader, Read Easy Winchester. If you’ve been inspired to take action, here’s how you can get involved: If you or someone you know would like help with their reading then please contact Marianne at derbycoordinator@readeasy.org.uk If you’re a local business who’d like to support the charity to train 12 Reading Coaches then please contact: Jill at derbyfundraising@readeasy.org.uk If you would like to offer them a venue then please contact Pauline at derbycoordinator2@readeasy.org.uk Follow them on Social media for the latest news: Facebook: @ReadEasyDerby Twitter: @ReadEasyDerby See their website for more information: readeasy.org.uk/groups/derby/ |
Laura TrethowanEditor of Lots for Tots Derby Archives
April 2022
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