News & Developments

If you, anyone in your organisation or any community groups that you know of would like more information on smart meters please contact them. They are happy to bring people together to offer free training and/or further information.

The priority is to promote the benefits of smart meters to the community oil-buying scheme customers. They can also provide information and raise awareness of smart meters to off-gas communities in rural Derbyshire.Although most homes in UK will have gas and electricity meters, as RAD are targeting off-gas communities they are concentrating on electricity meters.

Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters which will replace the traditional meters in our homes. Every home in England, Scotland and Wales will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier, at no extra cost, between now and 2020. Your supplier will be in touch to arrange an appointment when they are ready to install yours.

Smart meters will enable you to see exactly how much energy you’re using as you use it, and what it is costing in pounds and pence. They take regular readings and share these directly with your energy supplier through a secure wireless network, putting an end to estimated bills and manual meter readings.

Smart Energy GB is the voice of the smart meter rollout. 

For more information about smart meters and how they can help you visit ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk/smart-meters or www.smartenergygb.org/en/faqs

Contact Community Oil Buying Project Officer and RAD Administrator Emma Simpson directly if you would like her to provide direct training or information - E.Simpson@ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk

Alongside their daily drop-in service, they offer a series of Self-Help groups run by volunteers in a therapeutic setting.

They are currently looking for the following facilitators to run:

• a weekly support group for individuals and families living with autism / aspergers syndrome.
• a fortnightly basic computer course / fun session.

Although they cannot pay tutor fees, they are able to offer expenses.

If you have the time to offer your services to worthy recipients contact:  
Julie Dadson  (Manager) 01298 72965,  email: office@grapevinebuxton.org.uk

The Light up a Life appeal at Blythe house Hospice provides a poignant and beautiful opportunity for you to remember and reflect upon the life of someone important to you by dedicating a light in their memory.  It is also an opportunity to celebrate something joyful such as a wedding a anniversary, significant birthday or birth of a child.

Katie Holt and her daughter Scarlett dedicated a light and lit a candle at last year’s festival "We dedicated our light in memory of our special friends and family who are longer with us.  This light will shine bright just like they did".

The starry white lights, which adorn the hospice building and garden, shine daily for nearly two months.  They represent not only celebrated lives and events, but also the vital work of Blythe House Hospice, which each and every dedication supports.

The Light up a Life appeal - supported by Tarmac, will launch with a celebration on Sunday 20 November from 3.00pm.  The switch-on will be accompanied at 3.45pm by performances from Tideswell Male Voice Choir and a short service led by the Rev Richard Mottershead.  There will be opportunities to dedicate lights and buy Christmas cards and gifts.

Families and friends are welcome to visit Blythe house before, during and after the festival to reflect and write messages in the Light up a Life book at the hospice.  The lights themselves will continue shining in and around the hospice between 3.30pm and 11pm every evening throughout the festive period. 

Dedicate a light with the Light up a Life form at www.blythehousehospice.org.uk

Further information is also available by contacting Blythe House Hospice on 01298 815388.

Join the FREE five-day development programme in Chesterfield

• Work with professional artists  to learn new skills and produce your own art work
• Gain a Bronze Arts Award qualification
• Enjoy a fun and rewarding week improving your teamwork, communication skills, and confidence
• Receive three months supportafter the programme to help you move into education, training or employment

There is help with travel costs and lunch will be provided every day.

The course will take place from  12-16 December2016, celebration event 16 Decemberat  DCAS, Chesterfield, S40 1NL. The taster day will be held on Thursday 6 December.

To register your interest or to find out more please contact 0800 842 842; Text: ‘Call me ’ to  0 7983385418 and they will call you back   

www.princes-trust.org.uk

Light refreshments of tea, coffee, biscuits and cakes will be served from 12.45pm. The AGM will be from 1.15pm - 3.15pm at Whaley Bridge Uniting Church, 35a Buxton Road, Whaley Bridge SK23 7HT

Your group / organisation will need to be a member of High Peak CVS to vote at our AGM. Contact Jackie on 01663 736436 or email jackie@highpeakcvs’org.uk to check membership status.

Guest Speaker - Our main speaker this year is Niall Cooper who is the Director of Church Action in Poverty who is leading the End Hunger UK campaign team. This campaign is about tackling food poverty together and working for a UK where everyone has access to good food and no one goes to bed hungry. We are also pleased to say that Paul Bohan Co-coordinator of the High Peak Foodbank will also present a local perspective on the issues around food poverty.

Celebrating People Award - Once again, High Peak CVS is inviting nominations for its ‘Celebrating People Award’. Last year’s winners were G52. This year’s winning group will receive the Award, a framed certificate and £100.  The deadline for submission of applications is Monday 24 Oct.

Board of Directors - There are vacancies on the Board of Directors; if you are interested in representing members on the Board, contact Joy Brown, High Peak CVS Chair on 01663 719386, or by emailing mail@joybrown.plus.com.

AGM 2016 Agenda

AGM 2015 Minutes

HPCVS Annual Report 2016 - Resources for Stronger Communities

Annual Accounts 2016

AGM 2016 Members Letter

Celebrating People Award Letter 2016

Celebrating People Award Application Form 2016

We are excited to let people know that our main speaker is Niall Cooper, Director of Church Action on Poverty, who will be speaking on the national campaign to Tackle Food Poverty Together, which is backed by a number of leading national charities such as Child Poverty Action Group, Fare Share, sustain etc.

The campaign is calling for an urgent national conversation about what needs to be done, by the Government and others, to ensure that children get the food they need to give them the best start in life, and that nobody in the UK needs to go hungry.

A recent report from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation suggested that as many as 8.4 million people in the UK struggle to put enough food on the table. The work of local Foodbanks confirms there is a need in High Peak.

Everyone is welcome to attend the AGM, which runs from 1.15 to 3.15pm, with Niall speaking shortly after 2pm, followed by a local perspective on the issue from Paul Bohan of High Peak Foodbank.

For more information contact Nigel Caldwell at High Peak CVS nigel@highpeakcvs.org.uk  or ring 01663 736423. Also see the website www.endhungeruk.org

>> Full details of the HPCVS AGM

Opportunity for your hall or centre to become registered as a potential venue for hire by Derbyshire County Council – act now to be on the list of suppliers!

Officers at Derbyshire County Council can only hire external venues for their meetings, training, events, etc. that are registered on their list of approved suppliers. It makes sense therefore that if you want to attract more bookings, and your hall has some spare capacity, to register before the deadline of 11.00am on 18 November 2016.

If venues/halls aren't on the External Venue Hire list, then DCC staff won`t be able to hire them with the loss of potential bookings for your hall.

If you are interested, read the following details on how to register your organisation:

TENDER OPPORTUNITY: CTP763 External Venue Hire

The Corporate Procurement team at DCC currently have a tender out for External Venue Hire.

They are trying to attract as many venues to this opportunity as possible, including Hotels, Village Halls, Parish Councils, Community Centres, Sports Facilities etc. for meetings, conferences or other DCC business.

No venue is too big or too small, or is required to have specific facilities or equipment, They simply want to know what each venue has to offer. Derbyshire County Council will only be able to hire venues and meeting rooms from the suppliers that are registered before the deadline.

Suppliers can access the documents in 1 of 3 ways:

1.    Register your organisation with the East Midlands Tendering Portal at www.eastmidstenders.org , once registered you can express an interest in the opportunity and download the tender documents.

2.    Download the documents from Source Derbyshire at www.sourcederbyshire.co.uk/contracts/show/id/14634

3.    Email stuart.etchells@derbyshire.gov.uk or joanne.platts@derbyshire.gov.uk

The deadline for responses to this opportunity is 11am on the 18 November 2016.  

If you require any further details, please email Stuart Etchells or Joanne Platts (email contacts above).

Life You Choose is an arts and multimedia group for adults with learning difficulties. Their audio drama has been shortlisted by Audio Verse Awards, and international competition. They are up against professionals in this field, and are so excited to have been chosen by the judges. They now need your vote and support for the public vote.

Voting ends 5 November - 'Who's Johnny Long Arms?' www.facebook.com/events/1301482523195940/ 

With a technique that is similar to the upper body action of classic cross country skiing, Nordic Walking becomes a genuinely whole body exercise that can be enjoyed at many levels, from walking for health to athletic Nordic Running. More than 10 million people globally enjoy this outdoor activity all year round.

How will it benefit my body? Nordic Walking combines the simplicity and accessibility of walking with simultaneous core and upper body conditioning similar to Nordic Skiing. The result is a full body workout, which means that you:

● burn up to 46% more calories compared to walking without poles

● improve overall fitness

● release tension in the neck and shoulders

● improve your posture and gait

● strengthen your back and abdominal muscles

● reduce the impact on the joints

And because Nordic Walking doesn’t feel like hard work you’ll be happy to walk further and for longer.

Is it for me? Nordic Walking is a very accessible activity and something that can be shared by people of different fitness levels. It’s an ideal activity for people who haven’t exercised for a while or who dislike traditional sports or gym activities. An injured person can use the poles to support and guide, working to improve fitness as part of their rehabilitation. Athletes can use Nordic Walking for cross training and incorporate Nordic Running. Community groups find it a sociable way to keep fit.

Phill Alcock - International Nordic Walking Federation Instructor
07484868949 peakfit2@gmail.com