Items filtered by date: June 2025
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Diocese of Derby in-house training: Learning in Faith Bitesize and Discipleship training
Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT) is delighted to confirm that the planning application for the development of the new permanent site for Derby Cathedral School has been approved.
Substantial works are now due to begin on site at the former Friar Gate Goods Yard in March 2020.
The Department for education (DfE) is responsible for leading the acquisition and development of the site for Derby Cathedral School as is the case for all Free Schools nationally. The DfE has therefore led on the procurement of a construction partner and will lead on the subsequent development of the new buildings.
The project is particularly complex as the site at the former Friar Gate Goods Yard has been unoccupied and undeveloped for many years and so the planning process has been rigorous, especially given the significance of the development of a new school in the City and the prominent location of the new building.
The programme for the delivery of the new school has been delayed due to the need to address the complex issues relating to the site, concerning drainage and traffic particularly, and the school will consequently start the third year of operation in the current expanded temporary accommodation.
Mark Mallender, CEO of DDAT, said: “We are delighted that planning approval has now been secured for this historic development of the first secondary phase Church of England school within the Diocese of Derby. I appreciate that our parents, carers, staff and students have been concerned with the time it has taken to make this announcement and I am hugely grateful for their ongoing support for the school. We are incredibly excited to see progress on site at the Former Friar Gate Goods Yard and we are looking forward to occupying the high-specification, state-of-the-art buildings and facilities our students, staff and communities deserve.
“We are also looking forward to welcoming a new headteacher to the school in the Summer Term 2020. Following a rigorous recruitment and selection process, we have made a fantastic appointment and will be able to share news on the appointment very soon.
“This is a very exciting time for Derby Cathedral School and DDAT as our journey to provide a first-class education to the young people of Derby now progresses at pace.”
The design work for the necessary additional refurbishment is complete and agreed by the school and the Trust and includes the required extra specialist teaching facilities. The further refurbishment works at Midland House will be funded by the DfE.
The space available at Midland House is more than sufficient to host a further cohort of students on a temporary basis and the Trust is supportive of the plans to refurbish an additional area within Midland House for use by the school which will ensure additional specialist teaching facilities.
The DfE is currently working with the appointed contractor, BAM Construction, to produce a revised timetable for the works which will include a planned date of occupation of the new site. The Trust will update the school community on the target date for occupation and contingency planning as well as progress on site as soon as possible.
Former Friar Gate Goods Yard
#LiveLent: Care for God’s Creation is the Church of England's Lent Campaign for 2020. With weekly themes shaped around the first Genesis account of creation, it explores the urgent need for humans to value and protect the abundance God has created.
This year’s #LiveLent challenge offers 40 short reflections and suggested actions to help you, your family and your church live in greater harmony with God, neighbour and nature.
It has been inspired and informed by the Archbishop of Canterbury's 2020 Lent Book, Saying Yes to Life by Ruth Valerio (SPCK).
>> #LiveLent (on the CofE website)
>> Promote your Easter services and events on A Church Near You
Bringing the hope of the Gospel to those who are 'without God and without hope' has formed a large part of my activity
Will Eley: ordained deacon on 7 July 2019
Eight months ago, I moved home. Back to the city I grew up in. Back to serve in the church my Christian faith was nurtured for the first 18 years of my life.
Safeguarding is everyone's business
Ensuring the Diocese of Derby provides a safe and caring environment for everyone - but especially children, and adults who may be at risk of abuse and neglect. Victims and Survivors are at the heart of our safeguarding work.
Safeguarding News
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Each Holy Week and Easter in Spondon, St Werburgh's provides a full retreat experience for folk who otherwise cannot access going on retreat.
For some it's down to limitations of cost; for others it's because a full week away from family/work at somewhere like Launde Abbey is just beyond their reach.
So St Werburgh's takes the retreat to them. The retreat is provided at no cost to the individual - the whole idea is to provide the experience of a guided retreat for anyone.
Each person who makes the retreat gets a spiritual director, with whom they meet each day at a time and a place that works for them around their daily life.
Those who are able get together for morning/evening prayer and compline and, as a larger group, they gather to celebrate the Eucharist 'in the round’ each evening of Holy Week.
This year, teaching is being led by Beth Honey and folk from Derwent Oak.
Retreatants and all the parish come together for Maundy Thursday (everybody gets their feet washed), Good Friday and the Easter Vigil and a bonfire on Saturday night, leaving folk free to return to home parishes for Easter Day.
For more details, please contact Revd Julian Hollywell: fatherjulian@btinternet.com
“What have you been doing at school today?”
“We’ve been resurrecting dead bodies.”
Actually, the children of Crich Church of England Infants School had been helping Bishop Jan consecrate the new parish graveyard below the church.
On a perfect February afternoon with a pure blue sky and low winter sunlight pouring down the hill, the gathering of children and adults had witnessed an ancient rite which none had seen before nor were likely to see again.
Bishop Jan in her full regalia, complete with Doc Martens, first fielded such questions as ‘Why are you dressed like that?’
Once such matters had been cleared up she explained the nature of the ritual, held her crook aloft and announced she was a chief shepherd.
The children were encouraged to answer with a few bleats but from then on they were drawn into the beauty and the sacredness of the proceedings.
Bishop Jan led the procession along the hedgerows reciting psalms and pausing at each corner to mark a solemn cross in the wet grass.
Where the gas main bisected the burial ground the gathering was informed that this stretch could not be consecrated, because it might be necessary one day to disturb the pipeline.
The children, silent and respectful, carefully picked their way around the unhallowed plot.
At the conclusion, the Registrar in her wig and gown read the declaration and Bishop Jan told the children that this was now a place where the villagers could lie safe and at rest in Jesus.
And for a few minutes, the children and all the gathering stood quietly in that glorious winter sunlight and thought about the past and the present and the future and the eternal rest that Jesus gives.
Then Bishop Jan led her flock up the lane and into the church for drinks and cake.
Martyn Offord, Churchwarden, Crich St Mary.
At Holy Trinity in Shirebrook, we have formed a partnership over the past four years with Junction Arts, a Chesterfield-based charity whose principal activity is the promotion and development of access and involvement in the arts through art and regeneration activity within the district of Bolsover.
We first worked together on a project to provide art and craft activities for children and young people during the school summer holiday.
Junction Arts arranged artists and skilled crafts people to come each week and work with young people.
Funding was also obtained to allow the town youth worker to attend and as a congregation we provided lunch for the young people who attended.
Food was donated by the local Co-op so it was a real community collaboration. At the end of the summer, we hosted an art exhibition in church and an Awards Evening where young people received recognition for their creative work and their growth in social and other skills.
Since then we have hosted a play ‘The Great Austerity Debate’ an interactive theatre piece that toured the country, the play challenged some of the views that were held about the situations many people in poverty find themselves in.
Then came the ‘Processions’ project, which marked 100 years since some women in this country were given the vote.
We got together with women from across Bolsover District and worked together to produce a banner – not unlike the banners carried by the suffragettes.
It was such a good time of coming together as women in a community with shared experience and it also crossed some of the cultural divides we have locally as women from the Polish community also got involved.
The banner took many weeks and many hours of sewing to complete, but finally it was ready. We travelled to London as a group and marched with women from up and down the country – there were 100 banners from 100 communities, and it was an inspiring day in all sorts of ways.
The banner is now on tour – it has been to Derby Cathedral, Chesterfield Library, Holy Trinity church, and will end its journey in September.
Our partnership with Junction Arts has allowed us to engage with our community in ways which might not have been possible given the limited resources we have as a congregation.
It has been a joy and I hope we continue a long and fruitful partnership.
I would encourage any church approached by a local art/creative foundation to grab the opportunity!
Revd Karen Bradley, Team Vicar, East Scarsdale Team Ministry
APCM - Forms and Notices:
>> Notice of APCM - PDF or Word
>> Nomination for PCC - PDF or Word
>> APCM results to return to Derby Church House - PDF or Word
>> Diocese of Derby Data Form - Webpage
Electoral Roll - Forms and Notices:
>> Preparation of Electoral Roll - PDF or Word
>> Application for enrolment on Electoral Roll - PDF or Word
>> Electoral Roll privacy notice - PDF
>> Parish Guidance: The Electoral Roll and GDPR - PDF
>> Electoral Roll certificate for return to Derby Church House -PDF or Word
Church Warden documents are under review for 2025 - further information is to follow
>> Notice of meeting for the election of churchwardens - PDF or Word
>> Nomination for churchwarden - PDF or Word
>> Forms that need to be completed following the election of a churchwarden can be found here.
>> Church Warden visitation information can be found here.
You can see more about the Representation Rules (March 2022 edition) here.
Church Warden visitation information can be found here.
