News from Derbyshire County Council – 8 March 2024 🔹 Free careers support 🔹Watch out, scammers about 🔹Events and activities for unpaid carers🔹 Getting ready for secondary school 🔹 On demand bus service🔹Still time for tree planting 🔹 Walk Derbyshire photo competition 🔹

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Derbyshire Now, Derbyshire County Council

Free careers support

Are you a Derbyshire resident looking for support to get a new job or improve your career prospects?

Careers support

Help is available in a series of free, online workshops from our careers team. You must be aged 19 or over but 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training can also apply. The 1.5 hour workshops, delivered via Microsoft Teams, will run throughout 2024 giving information and advice on the following:

  • Applying to the Civil Service
  • Employment Support for those over 50
  • Interview Skills
  • Writing CVs and Job Applications that really work
  • Identifying your Transferable Skills
  • Applying for Derbyshire County Council vacancies

Watch out, scammers about

Scammers pretending to be from community alarm companies are targeting older and vulnerable people in Derbyshire - and we’re warning people to be on their guard.

Scam alert

We’ve received several reports of attempts by scammers to con Derbyshire residents out of money – coinciding with the appointment of a new provider for the council’s telecare service.

In one instance, two men targeted an elderly woman on her doorstep, asking for her bank details before they could install new community alarm equipment. In another case, a man received a phone call asking for bank details for his community alarm service.

Neither we, nor any of our representatives, would ever ask for bank details or payment over the telephone or come unannounced to the door.

If you have a community alarm and are unsure about the legitimacy of a call please hang up and contact your community alarm provider either by phone or by pressing your pendant.

If someone is at the door and you feel threatened, call the police.


Events and activities for unpaid carers

If you’re an unpaid carer, did you know there are lots of activities, training and events which are free for you to take part in this month?

Carers

From first aid training and a memory loss carers' support group to a food and mood workshop and a session on understanding dementia, there’s lots on offer hosted by Derbyshire Carers Association (DCA)

Take a look at what’s available and book yourself a place.

Our carers support service – which is delivered by DCA on our behalf – includes:

  • information, advice, and guidance
  • individual support, including face to face, home visits and telephone support
  • carer’s assessments and support planning
  • training and learning
  • peer support and carer support groups
  • volunteering opportunities and more.

Getting ready for secondary school

If your child is preparing to start a Derbyshire Secondary School in September, they’re in good company.

Last week we contacted parents to offer a secondary school place to just under 9,000 children and 98.2% per cent of those who applied by the closing date were offered a place at one of their three preferred schools.

Parents who have applied for places at infant, primary or junior schools for their child will be notified on 16 April 2024.

Anyone who hasn’t already made an application should do so urgently on our website.


On demand bus service

Have you heard about the new bookable on demand bus service that can take you anywhere within Chesterfield, Bolsover and Northeast Derbyshire?

On demand bus service

‘Travel Derbyshire on Demand’ is a new service being trialled as part of the Government-funded Bus Service Improvement Plan for Derbyshire.

Unlike a traditional bus service, it does not have a fixed route – you can simply travel between any two points within the operating area at a time which best suits you.

To book simply call 01773 317173 or use the Travel Derbyshire on Demand app.

As part of our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) we want to know how you use bus services in Derbyshire, any problems you experience and ways to improve bus travel across the county.

Whether you already use the bus or not, we’d really love your feedback.


Still time for tree planting

There’s just three weeks left of the current tree planting season – so if you’re looking to add some extra greenery to your garden, now’s the time to get digging.

tree planting

You can find hints and tips on tree planting on our Million Trees website. And don’t forget to record your tree on the website too so that it can be counted towards our target of getting a million trees planted in Derbyshire by 2030.

Staff at a food product development company in Somercotes swapped sauces and spices for spades last week to support the project.

Eight staff from Griffith Foods, on Cotes Park Industrial Estate, turned out to plant trees at Brook Park – a 37-hectare site with specially recreated limestone grassland on the site of the former Shirebrook Colliery.

As well as donating £2,500 towards the cost of the trees, the team helped to plant 600 saplings at Brook Park with the support of local charity Groundwork which helps to manage the site on behalf of landowners The Land Trust.

Thanks to their efforts, the total number of trees planted and recorded as part of the project since June 2021 now stands at more than 408,000.

ROOTING FOR DERBYSHIRE: Pictured standing from left, Steve Buxton and Jackie Walton (Griffith Foods), Jane Mifflin (Groundwork), Jason Gill (Griffith Foods), Rod Whiteman, Cllr Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Ruth Marshall (Derbyshire County Council), Rebecca Godecharle and Sarah Spencer (Griffith Foods), Thomas Beardmore and Melissa Underwood (Groundwork). Kneeling from left are Jessica Nunn, Bill Varney and Kev Hardy (Griffith Foods).


Walk Derbyshire photo competition

Our friends at Walk Derbyshire are developing a new app to support people to walk more as part of their everyday lives – and you can get involved!

Photo comp

Walk Derbyshire want to include your local open spaces on the app, along with some less well-known walking routes, and is calling on residents to send in photographs of open spaces or parks in Derbyshire or Derby.

The images will be included in the app and everyone who sends in a photo will be entered into a draw to win a prize of a £50 Love to Shop voucher provided by Walk Derbyshire.

To enter, send your photo to marketing@activepartnerstrust.org.uk by Friday 29 March 2024 along with the name of the park/open space and its location.