This week we’re shining the spotlight on volunteers from Transition Buxton. Among their many environmental initiatives is the Buxton Library of Things which is hosted in our library in the town.

There are more than 70 Library of Things across the country and the idea is that you borrow things that you only need occasionally rather than buying them. Items like carpet cleaners, hedge trimmers, drills, pressure washers etc. It's a great way to save money and resources. 

Since opening in January this year, the Buxton branch has amassed nearly 100 items for people to borrow for a very low fee or a ‘pay as you feel’ policy for those on tight budgets. And the Buxton Library of Things has registered over 130 people who want to borrow – members pay £5 (or £2.50 if unwaged) for a year which starts from your first borrow.

Potential borrowers can browse the inventory, join and reserve items online, then collect/return on Saturday mornings 10am-midday or Monday evenings 5pm-7pm at Buxton Library on Heath Park Road.

Each week at least half a dozen items are being checked out and they would love to be lending more! So please spread the word.

Transition Buxton volunteers also run a very popular Repair Cafe – one of 20 across the county, and other projects including a Plastic Free Buxton campaign, a community orchard and energy saving projects.

Do you know an individual or organisation which goes above and beyond to help others? Let us know by emailing derbyshire.spirit@derbyshire.gov.uk  

The work's part of our £47 million Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) programme.

Improvements will be made to the accessibility to and around the bus station, especially for those with limited or restricted mobility.

The bus station will also have new shelters, seating and litter bins. The real-time information will be updated, meaning passengers will be able to check when their next bus will arrive. 

This will mean the bus station will be closed for a while, so we're sorry if that's a bit of a nuisance, but there will be temporary stops in the town, and existing stops will be used too.

Our bus champions have been at the bus station this week, informing passengers where they can catch their bus once the work starts. They'll also be around during the first week of work to answer any questions or concerns passengers may have. Leaflets and posters are also at the station.

Each summer we co-ordinate with local district and borough councils to carry out a maintenance programme on all the dual carriageways in the county.

The work includes cutting the grass on the central reservations and at the sides of the roads, emptying the gullies and drains, carrying out some road repairs where needed and any other bits of maintenance work that needs carrying out. We do reactive work throughout the year on these roads but this is just the annual bigger maintenance.

The district and borough councils will be picking up litter at the side of the road or in the central reservation at the same time while the traffic management is in place.

We have worked to try to avoid key times and events, such as football matches, and signs are being put out on the roads ahead of the dates to give drivers advance notice of the work.

There’s funding and support for tree-planting available to anyone with land within the community forest boundary along the eastern & southern fringes of the county.

You can find an interactive map and a list of the planting schemes available along with details about the support you would receive on our website.

We’ll also be planting more as part of a project to plant a Million Trees across Derbyshire by 2030 and we’re hoping lots of you will too. You can add any tree planted in Derbyshire since June 2021 to our interactive map.

Would you like to update your driving knowledge or know someone who might?

We’re offering ‘driving safer for longer’ online courses for over 50s.

The next session is on Mon 5 Aug with more sessions in October and December. 

Many of us enjoy a glass of wine or beer in moderation.

But if you feel like your drinking is becoming a problem, or affecting day to day life, then there is support to help.

Our Lower My Drinking app is a free support tool to help you reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.