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With Christmas on the horizon, would you like some strategies to help make it an organised, calm and enjoyable time? You may already have this sussed but for many it can be a stressful and exhausting time.
 Step forward our experienced adult education tutors who are offering FREE online courses to help you cope in the lead up to Christmas and beyond. Courses cover:
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Getting out and about. Encouraging winter walks and getting close to nature for our wellbeing
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Mindful Drawing. Learn simple drawing activities and breathing techniques to help you to relax and reduce your worries
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Top Tips for surviving Christmas. Helpful techniques and strategies for staying calm over the festive period.
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Calm and Wellbeing. Chatting about the ideas behind creating calm and wellbeing plus some short practical activities like self face/hand massage, slow calm stitch and breathing techniques
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New Year, New Ideas, New You. Planning ahead by writing a ‘diary in advance’ to help predict what you may encounter and how any challenges can be best handled for you and others in your life.
Winter is on its way, so make sure you sign up to snow and road updates from us.
Did you know that you can sign up to receive emails from us whenever snow or ice blocks main roads?
You’ll get emails when we have to close roads, and then again as they are re-opened. Just visit our website and enter your email address.
And when bad weather hits, why not follow us on Facebook to find out the latest.
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Our Cabinet has agreed a number of proposals to redesign the way we support people in Derbyshire.
Like many authorities across the country, we’re facing financial pressures like never before coupled with unprecedented demand for both adult and children’s services.
It means we have to look very carefully at everything we do so we can continue to support those who need us most.
Among the reports approved yesterday (Thursday 14 November) were:
- Proposed redesign of residential care and day opportunities for older people
- Redesign of day opportunities and short breaks for people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic
- Derbyshire Healthy Homes Project consultation results and future recommendation
- Outcome of the consultation on the cessation of adult social care and health and corporate services transformation discretionary grant funding.
Following the usual call-in period, we will be holding a further public consultation around our revised plans for residential care and day opportunities for older people.
Calling Derbyshire pensioners! Check now if you qualify for Pension Credit and you could still be in time to get this year’s winter fuel payment.
It’s estimated that up to 10,000 pensioners in the county aren’t claiming the benefit boost that unlocks other support, including up to £300 for heating.
The last date for claiming Pension Credit in time to potentially qualify for the winter fuel allowance is Saturday 21 December. That’s because Pension Credit can be backdated for three months.
You could qualify for Pension Credit even if you:
- have significant savings (in the tens of thousands of pounds)
- are a couple with up to £460 a week coming in, but both qualify for disability benefits and are carers for each other
- own your own home.
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Are you involved with a local charity, group or venue that could set up a new warm hub?
Community groups across Derbyshire are being invited to apply for funding to set up ‘warm and welcoming spaces’ or contribute towards the costs of existing spaces, to help local residents this winter.
Grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 are available to support local charities, community groups or community venues.
Warm and Welcoming Spaces aim to provide support for local people through the winter months – offering a place to meet new people, to enjoy a hot drink, get information on local services and take part in activities.
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Derbyshire is getting into the Christmas spirit early this weekend.
A a number of festive events are taking place which means roads are expected to be much busier than usual, tomorrow and Sunday, 16 and 17 November – particularly in the Bakewell and Chatsworth areas.
With events taking place at Chatsworth, Thornbridge Hall, Bakewell and Haddon Hall throughout the weekend, anyone travelling to or through the area is advised to leave extra time for their journey.
Keep up to date with what’s happening on the roads where you live – visit one.network and create a free account to get email alerts about roadworks on the routes that matter to you.
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Do you live in, or run a business in, a rural part of Derbyshire with a broadband speed of less than 100Mbps?
If so you could be eligible for a Government grant of up to £7,500 to help you get high-speed broadband.
The Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme has recently been relaunched in parts of Derbyshire offering up to £4,500 per eligible applicant and we’ll top that up with a maximum of £3,000.
To check eligibility, find a supplier and apply for the scheme residents and businesses can visit Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme information - GOV.UK to find a list of suppliers in your local area.
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A D-Day veteran joined a Service of Remembrance we held on Monday 11 November at our headquarters at County Hall in Matlock.
Royal Navy and D-Day veteran Albert Keir, 99, from Bakewell, joined our Civic Chairman Councillor Tony Kemp, and Vice Civic Chairman Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal for the ceremony held at 11am.
Also present at the service were HM Vice Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire Colonel John Wilson OBE DL and the High Sheriff of Derbyshire Ian Morgan OBE.
The service, which included a two-minute silence, saw Mr Keir, who is decorated with a National Order of the Légion d’honneur, delivering Ode – For the Fallen. The names of fallen council officers who are commemorated on a memorial at County Hall were read out by Councillor Kemp.
A number of wreaths, including a purple wreath to honour animals that served in war and conflict, were laid by the memorial inside County Hall.
The Last Post and Reveille were played by county council employee Izzy Jepson.
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