Opinion

With the funding situation in some schools as it is, I was not completely surprised to read that an academy chain in the south of the country was looking for volunteers to fill roles usually reserved for paid employees, writes Mark Cottingham, principal of Shirebrook Academy.

Naturally, as a therapist I have always been a proponent of people disclosing and feeling comfortable enough to speak out about their emotional anguish.

In Western, contemporary UK society we are beginning to see a decrease in the stigma attached to mental illness, writes Jason Hanson.

Every day I see the difference further education makes which is what drives me to keep championing the need to stop the funding cuts that are affecting it so deeply. When I see others with the same drive it makes me hopeful that this vital part of our education system will continue for future generations, writes Julie Richards, principal of Chesterfield College.

Who would have thought, back in 2016 as we were all being asked what we should do about the European Union, just under three years later we’d find ourselves where we are now, writes Steve N Allen, comedian and star of BBC2’s The Mash Report.

January is the time when we think about what we want to do in the coming 12 months. As North East Derbyshire’s MP, that is certainly what I have been thinking about.

It’s one of Britain’s UFO hotspots - even attracting the interest of a Hollywood producer.

What’s hot and what’s not is the auction world is forever changing but one thing’s for certain – 20th century objects are flying high.

So what have you been like at keeping New Year resolutions?

A recent survey of teachers showed that behaviour in class is driving many of them away from the profession because they’re fed up with not being able to do their job without disruption, writes Mark Cottingham, principal of Shirebrook School.

It’s the time of year when many people look back on 2018 and start to think about what the future might bring.

I recently become a carer for my partner who I live with and can no longer work. We’ve started falling behind on our bills and I’m worried our debts are only going to get worse. I’m on Carer’s Allowance but what else can I do to turn things around?

In the past few weeks, many recognised news outlets have commented that the heterosexual divorce rate has hit a 45-year low, writes Jonathan Corbishley.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust works across six Living Landscapes in Derbyshire, with more than 170 projects for wildlife, people and wild spaces from surveying bumblebee numbers out in the field to taking toddlers on their first ever mini-beast hunt - their work spans from conservation at its most scientific right through to a child’s first experience of nature. 

National Hate Crime Awareness Week last month coincided with Home Office figures showing a 29% rise in reported incidents since June across England and Wales, writes Hardyal Dhindsa who is Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire.

Is there anything more magical than seeing a little one’s face light up with joy as they watch streams of colour cascading from exploding fireworks?

Birthday parties.

We recently held our graduation ceremony for students successfully completing university level courses at the college. It was a wonderful opportunity to not only celebrate all of the students’ hard work and achievements but also see just how proud their friends and families are of them, as indeed are we, writes Julie Richards, principal of Chesterfield College.

With many mini monsters preparing to burst forth on to our streets to do their evil bidding next week it’s perhaps timely to look back on one of our area’s most famous ghoulish historic tales - that of the Witches of Bakewell.