Why I think I should go on holiday more often

Here, in his latest monthly column reflecting on the news over the past month, our Press and PR Executive Robin Johnson looks at the headlines.

News is like a never-ending conveyor belt, inexorably moving along.

There’s a bit of a running joke here at Marketing Derby that whenever I decide to take a holiday the big news announcements happen.

In May, I decided to take a chance and book a couple of weeks off – and guess what…

It began with the first meeting of Team Derby – a new partnership backed by £10 million of government investment to support the city’s growth.

Team Derby brings together local leaders, major businesses, academics and government partners to ensure major investment in the city delivers for local people.

And there was a special guest at that first meeting – Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves – who says she is fully behind efforts to help Derby maximise its investments and ensure the benefits are felt throughout the city.

Those investments formed part of Derby’s pitch at this year’s UKREiiF, which also took place last month.

A Derby delegation, led by Derby City Council and Marketing Derby, joined with our partners at the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) in Leeds to promote both the city and region as a place to invest.

Reporting back, our executive chair, Bob Betts, talked about “a real air of collaboration around the East Midlands Pavilion” between public and private partners and across geographies – and that there was a genuine sense that the East Midlands region is “the one to watch”.

He also spoke about strength of Derby’s public-private sector partnerships, which are helping to attract investment and shape our place – with many of them waving the flag for the city at UKREiiF.

A number of other strong stories broke while I was enjoying the beaches of South Wales.

They included the news that the former Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, on Infinity Park, will be transformed into a cutting-edge Infinity Prototyping Centre for nuclear supply chain firms, thanks to £1.5 million from EMCCA.

A major report was also published putting forward the business case for locating the new HQ of Great British Railways at Becketwell – an option backed by a number of Derby’s senior stakeholders.

And news broke of yet another major international business taking space at Indurent Park Derby – in this case Korean beauty brand PURESEOUL.

Now, as a journalist, I like to think I’m pretty good at remembering anniversaries (my wife might tell you otherwise) – and many of the stories from May were all about anniversaries.

During the month, the Derby City Lab, which aims to inform and engage the public in the city’s regeneration story celebrated its first anniversary inside the Market Hall.

An incredible 44,000 people have visited the lab since it moved to its current location.

It is really encouraging to see so many people take an interest in what is happening here in our city.

Another venue celebrating its first year was Vaillant Live, a venue which has injected new life into our city centre.

Vaillant Live has had a remarkable first year, filling a vital gap in our cultural landscape left behind by the Assembly Rooms a decade ago.

The one thing that has amazed me the most is the variety of events it has staged – from one-man shows to major sporting occasions.

Vaillant Live will be hosting a special free event to celebrate.

Talking of celebrations, tomorrow Derby city centre will come alive for Osnabruck Day, kicking off a year of activity for the city’s 50:50 celebrations to mark two major milestones in Derby’s history: the 50th anniversary of the Derby-Osnabruck twinning partnership and the anniversary of Derby achieving its official city status.

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Osnabruck. Many years ago, I was working at the local newspaper and was a member of its five-a-side football team.

The envoys in both cities arranged for us to travel to Germany to play some local sides.

We were warmly welcomed – although I do recall picking up a few bruises when we played a team from the local police force!

From Germany to Egypt, May saw train-maker Alstom announce that trains built at its Litchurch Lane Works for the new Cairo Monorail had started carrying their first fare-paying passengers.

Incredibly, it is the first time a British factory has exported rolling stock since 2008, when Derby last put trains on a ship, bound for the Gautrain rail network in South Africa’s Gauteng province.

Again, in my previous life working at the local newspaper, I remember going down to Litchurch Lane for a ceremony to unveil the first completed Gautrain train.

Headlights ablaze, it came through a set of massive white curtains and a haze of dry ice.

Hopefully, the success of the Cairo contract will open the way for more overseas orders for Litchurch Lane to complement its domestic order book.

During the month of May another nice story came out of the factory.

Alstom has teamed up with Derby College Group to offer internships to help enhance the job prospects of SEND students.

It’s safe to say that the young people on these internships weren’t even born when I stood there, reporter’s notebook in hand, watching that first train destined for South Africa come off the line – which suddenly makes me feel incredibly old.

Educational institutions like Derby College Group continue to make a positive impact on the lives – and futures – of our young people.

But education is not just for the young. You are never too old to learn – something that the University of Derby firmly believes in.

Following a competitive tender process, the university announced that Derby had been selected to lead the UK’s UNESCO Learning Cities Network, placing the city at the forefront of a global movement to make lifelong learning accessible to all.

There are currently 12 Cities of Lifelong Learning in the UK that form part of the wider UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, which comprises more than 350 cities in over 75 countries.

These networks are united in their determination to promote lifelong learning and, through it, sustainable development in their cities.

So, as you can see, quite a lot happened in May – but then again, we are never short of good news most months in Derby.

Let’s keep that momentum going, Bondholders – and keep sending in those stories!  

Anyway, have a safe and productive June and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.