Here are the electronic versions of the March and April 2026 newsletters (apologies for not posting the March one sooner!)

Here’s a summary of the April version for screen readers etc. 🙂

Chester Green Well Dressing

• Community members of all ages are invited to help make the annual well dressings, working together or collecting materials to work from home. The exhibition will include a blessing by James the Vicar.
• Date: The event runs from June 2nd to June 15th. The Well Dressing Group is meeting from June 2nd to June 5th.
• Venue: Marcus Street well, with some smaller pieces transported to the Vicarage Garden on Saturday, June 6th.

Spring Craft and Food Fair

• This highlight of the year features over 30 stalls selling unique, handcrafted products like jewelry, bakes, fragrances, and pet products. Attendees can enjoy a tombola, grab refreshments from the kitchen (including pasties and Pimm’s), and relax while shopping.
• Date: Saturday, May 9th.
• Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
• Venue: Chester Green Community Centre.
• Cost: Admission is FREE, but attendees are encouraged to bring cash as well as cards for payments.

General Knowledge Quiz Night

• Following a packed music quiz in February, this general knowledge quiz is set by Phil Teague. Attendees can grab a table, get drinks from the bar, and compete for a prize awarded to each person on the winning team.
• Date: Friday, April 24th.
• Time: Doors open at 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm start.
• Cost: £3 per team member (teams of no more than 5 people).

Picnic on the Green

• An annual community event where hundreds of people gather to enjoy live music, a dance display, a fire eater, face painting, games, and ice creams.
• Date: Sunday, July 12th.
• Time: Afternoon.
• Venue: The Green.

The Grate Cheese Quest (Mikron Theatre Show)

• A hilarious theater performance about Monks from an Abbey seeking to resurrect their traditional Wensleydale cheese, featuring ghosts, drama, and musical numbers. This is a BSL-interpreted performance where attendees can bring a picnic, and refreshments will be available.
• Date: May 31st.
• Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
• Venue: Chester Green Community Centre.
• Cost: No tickets are required; a “pay what you feel” collection will be taken after the show.

Easter Services at St Paul’s Church

• The local church is hosting Easter services, including quiet reflection, building an Easter Garden to hear the Easter story, and celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection.
• Venue: St Paul’s Church.
• Good Friday Details: 1:00 pm “Hour at the Cross” service and a 3:00 pm Easter Garden service.
• Easter Sunday Details: 10:00 am Holy Communion service.

Little Chester History Group Meeting

• The group will be hosting a talk titled “The National Forest,” presented by Gerald Price.
• Date: Thursday, April 16th.
• Time: 7:30 pm.
• Venue: Community Centre.

Chester Green Community Group Annual General Meeting

• A brief, one-hour meeting for residents to hear about the Community Centre’s management and financial position, and to suggest improvements. Attendees will be welcomed with a complimentary glass of wine, beer, lager, or a soft drink.
• Date: Thursday, May 7th.
• Time: Starts at 7:00 pm.
• Venue: The Centre.

Apologies, but it seems I forgot to upload this month’s newsletter! You can download the newsletter below. I’ve included a summary to help with screen-readers etc. 🙂

Little Chester News: February 2026 Update

Happy New Year! Following a beautiful Christmas season featuring the “Find the Pud” competition and the lovely window trail, the Chester Green Entertainments Team is looking forward to a year packed with events.

Here is everything you need to know about what is happening in the community this month and beyond.

Upcoming Events & Dates for Your Diary

Music Quiz Night Test your knowledge with music maestro John Lock. There is a prize for each winning team member!

• Date: Friday, February 27, 2026
• Time: Doors open at 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm start
• Venue: Chester Green Community Centre
• Cost: £3 per person (Teams of up to 5 people)

Little Chester History Group Meeting The group welcomes members back with a talk by either Keith Blood or David Parry titled “From a train window, Derby to Cromford”.

• Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
• Time: 7:30 pm
• Venue: Chester Green Community Centre

Chester Green Book Exchange A free library service to swap books and enjoy a cuppa.

• Date: The 1st Saturday of the month
• Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
• Venue: Community Room on Old Chester Road (opposite Marcus St)

Important Community News

Derby Local Plan Consultation An eight-week consultation on the Draft Local Plan is currently running until Monday, March 9, 2026. Residents are encouraged to respond via the Local Plan Consultation Portal.

Two drop-in events are being held for those who wish to discuss the plan:

• Venue: The Market Hall, Ordish Room
• Dates:
  • Saturday, January 31, 2026 (9:30 am – 3:00 pm)
  • Saturday, February 21, 2026 (9:30 am – 3:00 pm)

Call for Bands: Picnic on the Green 2026 The Entertainments Team is already planning the “Picnic on the Green” for the afternoon of Sunday, July 6, 2026. They are looking for local bands and acts to perform. This is a paid gig, so if you are interested, please contact the team.

Regular Classes & Groups

Chester Green Community Centre The centre is hosting a variety of weekly and fortnightly activities, including the popular new “Stampede” line dancing class, Baby Sensory, and Tiddlekicks.

• Contact: chestergreencommunitygroup@hotmail.com or 07527 603057 for hire availability.

St Paul’s Rainbow Tots A group for 0-5s and their carers, featuring crafts, snacks, and songs.

• Time: Mondays (term time), 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Venue: St Paul’s Church Hall, Seale Street
• Cost: £2 per family

Apologies for the late posting of this, but the November newsletter can be found as a download below – the run up to Christmas has officially started in Chester Green!

Newsletter summary for screen-readers:

Little Chester Newsletter: November 2025 Highlights
The Little Chester Newsletter for November 2025 is here, featuring a fantastic lineup of community events, especially as we head into the festive season!

Upcoming Community Events
Mark your calendars for these key dates:

Christmas Craft Fair : Come find unique gifts among around 30 stalls, including home-made bakes, preserves, jewellery, festive decorations, cards, and fragrances.
When: Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 10 am – 3 pm.
Where: Chester Green Community Centre (DE1 3SA).
Details: Free entry, with refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, mulled wine, soup, and hot dogs available for sale.

Final Quiz Night of 2025: The last quiz night of the year, with questions set by Phil Teague.
When: Friday, December 5, 2025. Doors open at 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm start.
Details: Admission is £3 per person in teams of no more than 5 members. There will be prizes, festive nibbles, and a bar accepting cash or card.

Christmas Lights Switch On: Gather around the Christmas tree on the corner of Marcus Street and Chester Green Road.
When: Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 5:15 pm (gathering from 5:00 pm).
Details: All fairy lights around the Green, Marcus Street, and Camp Street will be switched on. You are welcome to bring a non-breakable item to hang on the Christmas tree once it’s delivered.

Christmas Window Trail: Look forward to the start of December when participating houses and businesses reveal their decorated windows! This is not a competition; just try to include lights so your creation can be seen after dark.

St. Paul’s Christmas Services
St. Paul’s Chester Green has a range of services this December:
Christingle Service: 4:00 pm on Sunday, December 7th. This is followed by the Chester Green Christmas lights switch-on at 5:15 pm.
Outdoor Carol Service: 5:00 pm on Sunday, December 21st, on the grass outside the church. Enjoy mince pies afterwards. (Will move inside if the weather is bad.)
Nativity Service: 3:00 pm on Christmas Eve, December 24th. Come and have fun building the nativity scene together.
Midnight Mass (Holy Communion): 11:15 pm on Christmas Eve, December 24th.
Christmas Day Service: 10:00 am on December 25th. Bring a present to open as we celebrate.

Community Groups & Local News
St. Paul’s Rainbow Tots (Parent & Toddler Group): Friendly, relaxed, and fun play sessions with craft, stories, music, and a safe outdoor area.
When: Every Monday during term time, 10 am – 12 Noon.
Cost: £2 per family (cash only).

Little Chester History Group: The next meeting is on November 20th in the Community Centre at 7:30 pm. The speaker is Keith Blood on “Derbyshire Curiosities.” There will be no meeting in December.

The Coach and Horses Pub: The pub has been relisted by Derby City Council as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), providing protection in planning law for it to always be a pub.

Royal British Legion: Lamp Post Poppies will be appearing around Chester Green for Remembrance Sunday. You can “sponsor” a poppy or make a donation via the JustGiving page: https://tinyurl.com/CGPoppies2025

Below is the PDF and audio versions of the October 2025 newsletter. Enjoy!

Brief Audio Podcast:

Deep Dive, longer, Audio Podcast:

Here’s the September Edition of the Little Chester Newsletter for download and/or listen via the podcast. I’ve changed the style of the podcast this month, so please let me know which you prefer!

PDF Download

Podcasts

Below are the two versions of the podcast. The 1st is a shorter look at the articles, and the 2nd is a longer ‘deep-dive’. Let me know which you prefer in the comments!

Below is the August newsletter, which will be arriving in your letterboxes soon. Lots of thank-yous this month for everyone who helped in our 10th free Picnic on the Green event and also details on the exciting roman excavations planned in August by University of York!

Download the newsletter or listen to the podcast version below!

A link to the Denvention Dig page is here

Details on what was found in the 2013 dig can be found here

Please see attached the electronic versions of the June and July newsletters. The podcast version of the July edition is also below. Apologies for the lateness of these!

If you find the podcast useful, do let me know 🙂