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 🙂

The Feb 25 newsletter is out now (you should have received your paper copy already 🙂 ).

Lots of info for the regular classes at the Community Centre, and the QUIZ that’s happening on Friday 7th Feb (always a great night out!)

All this and more in this month’s edition!

The December newsletter is out now, and printed copies should have made their way to you, too!

Lots on this December:

• Rhian’s quiz night is at the Community Centre (6th December, 7pm).
• The Chester Green Christmas Lights Switch-on at 5pm next to the Christmas Tree at the end of Marcus Street (where it meets the Green).
• The Christmas Window Trail also officially starts on Sunday (give or take the odd window that is not quite ready!

Lots more in this month’s Newsletter! The Window trail map is below or an electronic version is via this link: tinyurl.com/CGXmasWindows2024

Below is the October Newsletter including details on:

• Snowdrop bulb planting the the Cafe on the Green
• Halloween Disco
• Little Chester History Group
• Parking Permit updates (please return your voting slips!)
• How to get involved in our annual XMas Window Trail
• and more!

The September newsletter is available below. Details on Rhian’s Quiz night (20th Sept), the Halloween Disco (26th Oct), Local History Group, the 3rd Chester Green Arts Trail (7th Sept) and more besides!