A little knowledge can be a marvellous thing

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.

So, here’s a question for you, what do Nashville and Edward Scissorhands have in common?

The answer? Well, on paper, not a lot really.

Nashville is considered the home of country music – and if Edward Scissorhands was ever given an acoustic guitar and asked to play Wichita Lineman the results would probably be disastrous.

No, what they have in common is that they were both my key contributions to Marketing Derby’s final points total in the Derbyshire Brain Game, which took place in October at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium – and raised an astonishing £57,000 for Marie Curie.

I’ve got all sorts of random knowledge rattling around my brain – most of it gathering dust. But you never know when it might be called upon.

And no matter how much we think we know; one should never stop absorbing knowledge – the number of questions I got wrong at the Brain Game is testament to that!

Anyway, what I’m trying to say – in a roundabout way – is that, as the mural on the side of the Silk Mill pub says, ‘knowledge is power’.

And education has a key role to play in Derby’s future, breaking down the barriers standing in the way of social mobility.

That was the message delivered at our recent London Embassy event, which took place in the stunning surroundings of London’s Guildhall.

Appropriately, the event, which was attended by over 200 people, including Bondholders, investors, ambassadors and politicians, took place in a room called the Old Library.

However, it was a library without any books! Apparently, they were all removed during the Second World War and taken to a safe place – but never returned. I imagine they’ve now racked up quite a fine!

Among the speakers at the event was the University of Derby’s Professor Keith McLay, who talked about the university recently being awarded ‘gold’ status by the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023, a national scheme run by the Office for Students.

Derby College Group also struck gold in the same awards, showing that when it comes to further and higher education, our institutions are delivering.

The Marketing Derby team, along with an army of Bondholders, went to London by train.

I don’t know about you, but every time I get to London St Pancras, I always look up and admire its spectacular roof – and feel a surge of pride to think it was designed and made in Derbyshire.

I got the same feeling when I was given a tour of Derby Market Hall in October, which was designed by the same man, Rowland Mason Ordish.

I was there with a number of fellow journalists for an update on the historic building’s £35 million transformation – and the launch of a drive to attract creatives, makers and traders to the building when it opens in spring 2025.

From historic buildings to new buildings, during October there was further good news coming out of St. Modwen Logistics’ St. Modwen Park Derby development, with the announcement that global car manufacturer Kia is to open a new training academy there.

This scheme is beginning to have a very international flavour.

Firstly, it attracted a German-owned company in the form of heating tech firm Vaillant, then Swedish medical products company Getinge arrived. Now we have a South Korean car manufacturer.

If the United Nations ever decided to relocate, they’d do well to consider St. Modwen Park!

Of course, we are already home to a global car manufacturer in the form of Toyota.

Its Burnaston plant is the home of the Corolla – a car which is set to play a role in Toyota’s support of next year’s Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Paris.

Among other things, the French are famous for their food.

Derby hasn’t got any Michelin star restaurants (yet), but we do have plenty of great places to eat and drink – borne out by the standard of entries for this year’s Marketing Derby Food and Drink Awards.

In October, we celebrated and recognised the very best of them at a lively awards ceremony, which was attended by around 300 people and held at the Chocolate Factory. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists!

As I said right at the top of this article, knowledge is power.

A place that has been filling people with knowledge, specifically in terms of the ongoing regeneration of our city, is the Derby City Lab.

The lab, in St James’s Street, has been engaging, informing and inspiring the business community and wider public about what is happening in Derby ever since it opened in July last year.

It is a huge challenge to encourage people to engage in the city’s future – particularly those who are still convinced Derby is a place where nothing ever happens.

However, the Derby City Lab has done a fantastic job of not only enlightening and informing people about what’s going on – but listening to the views of those who have come through its doors.

But don’t just take my word for it – ask the judges of the prestigious EG Awards, which are organised by the Estates Gazette.

They awarded the partnership which made the city lab a reality (which included Marketing Derby, Derby City Council, the University of Derby, Lathams and Clowes Developments) the Public/Private Partnership Award.

To win, it beat entries from London Brent Cross, Liverpool and Manchester.

Not bad for a city where nothing ever happens, is it?

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