Annual Dronfield Lecture 8th October 2010
The 2010 Dronfield Lecture, a joint event to be held by the Peel Centre and the Dronfield Civic Society, will take place at the Peel Centre in October on Friday 8th at 7.30 pm. We are delighted that Dronfield celebrity Jackie Toaduff will be the speaker. Jackie has recently published his amazing memoirs telling the story of his life as a coal miner and his transformation to a star in the world of entertainment.


Hire prices held
The Peel Centre Management Committee have decided not to make the customary inflation increase in April 2010 to the hire charges for each of the rooms within the Peel Centre. It is hoped that this will help our valued patrons in these difficult financial times.


Derbyshire Open Arts 29th, 30th & 31st May 2010
Derbyshire Open Arts was a FREE visual arts and crafts event held by a group of local artists exhibiting together at the Peel Centre. The event was a great success raising over £500 for Ashgate hospice through the sale of sculptures, hats, glass work, paintings, wood turning, ceramics, textiles and printmaking. It is hoped that there will be a another similar event before Christmas. Watch this space! More details from www.derbyshireopenarts.co.uk


The David Salt garden at the Peel centre.
David Salt was a founding member of the Peel Centre whose hard work, enthusiasm and commitment to so many Dronfield community groups has left a lasting legacy in the Town. The garden is in celebration of David’s life and his particular contribution to the success of the Peel Centre. In 2010 the garden has been entered in the Dronfield in Bloom competition.




Esme Salt, David’s wife ‘pulling the cord’


Neil Grant of Ferndale Garden Centre (who sponsored the garden along with the Dronfield Civic Society) talking with Esme Salt.


Barn Project Report.
Sainsbury gifted Dronfield Hall Barn to the Peel Centre Trust in July 2005. Little did we expect to be still haggling with the planners and English Heritage. The open day and public meetings demonstrated great public interest in this historic building and identified a need for arts space and a comfortable lounge area serving fair trade drinks and chocolate based snacks. The grade2* listing places serious limits on the changes we can make to the fabric of the building and access for vehicles to High Street is causing the highway authority real problems. Our project committee are pressing on undaunted and we will post an update as soon as there is something to report.