Space fans should be heading for Derby next week as the Alvaston Park Science Garden counts down to lift-off.

The Alvaston Park Friends – helped by a Community Spaces grant – have created a series of large-scale science exhibits in the park, which will be officially opened by the Mayor of Derby, Coun Les Allen at 12.30pm on Wednesday January 18.

The formal opening and celebration of the garden will run until 5pm, followed by the BBC Stargazing LIVE Star Party, which finishes at 9pm.

The party will feature Starchaser Industries’ Skybolt rocket. Mad Science will provide science-based activities, Derby Museum & Art Gallery will be organising craft activities with an astronomical flavour and Derby & District Astronomical Society will be on hand with telescopes for visitors to explore the night sky.

Find out more at www.alvastonparkfriends.org.uk

The multi-use games area was officially opened by international athlete and 2011 Corby Sports Personality of the Year Karen Harewood.

The games area has been funded principally through a £99,984 grant from Community Spaces following a successful application by the Friends of Gretton Recreation Ground.

The project was one of a number of ideas suggested as part of a Parish Plan produced by the Parish Council in 2004 and which highlighted that villagers would like to see a MUGA in the village along with better play and sports facilities.

The Friends of Gretton Recreation Ground was subsequently formed, including members of many organisations in the village, to bring these ideas to fruition. The group has already built a new Jurassic Adventure Playground and BMX track and is working on other projects, including a young children’s play area and improvements to the Changing Pavilion.

The group invited athlete Karen Harewood, the 2011 Corby Sports Personality of the Year to open the MUGA. Karen holds the English National 800m title and has represented Great Britain in the World and European athletics championships.

Tim Fox, chair of the Friends Group, said: “I hope that both young and old will enjoy this new facility.”

The afternoon included netball, basketball, football and tennis competitions, traditional games, complimentary hot food and refreshments and all serenaded by Gretton Silver Band.

The MUGA has a fencing surround with carpet surface and floodlights and Tim added: “It is a superb facility for many activities and we want to encourage as many people as possible to use it. The football and cricket clubs will be holding coaching sessions for junior players and I have been contacted by a group of ladies who would like to rekindle their netball skills.

“There is interest in forming a junior tennis group and both the Primary School and Chirpy Chicks pre-school will use the area regularly. The facility is open for all and there will be times which groups can pre-book.”

Radio One DJ Sarah Cox and comedian Rufus Hound are about to embark on a camper van tour of the UK, showcasing National Lottery-funded projects and highlighting the difference they make to their surrounding communities.

There’s a choice of two projects in each area, with Cox and Hound only visiting the project that gets the most votes. At each location they will take part in a ‘challenge’ to be featured on the National Lottery draw show on BBC1 on Saturday November 19.

Two projects that have received Community Spaces grants are in contention – Rosliston Forestry Centre in Derbyshire representing the Midlands, and Sheffield Manor Lodge in South Yorkshire representing the North.

To vote, go the Cox and Hound Facebook page then follow the instructions on screen.

Simple!

And don’t forget to let us know how your launch went… we love seeing your photographs, videos and reports.

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A great image from the launch of the Star Disc project in Derbyshire – and a message from Sir Patrick Moore no less!

The 40ft granite map of the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere, now stands at the heart of the Stoney Wood Community Open Space at Wirksworth. As well as the map, it provides a performance venue for the local community and a regional tourist attraction.

The Star Disc was launched during the Wirksworth Festival by Sky at Night co-presenter and astronomer Pete Lawrence.

In his message, astronomer and Sky at Night legend Sir Patrick praises the Star Disc for its contribution to the understanding of Earth’s position in the universe.

Funding for the project, designed by local artist Aidan Shingler, came from a £49,849 Community Spaces grant, £50,000 from Arts Council England and more than £30,000 from local providers.

The Star Disc site takes shape

The Star Disc – a giant map of the night sky and the centerpiece of a community project  – is taking shape high above the Derbyshire village of Wirksworth.

The stellar project, due to open in September, is part of the Stoney Wood Community Open Space and will provide a versatile multi-use venue for the local community as well as a significant regional tourist attraction.

Funding for the project, designed by local artist Aidan Shingler, has come from a £49,849 Community Spaces grant, £50,000 from Arts Council England and more than £30,000 from local providers.

The project – with stunning views across the Ecclesbourne Valley – will have at its heart an impressive 40ft diameter black granite star chart that mirrors the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere (pictured, in development, above).

To find out more, visit www.stardiscenterprise.co.uk

Community Spaces have just awarded Rosliston Forestry Centre in South Derbyshire £41, 814 to create a 40ft herb garden in the shape of a human!

The human shaped herb garden, which has been nicknamed ‘Herbie’ will consist of a raised flower bed planted with herbs used for medical purposes on different parts of the body.

The group are aiming to a to have ‘Herbie’ finished by the summer! We look forward to seeing some photos of the finished garden!

We first mentioned the ‘Herbie’ project in our innovation blog piece see: http://blog.community-spaces.org.uk/2010/09/what-is-innovation  If your group is developing a project that is a little bit different please tell us about it by following the link.

The group received £49,950 from Community Spaces to build a brand new skatepark at Loughborough’s Southfields Park.

We went along to the opening of the new park to see what the locals thought!

To see more photos of the skatepark, then visit our Flickr page.

Local volunteers all pitched in and got their hands dirty at an Autumn Watch event at St Mary’s Church in Lutterworth last weekend.

The Autumn Watch event which was held at the Community Spaces churchyard project, saw both parents and children getting involved in activities such as bird and bug box making, leaf headdress making, and a scavenger hunts.

A local volunteer group called ‘Getting Lutterworth Growing’ also got involved in the activities and planted new bulbs around the churchyard.

Tony Hirons, Church Warden at St Mary’s Church said it was great to see the whole community get involved. “ Over 1000 bulbs got planted alongside the new fence- which will look great in the spring. We want to do other events in the future with older children, so they can get involved in helping the environment and using the churchyard.”

St Mary’s Church received £99,950 from Community Spaces to help improve their churchyard that was in desperate need of some refurbishments To see an interview with Tony Hirons about the new improvements to the churchyard, then visit our YouTube Channel.

Photos of the Autumn Watch event can be found on our Flickr page.

Over 700 people turned up to Kings Cliffe & Area Community Sports launch event in Cambridgeshire as England Hockey star Gareth Andrew opened the new multi use games area.

Kings Cliffe secured a £49,999 grant from Community Spaces to build a new outdoor games area designed for all ages.

Their launch event was a great success and it gave the local community a chance to see the wide range of new facilities at Kings Cliffe.

The launch day kicked off with a Fun Run, which ended up at the new multi use games area, followed by a wide range of sporting activities for all the community to get involved in. Then, to wind down for the evening, they had a band concert accompanied by a firework display.

To see all the great pictures from the event, click here.