Pride in The Peaks

I’d like to take this opportunity to provide a report on Pride in the Peaks, which took place on Saturday 27th June, in Hall Leys Park.

Firstly, I’d like to place on record my sincere thanks to Matlock Town Council (even though as a body it had no official involvement) for its support of the event. Especially Cllr. Marilyn Franks whose help in organising & personal financial support was paramount, Cllr. Jenny Lowthrop whose guidance & cheerleading was bigger than you’ll ever know, Cllr. Diane Fletcher who supported awareness & fundraising events from the beginning & aided in fundraising from the Labour Party, Vicky & Simon in the office who were incredibly helpful, Cllr. David Hughes who marched in the parade with his wife, our District Chair, Cllr. Jo Linthwaite, & to Cllr. Sue Burfoot & Cllr. Pat Wildgoose who also attended on the day. From the outset, our ambition was to create an event that celebrated equality, diversity & inclusion, whilst bringing our community together in a positive, welcoming & family-friendly environment.

I’m delighted to report that we achieved exactly that & more!

The day began with our Pride Parade setting off from Twiggs, & I don’t think either cofounder & organiser, Jamie Hadleigh, or I, were quite prepared for what we saw. Hundreds of people came together to march in solidarity, surrounded by a spectacular display of colour, rainbow flags & an overwhelming sense of joy. As the parade made its way along Bakewell Road, what was even more moving was seeing the streets of Matlock lined with local residents, families & visitors cheering us on, waving Pride flags & showing their support. It was a wonderful demonstration of what our town is all about – welcoming, accepting & proud of its community.

Leading the parade were myself with my mum, dad, brother & his wife, Jamie with his mum, brother & 6 year old nephew & our headline sponsor EMR, with their guest speakers, online media influencers, & LGBTQIA+ activists, Liam & Alexis Blake.

On arrival at Hall Leys Park, the celebrations officially began with Fiona-Lisa Grant opening the entertainment from the bandstand, which was set up with DJ decks for a day-long set with a lineup of 5 different, local DJs, all with different vibes, accompanied by colourful (biodegradable) streamer cannons that exploded as the parade marched in over the bridge.

At the other side of the park, our mainstage hosted 12 different acts all the way through to 9pm; singers, bands & dance groups, most from the local area, & we had 38 market traders offering all kinds; from food & drink, to crafts & merchandise, & charities, projects & health stalls.

We were honoured to welcome a number of distinguished guests throughout the day, including HM Vice Lord-Lieutenant Mr Cochrane & his wife Karen, John Whitby MP (who also made a welcoming speech on the mainstage alongside myself, Jamie & Liam & Alexis, (John also attended with his wife Juliette & chief of staff, Melanie). The Mayors of Wirksworth & Leek, & councillors from Erewash Borough Council, Darley Dale Town Council & Ashbourne Town Council were also in attendance, alongside Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, who were there with Matlock’s Pride Fire Engine.

Our security team estimated attendance at approximately 3,500 people throughout the day.

We also welcomed visitors from across the country, including Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Birmingham, London & Brighton, with one group even travelling from Dubai specifically to attend, a husband & husband who’s hometown is Matlock, & it was also their first Pride!

While those numbers are incredibly encouraging for a first-year event, what has been even more rewarding has been the feedback we’ve received. Time & again, people have described the atmosphere as peaceful, welcoming, inclusive & simply full of love. Many have commented that it felt like one of, if not THE, friendliest & most uplifting community event Matlock has ever seen.

For me personally, that means a great deal. Having experienced significant bullying growing up because I was gay, & knowing that hate & discrimination still hugely exists today, one of my motivations in helping establish Pride in the Peaks was to ensure that everyone knows they belong here in Matlock. If just one young person, or indeed any individual, left that event feeling accepted, supported & less alone, then every hour of planning, every meeting, every risk assessment & every sleepless night in the lead up has been worthwhile, & I’ve already lost count with how many conversations I’ve had with young people, parents & teachers who have said that the event did exactly that, for either themselves or someone they know.

I’d also like to recognise further, Jamie, whose passion & dedication have been instrumental in bringing this event to life. Jamie intentionally chose the date to coincide with the anniversary weekend of the Stonewall Uprising, recognising the courage of those whose actions sparked the modern Pride movement, while he also acknowledged that the day coincided with Armed Forces Day – something particularly meaningful to him, which he paid tribute to in his welcoming speech, as his father served 33 years in the military, who also attended the event with his partner & sister.

Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make Pride in the Peaks possible. That includes our sponsors, volunteers, performers, traders, operations teams, emergency services, photographers, civic guests & the many organisations & individuals who gave their time, expertise & support, especially the team at Derbyshire Dales District Council – who gave huge guidance & support along the way.

Events of this scale simply do not happen without an enormous collective effort. The media have also been incredibly supportive; with pre-interviews recently on the BBC news, BBC Radio Derby, Derbyshire Times, Matlock Mercury, Reflections, with followup media also happening with the BBC, Derbyshire Life & more with the Reflections to come.

For a first-time event, I believe Pride in the Peaks has exceeded every expectation. it has showcased Matlock as an inclusive, welcoming town, generated significant positive publicity, supported local businesses & local economy through increased visitor numbers, &, perhaps most importantly, created a safe space where thousands of people came together to celebrate true community spirit.

This is just the beginning, & I look forward to building on this massive success in the years ahead.

Cllr. Ashley Orwin, Mayor of Matlock

Pictures courtesy of Tom McPhillips, Chris Brookes, Ryan Flint, Wes Kristopher, Chris Morgan & Emma Croman.

Mayor’s Charity Appeal – We Want Your Suggestions

As the new Mayor of Matlock, one of the greatest privileges of the role is the opportunity to support charitable causes that make a real difference within our community.

Throughout my mayoral year, I will be fundraising for a chosen local charity & I would like the people of Matlock to help decide which organisation we support!

Matlock is home to many incredible charities, voluntary groups & community organisations that work tirelessly to support residents, business owners & visitors of all ages. From mental health & wellbeing services, to youth projects, food support, community care, animal welfare & organisations helping vulnerable people, our town is strengthened every day by those who give their time to help others.

Before making a decision, I want to hear directly from the community:

• Which local charity or community organisation do you believe deserves support during the Mayor’s year of fundraising?

• What impact do they have on Matlock & the wider area?

• Why do you feel their work is especially important at this time?

We are particularly keen to hear about:

• Small local charities making a big impact

• Volunteer-led organisations

• Groups supporting vulnerable residents

• Community projects improving wellbeing, inclusion & opportunity within Matlock

Please send your ideas to suggestions@matlock.gov.uk. We won’t be able to respond to every message but we will see them all.

I look forward to hearing your ideas & working together to support a truly meaningful cause for our community.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

Cllr. Ashley Orwin

Mayor of Matlock

Flags Flying in Matlock

Matlock Town Council would like to remind residents, businesses & visitors that the Council operates a formal Flag Flying Policy, adopted last year following many years of established practice, which sets out the schedule for flags displayed throughout our town.

The policy can be viewed on our website at matlock.gov.uk under Council Meetings & Key Documents > Policies. We warmly encourage residents to take a look at this & the other policies which help guide the Council’s work on behalf of our wonderful community.

Following the display of the Union Flag & St George’s Flag during the recent St George’s Day celebrations, the next scheduled change will see a variety of flags displayed across the town, including Derbyshire, Pride & Welcome to Matlock flags, alongside the Union Flag & St George’s Flag.

Matlock has around one hundred shop-mounted brackets used throughout the year for seasonal displays, including flags & Christmas trees, all operated in accordance with the same agreed schedule.

Please note that dates for changing displays are approximate, as installation is highly weather-dependent. In addition, certain national events may require flags to be removed or flown differently in line with official guidance.

Matlock Town Council is proud to reflect the civic pride, inclusivity, diversity, respect & community spirit that make Matlock such a welcoming town.

Many thanks for your understanding & continued support.

Cllr. Ashley Orwin – Mayor of Matlock

Remembrance Services

Many thanks to everyone involved in The Remembrance Services, and everyone who took part in the parade in Matlock this week. Despite the poor weather they all the services went well. Thanks as well to everyone who attended.

Starkholmes Road Closure

If you wish to attend our Remembrance Service at Starkholmes on Remembrance Sunday (11:20am) please be aware of the road closure in the area. There are also services taking place at High Tor (11:00am) and Hall Leys Park (3:00pm)

Details of the road closure below

WHEN: 3rd November 2025 to 29th November 2025

WHERE: Starkholmes Road, Matlock at house No 179 Starkholmes Road Matlock.

REASON: To facilitate Scaffolding in highway to carry out repairs to gable end of house.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: Starkholmes Road, Church Street, Matlock Green, Causeway Lane, Crown Square, Bakewell Road, Derwent Way, A6, Mill Road, Lea Road, Willersley Lane and vice versa. Access will be maintained, whenever reasonably possible, on the affected length of road. The road will re-open as soon as the work is finished. This may be earlier than advertised.

Anyone needing further information should ring Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190. The County Council intends to make/has made an Order under Section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) to prohibit its use by traffic. Julian Gould, Director Highways – Place Department, County Hall, MATLOCK DE4 3AG

To keep up to date with any road closures, see the County Council’s website here – Roadworks – Derbyshire County Council

Open Statement from Matlock Town Council

Matlock Town Council would like to address recent concerns surrounding the removal of some of the flags in our town centre. We understand that there has been some misunderstanding and we wish to clarify the situation.

The Union Jack & St George’s Cross flags were recently taken down solely because they had become worn and weathered. These flags are currently being replaced with brand new ones that have already been purchased. In contrast, the remaining flags remain flying as they are newer and still in excellent condition.

When these flags were first erected at the beginning of summer, our aim was to create a bright, welcoming display that reflected both our town’s patriotic spirit and its inclusivity. We wanted Matlock to celebrate the patriotism of our community alongside the diversity, colour and togetherness that make our town so special. The mix of Derbyshire, Union Jack, St George’s and Pride flags represented this vision, and the new flags being put up will continue this vision.

Unfortunately, we must also address that a small number of flags have more recently been deliberately torn down and the flagpole damaged. We don’t condone such behaviour and these incidents have been reported to the police and investigations are ongoing.

Despite this, the spirit of Matlock remains strong. Our community has always been one of warmth, resilience and pride. Together, we continue to show visitors and residents alike that Matlock is a place of welcome, unity and celebration.

On behalf of Matlock Town Council, we thank you for your understanding, support, and the wonderful community spirit that makes our town shine. New flags will be displayed very soon and we look forward to them bringing the town together.

Matlock Town Council

2024/25 Mayoral charity money

Each year the The Mayor of Matlock raises money for a chosen charity, and the Mayor in 2024/25 was Jason Knighton, and some of the money raised during his tenure has been used by Derwent Hub for this 3-in-1 Pool/Snooker/Air Hockey table.

Press Release – Wolds Planning Application

Matlock Town Council welcomes the decision of the planning inspector which upheld the decision of the District Councils planning committee of 28th March 2024 in relation to building 400 houses on the Wolds and dismissed the appeal of William Davis Limited. Although more houses appropriate to meet local need are desperately needed in the Derbyshire Dales, the Inspector Ms. Joanna Gilbert recognised that the negative effects and potential harm to the Town and people of Matlock outweighed this possible benefit.

Marilyn Franks, Mayor of Matlock says , “Sincere thanks must go to the Wolds Action Group for their persistence over the years, never bending under pressure and the professional presentation of their arguments at the public enquiry; also to the local Councillors who supported them. In the light of this decision, it is now time for the District Council to ensure that the Wolds are not included in the next local plan but removed as potential land for development in the future.”

Press Release 20/06/25

Matlock Town Council wishes to address recent concerns regarding the repositioning of the Pride flag initially flown above the Christian Bookshop in our town centre. In light of national media coverage, including reports in the Matlock Mercury, The Guardian, and interviews on GMTV.

The new Mayor, Marilyn Franks and Deputy Mayor Ashley Orwin, who proudly identifies as a gay man, would like to offer full clarity, context, and – most importantly – reassurance to the community.

Firstly, let us be unequivocally clear: Matlock Town Council stands in full support of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are proud of the diversity that enriches our town and are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, acceptance, and celebration.

Regarding the recent incident, the Pride flag was temporarily moved from a flagpole above the Christian Bookshop to another central location. This decision was made rapidly, and purely from a health and safety standpoint, following communication that the flag may be forcibly removed. As the flagpoles in question are the property of the Town Council, the action was taken with the intention of preserving the flag and avoiding confrontation or damage.

We deeply regret any upset this may have caused. The move was made without malice or prejudice, and we sincerely apologise to any individuals or groups who were hurt by this decision. We recognise how symbolic the flag is, especially during Pride Month, and we acknowledge the impact this action had, regardless of intent.

The response from the community has been nothing short of inspiring. Messages of solidarity and support have poured in from residents, businesses, local churches and allies across the Peaks and beyond. This moment of reflection has fuelled a renewed sense of purpose among town leaders.

Marilyn and Ashley are honoured to announce the official launch of Pride in the Peaks, Matlock’s first-ever Pride event, scheduled for June 2026. While this celebration has long been a shared aspiration for the Council, the recent events have accelerated plans and ignited a passionate movement of community-led support.

A dedicated Pride Task Force is already hard at work, engaging with local LGBTQIA+ groups, schools, faith communities, businesses, and volunteers to shape a vibrant, inclusive, and meaningful event. The vision is to create a Pride celebration that reflects the heart of Matlock – one that embraces unity, respect, joy, and love.

As we look ahead to Pride in the Peaks 2026, we want everyone to know: you belong here. Our town is stronger because of its diversity, and Matlock Town Council will continue to lead with transparency, compassion, and commitment to all members of our community