Vibrant Accountancy collaborates with Down To Earth Derby to help make a positive impact in region

Down To Earth Derby – the community-interest company behind the Electric Daisy community garden and event space that currently occupies the former Prince’s supermarket site, in Bold Lane – was chosen by Vibrant Accountancy as winners of its Community Growth programme.

The Down To Earth Derby project is linked with Cornwall’s Eden Project, underscoring its emphasis on sustainable and community-focused urban regeneration. They are committed to transforming city spaces to enhance community well-being and environmental health through a range of activities such as educational programmes, events and promoting close interaction with nature.

Award-winning Vibrant Accountancy, meanwhile, opened up entries for the programme earlier this year, offering to mentor and support companies, charities and non-profit organisations making a positive impact in Derby.

And, after receiving many worthy entries, the Vibrant team – led by founder Bev Wakefield – chose Down To Earth Derby as winners.

Bev said: “We will be supporting Down To Earth with tailored business support that includes strategic planning sessions, cash flow forecasting, mentoring and regular profit and cash flow improvement meetings.

“For us, Down To Earth tick so many boxes. They are a sustainable organisation at the heart of the community, and we feel that, with the support that we are giving them at Vibrant Accountancy, they will be able to put their visionary plans into action.

“Like us, Down To Earth are disruptors and we are looking forward to working with them as they continue their excellent work in Derby city.”

Vibrant also chose two organisations – the Empowered Parenting Programme and a community supermarket initiative that will be run at Reach Events, near Pride Park – to receive free coaching sessions at the company’s Lodge Lane headquarters.

Bev added: “Vibrant Accountancy’s mission statement is to make an impact, and that’s what we hope we can do with the Community Growth programme.

“This is our way of giving back; by helping others to achieve their goals and make a difference to our city.”

The support comes at an important time for Down To Earth Derby as it looks to scale up its public and private sector regeneration projects, and ahead of a busy spring/summer programme of events at Electric Daisy.

On May 4th, they will be hosting an event featuring live music, street food and a barbecue at Electric Daisy (11am onwards).

With a plant sale and the mud kitchen open for little ones, the event will form part of the Spring Market being organised by Love Sadlergate; a group of independent businesses based in and around the Sadler Gate area of the city.

The following day will see Electric Daisy host a house music festival called Discoteque and, at the end of May, Down To Earth are teaming up with Derby Book Festival for a workshop and meet-the-author session aimed at young book worms.

Electric Daisy has received huge acclaim since opening last summer.

Derby’s newest green public space – which includes planters brimming with flowers, plants and trees, as well as wooden cabins, recycled benches and entertainment space for guest speakers and live music – has increased footfall in the area and provided the city with a venue to host community and corporate events.

Down To Earth’s Jamie Quince-Starkey said: “This is the start of a very busy but very exciting season of events with something for everyone.

“Our aim is to make Derby one of the top 10 ‘green’ cities in the UK through various projects and programmes. Derby has all the pieces of the jigsaw in place, our role as an independent catalyst is to pull all the different stakeholder pieces together.

“Everyone has a place at the table, and we want to bring all the right people in the city together, supporting local businesses with nature-based projects.”

“We can’t look up and scale Down To Earth without having the backing of trusted partners,” added Ross Nicholson, co-founder of the CIC.

“Vibrant can help with that. They share our vision and values and having them onboard frees up our time to join up the dots and push on with what we want to do.”