New East Midlands Mayor is on a mission to put Derbyshire's 'fantastic gems' on the map

Derby and the wider East Midlands region are set to be the focus of the newly appointed mayor who is working hard to put the area ‘on the map.’

Claire Ward is a Labour politician who was elected to become the East Midlands’ first-ever mayor on Friday, May 3, 2024.

Signing official mayoral documents on Tuesday, May 7, at Bolsover Castle, Ms Ward spoke about the significance of the location.

As reported by BBC, Ms Ward said: "I think by starting here, at Bolsover Castle, it’s showing the pledges that I made.

“It is to really put some of these fantastic gems, these beautiful places, on the map and highlight them."

The Stuart era fairy-tale palace boasts spectacular views across Derbyshire making it one of the region’s popular landmarks.

Ms Ward reiterated her focus on key areas that are set to benefit from a £1.14bn devolution deal covering Derby, Nottingham, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.

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She said: “My focus right now is on the areas for which I’ve been elected - Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire."

Ms Ward shared her hopes of “seeing more investment into this region" and her intention to collaborate with local tourism boards to put the East Midlands "firmly" on the map.

Which local gems do you think need to be put on the map?

We would love to know, email [email protected] and we’ll take a look.