The unique New Mills One World Festival, now in its 17th year, took place again on Saturday 24th June in High Lea Park. It is the region’s premier open-air free festival, promoting the themes of peace, the environment and world and community development.

The theme of this year’s festival was sustainable energy. Speakers included Christine Osborne, from High Peak Friends of the Earth, who spoke on sustainable power. Christine says, “Too often the message about climate change is one of doom and gloom. The natural response to this is to say, ‘This problem is too big – there is nothing I can do’, ‘Why should I do anything because nobody else is’ or just to ignore it and hope it goes away". Christine gave an outline of a number of the positive developments that are happening in relation to sustainable energy initiatives both here in the UK and in other countries. She considered how we as individuals and as a community can make a difference, "In the past the use of sustainable energy has not been a central issue for the average person. With energy prices likely to spiral in the next few years it will become a financial issue for all of us. If we do not energy-proof our homes we will see fuel poverty on a wide scale”.

Also speaking were Sir Martin Doughty from New Mills Town Council, Helen Brown from the Energy Efficiency Centre in Buxton and John Beardmore, Chair of the Derbyshire Alternative Energy Association.

OWF Bands 2006

Melisma - Melisma are a local 4 piece band who have been together since early 2005. The band merge original compositions with rock and pop standards performed with infectious energy. Jack Brown - guitar, vocals: Callum Renton - guitar, vocals: Mike McCarthy - bass, vocals: Adam Crawford - drums, percussion, lunacy.

"Ternichka" Belarus / Minsk Children’s Choir - Part of a UK tour commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. Ternichka have been performing in Minsk since 1998 & have taken part in many festivals in Eastern Europe. Children and young people will be performing traditional Belarussian song, dance and circus skills.

Dan Day’s "Lost Your Way" - Dan’s band from Cheetham’s School of Music is one to watch out for & features an eclectic mix of styles from Rock to Blues via the Latin stylings of Santana.

High Peak Samba - Rio de Janeiro is the home of carnival and of Samba dancing. With its interlacing pounding rhythms, Samba drumming has become a popular pastime over recent years. Laszlo Palko presents exotic, invigorating entertainment.

Neville Duckworth Quintet - Former Principal Clarinet of the Northern Chamber Orchestra and founder member of the English Saxophone Quartet, Neville’s jazz quintet features local musicians Adam Hutchins (Piano), Brendan Day (Drums), Phil Strange (Guitar) & Phil Cawsey (Bass) performing classic jazz material of the 1930s, 40s & 50s.

The Badgers - Stockport band performing rock classics from their new EP “Roadkill” featuring John & Phil Cawsey, Phil Westwood, Dave Cowdrey & Holly Burton.  Expect some tasty guitar solos with tunes from “The One I Love” to “Rockin’ In The Free World”.

The Sun Band - Local party band performing favourite pop & rock from across the decades from the Stones & the Beatles to Kylie, Dolly Parton & The Stone Roses.  Chris, Laura, John, Mark & Andy bring you an energetic finale to this year’s festival.