I LOVE nicknames. From those that are simply a shortened version of someone's real name to the outlandish ones.

Often they originate from terms of affection, such as those that a husband and wife or partners may have for each other.

But more than often they are deprecating to the person, usually in an amusing way.

Mostly, what I love about nicknames are the stories as to how someone came to be known to vast swathes of people as, for example, "Nobber" or "Santa".

In the office we have a variety of them that get bandied around most days. I tend to be called by the surname-shortening "Nayls" which I don't mind at all.

Other office nicknames include "The Gurning Mole" (he can often look like one), "CVJ" (her initials) and a former colleague whose sometimes loud voice and place of origin earned her the moniker of "The Squawky Yorkie".

Every so often the editor might also shout out and summon "His Lordship" into his office.

I can assure you there is no-one genuinely noble who works at Telegraph Towers. Instead, it is another of the reporters who, for the past six years, has been known by that nom de plume solely because he speaks the Queen's English far more correctly than the rest of us East Midlands oiks.

Of course, it is not just in the office that nicknames can come to the fore.

On the football pitch I have, over the years, played alongside and against a vast array of blokes called Dave. Thus, when you wanted one of them to pass you the ball it could be "Big Dave," "Little Dave," or "Cheating Dave".

And another pal, who lives in Matlock, is known as "Lobber" following a 35-yard own goal he sent soaring over the goalkeeper in an 11-a-side match.

I'm sure everyone of us can recall handfuls of anecdotes as to how a family member or friend came across their nickname.

In our own classified section among the death notices you will often see them.

"Ethel Smith," it may read, "known as 'Bonnie' died peacefully surrounded by her family in Spondon, aged 94."

Bonnie? Where does that come from? I want to know.

I adore how those nicknames were derived and ended up sticking for so many years.

"Have you heard about Jim?" one mate might say to another down the pub?

"He died last week. I saw it in the births, deaths and marriages in the Telegraph?"

"Jim who?" may come the reply.

"You know, Skippy?"

"No, not Skippy, he was the first person I knew who ever went to Australia."

"I know, that's why we all called him that, after Skippy the bush kangaroo, remember?"

Long may stories like these exist and long may nonsensical nicknames continue to be dished out in offices, football changing rooms and households across the country.

They put a smile on our faces and make those individuals who they are.

Must dash, I'm off to meet my mate Owlboy for a pint.

THE scourge of fly-tipping, which blights a number of communities in our city, is frequently reported in the pages of this newspaper.

On most occasions, it is large items like furniture and old mattresses that are dumped by people who either cannot be bothered to take them to the tip, do not have the means of transporting them there or do not want to pay for the city council to take them away.

In 2013-14, the neighbourhood boards in four areas of the city decided to try to tackle the issue of fly-tipping by using part of the money they received from the council to pay for bulk waste removal rather than levy a fee from residents.

According to Oakwood councillor Mike Barker, this led to a reduction in the incidents of fly-tipping in the area.

It seems that people are less likely to fly-tip if they don't have to pay for bulky waste to be removed.

So it begs the question, what would happen if all the city's neighbourhood boards decided to adopt a similar policy?

Apart from making it fairer, it also seems likely that it would reduce the incidents of fly-tipping.

Surely this has to be a move worth considering?

THE future of the city's two walk-in centres will be discussed at a meeting next month.

The Derby Walk-In Centre, in Osmaston Road, and the Derby Open Access Centre, in St Thomas Road, are alternative places to go for patients with minor injuries, rather than the city's accident and emergency department.

They are funded by the NHS Southern Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group. But bosses of the group said the contracts for the services would come to an end in March 2015.

They explained that, before these are renewed, they needed to ask people if they were satisfied with the two centres and if anything could be done to improve the city's walk-in services.

Because of the results, the adults and public health overview and scrutiny board at Derby City Council recommended keeping both buildings open.

NHS Southern Derbyshire will now hold an event to discuss further plans with the public on May 21 at a venue to be confirmed.

Anyone interested is asked to register by May 9 on Derby 868923 or by e-mailing kalyan.krishna@southern derbyshireccg.nhs.uk

THE city's smallest pubs could be hit with huge bills if proposed changes to licence fees are introduced by the Government.

Plans to change the annual fees for pubs, bars and nightclubs have been criticised by industry experts in Derby, as well as trade representatives and the operator of Derby's smallest pub.

The British Beer and Pub Association argues that, under Government proposals, some establishments could see their annual fees rise tenfold.

Licensing law expert Andrew Cochrane, of law firm Flint Bishop, says it will create problems for many operators of licensed premises.

And Walter Scott, landlord of the Little Chester Ale House, in Chester Green, said that it would put a strain on his finances and make it difficult to expand the business.

If the Home Office proposals are adopted, small pubs, most of whom pay £100 per year, could see their annual fees rise by 957%, according to figures from the British Beer and Pub Association.

Mr Scott has predicted a lot of anger over the issue.

He said: "The Government say that they're doing well by taking a penny off a pint and then talk about introducing this, which is just another tax.

"There will be a lot of resistance to it and I can't see the large breweries rolling over."

The majority of venues could see fees quadruple if local authorities impose maximum charges, with costs rising from £180 to as much as £740.

A Government consultation on the changes closed this week.

A visit from the Bishop of Derby to a city centre church has proved an inspiration for drop-in centre users and volunteers.

WHATEVER ideas you have of what a Christian church is, take them out of your mind and then walk into St Peter's Church in Derby city centre.

The traditional values are still in place but are updated with a modern and new way of communicating with the public.

Nobody is in denial that the numbers for traditional congregations are decreasing.

But St Peter's has found new ways of communicating with a section of the population that would never usually embrace themselves in the surroundings of a church.

The Bishop of Derby, the Rt Rev Dr Alastair Redfern, was visiting the church on Wednesday to see the work being done by the drop-in centre for asylum seekers and refugees.

The clinic, run by the Red Cross, offers support to people who feel isolated on coming to Derby for the first time.

The Bishop's visit is in response to the Archbishop of Canterbury's invitation to Christians to come together to pray and to support Christian social action over the Easter period.

After visiting the drop-in centre, the Bishop talked to people who run the Business Innovation Centre, which has been created to help ethical start-up businesses.

He said that the projects were great examples of Christian work being done, even for those who might not believe in the religion.

Bishop Alastair said: "The great thing about the church is we deal with people in need. People in need of advice and people in need on the front line in the business innovation centre here at St Peter's.

"We are not just about solving problems, we want to work at solutions as well. We work at both ends of the spectrum and also in between.

"Our business innovation centre is only one of two in the country and is a great resource for people to use to get a job and start up a business. It is a model for other churches and is a great platform for volunteers. The debt advice the church offers is also very valuable to those who need it.

"The situations here are very complicated and we have to help them short term."

Bishop Alastair acknowledged that the immigration centre was a place where you would hear stories of great difficulty but said that, with the church's help, things could improve.

He said: "It is not up to us to make the law or break it.

"You can still give good advice and support within the legal framework.

"We are here for them because we are fellow human beings and it's about being good neighbours."

Bishop Alastair said the work with the immigration centre was part of a journey of taking people from low points in their life and transforming them into a positive.

He said: "It's about creating a good news story.

"When I come to events like this, it is a big measure of seeing how things are happening for the better.

"I value this opportunity to meet with those struggling with issues of asylum and being refugees, and with those trying to help them."

The Bishop also took time to visit the Business Innovation Centre which was launched in February.

The centre, which is run by Rich Tyler at the church, helps people to aspire to their business dreams by providing office space, meeting facilities and an expert mentoring service for start-up businesses.

Bishop Alastair met the four tenants at the centre who are using the service.

They are wedding and entertainment specialists GC Events; the Me and Dee charity, which offers seaside breaks to people with life limiting conditions; Polar Energy Grants, a cavity and loft insulation specialist; and Favourss, a website which provides a free global internet site for swapping favours.

Maria Hanson, founder and managing director of Me and Dee, said she was impressed with the Bishop's visit.

She said: "It was lovely and it was really good to have his presence and share lunch with him.

"The church has been very supportive and the day itself was very interesting."

And Rich said that the Bishop's visit had inspired him to make the centre more of a success.

Rich is taking on some of the mentoring at the centre and uses his own experience – after transforming his career from working in a newsagents.

The 48-year-old worked at Tyler's News, Borrowash, and in IT before becoming a full-time stock trader last year, working in New York remotely from his home in Aston-on-Trent.

He said: "The Bishop said he was really impressed with the progress we have made here.

"He looked at how we work and support each other and he was really upbeat about the framework.

"We have now got four people on board and one more person about to rent, which is positive.

"We have exceeded our expectations to be at this point and the important thing is all the businesses are ethical.

"The businesses we have on board are a good mix and a good bunch of folk."

The Bishop gave Rich words of wisdom which he said would inspire the centre to move forward.

Rich said: "It was good for everyone to have the Bishop visit us.

"He has raised my aspirations for the centre and improved everybody's confidence and motivation.

"For him to take the time and trouble to visit us is impressive."

During the Bishop's visit at the church, he and Canon Paul Morris, of St Peter's, handed out Easter eggs that have been donated by people who work with St Peter's.

The Rev Anita Matthews, of St Peter's, said 180 eggs had been donated so far.

She said: "We really want people to help us put smiles on youngsters' faces by donating eggs to the underprivileged children in the area.

"It would be a really big help. The eggs will be going to the Sure Start Children's Centre and the Roma Community Care.

"They are very worthy projects and we would love to help them as best we can."

BULKY waste that the city council will collect includes furniture, mattresses and large electrical items.

Fridges and freezers are collected free of charge in all wards.

Arranging for collection works in the same way in every ward.

People should e-mail streetpride@derby.gov.uk. They will then be told a collection date when payment is received.

A table and up to four chairs, a three-piece suite and up to four black sacks count as one item.

If someone wants more than 15 items collected they should contact the authority's trade waste team on Derby 641500 to get a quote, which will be a minimum of £35.

The council will not collect asbestos, bathroom, kitchen and other fitted units, carpets, concrete, rubble, soil and general builders' waste, doors, gates and windows and window frames, fluid containers, such as oil drums or storage heaters, gas bottles, small items of domestic waste that haven't been put in sacks or boxes, vehicle parts, sheds, fence panels or greenhouses.

Jesus Christ was paraded through the streets of Belper as amateur actors played out a contemporary version of the crucifixion.

CARRYING a cross and with has face bloodied, Dan Skidmore played the part of the Messiah, dragging a giant cross from the Methodist Chapel, in Chapel Street, through the town to St Peter's Church, in Chesterfield Road.

Crowds lined the route while both churches were packed with people keen to watch the play, called The Belper Passion.

Now in its second year, the event is based on Christ's last days and is set in the future, where Great Britain is governed by an organisation called the Corporation, a multinational company that dominates every aspect of life.

The part of Barabass who, according to the Bible, Pontius Pilate freed and crucified Jesus in his place, was played by Luke Norman.

Watching him perform at the Methodist Chapel was his six-year-old daughter, Maria, who attends St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School in the town.

She said: "Last year Dad played the part of the chief priest and this year he is Barabass, so he always seem to play baddies.

"Maybe if the play happens again he might get to play one of the goodies.

"I like to be here to watch him, I think he's very good."

The play, which was written by George Gunby and directed by Sheila Kay Sly, is modernised as two TV show presenters, played by Sarah Holme and Jeff Foster, ask the audience to vote on who should be crucified – Christ or Barabass?

During Act One, the president of the Corporation, played by Martin Drake, told the audience: "There is nowhere I would rather be today than Belper."

He then goes on to tell the audience, who get to interact with the actors, that the day "marks a landmark in British history as the death penalty has been restored".

Act One finished at the Methodist Chapel, before the cast took to the streets of Belper in procession to St Peter's.

Also watching the play was Luke Norman's mother Joyce Vine, who had travelled from York to watch her son perform. She said: "I now live in a city where the Mystery Plays are famous so it is nice to come to Derbyshire and watch something like this, especially because my son is performing in it."

Craig and Ruth Widdowson, 31 and 38, had come from their home in Swanwick to watch the Belper Passion.

Craig said: "We have come to show support for our brother-in-law who is playing one of the parts."

Ruth said: "I think it is good that the town comes out to support local actors in this way. The play itself was really good."

With actors young and old drawn from the local amateur dramatics scene to take part in the play, the experience was hailed a success.

Diane Churchill, who lives in Belper, said: "This is the second year the play has taken place in the town and I do not know yet whether it will happen again next year.

"I hope it does."

A DERBYSHIRE woman who lost her sister to cancer will be racing in her memory at a 10k event.

Amy Charlesworth, 26, will be one of hundreds at the starting line of the Women's Running 10k at Sutton Park in Birmingham on May 10.

Her sister, Andrea, died earlier this year from pancreatic cancer.

Following her sister's death, keen runner Amy has made it her mission to raise money and awareness for Pancreatic Cancer Action.

Amy, who works at Midlands Asbestos Solutions in Ilkeston, said: "I've been running for years. I find it's a great outlet for my energy and for me to process my thoughts and keep fit.

"After Andrea's death, I wanted to make sure she was always remembered and help others to avoid falling victim to the disease.

"97 out 100 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within five years. This statistic is unbelievable and I'd love to be a part of the force to change that."

This will be the second running of the 10k organised by Women's Running magazine. There will be pacers available to run with participants and help them to achieve their time goals.

Amy is confident about the race itself, which takes place six miles north of Birmingham city centre.

She added: "My training is going really well, I'm comfortable with the distance now, so it's all about improving my personal best time.

"This charity is so close to my heart so I want to do the best I can for them.

"Andrea could have been saved if she had been diagnosed early enough, and I'd hate for someone else to suffer like she did."

So far, £200 has already been raised for the charity and Amy is hoping to get as many donations as possible.

To make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/ andreacharlesworth.

TWO schools in Matlock will close for the day as a mark of respect after a head teacher died at the age of 40.

Kate Griffin, head of All Saints' C of E Infant School in Matlock had been battling leukaemia.

It was discovered she was suffering from the disease while she was pregnant in 2012.

The infant school, and nearby junior school, will be closed on Friday, May 2, to allow people to attend her funeral.

Mrs Griffin was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in October 2012 during a routine blood test, while 34 weeks pregnant with her third child.

Five days after the birth, Mrs Griffin started chemotherapy and went into remission in April last year.

But, last October, she was again diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. A bone marrow donor drive was held in Derby last November to hunt for a match for the mother-of-three. The event was organised by Delete Blood Cancer UK.

Mrs Griffin, of Holymoorside, leaves husband Ross and children Lydia, Eva and Nancy.

WHAT is Easter? To most of us Easter is an event. A day, a moment in time. We send cards saying happy Easter. It is a moment of optimism. The time when the signs of spring seem stronger. Thus the custom of wearing Easter bonnets – something I encourage at the cathedral on Easter morning!

For many people Easter is a holiday event. A space to relax, see family and friends. For children (and others, too!) it is a time for chocolate eggs. All these things illuminate the core Christian message that new life can come out of suffering and death. That darkness will be overcome by light. A message and a moment of optimism, hope – in a world where there are many signs of stress, struggle, decay and death. The human heart has a deep instinct to hope – whatever the circumstances. Easter can be seen as the event which confirms and blesses that instinct to hope – for life beyond death, for healing from suffering, for light out of darkness.

Christians see this hope acted out in Jesus Christ. Raised from the dead. Sign of a new and everlasting life – for which every human creature is made. This is good news for a troubled world. Bells ring out to celebrate the event of Easter. Resurrection against the odds. A gift, beyond our making.

But – Easter is not just an event. More, Easter is a process. The Christian understanding of Easter flows through a powerful sequence. Maundy Thursday: a supper with friends. Good Friday: betrayal, torture, death. Holy Saturday: a space of waiting while hope struggles with despair and light seems to be extinguished by darkness. Easter Sunday: Jesus risen from the tomb, hope and light in triumph – not simply in this world, but as ingredients of a glory beyond our little universe.

This is the process of Easter. It is a process that each of us inhabits day by day. Celebration, stress, suffering, hope that holds on, new light. We find ourselves at different points on the spectrum. That complexity is the reality of the human condition.

The Christian Gospel points to a person who shows us how to navigate each stage of this re-occurring sequence. A person whose resurrection from the dead is the supreme sign of the triumph of hope and light in glory. That is why the Easter process is the foundation of the only news that can assure goodness in our world. And it is why Christians celebrate this process with an event: in remembrance of Him. From the remembering issues the empowering with that spirit of wholeness we know as holy. The source of Easter hope and joy for all who would recognise and receive it.

I wish you a happy Easter – as event: as process: as good news.