They Say It Takes a Village. Thrivemind Is Derby’s. Meet the volunteers helping build a greener, kinder and more connected city.

Some of the most important organisations in Derby aren’t the ones with the biggest marketing budgets or the loudest social media presence. They’re the ones quietly showing up every day, bringing people together, reducing waste, supporting local residents and proving that a strong community is built through small acts of kindness. That’s exactly what Thrivemind Village has been doing.

Based at 39 Iron Gate in the heart of Derby city centre, Thrivemind Village is a volunteer-led community hub built around one simple idea: that a stronger city starts with people helping one another. Rather than focusing on profit, the organisation brings together volunteers, local artists, growers, campaigners and everyday residents to create practical projects that make Derby healthier, fairer and more connected.

Walk through the doors and you’ll quickly realise this isn’t your average community space. Inside you’ll find Derby’s only community fridge, an ethical shop supporting independent makers, a vegan café and community kitchen, a children’s play area, a bookshop, workshops, support groups, creative events and spaces where people can simply meet over a cup of tea. It’s less about offering a single service and more about creating a place where people genuinely feel welcome.

One of the biggest projects is the Community Fridge, helping tackle both food waste and food insecurity at the same time. Fresh surplus food from businesses, growers and local households is redistributed free of charge, reducing waste while making good food available to anyone who needs it. It’s a brilliantly simple idea that benefits both people and the environment, and remarkably, it’s currently the only community fridge in Derby.

Food sits at the heart of much of Thrivemind’s work. Through community meals, volunteer chefs, growing projects, seed swaps and workshops, they’re encouraging people to think differently about where food comes from while making healthy, locally produced meals accessible to more people. The organisation believes many of today’s biggest challenges, from the cost of living to public health and climate change, can all be tackled by building stronger local food systems.

Thriveminds wider mission is to help people build healthier, fairer and more regenerative communities. Everything from art and creativity to environmental action, education, wellbeing, social justice and volunteering feeds into that vision. Rather than telling people what change should look like, the organisation encourages residents to shape projects together, creating a genuinely community-led approach to improving Derby.

There are dozens of ways to get involved. You can volunteer your time, donate to support ongoing projects, attend one of the regular workshops or community meals, use the community fridge, hire the space for events or simply pop in to see what it’s all about. No specialist skills are needed. Just a willingness to be part of something positive.

At Trendng, we’re always looking to shine a light on the people and organisations making Derby a better place. Thrivemind Village is exactly the kind of hidden gem that deserves more recognition, and if you’ve never visited before, it might just become one of your favourite places in the city.

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