April has underlined the pace and breadth of change across the East Midlands, with major investment announcements, infrastructure milestones and national attention on the region’s strengths in industry, energy and place.
Derbyshire is preparing to launch a bold new inward investment campaign, Invest in Derbyshire, showcasing billions of pounds’ worth of opportunities across advanced manufacturing, logistics, heritage-led regeneration and the visitor economy. The campaign launches at an exclusive summit at Toyota’s Burnaston plant on 7 May, bringing together investors, developers and partners from across the UK. Registration is now open.
Connectivity and infrastructure also moved forward with the opening of the £100m Newark Southern Link Road, strengthening links between the A1 and A46, cutting congestion and unlocking land for new housing and growth.
Clean energy and advanced industry featured prominently this month. At Economist Impact’s FusionFest in London, national focus turned to the East Midlands’ central role in the UK’s fusion future, with STEP Fusion set to transform the former West Burton Power Station into the country’s first operational fusion power plant. BakerBaird Communications was proud to support STEP Fusion and lead national media briefings highlighting the region’s position at the heart of an emerging Trent clean energy supercluster.
Investment confidence is also evident in Greater Lincolnshire, where aviation specialist AerMaven officially opened a newly refurbished components facility in Bicker, following an investment of more than £1 million. The development is creating high-skill jobs and strengthening local supply chains in advanced manufacturing.
The East Midlands will also be in the global sporting spotlight, with confirmation that the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will come to the region in 2027. Stage two will pass through Derbyshire and the Peak District, showcasing the region’s landscapes to a worldwide audience and delivering long-term benefits for the visitor economy and community participation in sport.
Closer to home, BakerBaird Communications marked a milestone tenth year with double Gold at the CIPR Midlands Awards, recognising public sector and not-for-profit campaigns rooted in community impact. The team is also looking ahead to LG Comms Academy 2026 in Nottingham this June, where BakerBaird will sponsor the national event focused on equipping public service communicators for an increasingly complex landscape. Further details and registration are available online.