Following a drop-in surgery in St Ives in January 2016, Carbis Bay pharmacist Claire Field alerted Derek to the potential impact on independent community pharmacists of proposed changes to the funding arrangements for community pharmacy provision.

Late in 2015, members of the St Ives Coastal Community Team approached Derek, asking for support in their bid for Growth Deal funding to create a Workstation hub for the digital sector at the disused Malakoff building enjoying spectacular views of St Ives harbour.

The college’s dilapidated buildings, particularly on the Upper Site, have been a cause for concern for many years.