Bakewell is held at the beginning of July. Rugby union is played regularly in the town by Bakewell Mannerians RUFC, who currently compete in Midlands 2 East (North). The town is represented by two football teams, Bakewell Red Lion FC and Bakewell Town FC; both compete in the Hope Valley Football League. Bakewell has a large recreation park to the east of the town centre, which has tennis courts, children's playground, and football/cricket pitches. In the town itself, and located near to the library, is the municipal swimming pool and gym. Alongside the River Wye is a popular riverside walk. Bakewell
Joan Bakewell British Empire (DBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. In November 2008, Joan Bakewell was appointed a voice for older people by the UK Government. She is Chairman of the theatre company Shared Experience. It was announced in November 2010 that she would be awarded a life peerage, joining the Labour benches. She was created Baroness Bakewell, of Stockport in the County of Greater Manchester, on 21 January 2011, and formally introduced to the House of Lords on 25 January 2011 supported by fellow Labour peers Lord Puttnam and Baroness Kennedy. On 20 July 2011, Bakewell was made an honorary graduate