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 at the University of Essex and has an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester. In September 2017, Bakewell was elected co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, the cross-party group which represents humanists in Parliament. Later that year, the charity Humanists UK awarded Bakewell its prize for Humanist of the Year, in recognition of her achievements in broadcasting and services to humanism and other good causes. In 2008, Bakewell criticised the absence of older women on British television. She said: "I think the fact that people are phased out, people like Moira Stuart and Selina [Scott] – out of