Author: Dom Stevens

Lizzie Armitstead and Marianne Vos head to Chesterfield in Aviva Women’s Tour

7th June 2016

World Road Race Champion Lizzie Armitstead of the Boels Dolmans team and multiple World and Olympic Champion Marianne Vos of the Rabo Liv team head the 96-rider provisional line-up for the Aviva Women’s Tour. Stage three of the tour will finish in Chesterfield on Friday 17th June.

The duo join the likes of defending champion Lisa Brennauer of the CANYON//SRAM team, world number one Emma Johansson of Wiggle HIGH5 and top sprinter Kirsten Wild, with 15 of the world’s top 20 riders in the UCI rankings down to start.

Armitstead is due to be joined in the Boels Dolmans line-up by former stage winner Christine Majerus and compatriot Nikki Harris, for whom Stage Four goes through her home village of Draycott in Derbyshire.

Vos’ Rabo Liv line-up is currently scheduled to include Dutch National Champion Lucinda Brand and Anna van der Breggen, who was the Silver medallist behind Armitstead in last year’s World Road Race Championships.

The provisional rider list includes 14 current National Road Race Champions from around the world, including the champions of Australia (Amanda Spratt), Italy (Elena Cecchini) and Belgium (Jolien D’Hoore).

Riders from 22 different countries make up the provisional start list, with Great Britain and the Netherlands being the most dominant nations, with 19 and 18 riders respectively.

The list includes both former winners of the Aviva Women’s Tour in Brennauer (2015) and Vos (2014) and six riders who have won stages in the race.

The youngest rider is due to be Great Britain’s Grace Garner, who makes her debut in the race and will turn 19 on the final day of the Aviva Women’s Tour in Northamptonshire. Garner was due to be joined in the race by her elder sister Lucy, although the Wiggle HIGH5 rider is now expected to miss the Aviva Women’s Tour with broken ribs sustained at the weekend.

One other pair of sisters are scheduled to ride, with 2015’s Best Young Rider and final stage winner Hannah Barnes of the CANYON//SRAM team being joined by younger sister Alice, who makes her debut in the race with the Drops Cycling Team.

The final line-up of riders will be confirmed on the afternoon of Tuesday 14 June ahead of Stage One the following day from Southwold to Norwich.

Highlights of the Aviva Women’s Tour will be shown each evening on ITV4 with a repeat the following morning on the same channel. The highlights will also be available on demand for 30-days via the ITV Hub catch-up service.

Find out more about the Women’s Tour Stage 3 finish in Chesterfield where there will be a full day of entertainment and activities.

Images courtesy of Sweetspot.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Foodie family judges wanted to help find Chesterfield’s best family-friendly restaurant

6th June 2016

Two foodie families are being sought to decide which of Chesterfield’s eateries should take the Best Family-Friendly title in the 2016 Food and Drink Awards.

Destination Chesterfield, organiser of the town’s annual Food and Drink Awards, is looking for families with children aged under 12, to judge shortlisted family-friendly establishments in the annual awards.

The Family-Friendly Award aims to find the town’s ultimate eatery that offers great food, excellent facilities for young children, special menus and goes that extra step to make sure families can enjoy their dining experience. As well as enjoying a meal, the winning families will be required to mark the establishments on food, ease of access, cleanliness and the quality and variety of children’s food. Last year the popular award, which is sponsored by Jumble Design, was won for the second year running by The Manor at Brampton.

Each family will win an all-expenses-paid meal for four, the lucky winners will also each receive two tickets to attend the glittering awards ceremony in October at Chesterfield College’s Heart Space Building.

Destination Chesterfield Manager Dominic Stevens commented: “We get many nominations in the family friendly category, so there are no shortages of eateries to try out. Who better to help us decide the winner of the title but families themselves. This competition is a great chance for families in the area to voice their opinion and get to enjoy a meal out too.”

Entries to the competition close on midnight on Thursday 30 June and can be made online at www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards/family-judge-competition/ or by post to:

Food and Drink Awards Competition,

Destination Chesterfield

Chesterfield Commerce Centre

Canal Wharf

Chesterfield

S41 7NA

The awards ceremony, which will be held in autumn, promises to be a glittering affair hosted by celebrity chef Mich Turner MBE. To keep up-to-date on developments with the 2016 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Summer

Nominations now open for the Active Chesterfield Sports Awards 2016

2nd June 2016

It’s time to get your nominations in for the Active Chesterfield Sports Awards 2016. You can nominate at http://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/sport-and-leisure/active-chesterfield.aspx

Now in its third year, the awards ceremony is delivered by the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership and Chesterfield Borough Council and aims to recognise and reward Chesterfield’s sporting heroes.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Winding Wheel Theatre in Chesterfield on Thursday 29^th September. Split into separate school and community categories, there are 26 awards to acclaim junior stars, teams, volunteers, coaches and community clubs.

Last year’s Sportsman of the Year, Liam Pitchford, will be in contention again this year, following an impressive performance at the UK championships that saw him reach the semi-finals.

Collecting the award on his behalf last year, his father said: “Liam left for Germany aged 17. He’s given up a lot and you could say he’s missed out on some things but he’s achieved so much more. He’s put the effort in and still has things he wants to achieve.”

In 2015 we received a great many nominations for hundreds of deserving candidates. The past year has seen more sporting success for Chesterfield’s sports people, teams and schools, as well as dedication and hard work from coaches and volunteers. To support and celebrate this hard work please send your nominations in before the closing date on Monday 1^st August.

A full list of the awards categories:

Lifetime Achievement Award
Sportsman of the Year
Sportswoman of the Year
Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Team Achievement – Primary
Team Achievement – Secondary (11-18 years)
Team Achievement – Disability
Team of the Year
Media and Arts contribution to School Sport
Individual Young Leader of the Year
FE Sports Leader of the Year
FE Outstanding contribution to Sports volunteering
Manager/Coach of the Year
Volunteer of the Year
Community Award
Club of the Year
Active workplace Award
Young Sportsman of the Year (13-18 years)
Young Sportswoman of the Year (13-18 years)
Junior Sportsman of the Year
Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Junior Sportsperson of the Year
School Staff of the Year
FE Sportsperson of the Year

You can nominate at http://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/sport-and-leisure/active-chesterfield.aspx

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

Green + Benz scoop coveted Chesterfield Retailer of the Year title

26th May 2016

Four retailers retain titles in 2016 awards

Only six months after opening its new flagship store, Green + Benz has scooped the coveted title of Retailer of the Year, Sponsored by East Midlands Chamber at the 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Green + Benz was among 14 Chesterfield retailers to scoop one of 18 prestigious awards, which are organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with The Chesterfield College Group.

The awards which returned for the third year running were the biggest yet and saw four retailers – Adorn Jewellers, R P Davidson Cheese Factor, Libby’s and Debenhams, retain their 2015 titles.

As well as Retailer of the Year, Green + Benz also took the title of Best New Store following the relocation of its Chesterfield store on Glumangate to 120sqm of premium retail space on South Street in December last year.

The increased space means Green + Benz can accommodate an open shop floor, a private viewing room and a workshop for bespoke commissions. Inside, the store boasts luxurious leather and velvet upholstery, glittering chandeliers and individual branded display bays which are framed by polished chrome edge details and numerous mirrors, which all adds to the overall sense of glamour of the store. Figures for Green + Benz showed a 68% overall growth in prior year sales results in December 2015 following the opening of the new store.

Manager of the Chesterfield store, Abi Noakes was presented with both awards at the sell-out award ceremony, which was held at the town’s Winding Wheel venue and hosted by Peak FM breakfast show presenters Cat and Stu.

Abi said: “We’re so overwhelmed and very proud and happy to receive the awards. It means so much that the awards have come from Chesterfield and everybody in Chesterfield. We really try and strive to make our clients ultra-happy and give them the best service that we can.”

Peter Swallow, Chairman of Destination Chesterfield said: “Once again the retail awards were a huge success and highlighted how strong Chesterfield’s retail scene is. The town has an excellent mix of independent and high street retailers as well as an historic market and a key reason why so many people, locally and nationally, visit each year. It’s a winning mix that consistently sees Chesterfield buck the trend for shop vacancy rates, contributing significantly to our growing economy.”

Discover all the winners of the 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards

Chesterfield gets new-look half marathon

24th May 2016

One of Chesterfield and North Derbyshire’s most prominent running events has been launched with a new look route – which promises to be flatter and faster than previous years.

Organisers of the Chesterfield Half Marathon believe that the runner-friendly route will attract more participants and elite runners from around the world.

The route changes come alongside a suspension of the full marathon for 2016, to enable organisers to focus on creating a much-improved route for the 2017 event.

Runners can now register to take part in the 2016 event, which takes place on Sunday 2 October. It will also include a fun run and a relay race, where four competitors take a share of the course over a distance of either 5km or two people over 10km each.

The charity race, which is sponsored by Chesterfield-based Drainage 2000, will once again be entirely in support of a number of local and national charities and community organisations.

Starting and finishing in Chesterfield’s Queen’s Park, the route has retained popular stretches through areas like Hasland whilst also incorporating Chatsworth Road and more of the town centre. As well as being a faster and more attractive route for runners of all abilities, the new route will allow more residents to get out onto the streets and support the runners. The route is all road-based, so fully wheelchair accessible.

As in previous years, there will also be an all-day ‘Party in the Park’ in Queen’s Park, with food, drink and entertainment for all the family. Along the route organisers are also aiming to create festival zones in areas such as Hasland and Chatsworth Road, where the Chatsworth Road festival will be taking place on the same weekend.

Mike Hyman, from the event organisers, said: “It has always been our intention for the Chesterfield Half Marathon to be a world class event that will attract runners and visitors to our town from across the UK and beyond. So that, as well as the thousands of pounds the event can generate for many charities, the Chesterfield Half Marathon also benefits the local economy, from the influx of visitors to our town who will spend their money in our shops, restaurants, bars and hotels.

“The route we have designed for this year definitely achieves our ambition. We have been working closely with the local authorities and other agencies for many months, as well as listening to runners’ and residents’ feedback to try and design an equally attractive full marathon route, but there is still more work to do to achieve the optimum route.

“In relation to the full marathon, it is a very difficult task to agree a route that is attractive enough to runners to make it commercially viable, while at the same time limits disruption to residents and satisfies all the agencies concerned, including the emergency services and Highways England. Therefore in 2016 we have decided not to hold the full marathon and instead focus on building the half marathon and the 4 X 5K team relay event.”

Drainage 2000 returns as headline sponsor for the second year. The company, which was launched in 2000, maintains drainage systems all across the UK and employs 20 people locally from its office in Old Whittington.

Entry is £30 for the half marathon, £25 per person for the 2 X 10K team relay, £15 per person for the 4 x 5K team relay and £5 for the fun run. Runners will also have the option to have their ‘chipped’ race number posted to them before race day.

To register as for the Half Marathon, team relay, fun run or as a volunteer visit www.chesterfieldmarathon.org.uk/registrations. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities, festival zone packs or getting involved in other ways contact Andrea on 01246 269023 or andrea@chesterfieldmarathon.co.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield entrepreneurs urged to kick start their business ideas

24th May 2016

Budding entrepreneurs from Chesterfield looking to be the next Sir Alan Sugar or Dragon’s Den multi-millionaire are being urged to take advantage of help to kick-start their business ideas.

A free support service, called Launchpad, has been established by Sheffield City Region’s Growth Hub as part of the package of support being offered to Chesterfield businesses through membership of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

The free help is aimed at encouraging more budding entrepreneurs to set up and run successful new businesses. The aim is to create hundreds of new businesses across the Sheffield City Region, of which Chesterfield is a part, over the next three years.

Available help includes:

Guidance and advice from start-up business advisers
Workshops and seminars on issues facing new start-up businesses
One-to-one coaching and mentoring services from successful business leaders and entrepreneurs

Councillor John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for regeneration, said: “One of the reasons why we are seeking full membership of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority is that it can deliver projects like this straight away to the benefit of Chesterfield’s new businesses and entrepreneurs.

“Chesterfield has a lower number of entrepreneurs setting up new businesses than the national average and we are keen to do everything possible to change that as successful businesses bring more jobs to the town, with the knock-on benefits that come from that for the families of the people employed.

“One of the hardest things as an entrepreneur is taking that initial gem of an idea and turning it in to something that makes a viable and successful business.

“Many great ideas have fallen by the wayside because the entrepreneurs behind them didn’t have the support and knowledge of how to sell their product or service.

“I would urge anyone thinking about setting up a business, or in the early days of doing so, to get in touch with the Launchpad programme and get the free support on offer.”

More information is available by ringing 03330 00 00 39, emailing growthhub@sheffieldcityregion.org.uk or visiting www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/services/start-up/

The £4 million programme is being delivered through the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Growth Hub, launched by the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership last month, and involves a consortium of local authorities, and the Princes Trust.

The initiative is backed financially by the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority and has attracted £2,359,613 investment from the European Regional Development Fund.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Celebrity host of 2016 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards confirmed

24th May 2016

Professional cake designer to the stars, Mich Turner MBE, has been confirmed as the celebrity host of this year’s Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards.

Founder and director of London-based Little Venice Cake Company, Mich has created cakes for Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Gordon Ramsay, David Beckham and Pierce Brosnan. Her bespoke cakes start from £2500.

As well as her high profile cakes that have been featured in films, Mich has also presented and judged Britain’s Best Bakery, one of the top five performing daytime TV shows on ITV, as well as her own Mich Turner’s Couture Cakes for Sky. In addition to her TV credits, Mich also has five international best-selling books to her name.

Delighted to be hosting the 2016 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards Mich Turner said: “I am a firm believer in using quality ingredients whether you’re creating indulgent cakes or a memorable meal. A cake, like any food or drink, should be a feast for the eyes and a memory for the palate.

“Chesterfield has a thriving food and drink sector we all have our own personal favourites. It will be wonderful to see so many businesses and individuals within the sector recognised at the awards.”

Mich will be announcing the winners of 13 awards at a glittering award ceremony which will, once again, be held in Chesterfield College’s Heart Space building. The popular awards return for the fourth year running and are organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Chesterfield College.

The winners of the Chesterfield Food and Drink awards are decided following a public nomination. People can nominate cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs and food producers online across 10 categories in the awards until midnight on Monday 13 June at www.chesterfield.co.uk/foodanddrinkawards

The 10 categories in which you can nominate in the 2016 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards include:

Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council
Café/Tea Room of the Year – sponsored by Kier
Gastro Pub of the Year – sponsored by arvato
Pub / Bar of the Year – sponsored by Custom Solar
Best Newcomer – sponsored by BHP Accountants
Best Customer Service – sponsored by East Midlands Chamber
Best Out of Town (within 10 miles of Chesterfield) – presented by Chesterfield College
Chesterfield Food Producer – sponsored by Casa Hotel
International Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by MSE Hiller
Family Friendly Award – sponsored by Jumble Design

Other supporters of the awards include the Derbyshire Times, Peak FM, Holdsworth Foods, Banner Jones, the Crooked Spire Church, Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, Central Technology Ltd, ra Information Systems, Black Eyed Susan and Reflections.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Visiting

Atomic Kitten star joins 911 frontman for Chesterfield Panto

10th May 2016

A magic carpet tale of adventure is set to touch down in Chesterfield with two multi-million selling pop stars leading the line-up of the family favourite pantomime Aladdin this Christmas at the Pomegranate Theatre.

Atomic Kitten star and Celebrity Masterchef winner Liz McClarnon, will take to the stage as the stunning Princess Jasmine, while 911 frontman and star of the stage, Lee Brennan, will take on the title role as our hero Aladdin.

Liz is best known as one third of Britain’s most successful girl group of the noughties: Atomic Kitten. The group experienced phenomenal success, going on to have 15 singles reach the top 10 in the UK, including the number 1 hits Eternal Flame, The Tide is High and their biggest selling single Whole Again which sold over a million copies in the UK alone. The girls’ popularity led to global record sales of over ten million, chart success and sell out arena tours at home and throughout Asia and even a slot to perform at Buckingham Palace in front of a TV audience of millions for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in 2002.

After the girl group went their separate ways, Liz achieved chart success in her own right, landing a top 5 hit with her version of the classic Barbara Streisand song Woman in Love, which was produced for her by Bee Gee Robin Gibb.

Away from the music world, 2008 saw Liz back on our screens for an altogether different reason – swapping microphone for apron, she embarked on a new challenge when she entered Celebrity Masterchef. Five million people regularly saw her take on everyone and every challenge put in front of her, where her natural culinary ability and hard work helped secure her the title of Celebrity Masterchef 2008!

Cooking took Liz into the world of television, leading to regular appearances on panel shows and opening doors for her as a presenter. She has hosted the National Lottery for BBC1, interviewed the hottest names in music for MTV and fronted her own series for BBC3. Not forgetting her musical roots, Liz took to the stage in the lead female role in The War of the

Worlds starring opposite Jason Donovan and hit the road in the touring production of Legally Blonde where she starred as Paulette.

Fast forward to January 2013 and Liz was back with Atomic Kitten, starring in ITV2’s huge smash hit fly on the wall documentary The Big Reunion, which documented the real life ups and downs of being part of a reunited pop band. Watched by over two million people, an arena tour followed which saw Liz and the kittens perform to over 200,000 people along with bands Five, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched, Blue, Liberty X and 911!

After joining forces for a smash hit tour of pop nostalgia, Liz is set to be reunited with fellow popstar Lee Brennan, the lead singer of hit boyband 911. Lee and the lads shot to fame with chart-topping hits such as A Night to Remember, Bodyshakin, Don’t Make Me Wait and A Little Bit More. The band’s debut album The Journey spent 17 weeks in the UK charts, was awarded a gold disc and even went 12 times platinum in Malaysia, such was their success and appeal.

Four more studio albums, including a Greatest Hits, and 14 singles kept the boys in the charts and the public eye from 1996 to 2000. As the millennium approached the hit-makers were one of just five acts in the decade to achieve 10 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK. The lads had become one of the biggest and most recognisable faces of the 90s pop scene, selling more than ten million records and playing to thousands in sell-out arena tours in the UK, and 70,000 people in Singapore alone on their tour of Asia.

Away from the group, Lee has clocked up years of experience on the stage. He has played to thousands in headline pantomime roles around the country, including four consecutive appearances as Peter Pan, and a headline role cutting loose on stage in Footloose, The Musical alongside stage star Maureen Nolan.

Liz and Lee will star in Aladdin at the Pomegranate Theatre from Friday 2 December 2016 to Tuesday 3 January 2017. Tickets are available from the Chesterfield Theatres Box Office by visiting www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/panto or by calling 01246 345 222. Further cast members will be announced soon.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting

Start-up support programme launched for Chesterfield and North Derbyshire entrepreneurs

10th May 2016

A free and comprehensive support service has been launched to help ambitious entrepreneurs set up and run successful new businesses in the Sheffield City Region.

Sheffield City Region Launchpad is a new fully inclusive and co-ordinated programme of start-up support which aims to help create hundreds of new businesses across the region over the next three years.

Through Launchpad people just starting to think about working for themselves and new business owners keen to grow their companies and create jobs can quickly access a wide range of new and existing business advice, workshops, seminars, one-to-one coaching and mentoring services.

SCR Launchpad programme manager Anna Smith said: “Launchpad has been set up to ensure that wherever entrepreneurs are based in our region, whether in the city of Sheffield, in our growing towns or in rural communities, everyone has equal access to the best quality business development support.

“Its aim is to ensure that no-one misses out on the support they need to help them set up and grow their business. Wherever they are based they can contact Launchpad and a start-up business advisor will talk through their business aims, discuss their needs and signpost them to the most appropriate support.”

Launchpad is being delivered through a collaboration of the region’s local authorities and business support organisations, led by Barnsley Council’s business support arm, Enterprising Barnsley.

Developed and delivered under the SCR Growth Hub banner, Launchpad brings together the wide range of start-up support services provided by these partners and combines them with new services being provided through the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub.

The initiative is backed financially by the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority and has attracted £2,359,613 investment from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Europe Union’s support for the region’s economic development.

Chair of the Sheffield City Region European Structural Investment Funds Sub-Committee James Newman said: “Through unprecedented collaboration across the Sheffield City Region’s local authorities and business community we have co-ordinated all our efforts to identify and support pre-start and early stage businesses with growth potential.

“Our ultimate aim is to increase economic growth and create jobs through fostering the development of new businesses across the whole region. The simple message is that if you want to set up and grow a business in the City Region you should contact Launchpad and its team of advisors can help you access a region-wide network of support.

“This is exactly the type of programme that European funding should be supporting and we expect Launchpad to become the definitive springboard for successful business start-ups in the Sheffield City Region.”

Launchpad is open to new businesses in Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, Doncaster and North East Derbyshire, Rotherham and Sheffield and offers entrepreneurs anything from access to free workshops and events to one-to-one mentoring from successful entrepreneurs and business owners. The Princes Trust will provide business support to 18-30-year-olds across South Yorkshire.

Entrepreneurs and new business owners can contact Launchpad through the SCR Growth Hub gateway on 03330 00 00 39 or growthhub@sheffieldcityregion.org.uk Visit www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk to find out more.

The Sheffield City Region (SCR) Growth Hub, through which Launchpad has been developed, is designed to be a single point of contact for all businesses across the nine local authority areas. It was launched by the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership last month.

The overall ambition of the Sheffield City Region LEP is to help create 6,000 new businesses and 70,000 new jobs by 2025, by encouraging innovation, investment and collaboration.

Similar Launchpad start-up support programmes have been established by LEPs through their Growth Hubs in other city regions across the UK.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

German investment comes to Markham Vale

9th May 2016

Markham Vale partners, Derbyshire County Council and Henry Boot Developments Ltd have recently announced another major deal bringing new jobs with the car industry giants Ferdinand Bilstein UK.

Ferdinand Bilstein UK will be moving its current distribution operations in Kent and Pontefract to a new purpose-built distribution centre. Established in Germany in 1844, the company operates worldwide producing, marketing and distributing car parts for a range of vehicle makes and models including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Land Rover and Ford.

Paul Dodgson, operations director at Ferdinand Bilstein UK (2^nd from right) said:

“We made the decision to move to Markham Vale as the development offers excellent transport links to the main motorway network, which was a key requirement of ours.

“We also required a bespoke and high-quality building to fit with the company brand and ethos, and we were confident Henry Boot Developments and Derbyshire County Council could deliver this.

“Our relocation to Markham Vale was mainly due to how close we can be to some of our biggest UK customers. We are excited to become a part of this high-profile development.”

The building of the firm’s new 224,966 square feet distribution centre started at the beginning of May and is set to be completed by December this year creating around 150 jobs initially with further opportunities to follow.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Hooch launches first ever digital only campaign #OutrageouslyRefereshing

3rd May 2016

Chesterfield headquartered Global Brands has announced a marketing first as it launches a campaign for Hooch that will air solely across digital and social media. Working with a new generation of’ digital influencers’ the brand will deliver a comedy based Outrageously Refreshing social video series that is set to reach 17 million users.

This represents a bold departure from the previous ATL focus for the fastest growing RTD brand, which won the Best TV & Cinema Campaign at The Grocer’s Marketing and Advertising Awards in 2014.

Starting on the 1^st of May, Joe Charman, Huw Samuel, Leslie Wai and Stuggy, four of the UK’s top Vine Stars, will deliver a 3 month content plan across the Instagram, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat and You Tube platforms. Their videos will see the lads in an assortment of outrageously refreshing comical moments made up of short sketches and pranks. This campaign is set to reach a huge 5.8 million people, the combined following of all 4 comedians, an industry first.

Commenting on the campaign, Hooch marketing director Simon Green said “We are excited to bring some of the UK’s freshest original talent together to entertain and grow our loyal Hooch audience. This builds on the brand’s reputation for disruptive and ‘full on’ activity.”

Huw Samuel adds “This campaign is so different to what most brands do because Hooch is investing in its social channels for a long term goal. Lots of brands want one or two videos a year while Hooch are taking care of their channel and providing their audience with entertainment on a longer and higher scale.”

More activity with Joe, Huw, Leslie and Stuggy is planned for later in the summer extending the length of the sponsorship. They have also hinted that there will be special bonus content to come on top of the planned campaign activity.

Hooch’s previous campaign set the brand high with Full on Refreshment, staring Keith Lemon, receiving fantastic response and reaching 2.8million people, including a growth of thirty thousand likes on Facebook in five months.

Posted in Business