New Chesterfield business Mitchells Corporate Agents capped its first year with a big win in the region’s foremost corporate finance awards last week.
The brand-new partnership, a collaboration between Chesterfield-based businesses Milestone Financial Planning and Mitchells Chartered Accountants, took top prize in the prestigious Insider Dealmaker Awards for its work in securing the sale of healthcare giant Heathcotes Group to partners Civitas and Envivo Group.
Michael Heath, Managing Director of Milestone Financial Planning, said of the win; “We’re incredibly proud to be taking home this award; it’s a testament to the hard work of our team over the last 18 months. We’re not new to the world of corporate finance, but our formal partnership with Mitchells is, so to gain this sort of prestige so early is a clear sign what we offer is innovative and works! “
Instruction for the sale of healthcare group Heathcotes, which has 72 healthcare facilities across the UK, was first received in March 2020 as COVID-19 reached its height, with the buyout agreed by the end of 2020.
On the sale, Tony Hornsby of Mitchells Chartered Accountants said; It has been a privilege to work with Heathcotes Group from initial incorporation, through to working alongside Milestone Financial Planning on the business sale. We are very excited regarding our collaboration with Milestone as Mitchells Corporate Agents and believe this will offer tailored solutions and guidance to owners looking for similar business exits.”
The Insider Sheffield City Region Dealmaker Awards were held on 7th October at Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel to celebrate expertise, leadership and innovation from across the corporate finance community.
Milestone Financial Planning and Mitchells Chartered Accountants support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Green-fingered residents in Chesterfield have been busy brightening up communal gardens – creating attractive places that they can enjoy together.
Throughout lockdown, keen gardeners living in Chesterfield Borough Council’s older persons housing schemes have come together to work on a number of projects that not only brighten up the gardens, but also help bring the community together after a difficult time for many.
Residents living at Markham Court – home to a number of avid gardeners – have gone all out after returning to their homes following the recent refurbishment project and the garden is now blooming with colour and ornaments. New vegetable plots have also been planted and the residents are growing produce in the greenhouse.
At Brocklehurst Court, the council has helped to install a greenhouse at the request of residents to allow them to grow their own produce to share with neighbours. This project will also provide residents to come together and socialise as well as provide a valuable respite activity for residents who are also carers.
New outdoor furniture has also been introduced to the courtyard at Brocklehurst Court, giving residents further opportunities to get together and enjoy the outdoor space.
Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “The past 18 months has been incredibly difficult for many people and due to the COVID-19 restrictions, residents living in our older persons housing schemes have not been able to get together as much as they have in previous years.
“Many people have experienced loneliness and social isolation throughout the pandemic, so we’re really happy that we could help the tenants with these projects and create outdoor spaces for them to enjoy. I’m really proud of our teams that have helped our tenants on these projects.
“Projects such as these not only help brighten up the outdoor areas, but they also provide an opportunity for our tenants to come together and get to know their neighbours. It helps create a really sense of community spirit.
“A number of our residents are already well-established gardeners but it’s been great to see even more residents get the gardening bug during lockdown and discover a new hobby.”
Organisers of this year’s Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k race have confirmed road closures for the event, which takes place this Sunday, 17th October.
The route starts and finishes in Queens Park and will be centered on the heart of Chesterfield, taking in major landmarks such as the town’s famous crooked spire. It will also feature service and cheer stations on the course and will have a later 10am start.
Runners can sign up to the City Taxis Fun Run on the day at the Race Information Point in Queens Park.
In accordance with traffic authority regulations for Derbyshire County Council, an order has been made prohibiting and restricting the use of certain roads and road junctions by vehicles in order to facilitate the safe holding of the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K.
The event will require the closure of roads and road junctions, car parking restrictions as well as the suspension of a number of Traffic Regulation Orders between 07:00 until 13:00 on Sunday 17th October 2021.
Meanwhile, event organisers are set to launch the Pronto Paints Schools Wellbeing Challenge 2021 on Friday 15 October.
School children from across Chesterfield are set to take part in the event at Queen’s Park which promotes health and wellbeing among young people in our area.
Daniel Thompson, Head of Physical Education at Brookfield Community School, one of the schools taking part, said: “As a community school, when we were given the opportunity to be part of the first ever running festival to link with the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K, we did not hesitate.
“We are excited to be able to give our students the chance to participate in an event that not only challenges them, but is great for their health and well-being. The fact that it is supporting such a worthwhile charitable event that such as the Chesterfield 10K that lots of our school community will be engaging in is even more reason to take part. MLS have been amazing in the support they have provided and in setting up. I can’t thank them enough.”
David Beckford, Managing Director of Pronto Paints, added: “We are very proud to sponsor this event. Anything which encourages children to focus on exercise and wellbeing is fantastic.
“In addition to this event, we are headline sponsors of the Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge, which is a great way for local businesses to join together and raise money for local charities.
“We are hoping to make the schools challenge an annual event and hopefully it will even bigger and better next year.”
Young people, schools or other organisations in Chesterfield can now apply for grants to help them develop their music making.
Thanks to a bequest from a local resident, Derbyshire County Council is offering individual grants of £500 for those aged 5 to 18, and grants of £2,000 for schools and other organisations for those living in Chesterfield.
The money can help to support any kind of music maker either to buy equipment or pay for lessons or other support required. It can help pay for support which will nurture a young person’s musical talent, or can fund music-related trips or visits.
The County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Alex Dale, said: “This generous bequest from a local resident means that we can offer grants to help our young people continue to make the sort of music they love.
“It also means that schools and other organisations can apply for funding to help them further develop their student’s music education, and maybe pay for visits that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to go on.
“I’d urge schools and families in the Chesterfield area to look really carefully at this grant scheme and to apply if they think they are eligible.”
Applications are welcome from or on behalf of anyone aged 5 to 18, or by schools or other providers of music activities to fund projects to further develop young musicians.
Applicants must reside or go to school in the Chesterfield area or live in Derbyshire and the organisation they attend must provide regular activities to young people in Chesterfield
Organisations or shcools must provide regular activities to young musicians in the Chesterfield area.
Principal and Chief Executive of The Chesterfield College Group, Julie Richards, has welcomed the news that the Government plans to extend the apprenticeship incentive and Kickstart schemes.
Following Rishi Sunak’s announcement last week, she has pledged to continue to help and support employers in the area who wish to take advantage of the incentives available before they end in 2022.
Since the incentive schemes were announced last year, as part of the Government’s Covid recovery plans, the college has supported over 300 employers to access bonus payments of up to £4,000 to recruit almost 400 apprentices.
Speaking about how the college was best placed to help more local employers take advantage of the incentives, Julie Richards said:
“Apprenticeships have always offered a fantastic opportunity to fill skills gaps and develop people. The bonus payment is designed to help employers feel more secure in their ability to cover the cost of recruiting an apprentice. Apprenticeships provide our young people with specific opportunities to develop their skills and secure meaningful employment which supports their financial independence and prepares them for adult life and a successful career.”
“As a local college we are committed to matching the needs of employers with the skills and talents of young people. I urge employers to contact the college to understand how the scheme may work for them. Our team are experts in supporting employers to develop a programme of skills development which will have long lasting benefits both for them and the local economy.”
The experienced team are helping organisations, large and small across Derbyshire and the East Midlands, to find the best candidates for their apprenticeship vacancies. They have a talent pool of students and applicants ready to find their next step in the world of work and are supporting businesses to navigate the recruitment process to secure their new apprentice.
Matt Cryans, Director at Crytec Ltd, a company based in Clay Cross, which sells machinery for construction, forestry and manual handling, told us about his experience of recruiting his first apprentice and making the most of the incentive scheme with the support of the college.
He said: “The scheme covers a decent proportion of an apprentice’s wages so it gives you confidence to recruit. The extra funding certainly helps you to make the move to grow the team when things feel a bit uncertain. The team at college made it easy to apply for the funding and supported me through the steps of taking on an apprentice.”
Community and voluntary sector groups and organisations in Chesterfield are being encouraged to take advantage of funding, enabling them to play a key role in improving the health and wellbeing of Derbyshire residents during the ongoing pandemic.
The Covid-19 Community Response Fund allows formally constituted organisations to apply for a maximum of £2,000, while non-constituted organisations can apply for up to £250.
An extra £50,000 was allocated to groups in Derbyshire through the fund back in June 2021, with a total of more than £185,000 awarded to a diverse range of Derbyshire organisations including parents’ associations, ethnic minority groups, older people’s charities and churches so far.
Cllr Carol Hart, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for health and communities said: “The response to the pandemic has seen many organisations across Derbyshire working tirelessly to ensure the basic needs of the most vulnerable residents are met.
“The COVID-19 fund was set up to ensure that community and voluntary organisations had enough resource to carry on with their vital work.
“This additional funding will enable more groups to carry out work within their local communities. We’ve already seen some amazing work being carried out including food parcels for vulnerable people, a community café being set up and support for students.”
The closing date for groups to bid for funding is 31st March 2022, however local authorities in our area are urging them to get their applications in as soon as possible in order to avoid missing out.
Applications must be linked to an existing Public Health programme, for example to support mental health and emotional wellbeing or to tackle social isolation.
There are currently plenty of other ongoing support schemes for local business and organisations across Chesterfield, including the Chesterfield Digital High Street initiative, along with the Vision Derbyshire Business start-up support scheme.
Chesterfield-based manufacturing and engineering firm, Weightron Bilanciai has announced a further addition to the firm’s apprenticeship programme with the hiring of a new Fabricator Welder.
As there is a generational skills gap appearing, Weightron has taken the decision to expand its scope of apprenticeships into the manufacturing section of its business, providing future skilled workers for its expanding business operation.
The latest recruit to the company, 19-year-old Kai Pollard, said: “Before I joined Weightron I studied Henry Fanshaw School in Dronfield. Outside from my job I have a real passion for Mountain Biking and Hip-Hop music.
“I chose to go down the apprenticeship route as I really enjoy fabricating steel products and seeing the transition of raw materials into a finished product that can be utilized in real life scenarios.
“Weightron Bilanciai are providing me with training, support, and skills I require to undertake the challenge of becoming a qualified fabricator. The reason I choose to join Weightron was the scope to work on, and learn to understand large scale fabrication, broadening my horizons in the field of fabrication.
Kai also had a message for other young people in the area wondering what their next steps are with regards to their future careers: “I would highly recommend doing an apprenticeship to any young person searching for a job.
“I love the hands-on approach that my apprenticeship is giving me, Weightron are providing me an environment where I can learn and obtain formal qualifications whilst earning and gaining vital life experiences.”
You can find out more about Chesterfield’s innovative skills and employability offer, and find out about the wide range of career opportunities available in the town by heading over to our My Future and Apprentice Town pages.
Weightron Bilanciai supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Ashgate Hospicecare has released three ‘emotionally charged’ videos reuniting its staff with the relatives of patients they cared for in their final days.
The videos, released during Hospice Care Week (4th – 8th October) and filmed in the hospice gardens, reveal the crucial support patients and their families received from Ashgate and how its staff care not just for its patients but for their families and loved ones too.
One of those people is 38-year-old Simon Birley from Clowne, who in October 2020, married his wife Lindsay in a special ceremony at the hospice where Lindsay was being cared for in Ashgate’s Inpatient Unit. Tragically, Lindsay died just one month later.
Simon said: “Throughout her short illness, she never once complained; it’s just awful that one minute we’d just welcomed our son Isaac into the world and were so happy, the next thing life comes crashing to pieces. All we ever wanted was our own family, and then cancer took it away from us.
“I’m just so grateful that Ashgate was able to be there for us all. Lindsay was so comfortable here and they did everything they could to offer the best care possible.
“She loved all the people that came around and supported her. She truly loved Ashgate and was so thankful that a place like the hospice existed.”
Simon breaks down in tears when he is reunited with Ashgate’s Ward Manager, Karen Walker, who supported the couple on their special day.
He adds: “Karen is just an amazing person. It’s hard to put into words the difference that somebody has made. When my life had been shattered and I was seeing my loved one changing due to the disease, Karen was there to support us all.
“On the wedding day, Karen was there to support Lindsay and having her there made us much more relaxed, she helped make our wedding day go as well as it possibly could have. Without her and everyone else at Ashgate, we wouldn’t have been able to get married.
“I look up to Karen as someone who made a positive impact on my life, and I’ll be forever thankful for that.”
In another video, 61-year-old Sheryle Scott, from Sheffield, pays tribute to Helen Harrison, an Ashgate Community Nurse Specialist who cared for her brother Mark Coley at home after he was diagnosed with MND.
Sheryle said: “Without Helen, I don’t know what we would’ve done. We felt like we’d known her all our lives.
“With Helen, her patients must all feel the same way, we felt that we were the only patients she had.
“She just pulled everything together for us in a matter of days. I could phone her whenever I liked, even during the lockdown it was never a problem.
“Helen became such a big part of our life and I’m so grateful for everything she did for Mark and our family. She just never stopped caring.”
In the final video, Graham Matthews, from Killamarsh, returns to Ashgate to reunite with Lucy, the physiotherapist who “helped to extend the life” of his wife Diane, who was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy, a rare degenerative neurological condition similar to Motor Neurone Disease.
Graham said: “We were so worried about how life would end for Diane, but fortunately, thanks to the support of everyone at Ashgate, it was very peaceful for her.
“Lucy was a big part of Diane’s life towards the end. She helped make a terrible situation much brighter and more cheerful.
“I remember when she couldn’t even stand up or get her head up, but through Lucy’s hard work Diane managed to get her head back up and even stood up a couple of times.”
The charity, which provides specialist end-of-life care to patients with complex palliative care needs across North Derbyshire, hopes the videos will provide an insight into the care and support they offer and raise awareness of their services.
Hayley Wardle, Director of Quality and Patient Care at Ashgate, said: “Hospice Care Week is all about raising awareness and challenging perceptions of hospice care. These videos help to do just that by highlighting the lasting impact that good quality hospice care can have.
“The stories shared in these videos are incredibly emotional and I feel a deep sense of pride that Ashgate was able to support those families when they needed us most.
“Our hope is these videos will help explain in a bit more detail the support we provide not just to our patients but to their families and loved ones too by bringing the reality of what we are all about straight into people’s homes.”
To watch the videos, go to: www.youtube.com/user/ashgatehospice or to donate visit www.ashgatehospicecare.org.uk/donation
Ashgate Hospicecare supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
The East Midlands economy is continuing to grow in response to lockdown restrictions being eased – but there are warning signs ahead, according to the latest research by East Midlands Chamber.
The Quarterly Economic Survey for Q3 2021 by the region’s leading business representation group shows improvements across most indicators, including sales, cashflow, employment and investment intentions.
But East Midlands firms also reported issues with price pressures and access to required skills to fill job vacancies.
More than 400 businesses across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire took part in the survey between 23 August and 14 September.
East Midlands Chamber QES Q3 2021 data
Key findings from the survey for the East Midlands* included:
UK sales increased for a net 37% of businesses, while advanced orders were up for a net 36%
Overseas business activity lagged behind domestic but remained positive, with overseas sales rising for a net 8% of businesses and advanced orders rising 6% – although the projection is down by 5% compared to the Q2 forecast
A net 25% of organisations increased their labour force in the previous three months, while a net 38% expect to grow it over the next three months
After five consecutive quarters in which cashflow had been down for the majority of firms, it has now been positive in the past two quarters, with a net 15% of businesses reporting they had more access to cash in Q3
Investment intentions are positive, with a net 26% expecting to spend on training people, and a net 16% on machinery and equipment
A net 63% of businesses are confident their turnover will improve over the coming quarter, while a net 37% believe profitability will increase
A net 46% of businesses said they were concerned about future price increases
Two-thirds (67%) of companies attempted recruitment in the previous quarter and, of these, 71% said they faced problems with hiring the right people
East Midlands Chamber director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson said: “The top-level results show a mixed picture that hides a number of variables at play in the East Midlands economy.
“Cashflow continues to improve for more businesses than not, training investment intentions are positive and overall confidence in future turnover continues its upward trajectory.
“As the economy continues its reopening after a successful vaccine rollout, the pent-up demand that characterised much of the summer remains a positive factor.
“But there are also a few of areas of concern. Price pressures continue to come from increased raw material costs, pay settlements and, increasingly, energy costs.
“This has knock-on effects, with investment in machinery and equipment growth – an important ingredient in fuelling a recovery – falling back slightly on the previous quarter.
“Performance in overseas markets remains volatile and, while turnover confidence has grown from Q2, confidence in increased profitability has fallen back, a result of squeezed margins.
“Recruitment is also a growing problem, with over seven in 10 struggling to fill vacancies across all skills levels.”
‘There’s still much that we don’t yet fully understand’
The State of the Economy Index – a measure of the region’s economic health compiled by aggregating various indicators – reached its highest level since Q3 2018 in the previous quarter.
It again rose in Q3 2021, albeit only slightly, as other issues have arose in recent months related to supply chain issues, skills challenges and additional taxation in the form of a health and social care levy that increases the burden for both employers and employees.
“There’s still much that we don’t yet fully understand,” added Chris. “There are many factors at play in shaping current challenges for businesses – the impact of policy responses to the pandemic on the recovery, changes in individual approaches to work expectations, structural changes to supply chain operations and immigration rules as a result of Brexit, and global shortages as the whole world looks to bounce back, to name but a few.
“The balance of influence of these different factors, some which are temporary and others that may be longer term, is still being unpicked. As we learn more over the coming months, we’ll have a better idea of whether they are flies in the ointment or something more fundamental.
“There is also trepidation ahead of the 27 October Autumn Statement, where we’ll find out more about how Government plans to tackle supporting the economy over the next period and the balance between tax and spend.
“Regardless, the coming months will be instructive as to what shape the recovery will take. As we learn more about which challenges are going to be longer term, it’s important that policy responds to this appropriately and doesn’t get distracted with temporary issues the market can take care of itself.”
The success of the recent landmark buyout of Heathcotes Group by partners Civitas and Envivo Group has led to new opportunities, and awards, for the financial brains behind the deal.
This brand-new partnership, Mitchells Corporate Agents, is already in line for their first award, being shortlisted in Sheffield City Region’s Dealmaker Awards later this week. And in the words of Milestone Financial Planning’s MD Michael Heath, this is just the beginning.
Michael said: “It’s great to be shortlisted for this award, but more than that, we’re so pleased to be taking our collaboration with Mitchells to the next level. Together, we take the time to get to know our clients so we can protect them from the complex nature of a business sale, it’s what makes Mitchells Corporate Agents so different from our large-scale competitors.“
Instruction for the sale of healthcare group Heathcotes, which has 72 healthcare facilities located across the UK, including here in Chesterfield, was first received in March 2020 as COVID-19 reached its height, with the buyout agreed by the end of 2020.
On the sale, Tony Hornsby of Mitchells Chartered Accountants said. “It has been a privilege to work with Heathcotes Group from initial incorporation, through to working alongside Milestone Financial Planning on the business sale. We are very excited regarding our collaboration with Milestone as Mitchells Corporate Agents and believe this will offer tailored solutions and guidance to owners looking for similar business exits.”
The Insider Sheffield City Regional Dealmaker Awards are being held this Thursday, 7 October at Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel and celebrate the top dealmakers in the region, recognising expertise, leadership and innovation in banking, funding, legal and accountancy.
Milestone Financial Planning, Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Heathcotes Group support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Strictly star and breakfast TV presenter Mike Bushell will be heading to Chesterfield on Wednesday 20 October.
A familiar face on weekday and Saturday morning breakfast TV, sports presenter Mike will host the town’s brand-new Love Chesterfield Awards at the Winding Wheel Theatre.
As well as presenting, Mike also holds the record for trying 560 different sports and activities, including ballroom dancing.
In 2019, he traded the TV newsroom for the ballroom and participated in Series 17 of Strictly Come Dancing where he was the seventh contestant to be eliminated.
He’ll be taking to the stage once again at the Winding Wheel Theatre later this month to announce the winners of the Love Chesterfield Awards. A total of 48 businesses and individuals have been shortlisted across 16 categories.
Organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management, the sell-out Love Chesterfield Awards will celebrate the best of the town’s food and drink and retail businesses, entrepreneurs, regeneration projects, contribution to the local community, apprenticeships and sustainability.
Prior to moving into broadcasting in 1990, Mike was a journalist on the Derby Evening Telegraph so is familiar with Chesterfield.
Looking forward to hosting the 2021 Love Chesterfield Awards, Mike Bushell commented: “I’ve always loved coming to Chesterfield and the beautiful Derbyshire Dales and countryside around. The Spire, the old market town charm and the football club which I came to for a live BBC Breakfast broadcast in 2020 as football was trying to cope with the pandemic. I worked on the Derby Evening Telegraph in my early journalism days and so got to know the area well and am very excited about celebrating the success and champions in this gem of a town.”
Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield added: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Mike to Chesterfield. We’re all delighted to have been able to secure such a high profile presenter for the awards. It only adds to the excitement of holding our first in person awards in two years.”
Peter Currey, Managing Director at Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management added: “It’s been great to be involved with the run up to the Love Chesterfield Awards. It will be brilliant to see so many local businesses getting recognition for their hard work and effort that is put into delivering their products and services.”
The 2021 Love Chesterfield Awards are supported and made possible by a number of sponsors and partners, including: Addooco IT, Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Accountants, Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Digital High Street, CMP Legal, The Chesterfield College Group, DBC Training, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management, Evoluted, Greatest Hits Radio South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety Solutions, MSE Hiller, Peak Pharmacy, Reflections Magazine, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Spirecross Ltd and Van Dyk by Wildes.
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