About Chesterfield

Music students at Chesterfield College boost their skills thanks to partnership with local venue

Music students from Chesterfield College have been given a fantastic opportunity to develop a range of skills to boost their industry knowledge and experiences.

Thanks to funding from DANCOP (Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Outreach Programme), the college has been able to partner with Real Time Live, Chesterfield’s successful dedicated live music venue. The funding has allowed students to access additional lessons to play specific instruments and develop vocals, as well as to learn more about stagecraft and stage production.

Real Time Live has provided a performance space and expert music tuition. This has helped students to develop the skills they need to move on to further study at college and university, and to develop a career in the industry. After months of learning online, and not having the opportunity to get on stage due to national lockdowns, the partnership is perfectly timed.

Abbie Greenwood, Level 3 Music student from Chesterfield College said her vocal lessons have helped her to learn about different music styles. She told us why working at Real Time Live has been so important. She said:
“Getting the experience of playing in a real venue rather than in a classroom progresses your musical ability. Having the opportunity to get into a venue to practice on stage when everywhere else is closed is just great.”

Niki and Mark Stevenson, owners of Real Time Live, have spent the last 27 years developing and supporting musical talent in the town. They see the project with the college as an extension to their reach into the community. Not only does the venue host a wide variety of live music gigs and events, covering all genres from rock and blues to metal, ska, pop and retro nights, the Real Time Live team also teaches a variety of music lessons for aspiring performers. They told us why it is important for anyone with a passion for a career in music to develop the right skills.

Niki said: “It is really important for up and coming musicians and anyone who wants to work in the music industry to get practice in a venue like this. The demands of the industry mean if you want a career in it you need to be all things to all people. Musicians need to look like the people they are representing. They need stagecraft to be able to connect with the audience and the technical skills to do some of the sound engineering they need. The stage we have is a perfect place to develop that for students.”

Mark added: “For years we have offered music lessons to many people every week. We have made sure everyone is included no matter what their ability or reason for wanting to play. It has gone hand in hand with the different aspects of the business over the years. We have had to diversify the live venue side of what we do over the last 16 months but with funding from the Arts Council and the Recovery Fund we feel like we have been recognised for what we bring to the area. We like the place to be in use and to hear music being played. Being involved with the college goes hand in hand with that, and long may it continue.”

Chesterfield College supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Headline sponsor announced for Chesterfield Pride

Chesterfield Borough Council has been announced as the headline sponsor of this summer’s Chesterfield Pride event.

The council has teamed up with organisers to help resource the flagship annual event which celebrates and supports the local LGBTQ+ community.

Chesterfield Pride is now due to take centre stage at Stand Road Park on 22 August – postponed from the previously planned 18 July date following the Government’s extension of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions last week.

The strengthened partnership is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to support Chesterfield’s LGBTQ+ community, while helping this iconic celebration to make a welcome and sustained return to the borough’s summer events programme following its cancellation in 2020.

Organisers are working with the council to ensure that all necessary Covid-19 safety measures are in place at the open-air venue, which will be a ticket-only event.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re proud to step forward as the headline sponsors for this flagship annual event, which gives everyone the chance to celebrate and support our LGBTQ+ community.

“Chesterfield Pride is a key event within our annual events programme and one which sends a very clear message – here in Chesterfield, we stand together as one community to celebrate the diversity of our borough with pride. This is an event for everyone to enjoy, and it promises to be a positive and fun-filled day.

“Unfortunately the date has had to be pushed back slightly due to the recent extension of Covid-19 restrictions, but we are committed to working with the organisers to make sure Chesterfield Pride returns to Stand Road Park even bigger and better than before, with a particular emphasis this year on ensuring that we keep everyone safe.”

Family-friendly music and comedy acts will feature on the council-sponsored Main Stage, with entertainment running on Sunday 22 August.

There will also be a cabaret stage, fairground rides and a variety of stalls hosted by local organisations as part of the day’s line-up.

Dan Walker, Chesterfield Pride organiser, said: “We are excited to announce a closer working partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council. We both share the same goals to drive the event forward and make it a safe and enjoyable event not just for the LGBTQ+ community but for the wider community too.

“Chesterfield Pride has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2015 and this new partnership will mean it can now grow and become even more successful.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Stand Road Park on 22 August for what promises to be another fantastic Pride event.”

The council has provided £5,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy, part of which is available to support grassroots projects and events, and £3,000 from the council’s Covid-19 recovery fund.

For more information about the event, or to buy tickets, please visit www.chesterfieldpride.co.uk or search ‘Chesterfield Pride’ on Facebook.

Chesterfield Pride Sponsor

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Chesterfield businesses encouraged to take up free membership of crime-fighting partnership

Chesterfield businesses can now access free membership of crime-fighting partnership run by East Midlands Chamber and Derbyshire PCC after funding from Chesterfield Borough Council.

Up to 2,000 businesses in Chesterfield and Staveley can now sign up for free to an East Midlands Chamber-run scheme that helps to reduce town centre crime and anti-social behaviour – as new figures show the cost of crime is rising for retailers.

Starting this month, retailers, hospitality venues and other companies can access Disc, an online crime information-sharing system that connects businesses with local police forces, as part of the Derbyshire Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP).

The BCRP, which is run in partnership with Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster, secured funding from Chesterfield Borough Council to roll out the scheme, which usually costs up to £100 to join, at no cost for the first 12 months in a bid to maximise its effectiveness by encouraging more businesses to join the 80 current members.

It follows the launch of the Love Chesterfield campaign by the council and Destination Chesterfield last month to support the town’s retail, hospitality and leisure sectors as national lockdown eases.

Jackie Roberts, BCRP manager at the Chamber, said: “Businesses in town and city centres have struggled during the pandemic and crime will only make this worse, so it’s important to have a safe town centre to attract people back after lockdown.

“The Disc portal is an integral part of crime reduction strategies as it makes it so much easier for businesses to share intelligence about incidents and offender images between members, police, community safety officers and other partners such as the BCRP team.

“We’ve had a lot of reports during lockdown because police resources have been really stretched due to Covid, so the BCRP fills the gap where police can’t deal with petty crime.

“By working with local authorities such as Chesterfield Borough Council, we’re delighted to offer this scheme for free to businesses in order to make them more resilient – a key theme during the post-Covid economic recovery.”

New Derbyshire PCC and Chesterfield Borough Council support BCRP

The British Retail Consortium’s 2021 Retail Crime Survey, published last week, found there were 455 violent or abusive incidents towards staff per day nationally in 2019/20 – up 7% from the previous year.

The total cost of crime has also risen from £700m in 2016/17 to £1.3bn in 2019/20 – with customer theft the most significant, costing companies £935m – while the cost to retailers of crime and crime prevention was £2.5bn last year, an increase of 14% on the previous 12-month period.

Councillor Dean Collins, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, said: “This project will help strengthen the link between business and the police, which in turn will help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in our town to encourage more people to visit Chesterfield and give local businesses the boost they need.

“I want to encourage every local business to sign up to this programme because I believe it will be a positive step for our town. It shows how we can work together to build a thriving borough.”

Benefits of widening BCRP for gathering intelligence

Jackie added: “The hope is that by signing up businesses for the first year, they will be able to see the benefits of continuing with the scheme thereafter.

“The more businesses that are involved in the BCRP scheme and sharing information, the stronger it will be – and the better the area will be as a result.

“Councils and regeneration teams are placing crime reduction high on the agenda in order to bring back footfall into their towns.

“It also removes barriers to reporting crime as the Disc system automatically notifies the police when an incident is logged, while police are able to input feedback so businesses can follow what happens to offenders.”

Anyone interested in discussing how to get involved with the Derbyshire Business Crime Reduction Partnership can email jackie.roberts@emc-dnl.co.uk.

Chesterfield derbyshire World Mental Health Day 2019

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DVA funding helps people feel connected

Funding from a project aiming to break down the barriers around ‘social connectedness’ to stop people from feeling lonely and isolated is helping a number of organisations across Derbyshire.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action (DVA) recently launched the Feeling Connected Fund, which funds work in the community across North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield to help people stop feeling disconnected from others.

The aims of the project are to raise the profile of the benefits of being socially connected, raise awareness of existing services that support social connectedness and identify interventions, initiatives, and activities to assist people to feel socially connected.

One organisation to receive Feeling Connected funding is the Derbyshire Education Business Partnership (DEBP), which specialises in supporting the aspirational decision making of young people to shape their future, helping them to fulfil their potential.

DEBP, which works with vulnerable young adults and young people up to the age of 19 – or 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), received more than £4,000 from the Feeling Connected Fund.

Thanks to the funding, the ‘Let’s Get Creative’ project was set up to support young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. It provides the opportunity to link up with businesses and organisations in the creative sector, giving them an insight into what it’s like to work in that environment and meet other young people with shared interests.

The group of learners have undertaken a range of activities to learn about a variety of aspects within the creative sector. They have been able to spend time at Chesterfield College which is hoped will help them transition into further education – a move that can be very challenging. The group are utilising their skills in developing an interactive app and this includes the creation of soundscapes.

Clare Talati, director of DEBP, said: “During the pandemic, we saw a huge increase in young people with additional needs feeling isolated because they are often not catered for by mainstream provision. Most of their peer network and social interaction is at school, so when the schools closed last year it had a huge impact.

“We recognised an opportunity to provide young people with the chance to utilise, develop and showcase their skills, allowing them to progress positively and enhance their experiences – people with SEND are often an unrecognised talent pool. Thanks to the funding from the Feeling Connected project, we have been able to collaborate with Kakou, a local organisation specialising in inclusive technologies and Chesterfield College’s Digital, Media and Graphics department, to deliver ‘Let’s Get Creative’, which is achieving just that.

“It’s been such a fantastic experience for the young people involved and what is clear is that participants are getting a huge level of satisfaction from this initiative. It is enabling each of the young people to create a bigger peer network and giving them the opportunity to interact with new people in different ways, which is proving extremely beneficial.

“Without the funding this project wouldn’t have been possible, so a huge thank you to DVA for all their support, as well as all the other partner organisations we’ve worked with who have supported us in delivering it.”

Delivery of the project also coincides with the Marmalade Trust’s Loneliness Awareness Week, which is taking place from 14 – 21 June. The week aims to get people talking about loneliness and reduce the stigma around it, accepting that is does exist but looking at ways to help.
A total of six organisations have benefitted from the support of the Feeling Connected Fund, including Ashgate Hospice, EMH Care and Support and St Thomas Church, Brampton.

The Feeling Connected project is a multi-agency Health and Wellbeing Partnership project, led by DVA.

DVA, which has created a network of more than 300 organisations with the aim of making the voluntary sector stronger and more joined up, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year after forming in 1991.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action and DEBP support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Spireites supporters beat other clubs to the top of the table in sustainability initiative

Chesterfield FC fans have lifted the Planet Super League Spring Season Trophy, with a clean sweep of wins across all 11 matches this season.

The unique football tournament sees fans score goals for their club by completing planet-protecting activities like having a meat-free meal, using the car less and even taking cold showers.

Chesterfield FC fans put in an incredible effort over the 11-week tournament, racking up 33 points and beating 23 other clubs to the title. Fans have a perfect record for the season, winning all 11 matches including victories against West Bromwich Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and MK Dons.

Chesterfield fans completed 1,793 activities over the season, saving 1,761 kg CO2. The Planet Super League trophy will be placed in their trophy cabinet at the stadium.

Keith Jackson, Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s head of sports and activities, commented: “We have always known we have the best fans in Britain, and now we have seen it in action. The commitment from fans to make positive environmental efforts in the name of the club is incredible. We will proudly display the trophy at the Technique Stadium, but this really belongs to our fans.’

Emma Tooley-Browns, one of the Chesterfield FC supporting families who helped them win the title – commented: “We have had a brilliant time taking part in Planet Super League. It’s provided loads of fun for the family and helped make the planet greener.

“We now use environmentally-friendly washing capsules, take more notice of the nature around us and we will continue to enjoy our screen-free evenings. We can’t wait to participate next year.”

A total of 24 clubs and 8,000 people took part in Planet Super League’s spring season, completing over 17,900 activities, saving 56,057 kg CO2, the equivalent to planting 3,203 trees.

Planet Super League made taking climate action fun and rewarding through 60 covid-safe, planet-protecting activities, which were available for fans to complete. These ranged from practical measures like having a meat-free meal, a screen-free evening or switching to green energy to creative tasks like making a bug stadium or writing a short Jamie Johnson story.

Planet Super League co-founder Tom Gribbin commented: “We are proud to see how our spring season, with a host of new activities and a larger format, has resonated with fan families.

“We are continuing to grow, innovate and evolve our model to make it more and more impactful, with big things to come. Huge thanks to our participants who are literally making the world a better place through their efforts.”

Planet Super League’s summer season kicks off on June 14 with 60 summer activities for fans and 33 clubs taking part. Newcomers include Arsenal, Leeds, Ipswich and Chelsea FC. Recruitment is taking place already across the UK. You can represent your club and play for the planet by signing up and playing for free at planetsuperleague.com.

You’ll be able to hear more about the Spireites’ Planet Super League win on the next episode of The Chesterfield Show podcast, set to be launched on Spotify on Friday, 25th June.

Chesterfield FC supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Leverton UK launches charity drive urging fellow businesses to donate defibrillators

A Chesterfield business is urging other local companies to come together as part of efforts to increase the number of defibrillators available in the area.

Leverton UK has launched the #donateadefib campaign in order to ensure the devices are installed at community spaces and sporting venues across Chesterfield and Derbyshire.

It follows the incident which took place in the European Football Championship match, in which Danish player Christian Eriksen required urgent medical attention after collapsing on the pitch.

Marcus Leverton, Director of Leverton UK said: “The majority of the world’s football lovers stood in shock at the weekend as we watched an incredible footballer, an elite athlete in exceptional physical condition, stumble and fall to the ground as the result of a cardiac arrest. Aged just 29, Christian Eriksen loved by millions suddenly was fighting for his life.

“The quick actions of his teammates, the medical staff on hand and the right type of emergency equipment are undoubtedly the reason he is now recovering in hospital.

“I was sat in my kitchen working on my laptop with the TV on in the background and my wife beside me as we watched the situation unfold, his teammate administering cardio massage and the crowd, the commentators and the world watching in total shock.

“I am a father of two boys, Harry (13) and Samuel (9) who live for football. My boys came in to the room with lots of questions clearly as disturbed as we were at the situation unfolding and it sent my mind in to a spin.

“What would happen if we were at training or had a match at the Avenue, home ground to the Wingerworth Junior Sports Association (WJSA) and a player or a parent suffered a heart attack? Or even a passer by walking through the country park?

“I talked to my fellow Directors at Leverton UK; Tony, Allyson and Mandi, and we agreed that we would provide a defibrillator and secure box to be located near the pitches, to be there just in case.”

The call has been echoed by Darren Parkinson, Chesterfield Football Club’s Activity Officer and WJSA Chairman and Under 14’s Coach in a recent social media post:

Marcus continued: “While it is a truly rare occurrence for a young player to suffer with a heart attack, each player has parents, guardians, brothers, sisters and grandparents who love to watch them play, and unfortunately this increases the chances of this situation becoming a reality.

“While we hope that this defibrillator is never required, we understand and have seen first-hand with Christian that access to equipment such as this can be the difference between life and death, and perhaps other local companies will follow suit and help other local grass roots clubs.

“As a company, personally and as a family we support many local and national charitable causes. It is important that if you are in a position where you can help others, that you do!”

Leverton UK supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield Pride set to go ahead this August

Organisers of Chesterfield Pride have confirmed the festival is still set to return in 2021, despite an extension of government restrictions meaning the event cannot take place in July.

Due to a change in the planned lifting of restrictions the event has now moved to August 22nd 2021.

Chesterfield Pride is one of the biggest and best attended Pride events in the region, with 2019 seeing over 6000 attending the LGBTQ+ celebration.

Once again, a whole host of exciting acts have been announced on the line-up.

The Main Stage will see an array of amazing talent including Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, Kelly Wilde and Black Lace.

Organisers are excited to announce the return of our Cabaret Stage which will see a host of local artists perform including Rachael Webster, Yesterday’s Gone, HBBRD and Andrew Warner. The cabaret stage will also see some amazing drag performances from KY Kelly, Jackie Love, Donna Trump and star of Ru Paul’s Drag Race Joe Black.

More acts are set to be announced for the festival soon.

The event will also see a market area packed with stalls, food outlets, bar area and VIP area which this year is having a makeover thanks to sponsors, Van Dyk Hotel. The event is held at Stand Road Park on Sunday August 22nd and is open to everyone.

This event will be subject to covid restrictions at the time, with the safety of attendees being the priority. The event will only go ahead if it is safe to do so.

Traders can still book stalls for the event, although there is limited space left available. To book a stall, email chesterfieldpride@hotmail.com

More information, including how to purchase your ticket for the event can be found over on our events page here.

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Nominations open for Derbyshire Times Business Excellence Awards

The Derbyshire Times is celebrating the very best in business across the county, with the launch of this year’s  business excellence awards.

The awards have been running for over a decade, highlighting and honouring our amazing local firms – and the people that work for them.

Phil Bramley, editor of the Derbyshire Times, said: “The dynamics of many of our businesses have changed over the past 18 months. Every organisation has had to pivot, adapt, collaborate or change the way they were doing things and we want to celebrate them.

“We’ve made a few changes to our awards categories and we won’t be asking for any financial evidence this year.

“For the first time we also have the opportunity for our community to nominate their Retail Hero

“Preparing your entry for the awards should provide an opportunity to reflect on the positives, rather than the negatives and to share your success with the wider community.

“You might question if you’re ‘good enough’.

“Who says you’re not? How do you know if you don’t try? Or you might be fearful of failure, but entering awards isn’t always about winning, it’s also about what you make out of the opportunities and your journey.

“We invite you to put your entries forward and join the celebration of what has been a very challenging time and are really looking forward to hearing your stories and hopefully celebrate success at the awards ceremony scheduled to take place on Thursday November 25 held at the Casa Hotel.”

Entries are now open and will close on September 23 at 6pm – visit www.derbyshiretimesbusiness.co.uk for more information and for further details on how to submit an entry.

AWARD CATEGORIES

Covid response: The past 12 months rocked our community and economic foundation. Many organisations took the opportunity to make exceptional changes, which for many allowed their business to remain viable and open to their target audience and for others helped to support the NHS. We will reward the business that best describes their response to the crisis.

Community Initiative (Sponsored by Blachford UK): We want to recognise charities, CIC’s, volunteer groups or community groups that are doing great things to support people in their community. Whether you are a small grassroots organisation or a larger charity with a local presence, this award is open to you. We want to hear about what you do, the people and communities you help, the amazing projects you are running and the impact this is having.

Innovation Award (Sponsored by Radius by Shorts): The winning business will be able to demonstrate their ability to navigate market conditions and be at the forefront of their industry. What ways has your business adapted to change or brought to market a new product or service? Or implemented an innovative process or solution?

Apprentice of the Year: With close to a million active Apprenticeships across England alone, apprenticeship schemes have fast become a preferred route to employment for thousands of school leavers. This award recognises an apprentice who has excelled in their training and goes above and beyond for the benefit of both their business and their future career.

Team of the Year: This award recognises teams that have overcome obstacles or have shown an outstanding performance in the last 12 months.. Either a team who usually work together or did so for a special project or task.

Employee of the Year: Open to Employers to put forward an employee who is deserving of recognition. Nominations should reflect the merit and achievements that the employee has demonstrated.

Property and Construction Award: Entries open to property and construction businesses of any size. Judges will be looking for businesses in this sector who can demonstrate effective project management, excellent customer service, environmental awareness and deliver exceptional results.

Excellence in Manufacturing and Engineering Award (Sponsored by United Cast Bar Ltd): This award will be presented to the company that demonstrates a modern, efficient and innovative approach to manufacturing or engineering.

Professional Services Award: This award will look at businesses that demonstrate excellence in the professional services sector. Open to organisations of any size. We want to hear about your business and what measures you undertook to continue with your services to the community during the pandemic. There is no definitive list of occupations, but examples include accountants, architect, dentists, engineering, healthcare, law, IT, investment and finance and training

Business Leader: This award will recognise the achievements of an individual that had made an outstanding contribution to their business and industry through dedication and hard work. This person can be the owner or one of the senior leadership/management team.

New Business of the Year: Open to all businesses that have been operational for less than 3 years (as of November 2021) Businesses should have been successful in identifying a market gap to launch a new business and be able to showcase how innovation, product development, market knowledge and effective leadership have played a part in their growth to date. We would also like an understanding of plans for future growth.

Small Business of the Year: Open to organisations with 15 or fewer staff. Judges will be interested in the ethos and background to the business, its profitability and the unique selling points, which make it a success. We would also like to hear the impact made within its sector since trading and how it has overcome any challenges it has encountered.

Customer Service Award (Sponsored by Beesleys): Over the past year customers have encountered a new way of dealing with businesses, face to face contact has been less and service with a smile has been removed due to face masks. However customer service remains an essential part of any successful business. This award aims to reward and recognise a company, individual, or team, for their outstanding achievement in providing exceptional customer service.

Retail Hero (open to public nomination): The past year has been challenging for our local retailers. This award is open for the public to nominate their favourite local retailer, big or small. How did you still manage to buy and replenish your wardrobe? Nominate your retail hero.

Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by Future Life Wealth Management Ltd): The judges are looking for an individual who has had a major impact on their business and the area over a number of years. If there is someone we should consider for this award, please provide a name and brief overview of their achievements for them to be a contender.

2021 Business of the Year (Sponsored by CityFibre): This award is the ultimate accolade for all our entrants and the winner will be chosen from each of the category winners. The judges will be looking for the company/person who has shown the most enterprise, passion and drive in taking their business forward. Dedication and innovation will be key to the winner of this most prestigious award.

Derbyshire Times supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Ascento announces innovative company ownership change after successful pandemic period

Staff at a Dronfield-based training firm have been handed an opportunity to share in the financial success of the business after its owner sold the company to an Employee Ownership Trust.

Ascento has switched to an employee-owned business model, meaning all 20 employees have been given indirect ownership in the company via the trust.

Previous sole owner Chris Ash will continue to act as Managing Director for the business but its future profits will be shared with staff on a yearly basis.

As outgoing owner, Chris Ash, says “I am excited to step aside as the sole owner and cannot wait for the whole team to share in the next exciting stage of our journey.

“Becoming employee owned means we are stronger together, means we can all share in our successes and means the culture we have strived, and continue to strive, to develop is maintained through a collective spirit and drive”.

Oliver Simpson, Commercial Director explains “Due to the changing nature of business as a direct result of the Covid19 pandemic we have seen an overwhelming increase in demand for our industry leading digital marketing and management apprenticeship qualifications, this is primarily due to the huge migration to remote working over the last year and because of the strong likelihood of this remaining in place for a larger proportion of the workforce than usual, businesses now recognise the urgent need to up-skill their existing staff as the existing management structures need to be adapted and their traditional routes to market have changed.

“We have ambitious growth plans in place for the coming years as we look to cement our place as the leading provider of Digital Marketing and Management apprenticeships in the country”.

While the pandemic resulted in a cessation of in-person learning, with education undergoing significant transformations in virtual classroom courses and on-demand online courses growing in popularity through digital platforms; Ascento has thrived as an online learning and development provider increasing retention and time efficiencies. This has provided flexibility for our staff and learners as well as their employers.

Notably, with a recent wave of high profile model conversions to an employee owned model, including Aardman Animations, Richer Sounds, and Riverford Organic Farmers, the business world is being transformed, refocused and inspired. The positive shift for Ascento  in cultural terms shows the company is positively focused on changing lives, empowering people and motivating them in their working lives.

Chris Ash, founder of Ascento Learning and Development, said, ““I am excited to step aside as the sole owner of the company and cannot wait for the whole team to share in the next exciting stage of our journey”.

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Men across Chesterfield to be encouraged to consider careers in healthcare

A free event aimed at encouraging men to consider careers in health and social care is set to take place in Chesterfield.

Health and Social Care Needs Men is part of ‘Careers that Care’ week, a series of virtual events organised in partnership with Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s (DVA) Community Chesterfield project, the University of Derby and Joined Up Careers Derbyshire.

The event will see a panel of men who work in health and social care answer questions and discuss what led them to work in the sector, what they get out of it and why there are less men working in certain healthcare professions than women.

The panel will be made up of representatives from the public sector, including a Derbyshire County Council social worker, a 111 senior trainer from DHU Health Care and nurse, as well as voluntary sector workers. These will include Nathan Wood, Chief Executive Officer of the charity Ability, who appeared in a short film made for the event, and a spiritual care practitioner from Ashgate Hospicecare. Questions will be asked by a current nursing student from University of Derby.

Charlotte Repton, project manager at Community Chesterfield, said: “A career in health and social care offers a huge range of career choices, all of which can be hugely rewarding for those who choose to follow that path. Through the Health and Social Care Needs Men event, we wanted to open up the discussion around why, despite this, there is still a higher percentage of women in many healthcare roles, particularly in areas such as nursing.

“The event is set to provide an extremely interesting insight into this topic, directly from men who work in health and social care, as well as giving attendees the opportunity to have their questions or concerns around stepping into a career in health and social care answered.”

This event is open to anyone from Chesterfield and surrounding areas with an interest in health and social care. However, it will be of particular interest to men who may be considering a career in health and social care, parents or teachers who may be offering guidance to a young person making decisions about their future careers and current students who wish to find out about the range of careers their studies could lead them to.

For more information or to book a free place on the Health and Social Care Needs Men event, visit www.careersthatcareweek.org/events.

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Partnership agreement will develop the next generation of construction experts

Construction company Robert Woodhead Limited (part of the Woodhead Group) and Chesterfield College have entered into an agreement to work together on a range of initiatives to help the next generation discover more about careers in construction and develop the skills they need.

The Learning Partnership Agreement builds on the long-standing relationship between the two organisations. It formalises the way they will work together in the future, building on the successful apprenticeship and work experience schemes they already have in place. It also introduces some new initiatives which will bring more work experience and training opportunities, taster days for school pupils and work around encouraging women into construction.

Janine Borderick, People Development Director at Robert Woodhead Ltd said:

“This agreement is really important to help us grow the talent we need for the future. This will help us to reach people outside of our apprenticeship programme. We want to share our experience of the industry with people and give them an introduction to the wide range of career paths that are available in construction. We want people to come and see what we do and, together with the college, we will be shouting about the opportunities there are to work in the industry.”

Aaron Wathall, is 4 months into his Level 3 Built Environment Technical apprenticeship with Robert Woodhead Ltd. During his day of study at the college he witnessed the signing of the agreement. He explained how the company are helping him to discover all the opportunities available in the construction industry and shape his career. He said:

“I am really enjoying my apprenticeship. It is really diverse. I am learning about different aspects of construction, meeting people from across the company and gaining a lot more confidence. I have had support from everyone from IT to Site Managers. They have showed me new things and been really patient. Someone is always there to answer my questions.”

Terry Brickles, Curriculum Operations Manager for Construction said:

“Robert Woodhead Ltd have always valued the education and training we offer to provide them with a skilled workforce. They know that by working alongside us to support school and college students we will be able to pool resources to encourage the next generation into construction. I am excited about the initiatives we have planned and I look forward to helping more construction experts of the future develop the skills they need to be successful.”

Chesterfield College and Woodhead Group support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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