About Chesterfield

Residents asked to choose reusable alternatives during coronavirus pandemic

Chesterfield Borough Council and Plastic Free Chesterfield are asking local residents to think about the planet when wearing a face covering and encouraging more people to choose reusable solutions, rather than single use facemasks which are not biodegradable and not recyclable.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, sales of single-use facemasks have risen with many of these ending up polluting our streets and washing into our oceans.

According to an analysis by scientists at University College London, if every person in the UK used one single use facemask each day for a year, an extra 66,000 tonnes of contaminated plastic waste would be created. It would therefore greatly help our planet if people chose to re-use and wear reusable facemasks instead.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of the council, said: “We all understand that wearing facemasks is important to help protect each other and prevent the spread of Covid-19, especially in enclosed spaces.”

“Single use facemasks are often made from layers of plastic and if not disposed of properly may end up polluting our streets and oceans.”

“As part of the council’s climate change commitments, we’ve been asking everyone to consider what they can reduce, reuse or recycle. Choosing a reusable facemask is one important way that we as individuals can make a difference and help to tackle climate change.”

A number of Chesterfield businesses are also keen to reduce the use of single-use plastics, and are now accepting reusable and refillable containers.

Zero-waste business, Steph’s Sustainable Stuff, a regular on Chesterfield Market, have just started offering food refills such as pasta, rice, beans and cereals, on-top of providing refills on cleaning and hair care products.

Business owner, Steph Mannion said: “People will be really excited to hear that bringing their own container to refill at my stall is even safer than going to the supermarket. Your containers will only be handled by you, thus reducing any risk of infection. By bringing your own containers, you’re helping the planet as well as your family.”

Lottie’s Sandwich Bar on Saltergate offers a discount if you bring in your own reusable coffee cup. Business owner, Charlotte Mitchell-Fox, said “Small businesses have just as much a responsibility to protect our planet as larger companies.”

Newly opened cafe, El Cafe Verde on Sheffield Road, offers a 20p discount if you bring in your own reusable coffee cup, with further discount for key workers. Business owners, Gemma Hannan and daughter, said: “Coronavirus won’t be around forever but we are hoping our planet will”.

For anyone looking to purchase a reusable face mask, a list of local businesses selling them can also be found on the Plastic Free Chesterfield website here.

Greg Hewitt, Community Lead at Plastic Free Chesterfield said: “We are keen to provide assurance to Chesterfield businesses and the public that reusables and refillables can be safe during this time. To help with this, we’re hosting an online meeting with Rachel Yates of environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage on Wednesday 15th July at 7 pm.” Click here to find out more.

Using a washable, reusable face covering not only helps to reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste being created, it also means that supplies of clinical standard facemasks remain available for NHS staff and other key workers.

A reusable face covering can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head or one that you have made at home. There are many patterns available online. These can then be washed at 60 degrees so ready to use again.

Guidance suggests that if you can, you should wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces where it is difficult to maintain safe social distancing to help control the spread of Covid-19. They are compulsory on public transport.

The council is also urging those who do wear a single use facemask to dispose of these responsibly by placing them in a bin.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home, Leisure

New Chief Nurse appointed at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

A Derbyshire nurse – with more than 30 years of experience in nursing and senior leadership roles – is set to join Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as its new Chief Nurse.

The Board of Directors will welcome Krishna Kallianpur in the autumn, when she will transfer from her current role (covering maternity leave) as Interim Chief Nurse at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust.

Krishna is well-respected by colleagues across the Derbyshire health and social care system – and she has played a pivotal role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the incident response and working with front-line with colleagues to understand their challenges, anxieties and fears.

Starting out as a staff nurse in 1987, she developed her nursing and senior leadership career at the former Derby City Hospital, Queens Hospital in Burton and at Royal Derby Hospitals. She describes herself as ‘passionate about nursing, patient safety and the health and wellbeing of staff’.

She comments: “I am absolutely delighted to be offered this prestigious, exciting and challenging role.  I am looking forward to working with everyone to support and lead improvement.  I really believe that exploring different ways of working, growing your own talent and supporting practice development enhances patient care.  With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to be an operational challenge, we will need to continue to partner with others to transform how we look after our patients, our staff and the people in our communities.  It will be a privilege to do this at Chesterfield Royal, to make sure we provide exceptional care and workplaces.”

The Chief Nurse is responsible for the Trust’s 1800 nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, working alongside the Medical Director to lead clinical performance, clinical governance, quality of patient care and experience.

Angie Smithson, Chief Executive says: “We are so pleased that Krishna is joining us.  She embodies the Trust’s values and I know she will absolutely want to make sure that we do all we can to ensure that every patient has safe, effective and personal care.  As an existing leader in our ‘Derbyshire system’, she knows our communities and our partners well – and I am sure she will thrive in her first executive director role, learning from her recent experiences in Derby where she is admired as ‘as an exemplary professional leader’.”

Krishna is replacing the Trust’s current Director of Nursing, Lynn Andrews, who is retiring after 40 years serving the NHS, taking the hospital from its former Care Quality Commission rating of ‘requires improvement’ to one of ‘good’ for the last four years.  Over the summer, Deputy Chief Nurse Sarah Ward will take up the ‘acting’ position until Krishna’s notice period at Derby is complete.

“This is a really exciting time for our nursing, midwifery and allied health professional teams,” continues Angie. “They are all determined to build on our existing platform of success.  With both Krishna and Sarah leading them I know we will realise more improvement, achieving even higher standards of care and enhanced patient and staff experience.  Recovering and restoring our services and learning to live and work alongside COVID-19 presents some real challenges for the NHS and I am confident they will both relish the opportunity to address those challenges.”

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

Angie Angie Smithson, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust also sits on the Board of Destination Chesterfield.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Chesterfield’s play areas and outdoor gyms to reopen

Chesterfield Borough Council has announced the re-opening of the borough’s play areas and outdoor gyms.

Following the Government’s direction that play areas and outdoor gyms could re-open, the council has been working hard to safely re-open these facilities. A number of measures have been introduced to ensure that everyone can have a safe and enjoyable time when visiting, whilst still maintaining social distancing.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We have some great outdoor spaces in the borough, including our play areas and outdoor gyms, and with the school holidays coming up soon I would encourage residents to enjoy these facilities again now lockdown measures are beginning to ease.”

“Steps have been taken at some play areas to support social distancing and I would ask everyone to follow the safety guidelines displayed on signs at each of our outdoor spaces. Please do look after yourselves and your families.”

Adults accompanying children to the play areas should be limited to one per household to allow more children to use the equipment, and we would encourage families to come back later if play areas are busy.

To help control the spread of Coronavirus, the council is also requesting that all visitors wash their hands or use anti-bacterial gel before and after using the play or outdoor gym equipment.

More information on the measures in place can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/your-council/coronavirus-information-hub/leisure-services-updates

Click here to find out ore about Summer in Chesterfield

Please note: the images in this article are from our image bank and were not taken recently

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Demand for care jobs soars as Heathcotes has record month of applications

Chesterfield-based care provider, Heathcotes Group, has experienced a major surge in demand for jobs in the sector following a record month of applications for support worker positions nationwide.

The company’s total applications for June were up 81% on the previous month and over 100% above its monthly average. Currently recruiting for roles across 72 residential services in support of adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs, Heathcotes is receiving an increasing number of applications from candidates switching from other sectors such as retail, leisure, tourism and hospitality.

Heathcotes Head of Recruitment, Colin Ramwell, said: “The Covid-19 crisis has created a great deal of uncertainty surrounding employment and our recruitment team has received a gradual increase in applications since March, but we saw a huge spike in June. It could be related to employers in certain sectors making difficult decisions about their staff as the government furlough scheme is phased out between now and October.”

“In the short to medium term, we may see a shift in the composition of the UK’s workforce, with a higher percentage of people employed in sectors, like social care, that can offer job security. Employment in care can accommodate people making a change mid-career as the training and qualifications are usually provided and funded by the employer.”

“An Influx of applications is good news for care providers, but processing them has become more of a challenge. We are observing enhanced safety requirements, so initial interviews are carried out via Zoom. Although we may see a sustained increase in applicants, it remains vital for care providers to identify the right candidate profile within these numbers – someone with a caring, compassionate nature, a genuine interest in our profession  and a desire to have a positive impact of the lives on the people we support.”

Heathcotes believes that another consequence of the pandemic is a more positive perception of care work. The company sees this as another significant factor in attracting greater numbers to the sector.

Mr Ramwell said: “There is now a much greater appreciation of social care’s vital role in society and its value as a profession that makes a real difference to people’s lives. Coronavirus has put enormous pressure on social care, but I know that Heathcotes staff have met the challenge with incredible energy, skill and commitment, as well as impressive creativity in finding ways to help our service users to cope, stay safe and stay engaged during lockdown. We are hugely proud of our service teams and I’m sure that many other care providers feel the same about their workforce.”

Click here to find out more about Heathcotes Group

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Vicar Lane partners with Derbyshire Adult Community Education in virtual employer challenge for young people

Chesterfield’s Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education (DACES) to run a virtual education programme for young adults in Chesterfield.

Vicar Lane is working with organisers on a ‘Virtual Employer Challenge’, whereby the young people are set a task within a real-life employment environment. Participants will watch a virtual tour of the shopping centre to familiarise themselves with the task at hand on Wednesday 8th July, before working on their ideas.

The task Vicar Lane has set involves the young people imagining they are opening a pop-up shop and deciding what products they would like to sell. They are required to produce a business plan for their business and show how it will fit in with the current retailers at Vicar Lane. At the end of the programme, they have to present their proposed solution back to the employer.

The programme is aimed at young people aged 16 to help them gain the skills they need for the world of work. The programme can lead to apprenticeships, further training and employment.

Proposals will be presented by the learners, back to the centre management team via Zoom on Thursday 23rd July.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane said, “It’s a privilege to be working with a team of young people from the Chesterfield community to help improve their career prospects. Last year’s initiative generated some really exciting results, so we are looking forward to virtually seeing what this group of learners come up with.”

Click here to find out more about Vicar Lane Shopping Centre

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

The Vicar Lane team at the launch of the new screen in February.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Featured, Home

Local tourism will support Chesterfield’s lockdown recovery

The government’s green light for the hospitality industry to re-open from 4th July was, I felt, the most significant indication to date that the country is slowly beginning its journey back to normality and recovery.

Despite the events of these past few months there is reason for the town to be hopeful about its prospects for a speedy recovery, not least the fact that we have the beautiful Peak District on our doorstep.

With foreign travel still restricted, many Brits are now looking to the UK for their next holiday and this was borne out by the recent rush in respect of bookings. Apparently, within 24 hours of the Prime Minister giving people the green light to go on holiday, holiday homes, hotels, B&Bs and campsites in England saw record demand.

The Peak District is one of the UK’s most visited national parks and with more people anticipated to head to the Peak District this summer, this is a great opportunity for Chesterfield to benefit from the additional influx of visitors.

Mam Tor in the Peak District – Visit Peak District & Derbyshire

Tourism already contributes more than £175 million a year to the Chesterfield economy.

However, the Town can benefit further if we convert day visitors into overnight stays.

We have a plethora of accommodation right here in Chesterfield, from award-winning 4-star hotels and boutique B&Bs to budget hotel chains and camping and caravan sites. The Town also has excellent transport links to both the Peak District and major cities like Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby. We can offer holidaymakers the best of all worlds- a town, city and countryside break!

Stephenson Tea And Coffee House with luxury Bed and Breakfast is located in Chesterfield town centre

But, whether a day tripper or an overnight stayer, our friendly welcome is more important than ever in this age of social distancing. This what has always marked us out from other towns and cities and will stand us in good stead in our post COVID-19 recovery.

Everyone can play a role in boosting tourism in the area, by talking up the town on your social media accounts and encourage people to visit and stay. More importantly, continue to extend a warm welcome to everyone who visits the town and be a part of Chesterfield’s lockdown recovery.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Leisure, Visiting

Peak District & Derbyshire launches ‘Time to…’ campaign to welcome back visitors

A host of local attractions, pubs, restaurants and accommodation providers have joined forces to welcome visitors back to the Peak District and Derbyshire in a new marketing campaign video.

Released to mark the reopening of the tourism and hospitality sector on 4 July, the ‘Time to…’ video (below) shines a spotlight on the warm welcome that awaits guests to the Peak District and Derbyshire, whilst showcasing the extra safety measures that businesses have put in place in order to reopen responsibly.

In behind-the-scenes shots businesses are shown setting tables, cleaning premises and implementing social distancing guidelines, before coming together in a show of solidarity to announce ‘We’re Good To Go’ – highlighting how the sector is adhering to the national industry standards introduced by VisitEngland.

The video signals the start of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s ‘Time to…’ digital marketing campaign which aims to inspire visitors to book a break in the area – helping to kick-start the area’s £2.3 billion tourism industry, which supports over 30,000 local jobs.

Visitors are encouraged to plan their trip on the ‘Time to…’ webpage at www.visitpeakdistrict.com/inspiration/time-to, and to look out for the official ‘We’re Good To Go’ mark which means that businesses are adhering to the appropriate Government and public health guidance.

The ‘Time to…’ campaign will be supported across Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s digital channels and on social media. Local businesses will be encouraged to create their own images using the campaign taglines which include ‘Time to Plan’, ‘Time to Discover’ and ‘Time to Recharge’.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “We’re delighted to mark the reopening of the tourism and hospitality sector with the launch of our ‘Time to…’ campaign. The industry has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but our passionate, caring and resilient tourism businesses have worked exceptionally hard to put all the right measures in place to ensure we can warmly welcome visitors back.”

“This is just the beginning of our phased, gradual reopening and now our priority is to ensure that people are able to visit and enjoy our glorious destination in a responsible way; respecting our local communities and the landscape around us.”

“Whilst restrictions have been eased, not all businesses are open and there are many different measures in place, so we’re continuing to ask visitors to be patient, to plan ahead and to book in advance so you ‘Know Before You Go’. We hope visitors and residents alike will be inspired to enjoy our wonderful tourism offer and in turn, help businesses to successfully get back on their feet.”

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Cabinet Member for Town Centres and Visitor Economy, said: “We know that many of you will have spent the past few months shopping online, but now is your chance to come back and visit Chesterfield town centre, indulge in some retail therapy, socialise and support Chesterfield businesses.”

“The town centre has so much to offer. From national retailers to small independent stores and of course our outdoor market and Market Hall, there really is something for everyone.”

“We’ve put a number of measures in place around the town centre to help keep you safe when visiting and we politely request that you follow the advice on signage, follow floor markings and respect any queuing systems.”

Cllr Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, says: “The tourism and hospitality industry is vital to the Derbyshire economy and plays a key role in making Derbyshire a popular attraction for visitors from far and wide.”

“We look forward to seeing people return, but it’s important we all follow the new measures put in place. The safety of staff, visitors and Derbyshire residents remains our number one priority. By acting responsibly and remaining vigilant we can help businesses get back on their feet and ensure visitors to our county get the true Derbyshire experience.”

As part of the tourism industry’s ‘Know Before You Go’ initiative, visitors are also urged to plan ahead, check for restrictions and to book in advance at: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/information/know-before-you-go.

In addition, Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire has launched a ‘Respect, Protect, Enjoy’ visitor charter which highlights the positive steps that people can take in order to enjoy the area responsibly: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/explore/respect-protect-enjoy.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

D2N2 announces five new board member appointments

D2N2 has formally announced the appointment of five new board members.

The LEP board brings together leaders from across the public, private, and education sectors who advise on key strategic decisions and use their knowledge and expertise to support D2N2 in achieving its ambitions for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.

The new Board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise across a range of disciplines including automotive, manufacturing, Further Education (FE), Higher Education (HE), and the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector.

Tim Freeman and James Brand join as private sector representatives. Tim Freeman is the Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Manufacturing (UK), based in South Derbyshire whilst James Brand (pictured below) is Managing Director of United Cast Bar based in Chesterfield.

Andrew Cropley, Principal at West Notts College in Mansfield will become the Board’s new representative for Further Education whilst Professor Shearer West, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham will represent the region’s Higher Education providers.

Joining the board as the new Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) representative will be Michele Farmer, Director at the Princes Trust.

D2N2 Interim Chair David Williams said of the appointments: “On behalf of everyone at D2N2, I’d like to welcome Andrew, Shearer, Michele, Tim, and James to the board. Our new appointments have a real breadth of experience which will be essential as we help navigate the challenging environment our economy now finds itself in.”

“I would also like to formally record my thanks on behalf of all the board and staff to the outgoing board members who have each contributed significant time and energy in furthering our ambitions and have been strong advocates and champions for the region and its potential.”

All five appointees will formally join the board in September.

James Brand United Cast Bar Ltd

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

CrossCountry services reinstated after lobbying efforts

CrossCountry have reinstated a number of rail services to Chesterfield after outcry from local residents and a lobbying campaign led by the leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Cllr Tricia Gilby.

CrossCountry had announced that no services would stop at Chesterfield from the 6th July.

Following this announcement Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, wrote to the Regional Director of CrossCountry, making representations in the ‘strongest possible terms’ to reinstate the service as soon as possible.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, supported this: “The station and its excellent connectivity is an integral part of the growth ambitions of Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield wholeheartedly supports Chesterfield Borough Council’s lobbying to get CrossCountry’s decision reversed.”

Following the lobbying efforts and outcry from local rail users CrossCountry have had a change of heart and direct services will continue at peak times with connecting services to Derby and Sheffield at off peak times.

Commenting on the decision from CrossCountry, Councillor Tricia Gilby said: “I am delighted to hear that hourly CrossCountry train services at Chesterfield will be continuing during the busiest times of day.”

“As soon as I was made aware of the threat to CrossCountry services being withdrawn from Chesterfield station I wrote a very strongly worded letter to the Regional Director and involved local MP’s. We followed this up with very constructive conversations with CrossCountry and their new Regional Leadership Team.”

“Chesterfield Borough Council and our partners across Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and East Midlands have been campaigning for the full re-instatement of the CrossCountry service since we heard it may be withdrawn.”

“In normal circumstances around 620,000 passengers a year use CrossCountry services at Chesterfield, and whilst we are trying to rebuild the local economy and minimise the negative impacts on residents of our Borough and surrounding area, the action being proposed to temporarily suspend of all CrossCountry stops at Chesterfield from 6 July was appalling.”

“These services are critical to key workers and the growing numbers of people that are beginning to travel as the lockdown eases. The provision of regular and reliable public transport will be an essential part of our Coronavirus recovery plans for the Borough and northern Derbyshire communities.”

“I look forward to working with CrossCountry as our HS2 led regeneration proposals for the train station take shape over forthcoming months.”

Click here to find out more about HS2 in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Featured, Home

Enjoy a picnic in Chesterfield with local food and drink

With so many wonderful spots to enjoy a picnic in Chesterfield, you’ll need to make the most of every day to fit them all in this summer.

That means you’ll also need to come up with lots of different food and drink ideas.

Do you have a sweet tooth or are you a lover of savoury snacks? Do you like to spend time baking for your picnic or would you rather pick up a ready-made hamper? Whatever your taste or lifestyle, there are plenty of delicious local food and drink options for you to try.

Remember to take all of your waste with you after your picnic to reduce litter and support the environment. Make sure to keep your family safe by following these NHS sun safety tips.

For more great places to eat and drink in Chesterfield, visit our Eating Out section to find great restaurants, gastro pubs, bars, cafes and more. You can also check out the past winners of the Chesterfield Food & Drink Awards here.

If you love being outdoors, here is a list of bike rides and cycle routes around Chesterfield that you can try out.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your favourite picnic blanket and enjoy some of these Chesterfield food and drink products!

– Local picnic basket items
– Ready-made picnic baskets
– Recipe ideas

Local picnic basket items

Cup & Saucer Teas – Pennine Picnic Cold Brew

Pennine Picnic Cold Brew is a special cold tea drink, made from pieces of apple, rosehip, pineapple, coconut, hibiscus petals and natural flavours. It is bottled, ready to drink and comes in two sizes. The bottles are also recycleable and you can get a 10p refund when you return the bottle so it can re re-used or recycled.

  • £1.60 – 330ml bottle
  • £3.50 – 750ml bottle

Gail Hannan, Owner of Cup & Saucer Teas, says it’s perfect for a picnic because… it tastes like a Pina Colada (without the alcohol) or for adults it can be used as a tasty mixer with Gin, it’s really refreshing, fruity and it’s a favourite of both children and adults.

The Pennine Picnic Cold Brew can be purchased from Cup & Saucer, 132 High Street, Clay Cross, S45 9EE. You can find more Cup & Saucer products, including teas, gift hampers and other local products here – www.cupandsauceronline.co.uk/shop.

Little Morton Farm – Award-winning pork pies

Little Morton Farm is passionate about our animals and producing great tasting produce. A Little Morton Farm gold award-winning pork pie is a perfect savoury addition to your picnic basket. It is made on the farm with home bred and reared, organic fed, pedigree, Berkshire pork.

  • £2 – Medium pie
  • £3.50 – Large pie

Tom & Daniella say it’s perfect for a picnic because… Every picnic needs a pork pie!

These are available to buy from the farm shop at Little Morton Farm in North Wingfield. To order, please call 01246 859 904 by Wednesday for collection on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information and to see more products from Little Morton Farm, visit www.littlemortonfarm.co.uk/livestock-produce.

Crooked Pickle Co – Bread & Butter Pickles

These Bread & Butter Pickles are a tasty twist of a classic favourite, and there is even a hot version for those who are feeling more adventurous!

  • £4.95 per jar

Felix, Owner of The Crooked Pickle Co, says it’s perfect for a picnic because… Our Bread & Butter Pickles are crunchy, sweet-sour and delicately spiced and which makes them amazing on picnic sandwiches, with cold cuts and pork pies.

You can purchase these from the Crooked Pickle Co online store here – crookedpickle.co/collections or from No.10 The Tea Room and Society Coffee Shop & Bar, both located in Chesterfield town centre.

Casa Hotel’s infamous scotch eggs

These delicious Scotch eggs are a brilliant addition to any hamper, a firm favourite with the Casa diners and team! They are available every day from Casa Hotel and they will continue to sell these post reopening as part of their takeaway offerings.

  • £2 per scotch egg

Alex from Casa Hotel says it’s perfect for a picnic because… it’s made from locally reared pork and eggs sourced from Casa Hotel’s Walton Lodge Farm.

Franklin & Sons – Soft Drinks & RTS cans

Produced by Chesterfield’s Global Brands, Franklin & Sons has teamed up with the UK’s top Gin brands to create a range of ready-to-drink G&T cans that tick a lot of boxes. Just cool, click, pour and enjoy. These are available locally at Tesco, Co-op & Morrisons, online at www.goodtimein.co.uk or can be ordered for delivery on the City Grab app through Casa at Home.

  • The RRP is around £2 in the supermarkets or you can buy a case of 12 for £17.49 on the City Grab App or www.goodtimein.co.uk

Fancy something non-alcoholic for your picnic? Franklin & Sons also has a delicious range of Sodas. Sister’s Sodas provide that fresh sophisticated flavour, the perfect grown-up soft drink, sure to cool you down on a hot summer’s day! Available at Tesco, online at www.goodtimein.co.uk or can be ordered for delivery on the City Grab app through Casa at Home.

  • The RRP is £1.20 a can in the supermarkets or you can buy a case of 12 for £9 on the City Grab App or www.goodtimein.co.uk

Charlotte from Global Brands says these products are perfect for a picnic because… They are perfect pick-me-up picnic tipples and they look seriously swanky too!

Northern Tea Merchants – Hot and Cold Teas

Northern Tea’s Gourmet Classic Tea is their finest quality small leaf ‘breakfast tea’, Gourmet Classic is easy to drink, with a delicious aroma, a bright and coppery liquor and excellent flavour due to its excellent quality constituent teas. Drink with milk at any time of day but particularly good at breakfast or an afternoon tea picnic.

  • £3 for 40 tea bags
  • £3.35 for 125g of loose leaf tea
  • £5.63 for 250g of loose leaf tea

Or how about a Red Berry Mix infusion to serve cold as a refreshing summer fruit punch at a picnic? This can be brewed, cooled overnight, then transferred into a flask and will make a lovely refreshing drink on a particularly hot day like we’ve had lately. A spot of honey will make the brew an even more delightful sweet treat.

  • £2.42 for 50g
  • £5.90 for 125g
  • £6.15 for 15 tea temples

James Pogson, Owner of Northern Tea Merchants, says these products are perfect for a picnic because… these teas are perfect for any tea lover and what picnic would be complete without a flask of tea?

Available to purchase online from www.northern-tea.com/buy, from Northern Tea Merchants, 193 Chatsworth Road (free parking available on-street or car park to the rear of the shop) or give the shop a call on 01246 232 600 to arrange free local delivery.

Cacoa Elora – craft chocolate bars

Cacoa Elora is Derbyshire’s only craft chocolate producer making bean to bar chocolate using ethically sourced cocoa beans from Venezuela, Uganda, Nicaragua and Indonesia. Cacoa Elora make a range of dark and dark milk chocolate bars, including vegan options within their milk range of premium bars.

Their bars are full of flavour and let you taste cocoa rather than the sugar which is laden into branded chocolate. Each one is made using the minimum of machinery and tempered by hand on marble.

John, Owner of Cacoa Elora, says these products are perfect for a picnic because… We grind and conche our beans for many hours to bring out the natural notes present within each origin.

They can be purchased from the online shop at www.cacoa-elora.co.uk or they can be purchased at at Cup and Saucer in Clay Cross.

Ready-made picnic baskets

Let a local business do all the work for you and purchase a ready-made picnic basket from one of the below companies.

Salute Prosecco

Chesterfield’s Salute has recently launched its own rage of gift hampers and has created a special Picnic hamper to mark National Picnic Month.

£28.99 (including p&p) – Salute Picnic Hamper:

  • 1 x Cake
  • 1 x Packet of crisps
  • 1 x Bottles of water
  • 1 x Mini Gin & Franklin & Sons Tonic
  • 1 x Mini Prosecco
  • 1 x bottle opener
  • plus plastic glasses

To find out more, visit www.salute-prosecco.com/hampers/fathers-day-hamper, email salute.prosecco@gmail.com or call 07807 159 322.

Chatsworth House

With two picnics to choose from, created for two or four people, these picnics showcase the best of estate farm shop and local produce and are served in a reusable Chatsworth cool bag. Access to the house car park is included with all picnic bookings.

£45 – Chatsworth Family picnic (2 adults and 2 children)

  • Two filled baguettes
  • Two children’s sandwiches
  • Estate farm shop pork pie
  • Summer vegetable quiche
  • Carriage House chunky coleslaw
  • Potato salad
  • Estate farm shop crisps
  • Fresh fruit pots
  • Freshly baked scones with cream and jam
  • Chocolate brownies
  • Two Fentimans botanical beverages
  • Two Cawston Press juice boxes

£50 – Garden gourmet picnic (2 adults)

  • A selection of estate farm shop charcuterie and local cheese
  • Freshly baked rolls and artisan crackers
  • English asparagus, mango and avocado salad
  • Sweet potato, pickled onion, coriander and goats cheese salad
  • Summer vegetable frittata
  • Estate farm shop crisps
  • Summer berries with clotted cream
  • Gold leaf macaroons
  • Chatsworth vanilla fudge
  • Elderflower presse
  • A bottle of Earl of Burlington Collection wine

To find out more or to order, visit www.chatsworth.org/shop-dine/dine/picnics/ or call 01246 565300.

Van Dyk by Wildes

Order a delicious Van Dyk Picnic Hamper and you can choose dine on their new lawns or as a takeaway.

£36.95 – Van Dyk Picnic Hamper for two people

  • Van Dyk’s classic scotch egg and house piccalilli
  • Handraised Nottinghamshire pork pie
  • Cropwell Bishop organic Stilton
  • Vintage Lincolnshire poacher
  • Black Bomber cheddar & Henderson’s relish straws
  • Van Dyk’s marmalade and mustard glazed gammon
  • Chorizo and sausage rolls
  • House pickles and chutney
  • Marinated olives
  • Home baked sour dough loaf and butter

To find out more or to order call 01246 387386.

Recipe ideas

Get the whole family involved and try out a recipe from a local food & drink business. These items can then be added to your picnic basket and taken with you.

Carrot Cake – Stephenson’s Coffee and Tea House

Claire Wood, owner of Stephenson’s Coffee and Tea House, winner of many Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards over the years, shares her recipe for their scrumptious Carrot Cake.

Click here for the recipe

Chocolate Brownie – The Tickled Trout

Chris Mapp, Head Chef at the award- winning The Tickled Trout restaurant in Barlow says: “This brownie recipe has something of legendary status at The Tickled Trout now. It is so good, we just cannot take it off the menu. It is a proper signature dessert and great for chocolate lovers.”

Click here for the recipe

Florentines – Jacksons the Bakers

Trevor Jackson, Managing Director of Jacksons The Bakers in Chesterfield, and a former winner of the Chesterfield Food & Drink Awards ‘Food Hero of the Year’ award, shares the recipe for their popular Florentines.

Click here for the recipe

Energy Boost Smoothie – Qoozies

This delicious Energy Boost Smoothie from Qoozies, located in Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, is all made with fresh fruit and veg, and nothing else. It’s perfect for an all-natural energy boost!

Click here for the recipe

Lemon & Ginger Cheesecake with Raspberry Sorbet – Casa Hotel

This delicious cheesecake recipe, which will give a wow to any entertaining is taken from the cookbook, Mi Casa: Spanish-inspired recipes from the heart of Derbyshire. Written by local entrepreneur and Chesterfield’s four star Casa Hotel owner, Steve Perez.

Click here for the recipe

Find out more about Summer in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Facemask donation from China benefits local nursing and healthcare students

A total of 10,000 protective facemasks have been donated to the University of Derby nursing and healthcare students, to help replace the stocks which were given to local hospitals at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of items of personal protective equipment (PPE), which would have been used by students, were delivered by University staff to the Royal Derby Hospital and Chesterfield Royal Hospital in March and April. Many of the nursing and healthcare students are based at the University’s St Helena Campus in Chesterfield.

Now, one of the University’s overseas partner institutions, Hunan University of Technology, in China, has helped to replenish supplies in Derby by sending the consignment of facemasks.

Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice Chancellor Dean of the College of Health and Social Care, said: “This is an extremely generous gesture from our colleagues in Hunan, who were aware that we had supplied our PPE to local hospitals. It will help our students during their training, much more of which will be on campus in the coming months, while our NHS partners focus on managing COVID-19 in our hospitals.

“The donation also underlines the value of international co-operation between higher education institutions, and we look forward to a time when we are able to welcome representatives from Hunan to Derby to thank them personally.”

Hunan University of Technology, based in the Hubei Province of China, became one of Derby’s partner universities in 2018. Since then it has worked closely with the University of Derby on student exchange, student progression and teacher training.

The facemask donation was organised by the university’s Chancellor, Professor Yang Liu and his senior management team.

Professor Liu said: “Our hearts are with everyone at Derby, and we hope that all of our friends and colleagues at the University stay safe.”

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

Click here to find out more about the University of Derby’s Chesterfield campus

Professor Yang Liu

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

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