About Chesterfield

UKATA’s COO shortlisted for Business Person of the Year Award

18th October 2018

The UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) marked a decade of excellence in 2018, with another success story announced in October.

Craig Evans, who was appointed the Chief Operating Officer of the UK Asbestos Training Association in July 2018, has been announced as a finalist for Business Person of the Year at the Derbyshire Times Business Awards 2018.

Craig is no stranger to business awards, in 2016 as General Manager for UKATA, Craig was shortlisted for The Derbyshire Times Business Awards and went on to win Business Person of the Year. Winning the award, gave Craig further encouragement and even more determination to push himself and the association forward to where it stands today.

Craig Evans said: “I was delighted to win the award in 2016 and it is a great privilege to be shortlisted again as a finalist just 2 years on in my new role as Chief Operating Officer. I have been very fortunate to have an extremely driven and passionate team behind me who embody the values of our organisation and strengthen our aims and objectives. This nomination is my first in my new position and to be up against such a high calibre of local candidates is an honour.”

The Derbyshire Times Business Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the very best in local business and commerce. The prestigious awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 15th November at Chesterfield College.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

The Van Yard extends stand sponsorship

17th October 2018

The Van Yard’s sponsorship of the West Stand at Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium has been extended for another year.

Spireites commercial manager Jim Brown said: “I’d like to thank The Van Yard for their continued support. It is great to see all four stands sponsored and the support we receive from The Van Yard and other sponsors is very much appreciated.”

The Van Yard has been established for just over five years and can be found on Chesterfield Road in Chesterfield.

They have over 100 vans available, covering all types, from drop-siders, tippers, panel vans and car-based vans. From time to time they also have a few used cars for sale. All their vehicles are thoroughly checked over before being offered for sale and come with appropriate warranties and MOTs where required.

The Van Yard can also offer a range of finance packages that can be tailored to your specific circumstances to assist with the purchase of your van. They are also happy to discuss part-exchange deals.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Grandad glows with pride as grandchildren get set to run for their local hospice

16th October 2018

Brother and sister duo, Oliver, age 9, and Willow, age 5, from Chesterfield are set to run the Blachford UK Ltd 1km Fun Run at this year’s Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon for their grandad who is currently receiving care from Ashgate Hospicecare.

The Fun Run, which takes place on Sunday 21^st October, is a 1km route around Queens Park suitable for all ages and abilities.

Oliver and Willow can’t wait for the event and are enjoying raising money for their local hospice. Oliver, said: “I’m doing the Fun Run for my grandad because grandad’s a poorly man and he deserves the treatment.”

Oliver is also looking for donations towards his children’s tombola that he will be holding at the Brownies’ Halloween get together. All the proceeds will go into his bucket for Ashgate Hospicecare to help towards his fundraising for the 1km Fun Run. Oliver wants to keep up the fundraising and the next thing he does will also be for Ashgate Hospicecare and his grandad Mick.

Mick Pollard, Oliver and Willow’s grandad, is currently receiving care from the Hospice, said: “I’m very, very, very proud of Oliver and Willow. I didn’t think they’d do it, I didn’t even know they were doing it. ”

“The care I have received at the Hospice has been brilliant, I’ve never known care like it. I was in a black hole before I came here, I was really depressed. Now I am so much better and the kids are helping me, they keep coming round to see me.”

The Fun Run is accompanying the 5-Mile Challenge, the Wellbeing Challenge and the Half Marathon itself, taking in the sights of Chesterfield over 13.1 miles.

For more information including the route and road closures for the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield

Chesterfield College to hold Apprenticeship Advice Evening

15th October 2018

A free advice evening at Chesterfield College on Wednesday 24 October aims to dispel the myths around apprenticeships and unveil the hundreds of local opportunities out there.

Learning Unlimited’s team will be on hand at the college on Infirmary Road for the Apprentice Advice Evening between 5:30pm and 7:30pm to provide guidance about careers and apprenticeships. There will be the chance to see what apprenticeships are available, hear about success stories and find out how to apply for apprenticeships.

Potential apprentices will hear how Chesterfield – as the UK’s very first ‘Apprentice Town’ – offers a wide variety of options to help people develop their career. The Apprentice Town initiative, which is led by Chesterfield Borough Council, aims to raise awareness of apprenticeships and works with organisations such as Learning Unlimited to develop apprenticeship opportunities.

Leah Shortt, Operations Manager at Learning Unlimited, said: “There are a lot of myths surrounding apprenticeships and the benefits and yet there are so many opportunities available at the moment. Apprenticeships are a great way of making that first step towards a dream career. Apprentices can earn a wage, while learning skills and gaining experience.”

During the evening, potential apprentices will be able to see that apprenticeships cover a wide range of subjects from business, IT and accountancy to customer service and are not restricted to traditional, manual jobs previously associated with apprenticeships. What’s more, apprenticeships lead to nationally recognised qualifications.

Leah added: “We also want to show people that contrary to popular belief, apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers but for people at all ages. It’s a great way for people midway through their working life to learn new skills and boost qualifications and take careers in a new direction.”

“Our Apprenticeship Advice Evening will provide the ideal chance for people to come and have a chat with us and see what options are right on their doorstep.”

Potential apprentices, as well as parents and teachers, are invited to come along at any time during the evening for an informal chat with the team. They will be able to view apprenticeship vacancies, find out more about the individual apprenticeships and apply.

Councillor Terry Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, added: “It’s really important that local residents benefit from the jobs and training opportunities created by the £1 billion of investment taking place within the borough. That is why we launched the Apprentice Town initiative. This advice evening is an excellent opportunity for young people, employers, parents and teachers to find out more about the wide range of apprenticeships available in Chesterfield.”

Whittam Cox Architects retains Gold Standard IIP Accreditation

15th October 2018

Chesterfield Champions Whittam Cox Architects is delighted to announce that it has retained its Gold standard Investors in People (IiP) Accreditation.

The award places the practice, which has over 130 employees, amongst the top 16% of all IiP-accredited businesses internationally.

Whittam Cox Architects initially gained IiP Gold status in 2015 following the recognition of employee investment and recruitment initiatives. The second accolade, which has been measured against the new IiP version 6 (v6) standard, reflects the successful development and implementation of the company’s latest values and innovation strategies.

Dave Savage, Board Director commented, “Confirmation we have once again been awarded Investors in People Gold further strengthens the Practice’s credibility and reinforces how much we value the individual and collective contribution of all of our employees.”

“I am proud that the Whittam Cox Architects team has once again demonstrated a commitment to continual improvement and equally delighted that we have been awarded the Investors in People Gold accreditation in recognition of this. “

The announcement follows a successful period which has seen the Practice deliver a number of noteworthy and high profile projects including a new 3500 home development in East London and a 2500 unit Build to Rent scheme in Greater Manchester as well as being identified as one of the ‘Top 1000 Business’ to Inspire Britain’ and ranking as one of the ‘Top 50 UK Architects’ by industry leading publication ‘Building’ Magazine.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Training course for construction mental health launched

12th October 2018

A leading Chesterfield training provider, which specialises in construction, has announced the launch of its first course centred around the mental health and well-being of workers operating within the industry.

Delivered by Construction Skills People, and designed to teach people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first-aid basis, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course. Construction Skills People, who deliver a wide range of vocational qualifications and commercial training courses specially for the construction sector, are keen to see a change in the stigma that surrounds mental health, especially in the workplace.

According to the latest figures from The Health and Safety Executive, an estimated 12.5 million working days were lost and 526,000 workers suffered due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2016/17 across the country. Evidence from the Mental Health Foundation further suggests that nearly 13% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions, and that better mental health support in the workplace could save UK businesses up to £8 billion per year.

In a bid to drive those numbers down, Construction Skills People says MHFA will provide the skills and knowledge of construction workers to be able to identify poor mental health, as well as empowering both individuals in the work place and communities to understand the signs and symptoms and how best to support themselves and those around them in recovery.

It’s official launch comes during the week of World Mental Health Awareness Day – an annual event designed to promote worldwide mental health education, awareness and advocacy, particularly against the social stigma that many people with mental health issues face.

Kevin Hithersay, the Mental Health Training Provider at Construction Skills People who is delivering this course, said: “Mental health affects most of us in some way, and it’s important that we work to eliminate the stigma around mental health and encourage people to reach out if they are struggling.”

“This training course not only will help workers assess and support colleagues who struggle with poor mental health, as well as their family members and friends; but it is also designed to help to reduce the impact of absenteeism caused by such struggles on construction businesses.”

“The course is proving exceptionally popular to date which we hope is indicative of the recognition that this very important and very prevalent issue is now receiving.”

On completion, trainees will gain a qualification in Adult Mental Health First Aid, with the certificate issued by Mental Health First Aid (England). The MHFA standard course is split into four parts, including topics such as depression, suicide, substance misuse, anxiety disorders, self-harm, eating disorders, personality disorders and psychosis.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business

Working together to achieve world-class results for Peak District & Derbyshire

12th October 2018

The overarching message to delegates at Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s Annual Tourism Conference on Tuesday was that working together is vital to secure the future success and prosperity of the Peak District and Derbyshire together to continue to create a world-class destination and five-star visitor experience.

Keynote speaker, Television Presenter and Peak District and Derbyshire champion Julia Bradbury, tourist board Managing Director Jo Dilley and Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council all reinforced the rallying call as the visitor economy gears up for further success in the future.

Julia, the first-ever female President of The Camping and Caravanning Club told around 150 delegates that Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire was listening to what businesses feel they need and responding to it.

“The key is communication, and working together in a collaborative effort is much more successful. When we lived in Sheffield and my family ran a fashion couture shop, we shared clients with local businesses – a win-win for all and very happy customers. Helping and working with and for each other is important. We shouldn’t always think of neighbours as competition.”

“Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire needs businesses to support it through membership. This doesn’t just allow it to bid for funding to deliver workshops and support. The more members it has, the more marketing campaigns it can deliver, both nationally and internationally, to raise the profile of the area and drive visitors here. As co-founders of The Outdoor Guide, my sister Gina and I are proud to be part of this.”

Jo Dilley emphasized the continuing need for close teamwork between the public and private sectors, the tourist board and its Patrons and members, the University of Derby, D2N2, Visit England and VisitBritain.

“By coming together, we are far more powerful,” she said. “Our mission is to make the Peak District and Derbyshire the destination of choice – regionally, nationally and globally.”

“We want to offer a world class experience, encouraging visitors to share and recommend the area as a great place to take a holiday. The visitor economy is currently in very robust shape, and we are confident that next year will be equally, if not more, successful.”

“The income we receive from our public and private partners through grants, patronage and membership is extremely important in our ongoing quest to secure other funding from sources such as the Discover England Fund and the European Development Fund. Since 2016, we have attracted an extra £2.5 million to help us achieve our ambitions.”

Councillor Barry Lewis underlined the key role that the visitor economy plays in Derbyshire County Council’s plans to drive economic growth for both residents and businesses.

“We recognise the fundamental role the tourist board plays in marketing tourism both domestically and internationally – but it is more than this. It is the focal point for business support to the visitor economy sector, and we are delighted to work alongside the team, always striving to help our businesses grow and offer even more excellent services and products to our visitors.”

Councillor Lewis welcomed the formation of the new Derbyshire Culture, Heritage and Tourism Board, chaired by former VisitEngland Chief Executive and Derbyshire-born James Berresford.

The Board has been created to maximise the economic potential of Derbyshire’s unique and distinctive cultural and environmental assets to create an exceptional and thriving destination where people can live, work, visit and invest.

Councillor Lewis also underscored the importance of strategic regional initiatives such as the Midlands Engine and a new East Midlands Strategic Alliance to keep the visitor economy at the heart of Government policy and investment.

The tourist board team also looked forward to its forthcoming Food & Drink Campaign, set to be launched next spring to promote the Peak District and Derbyshire’s diverse and delicious culinary offer, plus a new initiative to develop business tourism, also scheduled to launch in 2019.

This will focus on bringing in new business at traditionally quiet times of year and also midweek, tapping into the potential of the wellbeing and health market and capitalising on the area’s assets as an accessible place where people can work, rest and invest.

Pictured (left to right) are: Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s Deputy Director Lindsay Rae; its Managing Director Jo Dilley; Councillor Barry Lewis, Television Presenter Julia Bradbury, tourist board Chairman Paul Jones and Paul Ince of LikeMind Media Ltd.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Visiting

Plans drawn up to roll out vehicle charging points in Derbyshire

12th October 2018

Derbyshire County Council are drawing up plans to install electric vehicle charging points across the county over the next 10 years. They are engaging with a range of partner organisations, across the private and public sector, to support the uptake of low emission vehicles across the county as part of their commitment to cutting carbon emissions and improving air quality in Derbyshire.

Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King said: “Protecting and enhancing our environment is one of our top priorities and we need to act now to cut carbon emissions in the future.”

“Electric vehicles are now entering the second hand market and if we want to encourage more motorists to make the switch then we need to make it as easy and attractive as possible.”

“That means making sure there are plenty of public charging points conveniently located for people to use across the county.”

“This is a golden opportunity for us to help encourage use of low carbon vehicles to cut the amount of pollution generated on Derbyshire’s roads and I’m pleased that we’re working jointly with partner organisations to plan ahead now to prevent it becoming an issue in the future. It demonstrates that the council is leading the way in supporting, not just the public, but industry as well, as we head towards a cleaner, greener economy.”

The low emission vehicle infrastructure policy is expected to be finalised and considered by Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet members early next year.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Visiting

Royal partners up to showcase Health and Social Care careers

11th October 2018

The Chesterfield Royal Hospital is joining forces with other local health organisations to showcase the different careers available within the NHS and the wider health and social care sector.

The Health and Social Care Careers Evening is aimed at anyone from the age of 14 to come and find out about the variety of professions and opportunities, what is involved in the different roles and how to get yourself on the path to the career that interests you.

The Royal has organised the event alongside Joined Up Careers Derbyshire, Derbyshire Healthcare and Derbyshire Community Health Services to host the event at the hospital’s Education Centre. It’s looking to inspire people who are just about to start their GCSEs and thinking about the different career opportunities available, as well as those looking to make a change of career and are looking at other options.

Gill Stevens is the Royal’s Head of HR and has been working on the event, she said: “This isn’t your traditional recruitment fair; it’s about having an opportunity to explore the fantastic possibilities available to anyone looking to take up a career within health and social care. There will be a number of stalls featuring nursing, midwifery, medical, general practice (GPs), theatres, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, dietetics, pharmacy, human resources, facilities services, radiotherapy, imaging, pathology, administration and the various apprentice roles.

“Wherever your skills lie, there is a career here for you and this event will give you the chance to find out how your skills can make a difference in the health and social care field. There will be representatives from universities and further education to talk you through what qualifications you might need to be able to follow a number of different career paths. There will also be professionals who are currently following their own path to give you advice about what is involved on a practical level in terms or work, education and skills you might need for a particular role.

“It all came about through the joint work we’re doing within the local Sustainable and Transformation Plan and we have planned the event to coincide with our ‘Work For Us’ Week. There are a number of employment fairs across the county but we wanted to hold our own to showcase the excellent work that’s done across the NHS, health and social care and how you can be part of its future. It’s given us the chance to hold demonstrations and clinical simulations that showcase the work the various teams do in a more practical way.

“If you’re at school or looking for a change of direction then come along, see what opportunities are out there and how you can work towards a career that interests you.”

It’s a marketplace event with a number stalls so there is no need to book. It will take place at the Education Centre towards the back of the hospital on Tuesday 16^th October from 4pm to 7pm. You can call 01246 513177 or 513077 for more information or email CRHFT.HumanResources@nhs.net or sara.boulton@nhs.net.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town

Planning application submitted for new Enterprise Centre

11th October 2018

A planning application has been submitted seeking permission to build a three-floor Enterprise Centre for small businesses as part of the Northern Gateway scheme.

Chesterfield Borough Council wants to build the centre on part of the Holywell Cross (Donut) car park to meet demand for office spaces to house start-up and growing small businesses.

If approved, work would start in March 2019 and take a year to complete. The building would include:

32 air conditioned offices, of different sizes, to suit a range of start-up and small companies
Two meeting rooms
High speed broadband access and wi-fi throughout the building
A reception and shared lobby area
CCTV in communal areas inside and outside the building
Facilities for staff working in the building including kitchenettes, break out spaces, showers and a bicycle store

Councillor Terry Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, said: “These plans are a vital piece of the jigsaw in the Northern Gateway scheme and we know from the enquiries we get from start-up businesses how much this type of office space is needed in a town centre location.”

“Like our existing innovation centres at Dunston and Tapton this centre would be designed as a place that start-up or new businesses can let on ‘easy in-easy out’ terms with a view to them growing as businesses, expanding and moving in to larger premises in the borough.”

“This means we can also support the wider local economy through this development as all those businesses create jobs for local residents. Having a centre like this in the town centre also means that the employees who work there will support other local businesses and provide extra footfall in the town centre area.”

The proposed new building has been designed by Chesterfield-based Whittam Cox Architects and is being supported by funding from the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund.

Andrew Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “As a local practice we are delighted to support Chesterfield Borough Council with the development of a new Enterprise Centre.

“This is a key milestone in the regeneration of the Northern Gateway that will provide a new and unique commercial offer which we believe will be a catalyst for further investment into this area.”

“We are confident that our design proposals will deliver a high quality contemporary project that will act as a benchmark for the future regeneration of the town.”

The Enterprise Centre forms part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s wider Northern Gateway scheme, which aims to revitalise the northern end of the town centre. It includes:

The conversion of the former Co-op store in to a 96-bedroom Premier Inn, with six ground floor restaurant/bars and a gym in the basement. Work by private developer Jomast Developments to build the hotel is expected to be completed in November.
The construction of the new Saltergate multi-storey car park by Chesterfield Borough Council to replace the one demolished in spring 2018.
Environmental improvements to Elder Way and surrounding areas to create a more environmentally friendly space with a café culture, to accompany the work at the former Co-op store. Work will take place in 2019.

A decision on the planning application is expected to be taken by the council’s planning committee in early 2019.

If the Enterprise Centre plan is approved it will mean the loss of 60 of the 255 spaces on the Holywell Cross (Donut) car park. However, these spaces will be replaced by the extra capacity on the neighbouring Saltergate multi-storey car park, which is being built alongside it. Saltergate will also have capacity to cater for the existing needs of residents, as well as the visitors who will use the Premier Inn.

The Holywell Cross car park will remain open during the construction of the Enterprise Centre.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Have your say on proposed HS2 line through the Chesterfield area

11th October 2018

Chesterfield residents are being encouraged to attend public consultation sessions to see the detail of the proposed HS2 line through the Chesterfield area.

HS2 has today (Thursday 11 October) published more detailed environmental design proposals of the proposed HS2 phase 2B line between Birmingham and Leeds, which would stop at Chesterfield railway station, offering reduced journey times from Chesterfield to key cities around the UK.

The plans also include a track maintenance depot at Staveley offering new skilled job opportunities for local people as well as developing the former industrial sites in the area as part of a wider regeneration plan.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “HS2 is a once in a generation opportunity to improve transport links and we are confident that Chesterfield residents will benefit from this.

“There are strong economic reasons for the project and having a stop on the route in Chesterfield as well as a maintenance depot in Staveley will offer great opportunities for our residents in terms of journey times and growing our economy.

“However, we must balance that against the need to ensure that the inevitable impact of such a major construction project does not come at the detriment of local communities.”

Chesterfield Borough Council has been meeting with HS2 on a regular basis to discuss mitigation measures to ensure that any impact from the line would have and the latest plans produced include the HS2 response to concerns raised by the council and other key community groups, including the Chesterfield Canal Trust.

Councillor Gilby said: “We have developed good links with HS2 and have been able to discuss any local issues in a frank and open manner, and are confident this will continue throughout this process.

“We welcome the latest round of consultation as it brings the development just that bit closer. We are already getting potential HS2 suppliers contacting us who are interested in coming to the area.”

Over 100 East Midlands-based companies have already been awarded contracts working on stage one between London and Birmingham with more opportunities for phase two.

Councillor Gilby added: “Construction of the line between Birmingham and Leeds will offer new opportunities for local businesses in the supply chain and it is important that we engage with the business community so that they can take advantage of this and win contracts that will secure existing jobs and create new ones.”

HS2 will hold drop-in consultation events in the Chesterfield borough on:

Friday 9 November from 2pm to 8pm at the St Thomas Centre, Chatsworth Road
Friday 16 November from 2pm to 8pm at the Speedwell Rooms in Inkersall Road, Staveley

There are also events in Dronfield, Bolsover and North Wingfield.

Further information is available at www.hs2.org.uk/phase2b

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development