About Chesterfield

Blachford boost for Half Marathon Fun Run

A leading Chesterfield business, has partnered with the town’s half marathon, which returns on 21 October this year.

Blachford UK, which is one of Europe’s leading designers and manufacturers of noise reducing trim and insulation for agricultural tractors and construction machinery, has agreed a deal to sponsor the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon’s 1km Fun Run.

As part of its partnership agreement, the firm will also sponsor a service station at the event.

The family-friendly race becomes the “Blachford Fun Run”, which also forms part of the Half Marathon’s Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge. The team-orientated Challenge includes two entries into the Blachford Fun Run, the Peak FM 5 Mile Run and the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon.

With entry costing £5, the Blachford Fun Run is open to all ages and will take place within the boundaries of Queen’s Park, where the Half Marathon will begin and end.

The race is an easy way of getting involved with the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, which has enjoyed a successful rejuvenation following an inaugural revamped event in 2017. More than 800 people entered last year, with organisers hopeful of a four-figure turnout in 2018.

In addition to their sponsorship of the Fun Run, Blachford UK is also entering its own team into the race. Colleagues from Blachford will be pulling on their running shoes and taking part in the Fun Run, helping raise money for local good causes.

The Blachford team will be running for event charity partners, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and Ashgate Hospicecare.

Jason Lippitt, Managing Director of Blachford UK, said: “I am delighted that Blachford are supporting the Half Marathon Fun Run this year.

“Many of the team at Blachford are from Chesterfield so this is a great opportunity for them and us to come together and raise money for the local area, and also get fit. We’re all looking forward to it. It’s a great event for Chesterfield.”

John Timms, Events Director at Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, said: “We’re really excited by our new partnership with Blachford UK.

“Although Blachford is an international business, the company has strong community roots, particularly when it comes to raising money for local good causes such as Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice – one of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon’s charity partners. We’re looking forward to seeing this partnership develop.

For more information on all the races and how to get involved click here.

Fun run

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

New Interim Chief Executive Officer appointed for D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership

Sajeeda Rose, formerly the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Senior Manager for Growth Deal and Capital Programmes (pictured), has been appointed Interim Chief Executive of the LEP with immediate effect by D2N2’s new Chair, Elizabeth Fagan. Sajeeda has been with the LEP since November 2017 and has been working with public and private sector stakeholders and partner organisations across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Matthew Wheatley, who has been D2N2’s Interim Chief Executive since January of this year (2018) will be leading the important task of refreshing the Strategic Economic Plan, resuming his role as Growth Plan Manager.

Sajeeda said today: “D2N2 is in a very strong position, helping to lead the economic and business strategy for a region with an impressive track record in creating new private sector jobs. We are keen to look to the future by using our resources, skills and knowledge to work with partners across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, we can boost productivity, improve the economy and create a living, breathing industrial strategy which is fit for the future of the D2N2 area.”

Elizabeth Fagan, D2N2 Chair, added: “As the Chair of D2N2, I look forward to continuing to work with partners as we shape and prepare for the implementation of the LEP review.

“I would like to thank Matthew for his commitment and support to the LEP during this transitional period and I’m pleased to confirm that he will be leading the refresh of the Strategic Economic Plan as Growth Plan Manager at this important time in the LEPs journey.

“Moving forward I am pleased to announce that Sajeeda Rose will be appointed as the Interim CEO with immediate effect to lead our response to the LEP review and its implication on the organisation.”

Sajeeda rose

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

University of Derby academic manager receives prestigious National Teaching Fellowship

Paula Shaw, Academic Manager at the University of Derby Online Learning (UDOL), has received a National Teaching Fellowship – the most prestigious individual award in higher education – in recognition of her outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession.

The Advance HE National Teaching Fellowship scheme has been running since 2000. On gaining the award, fellows play an ongoing role in enhancing teaching and learning within their institution, the higher education sector and further afield.

Paula is the first female at the University of Derby to be awarded the title, joining three other academics who already hold National Teaching Fellowships:

  • Professor Malcolm Todd, Provost (Academic) – awarded in 2014
  • Dr Ian Turner, Associate Professor in Learning and Teaching – awarded in 2014
  • Professor Dennis Hayes, Professor of Education – awarded in 2010

Passionate about distance and online learning, Paula was one of the founding members of UDOL in 2011 and has driven the University’s approach to online learning, providing inspirational academic leadership. She is part of the senior management team that has seen online learning at the University grow to over 3,600 students across a range of programmes in 2017/18.

Paula’s methodology ensures that UDOL students receive a full university experience, based on a social approach to learning. She worked with key departments across the University to develop an online careers, wellbeing and library offer, which resulted in her receiving the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Individual Impact in 2014.

She also ensured that all of the University’s online learning materials are designed to achieve the maximum possible inclusivity for students, whatever their needs.

As a result, UDOL has achieved sector-leading retention rates for online learning, with 93% of students being retained year on year.

Paula said: “I am honoured to receive this award, which reflects my passion for achieving the highest standards in online learning. More importantly, I hope it will inspire others to share my commitment to providing the very best learning experience and support for those students who are unable to physically attend university.”

Julie Stone, Director of UDOL, said: “Paula has been a key contributor to the success of online learning at Derby. She is an inspirational academic, passionate about learning and the student experience, and I am delighted that her work has been recognised in this way.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Kathryn Mitchell added: “The award of a National Teaching Fellowship is an outstanding achievement, which reflects the impact that Paula has made in ensuring our online students receive the highest standards of learning and teaching.”

Posted in About Chesterfield

By election to take place in Moor ward

A by election will take place in Chesterfield’s Moor ward on Thursday 4 October.

This follows the death of Labour Councillor Keith Brown who died in July after a short illness.

Huw Bowen, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Chief Executive and returning officer, said: “Following the death of Councillor Keith Brown, residents in Moor ward will have the opportunity to elect a councillor who will represent them until next May’s borough council elections.

“Details of the candidates standing for election will be made available when the nominations have been received.”

Nomination papers for candidates wishing to stand in the election must be returned to the returning officer at Chesterfield Town Hall by 4pm on Friday 7 September.

Labour councillor Kate Caulfield continues to represent Moor ward.

For more information click here.

register to vote

Posted in About Chesterfield

Local organisations are working together to prevent suicides

Derbyshire County Council is joining the NHS, local charities and organisations in supporting World Suicide Prevention Day which is on 10 September 2018.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Derbyshire sign batsman Lace on loan

Derbyshire has signed opening batsman Tom Lace on loan from Middlesex for the remainder of the 2018 season.

The 20-year-old will be available for the rest of the summer and joins up with the Derbyshire squad ahead of the Specsavers County Championship match versus Kent at The 3aaa County Ground, starting on Wednesday.

A product of the Middlesex Academy, the opening batsman made his Second XI debut in 2015 and scored his maiden century against Worcestershire Second XI the following summer, aged just 17.

This summer, the right-hander has played six Second XI Championship matches and scored 322 runs at an average of 32.20 and with a top score of 94.

Derbyshire Captain, Billy Godleman said: “We wanted to bring in an out-and-out top-order batsman as short-term cover whilst Luis Reece continues his recovery.

“Tom is a good young batsman who is keen to progress and he comes highly recommended by Angus Fraser at Middlesex.

“It’s a good opportunity for Tom to gain some first-class experience and continue his development, while providing us with a talented option at the top of the order for our final games of the summer.”

Lace added: “I would like to thank Middlesex for giving me the opportunity to join Derbyshire on loan until the end of the season and I am very much looking forward to playing some first-class cricket.

“My thanks also go to Derbyshire for this opportunity and I hope to be able to contribute towards a successful end to the Championship campaign.”

The news comes after last week’s announcement that Godleman has signed a three-year contract extension to keep him at the Club until the end of the 2021 season.

Images by Middlesex Cricket

tom lace

Posted in About Chesterfield

Perez storms into Porsche ProAm lead at Knockhill

Chesterfield’s Amigos Team Parker racing driver Seb Perez stormed to victory last weekend in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship at Knockhill Race Circuit in Dunfermline Scotland (25/26 August) for rounds 11 and 12.

The 18 year old racer took to a double Porsche ProAm podium success, winning both races over the weekend putting him in top spot in the Championship.

He overcame a race one impact and inclement weather throughout the weekend, to secure his second “double win” of the season, replicating his Monza victories earlier in the year. His sensational form sees him pull two points clear of his nearest rival with five wins to his name as the season heads towards the final two races of the series.

His weekends racing has been described as “one of his best drives of his racing career to date”

Four weeks ago he travelled to Snetterton circuit in Norfolk leaving with two podium slots and most certainly meant to carry on where he had left off.

Perez struggled for the start of the weekend’s Scottish round having only managed third quickest of the ProAm contenders in a dry qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, lining up on the grid in ninth spot.

Both Carrera Cup GB races would take place on Sunday and as the weather drew in overnight, the following day double-header would serve up an altogether different track for the 911 GT3 driver.

He was greeted on Sunday morning by persistently heavy rain and foggy conditions and a different approach was needed for round 11 of the season. Wet tyres and setups were the order of the day and Perez knew he would need to battle through heavy spray to make any improvement on his start position.

As the lights went out on race one Perez made a great start but contact early on in the race saw him drop back into fourth place ProAm driver as a battle commenced on the Scottish circuits narrow undulating and twisty track that gave the drivers very little chance to overtake.

By lap 15 the safety car made an appearance to Perez’s delight bunching the whole field together giving him the opportunity needed to fight his way through the pack with precision.

With the five minute board showing from the pit wall Perez made his way into third place despite off-centre steering problems caused by the earlier impact. It wasn’t long before another fantastic move saw him second.

With just two minutes remaining on the clock the Amigos Team Parker driver lunged down the inside across the start- finish straight to take the ProAm lead, a place he held onto until the flag.

Weather conditions worsened some four hours later for race two that saw a safety car start due to the weather and Perez starting as the lead ProAm driver. The conditions didn’t get any better but he saw a trouble free affair taking the chequered flag 32 laps later and taking his second win of the weekend.

After a fantastic race weekend in very wet windy and treacherous conditions an elated Perez said,

“To win both of these races here at Knockhill by such a considerable margin in weather like this is just fantastic”

“It’s been useful to come here with a bit of prior knowledge of the track thanks to my Ginetta days but essentially I’m really pleased with the way I drove today and I’d say it was one of the best weekends of my racing career so far. The car felt great and the set-up was just right thanks to the team who worked hard this weekend. Setting fastest lap time in both races is a testament to that. It’s a real confidence boost to take the lead of the ProAm category too, it’s taken long enough really but to finally be in that position with four races left is a great sign for my championship hopes.”

Perez leaves Knockhill leading the ProAm category, and second in the Rookie standings. Amigos Team Parker Racing are second in the Entrant Championship going into the penultimate meeting at Silverstone in September (15-16 September).

Editorial and Images by Paul Horton Motorsport Media and Photography

Seb Perez

Posted in About Chesterfield

Visit Peak District website in Top 10 for UK Destinations

New data released by official tourist board Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire reveals for the past six months, the tourist board’s website www.visitpeakdistrict.com has consistently ranked in the top ten most visited sites for around 150 UK destinations, alongside such places as Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

More than a million user sessions were logged between 20 February and 19 August, a rise of more than 37 per cent on the same period in 2017.

The site now also outranks Trip Advisor when people enter the keywords Accommodation in the Peak District and Things to Do in the Peak District on Google.

In addition, the tourist board’s social media following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram has increased by 22 per cent in the past year from just under 75,000 in July 2017 to more than 92,000.

It was recently revealed that tourism’s value to the Peak District and Derbyshire economy rose to £2.15 billion in 2017 and annual visitor numbers rose to 40.45 million.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire said: “When we relaunched our consumer website our main aim was to put visitors right at the heart of our planning and offer them a much better, more streamlined experience”

“We’re delighted that, for the first time, we’re ranked in the top ten most visited UK sites out of about 150 UK destinations – previously the best position we’ve achieved has been 13th.

“It’s also great to see that our social media following has grown substantially over the past year, thanks to our emphasis on posting engaging, image-led content – particularly on Instagram, where our following has increased by 46 per cent.

“I’d like to thank everyone in the team for their hard work and commitment to putting the Peak District and Derbyshire where it belongs – as the UK and overseas visitors’ destination of choice, regionally, nationally and globally.”

tourism

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Chesterfield residents invited to name new Mccarthy and Stone development

The UK’s leading retirement housebuilder, McCarthy and Stone, has announced construction will soon get under way at its site in Saltergate, Chesterfield, which is set to be transformed into a collection of one and two bedroom Retirement Living Plus apartments, designed for people aged 70 and over.

Ahead of the build programme commencing, McCarthy and Stone is appealing to local people to enter a competition to name the scheme.  The winning entrant of the ‘What’s in a Name’ competition will be granted the opportunity to attend the official opening of the development, as well as receiving a cheque for £200.

Fiona Brooks, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for McCarthy and Stone North West, said: “We are inviting people from the local area to suggest an appropriate name for our new Chesterfield development. We are looking for a name which will be relevant to the local community; and it can be anything from suggestions honouring local landmarks or scenery, to names that incorporate elements of the town’s rich history. Simply submit your ideas by Monday 3rd September to be considered for the prize, and to put your stamp on a little bit of future history in the town.”

To be in with a chance of naming McCarthy and Stone’s new development and to win £200, all you have to do is email mccarthyandstone@mccann.com with your suggested development name and the reason behind it.  Please include ‘Chesterfield’ in the subject header and also include your name and contact details in the email. The competition is open to people of all ages from the local and surrounding areas and the deadline for entries is Monday 3rd September.

The Chesterfield development will consist of 65 one and two bedroom apartments, along with a stunning homeowners’ lounge, ideal for socialising with friends; beautifully landscaped gardens in which to relax; and a convenient guest suite should homeowners have friends or relatives to stay. The development will also benefit from its very own Estates Management team on-site 24 hours a day; while a security entrance system and emergency call points will provide added peace-of-mind for homeowners and their families.

Mccarthy and Stone Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Approval for sports pitch on former sports centre site

Councillors have approved plans for an artificial turf sports pitch on the site of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield.

Members of Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans for the site of the former sports centre on Boythorpe Road at their meeting yesterday, Tuesday 28 August.

This will see a 61m x 43m sports pitch built on the site suitable for seven-a-side football games built to Football Association requirements. The pitch could also be split to be used for two five-a-side games.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Queen’s Park is a key park in Chesterfield and the new sports pitch will meet a need identified by Sport England to increase the number of pitches available in the borough.

“Chesterfield has some of the worst health inequalities and providing extra opportunities for people to exercise, get fit and enjoy themselves is a priority for us.”

The pitch would be sited to minimise the visual impact from within Queen’s Park and nearby properties. The floodlights will be designed to reduce light emissions, with the fencing and lighting columns in dark colours to blend in with the park environment.

The remaining area would be landscaped with trees, shrubs, bedding plants and grass so it is closer to the original park design by William Barron that was in place before the old Queen’s Park Sports Centre was built in 1968.

Councillor Ludlow added: “With the heritage nature of the grade II* listed park, it is important that any development fits in with its surroundings, which is why time and effort has been put into making sure that the plans are sympathetic to the nature of the park and the original landscaping restored.”

Sports Centre site

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Leisure

Chesterfield organisation named in UK’s top ‘Small Biz 100’

Chesterfield’s Monkey Park has been named as one of the UK’s top ‘Small Biz 100’ by Small Business Saturday. Monkey Park on Chester Street has been selected as a trail-blazer in the official count-down to Small Business Saturday, which takes place across the UK on 1 December 2018.

Monkey Park’s achievements and contribution to the local community will be celebrated and spotlighted on 3rd September 2018. This is part of the campaign’s mission to celebrate small business success, and encourage the nation to ‘shop local’ and support British small businesses.

The 2018 Small Biz 100 are drawn from every corner of the UK and reflect the vibrancy of the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses. Reflecting the latest in innovative start-up trends, from ethical shopping, through to Artificial Intelligence, this year’s Small Biz 100 features a range of unique independent businesses. This year’s cohort joins hundreds of previous Small Biz 100 alumni champions, which have been celebrated by the iconic campaign since its UK launch in 2013.

Kevin Walker, Director of Monkey Park CIC said:

“We are extremely thrilled to be announced as one of the ‘Small Biz 100’ for 2018.  Monkey Park is a not for profit organisation whose purpose is to improve the local community by bringing people together & supporting their efforts to change the area. We employ local people and buy our teas, coffees and other ingredients locally to make sure we are enhancing the local economy. We have created six part time jobs and all profits go back into the business or into community projects.  We fully support Small Business Saturday’s mission to encourage more people to shop locally and support ventures such as ours”.

Director of Small Business Saturday UK, Michelle Ovens said:

“The launch of the Small Biz 100 marks the exciting count-down to Small Business Saturday 2018. We are thrilled to highlight the dynamic, creative and inspiring small businesses from across the country, as part of our campaign to celebrate and champion the success of the UK’s small businesses. The Small Biz 100 showcases the companies at the heart of the UK’s economy, which we need to support now more than ever.”

In its sixth year Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign, which last year saw an estimated £748m spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday.

A grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, Small Business Saturday was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010. American Express remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK, as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small.

The #SmallBizSatUK campaign trended at number one in the UK on Twitter during 2017, reaching over 115 million people globally. The Prime Minister and the Mayor of London were among those publically supporting the campaign. Over 87% of local councils also supported the campaign.

Small Business Saturday also benefits from the backing of leading business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Enterprise Nation. The campaign is also supported by Amazon, Indeed, Royal Mail, Vistaprint, Xerox, and Square.

Small Business Saturday 2018 is open to all businesses to participate in, and will commence its regional bus tour roadshow across the UK during the autumn, to drum up further support.

Monkey Park Works Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business