Voluntary groups in Chesterfield will benefit from a two year funding deal agreed by Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet. Continue reading
About Chesterfield
Derbyshire versus Yorkshire is a sell out for the second year
Derbyshire Falcons’ home Vitality Blast fixture versus Yorkshire Vikings on Saturday 28 July at Chesterfield has sold out for a second year in a row.
The local derby continues to grow in popularity, with more people than ever purchasing tickets in advance to secure their place at the showpiece fixture of the Custom Solar Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.
It’s the third time in four years the Twenty20 fixture at Chesterfield has sold out in advance.
Only matchday ticket holders will be able to gain entry into the ground on Saturday. Tickets will not be available to buy on the day.
Chief Executive, Simon Storey said: “The local derby is always the highlight of our week in Chesterfield. The demand for tickets continues to grow year-on-year and we’re delighted to announce an advance sell out for a second year in a row.
“Queen’s Park is a beautiful venue and the atmosphere is always electric when we have a full house and Yorkshire are in town. It promises to be a great occasion to close this year’s festival.”
Councillor Steve Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “One of the reasons we help bring the cricket festival to Chesterfield each year is that the crowds who attend will stay at hotels in the area, use local restaurants, bars and other leisure facilities.
“It is also an opportunity for local residents to see first class county players in the town and for local schoolchildren to meet the cricketers and be inspired to take part in sport and leisure activities.
“The match against Yorkshire is always the one that local cricket fans look out for so it is no surprise to see it sell out well ahead of the game taking place.”
Supporters with matchday tickets are encouraged to plan their journeys in advance and give plenty of time to arrive at the ground. Gates will open earlier than advertised at 12noon.
Please do not arrive at the ground if you do not have a matchday ticket.
Custom Solar Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.
Thanks for boosting the mayor’s appeal
Kind-hearted attendees have boosted the mayor of Chesterfield’s charity appeal to the tune of more than £20,000.
From May 2017 to May 2018, the mayor’s appeal raised £21,174 when Liberal Democrat councillor Maureen Davenport served as mayor.
Assisted by mayoress, Mrs Liz Archer, Councillor Davenport hosted a series of events to raise funds for two charities:
- Retreat at the Royal – a community garden for the new Macmillan Cancer Centre at Chesterfield Royal Hospital
- The Chesterfield Child Contact Centre – helping to rebuild vital relationships between parents and children .
Councillor Davenport said:-
“Thanks to everyone who supported these two causes during my year as mayor.
“Both do excellent work supporting families in the borough and I’m extremely pleased that we have been able to raise funds for them to continue in this work.”
The mantle has now been passed to the current mayor, Labour councillor Stuart Brittain and his wife Anne, who serves as mayoress.
They are raising funds for Ashgate Hospicecare and Citizens Advice Chesterfield.
This year’s appeal has got off to a good start thanks to the sweet teeth of staff and tenants at Chesterfield’s Innovation Centres.
The staff at Tapton Lock Innovation Centre and Dunston Innovation Centre, both managed by Chesterfield Borough Council, manage a tuck shop at reception, where snackers can indulge by leaving a small donation for charity.
The total raised in snacks over several years amounts to £1,000 at each centre, which has been donated to the appeal.
Chesterfield Canal is a triple Green Flag Award winner
Lovers of the Chesterfield Canal were delighted by the news that the waterway has been officially recognised as one of the UK’s best green spaces, not just once, but three times over.
Hollingwood Hub, which lies on the canal in Staveley, has received its first Green Flag Award. The site is run by the Chesterfield Canal Trust. The derelict lock house was restored and extended in 2011, paid for by a grant from Community Assets. Volunteers from the Trust landscaped the gardens and now tend them in conjunction with a local school.
The bid was led by Jim Bower, Vice Chair of the Trust. Jim said:-
“I am delighted that the efforts of our volunteers have been recognised. The judges were amazed by the contribution the Hub has made to the area. We hope that this award will help our campaign to complete the restoration of the canal. It demonstrates how industrial wasteland can be turned into green spaces to benefit the whole community.”
Jim believes in leading from the front and is often to be seen mowing and strimming the grass at the Hub with fellow Trust member Chris Hadfield.
Hollingwood Hub is a very popular stopping off place for the many walkers and cyclists who frequent the towpath. Many visit Katey’s Coffee Shop, whilst others come to cruise on the tripboat Madeline. The Trust runs these trips every Saturday from April to October, with Monday and Wednesday added in the school summer holidays.
The whole of the eastern end of the canal, from Kiveton Park to West Stockwith, where it meets the River Trent, has also been awarded Green Flag status. This 32 mile long section is managed by the Canal & River Trust. Previously only the final 14 miles had achieved recognition.
Tapton Lock in Chesterfield is the longest standing Green Flag site on the canal. This is the sixth year running that it has received the award. It is run by the Derbyshire County Council’s Countryside Service.
Paul Todd, Scheme Manager for the International Green Flag Award, said:-
“We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme, with more Green Flags awarded this year than last year.
“Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We are proud to have so many wonderful green spaces in the UK for people to enjoy, and hope that next year, we award even more flags.”
Global leader announces investment at Markham Vale
Sterigenics, a Sotera Health company and leading global provider of mission-critical sterilization solutions and expert advisory services, announced today it is building a new facility in Markham Vale North in Chesterfield.
The facility will significantly expand Sterigenics’ footprint in Europe to help meet the growing sterilization needs of its customers and support the company’s mission of Safeguarding Global HealthTM.
Scheduled for completion in the 2018, the facility will include the installation of state-of-the-art technology
The new 60,000-square-foot facility will add gamma sterilization capabilities in the UK to complement Sterigenics’ existing facility based in Somercotes.
“Sterigenics is committed to being the world’s leading provider of sterilization services and partnering with our customers to eliminate threats to human health,” said Philip Macnabb, President of Sterigenics. “We continue to invest in our global network to meet our customers’ growing demand for gamma irradiation capacity as a critical step in their product development processes. Our new Markham Vale facility will strengthen our ability to serve our European customers, particularly in the MedTech and pharmaceutical fields, and help them innovate with success.”
“Our Markham Vale North facility is strategically located to serve the needs of our European customers,” said Adrian Wye, Director of UK Operations. “Its prime location at the heart of the UK’s motorway network will provide an optimum location for their supply chain logistics. And our facility’s high-tech capabilities will deliver the turnaround times necessary to distribute their products to market quickly.”
Find out more about investing in Chesterfield
Chesterfield’s parks retain their Green Flags
Five of Chesterfield’s parks and open spaces, maintained by Chesterfield Borough Council, have, once again, been given a prestigious Green Flag award.
Queen’s Park near the town centre, Eastwood Park in Hasland, Holmebrook Valley Park, Poolsbrook Country Park and the grounds of Chesterfield and District Crematorium are among a record-breaking 1,883 UK parks and green spaces that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader, said: “We are very proud of our parks and open spaces in Chesterfield.
“Our staff work hard out carrying out maintenance to our parks supported by volunteers and friends groups and these awards are testament to all of their hard work and dedication.”
This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.
The Custom Solar Chesterfield Festival of Cricket returns to Queen’s Park this weekend.
Don’t miss a day of Medieval Fun in Chesterfield
Don’t miss a day of Medieval Fun in Chesterfield this July. Visitors to Chesterfield can expect battle re-enactments, dragons, jesters and more at the Chesterfield medieval fun day organised by Chesterfield Borough Council.
The fun-filled family event takes place in various locations across Chesterfield town centre on Tuesday 24 July from 10am to 4pm.
There is a host of activities taking place including:
- A medieval encampment in the Crooked Spire churchyard with skirmishes at 12.30pm and 2.30pm and troop marches to the market place at 11am and 1.30pm
- Court jester performing in Rykneld Square, opposite the church at 11.30am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
- The Legend of Theobald Puppet Theatre at Burlington Street at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm
- A fun fair at Chesterfield market all day
- Medieval Monks Comedy Animation Theatre in the market place with shows at 11am, 12.45pm and 2pm
- Dragon and knight in the market place at 11.30am, 1pm and 2pm
- Medieval beggars at the market place and Burlington Street at various times during the day.
Chesterfield Museum is also open during the day. Visitors can meet Sir Cuss the potion maker who will train them to identify dragons and make potions to protect them from the dragon, the museum is open from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.
St Mary and All Saints’, the Crooked Spire church is also holding an open day with tours of the church tower hourly from 10.15am to 3.15pm. Tours cost £6 for adults and £4 for children.
Councillor Steve Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “The medieval fun day is one of the most popular events in our calendar each year.
“There are so many fun activities taking place, it’s a great opportunity for families to have a day out, enjoy themselves and learn a little bit about our medieval past at the same time.”
Find out more about the Medieval Fun Day and the Vintage Summer Fair which takes place on the same day.
D2N2 Announces New Chair
Elizabeth Fagan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Boots, has been appointed Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
She succeeds Peter Richardson OBE, who has been Chair of D2N2 since 2012.
D2N2 is the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. It works with businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary sector organisations, to grow the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire economy.
Under Peter’s watch, the D2N2 LEP has already exceeded its original target of creating 55,000 new jobs in ten years – from 2013 to 2023 – and is now working on a new Strategic Economic Plan and Local Industrial Strategy for the cities, towns and rural areas in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Elizabeth said:-
“I am very pleased to be joining as the Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership at this important time in its development. This area is home to world-class businesses and knowledge bases, has a hard-working talent pool, a vibrant cultural offering and is a beautiful place to live, work and visit.”
“I believe that the power of D2N2 lies in the intersection between public and private companies and I hope that some of my experience will help make a positive difference. I look forward to working with business and local partners to create and deliver a new strategy for high value economic growth that benefits all our communities.”
Paying tribute to the work of her predecessor, Elizabeth said:-
“I thank Peter for the work that he has done as Chair of the LEP. He has been at the heart of D2N2’s successes to date and I wish him every success in future roles.”
Since 2012, Peter has overseen:
- The creation of D2N2’s original Strategic Economic Plan, in which the target of creating 55,000 new jobs and the means to create them, were devised
- Extensive lobbying for the planned High Speed Rail Line (HS2) to come through the D2N2 area, resulting in an ‘East Midlands Hub’, at Toton, Nottinghamshire, and a maintenance depot at Staveley, Derbyshire
- Support for the growth of the Nottingham and Derby Enterprise Zone, from the opening of Medicity, part of the Boots Enterprise Zone site in November 2013, right through to the continued development of each of the Nottingham and Derby Enterprise Zone sites today
- The signing of the D2N2 Growth Deal with Government, which secured £174m in Local Growth Funding for projects in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to improve infrastructure and create jobs and which has since been increased to £250m.
- Launch of the D2N2 Growth Hub – a free and impartial support and advice service for businesses across the D2N2 area, which has helped over 6,000 businesses to date.
Peter also led each of D2N2’s five previous annual conferences and AGMs. The D2N2 Annual Conference on July 24 will be his last with the LEP. The formal handover to Elizabeth will take place at the conference.
Peter said:-
“During my time as D2N2’s Chairman, I’ve seen a lot of change locally, regionally and nationally. The D2N2 area, the East Midlands and the UK as a whole are all very different places from when I first took the role.
“Elizabeth will face a completely different set of challenges from those I faced as I helped bring together and lead a team of people who are helping the D2N2 area be the best that it possibly can be, meeting adversity with solutions and ensuring that the region makes the most of every opportunity.
“I stick true to my belief that, now more than ever, the D2N2 area is the UK’s most inspirational postcode.
“I wish Elizabeth all the very best as she takes over the reins at D2N2. I am confident she is the right person for the job and has the best possible team to support her.”
Chesterfield unemployment figure falls
The percentage of people out of work in the Chesterfield has fallen according to figures released this morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Figures for those claiming job seekers in Chesterfield was down with 1,645 claimants recorded down from 1,675 the previous month.
The number of people in work in the East Midlands between March and May 2018 was higher than for the same period last year and two years ago, according to figures released this morning.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed there were 2,285,777 people in work in the region, 30,421 higher than for the same three months in 2017 and 19,977 more than in 2016.
Compared with the same period in 2016, there were 6,245 fewer people unemployed in the East Midlands between March and May 2018 at 100,287.
Unemployment, however, was 10,625 higher in the period this year than it was last year and 1,256 up compared with three months between December and February.
The ONS also reported that unemployment for the region, which was on a par with the national average at 4.2%, was 1,256 higher between March and May this year than was recorded for the December to February period.
Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:-
“For a long time, the East Midlands has enjoyed fairly robust employment, usually bettering national average figures when it comes to job creation and the percentage of people out of work.
“While it’s too early to suggest trends or talk about economic slumps, the gap between the region and the national picture has been closing in recent months.
“There can be little doubt that Brexit is playing its part in these figures. The clock is ticking and business has yet to receive any useful information from the UK Government or Brussels about what our trading relationship with the EU will be after March next year.
“The lack of guidance is leading to uncertainty, which is bound to manifest itself as we get closer to the deadline, so I think it’s quite reasonable to expect businesses to hold off on investment and recruitment.
“That said, 67% of the firms that completed our second Quarterly Economic Survey of 2018 said they wanted to recruit but many were struggling to find suitably skilled or qualified staff, which suggests there is still an underlying business confidence.
“What is important now is that our Government does not cause that confidence to wan and delivers a Brexit for business instead of constantly bickering about it.”
Other figures released by the ONS this morning show that the claimant count has fallen across the whole of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, down 1,015 to 35,545 in June 2018 compared with the previous month.
New Chesterfield Campus helps University of Derby nursing courses climb to 11th in the country
The University of Derby’s Nursing courses have been ranked 11th in The Guardian University Guide 2019, a climb of 23 places.
This ranking reflects a variety of criteria related to students, such as student satisfaction with their course, teaching, feedback and student-to-staff ratio. Other metrics include gaining employment, spend per student and, new for this year, continuation.
Welcoming these results Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean for the College of Health and Social Care said:-
“We’re delighted to see the hard work of our committed staff resulting in an outstanding student experience which we see reflected in this league table place of 11th in the country. We have been educating nurses in Derby and Chesterfield for many years and are proud to see so many of our students working in local hospitals, our community and the private and voluntary institutions locally including Ashgate Hospice.
“This ranking reflects the commitment of our clinical practice partners, including Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Derbyshire Health Community Services, who provide 50% of the course through placements. We also recognise the quality of students we see coming from Chesterfield College and other partner Colleges who are inspired and well prepared for their nursing degree with us. Our aim is to continue to enhance the quality of our education and ensure our Nursing degree always has a personal touch.”
“As a University we have been able to increase our student numbers in Nursing at a time when some areas within the UK have seen a reduction. This increase is necessary as a shortage of nurses is evident across the health sector. We need to ensure wide access to our programmes, and clear progression routes for those already working in health and care support roles.
“Healthy and increasing student numbers at the Chesterfield site, St Helena, has a positive impact on the local economy but is also contributing to a more sustainable workforce. Many students live in Chesterfield before commencing their degree, and many are mature, with an average age of around 27, but we are also seeing students commuting in from places like Nottingham and Birmingham. Almost all of the students graduating from our Nursing programmes in Chesterfield are employed locally by Chesterfield Royal Hospital or in community services.
“Enabling wide participation into higher education is important to the University, therefore we engage and work collaboratively with local schools and with Chesterfield College to support and raise aspirations of local people. We will continue to work hard to ensure that The University of Derby in Chesterfield is firmly embedded in the town, working collaboratively and responding to local needs.”
Uncover the secrets of Chatsworth this summer
With schools out for summer, an action-packed programme of entertainment launches at Chatsworth with trails, virtual reality tours and hands-on activities for families to explore the stories behind the £32m 10-year restoration.
‘Chatsworth Renewed’ is the biggest restoration and conservation of the house since the 1820s. With family-inspired activities spread throughout the house, garden, farmyard and adventure playground, there’s something for visitors of all ages to enjoy throughout the school summer holidays (21 July to 30 August 2018).
Alongside the popular animal handling and heritage craft activities in the farmyard and outdoor games and live band performances in the 105-acre garden, visitors are invited to explore the ‘Chatsworth Renewed’ exhibition dedicated to the restoration project, with hands-on activities to engage children and young people.
Families can explore ‘Chatsworth Renewed’, solve puzzles and uncover fascinating facts about the people involved in building, conserving and looking after Chatsworth. Get hands on in the Inner Court to create their own monumental urn and explore old drawings and artefacts tucked away in sets of drawers around the grand rooms of the house. Baalington Lamb is also hidden throughout the house and will offer a task or fun fact every time he is spotted.
In the garden, the famous head gardener Sir Joseph Paxton from the 1800s who introduced many of the famous landmarks still visible today, such as the Emperor Fountain and Rockery, will be wandering around with his wife Sarah, talking about the historic landscape at Chatsworth and the Cavendish banana, along with plant hunter extraordinaire John Gibson who brought back orchids from India. These costumed character actors will be in the garden every day.
Through the use of virtual reality, there’s even the chance to explore Paxton’s Great Conservatory which took four years to build and was a precursor to Crystal Palace, but had to be demolished in the 1920s due to the huge running costs. VR tours will be available from the Maze.
The nostalgic sound of Patrick Cook’s barrel organ, traditional games such as croquet, giant Jenga and skittles, and free face painting will also be available for visitors near the Maze.
The hugely popular animal handling activities take place in the farmyard this summer, with families invited to pet rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals in the animal handling barn. With two newborn donkey foals arriving in the farmyard in the last few weeks, the first named Summer and the newest arrival named Bramble after a vote by Chatsworth House Facebook followers, there will be even more for children to enjoy. Daily milking demonstrations will also be available to discover how cows and goats are milked. On selected dates, there will be a focus on river creatures that can be found in the river Derwent; making willow creatures using willow weaving and discovering how to turn fleece to wool. A trailer discovery tour to the Golden Gates to see the Chatsworth Estate will run every day from the top yard (small charge applies).
A family house, garden, farmyard and adventure playground ticket is available and offers a half price return visit. For more information on activities, times and prices click here.
