About Chesterfield

Coffee morning for asbestos sufferers proves a success

29th March 2017

Chesterfield based UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) hosted a Coffee Morning for the Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team (DAST) earlier this month in support of victims of mesothelioma and family members bereaved as a result of the asbestos related disease. The event this year proved a great success, not least due to the involvement of art therapist Yana Ng.

DAST host several coffee mornings every year, giving those living with mesothelioma the opportunity to get together and meet others in the same situation. On this occasion, attendees were able to take part in a practical workshop which allowed attendees to express feelings and emotions through art.

Victoria Castelluccio, Marketing Officer at UKATA, said :-

“UKATA is proud to support DAST and the valuable work they do.

“While we regularly support these Coffee Mornings, Yana’s input as an art psychotherapist resulted in a successful workshop and appreciated by all. UKATA continues to campaign on the importance of asbestos awareness training and helping charities like DAST remains important to us. They do so much for the victims of mesothelioma and their families, forced to live with the impact and aftermath of this terrible condition.”

Speakers and medical professionals regularly attend the DAST Coffee Mornings to answer people’s questions in an informal setting and this time it was the turn of art psychotherapist Yana Ng from the University of Derby, who uses her skills to positively impact the mental health of those taking part.

DAST supports anyone diagnosed with an asbestos related disease with their unique support services. The charity helps with benefits uptake, government compensation schemes and advice on making a civil compensation claim. DAST have resources to help those with respiratory diseases manage their condition and live the fullest lives possible and act as a support group by arranging meetings and coffee mornings like the ones held at UKATA.

Victoria added:-

“DAST Coffee Mornings allow UKATA to do what we can for those living with asbestos related illness.

“These events are a reminder of how important our national training campaigns are but we can never lose sight of the people living with the impact of asbestos related illness today.”

Posted in About Chesterfield

Top 50 SMEs in North Derbyshire announced

29th March 2017

BHP Accountants recently released their Top 50 survey of the most profitable SMEs in North Derbyshire, which showcases many of the region’s most successful businesses, that all contribute hugely to the local economy.

Download the Top 50 SMEs in North Derbyshire

The services and manufacturing sectors dominate the table this year, with the largest turnover figures of £272million and £130million respectively, followed by the wholesale sector which has a £118million turnover and the retail sector which has a £101million turnover.

Retail businesses have outperformed other industries this year, with a 13% increase in turnover, a 17% increase in pre-tax profits and a 43% increase in employee numbers. This is very encouraging news for the retail sector, which has demonstrated good growth patterns lately, after years of poor performance.

Overall the manufacturing sector has experienced a 3% fall in turnover, but an 8% growth in pre-tax profits, and 10% growth in employee numbers. With many companies in this sector reporting growth in profits and employee numbers, it’s largely very positive news for manufacturing, and this should enable further investment in the sector.

The services sector also continues to grow steadily, with an 8% growth in annual turnover, although there has been considerable pressure on profits, with a 13% annual decrease. This has therefore resulted in a decline in employment figures of 8%.

This year there have been 15 new entrants from varying sectors in the Top 50 table, the highest is for Pbst Limited, a financial services firm in 13^th place, followed by Cloudbass Limited, which provides solutions to the broadcast market, and came 22^nd in the table.

Dominic Staniforth, Partner at BHP Accountacts said “In general, it’s still a favourable fiscal environment for investment, with both the Capital Allowances and Annual Investment Allowance helping to support growth, and the continued low interest rate economy should help to encourage further growth and stimulate investment.

However, the uncertainty surrounding post Brexit implications for the economy will keep playing on many peoples’ minds, so we will have to wait and see what impact these factors will have on the attitude of business owners throughout 2017.”

” In summary, there will no doubt be both challenges and opportunities ahead for all of the companies in this year’s Top 50, but having worked with and advised many of them during my career, I am confident that these North Derbyshire SMEs will continue to succeed and benefit the local economy greatly. ”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Reaction to triggering of Article 50

29th March 2017

Prime Minister Theresa May is being urged to keep business needs paramount in negotiations for Britain’s exit from the EU following the triggering of Article 50.

Scott Knowles, the Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said:-

“To all intents and purposes, everything that has gone before has been rhetoric – the negotiations begin in earnest today.

“In January, at her first regional Cabinet Meeting when she launched the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, Mrs May gave a strong indication that the needs of business would play a prominent part in Brexit negotiations.

“Today, we are urging her to continue to heed the voice of business throughout the negotiations to ensure the UK not only remains a great place for global investment but also so that British businesses are not disadvantaged either during talks or once Brexit is achieved.”

The Chamber has thrown its weight behind the British Chambers of Commerce’s published Brexit priorities.

Using data collated from surveys around the country, BCC set out a series of wants from business in key areas of concern, offering evidence of the importance of a business perspective for each.

All 52 accredited Chambers around the country contributed to the work using information gathered from their own Quarterly Economic Surveys.

Scott said:-

“This is a very detailed piece of work which clearly sets out the demands of business in seven key areas.

“Business is the creator of wealth and jobs and the driver of regional and national economies and, as such, it should be the loudest voice during exit negotiations.”

The BCC Business Brexit Priorities agenda lists the seven key areas as trade, customs, tax, regulations, labour market, EU funding and the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Best foot forward for walking festival

28th March 2017

Local people and visitors to Chesterfield can get out their walking boots as the Chesterfield Area Walking Festival returns for another successful year.

This year’s festival runs from Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 May with walks taking place each day.

There is a variety of walks to suit all ages and levels of fitness ranging from a family ramble of two to three miles to a trek of 34 miles, all in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.

Highlights include the George Stephenson walk taking in places of interest connected with the ‘Father of Railways’ who made Chesterfield his home and a Bumblebee Safari to find out more about these endangered insects – and see how many they can find.

Most walks are free and all are led by an experienced walk leader who knows the history, wildlife and the best places to walk.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy said:-

“As a council two of our key priorities are to offer activities to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents and to make Chesterfield a thriving borough.

“The Chesterfield Area Walking Festival does both by giving people of all ages and abilities the chance to take part in the various walks on offer and also attracts people to come and visit the borough and the surrounding areas to admire the wonderful scenery and find out more about the places from the experienced walk leaders.”

For more information on the festival click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Visiting

New occupier for former BHS Store

27th March 2017

TJ Hughes will open its doors for the first time at Vicar Lane Shopping Centre on 13^thApril, taking over the former BHS unit.

This new addition to the shopping centre will bring 50 management, full and part time jobs to Chesterfield. TJ Hughes is renowned for selling famous brands at discounted prices, specialising in home, fashion, fragrances, cosmetics, technology and electrical goods.

To celebrate the store opening on 13^th April, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with a visit from the Mayor of Chesterfield and the Town Crier. There will also be enticing opening offers across all ranges throughout the store on the day along with a raffle where entrants can win an Easter hamper.

Shaun Brown, the Operations Manager at Vicar Lane says, “we are very excited for the arrival of TJ Hughes. It is just what Vicar Lane needed and will be a great new addition to our current tenant mix. We are delighted to be able to offer this new experience for our shoppers and I am sure it shall be very popular and successful”.

To coincide with the new store opening, ad bikes have been booked to distribute leaflets containing information and offers to the surrounding area. Peak FM radio will also be featuring the new TJ Hughes store in the lead up to the new store opening.

Anil Juneja, Managing Director at TJ Hughes says, “We are delighted to be opening our 29^thstore in Chesterfield and our aim is to provide savvy shoppers with top brands at affordable and competitive prices”.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Leisure, Visiting

Perez all geared up for Brands Hatch

27th March 2017

17 year old Chesterfield motor racing ace Seb Perez is in gear for his first race of the season this weekend at Brands Hatch in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Championship.

Out of the three official test sessions at Brands Hatch just over a week ago he got into the top 5 in official testing out of the 16 drivers present, where he showed strong pace and fighting spirit in his first test session of the new 2017 season Ginetta GT4 SuperCup.

With a brand new car and championship ahead of him this season Perez lapped the Indy Circuit at Brands Hatch in 47.859 seconds and a top speed of 105.3mph and completing some 71 laps of the 1.2079 mile circuit.

Driving for his old team this season again, JHR Developments Perez continues his relationship with them and has taken a step forward in his motor racing career, he has moved to the more powerful Ginetta G55 race car and the GT4 Supercup Championship.

The new car and championship will be a learning curve for Perez, the car is bigger and more powerful and an even more challenging championship.

For the past two seasons Perez has competed in the Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship, Seb’s first full season in a Ginetta G40 race car back in 2015 saw him get top ten finishes at Croft and Snetterton, part of eleven top 15 places for the season. He finished 20th in the final standings.

After 25 rounds of the Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship in 2016, Perez finished the championship in 10th place with 339 points, taking his maiden pole position, a fastest race lap and four podiums, a first and three third places.

Perez made the transition from rallying to racing and following in petrol head Father’s motor sport footsteps at the end of 2014 where is raced a Ginetta at Brands Hatch in the final round of the series and part of a support race to the British Touring Car Championship.

He finished 18th and 16th for a first outing in a new car and totally different to driving through forests in a rally car.

Perez comments:-

“My last two seasons with Ginetta, have been fantastic.”

When asked about the new car and championship for 2017, he added:-

“I’ve learnt alot in the Ginetta G40 race car in Ginetta Juniors over the last two seasons and the circuits we have travelled too, so I’m hoping that experience will come in handy when it comes to picking up more podium positions in the new car.

“I’ve got a great team behind me with JHR Developments, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out on track.”

Motor sport is no stranger to Perez Jnr, son of 2014 BTRDA Gold Star Rally Champion Steve Perez, who has competed in the Kick Energy Junior 1000 Rally Championship at the wheel of a Nissan Micra rally car. The series is backed by Father Steve’s Global Brands business based in Chesterfield

The 17 year old is a student at Loughborough College, home of the UK’s Motor Sports Association Academy (MSA) studying Business, Sports Science and Motorsport Engineering.

Whilst Seb has been busy preparing for this weekend on circuit, Father Steve has been busy rallying in Spain in his 1974 Lancia Stratos HF rally car and has seen him finish 3rd on the Oris Rally Classic of Puerto Portals two weeks ago and last weekend finishing 6th on Rally Costa Brava.

Seb starts his attack this weekend at Brands Hatch with 3 races, two on Saturday and one on Sunday that’s live on TV in the 2017 Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Championship, a 23 round series ran over 8 race weekends and is a support race to the British Touring Car Championship.

The whole race season is televised live on the Sunday on ITV4.

He then races at local circuit Donington Park over the weekend of 15th and 16th April

All eyes with be on Seb in his challenge to become the next Ginetta GT4 Supercup Champion by the end of September 2017.

Editorial and Images by Paul Horton Motorsport Media and Photography

Posted in About Chesterfield

Local student tops British Junior Fencing rankings

27th March 2017

Derbyshire Icon, Matthew Cooper, has moved to the top of the British Junior Fencing rankings after a wonderful performance in the Junior European Fencing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria this week.

Matthew, a Dentistry student at Sheffield University and former Henry Fanshawe School pupil, fences at Wingerworth and Derbyshire Epee Academy fencing clubs, based around the Chesterfield area.

Matt took up the sport of fencing four and a half years ago when he joined an after school fencing club run by his coach Anthony Klenczar, his performance trajectory has been on the up ever since, in the four and a half years Matt has won national medals at cadet, junior, Under 23 and senior level; he has represented Great Britain at junior and cadet level but finishing 12^th at the Junior European championships this week has topped his short fencing career to date.

Matt says:-

“I took up the sport after having competed at swimming at county level. I was fortunate to find the sport; its not something that is main stream but really should be in my opinion.

“Fencing is a sport young people should try before they get into other main stream sports, it offers unrivalled challenges and opportunities to compete at a high level.”

Coach Anthony Klenczar comments:-

“I am immensely proud of Matt’s achievements, it is the result of hard work over a short space of time; at eighteen years of age the future looks bright for Matt, he has set himself some tough goals for the future which I am sure he will achieve.”

Posted in About Chesterfield

Route for Women’s Tour Stage 4 in Derbyshire announced

24th March 2017

Further details of the Derbyshire stage of this year’s Women’s Tour have been announced.

Organisers finalised the route after driving it as part of a nationwide “recce” of the five-stage race.

Top women cyclists from across the globe are set to take to Derbyshire’s roads on Saturday, 10 June 2017, to battle it out for first place in the penultimate stage of the hotly-contested race.

As the Tour’s toughest stage, it will take in a wide mix of rural and urban areas starting and finishing in Chesterfield and passing through some of the county’s best-known market towns including Belper, Bolsover and Wirksworth.

Today organisers named the locations of some of the stage’s most exciting elements − the Eisberg Sprints and SKODA Queen of the Mountains sections.

Eisberg Sprints will take place in Belper and Staveley, while the SKODA Queen of the Mountains climbs will be in Crich and Middleton Top. Final details are due to be confirmed in May.

Women’s Tour Stage 4 Route – Courtesy of Derbyshire Sport

Derbyshire County Council, cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure Councillor Dean Collins said:

“Bringing this prestigious race back to Derbyshire is a great opportunity for us to showcase the county on an international stage.

“The best cyclists from around the world will be competing to win what’s going to be a very tough stage and I’d urge everyone to get involved.

“This year it takes in lots of places it didn’t visit last year, including Bolsover and Staveley, and now we know the exact route families can plan the best place to watch it from. I hope people will come along and enjoy everything it offers − a very exciting event in one of the country’s most spectacular counties.”

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said:

“This is going to be a great weekend for people in Chesterfield and Derbyshire with The Women’s Tour, the RHS Flower Show at Chatsworth House and the Race for Life taking place in Chesterfield on the Sunday.

“There will be lots of places for people to follow the action of The Women’s Tour with the start and finish in Chesterfield town centre and I’m particularly pleased that the route will go through Staveley this year − allowing residents to join in the excitement.

“We are planning cycle and fitness activities and we will be releasing details about them closer to the event.”

Women’s secretary of the Bolsover and District Cycling Club, Jay Stocks, said the whole club was excited to see the race coming to their “patch” and would be out in force to support it.

She said:

“It’s even more accessible because it’s on a Saturday this time, so more people will be able to come and see it.

“We have some cracking hills around here with amazing views and we’ll be riding the route ourselves before the race.”

All of the world’s top 15 teams will take part in the race, which is a part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour. It includes the world’s number one team Boels Dolmans, of defending race champion Lizzie Deignan (formerly Armitstead), ensuring British fans can again look forward to cheering on the world’s best riders.

In addition the British-based Drops and Sheffield-based WNT teams will complete the 17-team field.

Highlights of every stage will be broadcast on ITV4 and available on demand via the ITV Hub.

Mick Bennett, race director for The Women’s Tour said:

“We’re delighted to be returning to Chesterfield and Derbyshire after the success of last year’s stage. With the stage coming on a weekend we’re hoping it will be even bigger and better than ever.”

Find out more about the event here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Landmark sponsorship deal for Leengate Valves

23rd March 2017

After a gap of two years, Leengate Valves have agreed a new sponsorship deal to once again become Chesterfield’s ‘back of shirt’ sponsor for the first-team kit.

The deal, which covers the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons, will also feature the Leengate Valves logo on the team’s pre-match warm-up kit.

Jim Brown, Chesterfield Commercial Manager, said:-

“It’s great to see Leengate Valves on the back of our shirts once again, especially as it takes them to their tenth year as a sponsor. Steve and his family have been major sponsors and supporters of the club from our days at Saltergate and their support is very much appreciated.”

Steve Pickering, Leengate Valves’ Managing Director, said:-

“It’s nice to get the ten years of having the name on the back of the shirt, especially as I’ve been a supporter for over 50 years.

“We’re a national business so to have the name on the shirt means we get the name around the country as the team travels, which is great. We’ve been fortunate in the last few years that we’ve had two appearances at Wembley, the promotion campaigns and other televised games.”

Leigh Pickering, Leengate Valves’ Commercial Director, added:-

“We’ve had some great times and to see the name out there gets us noticed around the country!

“People call us and say that they’ve seen us on the television or at their local match and it’s great that we can associate with that.”

Leengate Valves are the UK’s leading industrial valves wholesaler and also one of the most trusted providers of specialist calibration, actuation, and valve engineering services.

Based right in the heart of the UK in Somercotes, Derbyshire, companies can benefit from their extensive stockholding capabilities as well as their many years of experience within the valve and flow control industry. They have a dedicated team of experts on hand ready to help in any way they can.

Posted in About Chesterfield

Royal takes next step to strengthen GP services for patients

23rd March 2017

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has taken the next step to strengthen the GP services it provides to more than 30,000 registered patients in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.

After almost two years – and now with five GP surgeries in its portfolio – the Trust has decided it’s the right time to create an ‘arms-length organisation’ (ALO) to recognise that it’s transforming from a traditional style hospital model, to an organisation that provides a full range of healthcare services and specialties for people across the community. An ALO can often offer an alternative to services that run ‘in-house’ or through service contracts.

Simon Morritt, Chief Executive at the Royal, will also be on the Board that manages the ALO and comments:-

“This new organisation is a full NHS service that the Trust owns and manages and is fully accountable for. We remain committed to meeting our aim of offering high quality, patient-focussed GP services in the communities where we have our surgeries.”

Officially registered with Companies House as ‘Derbyshire Primary Care and Commercial Services’ the arms-length organisation is classed as a limited company within the NHS.

Stuart Ellis, General Manager, explains:-

“Our GP services will remain firmly within the NHS ‘family’, but the ALO will allow us to develop other partnerships and contracts like other primary care organisations.

The Royal’s first GP practice came on board in May 2015 and the second followed in July 2016. The Trust runs a full range of services from surgeries based in Chesterfield (at The Grange, Inkersall and Rectory Road); as well as in North East Derbyshire (Clay Cross and Grassmoor).

Mr Morritt continues:-

“Like many GP Practices across the country the former Holywell Medical Group and Blue Dykes Surgeries were finding it difficult to operate because fewer doctors are choosing to train in primary care medicine. By linking up with the Trust they not only safeguarded vital services for local people, but their GPs were able to focus on patient care and clinical leadership. Over the last two years we’ve demonstrated this can work effectively and efficiently.”

The Trust has successfully recruited more GPs, has extended appointments to early mornings, evenings and weekends and is looking at expanding the range of services it provides at surgeries, including ultrasound. The ALO will enable more new ways of working, creating a team of staff that as well as GP’s, includes advanced nurse practitioners, pharmacists and mental health nurses.

Mr Ellis says: –

“The ALO means business as usual for patients, who will continue to contact us as they would do normally for appointments, repeat prescriptions or other queries.

“But it gives us more flexibility to manage the service differently and improve it for everyone. It’s an exciting step and we are looking forward to continuing to take these GP practices and services forward on a positive footing.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Chesterfield employers encouraged to take advantage of Skills Bank

23rd March 2017

Local businesses are being urged to take advantage of funding and training opportunities during Skills Bank Week.

The week, which takes place from Monday 27 March, is being held to highlight the opportunities available from the £17 million Skills Bank Fund.

The fund, available to businesses in the Sheffield City Region area (Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, Doncaster, North East Derbyshire, Rotherham and Sheffield), has already offered training to 1,029 learners across the region.

The Skills Bank helps Chesterfield employees and employers identify courses which best meet the skills of the individual and the needs of the business.

Skills Bank will also calculate how much funding is available and how much each employer will contribute towards the cost of the training.

So far deals have approved for 15 Chesterfield businesses, benefitting 165 learners to a total value of £145,055, of which Skills Bank has contributed £95,845.

Deals in the pipeline for a further 42 businesses which would allow a further 714 employees to benefit from training.

Chesterfield-based letting agents Pinewood Property is one of the companies to have benefitted from funding for training in digital marketing, human resources and management skills.

Stacey Davies-Bowler, Director at Pinewood Lettings, said:-

“Management training for staff would benefit both me and my fellow director hugely. If we had a self-managed team, that would free up more time so we could spend it on business development and trying to bring more business in through the door.

“The better we understand each other, the better we work together, the faster the business will grow.”

Other Chesterfield businesses to have benefitted from Sheffield City Region Skills Bank include Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Palamatic.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, said:-

“Helping local businesses to access the funding available for training is essential to allow them to retain and develop staff as well as to allow them to meet the needs of their customers.

“By putting these skills in place, it offers real opportunities for local people by creating more and better jobs.”

During Skills Bank Week, the Skills Bank are launching a marketing campaign to promote the service across the region to businesses and communicate employers’ success stories.

The Thunderclap campaign will allow a single message to be shared on mass, to rise above the noise of social media and boost the visibility of the Skills Bank to employers across the region. To join the Thunderclap, follow this link to share the tweet on Wednesday 29^th March 2017 at 12pm.

For information on Skills Bank and the training opportunities available click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business