Chesterfield Champions, The UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA), has announced it will sponsor this year’s ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award at the Chesterfield Volunteer Centre Awards, which take place at The Pomegranate Theatre in Chesterfield on Wednesday 19 October from 7.30pm.

The 2015 Awards attracted an audience of over 350 people and with the event now into its fourth year, UKATA has decided to renew its sponsorship to help the Volunteer Centre recognise the hard work carried out by volunteers across the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire region. UKATA was the proud sponsor of last year’s Award and having presented the certificates last year, UKATA General Manager Craig Evans was keen to support the Award once more in 2016.

Craig Evans, General Manager of UKATA, said:-

“UKATA is delighted to once again lend our support to the Volunteer Centre Awards.

“It was a pleasure to take part last year and meet some of those people doing amazing work in our region. Although there can only be one winner, all of the nominees have done something selfless and truly remarkable and to be able to help recognise that is something UKATA is proud to do.”

Last year’s Volunteer of the Year award was won by Chesterfield Carnival’s Maria Davison, with Cecilia Peck from the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Credit Union and Andrea Jenner from Ashgate Hospicecare as runners up.

Craig added:-

“It was a really rewarding experience to meet the winners and others shortlisted last year.

“This is one of those events where everyone is a winner and all those shortlisted an inspiration. A number of UKATA staff were inspired to take up charitable activities on the back of it. Sasha and I undertook a charity skydive, and whilst this isn’t anywhere near as demanding as the work carried out by some of the volunteers at the awards, it shows just what an impact inspirational people can have on your life.

“The Volunteer Centre really do provide an invaluable resource to the area in recognising the efforts of volunteers and UKATA is proud to be supporting the 2016 event. I’m already looking forward to presenting the award to this year’s deserving winner at what I am sure will be another memorable event.”

As a not-for-profit organisation, UKATA are keen to do everything they can to support the Volunteer Centre, a volunteering development agency working independently to support organisations from the voluntary, community and public sectors; including offering free training as part of the ongoing UKATA Train safe, Work Safe Keep Safe campaign.

Greater clarity is needed to help businesses understand Government changes to apprenticeship funding, latest research has shown.

In April 2017 the Government will introduce its Apprenticeship Levy, which means firms with payroll over £3m will have to pay 0.5% of the value above £3m into an apprenticeship fund.

As soon as an employer has funds in its levy account it will be able to select a provider and an apprenticeship programme and commit to the apprenticeship.

Firms with payroll below the £3m threshold will have to register with the fund and will be required to co-invest in the training cost. It is proposed that these employers contribute ten per cent of the cost, with Government paying the balance.

There will be additional financial support for small employers (fewer than 50 employees) who train 16-18 year olds and for those where the apprentice is a 19-24 year old care leaver or is 19-24 years old and has a local authority education, health and care plan.

Firms will be able to offset the levy against Corporation Tax but will not be able to offset it against contributions to sector training bodies.

But a survey of 1,600 businesses nationally in August found that 39% had no idea how the Apprenticeship Levy would work or hadn’t heard of it.

The survey also showed that about 30% of medium-sized companies – those employing 50-249 staff – will have to pay the levy but only 26% thought they would be able to recover all of their levy payment or more.

Over half of the respondents (51%) said they had no idea how the reforms would work. The results suggest that the Government has so far failed to adequately communicate the apprenticeship funding policy.

In the East Midlands, according to the East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey for the third quarter of 2106, 31.4% of firms said they currently employ apprentices and 16.7% said they planned to.

But 36% said they didn’t know what the impact of the changes to apprenticeship funding next April would be, while 21% said they felt the changes would increase employment of apprentices.

Data from the East Midlands was fed into the British Chambers of Commerce survey.

Diane Simpson, Deputy Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:-

“Firms value apprenticeships as way of developing skills and increasing productivity. However, with just six months to go until the levy is introduced, our research shows the Government needs to step up its communication to business to ensure that businesses understand how they could benefit from the reforms.

“If it just feels like just another tax then then the policy will have failed. Devolved administrations also need to provide a guarantee that the money raised is ring-fenced and kept for training.

“And Government should allow businesses to use the levy funding to support other high-quality workplace training. Treating apprenticeships as just a numbers game will benefit neither businesses nor apprentices.”

The Spireites have donated £5,000 to their charity partner for last season, Ashgate Hospicecare.

The club generated funds for Ashgate Hospicecare and raised awareness of the charity’s activities as part of the link-up between the two organisations.

Ashley Carson, Director at Chesterfield Football Club, who presented a cheque to Ashgate Hospicecare at half time in Saturday’s game against Northampton Town, said:-

“We were delighted to be able to hand over a four-figure sum to a charity which touches the lives of so many people in the area. We will continue to support the valuable work being done by Ashgate Hospicecare in whatever way we can.”

Esther Preston, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Ashgate Hospicecare, gratefully received the cheque. She said:-

”This very generous donation couldn’t have come at a better time as demand for our services continues to grow.

“This will make a big difference to many local people as £5,000 could pay for 100 people to attend our day hospice, which brings comfort and relief to people with any life limiting illness and gives valuable respite to their carers and family.”

The Mayoress of Chesterfield, Jill Mannion-Brunt, paid a special visit to Ashgate Hospicecare last week, not as a visitor but as a volunteer.

The Mayoress, who has lived in Chesterfield since 1989, volunteered on both the Inpatient Unit and Day Hospice throughout the morning serving breakfast and lunch to patients.

The Mayoress said:-

“The whole experience has been absolutely great. If you are thinking about volunteering then please come and do it. It is invaluable not only for the patients but for the staff as well.

“I would just like to reinforce how important it is to have a place like this. The whole recognition of death as part of the life process and the way people should be looked after with ambiguity and that every town should have a place like this. It is just a jewel.”

Lucy Nickson, Chief Executive at Ashgate Hospicecare, said:-

“It was a pleasure welcoming the Mayoress at the hospice and was very generous and kind of her to spend her time volunteering, spending time with patients. We’re extremely grateful to the Mayoress for her support and look forward to her visiting the hospice again in the near future.”

Alan Rhodes, a patient in Ashgate Hospicecare’s Day Hospice, met with the Mayoress and shared stories throughout the morning. He said:-

“It was wonderful to see the Mayoress in the day hospice, chatting to all the patients. She makes a great cup of coffee!”

The Mayoress is in office until May 2017 and plans to support Ashgate Hospicecare in any way which would benefit the hospice.