Tourism is one of the UK’s most important industries, worth more than £62 billion in 2015 – and the Government is firmly committed to growing the industry outside London, both now and post-Brexit.

That was the key message from Karen Bradley, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to delegates at Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s 2016 Tourism Conference & Exhibition on Thursday 10 November.

Karen Bradley, the Staffordshire Moorlands MP, who spent her early childhood in Cheddleton, grew up in Buxton and now lives in Leek, said:-

“We all know that attracting tourists – and making them want to come back for more – is harder than it sounds, even for an area as special as this.

“Thanks to places such as the Peak District and Derbyshire and people like you, 2015 was a record breaking year, with tourism contributing more than £62 billion to the UK economy.

“Domestic overnight expenditure edged towards £20 billion in England, and the UK attracted more overseas visits than ever before, generating more than £22 billion of export earnings.

“The latest post-Brexit figures suggest this trend is set to continue, with the number of overseas visits to the UK in July and August 2016 up two per cent on the same months last year.”

However, added Karen, the Government is conscious that more than half of all international visitor spending is concentrated in London – which is why it is investing £40 million in the three-year Discover England Fund, specifically to help grow tourism outside the capital.

She continues:-

“I am delighted that Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has been successful in round one of the Fund, securing £240,000 between them in a joint bid with teams from Cheshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent.

“The Gardens & Gourmet project will highlight each region’s bookable experiences in rural England and show the fundamental role gardens and produce play in the nation’s identity.”

Karen highlighted a number of Government initiatives to support tourism, including:

• Supporting projects to increase the UK’s rail, air and road capacity
• Raising awareness of the UK’s visa offer and improve the welcome visitors receive by expanding initiatives like GREAT China Welcome
• Supporting – through £24 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund – the regeneration of Buxton’s Grade I listed Crescent
• Funding 17 heritage and community rail projects, including Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
• Setting an eight-point plan for England’s National Parks, including the Peak District, to promote them as world-class destinations and develop new apprenticeship standards and opportunities
• Listening to the views of businesses, individuals and agencies across England in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Inquiry into Rural Tourism and Growth

Karen adds:-

“Leaving the European Union affords the UK an opportunity to shape its own decisions about policy objectives that have been shaped by EU funding.

“The whole of Whitehall is committed to working with stakeholders – including tourism, farming and other industries – to review all EU funding schemes and ensure that any new ones for business growth and productivity best serve our national interest.

“Brexit will bring new impetus to some existing initiatives, and the energy to change and develop other new ideas. I believe that the new reality can allow rural, coastal and urban tourism industries alike to flourish.”

Other main speakers at the event were Andrew Stokes, England Director at VisitBritain/VisitEngland and digital marketing expert Susan Hallam, who brought delegates up to speed on eTourism: the latest trends in social media and digital marketing.

There were also updates on Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s work and marketing campaigns in 2016, the Buxton Crescent Development and the  first-ever RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2017, as well as valuable opportunities to promote individual tourism businesses and attractions and network with key players in the industry.

Lindsay Rae, Deputy Director and Head of Industry Engagement at Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said:-

“We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State to this year’s Conference, and to discover more about the Government’s commitment to tourism, both now and post-Brexit.

“It was a great opportunity for delegates to hear about what’s happening to support the industry now and in the future, as well as to catch up with the latest developments in major projects such as The Crescent in Buxton and the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2017.”

Sponsors for this year’s conference were the European Regional Development Fund; High Peak Borough Council; The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton and the University of Derby.

On Tuesday 8 November, in Interlaken, Switzerland, Sheffield City Region (SCR) received formal confirmation of its bid to host Horasis 2017, a global economic summit that has set the agenda for the World’s East/West collaborations for over a decade.

It will be marked by an official handover address to delegates by SCR Chairman, Sir Nigel Knowles.

Heads of government, ministers and influential investors will be in Sheffield in November next year to investigate strategies that will shape the global economy and forge new approaches to pressing social, economic, and geopolitical challenges.  Horasis 2017 will attract chief executives from the world’s leading companies and is considered by many of the world’s foremost business leaders to be alongside the Davos economic summit in terms of its influence.

Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a partnership of local authorities and business leaders with a growing global network, was invited to bid to host the summit in 2016 following the appointment of Sir Nigel Knowles as Chairman.  Sir Nigel had previously attended Horasis and Davos and was convinced that its ambitious East/West approach would suit the enterprising ethos of the SCR and its business and academic partnerships. The City Region beat off stiff competition from around the globe to stage Horasis 2017.

Sir Nigel said:-

“With everyone pulling together, and a great sense of community, we are achieving transformational change and building a thriving, super-connected and successful economy. Chinese partners are a major and growing part of Sheffield City Region’s unfolding success story, with the biggest Chinese investment outside London coming to the city centre earlier this year. This is exactly the kind of approach championed by Horasis.

“The organisers of this important international conference have made this excellent decision because of the growing confidence and interest from global investors in Sheffield City Region. Last year more than 1,000 jobs were created here by international companies and this growth has brought in £97 million in capital investment.”

Dr. Frank-Jürgen Richter, the Swiss-based Chairman of Horasis, is known by top business, political and intellectual leaders around the world for building bridges between the emerging and developed markets. He said:-

“I am delighted that the Sheffield City Region will be hosting the Horasis China conference. It is clearly a region with an international outlook which is ahead of the game in defining the issues that need to be tackled by global economies.

“I have visited the City Region and was very impressed by what I saw. I am certain we will learn a lot from this meeting of global leaders and I am very much looking forward to Horasis China 2017.”

Government last night refused to commit to electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield by 2023.

Speaking at a late night debate in the House of Commons, called by Nicky Morgan, MP for Loughborough, Under-Secretary of State for Transport Paul Maynard said only that electrification to Corby and Kettering would go ahead as planned.

Pressed by Nicky Morgan and regional MPs from both sides of the House, Mr Maynard said track improvements to, but not through, the East Midlands, would increase capacity and improve services on the whole route.

He said further electrification would be carried out “incrementally”, refusing to be drawn on a timetable for completion.

Last year, then Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, having stalled and ‘unstalled’ electrification of the line to Sheffield, said the work would be completed by 2023.

Regional MPs present for the debate included Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South), Vernon Coaker (Gedling), Dennis Skinner (Bolsover), Keith Vaz (Leicester East), Alberto Costa (South Leicestershire), Chris Leslie (Nottingham East) and Nigel Mills (Amber Valley). Sheffield and Kettering MPs were also present.

Mr Maynard said electrifying the line from St Pancras to Corby and Kettering would allow the train operating franchisee from 2018 to operate two distinct services, one electrified to Corby and Kettering and one using diesel rolling stock for more northern routes including Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield, via Chesterfield.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:-

“Business is calling on Government to commit to electrification of Midland Main Line all the way to Sheffield by 2023 as promised by then Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin when he ‘unstalled’ the project last year.

“Unlike other lines proposed for electrification, the design and preliminary works have all been done. Network Rail had a team of highly-skilled personnel set up to deliver Midland Main Line electrification. When the project was ‘stalled’ the team was split-up and took time to reassemble when it was ‘unstalled’ again.

“The repeated delays can only increase uncertainty for business and materially disadvantage the East Midlands at a time when the Government should be doing everything it can to demonstrate confidence in UK plc through infrastructure investment.

“If HS2 is to be diverted into Sheffield city centre via Chesterfield on existing tracks they will have to be electrified before 2033. Electrifying the route through to Sheffield now will also offer improved connectivity from all our main cities to the proposed HS2 station hub at Toton.

“Midland Main Line, as Nicky Morgan said introducing the debate, has been a huge success. Passenger numbers have increased by 130% in the past 15 years and are projected to rise another 30% in the next ten years. Freight is also booming, showing a 70% increase since the mid-90s, and yet Midland Main Line has suffered from years of under-investment and is now the only non-electrified north-south main line in the country.

“To improve capacity and journey times, to maximise future connectivity between major cities and with HS2 and to help future franchisees make essential decisions on rolling stock choices to replace the 40-year-old trains currently used on the route the Government must commit to delivering Midland Main Line electrification to the previously announced timetable.

“The East Midlands has been a principal driver of the national economy, one of the leading creators of jobs and wealth, it is the spine of English manufacturing and has the largest cluster of rail-related industries in the world centred on Derby, and yet half way through the second decade of the 21^st Century we have 20^th Century trains running on primarily 19^th Century infrastructure.

“The region needs this investment and it needs to know that the Government is committed to helping it continue to drive the national economy.”

Students from across Chesterfield College were given top tips to look after their own mental wellbeing yesterday at a special event hosted in the college’s Heartspace. The event showed how doing five things in everyday life and in the local community can support mental health and wellbeing.

Health and social care students from the college worked with Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Derbyshire County Council to design the event, where healthcare professionals and local volunteer community groups came together to promote the Connect 5 approach, which highlights five ways to wellbeing: being active, connecting with the people around you, noticing the positives, learning and giving.

Students had the opportunity to try a wide range of free workshops, looking at everything from creative arts to how diet can affect mood.

Karen Wheeler, Acting Divisional Lead Occupational Therapist from Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said:-

“The aim of this event was to help students understand that their mental wellbeing is as important as their physical wellbeing and consider how they can look after this at the same time as giving them a tool kit to do this.”

“We are working hard to break down barriers and change attitudes towards mental health that can hinder recovery. Connecting with organisations in the local community like Chesterfield College and the voluntary sector groups helps us to do that.”

Central to the planning of the event, and to the day itself, were a number of volunteers who have received mental health services through Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who shared their experiences and practical tips with students.

One of these volunteers said:-

“Chesterfield College have openly come out to support us, as have their students. Both the students and staff are amazing ambassadors. Through this network we are building hope and strength to combat everyday issues, making friends, learning trust and responsibility, and improving self-esteem so that we can go out and stand tall.”

Stuart Allen, Director of Learning, Health, Wellbeing and Society at Chesterfield College, said:-

“Congratulations to everyone involved in organising the event today. It was a practical and inspiring event that has helped many people with their own mental health and wellbeing. The students involved in organising the event are the next generation of healthcare professionals who will be delivering mental health services in the future which is why it is so important to give them this type of experience to develop vital skills that they can’t learn in a classroom and they can take into their working lives.”