About Chesterfield

University fund available to ‘give back’ to Chesterfield community

12th July 2016

As the University of Derby prepares to open its brand new campus in Chesterfield this autumn, they are delighted to introduce a Community Fund available to the town and surrounding areas.

Over the next year, the University will be handing out grants to inspirational projects that seek to benefit the community. Such projects could be conservation, wellbeing programmes or youth work. Anything that benefits the local community.

John Phillips, Community Liaison Officer at the University of Derby, said:-

“The University of Derby’s Community Fund was launched in September 2014 as a way to ‘give back’ to local people through grants for inspiring projects that benefit the local community.

“Since then, the University has contributed around £20k to community groups throughout Derby and Derbyshire. With the opening of our new Chesterfield Campus scheduled for autumn 2016, we are encouraging charitable organisations within Chesterfield to apply for our Community Fund,”

Construction of the University of Derby’s new Chesterfield Campus is on track, with completion due for autumn 2016 when the first students will be welcomed to the St Helena building on Sheffield Road. Opening the new campus will broaden the range of health and social care courses the University already offers in Chesterfield and allow collaborations with partner organisations to introduce new ways of learning and education relevant to Chesterfield’s economy, particularly for engineering, IT and business courses.

For more information about the Community Fund visit derby.ac.uk/communityfund

The University are holding a drop in session to discuss projects on July 27, click here for more information.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield

Still time left to sign up for county’s largest careers event

12th July 2016

Employers, colleges, training providers and voluntary organisations are encouraged to book their place at this year’s Derbyshire Skills Festival. The festival is the largest careers event for young people in Derbyshire, last year attracting 11,000 people.

The event, which will be held at Queens Park Sports Centre on 15 September, is aimed at students aged 15 to 19, including those in Year 11 who are considering their options after school. There will also be sessions for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) will also be invited.

Councillor Damien Greenhalgh, Deputy Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said:-

“Lots of employers, colleges, training providers and voluntary organisations have already signed up for this year’s Skills Festival but we do still have a few places left.

“Last year, more than 11,000 people came along to the festival over three fantastic days and we’re getting ready for another great year so don’t forget to book your place.”

The festival is an opportunity for young people leaving school or college or looking for a job with training to talk to the experts and get all the information and guidance they need under one roof. Visitors to the event will also be able to take part in have-a-go sessions to test their skills and give them an idea what different careers might be like.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield

Craft company to open new store in Chesterfield

11th July 2016

International craft supplies company, Crafter’s Companion, has unveiled its plans to open a new retail outlet in Chesterfield this September.

The new store, which will be housed within the Dobbies Chesterfield Garden Centre and Shopping Village, represents a £250K investment from the company and is expected to create 14 new jobs in the area.

Focusing on education, enjoyment and inspiration, the 5,500 sq ft outlet will include themed shopping areas covering papercraft, arts, sewing, home décor and haberdashery, along with demonstration areas for workshops and group sessions.

The outlet will give both craft enthusiasts and people who are trying the hobby for the first time the opportunity to learn about craft and get to know the brand.

Sara Davies, who founded Crafter’s Companion in 2005, is hoping that the store will make a positive addition to the centre, which already has an established presence within the local community and attracts customers from as far afield as Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds.

She said:

“Dobbies is a great brand and renowned for providing quality products to loyal customers. Naturally we are thrilled to be partnering with them on this project and hope that it’s the start of a great relationship.

“The company’s established retail presence and customer demographics fit perfectly with our own, making Chesterfield the perfect location for us. We’re sure our store can help to attract even more customers from the catchment area and craft enthusiasts from further afield.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Chatsworth Hits Peak Quality

11th July 2016

Chatsworth has been awarded the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark (EQM) – the Peak District National Park Authority’s award for sustainability.

The award is only given to organisations that can demonstrate they operate sustainably, support communities, promote the Peak District and work to reduce their impact on the environment. It applies to the 12,000 acres around Chatsworth House and includes the farmyard, adventure playground, holiday accommodation, farm shop, ancient woodlands and ancient grasslands.

The Citation noted the “strong evidence of leadership” from the Duke of Devonshire’s son Lord Burlington regarding the installation of biomass boilers around the estate; the soon to be commissioned combined heat and power unit for the house; and, the proposed hydro-electric scheme for the River Derwent, which will all help move the estate towards energy self-sufficiency. Chatsworth’s work to broaden educational access and involve hard-to-reach groups in the estate was also praised.

Faith Johnson of the Peak District National Park Authority said:-

“Their knowledge and enthusiasm was really inspiring and I was really impressed with how committed they all were to looking after and investing in the local and global environment, people and communities, local businesses and the local economy, and of course the very special places of Chatsworth and the Peak District National Park.”

The application process involved collating information from across Chatsworth, looking at how it sources products, how it supports local communities and what it does for the local and global environment. Chatsworth will hold the certificate for two years after which it will undergo another audit.

Chatsworth

Posted in About Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield

Possible HS2 rail stop for Chesterfield welcomed

7th July 2016

Revised plans for the HS2 rail link, that could mean two high speed trains an hour stopping in Chesterfield, have been welcomed by town leaders.

Chesterfield Borough Council leader Councillor John Burrows, says the recommendation by HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins to change the original route to include a link via the Midland Mainline that could stop in Chesterfield, is great news for the town’s economic future.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, the town’s marketing campaign, has also welcomed the news as it would deliver 79-minute train journeys to London and shorter journey times to Leeds and other towns and cities in the north and Midlands.

Chesterfield Borough Council will now be seeking further detail on the proposals and, in particular, looking for reassurance the route will not impact on the restoration of Chesterfield Canal, as well as finding out more about what it means to the planned maintenance depot at Staveley, which would create jobs for the borough.

Councillor John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:-

“This will further strengthen Chesterfield’s position as a place to do business. We now need the Government to make a quick decision that there will definitely be a stop in Chesterfield as is being recommended to them and then get on with building the HS2 route.

“The report recognises the importance of the Chesterfield economy to the wider Sheffield City Region and its potential for growth as part of the devolution deal agreed by the Government.

“To deliver this we will work with our partners in Sheffield City Region, and those across Derbyshire and the East Midlands, to get the maximum benefit for Chesterfield from these proposals.

“Using the Midland Mainline and diverting the main HS2 line to the east should reduce the impact of the route construction on the area, but we still need to see the detailed plans for the maintenance depot at Staveley to assess what impact that could have on local communities and the plans for the Chesterfield Canal restoration.”

The announcement by HS2 has also been welcomed by Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield. He said:-

“HS2 represents a fantastic opportunity for Chesterfield in terms of both the option of a stop on the route and the previously announced maintenance depot.

“The journey time to London by rail is already good but having an HS2 stop would increase this, further benefiting the local economy and attractiveness of the town and new developments like Chesterfield Waterside and Peak Resort, to investors.

“While we do not yet have the detail, Staveley is perfectly positioned for the depot and it could contribute significantly to regeneration of the area in terms of employment during construction and beyond.”

The new HS2 option proposes that services could take a spur off the new north-south high speed line, using the Midland Mainline from Clay Cross. If this happened trains would go to Sheffield Midland station, with two trains an hour stopping at Chesterfield on the way. There is also the possibility of these trains continuing past Sheffield to the existing Meadowhall station, Barnsley and Rotherham.

The proposed route changes are intended to take the rail line through less populated areas and to make £1 billion of savings compared to the original plans. The main HS2 line would instead follow a route further east than originally planned, largely going alongside the M18.

Chis Hobson, Director of Policy at East Midlands Chamber, said: “Uncertainties around Sheffield’s options for HS2 have held up progress on the Eastern Leg, particularly when compared to how the Western Leg has been developed.

“Now that we have firm proposals and recommendations which have broad support across the Sheffield City Region and will make the project cheaper to deliver, we need confirmation and delivery of this phase of the scheme without delay.

“The opportunity to connect the East Midlands to Leeds via a hub station at Toton, along with the option to connect to businesses in Sheffield and through Chesterfield, would be a massive boon to businesses in both regions. Furthermore, the service depot at Staveley will create hundreds of jobs and underline the region’s traditional strengths and expertise in rail manufacturing and related services.

“In the current post-referendum climate, the Government has a golden opportunity to be really bold in terms of its infrastructure spending, to deliver a world-class UK transport network which will drive economic growth, make the UK an attractive place to invest and make it far easier for firms to move their goods and people to global markets.

“HS2 is a crucial part of the solution to boost connectivity north to south and east to west, which will also deliver the enhanced capacity we need in the long term.

“High speed rail is the best way to achieve a more sustainable, rebalanced economic future not just for the region, but for the nation as a whole and we are hopeful that today’s announcement will pave the way for that to be confirmed as quickly as possible.”

HS2 will hold a public consultation event in the Speedwell Rooms, Inkersall Road, Staveley from 12.30pm to 8pm on Wednesday 20 July so residents can find out more about the proposals for the Staveley maintenance depot.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development

Chesterfield College’s African Adventure has a big impact

7th July 2016

A group of 9 students and 2 staff from Chesterfield College have just returned from a volunteering expedition, and trip of a lifetime, to Ghana with ‘African Adventures.’

The trip was made possible following a year of fundraising events, including a Santa Dash, a cycle to Africa fitness challenge and a quiz night. Overall, the team generated over £3000 through fundraising events to help them on their way to Ghana.

Whilst in Ghana, the team worked alongside local people to renovate a building at Tegbi Primary School to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the children to learn in. Some of the students also took the opportunity to plan and deliver Maths, English, Science and Art lessons to the Ghanaian pupils.

The Headmaster and school pupils from Tegbi Primary School held a special ceremony to say thank you to the College team for their hard work, and donations of educational resources, toys and clothing. At the ceremony the children also taught the College students Ghanaian songs and dances.

When sports student, Emily Bottom returned from her African adventure she said:-

“We were excited to learn about new cultures and work with the young people in Ghana but I don’t think any of us appreciated how much of an impact the trip would have on us before we went. We were really taken out of our comfort zone but it has helped us to understand different cultures and given us experiences we will never forget.”

Stuart Allen, Director of Learning for the Health, Wellbeing and Society Directorate at Chesterfield College and main organiser of the trip, said:-

“We are truly thankful to anyone who supported an event, donated prizes, and donated funds or their time to make this African Adventure become a reality. The work the volunteers did in Ghana leaves such a lasting footprint for the local people and also inspires the students to add value to their own communities.”

Chesterfield College is planning another African adventure next academic year to allow more students the chance to take part in such an inspiring and life-changing experience.

Chesterfield College

Posted in About Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Uncategorised

Chamber Unveils Business Awards Finalists

6th July 2016

The finalists of East Midlands Chamber’s 2016 Business Awards in Derbyshire have been unveiled.

There are eleven categories this year and the winner of the overall Business of the Year award will be chosen from among the individual category winners.

Chesterfield businesses, including Mitchells Chartered Accountants, NLT Training Services, Cathelco and Banner Jones Solicitors, have been nominated for awards, that will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner at The Roundhouse, Derby, on 16 September. Winners will go on to compete in the British Chambers of Commerce’s regional business awards for the East Midlands, with those that win then progressing into the British Chamber of Commerce’s national awards in November.

Scott Knowles, the Chamber’s Chief Executive, said:-

“Congratulations to all of the shortlisted finalists. As always, we had a bumper crop of entries and our sponsors had a difficult task in whittling the entrants in each category down to a final three. We have a good cross-section of businesses represented this year and they all deserve their place on the list.

“The fact that so many businesses, from a wide range of different sectors, are doing so well is a strong indication of the robustness of the private sector and the Chamber is proud to be able to highlight not only their successes but also the strength of business here in the East Midlands.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield

Sparkle Walk raises £168,371 for Chesterfield-based hospice

4th July 2016

Thousands of walkers geared up over the weekend to take part in the Blundells Sparkle Night Walk for Ashgate Hospicecare. The event, which is now recognised as Chesterfield’s largest, saw 2,000 people walk 10km around Chesterfield on Saturday night, raising a fantastic £168,371 for the local charity.

Organisers from Ashgate Hospicecare, alongside hundreds of volunteers, rallied together to ensure the annual walking event, which has become a significant fixture in the local calendar, ran smoothly and exceeded the thrill and sparkle it did the year before.

Leanne Collings from Clay Cross, Chesterfield who took part in the walk said:-

“The walk was absolutely brilliant. There was so much effort put in from both the organisers and participants. I was so proud to be part of something so fantastic for our community.”

Emma West from Holmewood, Chesterfield who was walking in memory of her uncle, John West, added:-

“I was near the front of the walkers and it was amazing to look back and see the sea of flashing bunny ears. The whole night was high-spirited and luckily, the weather held good and stayed dry.”

A number of local entertainment companies and local businesses all added to the event with an array of performances and giveaways, making the whole event a night to remember and one to go down in the history books.

Ian Appleyard, Director of Blundells Letting and Estate Agents, explained why the event was so important:-

“We are extremely proud to have been the main sponsor of the Sparkle Night Walk this year. Saturday night was just superb and it was great to see all the hard work put in really pay off for the hospice. The organisation of the event was first class, everyone seemed to have a brilliant time and we understand that participation and fundraising exceeded expectations.”

Events Fundraiser, Charlotte Gratton from Ashgate Hospicecare, said:-

“The event was absolutely amazing. To see everyone so excited and having such a great time whilst raising money for patients and their families in North Derbyshire made everything worthwhile.”

The money raised from the Sparkle Night Walk will go towards providing specialist palliative and end of life care across North Derbyshire and the High Peak and Dales. The Hospice provides its services free of charge to patients with any life limiting illness, and extended support to patients’ families.

Sparkle Night Walk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Funding to encourage businesses to cut vehicle emissions

4th July 2016

The Government has created a £19m fund to help the freight industry cut vehicle emissions, Transport Minister Andrew Jones announced this morning at the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership annual conference.

He also unveiled a low carbon HGV technology accreditation scheme, which will help to provide fleet operators in Chesterfield with independent validation of how much they could save by retrofitting ‘green’ technology to existing vehicles.

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

“Being environmentally aware isn’t just about reducing harmful emissions and saving the planet, it’s also about saving money and improving the bottom line for businesses.

“Offering independent validation of the potential savings to be made by adopting ‘greener’ technologies should encourage greater uptake by freight operators.

“£19m is a drop in the ocean, but it’s a step in the right direction and if it helps hauliers to better understand the technologies and the benefits to be gained from retrofitting them to older vehicles then it should be encouraged.

“Encouraging businesses to be more environmentally aware and to reduce their carbon footprint has been an important agenda for the Chamber in recent years and we fully support this initiative.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Residents urged to have their say on Chesterfield’s economic future

1st July 2016

Residents and businesses are encouraged to take part in a consultation on a devolution deal from the Government which aims to secure powers and funding to create new jobs and training opportunities for Chesterfield people.

The consultation runs from 1 July for six weeks, ending on 12 August and will give people the opportunity to have their say on one of the biggest decisions made by Chesterfield Borough Council in recent years.

Rather than decisions on issues which affect people day-to-day being made by ministers and civil servants in London, Sheffield City Region has negotiated a deal with the Government which will see £900 million in funding over 30 years and £484 million over the next five years handed to local decision makers.

In April this year, councillors from all three political parties represented on the council voted that Chesterfield Borough Council should become a full member of the Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority

This would see the borough benefit in a share of this funding to:

Provide investment to bring former industrial sites back into use
Support start-up businesses and encourage existing businesses to grow
Provide skills and training for Chesterfield residents to ensure they have the skills they need for newly-created jobs
Invest in new housing
Provide better local transport links.

Councillor John Burrows, Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader, said:-

“It’s important that Chesterfield residents and businesses take part in the consultation and understand the issues at stake.

“In the next few years, we will create around 2,400 jobs for local people. This is thanks to funding from Sheffield City Region for projects including: the Northern Gateway, the Co-op redevelopment, Peak Resort, Markham Vale and Chesterfield Waterside.

“There is no plan B; we either accept the deal on offer and allow Chesterfield residents and businesses to share in the benefits or we miss out on the money and leave the powers with ministers and civil servants in London.”

Being a full member of the Sheffield City Region would not mean changes to services already offered by Chesterfield Borough Council including: refuse collection, street cleaning, leisure and park facilities, regeneration, housing, markets, theatres and tourism.

There are also no changes to the borough’s geographical boundaries. Chesterfield will remain part of Derbyshire. Derbyshire County Council will remain responsible for services including: education, children and young people’s services, adult care and libraries.

The only exception will be transport services. The mayor would have control over public transport to ensure services are more integrated to better serve the needs of local people. The County Council will continue to maintain roads in Chesterfield as at present.

Councillor Burrows added:

“I am proud to be from Derbyshire, I have said it time and again, I am Derbyshire born, Derbyshire bred and in Derbyshire, I’ll lay my head.

“The deal is not about taking Chesterfield into Sheffield and giving away powers but about accessing powers and funding that will benefit local people and businesses.

“A share of £900 million over 30 years and £484 million over the next five years is a significant amount of funding and the proposed devolution deal would allow local people to have their say on how this is spent rather than being at the back of the queue when it comes to funding from the Government so it’s vital people engage in the process and have their say.”

There are two consultation events taking place for people to find out more.

The first is a public meeting at the Winding Wheel on Monday 11 July at 6.30pm. This is open to all residents and businesses in Chesterfield and will allow them to ask questions of the council’s leader, Councillor John Burrows and Chief Executive, Huw Bowen.

There will also be a drop-in session in Chesterfield’s Market Hall on Friday 15 July from 10am to 4pm.

People can take part in the consultation between 1 July and 12 August at: www.sheffieldcityregiondevolution.org.uk. Paper copies of the consultation will also be available at the council’s Customer Service Centre in New Square.

The final decision on whether Chesterfield can be a member of the Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority and share in the benefits of the devolution deal will be made by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the autumn ahead of mayoral elections in May 2017.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Uncategorised

Work starts to create 400 more new jobs at Markham Vale

29th June 2016

Automotive component specialists Ferdinand Bilstein UK are gearing up to move to Chesterfield’s flagship regeneration site now that work has started on the new distribution centre − creating up to 400 new jobs.

The firm will be moving its current distribution operations in Kent and Pontefract to a new purpose-built 225,000 square feet distribution centre to benefit from better transport links at Markham Vale located just off junction 29A of the M1.

Established in Germany in 1844, the company operates worldwide producing, marketing and distributing car parts for a range of vehicle makes and models including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Land Rover and Ford.

Paul Dodgson, Operations Director at Ferdinand Bilstein UK, said:-

“We are excited about being part of this high profile development. Building has now commenced at the Markham Vale site and we look forward to seeing the build completion at the end of the year.

“Markham Vale offers excellent transport links for our distribution requirements, and close proximity to some of our biggest customers. The new relocation will allow us to expand our company further, offering new opportunities on a local and national scale.”

The company’s new distribution centre will be the first business on the site’s third phase, Markham Vale North and is set to be completed by December this year creating around 150 jobs initially and a further 250 to follow.

Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council leader, said:-

“We’re delighted to see that work has now started on Ferdinand Bilstein UK’s new distribution centre at Markham, bringing up to 400 more new jobs to the area.

“The site’s convenient location just off junction 29A of the M1 continues to attract local and national businesses and as a result it’s providing work for existing local businesses in the construction industry.

“Markham Vale is central to our plans to boost the local economy and it’s good to know that it’s benefiting and contributing to the national economy as well by using British steel too.”

Ferdinand Bilstein UK’s new distribution centre will be built by our private sector property partner, Henry Boot Developments.

Ben Ward, Director at Henry Boot Developments, said:-

“I am pleased to announce that work has now started on the 225,000 square feet distribution centre for Ferdinand Bilstein UK.

“The unit is the first to be developed on Markham Vale North and will benefit from the new Seymour Link access road, which will create easy access to M1 motorway networks.

“The company chose to part-relocate its operations due to the transport network and access that Markham Vale offers. We have had huge success with the Markham West and East sections of land, and are confident the North land will be no different, generating huge amounts of interest since its launch.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development