About Chesterfield

Nearly £3.5m raised for Macmillan Cancer Support‎

16th February 2016

An impressive sum of money totalling almost £3.5m has been raised in support of Macmillan Cancer Support over the past year – thanks to the efforts of kind-hearted local people.

One of the latest developments for the charity, to which some of the money will go towards, is the new state-of-the-art Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre which will bring together vital treatment, care and support in one purpose-built facility – providing joined up services closer to home.

Macmillan has committed £2.5 million to help build the new centre at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Building work began at the end of last year and the centre is due to open in autumn 2016.

Gini Smith, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for Derbyshire said:-

“Because of all your help, in 2015 Macmillan was able to commit £3,429,658 in Derbyshire helping to support the 41,248 people living with or beyond cancer locally. That means there are now around 40 Macmillan professionals working in Derbyshire.

“I just want to say a personal thank you to everyone who hosted or attended coffee mornings, volunteered their time, took part in challenge events, braved the shave, went sober for October, put a pound in a collection box, or held their own events to raise money for Macmillan.”

Speaking about the new Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre, Sheree Hall, Macmillan lead cancer nurse at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, said:-

“Our facilities were built almost thirty years ago when we had neither the number of patients nor the vast array of treatment options. Currently, patients have to visit different parts of the hospital for treatment, usually on different days. It will be a dream come true to have all our cancer services under one roof.”

Gini concluded; “Macmillan’s ambition is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer. By 2030, the number of people living with the disease will have doubled, so it’s a huge task to support each and every one of those in some way.

‘With the support of local fundraisers and volunteers, we can keep funding new cancer centres like the Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre and team up with partners like the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to provide the best cancer care possible here in your community. With your help, we can make sure no one in Derbyshire has to face cancer alone.’

If you’re interested in holding or attending a fundraising event, getting involved with a fundraising group or committee, or would like to choose Macmillan as your charity of the year, please contact Gini Smith on 07790 018400 or email gsmith@macmillan.org.uk

Anyone who has questions about cancer can call the Macmillan Support Line free on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm or by visiting macmillan.org.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Top Sommelier Offers Italian Wine Specialist Course at Chesterfield College

16th February 2016

Italian wine enthusiasts and those with a professional interest in food and drink will soon be able to learn from wine expert, Michele Muccilli, as he brings his fascinating 12 week British Sommelier Foundation accredited course to Chesterfield College in April.

Michele was born and bred in Puglia, Southern Italy and grew up in the vineyards of the area where food and drink is such an important part of the culture and where his passion for the subject grew. Having moved to the UK he founded the British Sommelier Foundation and also works at Sat Bains, Nottingham, recently voted the best restaurant in the UK. He told us:

“The Italian Wine Specialist course offers something for a wide range of people. Whether you are looking to work with wine within a restaurant or hotel environment or gaining knowledge before going on vineyard holidays, the course will appeal to any wine enthusiast. We’ll be looking at a wide variety of Italian wines, learning how a region’s climate, grape and tannins all go to influence a wine’s taste.

“There’s a huge amount of appreciation for good food, wine and beer in Chesterfield, this course provides those with a keen interest in wine to learn so much more, gain a certificate from the British Sommelier Foundation and perhaps start upon the path of becoming a fully qualified Sommelier.”

The course starts on 4 April from 6pm – 8pm on the Infirmary Road campus of Chesterfield College and will last for 12 weeks. It is a theoretical and practical course that will allow you to learn more about the wines from different regions of Italy and teach you how to pair wine and food for the perfect combination.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Leisure, Visiting

Land in Chesterfield sold for 91 home redevelopment

16th February 2016

A 10-acre plot of land in Chesterfield has been bought by the UK’s leading privately-owned house-builder Avant Homes. The developer now plans to redevelop the Newbold Road site to build 91 high-specification new homes.

Charles D’Auncey, director of Harris Lamb, oversaw the sale on behalf of GKN, and said that Avant Homes had been the successful bidder for the site, which a number of developers had identified as a desirable location for a residential development.

“There has been a real demand for quality new homes within the region as a result of its excellent access links and its proximity to the Peak District, but available land to fulfil that need is in short supply.

“ more than met the requirements. Located just four miles from the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the site is just a mile away from Chesterfield town centre and its amenities, lending itself to creating a residential community.”

The Newbold Road site had already been awarded planning consent for the properties subject the developer is committed to paying more than £200,000 toward improvements to the local nursery, infant and junior schools, as well as providing 20 per cent of the houses

Charles added: “Confidence has returned to the housing construction sector as the economy has improved; something the introduction of the Help To Buy Government initiative in 2013 has helped to escalate.

“As a result, Harris Lamb has been working with clients to identify suitable land supplies for residential development and liaising with interested developers to help secure the sale, planning permission and support site-works where appropriate.

“There was a great deal of interest in this site from various UK developers keen to secure a presence in Derbyshire, and the location of this particular parcel of land made it a very desirable asset. We’re confident that the site will be redeveloped to an extremely high standard, thanks to Avant Homes’ Avant Homes’ reputation for creating homes with an innovative design and specification,” he added.

Construction at the Newbold Fields site will start in the coming weeks and the development is expected to launch in the summer.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Cycling festival inspires 650 infants

15th February 2016

Pupils from four years old had the chance to experience a fun day of cycle-themed activities at the 2016 Early Rider Festival, run by the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership and supported by Wheely Fun Wheels.

Spread across 12 stations, there were three cycling activities: Italian pursuit, the team relay and the sprint to stop race. Using the pedal-less bikes, the children could put their prior balance bike training into practice in these fun races.

The remaining stations, which were run by sports leaders from Chesterfield College, were all closely linked to cycling and road safety. These activities aimed to connect with the wider school curriculum. They included the “Think” and “See” stations, where the infants labelled parts of the bikes and then completed a word search to find words related to cycling.

Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the SSP, said: “We are delighted to welcome nearly 700 infants to take part in the Early Rider Festival. This is much more than festival of cycling, it is a chance to really excite and engage young people in sport and physical activity though a range of activities.

“We have tried to bring the classroom to this event with activities linked to numeracy, literacy and communication, managing feeling and self-awareness and of course physical development. We hope everyone has taken a step towards choosing a healthy active lifestyle through cycling.”

Nick Chamberlin, Mountain Bike Leadership and Cycle Training Manager at British Cycling, said: “Learning to ride a bicycle is a rite of passage in any young person’s life, sadly many young people are not getting the support they need to try cycling for the first time. British Cycling are excited by the innovative work of Chesterfield SSP using balance bikes to introduce hundreds of young people to the excitement of riding a bike.”

Chelsea, a pupil from Whitecotes Primary School, said: “I love riding the bike! And the colouring was fun!”

Mr Petch, a teacher at Spire Nursery and Infant School, said: “It’s fantastic seeing all the activities and seeing so many kids on bikes at such a young age. They’re having great fun and interacting with children from other schools.”

Miss McPhie, of Whitecotes Primary School, said: “I like the links to the work we do at school. By having word searches and handwriting activities, they can have a rest and still learn. The kids also enjoyed the station where they labelled the bike parts and the Young Leader running it was excellent.”

The Early Rider programme is the start of the cycling pathway for young people in Chesterfield schools with progressions to bikeabilty levels 1&2, skills to ride and cyclo-cross competitions on which to progress.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

NHS offers 10 traineeships to help young people into work

15th February 2016

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust is working with Learning Unlimited to offer 10 exciting traineeship opportunities to help unemployed 18-24 year olds in Chesterfield into employment.

Starting at the end of February, the traineeships are in estates, catering and patient experience departments and are a great way to gain essential work experience and develop key employability skills.

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust is a Top 10 NHS Best Places To Work employer 2015, in awards run by the Health Service Journal in association with the Nursing Times and NHS Employers.

For those succesful, the traineeship programme will last for 12 weeks, beginning with a two week induction period and followed by 10 weeks of work experience. Throughout the programme each trainee will be supported by the NHS Trust and training provider Learning Unlimited. At the end of the programme trainees will be offered an interview, given a reference, considered for potential job opportunities in the organisation and supported to think about the next steps into an apprenticeship, work or education with the help of Learning Unlimited.

Sharon Allison, workforce planning and development trainer at Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Traineeships are a fantastic way to develop people within the communities we serve. It is really important for our organisation to make sure we give people who want to work with us the opportunity to get experience and be job ready. We are keen to develop the skills the organisation needs and traineeships offer us the chance to do that.

“If you are unemployed, aged 18 to 24 and interested in a career in the NHS but feel you need some support to get the first step on the career ladder I would urge you think about traineeships with us.”

For more information about the traineeships and to apply visit https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/traineeship/689439. The closing date for applications is 19th February 2016.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield

Peak District and Derbyshire share in tourism spending and jobs boost

12th February 2016

Inspirational marketing campaigns to encourage more visitors to come and stay in the Peak District and Derbyshire have proved almost eight times more effective than expected – generating more than £44.7 million in extra tourism spending and creating more than 830 jobs.

Research by national tourist board VisitEngland reveals that official tourist board Visit Peak District & Derbyshire has exceeded Government targets by a huge margin thanks to its major, multi-media marketing push ‘The World Away’ – costing just £600,000 over three years in a public and private sector partnership.

Government-set goals stipulated that the campaigns – which included the area’s first-ever television commercial, advertising billboards, video on demand and on-line, print and social media promotion – should reap a return of investment of £5.8 million and create more than 130 jobs from 2012 to 2015.

But they proved much more appealing than anticipated – mirroring the wider success of VisitEngland’s national campaign, ‘Growing Tourism Locally’, funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) – which has generated an extra £1.05 billion in tourism spend and created a record number of 19,490 jobs in the tourism sector across England over the same period.

“To say we are delighted is an understatement,” said Jo Dilley, Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire. “‘The World Away’ has punched well above its weight in terms of both return on investment and creating jobs, bringing concrete benefits and hopefully a lasting legacy to the local and regional economy that we can build on throughout 2016 and beyond.”

Lady Cobham CBE, Chairman of VisitEngland’s Advisory Board, added: “It’s fantastic to see the results of the ‘Growing Tourism Locally’ campaign’, which was aimed at driving growth by encouraging Brits to book a short break at home in one of the many wonderful destinations on offer across England. It’s a brilliant result, promoting our beautiful country as a world-class holiday destination.”

The Peak District and Derbyshire was one of 14 English destinations to benefit from a £19.8 million pot of money – part of a total investment of £41.6 million, including contributions from VisitEngland and the private sector – funding campaigns to target specific audiences such as young couples, young couples with pre-school children, older couples and groups.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Nominate Your Favourite Retailers for a Chesterfield Retail Award 2016

11th February 2016

Chesterfield’s popular Retail Awards are returning for the third year running. Organiser Destination Chesterfield is now urging people to nominate their favourite shops and stores in and around the town centre, Chatsworth Road and Whittington Moor, they want to win one of the prestigious awards.

Nominations are open now. People can nominate across 14 categories, which are designed to recognise the very best independent and high street retailers in Chesterfield. Everyone who nominates will automatically be entered into a free prize draw to win a three course Sunday lunch at Chesterfield’s Restaurant of the Year, Cocina at Casa.

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager, said: “Chesterfield has an amazing wealth of retailers that combine to make us one of the top performing towns in the country. Together they bring people into Chesterfield and help create a buzz and warm welcome that people from outside the area frequently comment on and keep coming back for. If you feel strongly that your favourite shops and stores deserve to win one of these prestigious awards, then it’s important that you nominate them. As they say, you have to be in it to win it.”

Organised in association with Chesterfield College, the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony which takes place at the Winding Wheel in May 2016. As well as winners of the 15 categories, winners of two additional awards – the Vicar Lane Shopping Centre’s and the Pavements Shopping Centre Retailers of the Year – will also be announced.

Stuart Cutforth, Principal of Chesterfield College said: “We are delighted to sponsor the retail awards this year and look forward to celebrating with the businesses and individuals that contribute to making what is unique and special about our local retail offer. It is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of the businesses that add to our economy in so many ways. Not only do they give us our retail therapy, they provide goods and services we can’t do without and they also offer employment to many.”

Last year Ibbotson’s Fresh Quality Produce took the coveted title of Retailer of the Year and Market Trader of the Year following nominations from the public. The family business, which has been a familiar sight on Chesterfield’s market for more than 70 years, has transformed itself in the last 18 months with the addition of an online delivery service to complement its market stall and shop in Hasland.

Owner Nick Ibbotson said: “It was amazing to win two awards and particularly special to get overall Retailer of the Year Award. Although we’re just a little fruit and veg stall that’s been in the centre of Chesterfield, we have worked hard to modernise the business and secure its future with the addition of our online delivery service. It’s going really well and has transformed the business.”

Nominations are open until midnight on Sunday 6th March 2016. To nominate your favourite retailer visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/retailawards/nominate

The 14 categories open for nominations in the 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards include:

* Hair and Beauty Business of the Year – Sponsored by Chesterfield College

* Fashion and Footwear Retailer of the Year – Sponsored by In the Works PR

* Jewellery and Accessories Retailer of the Year – Sponsored by the Pavements Shopping Centre

* Home and Gifts Retailer of the Year

* Children’s Clothes, Toys & Accessories Retailer of the Year

* Food and Drink Retailer of the Year – Sponsored by BHP Accountants

* Phones and Technology Retailer of the Year – Mitchells Chartered Accountants and

Business Advisers

* Leisure Retailer of the Year (Sports, Hobbies, Crafts or Outdoor)

* Market Trader of the Year – Sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council

* Independent Retailer of the Year – Sponsored by Jumble Design

* National/ Multiple Retailer of the Year – Sponsored by Vicar Lane

* Excellence in Customer Service – Sponsored by Chatsworth

* Market Hall Business of the Year – Sponsored by arvato

* Best New Store (Opened 2015/2016) – Sponsored by Banner Jones Solicitors

There is also an additional Retailer of the Year award, sponsored by East Midlands Chamber, which will be announced at the awards ceremony.

The awards are supported by members of the business community, who have not only sponsored individual awards but also the actual ceremony later this year. As well as the category sponsors, other supporters of the 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards include the University of Derby, eBusiness Works and the Derbyshire Times.

If you are interested in sponsoring the 2016 Chesterfield Retail Awards – Download information here

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards

Your Help is Needed to Bring Poppies to Chesterfield

9th February 2016

Residents and local history groups are being asked to help support a Chesterfield Borough Council bid to bring an iconic poppy display to the town.

The council submitted a bid in July last year on behalf of a number of organisations in the town for the Weeping Window artwork to be displayed in Chesterfield as part of a tour of UK locations.

The artwork is part of a larger installation by Chesterfield artist Paul Cummins that was on display at the Tower of London to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

Although the bid was unsuccessful the town has the opportunity to apply again when the next round of bids to display the sculpture in 2017 closes on 29 February.

To strengthen the town’s application further information is needed about our First World War story, both from the perspective of people who fought in the war but also on the home front.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said: “Artist Paul Cummins is from Chesterfield and got the inspiration for the sculpture while reading a book in Chesterfield library so there are strong links with the town.

“While it was disappointing that our previous bid wasn’t successful we believe it is worth trying again because of the strong public support we received when we made the application last time.

“What will strengthen the bid document will be us demonstrating the links Chesterfield has to the First World War story and this where we are hoping local history groups and residents can support us.

“We would be really keen to hear from anybody who has done any research into their family history about someone who lived during the First World War or more generally about the town’s role during the conflict.”

Anyone who has any information is asked to email bernadette.wainwright@chesterfield.gov.uk or ring Peter Hall on (01246) 345727 by Monday 22 February.

Posted in About Chesterfield

National recognition for Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre

5th February 2016

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre has once again been announced as a finalist in the prestigious England for Excellence Awards.

The centre in Rykneld Square, which is owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council has been shortlisted for a second year in the visitor information provider of the year category.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy said: “Each year we welcome thousands of visitors into Chesterfield to visit attractions including our open-air market, the Crooked Spire and the wider area including the Peak District.

“Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are often the first people visitors to the town will meet and they will go the extra mile to make people feel welcome and make sure they have all the information they need.”

Other nominees in the same category are: Eastbourne Tourist Information Centre, Gloucester Tourist Information Centre, Thanet Visitor Information Service and The Welcome People London.

Sally Balcombe, Chief Executive Officer of VisitBritain and VisitEngland added: “Awards for Excellence finalists exemplify outstanding tourism talent and distinguished businesses throughout England.

“We received over 400 truly impressive applications this year and there’s absolutely no doubt those shortlisted are a representatives of the best in the industry who place delivering an unforgettable experience to visitors in England at the heart of their business operations.

“I’d like to congratulate all finalists and wish them the very best of luck on awards night.”

The England for Excellence Awards 2016 takes place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Tuesday 8 March.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Community Awards Launched

4th February 2016

There are many reasons to be proud of Derbyshire, but undoubtedly one of the main ones is its incredible people, and the Derbyshire Times would like to celebrate that with you.

The Derbyshire Times Community Awards, which will take place on Wednesday, April 20, at the Proact Stadium in Chesterfield, is your chance to nominate your unsung heroes and get them the recognition they deserve.

A combination of previous years’ Pride and Schools Awards, the brand new Community Awards is an opportunity for the whole community to come together in one big celebration.

Categories range from sporting achievement and fundraising to courageous children, inspiring teachers, hardworking students and carers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

DT editor Nancy Fielder urges everyone to get involved and nominate someone who truly deserves the recognition.

She said: “These awards are a great chance for us at the Derbyshire Times, our readers and the wider community to say thank you to the people who make a real difference.

“We have a wide range of categories so we can include as many extraordinary folk as possible.

“There are so many unsung heroes in education, children breaking the mould and teachers making sure the future is bright for the next generation.

“But there are also lots of people we come across in every day life who dedicate themselves to helping others, boosting charity and always take on new challenges with a smile.

“We all know somebody who deserves extra credit and this is the perfect way to give them an extra special pat on the back.

“Our neighbourhoods wouldn’t be the same without these people, and now it is time we made them really just how much we appreciate all they do.”

So who do you think deserves an award? They can be of any age, from any walk of life but the one thing they must be is extraordinary.

It’s free and easy to nominate. Simply visit www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/communityawards . The closing date for nominations is Tuesday, March 29.

Shortlisted finalists will get two complimentary tickets to the awards where they will have a fantastic two course dinner before settling in for the prize-giving.

Tickets for the event will also be on general sale priced at £18 per person.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield

Getting more disabled people into sports and volunteering

4th February 2016

Ten sports clubs and organisations across Derbyshire are to benefit from free training to help increase the number of disabled people volunteering across the county.

Run by Derbyshire Sport, the IMPACT volunteering project aims to create more sports volunteering opportunities for disabled people whilst increasing their confidence and skills.

The programme will help understand whether having more disabled volunteers supporting a club helps increase disability participation, a key target of Sport England who are funding this project.

A volunteer recruitment campaign is set to take place within ‘Inclusive Volunteer Month’ in June to encourage disabled people to volunteer as well as providing training opportunities for the clubs who the volunteers will be deployed to.

Within the month, Derbyshire Sport will work with local voluntary services and other partners to encourage disabled people to sign up to the project and start their journey as a sports volunteer.

Matthew Dalley, Derbyshire Para-Equestrian rider and has gained many benefits from his own volunteering experience at his riding club where he started helping in the yard and now runs the club’s social media and website.

When speaking about his volunteering journey, Matthew said: “I am committed to helping other disabled people benefit from an involvement in sport, both as a participant and volunteer.

“Through my own volunteering I aim to show that my disability isn’t a barrier to helping make a difference and I encourage others to take the opportunity to get involved with the IMPACT project so they can benefit like I have.”

Sport Development Officer for Derbyshire Sport, Rachael Dyer, said: “it is important to reflect the broad spectrum of people that we are aiming to recruit by providing a varied training programme.

“Clubs and their volunteers will have the opportunity to develop a range of skills and knowledge on how to effectively engage with disabled people who are getting involved in their club in a voluntary capacity.

“The IMPACT project will help Derbyshire clubs and volunteers better understand how to effectively engage with disabled people and to help raise their awareness of what makes an inclusive club”.

Four counties will be involved in the project across the East Midlands; Lincolnshire Sport, Northamptonshire Sport and Sport Nottinghamshire will all be working alongside Derbyshire to get more disabled people volunteering across the region.

The four counties are sharing a £59,200 investment into the region that was awarded by Sport England in late 2015.

For more information on the project please contact Rachael.dyer@derbyshire.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure