Business

East Midlands Chamber launches Enterprising Women Awards 2021

Female entrepreneurs, directors, employees and apprentices in the East Midlands will once again have a platform to showcase their success stories as the Enterprising Women Awards returns for 2021.

Applications are now open for the awards, which provides recognition to outstanding women in business across the region across various stages of the career ladder.
The annual showpiece event is organised by East Midlands Chamber and led by Eileen Richards MBE and Jean Mountain, who co-founded the Enterprising Women social network in 1997.

The 2021 awards features the same eight categories as this year’s event – which was held in early March as one of the last awards ceremonies before lockdown – including an honour for Outstanding Contribution to Work in STEM, which was introduced for the first time in the 2020 event.

Eileen, who owns the Leicester-based agency Eileen Richards Recruitment and is the Chamber’s vice-president, said: “These awards are really special every single year, but 2020 has brought to light so much resilience and innovation.

“We’ve all had breaking points and as women, we’re not always good at admitting that, but we’ve kept going during some tough periods.

“So having the chance to showcase the achievements of women in our region from these times is going to be an incredible moment and I can’t wait to see the entries.
“We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors once again, many of which have returned to support what they believe to be a hugely important event for the East Midlands.”

Jean, a past president of the Chamber, added: “I am so delighted to see the Enterprising Women network, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2022, go from strength to strength, and the awards are always a special event.”

The categories, and their sponsors, are:
• Social Commitment Award (sponsored by PPL PRS)
• Apprentice of the Year
• Employee of the Year (sponsored by Smallman & Son)
• Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award
• Team of the Year Award
• Small Business of the Year (sponsored by Unique Window Systems)
• Outstanding Contribution to Work in STEM (sponsored by Pick Everard)
• Business Woman of the Year (headline sponsored by Futures Housing Group)

This year’s event was launched during a virtual Zoom event held yesterday (15 October).

It featured a talk by Neeyantee Karia, the co-owner of Leicester-based “street food on-the-go” brand Jake & Nayns’ and the 2020 Business Woman of the Year, who reflected on the challenges she had encountered during a 20-year career in business.
The deadline for entries is Monday 21 December at 5pm.

Finalists will be announced on the week commencing 25 January and they will find out if they have won their category at a gala dinner planned for 12 March, subject to the Covid-19 situation.

To enter the Enterprising Women Awards, visit bit.ly/2NZoR3W.

Some categories are still available to businesses that want to get involved with the event. Anyone interested in sponsoring a category can contact Sanjib Sahota on 07776 596889 or email Sanjib.Sahota@emc-dnl.co.uk.

Posted in Business, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Destination Chesterfield celebrates 10 years with message of positivity for the town

Chesterfield could be set to repeat history and, once again, come out of a global recession stronger.

This month 10 years ago, amidst a global financial crisis, a marketing campaign was established to promote Chesterfield to potential investors. Since its launch, it has supported Chesterfield Borough Council and its Economic Growth team in securing more than £1bn of investment into the borough.

To mark the anniversary, Destination Chesterfield was celebrated recently in a special online breakfast event, hosted by Virtual World Studios, virtually attended by more than 40 people.

At the event, future marketing plans were unveiled detailing how the town, as a whole, can come back stronger from the Coronavirus pandemic.

At the event it was revealed that community, distinctiveness, sustainability and growth will be core to Destination Chesterfield’s marketing campaigns for the town. Two brand new campaigns – Sustainable Chesterfield and Experience Chesterfield, will also join long-running, successful projects and events, including Made in Chesterfield and Celebrate Chesterfield.

Peter Swallow, who was appointed Chair of Destination Chesterfield when it was established in 2010 said: “I am confident Chesterfield can come back stronger from this pandemic. Ten years ago we were in a recession and Chesterfield Borough Council took the bold move of establishing Destination Chesterfield – sending out the message that the town was ready and open for business.

“Now we have more than £1bn of developments and more on the horizon, including HS2 which is already attracting investors to the town putting us in a strong position coming out of the pandemic.”

Since the Destination Chesterfield campaign was launched, declaring Chesterfield open and ready to do business, the town has attracted more than £1bn of investment, with the borough now home to some of the UK’s largest and exciting regeneration, industrial and leisure schemes at PEAK, Markham Vale and Chesterfield Waterside.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The past few months have been incredibly difficult for many of our local businesses. Rebuilding the local economy is a top priority for Chesterfield Borough Council and together with Destination Chesterfield, we have already implemented a number of financial and promotional measures to help our businesses through these challenging times. By working together, we can ensure that Chesterfield continues to be a thriving borough.

“Over the past 10 years, Destination Chesterfield have really helped us to reinvigorate the town. We’re look forward to continuing to work closely with the team at Destination Chesterfield as we look to build on the strong relationship that we’ve had for the past decade, one that will put us in a strong position to keep moving the borough forward.”

Destination Chesterfield has also created a supportive network of businesses, education providers and charities, known as Chesterfield Champions, who are all united in their desire for Chesterfield to thrive. The Champions network remains crucial to Destination Chesterfield’s future plans.

Peter added: “The Chesterfield Champions are intrinsic to the success of Destination Chesterfield. Their support and active involvement makes Destination Chesterfield happen and allows us to push forward the marketing of the town, as well as offer business support though during good and tough times. The facts really do speak for themselves. Together we make a difference.”

If your organisation would like to become a Chesterfield Champion, please visit www.chesterfield.co.uk or get in touch on 01246 207 207.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , ,

Leading industry figures to attend Peak District & Derbyshire tourism conference

Tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses across the Peak District and Derbyshire are invited to attend Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s Annual Tourism Conference on Thursday 5 November 2020.

The fully-funded virtual event will bring together leading industry figures from across Derbyshire and beyond including keynote speakers Tourism Minister, Nigel Huddleston MP and Simon Calder, Senior Travel Editor of The Independent.

Delegates will gain valuable insights from Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council; Brendan Moffett, Director of the Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism at the University of Derby; national tourist body VisitEngland; and Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire.

As businesses continue to weather the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the conference will shine a light on the biggest issues impacting tourism, the latest consumer trends and the work being done to secure the industry’s long-term future – with plenty of opportunity for engagement and questions.

Delegates are invited to register for a fully-funded place at the event, which is supported by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project.

Register for the Peak District & Derbyshire Annual Tourism Conference (10.30-13:00) using the following link: http://ow.ly/4Y8N50BT7if

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “We’re delighted to invite delegates to join us at our Annual Tourism Conference which is supported by our ERDF project. As the industry continues to face some of its biggest-ever challenges, now more than ever it is critical that we all work together to ensure our collective voice is heard.

“In the presence of leading industry experts and key national figures, the conference will provide a great opportunity for businesses to raise the issues that matter to them most, to gain useful insights into local and national trends, and to learn about the critical plans to support the sector’s recovery.”

Tourism is usually worth £2.3 billion to the Peak District & Derbyshire economy, supporting over 30,000 jobs and boosting growth.

Posted in Business, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , ,

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership opens application process for new board members

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership has begun recruitment for two new private-sector board members who can help the organisation continue the economic growth of the region.

Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) play a central role in deciding local economic priorities, driving drive economic growth and creating jobs and D2N2’s central goal is to improve the productivity of the economy of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire through inclusive growth.

To aid the organisation in this remit, D2N2 has begun looking for new board members who can help to shape the economic strategy across the region.

D2N2 Board members represent the LEP’s interests to partners and stakeholders in the private and public sectors and work collaboratively with them to deliver a shared agenda for our economy.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced senior leader or business owner with an outstanding ability to communicate, lead, and influence.
Elizabeth Fagan, Chair of the D2N2 board, said: “We’re keen to hear from business leaders with energy, creativity, and passion to help us shape and deliver our ambitions for the region.

“This is an important time for our region as we drive forward our strategy to rebuild and grow our economy delivering a more prosperous and lower carbon region, creating better skilled and higher value jobs for our future generations.

“We are committed to supporting and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and having a board that truly reflects the communities we serve. We would encourage applicants from all background and experiences to ensure we can deliver on our aim of being a truly diverse board.”

Applications are welcome from across the D2N2 area and from all sectors of the economy to reflect our diverse business community.
The deadline for applications is Monday 9 November 2020.

For more information on the role and application process, please visit the vacancies section on the D2N2 website.

Posted in Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Derbyshire businesses invited to exhibit at virtual Peak District & Derbyshire Christmas market

Derbyshire-based producers, artisans and craftspeople are invited to exhibit and sell their wares at a virtual Peak District & Derbyshire Christmas Market organised by the area’s official tourist board.

The free online market, set to launch in early November, will showcase the fantastic variety of quality products made in the area, providing local businesses with the chance to reach thousands of potential customers in the run up to Christmas.

Prospective stallholders are invited to apply for a virtual place at the Peak District & Derbyshire Christmas Market, which will be hosted at www.visitpeakdistrict.com and is part financially supported by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project.

The opportunity is open to small-to-medium-sized businesses based in Derby and Derbyshire – ranging from food and drink producers to artists, photographers and craftspeople.

It is also open to Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire members who offer vouchers for afternoon teas, meals, short stays, annual passes, workshops and experiences, with a focus on products that make great Christmas presents.

Successful applicants will be featured on an inspirational new Peak District & Derbyshire Christmas Market webpage, where hyperlinks and imagery will lead to the stallholder’s own selling platform – allowing visitors to browse and purchase fine, festive gifts with ease.

The market aims to boost businesses who have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions by driving online sales whilst celebrating the range of unique products available in the area.

Posted in Business, Christmas, HomeTagged in , , , ,

Chesterfield residents must follow stricter local rules from Saturday

Residents in Chesterfield are being urged to follow stricter rules coming into force from Saturday 17 October, in a bid to slow the rise in coronavirus cases.

Speaking in the Commons today, Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock MP, announced that Chesterfield – along with North East Derbyshire and Erewash – will be put into Tier 2 of the government’s Covid alert system – and will be placed on ‘high’ alert from 12.01am on Saturday.

It follows a review of the local situation by Government, in liaison with the Chesterfield Borough Council and neighbouring North East Derbyshire District Council, Derbyshire County Council and local MPs.

As well as following the continued guidance to wash hands, stay apart and wear a face covering it means:

  • Different households or support bubbles should not mix indoors – at home, someone else’s home, pubs, restaurants, hotels or other hospitality venues, leisure venues or shops
  • When outdoors people should stick to the rule of six, including children.
  • If going on holiday, this should only be with the people they live with or that are in their support bubble
  • Family and friends can provide informal childcare as part of a childcare bubble – the bubble is limited to two households only so that informal childcare is provided by the same carers each time
  • Only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances
    All businesses, leisure facilities and other places which are allowed to open by law can remain open providing they meet Covid-19 secure guidance
  • Pubs, bars restaurants and other hospitality venues close at 10pm – drive-through services, click and collect and delivery services can continue after 10pm
  • You can take part in sport and physical activity outdoors but organised indoor exercise classes are only permitted if it’s possible to avoid mixing with people you don’t live with or share a support bubble with – there are exceptions for children and people with a disability

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Nobody wants to see stricter lockdown measures brought in locally but the health and safety of our communities, particularly our most vulnerable, must be our priority.

“We understand that this is a concerning time for our residents, and our business community. But local infection rates are too high and are rising so it is critical that we act now to help stop the spread.

“Each and every one of us has a part to play in controlling the spread of this virus – I urge everyone in Chesterfield to make sure they are familiar with the new restrictions, check their behaviour and make sure they are doing all they can to protect themselves, their families and the communities in which they live and work.”

Derbyshire’s Director of Public Health Dean Wallace, who is leading the county’s response to the outbreak, urged people to follow the tighter ‘lockdown’ rules.

“We all have a duty to do everything it takes to stop the spread of this highly contagious virus.

“The steep rise in the numbers of cases is deeply concerning, although not surprising given Chesterfield and North East are so close to Sheffield, and Erewash borders Nottinghamshire, which are all currently on ‘high’ alert and under extra restrictions. It’s more important than ever that we all work together to beat this.

“I’m really proud of the way Derbyshire communities have supported each other through this epidemic but this isn’t over – we simply can’t afford to take our eye off the ball.

“I realise that these extra restrictions for these areas will be frustrating but they are also necessary as we’re seeing a lot of community transmission.

“I cannot emphasise enough that from Saturday people from different households should not be mixing indoors, unless it is with people who are in their ‘bubble’ and they should stick to the ‘rule of 6’ when outside.

“I know it’s difficult but I’m asking everyone to summon their famous Derbyshire spirit and play their part to keep themselves, their family, friends and colleagues safe.”

For more information about local restrictions please visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , ,

Construction begins on Chesterfield’s Glass Yard development

Work has now started on an exciting new development in Chesterfield, which will feature office space, retail units and an artisan food hall.

The Glass Yard will be situated on Sheffield Road, directly opposite the Technique Stadium and is set to bring 50,000 sq.ft (4,645 sq.m.) of commercial space along with a 163 space customer car park.

It has been designed sustainably and ergonomically by developer Blue Deer Ltd. allowing for an open plan, daylight filled environment. Each office will have a minimalist design and will incorporate the latest IT infrastructure.

The development will also be incorporating The Batch House; serving and selling premium artisan food and drink in a relaxed and sustainable environment.

A range of independent catering kitchens will surround a communal indoor and outdoor seating area with welfare spaces and meeting rooms.


The development has been designed to:

  • Create a safe, friendly atmosphere to work, eat and meet in
  • Dog friendly
  • Focus on quality food and drink served and sold in the nicest possible way
  • No single use plastic

Tim Turner, managing director at Blue Deer Ltd. said: “We’ve decided the town and the country wants to get on. Covid 19 is a real nuisance and could be around for sometime, but if we all behave it will be controlled.

“Chesterfield has many advantages moving forward, a great geographical position, good road network to the North and the Midlands and a very positive Council determined to encourage investment into the town. The town today does lack that little bit of style in places and The Glass Yard is squarely aimed at bringing a new kind of working environment to plug that gap.

“I’m really pleased we are on site, it’s been a challenge during the pandemic but the interest shown already is really encouraging and by the time the development is completed next August we should have a really exciting addition for the town. Hopefully by then, we’ll have some great new tenants and the Country will have tamed this horrid virus, I’m hoping both these things come true!”

Ideally located in Chesterfield, The Glass Yard is situated within two hours of 60% of major English Destinations.

The Glass Yard and Batch House are an enduring testimony to the site’s historical significance and a gesture to the significant part that Chesterfield played in the British glass industry.

Dema Glass once stood directly opposite the new development, and was the country’s largest manufacturer of domestic glassware. Developers at The Glass Yard think this special connection with the town should be remembered.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Winners of 2020 Chesterfield High Street Awards to be revealed

Amid the challenging circumstances of a global pandemic, the seventh annual Chesterfield High Street Awards is set to name the very best shops, market stalls, events, apprentices, projects and businesses in the town.

Street magician Steve Faulkner will host the virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday 21 October where 41 finalists will become 15 winners. One of the winners will claim the overall title of Retailer of the Year, sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire).

Although virtual, the awards ceremony will be live with everyone invited to tune in to watch on the night. The event will be streamed from Destination Chesterfield’s website from 7.30pm – 8.30pm.  And everyone registering to watch will receive a 20% discount for Casa Hotel’s new dining at home service.

During the evening guests will also be able to visit a virtual photo booth hosted by Chesterfield Champion, Noonah.  Selfies taken during the event will be brought together in the form of an online mosaic, which will be revealed at the end of the ceremony.

The High Street Awards have never been more relevant. Previously known as the Retail Awards, the Chesterfield High Street Awards recognise the exceptional businesses, people, events and regeneration projects in the town centre, Chatsworth Road, Whittington Moor, Staveley and Hasland that are working together to overcome the challenges of a rapidly changing retail environment.

The businesses, individuals and events shortlisted in the 2020 Chesterfield High Street Awards include:

High Street Business of the Year
Chatsworth Travel
Pinewood Properties
Strada Estate Agents

Future High Street Award
Flexible Leasing at Vicar Lane Shopping Centre
Premier Inn, Elder Way
Vicar Lane Shopping Centre’s Big Screen

Best Town Centre Event
1940s Chesterfield Flea Market
Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival
Chesterfield Motorfest

Best Customer Service
Curious Goods
Crazy about Cakecraft
Tallbird Records

Best New Store
Nana B Baby & Children’s Wear
Shop Indie
The Wool Cabin

National / Multiple Retailer of the Year
Marks and Spencer
Warhammer
Waterstones

Food and Drink Retailer of the Year
Brampton Brewery
Chesterfield Craft
Love Brewing

Fashion and Footwear Retailer of the Year
Charles Hedley
Dotique
Ingmans

Hair and Beauty Business of the Year
Belle Vie
50 Shades of Beauty
One Nine Three Hair and Beauty

Home, Gifts and Leisure Retailer of the Year
Adorn Jewellers
Huckleberry Willow
Quinney’s Pet Supplies

Market Trader of the Year
Ibbotson’s Fresh Quality Produce
Simon Harding’s Fruit and Veg
Steph’s Sustainable Stuff

Independent Retailer of the Year
Fred’s Haberdashery
H&F
Little White Dress

Apprentice of the Year
Abi Ashmore, Superior Spas
Grace Blant, Elliot Mather
Molly Bradbury, Arvato

Apprentice Employer of the Year
Superior Spas
Therapy Lounge

Tara Underhill, Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator said: “Although organising the awards has been challenging this year, I am delighted that they are still able to go ahead albeit online. However, it does mean that more people than ever will be able to tune in and share in the success of every individual and business that has been shortlisted.

“Never have high street businesses needed our support more than in the current trading conditions. The ceremony is an opportunity to say thank you to them and show all high street businesses our ongoing support.”

The 2020 Chesterfield High Street Awards are supported and made possible by a number of sponsors, including Adorn Jewellers, Apprentice Town (led by Chesterfield Borough Council), BRM Solicitors, Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield College Group, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), eBusiness Works, Greatest Hits Radio (North Derbyshire), JP Fire Safety Solutions, Maybe* The Pavements Shopping Centre, Q2 Creative and Redbrik Estate Agents.

To register to watch the Chesterfield High Street Awards and receive your discount code for Casa Hotel’s dining at home service, visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chesterfield-high-street-awards/.

Chesterfield High Street Awards

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Christmas, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chamber looks at what ONS employment statistics for June to August 2020 say about state of East Midlands labour market

New figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the UK unemployment rate has risen to its highest level for more than three years.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% for the three months ending August 2020, compared to 4.1% for the May to July period – with 629,000 UK workers disappearing from the payrolls of British companies since the beginning of Covid-19 lockdown in March.

There were 153,000 people aged between 16 and 24 in employment between June and August compared to the previous quarter, and 102,000 fewer than the same period in 2019.

In the East Midlands, the unemployment rate rose by 0.3% to 4.4%, one-tenth of a percentage point below the national average.

Responding to the figures, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) chief executive Scott Knowles said: “These figures suggest the East Midlands is slightly ahead of the national average when it comes to keeping people in jobs.

“Our own Quarterly Economic Survey for Q3 2020 showed that a net 6% of businesses expect to increase the size of their workforce in the three months following September.

“It’s also important to note how Government schemes are beginning to come into effect for 16 to 24-year-olds – who have been the worst-affected demographic during this pandemic – in the form of the Kickstart scheme. The Chamber, in its role as a gateway organisation, has now submitted applications on behalf of businesses for more than 500 roles.

“On the surface, all this should give us cause for optimism, but we know this is a macroeconomic perspective and there are certain sectors – such as hospitality, tourism and events – that are much more exposed.

“The picture has also changed somewhat since these figures were recorded. The road to recovery has been slowed down by further obstacles in the form of stricter lockdown restrictions and Government warnings regarding prolonged disruption, while the end of the Brexit transition period is looming dangerously ahead.

“While the Government says it has tried to mitigate this by extending the Job Support Scheme and offering monthly business grants for businesses forced to close due to local restrictions, we don’t yet know whether this will be enough to save some of the worst-hit sectors.

“There’s still a lot of uncertainty for businesses, making it difficult for them to plan, make decisions on investment and recruit staff because they aren’t sure what they are building towards. The next few months will be very important for the labour market and it feels like it’s going to be a bumpy ride ahead.”

Other interesting findings in the report were that production-based roles made up a higher proportion of jobs in the East Midlands (13.1%) than any other region, with Wales second at 11.7%. Jobs in services represented 79.7% of the region’s labour market, with 7.2% of workers employed in other broad industry groups.

The ONS regional statistics, including the East Midlands, can be found here

Scott-Knowles East Midlands Chamber

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield

Giraffe Graphics upscales to new office

Chesterfield print and embroidery company, Giraffe Graphics has expanded into new headquarters.

The new office, which is located at Dunston Place, has allowed the company to increase capacity and take on the print and embroidery industry from a fresh perspective.

From the humble beginnings of a spare-bedroom-business, Giraffe Graphics has seen rapid growth over the last 5 years.

Like many other business owners, Chris and Rebecca Blackwell made the difficult decision to close during the beginning of lockdown. Once the appropriate safety measures were put in place, and it was deemed safe to turn on the embroidery machines once more, Giraffe saw demand soar for workwear, paper print, design, and signage.

This proved timely, as the company had plans for new premises in the pipeline, as co-director Rebecca explained: “We were beginning to reach the limits of what we could achieve as a business within our previous office space, and were eager to expand.

“Naturally at the beginning of March, these aspirations seemed to become a little far-fetched! But thankfully, we have a great bunch of loyal, returning customers and friends who appreciate our services and keep coming back!

“We spent time refining our website, and tried to ensure that despite the difficult circumstances, our clients could still reach us. We’re so grateful to those who have supported us through the years, and we’re excited to see how Giraffe continues to grow in our new HQ!’”

Looking to expand or relocate your business to Chesterfield?  Search commercial property in Chesterfield here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home

Mentoring scheme launched to support female leaders and managers in the construction sector

A key milestone has been celebrated at the new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre in Chesterfield. The building’s floor slabs and roof have been carefully poured into place using approximately 925 tonnes of concrete.

The significant step was marked during UK Construction Week, by leaders from the construction company, Robert Woodhead Limited, Chesterfield Borough Council and project architects Whittam Cox. Chesterfield Borough Council will be supporting the scheme which will see female leaders and managers from across the construction industry support young women from Chesterfield.

The partners will come together and deliver an innovative mentoring programme to build on the success of the recently launched online gateway “My Future.” It will provide real life support to help local young women into the construction industry. By linking with the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub and Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum, the programme will offer school and college students the opportunity to work with female leaders from across a broad range of disciplines in the construction sector.

The programme is a result of Woodhead’s employment and skills commitments to deliver a lasting legacy and social value whilst on site.

Councilor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Improving the skills and work readiness of people in Chesterfield is our top priority because it will help ensure our ambition to create a thriving borough. We require all new developments to commit to supporting the local economy through both skills development and opportunities for local businesses.

“This programme is a great example of how by working with our partners we can strengthen the links between education and business, which will help ensure that more school leavers are developing the skills they need to enter the workplace. We want to raise aspirations in Chesterfield and show that it is a great place plan your future and build a successful career. Working with young women in sectors where they are underrepresented is key to ensuring our success. Women currently make up around 14% of professional roles within the construction industry, this number can only be set to rise with more and more women choosing construction jobs. Misconceptions about gender specific roles are diminishing with the growing number of women choosing a career in construction.

The council has a strong track record on supporting female leadership, of the nine positions in our senior leadership and corporate management teams four are held by women, we also have an all-female leadership of the council and this further demonstrates the important role women have in the future of Chesterfield.”

The new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is a highly sustainable building that will provide 32 high-quality offices for the town. As the mentoring programme gathers momentum, it is hoped that the young women will also be able to participate in site visits to see the building take shape.

Robert Woodhead ltd, Chesterfield Borough Council and Whitham Cox Architects supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

(L-R) Kerri Grocock, Teresa Westwood, Duncan McKenzie, Cllr Tricia Gilby and Andy Dabbs.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home

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