Celebrate Chesterfield

Innovative careers scheme inspires Chesterfield’s next generation and aims to reduce skills gaps

A pioneering scheme, which is linking schools with leading property and construction firms in Chesterfield, is inspiring young people to pursue careers in the construction sector.

‘Careers Made in Chesterfield’ has resulted in fourteen quality placements being offered for talented young people to learn about the property and construction sector. This follows several businesses from the town’s property and construction sector participating in workshops at Parkside Community School, showcasing the range of rewarding careers available.

Providing face-to-face interaction with students proved very successful, with 40% of students who completed the programme expressing a high interest in working in the construction sector in the future – rising from just 20% when the scheme was originally conceived in September 2022.

The initiative was launched following a report by CITB, which outlines how an extra 225,000 workers are required in the UK’s property and construction sector by 2027, equating to roughly 3,500 per year in the East Midlands Region alone.

During the ‘Careers Made in Chesterfield’ programme, business leaders carried out an initial speed networking workshop with pupils, answering their questions and helping to open their eyes into the many different exciting roles associated with property and construction.

In the second workshop sessions, students were tasked with designing a new building within the Northern Gateway area of Chesterfield. Working in groups of five to design a community venue, each group was allocated an employer mentor from the property and construction sector to help develop the design.

The project is enabling students to gain vital work experience, but also showcases the breadth of skills needed to achieve Chesterfield’s ambitious growth and regeneration plans.

The innovative pilot has seen 20 professionals from 11 local businesses helping to deliver the programme to 110 Year 10 students at the school.

Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director at The Devonshire Group, and member of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group added: “One of the main issues being faced by the property and construction sector is that its workforce is getting older.

“It is vital to begin bringing in the next generation, and Careers Made in Chesterfield is one of many initiatives which will help to secure the future pipeline of talent that our businesses rely on.

“It is a very exciting time to be getting into the sector, and with schemes such as this, our young people will one day contribute towards delivering the physical, social, and green infrastructure that Chesterfield needs to continue its sustainable growth.”

Andrew Byrne, The Devonshire Group

Andrew Byrne, The Devonshire Group

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth commented: “Working with local businesses to deliver the Careers Made in Chesterfield pilot demonstrates how direct engagement with students can spark their interest in different career paths.

“Helping young people learn more about the skills they need and the options available to them is key to ensuring that we can provide secure high quality jobs in Chesterfield and that they can plan for a great future in our borough.”

Ben Riggott, Head Teacher at Parkside School said: “The Careers Made in Chesterfield pilot represented a step change in creating sustained connections between our Year 10 students and some great local companies.

“This model is fantastic for several reasons.  Perhaps most importantly, students build relationships with employers across the programme, which in turn enhances their confidence and the likely outcomes of work experience.

One of the firms to be welcoming a student on placement in July is Oasis Studio, which provides virtual reality and augmented reality services to property and construction businesses.

Tony Buck, Associate Director at Oasis Studio commented: “We jumped at the chance to get involved in the pilot scheme. The construction industry is continually evolving, adopting new technologies and construction methods.

“To stay competitive, I believe it’s crucial we have a skilled workforce that can embrace these advancements. I really enjoyed demonstrating the range of opportunities in the sector today.  We utilised our VR headsets during the workshop to offer the students a virtual site visit and help them understand the brief. I was genuinely impressed by the student’s level of maturity and engagement throughout the workshops, and their ideation of concepts was fantastic.”

Further addressing the increasing construction skills shortage within Chesterfield, the Construction Skills Hub in Mastin Moor will welcome learners from autumn this year.

Funded through the Staveley Town Deal, the skills hub will provide a practical platform for construction training, careers activity and work experience on a live construction site.

Initially the Skills Hub will provide training in site and bench joinery, brickwork, ground works and electrical installation but in time the offer will expand to include training in retrofit and green technologies. It will be open to school leavers and other residents seeking to train or retrain.

The Hub will provide training, careers insights, and work experience for more than 5,000 learners over 10 years.

Businesses and schools that wish to register their interest in the Careers Made in Chesterfield initiative, are urged to contact Emily Williams, Skills Delivery Officer at Chesterfield Borough Council on 01246 959717.

The Destination Chesterfield Partnership has received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It follows a successful funding bid by Chesterfield Borough Council, to secure £2.69 million worth of funding for local projects.

Careers Made in Chesterfield header image

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Accolades for Shorts Accountants and Banner Jones Solicitors at South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards

Teams at two Chesterfield firms are celebrating successes, after wins at the Insider South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards last week.

It has been a great year for the Corporate Finance team at Shorts, and the firm is delighted to have won four awards at this year’s ceremony. The winners were announced at a black-tie event hosted by comedian Fred MacAulay, at Sheffield City Hall on Thursday 8 June.

The wins included:

  • Corporate Finance Advisory Firm of the Year
  • Deal of the Year (£10m+) Management buyout of Wincro Metal Industries
  • Innovation Investment Award: Investment in Sitehop by Mercia
  • Dealmaker of the Year: Andy Ryder

Following the successes of the evening, Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner at Shorts (who also went on to win Dealmaker of the Year), said: “It is the expertise and committment of the Shorts team which we see reflected in these successes.

“Last year was a record-breaking year for the Shorts Corporate Finance team, with some fantastic transactions completed, and we are beyond proud to see that hard work being recognised. We have a great team and with an exciting pipeline of opportunities, we are looking forward to another successful year.”

Dealmakers Awards 2023 873

Elsewhere, leading regional law firm Banner Jones has won the National/International Deal of the Year award alongside Translink Corporate Finance at this year’s prestigious event.

The announcement sees the firm’s Business Legal Services department receive recognition for the role it played in advising the shareholders of Chesterfield-based The Corrugated Case Company (CCC), in a major acquisition deal with the UK arm of the global packaging specialist, Tri-Wall, which completed last summer.

Andrew Fielder from Banner Jones’ Business Legal Services department – supported by colleagues Tim Barley, Katie Ash and Sara Patel – advised the sellers on all aspects of the share disposal, and of the separate sale of the businesses trading premises.

Commenting on the award win Andrew Fielder from Banner Jones’ Business Legal Services department, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received recognition for the work carried out on the CCC acquisition deal, alongside the team at Translink Corporate Finance.

“The South Yorkshire Dealmaker Awards provide a unique opportunity for the local deals community to get together to celebrate our successes, and we are thrilled to have taken home the grand prize in the National/International Deal of the Year category.”

Banner Jones and Shorts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Dealmakers awards banner jones

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Young people help create ‘Garden of Imagination’ for new Festival

Children from Spire Junior School, Sharley Park Community Primary School, and New Bolsover Primary School have been working with artists to create an immersive art piece called The Garden of Imagination.

Junction Arts have commissioned the  ‘Garden of Imagination’ for the Chesterfield Children’s Festival. Theatre practitioner Monika Johnson, musician Phil Pearson and visual artist Rachel Scanlon are creating the immersive art piece.

Taking the form of a children’s bedroom at the festival for children to enjoy and engage with. There will be elements to play with, including sound sensors and fantasy characters.

The artists spoke to local primary schools to share ideas with the children about childhood and play. Collecting stories from the children to create a performance that will run alongside the “Garden of Imagination”.

Artist Monika Johnson said: “We are excited to work with Junction Arts to create a new immersive children’s theatre piece.

“We are creating a bedroom outside! It’s a bit of a tipsy topsy dream-like setting with some strange items in unusual places. We hope that families will enjoy interacting and playing with our set.   They will be able to change the music and sound effects themselves and become part of the performance.

Chesterfield Children’s Festival

The Chesterfield Children’s Festival will take place at Queen’s Park on the 29th and 30th of July, from 10 am – 4 pm daily.

The festival is free to attend and will have family-friendly acts and activities taking place over the weekend. These will include a silent disco tour, an interactive game zone, a comedy club, circus skills, storytime yoga, tie-dye workshops, face painting, and live music.

Music and live theatre will also take place in and around the town centre during the festival weekend.

For more information visit: www.junctionarts.org or follow Junction Arts on social media @JunctionArtsUK

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Garden of Imagination workshop at Spire Junior

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New assessment unit for children and young people opens at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

GPs and clinicians in Chesterfield and beyond will now be able to refer children and young people to a purpose-built £2m state-of-the-art Paediatric Assessment Unit.

The exciting new development, which will care for some of the hospital’s youngest patients has 12 treatment spaces and is adjacent to the paediatric area towards the rear of the hospital. It will ensure that children who have been referred by a healthcare professional can be assessed, investigated and reviewed much more quickly and responsively, in a setting which is far more suited to their short-term needs.

It forms part of the latest round of developments at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital site, and this bespoke unit is not just a new build – it will help to release space on children’s inpatient areas and improving the experience for colleagues and patients. The unit has been designed with children in mind; and features a space for waiting and playing and bright colours in all areas.

Tracy Barker, Lead Nurse for Family Care, said: “We are incredibly excited to see this come to fruition. Previously children who will now be referred to the PAU were treated on our inpatient ward, which is not always the best environment for a short stay.

“We have been able to perform simulation exercises as part of the development to ensure the layout is accessible and fit for purpose. This has meant that we will be able to hit the ground running from opening day.

“I am incredibly proud to see it opening and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this from day one and to all my colleagues – especially the building team for their flexibility and the domestics team who have worked incredibly hard to get it to sparkle!”

Dr Hal Spencer, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “I am delighted that we are opening the PAU, which will provide support and care for our youngest patients and their families. This is just one of many developments on site which will allow us to continue to provide exceptional care for our patients.

“The PAU will receive referrals from clinicians and will work together with our primary care, community and Emergency Department colleagues to provide a complete package of care for our patients. We continue to ask parents and guardians to take children and young people with emergencies to the Emergency Department in the first instance, where we will then assess and potentially move to this area based on a clinical decision.”

Chesterfield Royal Hospital supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

royal hospital assessment unit

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Sixteen Chesterfield voluntary and community groups benefit from grant funding

Local community and voluntary organisations are set to benefit from almost £60,000 worth of funding, as part of a new scheme to deliver grassroots projects to improve life for local people.

A total of £59,965 has been awarded to 16 local groups via Chesterfield Borough Council’s new Community Grants Funding scheme.

Those awarded funding include:

  • Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centre
  • Relate Chesterfield and North Derbyshire
  • Barrow Hill Community Trust
  • Positive Healthy Vibes
  • Standing Tall
  • Young Enterprise
  • Fairplay
  • Transition Chesterfield
  • Hobby Talk
  • Inspiring Inkersall Community Group
  • Friends of Spital Cemetery
  • Hope House
  • Gussies Pantry
  • Chesterfield Cricket Club
  • Inclusive Pedals
  • Friends of Badger Park

The funding will support local groups to deliver projects that will build resilient, healthy, and safe neighbourhoods, as well as initiatives which will help reduce the borough’s impact on the climate and wider environment by promoting greener choices.

Funding can also be used by community projects to develop volunteering opportunities, help people prepare to get in to work, and to support organisations to expand their reach into different areas of the borough.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re really pleased to have allocated this funding to these local groups to help them deliver vital projects that will help our communities continue to thrive, and we look forward to watching the projects progress.

“We’re really lucky to have so many important community groups and voluntary organisations here in Chesterfield. They really do make a difference to the lives of local people, so it’s vital that we can provide them with grants such as this to help them achieve their goals.”

Applications for the second phase of the scheme have now reopened, allowing even more eligible organisations to apply for grant funding, with grants ranging from £500 to £6,000.

Full details on funding can be found at: https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/business-and-economic-growth/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-ukspf/community-grants-fund.aspx

The deadline for applications is Friday 27 October.

Fairplay is one of the groups to have received grant funding. The charity supports children and young people with disabilities and additional needs, and their families, across North Derbyshire. Funding will be used to support a new project that will give young people with learning disabilities the chance to engage in work-based activities within their communities.

Heather Fawbert, Fairplay CEO, said: ’This Community Grant will enable Fairplay young people to make a real difference in their local community. They will be volunteering on a wide range of projects, showcasing the many skills that they have developed whilst at Fairplay. The young people are all very eager to get started!’’

Funding for the grants scheme has been successfully secured from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).

It is just one initiative which is benefiting from funding through the UKSPF, after the council was successful in securing £2.6m from the Government. It will fund initiatives up to April 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

Fairplay

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United Cast Bar welcomes Derbyshire’s High Sheriff

Chesterfield manufacturer, United Cast Bar recently welcomed Derbyshire’s new High Sheriff, Theresa Peltier to the company’s premises.

United Cast Bar is a cast iron specialist, produced in two of Europe’s most prestigious foundries and distributed through the United Cast Bar distribution network.

The United Cast Bar Group of companies employ over 250 people worldwide, and are represented in over 20 countries. The firm prides itself on being the world’s leading and most successful manufacturer and supplier of continuously cast iron.

The tour gave United Cast Bar the opportunity to showcase its offices and production facility, whilst explaining some of the work it does on local skills and community initiatives. It involved all areas from input of raw materials, furnaces, laboratory, production lines, machine shop, dispatch and the offices.

David Beet, Group Marketing Manager at United Cast Bar commented: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Theresa Peltier, Derbyshire’s new High Sheriff to United Cast Bar for a tour of the offices and the factory.

“We discussed our action with the local community including schools, colleges and universities, local suppliers and the environment.

“Throughout the visit, Theresa was keen to meet the staff and talk about their various roles. She met a number of the apprentices and staff during her visit including our MD, James and General Manager, Tony.

“It was a pleasure to show her around and I hope she will visit us again.”

Alongside its work with apprentices, the company regularly invites young people for tours of its manufacturing facility in Chesterfield as part of the Made in Chesterfield initiative, designed to inspire the next generation of skilled workers in STEM sectors. Find out more about the project here.

United Cast Bar supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Made in Chesterfield - United Cast Bars Ltd

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Eleven learners from Chesterfield’s White Rose Beauty College through to the national final of World Skills competition

Learners at Chesterfield’s White Rose Beauty College have been announced as finalists for the 2023 UK World Skills event.

The learners will compete across various speciality categories, including the Beauty Therapist, Creative Media Makeup and Nail Technician competitions. The competitions are designed by industry experts to help young people grow personally and professionally, by developing their technical and employability skills.

They focus on upskilling and developing young people, aged 25 and under, from all backgrounds and abilities. After their success at the regional heats which took place earlier this year, the learners will now undergo further training and development from September to October 2023 before competing in the National Finals in November.

Using international best practice to raise standards in apprenticeships and technical education, the competitions aim to support under 25s across the world via competitions-based training, assessment, and benchmarking, to succeed.  The national finals will ultimately test learners ability to achieve world-class standards in the Skills Olympics which takes place every two years.

Learners including, Harriet Dolphin, Bobbi Stobbs, Eva Henderson, Ellie Whittaker, Amelia Fox, Kelsey Lawler and Phoebe Botham will put their skills and knowledge to the ultimate test as they battle to win these prestigious competitions in their field.

This is a fantastic achievement for these learners, and White Rose Beauty Colleges, who are a subsidiary of Learning Curve Group and deliver funded training courses in a host of beauty related disciplines, supporting people to upskill and reskill to develop or start their careers in the industry.

White Rose Beauty Colleges have nine academies across Yorkshire and the North West, taking Learning Curve Groups total to 17 hair and beauty academies across the UK. This news comes just two weeks after two of Learning Curve Groups Hair and Beauty learners were announced as finalists in the national VTCT Awards for Student of the Year.

Helen Jones, Head of White Rose Beauty College Chesterfield, said I am absolutely delighted that 11 of our learners have made it through to the World Skills UK finals. This is absolutely fantastic news and really cements that the training we provide at White Rose is of the absolute highest standard and quality within the beauty sector.

“We are proud to have them represent White Rose nationally and we are so delighted that our mission of transforming lives through learning is clear yet again.”

“I wish the learners the best of luck as they prepare for the National Finals in November. We have no doubt that they will excel in their respective categories! Their talent is amazing, and they display the highest level of determination and enthusiasm to win these competitions and build their careers in the beauty industry.”

White Rose was founded in 1996 and has helped thousands of learners gain the skills and experience they need for successful careers in the beauty industry. It delivers a wide range of Beauty Therapy, Holistic Therapy, Sports Massage and Make Up Artistry courses.White Rose is a Centre of Excellence with ITEC, a Flagship Centre with VTCT and a Habia Centre of Expertise, as well as achieving a Grade 1 Outstanding result in its most recent Ofsted inspection.

White Rose Beauty College Chesterfield supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Superior Wellness Managing Director listed in the E2E International 100

A Chesterfield business owner has been included in a prestigious list of entreprenuers, which celebrates the UK’s fastest-growing companies.

Rob Carlin, Managing Director at Superior Wellness has been included in the 2023 E2E International 100 list in association with The Independent and in partnership with IWG as the strategic founding partner.

The list, which was independently verified by data from Experian and Go Live Data, celebrates the UK’s fastest-growing international companies according to their export turnover over the past two years along with a minimum annual turnover of £10 million.

Celebrating international entrepreneurs and founders across a host of sectors, the E2E International 100 is a significant initiative designed to showcase the very best UK companies that are excelling, experiencing consistent growth and presenting disruptive business strategies, creating an impact not just in their own sector, but also on a nationwide and in some cases a global scale.

E2E hosted a celebratory dinner at The House of Commons on May 25, 2023 with Shalini Khemka CBE, kindly supported by Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL, Founding Board Director, E2E, and Richard Morris, CEO of IWG plc UK.

Rob Carlin, listed as number 12, was a panel member at the event, for leading the extraordinary growth Superior Wellness has experienced over the last few years. Based in Chesterfield, Superior Wellness is the world’s fastest growing hot tub manufacturer and has a global network of over 200 partners worldwide.

Speaking about the list, Shalini Khemka CBE, founder of E2E says: “It is incredible to see so many companies in the top 100 operating within such a diverse range of industries. It is reflective of how successful UK companies are and of the expansion and growth taking place here and internationally. We should be extremely proud of the entrepreneurship and innovation in business that we are witnessing.”

Rob Carlin commented on his inclusion within the list, adding: “We are thrilled to have been included in the E2E International 100 list. This is a testament to our commitment to Superior Wellness and providing the highest quality services for our customers. I am proud of the dedication and hard work put in by our team every day. We will continue striving for excellence and delivering a top quality service.”

Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL said: “I have been a founding board member of E2E and under the leadership of Shalini Khemka, CBE seen it flourish into the go to ecosystem to support founders, business leaders and investors. We have worked on several initiatives together to highlight the issues forced by business founders within the UK and to provide services that address the core challenges. Since the launch of E2E in 2011, Shalini and her team have built an exceptional platform for entrepreneurs to meet, learn, raise investments and access corporate support.”

Richard Morris, UK Chief Executive of IWG plc, observed: “IWG has been a partner of E2E for over 7 years and has experienced the outstanding support and platform they provide to the UK SME sector. The quality of their community, from their members to speakers is unparalleled in my view. During our longstanding partnership, we have expanded the flexible working and service office packages offered to their members on preferred rates and we are proud of the value that we are bringing together to UK entrepreneurship.”

The full list can be viewed here.

The tracks are independently compiled by Go Live Data and Experian according to specific criteria and official data. Each track is supported by our strategic founding partner, IWG plc and our partners Adia PR, Go Live Data, Virtuoso Legal, Lioncroft and Experian.

Superior Wellness supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

superior wellness - rob

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World Environment Day 2023 – How are Chesterfield businesses helping to combat climate change?

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day (5th June 2023), we’ve been finding out how Chesterfield Champions are helping to reduce their carbon footprint, to support the town’s net-zero targets.

Chesterfield understands it has a long journey ahead. But our businesses appreciate the level of commitment needed to achieve our long-term goals and agree on the value of our collective change.

Every improvement we make benefits the health of our people and our environment, and strengthens our local economy.

Chesterfield Borough Council recently set out the groundwork for the borough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, by adopting a new climate change strategy.

The new strategy is based on six central themes, focusing on where the council can have the biggest impact. These themes influence the further reduction of Chesterfield Borough Council’s own emissions*, while supporting others to do the same.

So, how are local organisations playing their part?

Emma Knight-Strong – Green Arch Consulting

Emma Knight-Strong Green Arch Consulting

“I am a Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. Furthermore, I have over a decade’s experience in environmental and sustainability consulting, environmental service design, environmental assessment of projects and sustainability training and coaching.

“Green Arch Consulting supports businesses to embed environmental and social considerations into their business as usual, making them more resilient to a changing climate and changing public and investor opinions. This helps businesses to make sense of the rapid rise in environmental issues in the media and with investors, customers and clients, and the impact that this rise will have on income.

“In addition, we provide a broad range of support including executive and staff training workshops, sustainability reporting and development of policies and processes, all the way through to the design of a full net zero strategy. Our approach focuses on supporting and upskilling our clients to develop a business-led, tailored approach to sustainability.”

Josh Hodgkinson – Matlock Farm Park

Josh Matlock Farm Park World Environment Day

“As a business, we tend to source products locally. Not only is this a great step in the right direction from a sustainability point of view, but we’re supporting local businesses that deliver high-quality products and services.

“We also encourage our employees to be mindful of their electricity usage, reduce waste where possible and ensure we use biodegradable packaging.”

Nigel Mallender – Addooco IT

Nigel Mallender World Environment Day

“Addooco is tremendously focused on the environment and sustainability. We’ve had our ISO14001 for Environmental Management Systems in place for several years now. In addition, by the end of 2023, we will be PAS2060 certified for carbon neutral.

“There are many other initiatives that feed into this too, including our EV charging points at our offices. All our company cars are electric, and all the energy we procure is renewable.”

Theresa Goldsmith – The Goldsmith Clinic

Theresa Goldsmith

“At The Goldsmith Clinic, we are not just dedicated to enhancing your wellbeing, but also to preserving our planet. As a team that genuinely cares about sustainability, we constantly educate ourselves and embrace eco-friendly practices. We pride ourselves on using eco-conscious products throughout our clinic and embracing a zero-waste mindset.

“We also opt for reusable items and energy-saving practices. Even the little things, like switching off lights and washing dishes by hand, make a big difference to us.”

Will Moroney – Lightmain

Will Moroney World Environment Day

“All our steel products are produced from recycled steel, and sourced from within the UK. Offering a 25-year guarantee on a lot of our products, we like to live by the saying “Fit & Forget.”

“We accept that steel might not sound like the most sustainable material. However, with plenty of examples of installations that have lasted many years, and still look as good as new, installing once in a generation is better than needing to go back to replace time and again. That is all down to the quality of our products.”

Jane Taylor – Dronfield Wine World

Jane Taylor Dronfield Wine World

“We banished plastic bags about 5 years ago, choosing to recycle cardboard wine boxes instead. We focus on organic wines which have less impact on the environment, as well as preferring winemakers who have Fairtrade credentials.

“Two years ago, we invested in an electric cargo bike and trailer for local deliveries. In some cases when the weather is awful, we use an electric plugin car. Additionally, all our hamper and gift packaging is reusable and biodegradable.”

Ben Couch – Banner Jones Solicitors

“As a law firm that used to rely heavily on paper, Banner Jones has made huge improvements over the last 2 years. Most of our departments are now classed as ‘paper light’.

“Consequently, most client communications are now done via email and via a secure online portal. In addition, it benefits the speeding up of transactions for the client, as they are no longer waiting for letters to arrive in the post.

“We have also had recycling bins in our offices for several years, helping to reduce general waste.”

Will Sissons – iTrack GPS Trackers

Champions Picture Will I track

“Like many businesses, we are striving to become net zero. We have made changes to our packaging to use 100% recyclable materials. Another step we have taken to help the environment includes the introduction of fully electric company vehicles.

“We also try to work with local companies where possible, not only minimising transport but in turn helping other local businesses thrive.”

Chris Dwan – Woodall Homes

Chris Dwan Woodall Homes

“We are always looking at ways of improving our housing product from a sustainability perspective. Our latest development (The Shrubberies on Newbold Road, Chesterfield) uses the Wondrwall technology system within each dwelling.

“Wondrwall is a home energy management system. It comprises home automation, gas-free heating, renewable energy assets and a machine learning platform to reduce energy bills and wastage.”

Amy McCroray – Rosewood Wealth Management

Amy McRoray Rosewood Wealth world environment day

“At Rosewood, we are proud to be an ISO 14001 accredited company. Protecting our planet for future generations, the certification prompts us to minimise our impact on the environment by actively adopting our working style to become more sustainable.

“In an attempt to reduce our carbon emissions, clients visiting the office are welcome to use our Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) point. Believing that we have a responsibility to care for the planet, our directors have also invested in electronic equipment to reduce paper usage when signing documents. By making these changes, Rosewood hopes to contribute towards a brighter, greener future.”

Paul Gosney – City Taxis

City Taxis at the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k

“Our Electric project journey began in 2019 and has now extended to hydrogen. We have set an ambitious target to become a Net Zero business by 2025, with a fully electric and now hydrogen fleet.

“As part of this, we are also working on a charging infrastructure project to host a range of electric charging hubs across various sites. This is to support the local community and our drivers, as people make the transition to Electric.

“We have also trialed three hydrogen cars in partnership with Peak Resort and Toyota. The partnership is working hard to increase the number of cars on the road with a vision of taking emissions out of the environment.”

Joe Grangier – Netcoms IT

Joe Grangier - Netcoms World Environment Day

“All our company vehicles in the next few months will be hybrid. This will reduce our annual expenditure on fossil fuels, and migrate towards an eco-friendlier business. We research technological advancements and try to integrate these for many of the companies we work with; keeping them at the forefront of technology.

“We have the ability to upcycle, and supply refurbished computers and technology to reduce our overall carbon footprint. We monitor device uptime for the companies we support, letting them know the carbon footprint they leave.”

James Taylor – Roaring Mouse Public Relations

James Taylor Roaring Mouse

“Roaring Mouse exists to build businesses that make the world smarter, fairer and greener. We work with several cleantech companies, and sustainability is a massive part of who we are.

“We’ve moved to an energy-efficient building and are making use of public transport and the cycle network when commuting.”

Simon Whitaker – Master Debonair

simon master debonair COTW

“Master Debonair is working with a charity called Suitability. It provides suits to people who are looking for employment, but don’t have appropriate clothing suitable for an interview.

“This is supporting people in helping them to gain employment. At the same time, people are re-using products instead of letting them go to waste.”

Shiva Sheikholeslami – Belvedere House Care Home

Home Manager Landscape Crown Care Group environment

“At Belvedere House we take being as sustainable as possible incredibly seriously. We have energy-saving champions at all our homes, who work hard to promote and maintain ways of working to reduce the amount of energy used.

“We’re keen to reduce our energy use and take weekly meter readings so we can monitor our changes. We try and recruit people within the local area so they are able to walk or cycle to work. In addition, we are looking into investing in an electric car charging point.

“We use recycled paper throughout the home. Our talented chefs work hard to ensure all food waste is kept to a minimum, and work closely with our food supplier regarding eco-friendly packaging as well as returning all used cooking oil to be recycled.”

Luke Hemstock – SDE Group

Luke SDE Group

“Over the last year, SDE Group have expanded on a new sector of the business. We are now responsible for installing and maintaining EV car chargers up and down the electric highway.

“Chargers are now installed at our head office to encourage our staff to switch to hybrid and electric vehicles. We have also recently invested in Solar Panels on our office roof to become more energy efficient.”

Gareth Ward – Superior Wellness

Gaz Ward world environment day

“As a business, we are focused on sustainability and with innovation being one of our brand values. Every time we innovate we think about the environment and what we can do to be more sustainable.

“In our warehouse, we have installed solar panels, have electric forklifts and have reviewed our waste strategy. We also have a couple of charging points for vehicles and over the next few years this number will increase.

“Our latest sustainability initiative was to replace all bulbs with LEDs. This has saved 67% in energy costs which have increased significantly recently.”

More than 200 Chesterfield Champions work closely with Destination Chesterfield to support the local economy- and showcase Chesterfield and North Derbyshire as a destination to live, work, visit and invest. Find out more at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/destination-chesterfield/champions/

Do you run a business in Chesterfield and want to raise awareness of your environmental efforts? If your organisation has a sustainable success to shout about, please email josh.marsh@chesterfield.co.uk for consideration.

*Chesterfield Borough Council has reduced its own emissions by 32% from when it declared the climate emergency in 2019 to the end of the financial year 2021/22.

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Create memories to last a lifetime this summer in Chesterfield

Make memories in Chesterfield this summer – with a packed events line up, including new family festivals, the return of some old favourites and lots of activities that everyone can take part in.

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield have today launched Summer in Chesterfield, a campaign that will highlight all the fantastic things happening across the town this summer.

The campaign will support the town’s businesses by promoting what is happening in and around Chesterfield on social media, via website content and e-newsletters to communicate to as many residents, visitors and business owners as possible. There will also be prizes to win throughout the summer.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Town Centres and Visitor Economy said: “Chesterfield has so much to offer, that it’s easy to plan fun things to do to make memories with your friends and families. We’ve got some great ticketed events which are new to Chesterfield but also the return of some familiar favourites. But we’ll also be promoting some great free activities and events to help ensure everyone can make memories together this summer.

“We have fantastic parks, lots of places to picnic, markets to wander around and a range of events many of which have no cost attached at all. The popular Medieval Fun Day will include a range of entertainment around the town, and many people return year after year to attend this.”

Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair, said: “This summer is a great opportunity to create memories to last a lifetime in our beautiful market town, while supporting our fabulous independent retailers and venues.

“With an abundance of events and activities coming to Chesterfield to match all tastes, there has never been a better time to support our town and help showcase what an excellent visitor destination we have. Hopefully, we will get a nice dose of sunshine to go with them too!”

Events and festivals

Summer in Chesterfield events

Chesterfield is welcoming back popular events, but there are also some new events to make memories at this summer.

The BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, will return to Queen’s Park from 11 – 18 June, with the T20 game on Sunday 18 June expected to sell out once again.

Chesterfield Canal Festival will see all four tripboats in action over the weekend of 24 – 25 June, with two having wheelchair lifts, as well as concerts in the evening canoeing, mini diggers and more.

The Plastic Free Festival returns on Sunday 16 July, where you can learn how to reduce your single use plastic and have a fun family day out with craft workshops, kids entertainment, food, drink, and live performances.

Indulge in street food as well as enjoying live music and bubble magicians at the free two-day Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival which takes place in Queen’s Park from 22- 23 July.

One of the biggest pride festivals in the region, Chesterfield Pride will take place in Stand Road Park once again on 23 July, featuring headline acts A1 and Tinchy Stryder.

The popular Medieval Fun Day is returning to entertain the crowds on Tuesday 25 July, from 10am to 4pm in Chesterfield town centre. The Market Place will be full of stalls selling a range of goods as well as fun and games for children in the same location. Head to the medieval encampment in the grounds of the Crooked Spire Church to see knights in battle or look out for the medieval themed entertainment, including Epico the Dragon, a jester and a Tudor musician, across the town centre.

Celebrate imagination and play at the Children’s Festival, organised by Junction Arts from 29 – 30 July with entertainment to include a circus, story time yoga, silent disco and much more.

For foodies, tribute bands and local musicians, head to Eat in the Park in Queen’s Park from 5 – 6 August.

You can find out more about all the events happening and how you can get involved on the Summer in Chesterfield page: www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer

Great outdoors

Summer in Chesterfield outdoors

If you are a fan of the great outdoors there is a lot to experience from cycling adventures to, big hikes and even paddle sports with many activities being free to go along to.

Chesterfield has a range of organised walks throughout the week that are open to everyone, and two Parkruns for those who fancy something slightly more involved. You can also find local self-led walking routes that will take you into the countryside and Peak District through the Summer in Chesterfield campaign.

Get out on the water with the Chesterfield Canal Trust and try out paddle sports or cruise up the historic canal on one of the trust’s tripboats. You can also take in an unrivalled view of the town and the surrounding countryside with a tower tour at the Crooked Spire.

Shopping and markets

Summer in Chesterfield shopping

Visitors will be able to enjoy one of the country’s leading street food markets when Peddler Market takes over New Square from 23 June – 24 June. Come along to sample award winning street food, craft drinks, music, art, and family activities.

Chesterfield not only has regular markets on Monday, Friday, and Saturdays from 9am to 4pm, but we also have one of the largest flea markets in the country every Thursday. A variety of specialist markets are taking place throughout the year too including the record fair, artisan market, young person’s market, and the vegan market amongst others.

Shopping in Chesterfield is a great experience both in the town centre and just outside on Chatsworth Road and Whittington Moor. We have a number of well-known chain stores, and a fantastic selection of independent retailers who are happy to offer gift advice where needed. The Summer in Chesterfield campaign includes details of 50 independent retailers to try.

Food and drink

Pizza pi

If you are planning a special family meal out, or a night out with friends there are many different food and drink venues in Chesterfield for you to experience.

Check out the Summer in Chesterfield campaign’s blog detailing 50 different restaurants, cafes and bars to try.

For more ideas to make memories with family and friends this summer in Chesterfield, visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Redbrik Estate Agents reports almost 200% increase in Google searches for Chesterfield homes

A Chesterfield estate agent says recent investment in the town is attracting more people to live here.

Data revealed by Redbrik, based on Glumangate in the town centre shows that Google searches for homes in the town have rocketed by 196% over the last year.

The figures come shortly after Chesterfield was named the 2nd best place in the UK to raise a family, thanks to its affordability, access to green spaces and a range of highly-rated schools and education facilities.

Redbrik’s data also shows that a number of people are looking for a move away from the larger cities. It shows more than 200 people in the Sheffield area have begun their search for a move to Chesterfield recently.

Jessica Risorto, Director at Redbrik, said: “It’s great to see so much interest in Chesterfield at the moment and so many people looking to move there as there is so much going on.

“Lots of young people choose to continue living in the city after they finish university as they don’t want to give up their exciting lifestyle, but more people are now realising that moving slightly further away doesn’t mean they have to give up on all the benefits of city living.

“In fact, they can have all those benefits with the advantage of the beautiful Peak District on their doorstep and more square footage for their money.”

Chesterfield will play host to several new events and activities this summer, such as the renowned Peddler Market and the first ever Chesterfield Children’s Festival.

On top of that, the independent food, drink and leisure offer in Chesterfield Town Centre, Chatsworth Road and Whittington Moor provides people with great options for socialising and spending their free time.

Pubs and bars dirty habit 873x466

Chesterfield is also well connected, with the beautiful Peak District sat on the western edge of the town, and great connectivity to major cities such as Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Manchester and Leeds. Chesterfield residents can also reach London within two hours by train.

Jessica added: “It’s amazing to see so much investment in Chesterfield and so many new offerings which are making a real difference in attracting people to the town – and bringing a slice of the city to the area. Coupled with recently being named one of the best places to raise a family in the country, Chesterfield is well and truly on the map!”

Redbrik supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Property and Construction, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,