Celebrate Chesterfield

Brand new virtual reality games centre opens in Chesterfield

Chesterfield’s visitor offer has received another boost just in time for Christmas, with the opening of a new virtual reality gaming centre.

The fully immersive attraction, Chesterfield VR is the latest addition to the Chesterfield Games Quarter, which is building on the success of the recently-opened Chesterfield Escape Rooms and long-standing favourite, Geeks HQ.

The new Chesterfield VR attraction will be situated alongside the existing Games Quarter businesses in Soresby Street, and will include:

  • 4 state-of-the-art VR gaming stations, utilising HTC Vive Pro headsets and controllers
  • Wide selection of titles available to play each month (approximately 20) , such as Job Simulator, Pistol Whip, Richie’s Plank Experience, Superhot VR, Blade & Sorcery, and many more.
  • Multiplayer gaming available on selected titles: Rhythmatic, Loco Dojo, Synth Riders, Cloudlands VR Minigolf, and many more…
  • Two VR escape rooms, playable with upto 4 players: Racket: NX and FailSpace
  • Shootout and Race nights hosted on Wednesday and Friday nights respectively
  • Private hire available for birthday and Christmas parties, corporate events, socials, etc.

Players will not be restricted to playing one title per visit, they are able to play as many as they wish, in 30 or 60 minute timeslots. Games will also be changed around each month, refreshing the lesser-used titles. The centre will keep followers updated on the regular changes on its social media and email updates.

Manager of Chesterfield VR and Chesterfield Escape Rooms, Nick Hogan commented: “With having over 5000 players through our doors in the first 6 months of business, it gave the management team and I the confidence to invest further in the local economy.

“The vision was always to create a gaming quarter for all different types of gaming needs young and old. We are so excited to open the doors and welcome in the public and who knows, if the public continue to invest their time in the Games Quarter, there might me one or two further things in the pipeline!

“We focused on two things when creating the escape rooms, the playability of the game and customer service. Feedback has been so positive that we have gone into the top 10 UK Escape Rooms as ranked by Trip Advisor and are the only newly established Escape Room in the top 10.”

Bookings are available via the website (www.chesterfieldvr.co.uk), in-store or over the phone: 01246 60 70 02

Chesterfield Escape Rooms supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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

Dronfield Heritage Trust awarded for work with young people

Dronfield Heritage Trust has won a major award in recognition of its work with students at Eckington School.

The Trust, which runs Dronfield Hall Barn on High Street, was presented with the prestigious East Midlands Chamber of Commerce Education and Business Partnership Award at a ceremony in Derby.

The Trust has had an association with Eckington School over a number of years starting with a project to build a scale replica of The Barn’s wooden frame from original Barn oak.

Since then, the partnership has developed, and this year, students from the school were involved in research and evaluation in connection with a corporate offer project, which had financial support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Working with Trust staff and outside consultants, the students were able to get “real world” experience of business needs and the student team made a major contribution to the success of the project overall.

Trust Commercial Manager Claire Wilks said: “We have had a close association with Eckington School, and we try to find an annual project which benefits both school students and the Trust. These have varied over the years involving different students and departments.

“As a Trust focussed on communities, our link with Eckington School has been of tremendous value to us, and at the same time gives students opportunities they might not otherwise have access to. It is a truly positive joint venture with all the advantages of being mutually beneficial.”

Employer Engagement Manager for Eckington School, Sally-Anne Warren-Armes said: “Developing a close relationship with Dronfield Hall Barn has enabled our students to take experiences of the workplace to a whole new level. We continue to develop new and exciting projects with our friends at The Barn and look forward to lots of exciting collaborations ahead.”

The award was presented to Claire and Sally-Anne by Andy Flinn, CEO of award sponsors RDS Global. He praised the outstanding achievement of the partnership between the Trust and school. He said they had jointly developed the sort of partnership which could be successfully replicated elsewhere. “They are trendsetters,” he said.

Chamber President Eileen Richards added: “It is fantastic to see the collaboration with educational institutions and businesses to make a positive impact to our future generation of business leaders. The skills that students are learning by participating in the project will equip them with them business acumen, communication and negotiating skills which will aid them as they enter the world of work.”

A further result of the collaboration has been the appointment of the Eckington School student team leader Ryan Holmes as a trustee of Dronfield Heritage Trust as part of a Young Trustee initiative.

Dronfield Heritage Trust supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield named the happiest place to live in the East Midlands

Chesterfield is the happiest place to live in the East Midlands, according to a recent survey.

Property firm Rightmove has published its annual Happy at Home Index, now in its 10th year. The company asked more than 21,000 residents to tell them how they feel about where they live, as well as ranking 10 happiness factors.

Chesterfield was placed 68th in the UK overall, out of more than 200 towns and cities. The latest study also shows that moving is making people happier. Community is also really key, with feeling a sense of belonging, the friendliness of local residents, and being able to be yourself in an area among the most important measures of happiness.

It was also recently revealed that there has been a recent surge of interest from commuters eyeing up homes in Chesterfield.

Dom Stevens, manager of Destination Chesterfield said: “It is great to hear that Chesterfield has been recognised as the happiest place to live in the East Midlands.

“Our town with the famous crooked spire and historic market located on the edge of the peak district national park, is the perfect place to live and also to locate a business. Chesterfield is a friendly place with a real sense of community and our central location with excellent transport links makes it the perfect place to set up home.

“With many more homes currently being built across North Derbyshire and over £1billion of regeneration taking place we look forward to welcoming people who choose to make Chesterfield their home.”

Looking at the overall results and rankings of happiest areas across Britain, Rightmove property expert Tim Bannister said: “Last year’s lockdown periods continue to have an impact on our priorities and what makes us happy, which is one of the reasons why community and a sense of belonging continue to be so important to people this year.

“Last year redefined the importance and role of our home and local community in our lives, and this has carried on into this year, even as wider society has started to open up again.”

Find out more about visiting, living and working in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/

 

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First Staveley Town Deal project approved

Plans to improve parking facilities opposite the Chantry Road Playing fields in Staveley have been approved.

The project will see the number of parking places increase as well as better visibility of the site from the road, improved lighting and better access to the playing fields, cemetery and on to the Trans Pennine Trail.

Terry Damms, Chairman of Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club (MWFC), said: “To follow up on our Town Deal Accelerator Funding for our junior’s Chantry Pitches drainage scheme with this, is terrific news for the local community. There has been and is so much energy and commitment going into the Town Deal from all sides and we wish to thank the Town Deal representatives, Chesterfield Borough Council and their planning department who have guided and assisted us during these very difficult times through the pandemic.

“To see Staveley MWFC being awarded the first of the Town Deal funding and leading from the front is rather unique and sets the scene for the remaining £25.2m projects with their sponsors knowing that they can work towards the reality of seeing their own projects come to life with funding.

“We aren’t finished yet and with the further guidance and assistance from the Town Deal we hope our third project to build a Skills Hub Building above our clubhouse for local 16–18-year-olds to further their own sporting education will be supported by the Town Deal.”

Currently there are just 30 parking spaces available, once complete this will increase to 84 including several disabled bays – allowing even more residents and visitors to park up and enjoy and make use of the area.

Preparatory works are planned to start in the next month and completed in 2022 ready for work to begin on the improved parking facilities.

The application also includes plans to create a new pedestrian crossing which will make it safer to cross the road to access both the Chantry Playing Fields and the cemetery. It will also improve access to the Trans Pennine Trail.

Trees next to the road will be removed to increase visibility in the car park which should limit anti-social behaviour.

The works are being funded through the Staveley Town Deal. The Accelerator Funding, also part of the Town Deal supported the investment of the drainage improvements to the youth football pitches and playing fields.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “To go from discussing these projects at board meetings to delivering them so quickly is a testament to the hard work of all involved. Our plans aim to make Staveley a place to live, work and grow and we have selected a broad range of projects that will benefit the entire community. There is a long road ahead but if we continue to work together, we will see real improvements across Staveley.”

The money has been secured thanks to a Chesterfield Borough Council bid to the Government’s Town Deal – submitted on behalf of the Staveley Town Deal Board as part of wider plans to regenerate the area, investing £25m for capital projects.

Other projects in the Staveley Town Deal Investment Plan include, DRIIVe (Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle) which is a rail focussed innovation centre, a construction skills hub, an extension to the Staveley Hall Conference Centre, restoration of the Chesterfield Canal, and improvements to the Barrow Hill Memorial Hall. These projects are still being finalised and developed with further announcements over the coming months.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “It’s fantastic to see these projects move forward, these improvements will ensure that the community can make great use of the Chantry football pitches and Playing Fields and also ensure more safer use for the Trans Pennine Trail. There are a range of other projects that are being developed which will bring even more positive changes for the entire Staveley community.”

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Derbyshire Festival of Business launched

The University of Derby, in partnership with Vision Derbyshire, has launched the Derbyshire Festival of Business, a new initiative which aims to celebrate the resilience of our business community over the past two years and help businesses capitalise on opportunities as the county recovers from the pandemic.

The festival will help to connect and support local organisations, whilst showcasing Derbyshire’s extensive business capability to future clients, customers, and investors.

The University is working in collaboration with Destination Chesterfield to promote the wide range of free workshops, masterclasses and networking activities that are available to its members. There will also be an opportunity for businesses to host their own events as part of the festival, as well as participate in a business exposition which will be hosted within Chesterfield.

Professor Kamil Omoteso, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences said: “We are delighted to have launched the Derbyshire Festival of Business to businesses and community leaders alongside our partners, Vision Derbyshire and the East Midlands Chamber.

“This festival is an opportunity to showcase what our county has to offer, to identify current and future talent, and to create opportunities for collaboration between businesses, the University, policy makers and advisory organisations, which will help us build a strong, resilient and inclusive economy as we recover from the impact and challenges of the pandemic.”

Vision Derbyshire is a joint initiative involving the county council and district and borough councils in Derbyshire to improve outcomes for all its communities.

The festival’s programme of activities has been designed to give businesses the support and opportunities needed to revitalise the local economy following the pandemic and build-back-better by unleashing the talent that is available across the region and showcasing the best practice and innovation that has been fostered over the last two years.

Community focused open days and Expo events will promote Derbyshire’s businesses to its residents, and visits between the University, local schools, colleges, and employers are planned to provide careers related advice and showcase local businesses to the next generation of employees.

Online and face to face master classes from leading professionals and academics in Derbyshire are planned to raise the profile of the county as a thought leader within the UK business community, and as a place to do business.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Economic lead for Vision Derbyshire and Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, commented: “The Derbyshire Festival of Business is a great way of bringing the business community together because we need to cooperate in order to recover from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The event is really broad and aims to support the entire business community from new graduates to established leaders. I hope lots of residents will take part in the many events on offer.”

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, added: “We are proud to be part of a fantastic new event that will showcase the best of business across Derbyshire, a county that is home to some incredible examples of entrepreneurship and enterprise.

“The Chamber is a conduit for local companies to work closer together, share advice and seek new opportunities – something that has never been more important than right now as the economy recovers.

“Working alongside our strategic partner the University of Derby, we look forward to welcoming businesses to events over the autumn.”

If your organisation is interested in delivering a community day, an educational engagement activity or a masterclass please email DFoB@derby.ac.uk.

Find out more about the Derbyshire Festival of business here.

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Summit hears how Chesterfield’s ambitions have not been derailed

Speakers at this week’s Chesterfield Investment Summit, have revealed that the borough is on course for a faster recovery from the pandemic than many other towns and cities.

The town’s high rate of public sector employment combined with its strong retail, manufacturing, and logistics sectors, have been attributed to Chesterfield’s significantly lower increase in unemployment during the pandemic compared to the national average.

At the Summit, which was attended by more than 130 members of the business community, it was revealed that the borough’s level of unemployment increased by 46% during the pandemic compared to the national average of 77%.

The annual Summit, which was held in-person for the first time in two years, was organised by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Economic Partnership and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Speaking at the Summit, Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council revealed the town’s plans for its recovery and growth, include plans to make the case for the re-opening of a rail line and a new £125 million road in the north east of the borough.

He said: “The town has shown a great degree of resilience and done really well during the pandemic. We are now looking towards recovery and growth. Chesterfield’s myriad of competitive advantages, including location, history, transport links, university, skills base, affordability and current construction projects have come together to make it an attractive opportunity for investors.”

Despite the ‘bitterly disappointing news’ to axe the eastern leg of HS2, Dr Bowen, said: “This won’t stop us in bringing forward our ambitious plans to redevelop the former Staveley Works Corridor. We look forward to working with the landowners to bring forward a mixed-use scheme comprising housing, leisure, retail, and light industrial units anchored around a new road and Chesterfield Canal.”

At the summit it was announced that the council remains hopeful that the Government will commit to supporting the reopening of the former Barrow Hill line which will connect Staveley, Barrow Hill, and Whittington to Chesterfield and Sheffield. Proposals for the re-opening of the rail line will, all being well, be submitted early next year.

A total of £1bn of investment is expected to be made in Staveley over the next 15 years, creating 3,500 new homes and 2,200 new jobs. Dr Bowen added: “We have two priorities – to make Chesterfield a thriving borough and improve the quality of life for local people.”

Chesterfield Borough Council is also pressing ahead with its plans to transform the area around Chesterfield train station. The multi-million-pound Station Masterplan, which includes demolition of the former Chesterfield Hotel, will ‘create a sense of arrival’ with modern landscaping and ‘land hungry carparks’ being converted into multi-storey carparks to free up land for residential, commercial, and light industrial development.

Demolition of the Chesterfield Hotel will begin in spring next year with detailed plans for redevelopment of the site still to be confirmed.

2022 looks set to be a formative year for the town, with a number of high-quality office developments – One Waterside Place, The Glass Yard and the Enterprise Centre set to be completed. Construction is also expected to begin on Summit @PEAK, phase one of the low carbon / net zero all year leisure, education, wellness, and entertainment gateway resort.

Speaking at the Summit, Peter Swallow Chair of Destination Chesterfield and managing director of Bolsterstone Group which is developing the 60-acre Chesterfield Waterside scheme, said: “The pandemic has brought about changes in the requirements for office space. Businesses want good quality, sustainable office space with environmental and social governance being a key consideration. Once again, Chesterfield is ahead of the curve with the modern, quality office developments already under construction which will enable the town to attract investors, create jobs and new opportunities for local people.”

In addition to Dr Huw Bowen and Peter Swallow, the Summit also heard from representatives from the town’s public / private partnership – Blue Deer Developments, Lomas Mitchell Architects, Whittam Cox Architects, Devonshire Property Group Limited and Derbyshire County Council – which are working together to ensure Chesterfield meets its ambitions.

Jillian Mitchell of Lomas Mitchell Architects, and Vice-Chair of Destination Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Group, commented: “Nationally, we are on the precipice of a time of seismic change in property design and Chesterfield is ahead of the game on this. The town’s commitment to sustainable construction through private/public collaboration is an opportunity for Chesterfield to lead on nationally.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, added: “I am very pleased at the wide range of construction projects going ahead across the borough right now. All these developments represent new jobs and opportunities for local people, especially those looking to start their careers.

“Making sure that Chesterfield residents benefit from local economic growth is a key priority for us and our partners. A great example of this is the mentoring support provided by Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, which helps ensure that local people get the jobs that are coming to Chesterfield – including those created during the construction phase of projects, as well as opportunities within the businesses that relocate and grow here.

“It is a very exciting time for Chesterfield, which has been made possible by the hard work and commitment that the council and its partners have put in over many years.”

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Families to be treated to a magical Christmas in Chesterfield this year

Christmas in Chesterfield is set to be a magical experience for all – with new Christmas themed experiences and festive favourites returning.

Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield, has launched its signature Christmas in Chesterfield campaign with lots of events and activities planned to encourage visitors to support local retailers this Christmas.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Last year our Christmas celebrations looked a bit different because of the pandemic but this year we’ve taken the most popular experiences from last year and brought back some of the festive favourites to create a magical Christmas experience for all visitors.

“Christmas is a fantastic time of year that everyone can enjoy and we not only want to create experiences that will create memories we also want to encourage visitors to shop local and support our town centre retailers and market traders.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “I am delighted that in person events can resume this year. It is a great boost to the town’s businesses based in and around the town centre. The Christmas festivities and events are a key part of town centre life and why so many people choose to visit at this time of year. With the great events programme and the town’s wealth of independent retailers and food and drink businesses, there are even more reason for all the family to Love Chesterfield this Christmas.”

After being cancelled last year the Christmas Lights Switch on event will return on Sunday 21 November. There will also be a market on this day from 12pm.

The Amazing Magical Santa House, which proved to be very popular last year, will be open for families to visit for free in the Assembly Rooms above the Market Hall on every Saturday and Sunday, from Saturday 4 December plus Monday 20, Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 December 2021. Booking opens at 9am on Monday 15 November at: https://chesterfieldchristmas.co.uk/

Families will be able to follow the Christmas Elf Trail from Monday 22 November until Tuesday 4 January. This experience will guide visitors around the town centre whilst they hunt for the magical elves.

The Christmas Tree Festival will take place at St Mary’s and All Saints Church (Crooked Spire) between 18 – 28 November. It features a variety of Christmas trees decorated by community groups and individuals.

Following on from successful walkabout entertainment over the summer, a series of entertainers including stilt walkers and tap-dancing turkeys will be wowing crowds during market days.

Chesterfield Canal Trust will be hosting trips with Santa along the canal across December, find out more about this event on the trust’s website: www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/santa-specials

Revolution House in Old Whittington will be open for a traditional Christmas celebration from Thursday 9 December to Friday 24 December between 11am and 3pm. Holymoorside Brass Band will be hosting a carol concert in the garden from 6.30pm on Thursday 9 December.

The Pomegranate Theatre will be hosting its popular pantomime again. This year visitors will be able to see Beauty and the Beast between 3 December and 2 January. Stars include west end star Suzanne Shaw, Britain’s Got Talent winner Thomas Redgrave, Andrew Fleming also of Britain’s Got Talent and Derbyshire’s own Rosanne Priest. Tickets are available on the Chesterfield Theatres website: www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk

There will also be a selection of market events including the Record Fair and Artisan Market on Sunday 19 December.

Councillor Kate Sarvent added: “Our Christmas programme is packed and we’ve tried to ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy. I hope lots of visitors will come along to celebrate Christmas in Chesterfield with us.”

Full details on everything happening this Christmas, including gift guides and shopping offers for our many unique and independent shops can be found at www.chesterfield.co.uk/Christmas with further details on council services at Christmas at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/Christmas.

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New beauty salon to open in Chesterfield Town Centre

A new beauty salon is set to open in Chesterfield town centre, following a deal completed by commercial property specialists NG Chartered Surveyors.

Acting on behalf of Entain, NG Chartered Surveyors has leased the 861 sq ft 39 Low Pavement, which was previously a betting shop, to Brows, which will be opening in the town as part of a national expansion plan.

Brows is a one-stop-shop for all your beauty needs, offering affordable, high-quality treatments. Services include Threading, Tinting, Waxing, Nails, and Lash treatments.

Luke Geddes from Brows said: “39 Low Pavement is a great location with lots and footfall and key retailers in close vicinity.

“Our new store will be a great addition to our current portfolio and we want to make it into the number one destination for brow and lash in Chesterfield. No appointments are required, just pop in and speak to one of our qualified beauticians who will help find the treatment that is perfect for you.”

Sunny Landa, of NG Chartered Surveyors commented: “This is another great outcome for our client, who we continue to work with across the Midlands and North.

“Chesterfield is on the up and I’m sure Luke and his team will be hugely successful in the town. We wish them all the best with their national expansion plans.”

Luke added: “We had a great time working with Sunny, who is very professional and proficient, to enable us to navigate our way through to completion of our new shop. We look forward to working with Sunny and the NG team on future projects.”

The announcement is the latest in a number of new openings across the town, including the Barkworthy Dog Emporium, The Lucky Magpie Salvage and Kids entertainment venue Kooka. 

Chesterfield town centre is soon set for a major revamp, after it was confirmed recently the town will recieve £20 million from the government’s levelling up fund.

To find out more about Chesterfield’s unique independent shopping experience, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/shopping/

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£20m boost for Chesterfield set to enhance cultural offer

Chesterfield Borough Council has secured £19.98m of Government funding through a successful bid to the national Levelling Up Fund. The funding was confirmed as part of yesterday’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review.

£11.4m will be allocated towards the costs of a £15.6m project to remodel and refurbish Chesterfield’s ‘striking’ Stephenson Memorial Hall extending the Pomegranate Theatre, reconfiguring and modernising Chesterfield museum, and introducing new gallery space, a café bar, education, and community facilities.

The remaining £8.5m of funding will be used to further regenerate Chesterfield’s historic town centre, with investment centred on four key public spaces and the connections between them – Corporation Street, Rykneld Square, Market Square and New Square.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This is fantastic news for Chesterfield. The funding that we have secured from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund will complement the significant investments the council and its partners are already making in Chesterfield town centre and will ensure that we can continue to create a better future for our market traders, retailers, residents, and businesses.

“These investments coupled with the council’s business support activities, which include our Digital High Street Project, new business start-up programme, and Love Chesterfield campaign, also complement the ground-breaking Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project, which aims to sustain the future vitality and viability of Chesterfield town centre.

“We want Chesterfield to be a go-to place for visitors. The projects that will be enabled through the Levelling Up funding will go a long way to helping us achieve this ambition by enhancing our cultural offer and creating new experiences in and around the town’s most iconic building – the Crooked Spire (Parish Church of St Mary and All Saints) – and our historic market grounds.

“We are an ambitious council, committed to making Chesterfield a thriving borough and improving the quality of life of local people. We have achieved part one, which is to secure Government funding, the next part is to deliver these Levelling Up projects at pace and with the desired impact for the future prosperity of our town and borough.”

Under the council’s plans, the four key public spaces that make up Chesterfield town centre will be re-imagined to accommodate a range of flexible uses including markets, festivals, events, cultural celebrations, and community gatherings. This will be achieved through enhancements to the current public realm, comprising new seating to encourage people to dwell and socialise, new landscaping, new lighting, and digital connectivity for all.

At the Stephenson Memorial Hall, the council will be looking to create a unique facility, using the very latest technology to fuse all forms of performing and visual arts whilst also showcasing and celebrating Chesterfield’s heritage. The aim is to ensure that all our residents can experience the arts and culture in much improved facilities, which we hope will also attract many new visitors to Chesterfield’s economy.

Chesterfield Borough Council made its funding submission to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund in June 2021, but it has not stood still with a planning application submitted last week for the works of refurbishment planned for Stephenson Memorial Hall.

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Chesterfield’s Pinewood Property Estates wins at prestigious awards

The Chesterfield based agency Pinewood Property Estates received the Gold Grand Prix Award for Best Letting Agent in the UK, along with Silver and Gold for Best Estate and Letting Agent in the East Midlands at the prestigious ESTAS Customer Service Awards 2021 sponsored by Coadjute, the biggest awards in the UK property industry.

Pinewood Property Estates finally finished with 4 Golds and 2 Silvers at the awards. The winners were announced at the largest event in the property industry in 2 years held at the Grosvenor House in London and hosted by the country’s favourite TV property presenter Phil Spencer in front of 1,100 guests.

Now in their 18th year the awards, which are powered by ESTAS own customer review platform, recognise the best estate and letting agents for customer service based on ratings from clients who have been through the whole moving experience with an agent. This year’s results were calculated from over 200,000 customer review ratings.

Phil Spencer, who has hosted The ESTAS every year since their inception in 2003 addressed the live audience: “You’ve had to work incredibly hard, you’ve had to adapt your businesses, you’ve had to absorb considerable costs to follow the protocols and to enable things to happen safely. Quite simply delivering great service has never been more challenging so The ESTAS Awards for 2021 are the most well deserved ever in their entire 18 year history!”

Estate and letting agents were recognised in counties and regions around the UK. National Grand Prix Awards were also announced for the Best Single Agent Office in sales and lettings.

Simon Brown Founder of The ESTAS said “When we started we wanted to create a set of property awards which were completely pure, where winners were selected solely on customer service ratings from actual transactions. Eighteen years on ESTAS is now the customer review platform of choice for property professionals and the most prestigious award an agent, a conveyancer or mortgage broker can win in the property industry.”

Stacey Davies-Bowler, Managing Director of Pinewood Property Estates said “We are absolutely thrilled to be recognised in this year’s ESTAS and walk away with 4 Golds and 2 Silvers is absolutely amazing. It means so much to us as we know it’s our customers who have judged our performance. We take our levels of customer service very seriously because we know clients have a choice.

“We have always been very proud of the personal service and this proves we are delivering what we promise. We are just an independent Estate Agent from Chesterfield fighting against some of the largest Agents in the country so to win Gold at the ESTAS is even more humbling”

Pinewood Properties supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Ashgate Hospice’s Inpatient Unit wins prestigious Royal College of Nursing award

The Inpatient Unit team from Ashgate Hospice have won an award from the Royal College of Nursing Institute.

The Outstanding Contribution to Infection Prevention and Control Award was won by the Inpatient Unit team, who were recognised for their scrupulous approach to infection prevention which had avoided any outbreaks of COVID and had allowed patients to continue to receive visitors throughout the pandemic.

“It is a privilege to be part of this incredible team who have consistently gone above and beyond to ensure our patients and their families receive the very best care,” Ashgate’s Ward Manager, Karen Walker said, in accepting the award.

She continued: “When COVID-19 first hit we were quick to respond to the changing demands and procedures that must be put in place, this was despite our own anxieties and fears around the virus.

“I feel honoured that my team have been acknowledged and it’s amazing that we have been given this award. I look forward to continuing to make a difference alongside my colleagues and ensuring those who need our care can access it.”

Ashgate is one of the few hospices in the UK which cared for end-of-life patients with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. Earlier this year, demand for Ashgate’s support and services was so great that the hospice opened a second COVID wing. During this time, 1 in 3 beds were used by patients with COVID-19.

In addition, when many healthcare providers stopped patients receiving visitors, Ashgate committed to allowing visitors, including to end-of-life patients with COVID-19.

Barbara-Anne Walker, Chief Executive at Ashgate Hospice, said ensuring patient visits went ahead was a crucial part of the hospice’s culture which always puts patients and their families at the heart of their decision making.

“When someone is nearing the end of their life, they understandably want to spend the time they have left with the people who matter the most to them.

“Denying visits at this time could have catastrophic consequences to the wellbeing of the patient but also to the family, particularly after their loved one has died.

“Our team made it possible for our patients and their families to have dignity, respect and love during their final days.

“It feels very special to be recognised for the vital work our Inpatient Unit team do and the extraordinary efforts they have gone to in order to keep everyone safe during the pandemic.”

The rigorous infection control measures at Ashgate continue with weekly COVID testing for all patient facing staff and volunteers, strict PPE requirements for workers and visitors and ensuring access to COVID positive patients’ rooms for visitors is through a separate entrance and exit to the main ward.

Other infection control measures include:

All visitors and those who work at the hospice are temperature checked on arrival.

  • Visitors and staff are asked to wear a clinical mask at all times.
  • Visiting restrictions allow two named visitors per patient.
  • Visitors to a patient with COVID must wear full PPE and access the ward through a separate entrance and exit.
  • The housekeeping team are adhering to the recommended strict cleaning procedures.
  • Visitors are unable to use the communal family spaces to ensure safe social distancing and are asked whenever possible to stay with their loved one in their room or outside space – with staff and our frontline volunteers ensuring that visitors have drinks and refreshments.
  • Footfall has been reduced, with the overall number of people allowed on the ward reduced, and our other staff working remotely from home, wherever possible.

The 2021 RCNi Nurse Awards took place virtually, presented by Kate Garraway, who announced Ashgate as winners in their category.

Currently, Ashgate are recruiting for Registered General Nurses to join their award-winning Inpatient Unit Team. Anyone interested, should visit: https://ashgatehospice.org.uk/work-for-us/

Ashgate Hospicecare supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , ,

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