Celebrate Chesterfield

Chesterfield Waterside progressing well in 2021

The town’s £340 million Chesterfield Waterside scheme continues apace following the submission of an additional Reserved Matters application for the remaining elements of Basin Square, to the new ‘One Waterside Place’ office accommodation.

Recognised as being one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, Chesterfield Waterside is being led by Chesterfield-based Bolsterstone Group Plc working in conjunction with Arnold Laver Group and Chesterfield Borough Council.

Since 2019 the scheme has made significant progress with construction beginning on 173 two, three and four-bedroom homes at Waterside Quarter in 2020 followed by the start of construction on the seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place at Basin Square, in 2020.

Avant Homes’ £36 million development forms part of The Park character area of Chesterfield Waterside and is the company’s largest site in the Chesterfield area to date.

The showhomes opened in August last year and in only six months nearly 20% of the 173 homes at Waterside Quarter have been sold with some already occupied.

Avant Homes Central head of sales, Dawn Bennett, said: “We’ve received a great response from buyers at our Waterside Quarter development and interest in our homes has remained consistently strong since its launch in 2020.

“In September, we unveiled three of our design-led two, three and four-bedroom showhomes, which were shortly followed by our first residents moving into their homes.

“Work on-site is still progressing well and with more than 30 homes now sold, we’re hugely excited to continue to see great success at Waterside Quarter.

“The showhomes comprise of The Beckbridge, The Northbridge and The Westbridge house types, all of which have elevations that are entirely bespoke to this development. These properties have given interested buyers a chance to see the Avant Homes specification first-hand by personal appointment and, as a result, we’ve seen a surge in interest for our homes.”

Last year, the Basin Square character area at Chesterfield Waterside also made significant progress. The first phase will see the delivery of Grade A office space, known as One Waterside Place, to meet the requirements of local occupiers. Tenants have already been secured for part of the building, and further tenants are being sought by property agents Knight Frank and FHP. In September 2020 Chesterfield Borough Council secured a forward funding agreement with Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, to bring forward construction of Waterside Place in the Basin Square neighbourhood of the development.

Harry Orwin-Allen from the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, said: “Chesterfield Waterside is an exciting, high quality, mixed-use scheme which will revitalise the eastern side of Chesterfield on an unprecedented scale for the town.

“This development comes at a time when Chesterfield is becoming a popular base for SMEs with its good town centre facilities and links to the motorway network.”

The office block is part of a wider business and residential offering in phase one of Basin which comprises offices, a hotel, multi-storey car park and build-to-rent apartments, which will be centred around the new canal basin and pedestrianized public realm which will be home to the renowned Dame Barbara Hepworth sculpture.

Britcon (UK) Ltd, a leading Civil Engineering, Building and Steel Frame Solutions company began construction of the office block in October. As part of the contract with Chesterfield Borough Council, Britcon will utilise local labour and local contractors across the whole build process as well as working closely with Chesterfield College.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Work is progressing well on site and we hope that One Waterside Place will be complete and ready for businesses to move into from September 2021. The development, which is being led by local company Bolsterstone PLC, has already created around £1.7 million of orders for local contractors. The project is also helping young people develop skills – an innovative partnership with the college is allowing students to track the process and learn more about the construction industry. When Covid-19 restrictions allow, there are further plans for site visits for local schools, and on-site work experience opportunities.

“Waterside is just one of several major developments in Chesterfield that will help ensure the town has a strong economic recovery following the pandemic. Together with our HS2 Station Masterplan it will see that area of the town completely transformed, making it more attractive for visitors and businesses, which will help further strengthen the local economy and ensure there are great opportunities available to everyone in our community.”

Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group PLC which is leading the Chesterfield Waterside scheme, said: “We are delighted with the progress Chesterfield Waterside is making with both the residential and commercial offering. The strong interest from both residents and businesses is testament to both the progressive design and quality of the buildings at Waterside.

“The submission of the Reserved Matters application ensures that the progress we are making continues at pace despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.”

You can find out more about the Chesterfield Waterside development here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/chesterfield-waterside/

To book an appointment to view the showhomes at Waterside Quarter call 01246 889 450 or visit www.avanthomes.co.uk/waterside-quarter/

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Students wow the Gateway at PEAK development team with architectural designs

Students at the University of Derby have impressed the team at Milligan, who are developing the Gateway at PEAK, after unveiling their architectural visions for the UK’s first fully-serviced national park gateway based in Chesterfield.

The Gateway at PEAK will be part of the 300-acre PEAK Resort, consented on the eastern boundary of the Peak District. As part of developer Milligan and landowner Birchall Properties’ partnership with the University of Derby, undergraduate and Masters level students responded to a live brief and were challenged to assume the role of architect on the project.

The students were asked to consider local communities, wildlife preservation, sustainable design with a Net Zero Carbon objective, and respectfully incorporate the Peak District’s natural beauty into their designs.

The students worked in teams to envision scheme designs and complementary uses such as F&B, retail and exhibits, delivering unique concepts that offered a broad spectrum of options for the developers to consider.

After all the proposals were submitted, the Milligan development shortlisted four finalists who were awarded a share of £1,000.

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Dr Boris Ceranic, Course Director for Masters Programmes and Centre of Excellence Leader at the University of Derby, said: “I was impressed by the quality of the work and particularly pleased by the way undergraduate and Masters students have worked together as a team to deliver such complex and demanding design charrette briefs.

The designs were inspiring, with highly sustainable and distinctive visions of unique visitor experiences, resolved through proposals that blurred the boundaries between the open and enclosed, solid and transparent, static and fluid, natural and built environment.”

Lecturer, Graham Markwell comments, “This live project has allowed us to work with industry partners to deliver a high-quality experiential learning initiative. The students have produced innovative solutions to the brief provided and have greatly benefitted from interacting with professional clients and real-world projects.”

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Gary Dawson, second year student on the BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Venue Design talks about the project and the valuable experience it provided; “We really enjoyed working on the project, being able to apply our creative skills to a public space of the future was fantastic and gave a real sense of how we will apply the skills we are learning in future careers. Having the opportunity to push ourselves and see what we can accomplish, in the limited time we had, helped us all begin to realise what we are capable of achieving and what our futures might be like.”

For Milligan the project was a great way of not only accessing some fresh thinking for the development but also a way of inspiring the next generation of creative talent within the industry.

Paul Hanegraaf, Creative Director at Milligan notes “I was blown away by the quality and thought put into each submission – especially as the students had little under a week to prepare.

We have been developing the plans for the Gateway at PEAK for some time and will soon be announcing the architect we have appointed before revealing their plans later in the year.

It’s wonderful to have input and inspiration from the next generation of designers, planners and architects, after all, it is that generation we’re building this inspiring place for.”

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Rupert Carr, Director of Birchall Properties adds “I was delighted with the quality and the quantity of the work produced by the students in such a short period of time. It was nothing less than remarkable and I was genuinely uplifted by the thinking and consideration behind the concepts the students shared.

“Of particular note for me was the way all teams expressed real enthusiasm for and belief in the potential for a better built environment, one with an underlying philosophy to deliver social and environmental benefits as well as great commercial opportunities”.

The Gateway at PEAK is part of PEAK Resort, where works for the all-weather, all-year, all-ages Summit at PEAK, are already underway. PEAK Resort also has planning permission for up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 lodges as well as a whole range of leisure, education and entertainment facilities, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities.

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

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£25.2m investment for Staveley announced

Town leaders have welcomed a multi-million pound funding boost which will pave the way for significant regeneration in a former mining community in North Derbyshire.

Staveley is set to benefit from £25.2m worth of funding following the Government’s Town Deal programme announcement today – presenting a ‘golden opportunity’ to transform the area for future generations.

It follows a successful bid for funding by the Staveley Town Deal Board, which submitted a Town Investment Plan to unlock the funding package for a range of projects that will drive long term economic growth, offer quality skills and employment opportunities and improve the green spaces and canal network around Staveley.

And it is a further boost for the borough’s wider growth agenda – adding to the significant and sustained investments that are already being made across the area to ensure Chesterfield’s communities are in the strongest possible position to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted at the news from Government today that Staveley stands to be awarded £25.2m as part of the Towns Fund.

“Our plans are rooted in the needs and aspirations of Staveley’s communities, and have been driven by the Board’s collective ambitions to attract the investment that this area deserves.

“Bringing funding on this scale to Staveley will transform the area and realise huge benefits to local people, both in terms of how they lead their everyday lives and take advantage of future opportunities. As a local businessman and Chair of the Town Deal Board, I am thrilled that Government has recognised the potential of our place and sees the value in backing our Town Investment Plan.”

The funding will be spent over a five-year period, steered by the Staveley Town Deal Board, and with the overall programme managed by Chesterfield Borough Council.

It follows an earlier successful bid by the Board under the Government’s Accelerator Fund – securing £500,000 worth of funding for grassroots projects. They include a new state-of-the-art all-weather sports pitch at Springwell Community College, new play equipment for King George V Playing Field and new CCTV equipment for Staveley town centre.

Welcoming the news, Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, added: “Today’s announcement is tremendous news for our borough, and for the communities of Staveley who are set to benefit from this sizeable investment in a range of exciting projects and programmes.

“This is a golden opportunity which paves the way for this former mining community – which has often been overlooked by previous national funding programmes – to realise its full potential both now and in the future.

“I would like to thank all of the partners who have worked on the Town Deal over the last year. Staveley is a very special place with a rich history and wonderful assets. Through this funding, we will look to harness the town’s great potential through re-vitalising the high street, delivering new investment and much-needed jobs, supporting local people to reach their full potential and exciting the interest of new visitors to the place.”

Following the announcement of the funding offer, partners in Staveley will be working with Government to agree the terms for the next stage of the Town Deal programme and to determine how each project will be funded.

This will allow the promoters of each project to develop their full business cases, which will be needed before the funding can be released. The Staveley Town Deal Board will be supporting each project through that process so that delivery on the ground can start as soon as practicable.

Elsewhere in North Derbyshire, £24.1 million has been awarded to kickstart a number of regeneration projects in Clay Cross.

North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “What an incredible and proud moment this is for Clay Cross and North East Derbyshire. To be awarded the full sum we asked for – over £24 million pounds will mean Clay Cross will be an exciting hub of redevelopment, opportunity and prosperity for years to come.”

You’ll be able to find out more about all of the projects included as part of the Staveley Town Deal and other regeneration sites across the area at the virtual Celebrate Chesterfield event, taking place on Wednesday, 31st March. To register your place at the virtual event, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/

Find out more about all the regeneration projects taking place across Staveley here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/staveley/

 

Works road and canal basin

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Staveley’s £25m regeneration plans to be put under the spotlight at Celebrate Chesterfield 2021

Forging ahead with regeneration plans in lockdown, the latest developments for the Staveley area will be unveiled at the tenth annual Celebrate Chesterfield event on Wednesday 31 March.

The ambitious £25 million plans for the Staveley area were submitted to the Government as part of its Town Deal programme back in December.

Chair of Staveley Town Deal Board Ivan Fomin, who is also the Managing Director at MSE Hiller and a Destination Chesterfield board member, will be speaking at the virtual event at which he will call on the business community to help drive forward the area’s regeneration and take advantage of the opportunities it will create.

He commented: “Staveley is blessed with great assets including land for development, heritage buildings and transport links, but these all need investment and local leadership to drive forward the growth and prosperity of the area. At a time when Covid-19 has re-energised the discussion about the use of outdoor spaces, we also have a unique opportunity to link Chesterfield and Staveley to the national canal network for the first time in 113 years.”

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of the Chesterfield Borough Council, will also be speaking at the event, which will be live streamed and boast a 3D virtual exhibition.

Mr Bowen will be updating on the progress the town is making with multi-million pound commercial and residential developments, including Chesterfield Waterside and the new seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place.

Ivan Fomin and Huw Bowen will also be joined by Andy Dabbs (Chair) and Jillian Mitchell (Vice Chair) of the newly formed Property and Construction Group, who will also be speaking at the event.

Now in its tenth year, Celebrate Chesterfield, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with Addooco IT, is one of the most hotly anticipated business events in the area and never more so that in the wake of the pandemic.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Whilst it has been a challenging year for us all, we’re delighted with the progress Chesterfield has made during the Covid-19 pandemic – there are a lot of achievements to celebrate which we will be sharing at the event. We have not stood still a through 2020 and because of this we go into 2021 in excellent shape.

“The Northern Gateway and Chesterfield Waterside developments have made some significant steps and continue to move forward at pace. This, along with the regeneration plans for the Staveley area, it’s safe to say this is an exciting time for Chesterfield.”

Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 is being sponsored by technology specialist Addooco IT Ltd. University of Derby, Whittam Cox Architects and Markham Vale – Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration scheme, join headline sponsor Addooco IT as associate sponsors.

Richard Walters, Managing Director of Addooco IT Ltd, commented: “The concept of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield’ really resonates with me as there is such a rich history of innovation here. Recognising the great work Destination Chesterfield does for organisations in the area, I am delighted that Addooco is the headline sponsor for Celebrate Chesterfield.”

Dr Paula Holt MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby said: “We are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support the Celebrate Chesterfield event again this year. As Derbyshire’s only university, we look to use our academic expertise, research and innovation to foster talent and create impactful partnerships with business.

“The Celebrate Chesterfield event provides a great opportunity for us to have valuable conversations that enable us to understand more about the challenges local businesses face. Our priority remains to effectively service the needs of businesses – creating opportunities for individuals, employers and communities to develop and deliver positive impact on the economic prosperity, health and well-being of the region.”

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, comments: “As a local practice we are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield event. This year is particularly exciting for us, as it will see the launch of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum. The formation of the forum has already had some success in bringing together a network of local property professionals whilst also providing a collaborative platform for engagement with the Local Authority. Although it has been a challenging year, Chesterfield has made some fantastic progress, and the Celebrate Chesterfield event will provide a great opportunity to share this.”

Anthony Clitheroe, Director at HBD, development partner for the Markham Vale site commented: “Our ongoing commitment to the regeneration of Markham Vale has seen momentous change of this area over the years, increasing job opportunities for local workers and ensuring a continued boost to Chesterfield’s economy.

“Alongside Derbyshire County Council, we’re looking forward to continuing the success of 2020 and securing new occupiers at Markham Vale.”

Tickets for the free morning event, which is being held from 8:30am – 10:00am, are available to book now.

To book your place at the event, please visit http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/.

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More partners announced for The Gateway at PEAK

Mixed-use developer Milligan has appointed further specialist partners to collaborate on the Gateway at PEAK, the UK’s first national park gateway, consented on the eastern boundary of the Peak District in Chesterfield.

Architects Stanton Williams, technology specialists RDS Global, operations consultant DN Consultancy and landscape architects Gillespies, have all been appointed by the Milligan development team.

In July 2020, Milligan formed a unique working group of local stakeholders on the development of Gateway at Peak, part of PEAK Resort.

Since then, the vision for a sustainable hub, welcoming visitors to the Peaks, providing food and accommodation, retail opportunities and environmentally friendly options for onward travel into the park, has been taking shape. The latest partner appointments are an exciting milestone in the progress of the development.

Milligan has a long history of collaboration with Stanton Williams, an award-winning practice well positioned to realise the sustainable and Net Zero Carbon objectives of the Gateway thanks to experience on similar projects and its own Carbon Neutral Zero Plus accreditation.

RDS Global will work alongside the Milligan team to plan and manage the project’s IT platform, deploying its new technology – BlackBox. The RDS BlackBox can consolidate multiple datapoints and communication forms which will power real time, actionable data to enrich customer experience and track energy metrics to support the development’s sustainable goals.

David Norris of DN Consultancy will orchestrate the management and operational strategies and prescribe the environmental, social and governance factors across the Gateway at PEAK.

Also appointed to the team, is award-winning landscape architecture practice, Gillespies who have been leading landscape and public realm design for over 50 years. Utilising strong design principles and an understanding of the natural landscape and environmental context, Gillespies will work with Milligan to deliver transformative planning and design, unlocking the potential of the Gateway at PEAK, to create an inspirational space with a clear-cut purpose, to make people’s lives measurably better.

Melanie Taylor, director of leasing and commerce at Milligan said: “Our work on the Gateway at PEAK has reached a new phase. Landowner Birchall Properties and the regional stakeholders have entrusted us to find and manage specialist partners who are going to bring expertise and value to this unique project. The Gateway is going to be an exciting destination for all types of visitors, each looking for something different from their visit to the Peaks.

“We’re confident that having Stanton Williams, RDS Global, David Norris and Gillespies around the table, we’ll be pushing boundaries and delivering ground-breaking and creative ideas that surprise and delight those visitors. The project will also support the local community through jobs and collaboration and preserve the natural beauty of the park with considerate construction, rewilding and education.”

The Gateway at PEAK is part of the 300-acre PEAK Resort, where the development of an all-weather, all-year, all-ages Summit at PEAK, is already underway, with an opening planned in Autumn 2021. PEAK Resort also has planning permission for up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 lodges as well as a whole range of leisure, education and entertainment facilities, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities.

You can find out more about the PEAK development here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/peak-resort/

 

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MyFuture careers platform shortlisted for prestigious industry award

An innovative online careers and employability platform, which was launched to Year 11 and 13 school leavers in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire last year, has been shortlisted in the Careers Development Institute (CDI) Awards 2021.

Since its launch, on GCSE results day, the MyFuture platform has helped hundreds of young people gain access to high-quality careers advice, employment support, and skills and educational programmes during the pandemic.

The online platform has been shortlisted in the Innovative and Impactful Employer Engagement category in the annual industry awards which identify and promote excellence in career development. The category is sponsored by the Department for Education (DfE) and CXK, a careers advice charity.

Developed by Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub, MyFuture plugs the careers information gap left by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The innovative platform, which is believed to be a world first, was designed by Chesterfield-based Oasis Studio. It features around 100 virtual exhibition pods across 10 zones, providing advice on careers, transition, and employment in 16 sectors.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that our My Future project has been recognised in this way. Our team have spearheaded this project as part of our Economic Recovery plans, working closely with our partners to help ensure the My Future online platform provides valuable information on careers and skills development for young people in Chesterfield. We will continue to support and develop this platform and I want to encourage young people to log in because it will help them plan their future in our borough.”

Dom Stevens Destination Chesterfield Manager added: “Everyone worked tremendously hard in a very short timeframe to get MyFuture up and running and it has been incredibly well received by all users. To be recognised by the Careers Development Institute is testimony to the strong partnerships that exist in Chesterfield that together make positive changes happen for everyone who lives, works and does business here.”

D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub Lead Dan Heffernan said: “Connecting young people to their future careers becomes an even higher priority during economic crisis as younger workers are at much higher risk of becoming casualties of recession. We are therefore delighted that this project has been recognised by the CDI for the value that it brings to young people across North Derbyshire. It is our hope that any publicity generated by this recognition will encourage further collaborative efforts not just in D2N2 but nationally. Only by working together are we going to weather the economic storm generated by the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

MyFuture is shortlisted alongside Creative Careers Programme and Discover! Creative Careers Week, Creative and Cultural Skills and Whole School Career Day 5th March 2020, Huntcliff School, Gainsborough. The winner of the category will be announced next month on Wednesday 10 March.

MyFuture is one of two North Derbyshire projects to be shortlisted in this year’s Careers Development Institute Awards. Derbyshire Education Business Partnership (DEBP) has also been shortlisted for the Best Practice Award – Careers Programme in a Special School or College category for its Project SEARCH.

To view MyFuture please visit www.myfuture.org.uk

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Celebrating Chesterfield’s STEM ambassadors

Educators, businesses and local authorities across Chesterfield have been working together in recent years, as part of efforts to encourage more students to consider further study of STEM subjects and progression into related careers, inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals.

To help with enthusing and engaging our young people, STEM Ambassadors volunteer their time and expertise to promote STEM to young people in original, creative and practical ways. They also work to support the STEM curriculum in schools, raising awareness of careers and supporting activities in the community. Ambassadors cross all ages and backgrounds, representing a vast spectrum of different employers.

Chesterfield businesses can get involved in supporting STEM careers in a number of ways:

  • Sign up as a STEM Ambassador at https://www.stem.org.uk/
  • offering tours of your workplace for students and teachers
  • delivering talks to groups of learners in schools about your organisation and job opportunities
  • mentoring students doing projects
  • networking with students and teachers
  • setting a project related to your sector
  • doing mock interviews
  • filming a video of you at your workplace
  • and much more!

What are the benefits of being a STEM Ambassador?

  • Engage and develop your employees
  • raise your profile within the local community, whilst also expanding your regional and national media presence
  • promote your apprentice roles directly to local schools and colleges
  • support your recruitment efforts, boosting your future technical and graduate pipeline
  • offer specific and sector careers information to young people and their influencers

Meet the Ambassadors

Here are a few examples of how STEM ambassadors are helping to drive forward the future workforce here in Chesterfield:

Name – Lindsay Rowe

Company – AECOM

Position in company – Senior Mechanical Engineer

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

To me, being a STEM ambassador is an opportunity to raise awareness of alternative careers, share my knowledge about the world of work and show young people that there really is something out there for everyone and there is more than one way to achieve your goal.

What it means for your business.

STEM ambassadors not only raise awareness of our industry in general, but they show students that they don’t have to move to London and the big cities to follow an exciting and rewarding career in engineering. Our company name and brand becomes more widely known and we get recognised as a company that students want to apply to when starting on the career ladder. Ultimately this makes it much easier for us to hire the people we need to continue growing our business.

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

I’m always happy and proud when I see children being inspired to think differently about the type of work they might like to do in the future. My proudest moment though was when I finally got to attend a careers event at my son’s school, he was the reason I started volunteering in the first place.

Name – Ann Fomukong-Boden

Company – Kakou CIC

Position in company – Co-Founder/Director/Principal Electronic Engineer

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

Being a STEM Ambassador is my opportunity to give back to my community and also encourage people to see how creative the STEM subjects are. I got into engineering through my love of music. The STEM subjects play a huge part in every aspect of our lives – even the fun things! I also like to challenge people’s stereotype of what an engineer is or looks like. Most people I meet rarely guess my profession from my appearance.

What it means for your business.

We have a community engagement programme called Social Fuse. We produce and facilitate creative-arts based STEM activities for our community. Social Fuse provides us with the opportunities to meet new people, build networks and collaborate on diverse, interesting projects that we may not have been aware of through our normal engineering activities. It brings variety to the business and we get to interact with young people, teachers, parents and organisations that we may have not otherwise encountered.

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

To be honest, I feel a sense of pride whenever I volunteer, especially when you see someone who is new to an activity suddenly have that moment where it all starts to make sense and they realise that they understand something that they previously thought was difficult.

A stand-out moment was being chosen by the British Science Association to be one of their inaugural Community Leaders in recognition of my time volunteering within the community. As part of that I went to the Houses of Parliament to give expert testimony at the APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM. That day I also discovered that the Houses of Parliament use some equipment that I had designed – which brought a smile to my face.

 

Name – Julie Eley

Company – Ready4Work/School of Thought

Position in company – Co-Founder

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

It is a privilege to engage with young people, not only to give them information about different careers but also to offer hope especially in uncertain times.

What it means for your business.

We have set up a project called School of Thought so we can promote the Automotive Industry to young People. If it wasn’t for STEM we wouldn’t be able to do this, so this helps us tell everyone about the great Industry we work in, dispel myths and to build the pipeline for the next generation of Employees

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

Letting Young People know that there are different routes and that University isn’t the only choice. Personally, seeing some students tell me about their project of building a go kart, and seeing how excited and knowledgeable they were, I found it really inspiring

Name – Emma Knight-Strong

Company – Green Arch Consulting

Position in company – Owner

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

I am proud to be a STEM ambassador. I am passionate about my field and want to ensure that young learners understand what skills they need to have in order to follow their own dreams. I personally believe that a STEM ambassador is a person who can use their enthusiasm for their chosen profession to inspire young people to think about the huge range of possibilities available to them if they continue in STEM subjects. It’s less ‘teaching them a specific job type’ and more about showing them how STEM can help them be resilient and adaptive to a constantly shifting job market.

What it means for your business.

 It allows more people to understand the type of business that I am in and introduces learners to a sector that is still relatively new

 The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

Having a teacher say to me that the three young girls who had been asking lots of questions usually never said a word in class and he was amazed at how engaged they were with the activity.

Name – Tom Mowbray

Company – Rolls-Royce

Position in company – Sub-System Design Engineer

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

I find being a STEM Ambassador is a great excuse to share my excitement for Engineering with inquisitive minds. When I host STEM activities with kids it really is a two way exchange, whereby I’m sharing some insights about Engineering whilst setting challenges, and in return I get to see how young minds tackle the problem set. There’s some beautiful creativity that is quite inspiring.

What it means for your business.

“Our activities are designed to demonstrate the life-long opportunities that STEM careers can offer, helping to secure a future talent pipeline for ourselves and the wider industry. We hope that our education outreach programmes will inspire people to study the STEM subjects and show them the life-long opportunities that STEM careers can offer.”

https://www.rolls-royce.com/sustainability/performance/target-progress.aspx?reach-6-million-through-our-stem#reach-6-million-through-our-stem

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

I have participated in a variety of activities with children aged 7-18; covering topics such as friction, power and motion in primary ages through to GCSE maths tutoring, careers days and A-level mentoring. The range of options to get involved and the overwhelmingly positive feedback makes me proud to be involved.

For more information about the STEM Ambassadors scheme, you can contact the Derbyshrie Education Business Partnership (DEBP) on 01246 212535 or visit their website: https://www.debp.org/

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Work progresses on Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

Work on high-quality office accommodation which will support new and growing businesses in the town is on track to be complete by the summer – despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is now weatherproof – meaning another key milestone has been reached in the project programme.

Councillor Dean Collins, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic development, said: “It is fantastic to see this building progressing with such pace. Our contractor – Robert Woodhead has worked incredibly hard and overcome many challenges to make sure they can deliver this project without delay in a Covid-secure environment.

“I’m confident that this enterprise centre will provide the space and support for businesses to express their entrepreneurial spirit and start or grow local businesses in the borough. This will help ensure that we a creating a thriving borough with lots of opportunities for young people to develop excellent careers in our town.”

In January glazing was added to the building, which is of a high standard for maximum thermal efficiency. The first fix for mechanical and electrical engineering has begun and work is set to begin on the brickwork and cladding very soon.

Dan Cove, Project Manager from Robert Woodhead Limited said “Works are progressing really well despite a few challenging days with the snow and ice. The team on site are working to enhanced covid secure measures too so that has added to the operational complexities of the scheme. It’s taking shape and you can see what a great addition this will be for Chesterfield.”

Work dividing the interior and installing a lift has begun.

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “As a local practice we are delighted to see progress still being made on site despite the pandemic.

“The Enterprise Centre is such an important part of the Northern Gateway regeneration in Chesterfield, providing a new and unique commercial offer which is designed to be a catalyst for further investment and development. As well as providing high quality facilities for businesses wanting to locate in the town centre, the architecture will provide a new contemporary landmark which will enrich the urban fabric of the town.”

Contractors Robert Woodhead have also achieved an ‘excellent’ mark in the initial Considerate Constructor Scheme assessment, which aims to raise standards in the construction industry. The building also remains on target to achieve an ‘excellent’ rating for its environmental sustainability.

Find out more about office facilities at the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre here.

Whittam Cox Architects and Robert Woodhead Ltd. support 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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Vaccination site at Casa Hotel now up and running

The first Covid-19 vaccinations at Chesterfield’s Casa Hotel have taken place this morning, with pharmacy-led teams moving to support the rollout across Derbyshire.

The new sites opened today have brought the total number of vaccination venues within the Derby and Derbyshire CCG area to 23, including six pharmacy-led sites, 15 GP-led sites, two hospital hubs and the vaccination centre at Derby Arena.

Casa Hotel in Chesterfield is using two connected function rooms and making good use of the hotel’s ample parking and excellent access. The hotel has the capability to vaccinate over 300 people per day

The site is run by Peak Pharmacy, but Head of Business Transformation Darryl Dethick explained that his team has had lots of help preparing for the start of vaccinations: “We’ve been working hard getting the hotel ready to receive patients, and the hotel staff have been great. Some of the hotel staff will even be helping us with admin on the day; this is a big team effort.

“We will have three vaccination pods and have had really good response from people making bookings. We’ll be vaccinating every day from Thursday through to Sunday to begin with.”

Casa Hotel owner Steve Perez said: “I am absolutely delighted we are able to help – it’s fantastic. It is a great example of hospitality business working with a local company and NHS to serve the community. We are excited to be part of this initiative and do our bit! We are ideally located with plenty of space, a dedicated car park and lots of staff who will be on hand to help with aspects such as marshalling. The more vaccination centres we can have in the region, the better – and the quicker we can get back to living our lives again”

steve perez honorary degree

Joe Cattee, director of family-owned Peak Pharmacy said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for community pharmacy to once again show another way in which it supports patients nationwide. As a business we have administered over 30,000 flu vaccinations this winter – as well as supporting patients with other services ranging from travel clinics through to reviews of newly-prescribed medicines. It therefore made sense that we should be actively involved in the national Covid -19 vaccination effort. We are thrilled to be coming together with another family-owned local business to start vaccinating the people of Derbyshire.”

Elsewhere in Derbyshire, St John’s Methodist Church in Allestree and Pinxton Village Hall have also started to administer the Covid-19 vaccine.

Each of the three new sites is led by a local pharmacy team but does not carry out vaccinations in the pharmacy itself. All vaccinations at these new sites require an appointment through the National Booking System.

Peak Pharmacy (PCT Healthcare) and Casa Hotel support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Joe Cattee, Peak Pharmacy

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

Families set to benefit from new play and fitness facilities in Staveley

Staveley residents are set to benefit from the first improvements to the town as part of the Staveley Town Deal, which sets out ambitious plans to pull in more than £25m worth of funding to the area over the next five years.

Initial funding worth more than £140,000 will be used to invest in new play and fitness facilities at King George V Playing Fields. This will create a fantastic new space for families to create memories together and for residents to exercise in.

The money has been secured thanks to a Chesterfield Borough Council bid to the Government’s Town Deal Accelerator Fund – submitted on behalf of the Staveley Town Deal Board as part of wider plans to regenerate the town.

It follows further investment by the council in the park which saw creation of bowling facilities and a new skate park; together all these improvements will ensure that the park has facilities suitable for every age group.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “It’s fantastic to see the Town Deal delivering funding for facilities that will directly benefit local residents. These improvements are the kind of grassroots project that I hoped we could deliver as part of the Town Deal. It may not be a high financial cost compared to the total value of the Town Deal, but it will make a massive difference to local families.”

The planned works include a new play area which will have a range of equipment for both juniors and toddlers. It will also aim to encourage imaginative play through its design and features, like play panels.

As well as the play area, a new fitness zone will be created. Within this there will be an outdoor gym area where residents can do more than 200 different types of exercise. It will also feature a multi-use area for basketball and football.

Councillor Jill Mannion Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “As we’ve all seen over the last year, providing excellent outdoor facilities is important for everyone. They provide a space for the community to socialise and are an important place for young people’s development. They are also becoming more popular as exercise venues.

“We are working closely with our funding partners to help deliver this fantastic new play and fitness space in King George V Playing Fields. I am sure that local residents will create lots of great memories in this space and keep active for many years to come.”

Paul Greenfield, Area Sales Manager for Kompan, said: “Kompan are the UK’s leading outdoor play, sport and fitness provider and we are delighted to have been selected as Chesterfield Borough Council’s partner for this exciting project. We look forward to bringing our fun and exciting play products, and state of the art fitness range to the community of Staveley.”

The work is set to begin in March and will be managed by Chesterfield Borough Council and delivered by Kompan.

Find out more about regeneration in Staveley here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/staveley/

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Have your say on ambitious regeneration plans for Chesterfield

People are being encouraged to have their say on ambitious plans to transform the area between the town centre and Chesterfield Train Station – creating a vibrant gateway to North Derbyshire and setting out potential sites to create around 850 new jobs.

The HS2 Station Master Plan was approved by the council’s Cabinet on 2 February and will now be put out for public consultation. Residents, businesses, train passengers and visitors to the town can have their say between 8 February and 8 March.

The proposals – which can be viewed in an innovative virtual exhibition – set out a vision for the future development of the area and are also designed to make the most of the once-in-a-generation plans for a High Speed Rail (HS2) link at Chesterfield.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Despite the challenging economic times posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Chesterfield is not standing still and we’re pressing ahead with our £1 billion growth programme – carving out a prosperous future for our borough, while creating jobs and homes for local people.

“Our HS2 Station Master Plan is a key element of this work and we’re now asking for local people, businesses, train passengers and visitors to give us their views to help shape the future of our town.

“We want to create a vibrant gateway to North Derbyshire and the Peak District, to better connect this key site to our town centre, and to bring unused and underused land back to life for the benefit of local people. The proposals also have sustainability at their heart – setting out infrastructure improvements to support cycling, walking and better access for public transport.”

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in place, people are being invited to take part in a virtual consultation, with an online exhibition setting out the key proposals. They include:

  • Establishing the principle of new development plots to accommodate a mix of uses with the potential to generate a minimum of approximately 850 jobs
  • A new station link road (a through route) between Brimington Road and Hollis Lane with improved public transport access
  • Closure of the A61 on-slip road
  • A new public ‘boulevard’ for pedestrians and cyclists (including segregated cycle lanes) leading from the station to Corporation Street
  • Replacement of the existing A61 footbridge between the station area and Corporation Street with a new wider bridge, including a segregated cycle route.
  • Suggested changes to Corporation Street to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists whilst retaining vehicle access to businesses.
  • A ‘transport hub’ including a multi-storey car park (with around 550 bays) and charging points for electric vehicles
  • A cycle hub with e-bike hire and secure cycle parking
  • An overall layout that has the potential for a higher quality of natural habitats including more tree planting
  • A new station forecourt to better accommodate buses, coaches, taxis and a drop off/collection point.
  • A continuous cycle link from Hollis Lane area through to Crow Lane

Councillor Gilby added: “Our proposals also seek to harness the once-in-a-generation opportunity presented to our region by the HS2 project – a chance to cement Chesterfield’s position as a thriving place to invest and do business.

“But it’s important to note that this plan can be delivered ahead of – and independently to – the national project if needed.

“This is a flagship plan for our borough’s future, and we’re keen to hear the views of as many people as possible. Their input will help shape the final version of the Master Plan, which will be used to drive forward regeneration in the town centre.”

Funding for regeneration at and around the station and the preparation of a masterplan has been obtained by Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council through both the Sheffield City Region (SCR) and East Midlands (D2N2) Local Economic Partnerships.

Visit www.chesterfield.gov.uk/HS2-station-master-plan to find out more and access the consultation, which is being run by consultants AECOM. Online materials include a 3D ‘fly-through’ video of how the site could look. (Please note, the virtual exhibition cannot be accessed until the consultation opens on Monday 8 February).

Hard copies of the documents can also be requested and will be provided in a Covid-safe way – please call 01246 959707.

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

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