Destination Chesterfield

Chesterfield residents encouraged to support local theatres across the festive season

The Pomegranate and Winding Wheel Theatres in Chesterfield have a packed line up across the festive season and into the New Year to keep everyone entertained.

This year’s Pantomime Beauty and the Beast is currently on stage at the Pomegranate and will run until Sunday 2 January 2022.

Tickets are still available for the production that stars West End actress, pop star and TV personality Suzanne Shaw as Belle, with Thomas Redgrave from Britain’s Got Talent Winners Collabro as Gaston and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Andrew Fleming in the comedy role of Philippe Philoppe.

If you enjoy seeing Ballet there is a satellite broadcast of The Nutcracker by the Royal Ballet in January and Ballet Theatre UK will be taking to the stage with their re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale ballet, The Snow Queen both at the Pomegranate Theatre.

If you are looking to celebrate 2022 in style, there is a New Year’s Eve Party including a five-course meal and a DJ and then later in January a New Year Viennese Gala Concert from Sheffield Symphony Orchestra both taking place at the Winding Wheel Theatre.

You can also enjoy satellite broadcast of Christmas with André Rieu as part of the Pomegranate Theatre’s cinema programme on 5 and 6 January.

Theatre tickets can also be purchased as gifts for Christmas, and these can be sent directly to your inbox, so you don’t have to visit the box office in person if you are short on time this month.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “There are lots of great performances to be seen at our local theatres from the annual Pantomime to Ballet, there is something on offer for everyone to enjoy.

“Theatres across the country have had a difficult 18 months due to the ongoing pandemic, so we encourage residents and visitors to keep supporting both the Pomegranate and Winding Wheel Theatres and enjoy all of the entertainment there is to see there.”

Tickets for the pantomime and all of the other productions are on sale now via chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or from the Box Office on 01246 345222.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

Heathcotes opens new supported living in Chesterfield

Care provider, Heathcotes Group, has opened a new provision of independent supported living properties in Chesterfield for adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs.

The company’s Brendon House service features four self-contained apartments for individuals who are stepping down from a hospital or full-time residential care setting to improve their independent living skills.

Each property offers spacious accommodation with its own lounge, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. The two-storey building includes two apartments and communal space on each floor as well as separate space for an on-site team of around 10 support workers providing 24-hour care support when needed.

Heathcotes’ Director of Business Development, Natalia Lysiuk, said: “The opening of Brendon House is another step in the expansion of our enhanced supported living services, which we have developed to complement our full-time residential care provision. We have worked closely with Derbyshire County Council on this development, which has been a real success.

“For the people we support, the type of accommodation we offer at Brendon House represents the next stage in the care pathway towards full independence. It is also suitable for individuals who require a single-person service due to their complexity and inability to live with others.

“Brendon House follows our successful model for independent supported living, providing a homely environment which encourages and facilitates the development of daily living skills. The setting also naturally fosters a sense of community and social inclusion amongst residents, progressing hand-in-hand with their increasing independence.

“Our on-site team is available to assist whenever required and each resident has a designated support worker for ongoing support. Having established a range of supported living provision in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, we are now looking to significantly increase this type of service and accommodation in the East Midlands.”

With a head office in Chesterfield, Heathcotes Group has over 74 residential and supported living services nationwide. The company provides a range of specialist services supporting individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, autism, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities, Personality Disorder, physical disabilities, Prader-Willi Syndrome, sensory impairments, speech difficulties and severe epilepsy.

Heathcotes Group 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, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

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 , , , , , , , ,

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/

 

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

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.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

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.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Chesterfield’s Pantomime returns with Beauty and The Beast this Christmas

Residents and visitors can look forward to watching Beauty and the Beast at Chesterfield’s Pomegranate Theatre from later this week.

Tickets are now on sale for the pantomime, which will run from Friday 3 December 2021 to Sunday 2 January 2022.

West End actress, pop star and TV personality Suzanne Shaw will star as Belle, with Thomas Redgrave from Britain’s Got Talent Winners Collabro as Gaston and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Andrew Fleming in the comedy role of Philippe Philoppe.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “We are really excited to be hosting the pantomime again as we understand this is a highlight for many families over the festive season.

“Our theatres have had a difficult time recently due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19, so we are very pleased to announce that the pantomime is back for our audiences to enjoy.”

Chesterfield Theatres will be joining forces once again with award-winning pantomime producers Paul Holman Associates to present this year’s much-anticipated production.

Pantomime Producer Paul Holman from PHA Ltd said: “Pantomime holds such a special place in so many people’s hearts and I am delighted that we’re able to return this year to the wonderful Pomegranate Theatre with Beauty and the Beast. We’ve pulled out all the stops to make this our most spectacular production yet and I hope audiences will enjoy returning to the much-loved tradition of panto as they make cherished memories which will last a lifetime.”

There are lots of other festive activities to get involved in across Chesterfield too. You can visit The Amazing Magical Santa House in the Assembly Rooms at the Market Hall and you can follow the Elf Trail in the town centre.

There is also a Lantern Parade taking place in Chesterfield on 19 December that will walk from the bandstand in Queen’s Park into the Market Place to sing festive carols at the Christmas Tree.

You can book your tickets for the Santa House at chesterfieldchristmas.co.uk and find out about the other Christmas activities at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/christmas.

There are a number of other festive and New Year productions taking place in our theatres including a satellite broadcast of The Nutcracker by the Royal Ballet, a New Year Viennese Gala Concert from Sheffield Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Theatre UK’s re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale ballet, The Snow Queen and a New Year’s Eve Party at the Winding Wheel Theatre.

Tickets for the pantomime and all of the other productions are on sale now via chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or from the Box Office on 01246 345222.

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

Pupils visit Superior Wellness as part of Made in Chesterfield tours

A group of eight students and two teachers from Springwell Community College visited the Chesterfield-based Superior Wellness headquarters as part of the Made in Chesterfield project.

Made in Chesterfield is a celebration of the manufacturing, engineering, science and technology industries and careers in the town. The campaign looks to inspire the next generation to the industry, with businesses, schools and training providers coming together to showcase the sector.

Made in Chesterfield is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Direct Education Business Partnership and delivered in association with the Chesterfield College Group and with support from Chesterfield Borough Council, North Derbyshire Careers Hub, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd, and Natwest.

As part of the project, Superior Wellness offered the students a tour of the office and warehouse space, with a brief introduction from each department. A representative from each department, including those studying for an apprenticeship, explained their role and the projects they work on.

While visiting Superior Wellness, the students were offered the opportunity to look at one of the many hot tubs Superior Wellness distribute globally and ask any questions regarding the products and the business.

Carol Claydon, Head of HR at Superior Wellness, said: “The tour organised by Made in Chesterfield was a fantastic opportunity for our business. Our team members thoroughly enjoyed explaining more about the business, their roles and their work experience to the students. It was brilliant to see how inspired the students were and I think it opened their eyes to the various career opportunities available within the local area.

“The campaign is a fantastic way to inspire the next generation and hopefully showcase the different sectors and opportunities available within the local town of Chesterfield.”

More than 170 pupils from seven different schools across the Chesterfield have been benefitting from tours at several businesses across the town, including Aztec Oils, Woodhead Construction, Vistry Partnerships, CBE+, Penny Hydraulics, Superior Wellness, Morgan Sindall, Weightron Bilanciai and MSE Hiller.

Superior Wellness 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, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Made in ChesterfieldTagged in , , , , , ,

Numerous Chesterfield Champions recognised at prestigious Derbyshire Times Business Awards

The cream of the county’s business community has been celebrated at the 2021 Derbyshire Times business awards.

Honours were presented in 15 different categories at a glittering awards ceremony held on Thursday night.

The coveted 2021 Business of The Year award, sponsored by City Fibre, was won by Chesterfield Champion, CBE+.

Judges praised the impact the precision engineering and laboratory service business has had in response to the pandemic, as part of the national effort to combat the covid virus and how they are also adapting their systems to help the environment.

They said: “They have built a sustainable business and managed not only to maintain employees jobs, but to expand. Their leader has true entrepreneurial spirit and they have shown real innovation.”

Stan Mowatt was awarded the lifetime achievement award, after dedicating 50 years to business entrepreneurship and to the development of healthcare products used across the globe.

Other winners were:

Retail Hero – Adorn Jewellers of Chesterfield

Apprentice of the Year – Aaron Corbet of O’Connor & Co Removals Ltd

Excellence in Manufacturing & Engineering – CBE+

Professional Services Award – Shorts Chartered Accountants

Customer Service Award – Morley Hayes Leisure Ltd

Innovation Award – Timeless Life Casting & Memorial Jewellery

Covid Response – Galaxy Travel & Cars Ltd

Community Initiative – Safe and Sound

Team of the Year – Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care

New Business of the Year – Great2

Small Business of the Year – Moss Valley Fine Meats

Employee of the Year – Damion Davies of O’Connor & Co Removals Ltd

Business Leader – Nick Holland from SDL Minorfern

Derbyshire Times editor, Phil Bramley, said: “Local businesses are the lifeblood of our community and it has been wonderful to celebrate the incredible dedication, imagination and entrepreneurial spirit they have shown over the last year.

“The pandemic has thrown up immense challenges for businesses, but the way they have adapted, evolved and fought their way through, is truly inspirational.”

For more from the awards visit www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/business

The Derbyshire Times, CBE+, Adorn Jewellers, Shorts, Galaxy Travel, Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care, Great2, and SDL Minorfern support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Derbyshire Times Business Excellence 2021 award winners pictured.

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

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.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Love Chesterfield, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Management Restructure for Chesterfield’s Custom Solar

Green energy company Custom Solar has announced that the company has been restructured, with a new senior leadership formation taking the helm.

10 years from the company’s inception, Custom Solar has seen exponential growth from completing major solar projects such as the UK’s largest in the Port of Hull to securing large-scale commercial contracts with UK-leading businesses.

Growth and success have resulted in an increase in Custom Solar personnel working nationwide as well as in the firm’s new head office located in Chesterfield. The new invigorated management structure will seek to take the company forward into the future and continue to deliver further success.

Company founder Matthew Brailsford stated his pride in the progression since founding the Company: “The last 10 years at the helm of Custom Solar have been more exciting and challenging than I could ever have imagined, as a team we have achieved amazing things and have pioneered new and exciting projects across the UK.

“The business and sector show unrivaled potential in the coming years and as such Custom Solar is preparing for the mammoth challenge of decarbonising the UK’s electricity supply.

“As we continue to grow, I recognised the need to bolster the senior leadership team with a mix of industry seasoned professionals and outside expertise. Gary Sucharewycz (CEO), Victoria Brown (CFO), and Kristian Clark (COO) all have proven track records of success and add another level of professionalism and dedication to the business.

“I very much look forward to the leadership taking the reins of the day-to-day operation of the business as I know they will expand our reach, impact, and ongoing financial stability.”

“I personally now move to the role of Group Chairman to focus on strategic growth, acquisition, and investment. This is an incredibly bright and exciting time for Custom Solar, and I hope everyone will join me in wishing the senior leadership team all the very best as they continue to drive the business forwards.”

Gary Sucharewycz CEO, has been with the business for the last 6 years in the role of Director of Development and Strategy and has been in senior roles within the solar sector for the last 11 years with over 20 years of experience in the Energy industry. He has been pivotal in driving Custom Solar’s growth, developing a commercial pipeline and development process that has achieved an incredible success rate of contracted projects that has reflected in year-on-year growth with many major contracts secured across the UK.

Gary has expressed his delight to have taken on the new position: “I am really proud to have been asked to take on this role at this point in our journey having been heavily involved in the company’s growth since joining the business.

“The new position requires me to take on additional responsibility in driving us forward through an incredible growth period and I am delighted to be supported in this by Victoria and Kristian whom I have been working with over the last 8 months transitioning into our new roles.

“Through this time we have already seen an exciting period of growth in terms of recruiting new members of the team, contracts secured and projects delivered. We are supported by an experienced and successful management team and a very talented wider team internally, who is based at our new head office location and site-based through our engineering teams.

Victoria Brown CFO, who joined the business earlier in the year is a qualified accountant and Award-winning Chartered Director with over 20 years post qualified experience in various businesses. Knowledgeable in change management, risk management & mitigation, funding, and phases of high growth, Victoria brings a wealth of financial expertise to the company.

Victoria is also NED for Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Risk and Audit Committee at Sheffield Hallam University, is Chairman of the Institute of Directors for South Yorkshire, and is a Member of the Company of Cutlers.

Kristian Clark COO, has been Operations Director at Custom Solar for the last 2 years and has been intricately involved in the businesses’ continued scaling up of its delivery model. His knowledge and approach have helped the business focus on its core deliverables, whilst seeing a controlled strategy of growth.

Kristian is highly experienced in Solar PV delivery with a history of developing businesses operations functions to manage growth efficiently and safely, he is an experienced people manager which will allow us to progress on to the next phase of our evolution.

Custom Solar 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, Destination Chesterfield, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

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