Development

Three Chesterfield businesses boosted by new recruits

Three businesses in Chesterfield have recently bolstered their ranks with new recruits, adding further growth to their organisations.

Law firm CMP Legal, community-based charity Junction Arts and sustainable packaging firm Robinson PLC have all taken on new staff – showcasing growth and investment in the town across a number of sectors.

CMP Legal announces new Employment Director

Lauren Pickard - CMP Legal

The Chesterfield based law firm that delivers expert services to clients in Derbyshire, Sheffield and across the UK is thrilled to announce the appointment of Lauren Pickard as its new Employment Director.

Lauren is a specialist Employment Law Solicitor and joins CMP Legal from national law firm Knights plc where she worked as a Senior Associate, previously based in Sheffield. She has a wealth of knowledge and employment law experience from managing performance, disciplinary and grievance matters to redundancy and restructuring advice, delivering training, drafting contracts and much more.

Lauren Pickard, Employment Director at CMP Legal says: “I am delighted to join CMP Legal at such an exciting time for the firm in terms of growth. CMP Legal has swiftly established itself as a niche practice offering high quality advice. The lawyers at CMP Legal have a wealth of experience and this, combined with their desire to do things in a dynamic and progressive way, works strongly to the benefit of clients.”

Neil Brown, Co-Founder at CMP Legal says: “Lauren has an excellent reputation in the region and will be a fantastic asset to both our business and our clients. We are delighted to welcome her into our expanding team as we continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients.”

Robinson PLC invests in sales team with two senior appointments

Angela Doyle

Robinson – the manufacturer specialising in value-added custom packaging – has invested in its sales team with two new senior appointments in the UK.

Angela Doyle joins Robinson from Berry Plastics and previously Constantia Group where she worked in the flexibles sector in both the UK and Ireland in commercial sales, primarily in the food and beverage sector. Looking forward to her role as a New Business Development Manager at Robinson, Angela highlighted: “I have a strong technical and commercial skill set, working closely with customers and production on development, problem solving and meeting deadlines.  I have always enjoyed being part of a team, leading innovation and out of the box thinking.”

“Robinsons has a really strong collaborative, welcoming culture and I am looking forward to playing my part in the team, creating new business opportunities and building on the strong company foundations”.

Also joining the team as Business Development Manager is Nick Hudson. His background is in UK manufacture and outsourcing of premium packaging across many substrates.

Nick commented: “I am really looking forward to creating awareness of the company’s commitment to sustainable, innovative rigid box packaging and its high standards of quality and service leading to Robinsons being the first choice for customers”.

Junction Arts announces new Managing Director

Emily Junction Arts

Award-winning participatory arts charity, Junction Arts has appointed Emily Bowman, the current Deputy CEO for The Mighty Creatives, as its new Managing Director.

Emily will join the Chesterfield-based charity on the 1st of April and is tasked with helping the team to deliver an ambitious programme of creative events and initiatives throughout 2023. She will lead the charity to deliver its vision, support the Arts Council England’s ‘Let’s Create’ strategy and will be responsible to the Board on all matters of strategy, policy development and management.

Junction Arts has engaged communities across Bolsover District, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield and rural areas of the East Midlands for over 45 years.   Following an uplift in National Portfolio Funding (NPO) from the Arts Council until 2026, the charity has aspirations for significant growth and is hoping to embark on a number of exciting partnership projects over the next three years.

Emily is currently the Deputy CEO for The Mighty Creatives, a children and young people’s charity based in Leicester and Arts Council England’s Bridge organisation for the East Midlands.  She has worked in the creative sector for 20 years and at a senior leadership level since 2015. Through her background and training in performance and her work in arts leadership, she has a deep understanding and passion for arts, culture, and creativity, specifically focused on young audiences, with experience in co-producing high-quality programmes that are accessible to all.

She said: “I am thrilled to be joining Junction Arts. I am excited to be leading such a vibrant and dedicated team and will do all I can to continue to grow and develop the organisation, building on its current success and supporting more people to engage, and creativity to thrive across our communities.”

Lucie Maycock, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Junction Arts said: “Emily has all the right experience, skills, and strategic thinking to take on this exciting role. She is passionate about community arts and making a real difference. Our shared values and her experience working with children, young people and communities, developing programmes that support their cultural, personal and professional development, will enhance our new and existing programmes. Helping to make a real impact and take the organisation to the next level.”

CMP Legal, Robinson PLC and Junction Arts support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

spire view dusk chesterfield

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£275,000 project completed to reduce flood risk and boost wildlife habitats in Chesterfield

An innovative new flood management project designed to reduce flood risk in Chesterfield through natural defences, while boosting local wildlife and habitats, has been completed at Grassmoor Country Park.

The £275,000 scheme, designed to slow the flow of rainwater heading from land to the Calow Brook – and onwards into the Rover Rother includes the creation of temporary and semi-permanent ponds, marshy grasslands and wet woodland – all acting as a natural flood defence while improving and diversifying the habitats for wildlife within the park.

Funded by the Environment Agency and the Heritage Fund, the project was developed in partnership with Derbyshire County Council which owns and maintains the park, the Environment Agency, the Friends of Grassmoor and Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

Natural Flood Management schemes such as this are a sustainable way of using nature to manage flood risk. The work done at Grassmoor will also work to increase the availability of water within the landscape during times of drought, providing vital lifelines for wildlife and plant life, the need for which has been made abundantly clear last summer.

Its successful completion was marked with an event at Grassmoor Park on Wednesday 15 March. Members of the public were also welcomed with a site tour showcasing the new green spaces, habitat improvements, and natural flood management techniques.

Anthony Downing, Catchment Coordinator in the Environment Programme team at the Environment Agency, said: “This scheme is a shining example of the huge benefits of using nature to manage flood risk – and at the same time creating new habitats for wildlife to thrive and spaces that people can enjoy.

“We are facing a climate emergency and are determined to ensure we work with nature to be resilient and adapt. This project has been a great collaboration effort and certainly something we want to see more of in this area.”

Peter Myers, Project Coordinator at Friends of Grassmoor Country Park, said: “We are very proud to have played our part in supporting and working closely with Don Catchment Rivers Trust and Derbyshire County Council to deliver this scheme from the very early stages through to its successful outcome.

“The natural flood management measures are of course the key elements, but we are also very grateful for the inclusion of the significant wildlife habitat features, improvements and the environmental benefits that the scheme brings to our park. We look forward to the continued co-operation to see these elements develop and flourish in the coming years.

“On behalf of present and future generations who will benefit from this investment, thank you to all who have made this possible.”

Rachel Walker, Operations Director at Don Catchment Rivers Trust, said: “The main works were finished last October and the features have been working well over winter, holding water and slowly releasing it back into the Calow Brook. We’re really looking forward to seeing the meadows grow and the features blend into the park over spring and summer. Our thanks to all the volunteers who have joined in to help sow seeds, plant trees, and monitor the site – we will be continuing with the citizen science programme to chart the changes in the park over the coming years”.

Volunteers have been an invaluable asset to the scheme which has included lots of local community involvement such as sowing meadow seeds and helping to plant trees. Opportunities to volunteer for the project are still available with dates in April for sowing and planting.

Attenuation Pond at Grassmoor Country Park

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Work begins to refurbish former Chesterfield register office

Redevelopment work has started on the former register office in Chesterfield, which will provide a new home for talking therapies in Chesterfield.

Beighton Construction are overseeing the 14-week refurbishment at the building on Beetwell Street for charity Derwent Rural Counselling Service.

The company will carry out roof works, an internal strip out, a new damp proofing system and new electrics.

Inside the refurbishment project will include plastering, internal walls, decoration and floors plus new toilets and a lift with a view to the building opening this summer, and an official launch event in September.

Andrew Holmes, director at Beighton Construction, based in Chesterfield, said: “The works have started externally with scaffold erection, followed by the installation of new perimeter gutters by the roofing team.

“Internally, once the strip out works have taken place, the basement will be prepared for a new damp proofing system and structural alterations will be made to various walls and the first floor in readiness for the new lift.

“New floor screeds and plaster repairs will be carried out through the building, including the construction of new partition walls. Mechanical and electrical works will also run alongside the building works for the duration of the project.”

Final plans for the three storey premises, set to open in summer 2023, include office space, treatment and consulting rooms, meeting rooms and relaxation space to help cope with an increased demand for DRCS services in the area plus tenanted options including rooms and floorspace.

Janette Smeeton, chief executive at DRCS, said: “I am pleased that we are now moving forward on this important scheme that will be the largest building housing talking therapies in the county, and know the people of Chesterfield and beyond will benefit from having high quality facilities in the heart of the town.

“Restoring and reintroducing the building to community use will give it a new purpose, and allow us to deliver a high-quality service to support our service users, and offer room rentals and services to other organisations in the town.”

Over the last 30 years, DRCS has become the largest third sector provider of counselling services in the region offering help to individuals, via self referral or via a GP, with common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress and long term conditions through counselling, CBT, guided self-help, and other forms of talking therapy.

In the last eight years, DRCS has been in partnership with Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust to improve access to psychological therapies throughout Derbyshire achieving above national recovery rates and shorter waiting times.

Find out more about regeneration taking place across Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/

DCRS Former register office

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Chesterfield business leaders congratulate colleagues in Derby on winning bid for Great British Railways HQ

Leaders in Chesterfield have congratulated the team behind Derby’s winning bid to bring the headquarters of Great British Railways to the county.

The Department for Transport has confirmed that the city has beaten off competition from locations around the country, including Birmingham, Newcastle and York, to be selected as the home of Britain’s rail network.

This is expected to bring a number of benefits to Chesterfield, with several rail supply chain businesses already located here.

The news also comes as a new rail innovation and training centre The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) is being developed in Barrow Hill, as one of the projects outlined in the Staveley Town Deal.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to learn of the news that Derby has been successful in its bid to become the new headquarters for Great British Railways.

“I was pleased to offer Chesterfield Borough Council’s full support for Derby’s bid, and we look forward to working with the City to see how the Government’s decision to invest in Derby can also benefit our long-held ambition to grow the rail sector in Chesterfield.

“Through the Staveley Town Deal we are working with partners to develop the Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) at Barrow Hill Roundhouse. DRIIVe will provide a base for training the next generation of railway engineers and pioneering new advances within the rail sector through the provision of facilities for research and development.

“Given our proximity to Derby and the positive relationships we have built up with the City Council in our support of their bid, we very much hope that Chesterfield will be able to benefit from Derby cementing its place at the heart of Great Britain’s rail industry.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “I’m delighted to hear that Great British Railways has committed to locating it’s new HQ here in Derbyshire, as it will undoubtedly provide a boost to our economy here in Chesterfield.

“It gives us a big opportunity to build on our industrial roots and showcase our town’s credentials as a thriving hub of innovation. Chesterfield has always been a town with strong links to the rail industry, not forgetting of course that George Stephenson made our town his home for a number of years.”

“We have a number of businesses locally working in the supply chain for the rail sector, and having Great British Railways situated within our county will mean more opportunities for those existing firms, alongside unlocking more potential investment in our area.”

“I would like to congratulate everyone who was involved in making this bid a success, and look forward to seeing how this development will help to shape the economic landscape of our area in years to come.”

Mervyn Allcock, General Manager at Barrow Hill Ltd. said: “The news of Great British Railways being headquartered in nearby Derby is fantastic news for our town.

“We look forward to build on the town’s strong industrial heritage with the development of DRIIVe at Barrow Hill, which will provide the sector with the high-level skills required to help grow our rail infrastructure nationally.

“This will help to bring more economic prosperity to Chesterfield with quality job opportunities for local people, unlocking further growth across Chesterfield and Staveley.”

Barrow hill web main

Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Chesterfield

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Charity makes Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre its new home

A Chesterfield-based charity has got a brand-new home in the heart of the town.

CP Teens UK, which was founded in 2013 by Chesterfield based Ellie Simpson, has moved to the recently-opened Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre on Saltergate.

The charity, which provides ‘help, hope, inspiration & friendship’ to children, young people & beyond with Cerebral Palsy & similar physical disabilities both locally & nationally, was founded by Chesterfield’s Ellie Simpson, who has Cerebral Palsy herself.

Ten years on, the charity is moving to the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre as it continues to grow & expand.

Ellie said: “It’s such an exciting time for CP Teens UK – we celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the charity in October, and I feel that this move & opportunity to be based at the Northern Gateway has come at the perfect time as we continue to grow and reach more youngsters & their families.

“The facility is perfect for us as it’s so accessible, it’s a great location & it will enable us to build our initiatives, infrastructure & visibility in ways that we couldn’t before”.

Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

CP Teens UK delivers a whole host of events & initiatives that help young people with Cerebral Palsy and similar physical disabilities feel connected, supported & empowered. The
charity holds a lot within the local area, including its annual Ball at the Casa Hotel. Events & initiatives are also held nationwide bringing young people & their families together across the country.

CP Teens UK is run by Ellie herself on a day-to-day basis, alongside a small team of volunteers. By having an accessible & bigger base, CP Teens UK plans to recruit more office-based volunteers, provide work experience days for local physically disabled youngsters, make more partnerships and connections with both like-minded organisations & local businesses, and continue its growth & expansion.

Since opening in Summer 2022, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre has proven a resounding success for the town, attracting new investment to the area and helping indigenous businesses to grow and expand. Well over half of the space available has already been let since the opening of the centre.

To find out more about the wide range of quality office spaces currently available in Chesterfield, go to our ‘Find Your Perfect Office’ page.

For more information about CP Teens UK’s initiatives & services, or if you are a local business wanting to support CP Teens UK visit www.cpteensuk.org, or email office@cpteensuk.org

CP Teens

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Scheme launched to improve employability prospects for young people with learning disabilities

A new initiative has been launched, aimed at getting more young people with learning disabilities across our region into work.

‘Connected Futures in D2N2’ is an in-depth research project seeking to identify the system and issues around employment for young people with Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC).  It considers preparation for work, as well as securing employment and career progression.

The project, the first of its kind locally, is a partnership between D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (D2N2LEP), Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP) and Nottinghamshire County Council.  It is one of only seven projects nationally to be awarded the Connected Futures Fund from The Youth Futures Foundation.

The project initially focuses on Chesterfield, Derby City, Ashfield, Mansfield, and Nottingham City (D2N2 eligible areas) before learning is applied wider.

It involves examining the processes and pathways available for young people with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism, to enter employment and identify recommendations for strengthening outcomes.

Clare Talati, DEBP Chief Executive Officer said: “We are keen to work with as many organisations and representatives as possible to help compile a comprehensive study of what is currently available.  We can then work together to create a shared understanding of the problem, shared ambition for change, and shared commitment to action.”

Currently, just 1.8% of the working-age population with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism secure employment across our local area, meaning there is a huge talent pool for employers being lost.

One young person said: “No one really understands how hard it is and how frustrated I can get; I just want a job and to be like everyone else.”

Clare Talati added: “Amplifying the voice of young people to inform and influence other key stakeholders is fundamental to ensuring that there are accessible, consistent, and inclusive pathways towards employment.”

Inclusive employment has so many benefits, not just for the young person and the employer, but for the wider society too.  It enriches the workplace, brings in new perspectives, provides access to a new diverse talent stream, creates an employer base more representative of communities and so much more!

If you are interested in getting involved, here are just some of the ways you can help:

  1. Promote ‘Connected Futures in D2N2’ across your network and encourage engagement with the project.
  2. Support in engaging and capturing the voices of representative young people aged 14-25 and/or parents/carers.
  3. Engage with a survey about your current organisational offer.
  4. Commit to being part of a Strategy Group, to look at the learning further and support our Development Boards to shape their recommendations.

For more information, please email enquiries@debp.org

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

laptop social media

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Business park in Chesterfield with ‘great location’ goes up for auction

An investment opportunity has been made available in Chesterfield, with a business park which is already home to a number of tenants set to go under the hammer in early April.

The First Stage Business Park in Chesterfield, which is home to multiple light industrial businesses, has been put up for auction with a guide price of £1.1m. The business park will be included in the next online property auction held by Sheffield firm Mark Jenkinson, now part of Eddisons, on 4 April.

Comprising 17 light industrial units, the multi-let 3.3 acre site produces an annual rental income of over £109,000 and is home to a number of local companies. Metal finisher First Stage Machining; garage and repair shop Autofit; and MR Emergency Medical Services, which provides an independent ambulance service, medical cover for events and first aid training courses, are among current tenants.

Adrian Little, director at Mark Jenkinson, said: “This is a well known business park that’s in a great location on the outskirts of Chesterfield and close to junctions 29a and 30 of the M1. Occupancy levels remain consistently high and all 17 units are currently fully occupied, making this a fantastic investment opportunity.”

Bidding on the First Stage Business Park, and the other lots in Mark Jenkinson’s online property auction, opens at 9am on 4 April and closes from 12pm the same day. To view the full catalogue, go to www.markjenkinson.co.uk  

Mark Jenkinson is now part of property group Eddisons after it was acquired by the Leeds-based firm, which has 25 offices across the UK, earlier this month.

Find out more about the range of benefits associated with investing in Chesterfield, including the town’s ideal location, collaborative business community and quality workforce: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

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

First stage business park

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Chesterfield skills providers recognised at prestigious apprenticeship awards ceremony

Two skills and training providers in Chesterfield have been recognised in a national ceremony, which celebrates the best in apprenticeship delivery across the UK.

The AAC Apprenticeship Awards took place on 14th March 2023, in a special ceremony in Birmingham. A record 375 entries were received from training providers, colleges, universities and employers.

Workpays won the award for Legal, Finance, and Accounting Apprenticeship Provider of the Year, while GBS Apprenticeships were worthy finalists in the Digital Apprenticeship Provider of the Year category.

2023 marks the third year in a row that Workpays have won an accolade at the annual award ceremony, and is the second time that Workpays have won Legal, Finance, and Accounting Apprenticeship Provider of the Year.

Alex Glasner, Managing Director of Workpays (pictured above), said: “We are thrilled to win such a prestigious award for a third year in a row. This really is testament to the dedication of our apprenticeship team, who work day-in day-out to provide the best training possible to individuals across the country.

“Apprenticeships are an amazing way to support employees to gain the skills they need to excel as well as a great path to grow new talent. Our portfolio of apprenticeships and accredited qualifications enable this to happen.”

Alex continued: “All our programmes are tailored to the businesses and individuals we work with, each with its own unique learner journey, this is what has set us apart. We know first-hand how this can change people’s lives and help businesses grow. This award is further recognition of
the hard work of our entire team and I’m incredibly proud.”

Speaking about the company’s nomination as finalists in the Digital Apprenticeships category, GBS Apprenticeships said it was a ‘great honour’ to be recognised – adding that it indicates that the work the company has been doing is being acknowledged by experts and peers in the industry.

A statement from the company’s CEO, Penny Guard said: “I would like to thank the GBS team for their continued hard work and dedication to the company, and our students that continues to push boundaries through stretch and challenge creating talented individuals that strive for even greater successes in the future”.

Chesterfield is the first town in the UK to declare itself an Apprentice Town, demonstrating its commitment to developing future skills for young people and providing a strong pipeline of talent for local businesses. Find out more at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/what-is-apprentice-town/

Workpays and GBS Apprenticeships support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

AAC Awards GBS

GBS Apprenticeships at the AAC Awards 2023

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Custom Solar completes rooftop installation at neighbouring manufacturing business, Weightron Bilanciai

A Chesterfield solar installation business has recently completed a project with one of it’s neighbours, improving the sustainable energy use of one of our town’s manufacturing firms.

The team at Custom Solar say they are proud to have recently completed thr Solar PV Installation for Weightron Bilanciai, on Chesterfield Industrial Estate.

The 57kWp system was installed using 115 Solar PV Panels, allowing 48,019kWh of green energy to be generated per annum for the client.

During the delivery period of this project, Custom Solar’s operations team had to work particularly cautiously as they faced the challenging weather conditions of frosty December mornings. Their health and safety team closely monitored the situation daily and assured it was safe for the installation team to proceed with works. Monitoring the environment daily meant Custom Solar were able to complete the install successfully with no complications, maintaining their 10-year incident free Health and Safety record.

Nick Catt, Managing Director at Weightron stated, “Custom Solar were able to deliver a solution that meets our current requirements, yet has the capacity to be expanded in the future if required, a seamless project from enquiry to completion.”

Custom Solar’s Director of Business, Gary Sucharewycz, said “We are proud to have worked in partnership with Weightron Bilanciai to deliver a system that puts the business on the road for a more sustainable future. We loved having the opportunity to work locally with a neighbouring company to support them on their renewable energy journey.”

Custom Solar LTD designs, develops, installs, and maintains large scale infrastructure storage and solar systems for clientele including commercial and public sector institutions across the UK. The company’s track record of tailoring projects for large-scale commercial clients relies on creativity, expertise in engineering, and an industry-leading attitude to health & safety.

The collaboration with Weightron is a great example of two local businesses working together to improve sustainability across the town, and shows partnership working to help our local economy grow. Find out more about how the town’s businesses are being encouraged to further collaborate, following the Celebrate Chesterfield Business Conference 2023.

Custom Solar and Weightron Bilanciai  support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

custom solar weightron installation

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Local community groups invited to apply for grant funding

A new scheme has been launched in Chesterfield aimed at improving the lives of people in the town, with local voluntary and community organisations being invited to apply for funding.

More than £260,000 will be available over the next two years – including a pot of £118,000 which will be allocated during 2023/24 – as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s new Community Grants Fund.

Local eligible organisations can now apply for support from the fund, which will allocate grants ranging from £500 to £6,000.

The council secured funding for the scheme from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).

Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Councillor Tricia Gilby, said: “We are really pleased to have secured funding that we can share with local organisations to help them make a real difference to our residents. The funding will support the delivery of important projects across the borough – helping to improve life for local people and making sure our communities continue to thrive.

“I urge groups to check if they are eligible and get their application in as soon as possible so that we can start to see this funding make a real difference in our communities.”

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

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

The 2023/24 funding will be available in two tranches throughout the year. Applications for the first round of grants is now open – with applications invited by the deadline of Friday 28 April.

Alongside the Community Grants Fund, the council is running a community development project which will provide support to organisations wanting to apply for the grant.

Further details, including the full eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/community-grants-fund

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

town hall drone shot

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Opportunity to meet employers at Chesterfield market recruitment event

People looking to take the next steps in their career are being invited to meet employers and find out about local job vacancies at a recruitment event in Chesterfield Town Centre.

The recruitment day – which is the latest in a series of other successful events run by Chesterfield Borough Council and partners – takes place on Wednesday 22 March between 10am and 12pm, in Chesterfield market place.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m proud that as a council we have continued to host these events with our partners, and they have to date led to more than 200 job offers with around 100 people securing new careers in our area.

“It helps job seekers and employers to meet informally and discuss available roles before an application. If you’re looking for a new job in Chesterfield, then please do head along to this event and speak to some of the great businesses based in our area.”

Paul Munday, Employer Adviser at DWP Jobcentre Plus Derbyshire, said: “Having first run one of these events in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council back in 2021 it’s a testament to their success and positive feedback that on Wednesday 22 March that we are running our fifth event.

“As with our last event held in October 2022, we will be focusing on sustainable employment opportunities and health and wellbeing support for Chesterfield residents, as well as offering support and information around the latest Government initiatives of supporting the over 50s into work and In Work Progression for those already in part time employment.”

The drop-in event is open to everyone, with no need to make an appointment, but job seekers registered with Jobcentre Plus can reserve their place by speaking with their work coach.

There will be lots of opportunities available on the day from a range of sectors including hospitality, social care, engineering, logistics, transport and many more.

As well as job opportunities there will also be several apprenticeship providers who are currently recruiting for new apprentices. An apprenticeship offers a great opportunity to earn while you learn and can help people at any stage in life. Search for apprenticeships in Chesterfield by visiting: www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/become-an-apprentice-in-chesterfield/find-an-apprenticeship-in-chesterfield

The event is free for local businesses to attend and advertise vacancies, if you wish to have a stall at the event please email: chimene.cutler@dwp.gov.uk

Cllr Serjeant with employees from Chesterfield Borough Council

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