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Ground-breaking role created at Chesterfield FC Community Trust

Mollie Ward is relishing her ground-breaking role as a young people’s physical activity link worker, based in the HUB at the Technique Stadium.

Mollie recently took on the newly-created post, which sees her working with young people aged 14 to 25 who face challenges that prevent them from reaching their full potential.

The role has been created as a result of a partnership between Chesterfield FC Community Trust and Derbyshire Voluntary Action, who have come together to create a brand new social prescribing service for young people in Chesterfield.

Connect to… @ The HUB harnesses Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s experience in running social prescribing services for older adults for the last eight years, with Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s expertise, experience and facilities in supporting health and wellbeing in the community.

Summing up her role, Mollie says: “My job is to provide a person-centred support service for young people, working with them to highlight their interests and strengths, address their challenges, and to help them make the connections they don’t feel able to make by themselves.

“The connections could be to a community-based advice or counselling service, or to something sporty, arty, creative or social. Alternatively, it could be to volunteering, or literacy support, or a combination of several of those things – all of which will give them a strong foundation, positive wellbeing, basic skills and reliable relationships.”

Her new role represents a homecoming for Mollie, who was born in Bolsover and went to Heritage School in Clowne and the sixth form at Brookfield School before gaining a degree in psychology and working in London.

She worked in mental health services during her time in the capital, helping people in supported housing following discharge from hospital.

“For complete independent living, the people I supported needed help with community reintegration and engaging in community activities because often they had complex mental health needs like psychosis, schizophrenia and personality disorders,” Mollie explains.

“My clients were people who had been very withdrawn from society and had had long stays in hospital, some lasting five to ten years.

“My experience in London transfers into this role because you’re talking person-centred care and that’s what this role is about, it’s working with a person holistically, so not just the things that are holding them back, but also the positives.”

Mollie is delighted to have been given the opportunity to take on this new challenge, saying: “I’m really honoured because it is such an exciting thing to be part of what feels like a grassroots project. We really are building this new service from the ground up.

“I’m excited to get started – to have some young people come through the door and be able to work with them and follow their stories.”

Mollie can be contacted by emailing mollie@dva.org.uk or on 07522 023571.

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Deadline approaching for businesses to register for latest cohort of RISE graduate scheme

Chesterfield businesses are being encouraged to find out more about the latest cohort of RISE, a scheme matching SMEs with a pool of talented graduates.

Businesses have until 16th June to sign up to the RISE 6 scheme, which enables them to access people with the correct skillset in order to help their business grow.

RISE has been effective in helping SMEs overcome the barriers faced in graduate recruitment and equipping them with the tools and know-how to become successful graduate employers.

Since 2013 RISE has supported more than 400 regionally based SMEs successfully recruit over 500 graduates. Many of those businesses have gone on to report increases in turnover, productivity, innovation and growth as a result. The enhanced RISE project now provides even
more comprehensive business support and business benefits.

RISE is delivered in partnership by Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and Sheffield City Council. The project is receiving up to £684,132 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

RISE typically runs three campaigns every year. The key dates for the next campaign are:

  • 16th June 2021 Deadline to access support and be part of this campaign
  • 21st June – 11th July National RISE advertising campaign, including your role
  • 25th August Your graduate will attend a one-day graduate induction
  • October/November RISE 3-month business support meeting
  • January/February RISE 6-month business support meeting

Simon Thompson, Head of Student and Graduate Employability at Sheffield Hallam University said:  “Sheffield Hallam students get real-world experience throughout their degree and are able to bring fresh energy, new perspectives and specialist skills that can really support the growth of local businesses.

“RISE is widely revered for its expertise in bringing together talented local graduates and successful local SMEs to create a unique regional offer that delivers real impact and supports growth in the region.”

To find out more about the scheme, go to www.risescr.co.uk.

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Partnership agreement will develop the next generation of construction experts

Construction company Robert Woodhead Limited (part of the Woodhead Group) and Chesterfield College have entered into an agreement to work together on a range of initiatives to help the next generation discover more about careers in construction and develop the skills they need.

The Learning Partnership Agreement builds on the long-standing relationship between the two organisations. It formalises the way they will work together in the future, building on the successful apprenticeship and work experience schemes they already have in place. It also introduces some new initiatives which will bring more work experience and training opportunities, taster days for school pupils and work around encouraging women into construction.

Janine Borderick, People Development Director at Robert Woodhead Ltd said:

“This agreement is really important to help us grow the talent we need for the future. This will help us to reach people outside of our apprenticeship programme. We want to share our experience of the industry with people and give them an introduction to the wide range of career paths that are available in construction. We want people to come and see what we do and, together with the college, we will be shouting about the opportunities there are to work in the industry.”

Aaron Wathall, is 4 months into his Level 3 Built Environment Technical apprenticeship with Robert Woodhead Ltd. During his day of study at the college he witnessed the signing of the agreement. He explained how the company are helping him to discover all the opportunities available in the construction industry and shape his career. He said:

“I am really enjoying my apprenticeship. It is really diverse. I am learning about different aspects of construction, meeting people from across the company and gaining a lot more confidence. I have had support from everyone from IT to Site Managers. They have showed me new things and been really patient. Someone is always there to answer my questions.”

Terry Brickles, Curriculum Operations Manager for Construction said:

“Robert Woodhead Ltd have always valued the education and training we offer to provide them with a skilled workforce. They know that by working alongside us to support school and college students we will be able to pool resources to encourage the next generation into construction. I am excited about the initiatives we have planned and I look forward to helping more construction experts of the future develop the skills they need to be successful.”

Chesterfield College and Woodhead Group 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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Continued growth for Bridge Help prompts appointment of dedicated Loan Manager

Chesterfield-based short-term commercial finance company, Bridge Help has further swelled its numbers in 2021 with the appointment of Martin Bray.

Martin, who hails from Chesterfield, has joined the bridging loan company as its Loan Manager. His appointment recognises the company’s significant growth in the last 12 months prompting the business to now require a dedicated Loan Manager.

With a strong background in office administration and compliance, Martin will be responsible for managing the loan pipeline at Bridge Help and supporting its business development team who work remotely throughout the UK.

“It’s an exciting time to join Bridge Help,” said Martin. “It’s a great opportunity for me to get stuck into the Loan Manager role, really shape it and help Bridge Help meet its ambitions. I’m loving the role. The team is fantastic, and the work is really interesting. I’m in the middle of it all and enjoying contributing to the business’s success.”

Established in Chesterfield just two years ago, Bridge Help is fast becoming recognised as one of the best and more competitive commercial lenders in the market.

The company offers privately funded loans from £250,000 to £10million for a range of commercial investments, including land, buy-to-let and industrial properties, property development, auction and acquisition finance.

The dedicated Loan Manager role is critical to the growing business with the company’s loan pipeline expected to exceed £25m in 2021 alone. To manage the growing demand for its loan products and services, the company has also made three new business development manager appointments since the start of the year.

Bridge Help used local recruitment firm Edwards Employment Solutions to recruit Martin. Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help explained: “It’s critical that the loan pipeline is up-to-date and managed correctly, so the Loan Manager role is absolutely critical to the business. It was important we got the right person. Having worked with Edwards Employment Solutions in the past, I knew they understood the demands of our business and would be committed to finding us the right person. I haven’t been disappointed. We’re delighted to have Martin on board.”

Martin is based at Bridge Help’s head office on Old Brick Works Lane off Sheffield Road. The company made the move to the offices in July last year following an influx of loan applications during the pandemic which prompted further recruitment.

Outside work Martin, who is married and has a teenage daughter, enjoys model building, often receiving commissions from abroad, including Turkey and Australia, for his detailed miniature models.

Chris added: “I am very excited for the future of Bridge Help. The current financial climate has shown a very real need for alternative lenders other than high street banks.”

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

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Superior Wellness announces new recruits

Chesterfield’s superior Wellness has added to its growing team, with four new recruits being announced in the last month.

The company is Europe’s largest hot tub and swim spa distributor and the new team members are the latest in a long line of successes for the firm, having moved into a new 130,000 sq.ft warehouse and distribution centre earlier this year.

Tim Scott has been appointed as After Sales Manager and is managing a team of technical support advisors, customer service advisors and technicians. The team support with technical enquires, sending replacement parts to rectify customers issues and if required can provide engineer assistance with end users. Tim has over 20 years experience in the automotive retail network including Jaguar Land Rover where he was Head of After Sales.

Tim Stringer has joined the team as  PHP Developer and is working to improve the company’s CRM and automation processes amongst other projects. Tim has a wealth of experience in Laravel based systems and API Integrations.

Tim Stringer – Superior Wellness PHP Developer

George Sghendo has joined Superior Wellness as a Customer Service Advisor. George speaks fluent French to help the firm’s international partners in After Sales.

George Sghendo – Superior Wellness Customer Service Advisor

Lauren Raybould has also joined the company as a Customer Service Advisor as the After Sales team expands.

On the back of his recent appointment, Tim Scott, Aftersales Manager at Superior Wellness was quick to praise the working culture and environment within the company.

He said: “Since joining Superior Wellness I have been overwhelmed by the support from everyone including Senior Management. There is a great team ethic and a genuine family feel about the place.

“Every day I have woken up looking forward to coming to work and I haven’t had that feeling for a long time.

“The place is amazing, from sitting in the sky lounge (rooftop garden) at lunch to joining in with the team playing pool and table tennis, wellness is definitely at the heart of everything we do here, from free healthy snacks to subsidised healthy cooked meals, I haven’t gone hungry yet.

“This is genuinely the best place I have ever worked and I would recommend this place to all my family and friends.”

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.

Tim Scott – Superior Wellness Aftersales Manager

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Extra funding for Derbyshire community groups

An extra £50,000 is being allocated to groups in Derbyshire which are supporting local communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

Derbyshire County Council is making the money available to local community groups via the Public Health Covid-19 fund which was set up in June 2020.From helping a Chesterfield cancer support group to hold online sessions and enabling a Ripley running group to lead Covid-secure runs, a total of 34 community groups are set to benefit from the latest round of grants which were agreed by the county’s cabinet member for health and communities Councillor Carol Hart on June 3.

Councillor Hart said: “The response to the pandemic has seen many organisations across Derbyshire working tirelessly to ensure the basic needs of the most vulnerable residents are met.

“The Covid-19 fund was set up to ensure that community and voluntary organisations had enough resource to carry on with their vital work.”

So far, £185,657 has been awarded to a diverse range of Derbyshire organisations including parents’ associations, ethnic minority groups, older people’s charities and churches.

Councillor Hart added: “This additional funding will enable more groups to carry out work within their local communities.

“We’ve already seen some amazing work being carried out including food parcels for vulnerable people, a community café being set up and support for students.”

The Public Health Covid-19 Fund was set up to support voluntary and community sector organisations to help manage and reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on local communities. It also aims to help improve the health and wellbeing of local people.

Funding of up to a maximum value of £2,000 is available for constituted groups and £250 for non-constituted groups.

Applications must be linked to an existing Public Health programme, for example to support mental health and emotional wellbeing or to tackle social isolation. Find out more about the fund and how to apply on the Council’s website.

 

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Local leaders to guide green growth and recovery in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

As the UK transitions to a low carbon economy there are significant opportunities arising at pace from the changes to technology, methods of production and forms of consumption.

In response the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership has established a new Low Carbon Growth Group.

The group will convene and coordinate low carbon activity and programmes aimed at delivering opportunities for investment, business growth and jobs across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2).

The formation of the group comes as the Confederation of British Industry has set out its new UK Economic Strategy which emphasises decarbonisation as a critical factor in the UK’s economic recovery.

The new group aims to build on the LEPs ambitious plans to deliver the largest turnaround in carbon emissions in England, as part of its recovery and growth strategy. The group will also deliver on the goals of the UK’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.

The group will be chaired jointly by Becky Rix, D2N2 Board member and Marketing Director at Roadgas and Wayne Bexon, Interim Corporate Director for Growth and City Development at Nottingham City Council. Other members include representatives from a wide range of key local private and public sector organisations

On the group’s agenda is:

• Supporting the region to reach net zero
• Developing and enhancing greater coordination of low carbon investment plans
• Developing a portfolio of development opportunities to attract more government and private sector investment in the area.

Sajeeda Rose, Chief Executive at D2N2 said: “Underpinning the D2N2 Recovery and Growth strategy is our ambition to achieve the highest turnaround in carbon emissions in the country. Bringing together some of the region’s most influential experts to form the Low Carbon Recovery Group will provide the vision and action needed as our economy retools and moves towards a carbon-free tomorrow”

Becky Rix said: “I am delighted to be co-chairing the Low Carbon Growth Group and sharing my experience as we look for opportunities to deliver a low carbon agenda for the region. I think this as a very exciting time to be participating in the delivery of future developments as we focus on growth and a green recovery. I am looking forward to learning more about the opportunities and challenges, listening and learning from colleagues and ensuring collaboration for all interested stakeholders.”

Wayne Bexton said: “A Green Recovery has been referenced throughout the pandemic and this new group brings together expertise from across the private and public sector to target low carbon initiatives via a joined up approach. There is a unique opportunity ahead for carbon neutrality to be achieved alongside economic growth and Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire can be at the forefront for the UK on this agenda”.

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Families settle into towns first modular build homes

Families in Chesterfield are settling into their new homes following the completion of an innovative development to bring additional council houses to Brampton.

Ten new properties have been added to Chesterfield Borough Council’s housing stock after Fortem completed the ten-plot modular housing scheme at Heaton Court – making them the first properties of their kind in the borough.

The new sustainable housing, which is built off site and then transported to its location, offers the council a variety of affordable house types for local families. The innovative construction approach is becoming more popular in the UK and following this first successful development in Chesterfield, this approach will feature in the borough’s future plans to meet local housing need.

The new housing development at Heaton Court includes two four bed town houses, four three bed houses and four two bed houses – all of which were added to the council’s housing stock and let to local families.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said, “We’re pleased to see families settling into their new homes at Heaton Court. We’re committed to meeting the housing needs of local people – now and in the future – and these new properties will provide affordable, modern and accessible homes for families in our borough.

“As is the case across the country, we need more homes to meet the future needs of our communities and we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to achieve this locally. Building homes this way it creates less disruption on site for local communities and the end result is a much more sustainable and environmentally sound home.

“Living in a warm and energy efficient home is not only better for our planet, it will also reduce costs to run the property, offering affordable warmth to our tenants.”

Chesterfield Bourgh Council is committed to ensuring that all its housing stock is as energy efficient as possible, in response to the climate emergency that was declared by council leaders in July 2019. The lifecycle carbon emissions of the modular homes are around 12% lower, and it takes around 20% less energy to heat them compared to those that are traditionally built.

Electric charging points were provided to each dwelling as well as bird boxes and hedgehog runs in the gardens to support local wildlife. Landscaping works have also been completed across the site to allow off street parking and as much green space as possible.

The project has been a collaborative effort between Fortem and the council to ensure the quality of the modular builds was to the highest standard for tenants, whilst adhering to strict Government guidelines to build safely through Covid-19. Works were procured via Procurement Hub’s Built Environment Framework. This solution provides a holistic approach to urban developments to deliver projects that create environmentally low impact spaces.

James Taylor, Contracts Manager at Fortem, said “We’re extremely pleased to have completed the first modular housing scheme in the borough. This project has allowed us to provide essential, attractive new housing for the local community whilst delivering an innovative and sustainable solution.”

Louise Dodds, Client Relationship Manager at Procurement Hub, said “At Procurement Hub we love that our clients can benefit from the flexibility of our direct award Built Environment Framework. Chesterfield have worked closely with Fortem to deliver a unique, forward-thinking, and sustainable scheme that will benefit all in the community.

Cllr Ludlow added: “It is important that people looking for a new home have a choice of good quality properties to rent. Our ambition is to create an additional 100 new homes across town by 2023 and with the completion of these properties, along with others, we’re well on track to reach this target.”

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East Midlands Chamber helps create jobs for 400 young people in the region – but urges more to take advantage of vacancies

East Midlands Chamber has helped more than 400 young people in the region to find employment by playing a pivotal role in the Kickstart scheme.

Another 1,200 vacancies are live in the region after the region’s leading business representation group worked with 650 employers to create the six-month work placements. So far, there have been about 150 starters in Derbyshire, 100 in Leicestershire and 170 in Nottinghamshire.

Employers that want to create Kickstart roles – which are aimed at people aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit or at risk of long-term unemployment – often use gateway organisations such as East Midlands Chamber to apply to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a grant to cover the costs.

East Midlands Chamber deputy chief executive and Kickstart lead Diane Beresford said: “We know young people have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and the huge amount of unemployment it has created, so the Kickstart scheme is an important mechanism for helping them to get the skills they need to prepare for the world of work.

“We’re so proud to have played a key role in giving young people a chance they may not otherwise have had. After spending many months working with employers on their applications, it’s incredibly exciting and rewarding to see the fruits of our labour as people now start their jobs.

“Businesses taking part are playing a vital role in their communities by supporting and preparing our future workforce, while they also benefit from a relatively risk-free opportunity to trial new roles that could lead to future growth.”

How does the Kickstart scheme work?

The number of people aged 18 to 24 claiming unemployment-related benefits increased by 263,700 between February 2020 and March 2021 – a 110% rise – according to Government data.

In response, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the £2bn Kickstart scheme as part of his Plan for Jobs to help young people into work and spur Britain’s post-Covid economic revival.

Funding pays for 100% of the age-relevant National Minimum Wage, national insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week.

Employers can choose to top up this wage and are also eligible for a £1,500 Government grant for training people on a Kickstart placement.

Once applications are accepted, young people are referred into the roles via a Jobcentre Plus work coach.

The scheme is due to run until 31 December – the date when Kickstart jobs must begin – with funding available until 30 June 2022. However, East Midlands Chamber recommends making applications by the beginning of August.

It began making applications at the beginning of October and has worked with councils in Mansfield, Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Melton, as well as East Midlands accountancy firm Duncan & Toplis, to target businesses.

Overall, the Chamber has so far secured 2,770 vacancies – including more than 2,300 in the East Midlands – and dozens of vacancies are going live every week.

Diane added: “There’s still plenty of time for employers to sign up and we continue to work with local authorities to engage with companies about why they should take advantage of the scheme while they can.

“We also want to highlight the Kickstart scheme to young people on Universal Credit who might not be aware of it. There’s a very diverse range of roles available – from digital marketing and e-commerce to sales and admin positions – and they should get in touch with their local Jobcentre Plus work coach.”

Anyone aged 16 to 24 and claiming Universal Credit should speak to their Jobcentre Plus work coach. Find your local Jobcentre Plus branch at find-your-nearest-jobcentre.dwp.gov.uk.

Businesses interested in applying for a Kickstart scheme grant should contact East Midlands Chamber education and business partnership manager Pieter Eksteen on pieter.eksteen@emc-dnl.co.uk or 0333 320 0333 (Ext 2241).

 

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Chesterfield’s Corrugated Case Company creates eco-friendly furniture brand

A Chesterfield-based packaging company has launched a new venture aimed at creating eco-friendly home furnishings, children’s’ play pens and accessories.

Deckle & Chop has been created by the Corrugated Case Company to help fill the increasing demand for environmentally friendly and recyclable products.

The hand-crafted contemporary goods are made solely from cardboard, with the company initially releasing five designs from its toy range. The team behind Deckle & Chop say they’re now working on introducing new products on a regular basis, following a successful launch of home furniture products in March.

Lizzy Barker, structural packaging designer at Corrugated Case Company said: “Our journey starts over 20 years ago manufacturing standard cardboard boxes for business and commercial use. During our spare time, with our creative minds & understanding of cardboards amazing properties, we designed some pieces for the office and our own homes.

“We soon realised that these needed to be shared with the world and made available for purchase by everyone. We really hope that interest in our business and our products takes off and we are already working on new designs to add to our portfolio.”

Following the launch, Deckle and Chop has created a website and social media pages, in order to showcase the new products. Find out more at https://deckleandchop.com/ or on Facebook.

Recent designs include coffee tables, lampshades, and more recently play pens and an innovative ‘hot air balloon’ night light accessory centred around children.

Founded in 1996, The Corrugated Case Company continues to support a broad portfolio of clients ranging from local businesses to leading national brands — providing packing solutions for everything from products in transit to external customer-facing promotional packaging. The Corrugated Case Company’s products were also featured recently on an episode of the Britain’s Got Talent semi-finals. You can read more about that here. 

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

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Noonah installs selfie booths at Wembley Stadium, enabling fans to pose for photos with England stars

In readiness for a summer of live crowds, football and music, Chesterfield-based digital marketing company Noonah has partnered with Cake (Havas) to install two ‘Human Holograms’ Booths at Wembley Stadium for the EE project.

With software developed in-house at Noonah, the ‘EE Selfie Stations’ give fans the chance to have their picture taken with footballing stars including The Lionesses, Gareth Southgate or Harry Kane, Jadon Sancho & Harry Maguire.

Operated through your mobile phone, the kiosks use Noonah’s ‘covid-safe’ contactless technology which sends the photo souvenir directly to your inbox. The two kiosks are permanent installations in Wembley Stadium’s inner circle and mark an exciting milestone in the return to normal.

This video produced by Noonah shows how the technology works, along with detailing the installation at Wembley:

The company has been involved at Wembley before, previously helping the SSE Arena install a digital photo mosaic in order to say thank you to key workers during the covid-19 pandemic. Noonah has also worked with other big-name brands, such as Adidas, Vodafone, McDonalds, Sky TV and the BBC.

The Wembley installation is part of a wide range of augmented reality and digital experience projects carried out by the company, with other recent project including the Chesterfield Santa House last Christmas, along with the launch of a new product personalisation service available to small businesses.

Matt Franks CEO and Co-Founder of Noonah said “I’m extremely proud of the Noonah team in successfully delivering of this project for EE. It’s a new, innovative way of creating user generated content for brands in a post-Covid world the client is delighted with the outcome.”

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

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