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Groups invited to apply for Youth Activity Grants

Community groups, clubs and charities that work with young people are being invited to apply for a share of £220,000 by Derbyshire County Council.

Grants are available for projects for young people aged from birth up to 19, or up to 25 if they have a disability. There’s no set amount of money that can be applied for.

Successful applicants, who will need to be a properly constituted group, will need to show that they can meet all or some of the following:

  • Support young people’s physical, mental and emotional development
  • Help young people to understand how to protect themselves from harm and neglect
  • Help young people to get more personal satisfaction out of their education, training and recreation time
  • Enable young people to make a contribution to society through volunteering programmes
  • Help young people to become socially responsible and economically independent adults.

Councillor Alex Dale,  Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Young People, said: “We are keen to hear from groups across the county about their plans to help young people this summer.”

“If you’re involved with a community group, club or charity in Derbyshire an Youth Activity Grant could be just the helping hand you need.”

“The process is quick and simple and if you apply now we’ll aim to give you a decision within three weeks, or within six weeks if you apply for £10,000 or more.”

The Youth Activity Grants are available until the end of the year, or until all the money has been allocated.

This image was taken prior to the coronavirus pandemic

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home

UKATA announces first Corporate Associate

A brand-new Corporate Associate partnership with the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) means that thirty thousand SMAS Worksafe members now have access to industry-leading asbestos training.

SMAS Worksafe, a leading health and safety assessment company, is UKATA’s first Corporate Associate following the launch of the strictly invitation-only scheme last year. It is open to like-minded associations, charities and not-for-profit organisations, professional and industry registers.

The partnership recognises the aligned aims of both organisations and comes at a critical period for the UK construction industry. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, workers in the sector are having to play catch-up with asbestos training that they were unable to complete during lockdown.

Commenting on the new partnership Craig Evans, UKATA Chief Operating Officer explained: “It made absolute sense to invite SMAS Worksafe to become a Corporate Associate.  Like us, they have a commitment and support to continued improvements and developments within the asbestos industry, in particular training.”

As well as upskilling SMAS Worksafe members, the partnership will also see members of each organisation benefit from an ongoing information share between UKATA and SMAS Worksafe of best practice in their respective fields.

The partnership will also enable members of SMAS Worksafe to respond to growing demand from construction companies for contractors to demonstrate their compliance with Environmental and Quality Management.

Trish Meyer, Business Development Manager at SMAS Worksafe, said of the partnership: “The aim of this partnership is to raise standards in asbestos across the industry. I look forward to working with the team at UKATA to ensure that our members are kept up to date with all the relevant asbestos information and know how to identify relevant and accredited training.”

Craig added: “Our collaboration recognises the quality standards of both organisations and aims to assist members and the wider industry alike to demonstrate their commitment to workplace safety.”

With around 5,000 deaths per year as a result of exposure to asbestos, it is imperative that the relevant workers have the appropriate level of asbestos training to help prevent putting themselves or others at risk in the course of their work.

Asbestos-related health issues, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma, are not identified immediately after exposure to asbestos as it takes a minimum of 15 years and up to 60 years, before deadly asbestos-related diseases present themselves.

A majority of UKATA-approved training providers are now fully operational and either delivering training courses by video conference, e-learning or within the classroom whilst observing social distancing guidelines.

UKATA 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, Featured, Home

Local man to run length of Chesterfield canal and back in 24 hours

On 29 August, local runner David Smith intends to run 92 miles in under 24 hours to raise money for the Chesterfield Canal Trust.

The canal runs for 46 miles from Chesterfield to the River Trent and he will run there and back in a day, the equivalent of 3 and a half marathons.

David is a Life Member of the Trust and will be raising money for its 2027 Appeal Fund. This aims to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027 which will be the 250th Anniversary of its opening.

He will set off from Chesterfield in the afternoon of Saturday 29th August. Having run through the night, he will be aiming to get back early on the Sunday afternoon.

David is no stranger to long distance running, nor to raising money for good causes.

Already a keen runner, when he moved to Chesterfield in 1994 he began looking for running routes and it wasn’t long before he came across the canal. Back then it was just a grassy track, but over the years he has seen what a great job the Trust has done helping to restore the canal.

After a while, various family events led him into fundraising and he started running to raise money for a variety of causes, most notably Ashgate Hospicecare and the MS Society; David’s wife has MS. In 2014, David’s grandson was stillborn and this pushed him to a new level, raising money for two babies’ charities – SANDS and Tommy’s.

David often runs in fancy dress carrying a collection bucket (see below) and has competed in events from 5K to 400K, raising over £100,000 in the process. Weather permitting, he will run in full Scooby Doo attire.

during the coronavirus pandemic. David carried on running in his back garden and later round Derbyshire but not raising much money. He had always wanted to tackle the Cuckoo Way – the official name for the canal towpath.

David said: “Over the weeks of lockdown the Canal has become a vital resource allowing walkers and cyclists to experience its beauty as they exercise. It’s important we ensure the brilliant efforts of the Trust volunteers are allowed to continue so the canal can be fully restored for even more people to enjoy.”

Rod Auton, Chesterfield Canal Trust Publicity Officer, said: “We were blown away when David got in touch with this incredible proposal. A few people have walked the full length of the canal in about 16 hours, but to run it there and back in a day is mind-boggling.”

He added: “We hope that the public will get behind David and contribute to our 2027 Appeal. It would be fantastic to see boats sailing into Chesterfield having come all the way from the river Trent. We’d certainly like to see David on the first boat – hopefully it will have been an easier, but slower, passage!”

If you would like to support David or the Canal Trust, you can visit the Chesterfield Canal Trust website or visit David’s Crowdfunder page. Alternatively, you can send a cheque to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road, Chesterfield, S43 2PF.

Chesterfield Canal Trust 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, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer

New appointment for Bridge Help

Chesterfield-based short-term commercial finance company, Bridge Help, has expanded further with the appointment of David Fielding.

David joins the business as an underwriter bringing nearly 30 years’ experience in the banking sector to his new role. He began his career in banking as a clerk before moving to a customer adviser role and then onto mortgage administration and credit reports, before progressing to a relationship manager position with RBS in 2001.

A self-confessed ‘number cruncher’, David commented: “I like working with maths and numbers and particularly enjoy the analytical side of credit.”

Within the newly created role at Bridge, David will be responsible for preparing the credit reports for the initial assessment of loan applicants with the Bridge Help loans committee.

He added: “I am delighted to join the company. Bridge Help very much has a can-do attitude making it particularly agile within the market. It’s tremendously exciting to part of the company’s growth and decision-making process.”

David, who lives in Rotherham, joins at a time of growth for the business which was established just 18 months ago by former solicitor Chris Sellars who welcomed David to the Bridge Help team. He said: “I am delighted to welcome David onboard. He represents a significant step forward for the business and our plans to grow our market share.

“Despite the challenges presented by Covid-19, loan applications remain strong as people look to invest in the UK commercial property market. Our loan book remains unaffected by the crisis and we are moving ahead with further recruitment in 2020.”

David is one of three new appointments made recently by Bridge Help to push forward the company’s growth ambitions within the bridging finance market. Further recruitment, and also a move to new premises, is planned for later this year.

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.

Chris Sellars

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Chesterfield College students celebrate A Level and Vocational course results

Chesterfield College students had plenty to celebrate when they collected their final A Level and Vocational results today.

After an unusual academic year and a nervous wait, students opened envelopes to find out how they had been graded without sitting exams. The college’s achievement and pass rates across academic and vocational courses mean the majority of students were delighted to find out they had the results they needed to progress on to further study or into employment.

With a 100% A Level pass rate and 76% of students receiving A*to C grades, along with a record number of the highest grades of A* to B, many students have secured their first choice university places.

A Level students returned to the college’s Sixth Form hub, in the former grammar school on Sheffield Road, for the first time since the college closed its doors at the beginning of lockdown to collect results. Students on vocational courses were also invited back to the college to collect results. This was the perfect opportunity to see familiar faces after several month of virtual learning, albeit with social distancing and safety measures in place.

Megan Ward, was delighted when she opened her results to discover she had an A in Psychology, an A in English and a C in Criminology. She said: “My psychology grade is what I expected and I’m so happy with the A in English, it’s great to see my hard work over the last two years has meant that I’ve shot up two grades. I wasn’t too stressed until last night, I couldn’t sleep until 2am but I just kept trying to tell myself not to worry about it because I can’t change what’s on the paper. I’m now going to study Psychology at the University of Brighton and eventually I want to pursue a career in the subject because I really enjoy it. I’m looking forward to going out for a meal with my family tonight to celebrate.”

Megan Ward

History and Philosophy student Olivia Laiken said: “I am so excited! I didn’t sleep at all last night. Getting an A and a B means I can go my first choice university and get where I want to be. I’ve got a place at Durham University to study History which is exactly where I want to be! It has been a nerve-racking wait. When you do an exam you can tell how it goes on the day but without that we didn’t really know how it was going to go. After my mocks I put so much extra work in and got lots of support from my tutor so I am glad that has paid off.”

Olivia Laiken

Students who collected vocational results across a range of subjects from media and digital technologies to construction and vehicle technology. They explained how it felt to finally know their results and what is next for them.

William Hughes, who received a Triple distinction* in Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT (Games, Application and Web Development) said: “I wasn’t too anxious about getting the results today because I knew I had a confirmed place at university but I am still happy to know that I did get my expected grades. I am going to Sheffield Hallam to study games programming next year. I had finished most of my work before lockdown and I only had a few things to left to do so it hasn’t been too difficult but I was wondering how our two years of work would be graded. I look forward to celebrating and relaxing now I know.”

William Hughes

Sophie Gribbin-Gabitas got an A* in NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical certificate in Childcare and Education. She said: “It’s a nice relief getting these results after working through lockdown. All that extra effort has definitely paid off. Getting this grade means I can start my university place at Sheffield Hallam to study teaching. I didn’t quite get the A Level grades I needed from school last year so they deferred my place and asked me to get some more UCAS points. I came to college to do a top up year and I really wanted to do well. I have tried my best this year and I am pleased it shows in my grade.”

Sophie Gribbin-Gabitas

Jo Kershaw, Director of Business Professional and Service Industries at Chesterfield College said:
“Congratulations to all our students who have worked incredibly hard this year, before and after lockdown. They should be very proud of their results. The hard work and commitment they have put into their studies throughout the year will help many of them move onto university-level study or into their chosen careers. I also want to thank our tutors for supporting students to achieve in challenging circumstances.”

“We know it has been a very different end to the academic year than any of us had planned but it is important we celebrate what our students have achieved over the entirety of their course and focus on the opportunities that this brings for them. It was good to have students back in college to celebrate with them today. Our priority now is to ensure we support students with their next steps and get the new academic year off to a great start with quality teaching in a safe space. We are looking forward to welcoming new and returning students in September. ”

Chesterfield College open days

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Featured, Home

Work progresses on site of Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

The erection of the structural steelwork frame for Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre marks a major milestone in the development’s progress.

Work on the site has been progressing safely through the Coronavirus pandemic with work on the foundations beginning in April and now the steelwork is being erected, which means that the new Enterprise Centre is on track to be completed and will be a key contributor to the town’s economic recovery.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, who visited the site said: “This is both an exciting and an important development for Chesterfield, and I’m pleased that work is continuing to progress despite the current challenges.”

“This Enterprise Centre is key to ensuring that Chesterfield remains a thriving borough and will create lots of new opportunities for local businesses and people, supporting the sustainability of the town centre.”

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is an important development in Chesterfield’s post-Coronavirus economic recovery plans. It is also a key part of the plan to regenerate this key area of the town and to ensure the town continues to thrive.

Robert Woodhead Limited’s Project Manager, Daniel Cove, said: “Our current works on site centre around the installation of the steel frame and are expected to be completed within the next two weeks. This will then allow us to bring back the ground workers, install the lift pit, the underground tanking and the perimeter blockwork to allow for the installation of the ground floor slab. We are also expecting to receive delivery of the pre-cast concrete stair and the composite metal decking at the end of August to allow for the installation of the roof and expect to be watertight by mid-October.

“We are working with local companies on this project, the ground worker we have contracted for the works is DJ Newbury who employ a number of Chesterfield residents. Going forward we hope to engage with local supply chains for a number of trades including dry lining, flooring and painting and decorating.”

Andrew Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “As a local practice we are delighted to see progress being made on site.”

“The Enterprise Centre is an important part of the Northern Gateway regeneration in Chesterfield, providing a new and unique commercial offer which is designed to be a catalyst for further investment and development.”

As well as providing high quality facilities for businesses wanting to locate in the town centre, the architecture will provide a new contemporary landmark which will enrich the urban fabric of the town. This building is further evidence that Chesterfield can deliver its ambition and realise a building fit for a long and sustainable future.

Scheduled for completion in Spring 2021, the new building will provide 32 high-quality offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors. It offers a shared reception and lobby area, meeting rooms, first floor break out area, bicycle store, shower and changing facilities, air conditioning throughout, lift access, internal bin store, kitchenettes on each floor for use by occupants, individually metered power supplies, access control to all office doors, CCTV coverage to internal communal areas and external area. IT fibre connection into building with maximum speed multi bandwidth and WIFI is provided throughout.

Office space is offered on easy in and out letting terms and tenants at the Enterprise Centre will also benefit from access to a range of other council services and venues, including business support and corporate rates for leisure passes, parking permits and conferencing facilities.

With its town centre location, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is easily accessible by car, train, bus and cycle users. It’s situated opposite the new Saltergate multi-story car park and close to all major bus routes and Chesterfield Train station.

The building has been designed to have sustainability principles at its heart, minimising its impact on the environment and achieving considerable efficiencies in energy use.

The new centre is an important addition to Chesterfield Borough Council’s commercial property portfolio and will hopefully be a key component in Chesterfield’s post COVID 19 recovery.

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre project has benefited from grant funding support from the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund.

To find out more about your business being based in the Enterprise Centre email either claire.cunningham@chesterfield.gov.uk or hannah.ramsdale@chesterfield.gov.uk.

To find out more about the Northern Gateway development, click here.

Architects for the centre, Whittam Cox have produced a virtual walkthrough of the building which you can watch below:

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Summer

D2N2 Growth Hub to receive cut of £20 million in grants to boost small business recovery

The Government has announced a support package of £20 million specifically aimed at SMEs to help them recover from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It comes on top of an unprecedented package of Government support to help businesses to recover. The support will be fully funded by the government from the England European Regional Development Fund and distributed through local Growth Hubs.

The funding will come in the form of a grant from between £1,000 – £5,000 which can be used to support one or a combination of the following activities:

  • Access to technology or new equipment in order to get back on track or diversify
  • Access to professional advice such as HR, legal or financial to aid business decision making and risk management

Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP, said: “Businesses will be able to use these new grants to pay for the expertise, equipment and technology they need to adapt, recover and rebuild.”

“Small and medium sized businesses are the beating heart of communities; they provide employment and contribute significantly to local economies and we are determined to give them the support they need to continue to thrive.”

The D2N2 Growth Hub is currently working hard to finalise the application process for these grants and will provide further information on the eligibility criteria as soon as it’s available. EU procurement regulations will apply to this funding.

Chris Pook, D2N2 Growth Hub Manager, said: “These additional grants are welcome news to support some of our local businesses to recover from the impacts of the Covid pandemic. Whilst there is a finite amount of funding to give out, the scheme will help businesses to become more resilient for the future by allowing them to source external advice or implement new technology to diversify their operation in response to COVID 19.”

The expectation is for the scheme to be available at the end of August. If you would like this information when it is published please click here and complete the form.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Small businesses hit by the pandemic to access support from University of Derby Business School

The University of Derby Business School is working with the Small Business Charter to deliver a specialised government funded programme for leaders of small businesses to survive and thrive in the coming months.

This new scheme comes as part of a £20million package the government is providing to help small businesses in the long term.

To aid business resilience and future growth in the current climate, the Small Business Leadership Programme will create peer groups to develop stronger leadership, innovation, operational efficiency, marketing and finance.

Derby Business School was accredited by the Small Business Charter (SBC) in January 2020, a national accreditation awarded by small businesses to business schools who excel in supporting SMEs and the local economy.

Coronavirus has put untold pressure on directors and CEOs of small companies trying to navigate unchartered waters.

The government has made up to £30 billion available to support economic recovery ahead of the Autumn and businesses can continue to draw upon a range of financial support during this challenging time, including loans, tax deferrals and cash grants. The SBLP will help businesses to bounce back from the impact of coronavirus and prepare for any future disruption.

Speaking about the Small Business Leadership Programme, Professor Kamil Omoteso, Pro Vice-Chancellor  Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Derby, said: “I am delighted that the University of Derby is working with the Small Business Leadership Programme to aid economic recovery and support small businesses affected by Covid-19.

“Across the region we have a high number of sectors affected by the pandemic and we are working closely with the city and the county to tackle its impact. Our aim is to support the re-skilling of people post-Covid, help businesses access our large talent pool of students and graduates, and share our expertise and funding to take the knowledge created within the University and embed it in businesses, partnerships and other organisations to help them innovate and grow.”

The practical syllabus provides business leaders with access to small business and management experts from Derby Business School. The Small Business Leadership Programme is free and fully funded by the Government to enhance small business resilience and recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and develop potential for future growth and productivity.

The short and focused programme will be delivered online through a structured course of eight 90-minute webinars over the course of 10 weeks and will provide the knowledge needed for businesses to tackle crisis situations. It will also give businesses the opportunity to strengthen their business network.  Participants will develop strategic leadership skills and the confidence to make informed decisions to boost business performance.

Anne Kiem OBE, CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, said: “As we continue to grapple with the Coronavirus crisis it is also essential we look long term to ensure small businesses are supported to build resilience, survival and growth. Business schools can provide the expertise and knowledge all business owners and directors need to continue to thrive in uncertain times.”

Small Business Minister, Paul Scully, said: “The strength of small businesses up and down the country will be vital as we begin to bounce back from coronavirus and re-build our economy. The Small Business Leadership Programme will help to equip small business leaders with the leadership and problem-solving skills they need to grow their firms in the wake of this pandemic.”

Find out more about the Small Business Leadership Programme and how to apply here.

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

Click here to find out more about the University of Derby’s Chesterfield Campus

St Helena’s in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Featured, Home

Series of digital events launched by Chesterfield Museum

Chesterfield Borough Council’s museum’s team have been busy planning a series of digital events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of V-J Day and the end of World War Two, and a range of online summer holiday activities. There are lots of great activities for the whole family to get involved in.

V-J Day – 75th Anniversary

Chesterfield Borough Council will be commemorating the 75th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) by launching an exclusive video on the Chesterfield Museum Facebook page.

V-J Day takes place on Saturday 15 August and the Museum have partnered with History’s Maid to develop a video that commemorates this day and the soldiers who tragically lost their lives in the Pacific campaign.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Our virtual VE Day celebrations were a great success and I’m pleased to be able to announce a similar selection of events and activities to help commemorate the anniversary of V-J Day.”

The video, along with activities for viewers to download, will be released via Facebook at 11am on Saturday 15 August. It will provide some important background to V-J Day including how it marked the end of World War Two. The video and activities will remain on the website for people to view and download.

Follow Chesterfield Museum on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/chesterfieldmuseum

Summer Holidays Online

Chesterfield Museum’s main exhibition this summer was going to be ‘Put That Light Out!’ which would explore the home front in Chesterfield during World War II, including rationing, holidays at home, the Women’s Voluntary Service and the Home Guard.

In order to bring this exhibition to life on a digital platform, the Museum will be running three online videos which aim to tell the story of everyday life during World War Two.

The videos will be available on the Chesterfield Museum Facebook page at 11am on three consecutive Mondays starting from 17 August.

Councillor Kate Sarvent continued: “I’m delighted that the Chesterfield Museum is able to make these videos available online, as it’s so important that we remind ourselves and teach our children and young people about what life was like during World War Two. The Chesterfield Museum website also has a selection of activities including some brilliant arts and crafts that will help young people connect with history and understand the impact of World War Two.”

The first video focusses on evacuation and you will learn about the role of an evacuation officer, how it felt to send her own children away and will discover what ‘operation pied piper’ was. You will also find out how gas masks influenced women’s hair styles, the meaning behind ‘saucepans for spitfires’ and how the blitz affected Chesterfield.

On the 24 August you can learn how rationing changed the lives of local people when it was introduced in January 1940, find out what was in weekly rations and some of the hints and tips that were popular at the time to make rations go further.

It will also look at ‘dig for victory’ and how this encouraged everyone to become vegetable gardeners and grow their own produce anywhere, even on the top of Anderson shelters. There is also a special look at the incredible work done in supplying food for the country by the Women’s Land Army during World War Two.

The final video in the series will be released on Monday 31 August and will explore why clothes rationing was introduced when materials were scarce and why this meant that boys wore shorts all year round no matter the weather. People were also encouraged to repair clothes and recycle old fabric, creating an overall message of waste not, want not.

The series of three video will be released on Facebook, www.facebook.com/chesterfieldmuseum, and the selection of activities that will help young people connect with history and understand the impact of World War Two can be accessed here: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/museum from Saturday 15 August.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield FC sold to Community Trust

The sale of Chesterfield FC to Chesterfield FC Community Trust has been officially completed.

The ground-breaking agreement, which brings an end to Dave Allen’s decade-long ownership of the Spireites, means the Community Trust is believed to be the first such organisation to own a professional football club in this country.

Community Trust chairman Mike Goodwin, who is set to take up a similar role on the football club board, is delighted to have concluded the deal following months of negotiations. He said: “It has been a long road to reach this position and we are now at the start of a new era for the football club. I would like to thank Dave Allen and Ashley Carson for their co-operation and wish them all the best for the future.”

“There was a very real possibility that the club could have been sold to someone who did not have the best interests of the club at heart. We would urge supporters to embrace the Community Trust as a safe pair of hands to safeguard the future of the club. We are all in this together so it is vital that supporters get behind us.”

“We set out from the start to build on solid foundations, putting together a robust business plan with the help of professional advisors including Rajesh Sharma from Tilston Ventures Ltd and Matt Dunham from Dunham Dean Advisory and we will continue to make decisions in the best interests of the club.”

“As a Trust, we have used the power of football and Chesterfield to make a positive difference to the lives of the people of North Derbyshire. The importance of the club to the community has been acknowledged by Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, who have each agreed to provide financial support for the acquisition and operation of the club.”

“Having spoken to John Pemberton, he shares our on-the-field vision for the club and he will receive the support he needs to shape a squad capable of competing effectively during the forthcoming season.”

“The hard work starts now and we are under no illusions about the size of the task in front of us. Now is the time for everyone to pull together and work to put the club on a firm footing.”

With Mike Warner and John Croot standing down as directors, a new board will be announced soon.

Chesterfield FC Proact

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Chesterfield College cookery student named South African Young Chef of the Year

Chesterfield College professional cookery student, William Joynes, has been named as the South African Young Chef of the Year after winning a national competition organised by South African deciduous fruit growers, Hortgro.

His skills and the effort he put into the competition means he will go on a trip to South Africa to learn from some of country’s top celebrity chefs.

In the first round of the competition, organisers asked young UK chefs to submit a main course showcasing South African stone fruit. Before lockdown, William and his fellow students, George Allen and Jake Parkin worked in the Chesterfield College kitchens to develop mouth-watering dishes to enter the competition. All three of them impressed judges with their entries and were shortlisted as finalists back in February.

They were due to travel to London to complete a cook-off final at High Timber restaurant, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant this stage of the competition was cancelled. Organisers later resurrected the competition and asked finalists to create a video to demonstrate how they would cook a dessert with a list of ingredients.

William worked with a former Chesterfield College media student to produce a video of him making a South African milk tart with a cinnamon crumb and a caramel apple sorbet. His choice of dish, his creative combination of ingredients and his skill in the kitchen made him stand out and he was named as the winner of the competition last week.

He will travel to Franschhoek in South Africa, as soon as travel restrictions are lifted, to join celebrity chefs, Reuben Riffel and John Norris-Rogers, Head Chef at La Petite Colombe. He will be fully involved in the running of two award-winning restaurants, gain a deeper understanding of how each operation works, and develop his knowledge of South African fine dining.

Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s General Manager for Trade and Markets: “William produced two superb competition entries. Both dishes demonstrated a great deal of skill, a clear understanding of the brief and he showcased South African stone and top fruit perfectly. William should be incredibly proud of himself and South Africa’s top chefs are looking forward to hosting his stage.”

William told us how he developed his dishes and how it felt when he found out he had won: “I did some research on South African dishes and I used the knowledge I had built up from working in the fine dining restaurant Rafters in Sheffield, as well as the skills we learnt at college, to develop the dishes. I added my own flair with my knowledge of different techniques and the ingredients we had to work with.”

He added: “It was just amazing when I found out I’d won. When my tutor called to tell me I was absolutely ecstatic. It was good to get that feedback from professional chef judges.  I am really looking forward to the trip to South Africa. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn about South African cuisine and get unique industry experience that will help me as I start to build my career.”

William’s tutor, Ian Matthews, who supported the students to enter the competition and ensured they had time to develop their dishes, said: “These competitions are a fantastic way for students to extend their skills. It is wonderful to see how each of the entrants from Chesterfield College approached the competition and it is a pleasure to support them to try new things in our training kitchens.

He added: “They worked really hard in difficult circumstances and continued to compete from home during lockdown. The fact that they were all finalists is down to their hard work and passion. I am very proud of them all and everyone at college sends congratulations to William. We look forward to hearing about his adventures in South Africa.”

Chesterfield College 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, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure