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Plans confirmed for popular Crooked Spire annual events

It has been confirmed that plans are underway for this year’s Well Dressing display and the popular Christmas Tree Festival, both of which take place at Chesterfield’s Crooked Spire Church.

Reverend Patrick Coleman said: “I can share the wonderful news that we are definitely planning to hold both the Well Dressing and the Christmas Tree Festival this year. There will need to be careful access control for viewing of the Well Dressing, and we are planning a free online booking system for the Christmas Tree Festival, so that in both cases we can make sure that hygiene and distancing measures are kept in place.”

He added: “At present, singing is still completely forbidden, so no announcements on Carol Services just yet. These events will certainly feel a little different but we owe it to all the people who value the Crooked Spire, and its presence and contribution to the town’s life, to try and make a go of these things even under present conditions.”

The Well Dressing is planned from August 29th to September 6th, with details of this year’s theme yet to be announced.

Well dressing is an ancient custom unique to Derbyshire. Chesterfield began well dressing in 1864 when the Town Pump in Market Place was decorated after a very dry summer. The custom died out, but was revived in 1991 when a well was dressed as part of an exhibition about Derbyshire traditions.

A well dressing takes up to 7 days of work, by a whole team of people, to finish. It will only last about a week before the clay dries and cracks and the flowers fade, then it’s taken down and the boards stored away – until next year.

The Festival of Christmas Trees is due to take place between for 14th and 29th November, with further details to be confirmed closer to the time.

The Cooked Spire is the largest church in Derbyshire and each year it is filled to overflowing with more than 100 Christmas trees decorated by local people, groups and shops, from WIs to scout and guide groups, from schools to high street stores, from accountants to Chesterfield Museum and many more besides.

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

Planning permission sought for canal restoration

The Chesterfield Canal Trust has submitted a planning application for the restoration of the remainder of the canal within Chesterfield. This covers the 1.6 miles from Staveley to the edge of Renishaw.

The application can be viewed on Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning website here.

The route is mostly through open countryside. Part of it sits on the Staveley Puddlebank which is an embankment running for nearly half a mile across the Doe Lea river valley. The canal will cross the river on a 37m long aqueduct.

When it is finished, the canal towpath will provide a delightful walking and cycling route which will link up with the Trans-Pennine Trail, the Arkwright Trail and the Norbriggs Cutting Trail.

The volunteers from the Trust will build another lock at Staveley to complement Staveley Town Lock which they built a few years ago. Altogether the Trust has spent well over £200,000 on its work on this site. Derbyshire County Council’s Reclamation Department has also sunk considerable funds into the project which, along with the Loop Road, has transformed the area.

The canal is integral to the local landscape and the Trust is discussing how the restoration is central to the vision for Staveley currently being developed as part of the Towns Fund. Staveley is one of 101 towns allocated up to £25m each to support capital regeneration projects, and the Trust believes that this application should be one of the chosen projects.

Staveley Puddlebank, May 1970

The Trust was planning to start restoration work at Renishaw on a further kilometre of canal, working with volunteers, however the Covid-19 situation has paused all work. The hope is that this work can start in the autumn. When both sections are complete, they will extend the canal within Derbyshire by 2.5 miles.

In 1989, twenty miles of the Chesterfield Canal lay derelict between Worksop and Chesterfield. Since then 12 miles and 34 locks have been restored. 3 new locks and 11 bridges have been built plus 2 marinas. Just over eight miles remain to be completed and this planning application covers 20% of that distance. This is the next step in the Trust’s campaign to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027, which will be the 250th Anniversary of its opening.

Rod Auton, Chesterfield Canal Trust Publicity Officer said: “When this planning application has been approved and the work has been done, it will give 1.6 miles more canal to Chesterfield and open up a new walking and cycling route that will include the 37m long Doe Lea aqueduct. With the Avant Homes development at Waterside, the proposed new garden village on the old Staveley Works site and the eventual development at Staveley Town Basin, the next few years will see a total transformation of the canal”.

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager added: “It’s excellent news that the restoration of Chesterfield Canal is moving forward at pace. The canal has played a role in Chesterfield’s economy for centuries. Where once it was a vital transport route it is now forming an important part of Chesterfield’s tourism offering. It offers exciting prospects for the town to further grow its overnight visitor economy.”

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.

Please note these images were taken prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Volunteer Work Party in Staveley Town Lock

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

Eight ducklings rescued from Old Whittington wastewater treatment works

A ‘quack’ team of Yorkshire Water engineers have rescued eight ducklings which had become trapped in an unused tank at Old Whittington wastewater treatment works.

The quick-thinking Yorkshire Water key workers used a net to fish them out and can now add wildlife rescue to their day job of looking after Chesterfield’s waste.

Joe Johnson, Product and Process Engineer at Yorkshire Water, said: “Eight ducklings swimming in an unused tank is not something you see every day.”

Joe added: “Thankfully we used our hook-a-duck skills and managed to pull them out and get them to safety. It was a quacking job by the team at Old Whittington.”

The rescued ducklings – christened Mick, Russ, Wayne, Steve, Alex, Ryan, Mark and Simon after Yorkshire Water’s colleagues at Old Whittington wastewater treatment works.

The ducklings have been taken to a local vet and following their recovery, were rehomed at a wildlife sanctuary.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home

Councils’ support Community Trust takeover of Chesterfield Football Club

Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council have resolved to each provide £0.5m loans to Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust (the ‘Trust’) to support the Trust’s acquisition and operation of Chesterfield Football Club (the ‘Club’), subject to final agreement with the Trust on terms and completion of due diligence.

Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet took the decision this morning (14 July 2020) whilst Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet came to an ‘in principle’ decision on the matter back in March.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Chesterfield Football Club has been an integral part of life here in Chesterfield borough for over 150 years.

“Football has the power to change people’s lives for the better. At such a difficult time for all of us, we believe the Club and Trust have key roles to play in supporting Chesterfield’s social and economic recovery.

“We’ve been impressed by the Trust’s approach in looking at all aspects of the Club’s financial and business affairs, and we think it’s the right thing for the Council to do to back the Trust at this time.

“We are also pleased to be working collaboratively with Derbyshire County Council on this venture and we very much welcome their involvement.”

Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “Derbyshire County Council has worked with Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust over many years on a range of education, health and wellbeing and employment support programmes.

“The loans to the Trust will mean that these programmes will be critical in supporting the communities of Chesterfield and north eastern Derbyshire to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

“We therefore believe it makes good sense for our two Councils to come together to help fund the Trust.

“We’re confident that the Trust can breathe new life into the Club and bring new visitors from far and wide to enjoy not just the football, but all that the wonderful county of Derbyshire has to offer.”

Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet decision is subject to the council’s call-in procedure, which means that the decision cannot be implemented until five calendar days have elapsed without a call-in being invoked.

Both councils have legal due diligence processes to complete to ensure that their respective interests are properly protected. It is proposed that the two £0.5m loans will be jointly secured by a legal charge on the Club’s stadium as was the case in 2009, when Chesterfield Borough Council provided a £1m loan to the Club, which was subsequently paid off

The loans will be repayable over a 15-year period and will attract a commercial rate of interest.

Should the Trust choose to sell the Club at some point in the future, then the Councils’ loans would be repaid in full at the point of sale.

The two Councils will also be invited to make appointments to the Trust.

anzacs chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Chesterfield FC Community Trust launch summer activities

Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s plans for summer delivery in 2020 have been outlined, with a return of the popular Spireites Sports Club and Girls Camp at St Mary’s Catholic High School.

Sessions will be socially distanced and follow all government guidelines. The Trust’s Saturday Morning Club has returned and enabled staff to deliver to smaller groups and trial temperature checks, hand sanitiser provision, the cleaning of equipment and enforce a one-way system around the venue.

The Trust’s head of sport and activities, Keith Jackson, said: “The safety of our participants is the number one priority, along with adhering to all government advice. Thereafter, we’ve been planning socially distanced delivery that will enable competitions and fun activities – the things that are the main ingredients of the Sports Club and always will be.”

The Trust has linked up with Dancedaze as part of their Spireites Schools Partnership and the leading street dance choreographers will be delivering ‘TikTok Tuesdays’ as part of the week-long clubs.

“We continue to look for new ways of creating engaging and exciting ways of making happy memories – TikTok is a hugely popular app and I’m sure learning the moves to the dances will be entertaining for everyone,” said Keith.

Additional safety measures put in place include extra staff for temperature checks, new equipment including footballs and cones, hand sanitiser breaks, equipment cleaning breaks and having smaller groups when delivering, all aimed at making the sessions as safe as possible.

The Sports Hall will be measured out for participants to have their own 2m space to keep their bags and personal equipment safe and all delivery will take place on the field.

New risk assessments have been produced along with the aforementioned changes, ensuring all safety guidelines are met.

Keith added: “Our coaches love to be on the grass as much as possible ordinarily, so whilst this decision is taken with safety in mind, it’s our preferred choice to deliver outdoors.”

Find out more about the Chesterfield FC Community Trust summer events below:

Chesterfield FC Community Trust use the power of Chesterfield FC and sport to inspire the community of Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

This picture was taken prior to the coronvirus outbreak

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

Robinson Packaging joins Britain’s biggest businesses to champion green recovery

CEO of Chesterfield’s Robinson PLC, Dr Helene Roberts, represented the packaging industry at a virtual meeting of over 200 business leaders to kick-start plans to make Britain a global leader of environmentally sustainable economies.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference. The event was due to take place in Glasgow in November but has now been postponed, threatening to slow efforts to tackle climate change and declining biodiversity.

The aim of the virtual event was to ensure that building an environmentally sustainable economy is back at the top of the agenda. Business leaders met with COP26 President and Business Secretary Alok Sharma and Environment Secretary George Eustice to plan the UK’s journey to COP26, now scheduled to take place in November 2021. The event was organised by the Council for Sustainable Business (CSB), in partnership with Defra.

Businesses including Unilever, Standard Chartered, Direct Line and Sainsbury’s heard film director and climate change campaigner Richard Curtis lead discussions on how the UK business community is inspiring action to repair our planet. Senior representatives from more than 200 businesses, NGOs and Government took part in the meeting.

Dr Helene says: “It was a truly inspirational event and I was delighted and proud to have taken part in what we hope will be a game changing commitment globally. As a company we are continually striving to become the best we can be environmentally and it is exciting to see other industries playing their part in a series of dramatic commitments which will help drive rapid and transformational change”.

Delegates focused on the steps being taken to advance a sustainable, green future and the need to take extraordinary actions to cut carbon emissions and restore nature and wildlife over the next 10 years, driving a ‘decade of difference’ for climate change and nature.

Liv Garfield, CEO of Severn Trent and CEO of the Council for Sustainable Business commented: “Business leaders have faced unprecedented challenges these past months and planning a sustainable future has slipped out of focus for many. It is more important than ever that we stay committed to make Britain a world leader when it comes to sustainable business operations which protect the environment for our future generations.”

“Every business in the UK has a role to play in delivering this. That is why today we are challenging ourselves and others to kickstart this new approach and commit to rapid and real transformations, proving that Britain can rise to the green recovery challenge.”

George Eustice, Environment Secretary said: “While the world has rightly been focused on tackling the immediate threat of coronavirus, the great global challenges of climate change, and nature and biodiversity loss have not gone away.”

“That’s why, especially ahead of COP26 in Glasgow next year, the government has committed to delivering a green and resilient recovery; the show of support from business leaders prioritising reducing emissions and restoring nature will play a huge part in delivering this and ensuring that the UK continues to be a global leader in protecting our environment for future generations.”

The event represents a key moment in the business community’s commitment to working with Government to deliver a green and resilient economy, aligning government policy and industrial scale to deliver ambitious environmental solutions.

Robinson Packaging 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, Development, Featured, Home

Residents asked to choose reusable alternatives during coronavirus pandemic

Chesterfield Borough Council and Plastic Free Chesterfield are asking local residents to think about the planet when wearing a face covering and encouraging more people to choose reusable solutions, rather than single use facemasks which are not biodegradable and not recyclable.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, sales of single-use facemasks have risen with many of these ending up polluting our streets and washing into our oceans.

According to an analysis by scientists at University College London, if every person in the UK used one single use facemask each day for a year, an extra 66,000 tonnes of contaminated plastic waste would be created. It would therefore greatly help our planet if people chose to re-use and wear reusable facemasks instead.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of the council, said: “We all understand that wearing facemasks is important to help protect each other and prevent the spread of Covid-19, especially in enclosed spaces.”

“Single use facemasks are often made from layers of plastic and if not disposed of properly may end up polluting our streets and oceans.”

“As part of the council’s climate change commitments, we’ve been asking everyone to consider what they can reduce, reuse or recycle. Choosing a reusable facemask is one important way that we as individuals can make a difference and help to tackle climate change.”

A number of Chesterfield businesses are also keen to reduce the use of single-use plastics, and are now accepting reusable and refillable containers.

Zero-waste business, Steph’s Sustainable Stuff, a regular on Chesterfield Market, have just started offering food refills such as pasta, rice, beans and cereals, on-top of providing refills on cleaning and hair care products.

Business owner, Steph Mannion said: “People will be really excited to hear that bringing their own container to refill at my stall is even safer than going to the supermarket. Your containers will only be handled by you, thus reducing any risk of infection. By bringing your own containers, you’re helping the planet as well as your family.”

Lottie’s Sandwich Bar on Saltergate offers a discount if you bring in your own reusable coffee cup. Business owner, Charlotte Mitchell-Fox, said “Small businesses have just as much a responsibility to protect our planet as larger companies.”

Newly opened cafe, El Cafe Verde on Sheffield Road, offers a 20p discount if you bring in your own reusable coffee cup, with further discount for key workers. Business owners, Gemma Hannan and daughter, said: “Coronavirus won’t be around forever but we are hoping our planet will”.

For anyone looking to purchase a reusable face mask, a list of local businesses selling them can also be found on the Plastic Free Chesterfield website here.

Greg Hewitt, Community Lead at Plastic Free Chesterfield said: “We are keen to provide assurance to Chesterfield businesses and the public that reusables and refillables can be safe during this time. To help with this, we’re hosting an online meeting with Rachel Yates of environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage on Wednesday 15th July at 7 pm.” Click here to find out more.

Using a washable, reusable face covering not only helps to reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste being created, it also means that supplies of clinical standard facemasks remain available for NHS staff and other key workers.

A reusable face covering can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head or one that you have made at home. There are many patterns available online. These can then be washed at 60 degrees so ready to use again.

Guidance suggests that if you can, you should wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces where it is difficult to maintain safe social distancing to help control the spread of Covid-19. They are compulsory on public transport.

The council is also urging those who do wear a single use facemask to dispose of these responsibly by placing them in a bin.

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

New Chief Nurse appointed at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

A Derbyshire nurse – with more than 30 years of experience in nursing and senior leadership roles – is set to join Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as its new Chief Nurse.

The Board of Directors will welcome Krishna Kallianpur in the autumn, when she will transfer from her current role (covering maternity leave) as Interim Chief Nurse at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust.

Krishna is well-respected by colleagues across the Derbyshire health and social care system – and she has played a pivotal role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the incident response and working with front-line with colleagues to understand their challenges, anxieties and fears.

Starting out as a staff nurse in 1987, she developed her nursing and senior leadership career at the former Derby City Hospital, Queens Hospital in Burton and at Royal Derby Hospitals. She describes herself as ‘passionate about nursing, patient safety and the health and wellbeing of staff’.

She comments: “I am absolutely delighted to be offered this prestigious, exciting and challenging role.  I am looking forward to working with everyone to support and lead improvement.  I really believe that exploring different ways of working, growing your own talent and supporting practice development enhances patient care.  With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to be an operational challenge, we will need to continue to partner with others to transform how we look after our patients, our staff and the people in our communities.  It will be a privilege to do this at Chesterfield Royal, to make sure we provide exceptional care and workplaces.”

The Chief Nurse is responsible for the Trust’s 1800 nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, working alongside the Medical Director to lead clinical performance, clinical governance, quality of patient care and experience.

Angie Smithson, Chief Executive says: “We are so pleased that Krishna is joining us.  She embodies the Trust’s values and I know she will absolutely want to make sure that we do all we can to ensure that every patient has safe, effective and personal care.  As an existing leader in our ‘Derbyshire system’, she knows our communities and our partners well – and I am sure she will thrive in her first executive director role, learning from her recent experiences in Derby where she is admired as ‘as an exemplary professional leader’.”

Krishna is replacing the Trust’s current Director of Nursing, Lynn Andrews, who is retiring after 40 years serving the NHS, taking the hospital from its former Care Quality Commission rating of ‘requires improvement’ to one of ‘good’ for the last four years.  Over the summer, Deputy Chief Nurse Sarah Ward will take up the ‘acting’ position until Krishna’s notice period at Derby is complete.

“This is a really exciting time for our nursing, midwifery and allied health professional teams,” continues Angie. “They are all determined to build on our existing platform of success.  With both Krishna and Sarah leading them I know we will realise more improvement, achieving even higher standards of care and enhanced patient and staff experience.  Recovering and restoring our services and learning to live and work alongside COVID-19 presents some real challenges for the NHS and I am confident they will both relish the opportunity to address those challenges.”

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

Angie Angie Smithson, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust also sits on the Board of Destination Chesterfield.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Chesterfield’s play areas and outdoor gyms to reopen

Chesterfield Borough Council has announced the re-opening of the borough’s play areas and outdoor gyms.

Following the Government’s direction that play areas and outdoor gyms could re-open, the council has been working hard to safely re-open these facilities. A number of measures have been introduced to ensure that everyone can have a safe and enjoyable time when visiting, whilst still maintaining social distancing.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We have some great outdoor spaces in the borough, including our play areas and outdoor gyms, and with the school holidays coming up soon I would encourage residents to enjoy these facilities again now lockdown measures are beginning to ease.”

“Steps have been taken at some play areas to support social distancing and I would ask everyone to follow the safety guidelines displayed on signs at each of our outdoor spaces. Please do look after yourselves and your families.”

Adults accompanying children to the play areas should be limited to one per household to allow more children to use the equipment, and we would encourage families to come back later if play areas are busy.

To help control the spread of Coronavirus, the council is also requesting that all visitors wash their hands or use anti-bacterial gel before and after using the play or outdoor gym equipment.

More information on the measures in place can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/your-council/coronavirus-information-hub/leisure-services-updates

Click here to find out ore about Summer in Chesterfield

Please note: the images in this article are from our image bank and were not taken recently

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

Demand for care jobs soars as Heathcotes has record month of applications

Chesterfield-based care provider, Heathcotes Group, has experienced a major surge in demand for jobs in the sector following a record month of applications for support worker positions nationwide.

The company’s total applications for June were up 81% on the previous month and over 100% above its monthly average. Currently recruiting for roles across 72 residential services in support of adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs, Heathcotes is receiving an increasing number of applications from candidates switching from other sectors such as retail, leisure, tourism and hospitality.

Heathcotes Head of Recruitment, Colin Ramwell, said: “The Covid-19 crisis has created a great deal of uncertainty surrounding employment and our recruitment team has received a gradual increase in applications since March, but we saw a huge spike in June. It could be related to employers in certain sectors making difficult decisions about their staff as the government furlough scheme is phased out between now and October.”

“In the short to medium term, we may see a shift in the composition of the UK’s workforce, with a higher percentage of people employed in sectors, like social care, that can offer job security. Employment in care can accommodate people making a change mid-career as the training and qualifications are usually provided and funded by the employer.”

“An Influx of applications is good news for care providers, but processing them has become more of a challenge. We are observing enhanced safety requirements, so initial interviews are carried out via Zoom. Although we may see a sustained increase in applicants, it remains vital for care providers to identify the right candidate profile within these numbers – someone with a caring, compassionate nature, a genuine interest in our profession  and a desire to have a positive impact of the lives on the people we support.”

Heathcotes believes that another consequence of the pandemic is a more positive perception of care work. The company sees this as another significant factor in attracting greater numbers to the sector.

Mr Ramwell said: “There is now a much greater appreciation of social care’s vital role in society and its value as a profession that makes a real difference to people’s lives. Coronavirus has put enormous pressure on social care, but I know that Heathcotes staff have met the challenge with incredible energy, skill and commitment, as well as impressive creativity in finding ways to help our service users to cope, stay safe and stay engaged during lockdown. We are hugely proud of our service teams and I’m sure that many other care providers feel the same about their workforce.”

Click here to find out more about Heathcotes Group

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Vicar Lane partners with Derbyshire Adult Community Education in virtual employer challenge for young people

Chesterfield’s Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education (DACES) to run a virtual education programme for young adults in Chesterfield.

Vicar Lane is working with organisers on a ‘Virtual Employer Challenge’, whereby the young people are set a task within a real-life employment environment. Participants will watch a virtual tour of the shopping centre to familiarise themselves with the task at hand on Wednesday 8th July, before working on their ideas.

The task Vicar Lane has set involves the young people imagining they are opening a pop-up shop and deciding what products they would like to sell. They are required to produce a business plan for their business and show how it will fit in with the current retailers at Vicar Lane. At the end of the programme, they have to present their proposed solution back to the employer.

The programme is aimed at young people aged 16 to help them gain the skills they need for the world of work. The programme can lead to apprenticeships, further training and employment.

Proposals will be presented by the learners, back to the centre management team via Zoom on Thursday 23rd July.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane said, “It’s a privilege to be working with a team of young people from the Chesterfield community to help improve their career prospects. Last year’s initiative generated some really exciting results, so we are looking forward to virtually seeing what this group of learners come up with.”

Click here to find out more about Vicar Lane Shopping Centre

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

The Vicar Lane team at the launch of the new screen in February.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Featured, Home