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Pinewood Property Estates joins the FIA as exclusive members for Chesterfield and Mansfield

Graham Lock, Founder of the FIA, has revealed that Pinewood Property Estates has accepted his invitation to become the exclusive members for Chesterfield and Mansfield.

Graham Lock said: “I’m thrilled that Pinewood have joined our growing network of high calibre independent agents, they’re an award winning agency that puts the customer at the heart of everything they do, together with a fantastic internal culture. It’s not easy to gain FIA membership but this was a simple decision. Pinewood are clearly on top of their game and I can see a great future for them”.

Director Stacey Davies-Bowler said: “We’re delighted to have been asked to join the FIA, it’s a reflection of our continued progress as an award-winning, customer focused agency. The support, guidance, discounts, products suite and general feeling of being part of something special really appealed to me. The area exclusivity afforded to us will be a significant benefit to the team.”

Graham Lock continued “As soon as I spoke with Stacey I realised Pinewood were the right fit for the FIA. They will compliment our other members perfectly as we continue to build our eyecatching network of high calibre agents throughout the country. I’m really looking forward to seeing Pinewood continue to grow their business and we’re delighted to be a part of that story.”

In 2019, Pinewood Property Estates picked up 4 Golds and 1 Bronze at the prestigious ESTAS Customer Service Awards.

Click here to find out more about Pinewood Property Estates

Pinewood Property Estates wins awards at The ESTAS

Pinewood Property Estates wins at The ESTAS

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

Derbyshire producers offered exciting opportunity to exhibit at Chatsworth Country Fair

Derbyshire producers will get a chance to showcase and sell their products to thousands of visitors at Chatsworth Country Fair this summer thanks to an exciting opportunity offered by the area’s official tourist board.

For the third year running, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire (MPDD) is inviting local artisans to apply for a place in the Inspired by the Peak District and Derbyshire Marketplace at the major annual event, which attracts over 70,000 people from across the UK.

Held in the magnificent Chatsworth parkland, Chatsworth Country Fair (4 – 6 September 2020) showcases the best in traditional, British country pursuits with spectacular showground entertainment, quality trade stands and fun for all the family.

The opportunity is open to small-to-medium-sized businesses ranging from food and drink producers to artists and craftspeople, and is part financially supported by the MPDD-led European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project ‘Growing & Developing the Visitor Economy Within Derbyshire (Phase II)’.

Derbyshire-based businesses can apply for a place using the following link: www.chatsworth-country-fair-marquee-2020.eventbrite.co.uk

Applications are open until Friday 1st May 2020. Successful applicants will be notified in early June 2020. Stalls provided to successful applicants will be subject to a charge of £100 plus VAT per business.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re excited to once again offer local businesses the fantastic opportunity to showcase their products and services at Chatsworth Country Fair via our ERDF project.”

“The event is the biggest and best of its kind in the country and our Inspired by the Peak District & Derbyshire Marketplace offers a unique platform for businesses to reach a potential audience of thousands of people from across the UK.”

“Thanks to our funding support, it’s a great chance for businesses to assess – with little financial risk – the effectiveness of exhibiting at a show such as this, with the hope that they attend under their own steam in future years. Good luck to everyone who applies!”

Val and Nigel Hufton of The Tasty Cakery exhibited in the Inspired by the Peak District & Derbyshire Marketplace last year. They said: “Attending Chatsworth Country Fair was a huge boost for our business. It was the best fair we had ever attended and we not only sold plenty of products, but we gained good exposure to the public and also valuable trade interest.”

“It provided us with a fantastic opportunity to sell our products at an event that we probably couldn’t have afforded to exhibit at in our own right. It was also great networking with other local producers and there was fantastic camaraderie!”

Click here to find out more about the Chatsworth Country Fair

Applications are open until Friday 1st May 2020

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Local potters inspired by Chesterfield’s past

A new exhibition at Chesterfield Museum will display ceramics created by members of a local pottery class and inspired by a historic pottery in Brampton.

Potters in the class were inspired by an owl figurine that was created in the William Gordon Pottery in Brampton, a pottery that was at the forefront of ceramic design during the 20th century, and which currently resides as part of the collections in Chesterfield Museum. In December the owl figurine was the museum’s object of the month.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Town Centres and Visitor Economy, said: “This is a great way for our museum’s collection to inspire the creative community locally. We’re really excited to display the results of the students’ work in this special exhibition.”

Clare Gage, who teaches the pottery class, said: “This William Gordon owl really caught my eye and I can see so many possibilities for how students could take inspiration from it. I love the fact that we will be connecting with local history for this project. What a fantastic way to inspire new potters.”

All the work was created as part of a pottery class that was launched at the Clay Cross Adult Community Education Centre in September 2019.

William Gordon moved to Chesterfield as a result of the expertise that existed at the Brampton properties – especially in the use of a salt-glaze technique. He worked in the Briddon Pottery in the 1930s before moving on to run his own pottery where he produced unique pieces until 1956.

The exhibition at Chesterfield Museum, which is owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council, is open to the public from Friday 7 February until Monday 23 March. The museum is open on Mondays and Thursday to Saturday from 10am – 4pm.

Click here to find out more

Students of the pottery class at Clay Cross Adult Community Education Centre have designed and produced pieces inspired by a William Gordon pottery owl

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

Consultation on funding for local voluntary and community sector launched

Local voluntary and community sector groups in Derbyshire are being asked to help shape their future funding arrangements during a 12 week consultation.

Derbyshire County Council has launched the consultation into funding for local voluntary and community sector (VCS) infrastructure organisations with a view to developing a fairer more consistent way of allocating money to support our ambitions and priorities.

The council has already met with the infrastructure groups – umbrella organisations which offer information, support, guidance, training and funding advice to the local charitable sector – as well as health partners and district and borough councils, to develop future funding principles based on:

  • fairness and consistency
  • outcomes (measurable achievements)
  • long term sustainability

We now want as many people as possible across the county to take part in the consultation and give their views.

Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “We’ve already been out talking to infrastructure organisations to find out what they need from us to carry out their work in a sustainable way. Based on their feedback, we’ve come up with some ideas and we’d now like to hear from as many people as possible on what they think of our proposals.”

Derbyshire County Council give grants of more than £3 million a year to local voluntary and charity groups carrying out valuable work for Derbyshire residents. A proportion of the funding supports the infrastructure organisations – often local council for voluntary service (CVS) groups.

The new proposals could see grants given out over 4 years instead of one, distributed along borough and district boundary lines and key performance indicators introduced.

Councillor Hart added: “The way we fund organisations has developed organically over time which has led to a fragmented approach. By developing a new funding framework, the community and voluntary sector will have a better idea of what we expect from our funding.”

“The sector is also asking us to look at providing funding over the longer term to give it stability.”

“As an Enterprising Council one of our key priorities is to create empowered and self-sufficient local communities. Supporting the voluntary and community sector to grow and thrive is central to achieving this.”

A report on the outcome of the consultation is due back before Cabinet in the summer.

Click here to read more about the proposals and fill in the online questionnaire.

Action Grants

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

D2N2 launches call for funding

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is opening a call for new projects from D2N2’s Local Growth Fund allocation.

The Local Growth Fund is a Government Fund awarded to each LEP area to support economic growth in every region. D2N2 has an allocation of just over £250M which has been invested in projects since 2015 to unlock new jobs, housing and support skills development.

As the fund is coming to the end of the programme, D2N2 is looking to invite potential new projects that are ready to be delivered in the last year of the programme before March 2021 to utilise any remaining funds, that can support the objectives for a stronger, more productive and inclusive region.

The LEP is inviting organisations to put forward their proposals for capital projects that support the economic objectives for the region as set out in the Strategic Economic Plan and emerging Local Industrial Strategy. This can include projects such as facilities to support innovation, managed or incubation workspace for new and growing businesses, infrastructure to unlock new housing and employment sites including transport, and skills capital to support learners.

Sajeeda Rose, CEO of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership said: “We are looking for projects that are ready to go that will facilitate new jobs and opportunities for local people and businesses and contribute towards the growth of the regional economy.”

“These projects will help us to drive forward our shared growth agenda, delivering economic growth and regenerating and revitalising our communities.”

Projects that have previously received Local Growth funding through the LEP include city and town centre regeneration projects, road and rail improvements, flood defences, training facilities, and development sites.

For more information and further details on how to apply to the pipeline call, visit the D2N2 LEP website here.

The deadline for responses is Midday on the 2nd of March 2020.

Over 200 delegates attended the 2019 D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership Annual Conference in November.

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

Local students find out how apprenticeships can kick start their career

Chesterfield College students and pupils from schools across Derbyshire had the opportunity to meet local and national employers offering exciting apprenticeship opportunities last week.

The Apprenticeship Careers Fair, held at the college during National Apprenticeship Week, brought students and employers from a range of different sectors together.

Students found out more about the type of careers they could start or develop with an apprenticeship and employers promoted the range of apprenticeships they offered in everything from business to healthcare and engineering to the armed forces.

Engineering apprentices, Warren Feast and Aaron Leivers (right), enjoyed speaking to students about the benefits of their apprenticeship with precision engineering company, Nasmyth based in Pinxton. They also highlighted the practicalities of earning and learning.

Warren said: “For me the best way to learn is to be hands on. An apprenticeship gives you the chance to learn in real situations day in day out. Spending time at college and learning on the job gives you the best of both worlds.”

“I never imagined that doing an apprenticeship would give me the knowledge and the confidence to talk to people about aerospace engineering. It’s really good to be able to speak to people about what their interests are and whether an apprenticeship would lead them on the right path.”

Chesterfield-based drinks manufacturer and owners of Casa Hotel and Peak Edge Hotel, Global Brands, currently have 8 apprentices and they are looking for 3 more apprentices in varying hospitality and business functions.

Andrea Houghton, Talent Acquisition and Development Manager, said: “We’re here today to highlight the opportunities there are to develop a career with us. We offer apprenticeships from level 2 all the way up to level 6. Our apprentices come into a real job doing vital business functions working alongside experienced professionals. They learn how the business works and our goal is to develop and keep that talent.”

Construction students Leon Humphries and Bradley Edge both secured a trial with Dalton Roofing at the Careers Fair.

Leon said: “The event was a great opportunity to find an apprenticeship. I have been trying to find the right one for a while so it was good to be able to speak to Dalton Roofing today. I am looking forward to starting a trial next week and hopefully getting started with my apprenticeship soon after that.”

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of the Chesterfield College Group said: “It is vital to encourage young people to consider apprenticeships as a route to building a successful career. Providing our students and school pupils with the opportunity to meet employers and other apprentices at the careers fair is a fantastic way to highlight the significant benefits an apprenticeship can offer. It was wonderful to see so many employers talking enthusiastically about how they need the talent and skills of our young people in their organisations.”

“I am delighted that we can play a part in helping young people establish a career and help employers develop the workforce they need through apprenticeships.”

To find out more about the huge range of apprenticeships on offer visit www.learningunlimiteduk.com or call the Apprenticeship Hub at Chesterfield College on 0345 8501055.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Visiting

New on-street bins to allow recycling on the go

Residents and visitors are being encouraged to recycle when they are on the go as the council has introduced new on-street bins in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield Borough Council has installed three new bins in the town centre as part of a trial with more expected across the borough in spring this year if it is a success.

Located outside the Town Hall, at the bottom of Shentall Gardens and outside the Customer Service Centre, the new bins replace single black on street bins, with one side of the bin allowing people to recycle plastic bottles, glass bottles and tin cans while the other side will still be used for general waste.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: said: “In July last year, the council declared a Climate Emergency and following this, we’ve been asking local people to consider their waste, what can be reduced, reused or recycled.

“We’re always looking at ways that we can make it easier for our residents and visitors to make the right choices when it comes to waste, both at home and when out in the borough, and these new bins will make it easier for everyone to recycle when they are in the town centre.

“Recycling is a positive way that we can all make a difference in our communities so we’re urging people working, living or visiting Chesterfield to use the new bins and help us ensure that as much waste as possible is recycled.”

Create Change Chesterfield

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

B&M donates £20,000 to Ashgate Hospicecare

A cash injection from B&M will help transform Chesterfield’s Ashgate Hospicecare, saving them vital funds.

The discount retailer has donated £20,000 to Ashgate Hospicecare which will help them continue to transform their ‘cramped and dated’ bay areas into nine beautiful bedrooms for their patients and families.

The hospice unveiled the brand new bedrooms to colleagues from B&M’s Chesterfield branch – and so far, the transformation is amazing.

Work on the three-bedded bay areas began in April this year and thanks to B&M’s donation they will be able to continue their transformation of the bays into nine private bedrooms.

With the donation the charity will be able to buy the essential items and fittings for one of the new bedrooms, enabling the hospice to provide the highest quality specialist care and emotional support for local people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

Ali Ward-Foster, Partnerships Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “Thank you so much to B&M for their amazing gift.”

“The new bedrooms will be a safe haven for so many patients and their families and will provide our patients and their loved ones with a spacious, private and homely environment when they need it the most. On behalf of everyone at Ashgate Hospicecare, thank you so much!”

The funds to help the charity were donated from B&M’s Community Fund which supports charities and projects within the communities their stores serve. The discount retailer looks for local causes which will make a real difference to their customers, our environment and to the communities in which our stores are based.

Area Manager, Joe Teague, said: “My team chose Ashgate Hospicecare because we wanted to help them with their journey to transforming the hospice.”

“The care the hospice provides can be a lifeline to local families so it is great that we can help and support local people in need.”

Click here to find out more about Ashgate Hospicecare

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

Celebrating our apprentices in Chesterfield

Sometimes national celebrations are specifically relevant to a local area, and that is the case with this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, taking place from 3 to 7 February.

One could argue that Chesterfield celebrates apprenticeships 52 weeks a year as we were the first, and I believe still remain the only place, to declare itself an Apprentice Town nearly three years ago.

Apprentices and apprenticeships are fundamental to Chesterfield’s ongoing success.

There is more than £1billion worth of investment, development and redevelopment taking place in and around the town which, it is estimated, will create will bring the opportunity to access up to 10,000 new jobs. I for one want local people and school leavers to benefit from these jobs, but they can only do this if they have the right skills and are aware of the opportunities available.

what is Apprentice Town

Chesterfield was the first town in the UK to declare itself an ‘Apprentice Town’

The Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference on 26 February will, I hope, further this conversation. The conference brings together business and education leaders to discuss how as a town we can develop our young people in order to improve the employability and skills offering for the future.

Let’s not wait for the conference however. If you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend – make sure young people around you are aware of apprenticeships and the value they bring to their personal and professional development and the town’s prosperity.

The theme for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is ‘Look Beyond’. It celebrates the diversity and value that apprenticeships bring to employers, apprentices and communities across England today. From highlighting the breadth of industries and roles available to the talent and energy apprentices bring into the workplace. Let’s all ‘look beyond’ when we’re giving young people post 16 careers advice.

Baasit Siddiqui, star of Gogglebox and expert on Education and Social Mobility, will be the key note speaker at the event.

More than 14,000 students in North Derbyshire are set to gain their GCSE and A Level qualifications in the next five years. As these young people weigh up their futures and decide how best to forge their career path, I believe it’s vital that apprenticeships are presented as viable options alongside University and A Levels, to pupils in schools.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that Chesterfield is future-proofed. Having a skilled workforce is key to ensure our town continues to thrive for generations to come.

“Apprentices and apprenticeships are fundamental to Chesterfield’s ongoing success”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Blog, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

New Chesterfield events company to bring interesting celebrities to the town

A&P Events, a new events company set up by Spire Recruitment‘s Lee Ashley and his cousin Leigh Priestley, is aiming to bring more celebrities to Chesterfield with their events.

A&P Events wants to give the people of Chesterfield a chance to see their favourite celebrities from the world of music, sport and more, in an up close and personal setting. The events will be held at the Proact Stadium, home to Chesterfield FC. The celebrities will start each event by talking about their life, career and experiences. This will be followed by a question and answer session where the audience will be given the opportunity to ask a direct question to the celebrity. A DJ will also be playing music from start to finish and the bar will be open throughout the event.

Lee said: “I am very excited to be starting this business with my cousin, hopefully if we can make this first booking a success, we can go on to bring further exciting events and people to the town!”

Their launch event, An Evening with Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, will take place on Saturday 23rd May at The Proact Stadium, where guests can enjoy an interview and Q&A with the legendary former England footballer. Meet and Greet packages are also available.

Click here to find out more or to book your tickets.

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

Chesterfield schoolgirl seeks votes to progress in CBBC singing competition

Georgie Mills, a 14-year-old student from Chesterfield, is currently a contestant on the hit CBBC show ‘Got What It Takes?’ and is appealing for residents to cast their votes for her in the upcoming semi-final.

In ‘Got What It Takes?’, eight teen singers compete for a life-changing prize with the help of their mums. Each week, the contestants learn about an aspect of the music industry, with the two challenge winners receiving a place in the sing-off. The third place in the sing-off is awarded to the contestant whose mum wins the physical activity challenge. The contestant who has won the most sing-offs at the end of week 8 automatically goes through to the final, with the other three finalists being decided by the public vote. The final four performers will compete in the final for the chance to perform at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

Series 5 began on 8 January 2020 and is shown every Wednesday evening on CBBC as well as being available on BBC iPlayer. The semi-final takes place on Wednesday 4th March, where the voting will open for only 24 hours.

Georgie currently attends Outwood Academy in Newbold and lives in Newbold village. Georgie has won local competitions such as Eckington‘s Got Talent, Dronfield’s Got Talent and Chesterfield’s Got Talent, as well as singing for over 3,000 people at the Ashgate Hospicecare Sparkle Night Walk.

On Saturday (1 February), Georgie appeared in the Grand Final of TeenStar UK, where she came third in the ’13 & Over’ category. In addition, Georgie was nominated for ‘Best Young Breakthrough Artist’ at the National Entertainment Awards.

Georgie said: “Performing at the TeenStar UK final on Saturday was a great experience for me and I was delighted to come third. To perform at The O2 was amazing and something I’ll never forget.”

Georgie now has her sights set on the ‘Got What it Takes?’ semi-final vote. She added: “I would absolutely love for everyone to vote for me in March so I can reach the final. I love to be on stage and I have been performing for as long as I can remember.”

Jo & Andy Mills, Georgie’s parents, said: “Singing is her dream and appearing on ‘Got what it Takes?’ is a fantastic opportunity for her. We’re now looking for all the help we can and for as many people to vote for Georgie as possible – the vote is only open for 24 hours so every vote counts! To see Georgie progress to the final would be absolutely amazing”.

Votes can be submitted for 24 hours from 4th March through the CBBC website here. Voting is free however please check for terms & conditions before voting. Previous episodes are available on BBC iPlayer for those who would like to watch Georgie’s journey so far.

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