Fifteen new statues have been have been added to the ‘Walking Together’ mining memorial at the Markham Vale Business Park to commemorate miners who tragically lost their lives in 3 disasters at Markham Colliery.
The business park was developed by Derbyshire County Council and HBD on the site of the former colliery and the memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the site’s strong mining heritage.
Each statue symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and represents the men who lost their lives in the 3 accidents in 1937, 1938 and 1973.
The new statues takes the total of life-sized steel figures to 77 and Derbyshire County Council continue to work alongside partners to fundraise for all 106 miners to be commemorated.
Councillor Barry Lewis Derbyshire County Council Leader, said: “Although the landscape looks very different, Markham Vale is a hive of industry and employment today just as it was back when the pit stood there and, it’s important we don’t forget the area’s roots.”
He added: “As we enter the final stages towards completing the memorial project, I’d like to thank all the sponsors for their contributions so far, including Viridor Credits Environmental Company for funding the most recent group of figures through the Landfill Communities Fund.”
These most recent additions have been dedicated to:
Local businesses are being offered the chance to boost productivity by working with the University of Derby to provide better mental health support for employees.
The Mental Health and Productivity Pilot will see the implementation of new workplace interventions at pilot organisations and the rollout of existing approaches in small, medium and large businesses across the Midlands Engine region.
The programme aims to:
contribute to the reduction of mental health distress
break down the barriers to accessing care faced by people experiencing mental illness
support their continuation in and return to work
make a positive contribution to organisational productivity, in terms of wellbeing and economic outcomes
Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health and Social Care at the University of Derby, said: “The cost to the economy of mental health across the Midlands could be in excess of £45bn this year. Yet research shows that for every £1 invested in supporting the mental health of employees, the return to the employer in productivity is £5. Those returns are greater still when employers take preventative, rather than reactive steps to help their staff.”
Around 1,900 employers took part in the first phase of project, exploring the issues of how mental health and wellbeing are currently dealt with in the workplace and its impact on performance.
Around a third of those taking part reported sickness absence among staff due to mental health issues, and a similar proportion recorded presenteeism, particularly in the hospitality and business services sectors.
Factors negatively affecting mental health of employees include:
Lone or remote working
Client expectations on time, quality and cost
Job insecurity
Recruitment practices
Dr Holt added: “A healthy and inclusive workplace is essential for all businesses, so providing appropriate support for employees, creating a culture of openness and tackling discrimination and stigma, will help to remove some of the barriers to growth and development for firms.”
“The research we have carried out shows that employers recognise that understanding how to address mental health issues effectively can boost morale, engagement and motivation, but also reveals that they are not always sure where to obtain the help they need.”
The pilot will link employers directly to initiatives such as Every Mind Matters, This is Me and Mental Health First Aid, which all provide expert guidance.
Once embedded into an organisation, the guidance aims to help reduce the prevalence of mental health difficulties and increase productivity among the workforce.
The University is now offering businesses of all sizes and from all sectors in Derbyshire and the surrounding areas with the opportunity to work with them integrate effective mental health provision into their organisation.
Training courses which not only help to raise awareness but could be used to support continuing professional development (CPD) are also available.
Businesses taking part will be asked to commit to an initial meeting to discuss how the programme would work for their company, creating a roadmap for its success, and promoting their commitment to the pilot in the workplace.
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.
The University of Derby’s Chesterfield campus, St Helena
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
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.
Launching as a local radio alternative to big national brands; Radio Rewind is a new digital age radio station for the communities of Chesterfield, Matlock and North Derbyshire.
The aim is to provide a professional-sounding radio station with friendly and familiar presenters who care about issues and events across Chesterfield, Matlock & North Derbyshire.
The station has been founded by two locals; Andrew Haslam and Joseph Turton, who both grew up in the Chesterfield area, surrounded by local radio and media. Between the two, they have previous experience working at online radio stations, an extensive history with a range of live events and knowledge of the broadcast media space.
Andrew Haslam and Joseph Turton
As a part of the station’s big plan, a local drive time show has been penciled in to start later this year, as well as putting several other local show slots together ready to be filled with local talent. One of which is local radio presenter James Hilton, who has over 20 years of radio experience.
Playing a range of music, from timeless 80s hits, right through to the latest charts and local music, with other shows dedicated to Rock, Blues, Late Night Love Classics and Dance Music, Radio Rewind is designed to appeal to radio listeners in the area, and fill the gap that has been left behind.
Radio Rewind’s Station Manager, Andrew, said: “As someone who grew up listening to local radio in Chesterfield, I am excited to be working on this new local radio station, and hope that we are supported by people and businesses in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire so we can work towards bringing local radio back on the dial, as well as online.”
He then added: “With more than half of radio listening now being via digital platforms such as DAB, smart speakers and other online sources, now is the right time to launch Radio Rewind, which is proud to stand as a local station.”
Co-Founder, Joseph Turton said: “A goal for us with Radio Rewind, is to be able to offer a professional sounding local radio station which endeavours to support local businesses, community groups and residents. As a station we pride ourselves on offering high quality and entertaining shows, along with, travel updates, local content & national and local news.”
“As support and listening increases for the station, we can bring on more and more local shows.”
To help make a difference in the area of North Derbyshire, Radio Rewind runs ‘Local Focus’, which is designed to help promote local events and not-for-profit organisations looking to showcase their groups and encourage people to join in with activities. Local Focus is free for any non-commercial group in the area and features will run regularly across the day.
The Plastic Free Chesterfield community group are encouraging Chesterfield people to join the Refill Revolution and bring their reusable water bottle, coffee cup or container to fill up on the go, rather than buying a single-use alternative.
With the school holidays, staycations and summer day trips in full swing as lockdown has eased, a new Summer of Refills campaign to help cut down on litter has been unveiled.
In the town, you can refill at more than 20 venues including Bottle & Thyme, Fred’s Haberdashery, The Cheese Factor, Stephensons Tea and Coffee House and Chesterfield High Street Award nominee Steph’s Sustainable Stuff. Plastic Free Chesterfield is highlighting a different business a day on their social media channels.
Simon Davidson, Owner of The Cheese Factor, said: “The Cheese Factor is joining the Summer of Refills campaign so people can start to help the planet by refilling containers not throwing them away!”
Steph Mannion of Steph’s Sustainable Stuff said: “I’m taking part in the Summer of Refills campaign to help the people of Chesterfield reduce their dependence on single-use plastics. Bringing their own containers for food, toiletries and cleaning products can save money and cut down on waste.”
Greg Hewitt, Community Lead of Plastic Free Chesterfield, said: “As the public get back out and about, enjoying their summer holidays, I hope they will choose to reuse and bring a reusable water bottle, coffee cup or container with them. We can all join together to make a difference and reduce single use in our community.”
The list of all Chesterfield businesses taking part can be found here.
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.
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.
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. ”
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.
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.
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