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Chamber outlines asks ahead of Wednesday’s Budget

Ahead of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s first Budget on Wednesday 11 March Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:

“Now is the time for Government to replace sound-bites with concrete actions and commit to creating an environment in which our businesses and communities can thrive.”

“If Government is serious about ‘levelling up’, nowhere more needed than the East Midlands, it must take on board the real-world issues and concerns that, along with sustained uncertainty, have meant many of our businesses have been operating with the handbrake on in recent times.”

“This Budget must be one of aspiration. This includes committing to infrastructure investment, breaking down barriers that inhibit growth – such as the broken Business Rates system – and supporting businesses in their key priorities, like attracting the right people and enhancing climate and sustainability credentials.”

“This budget is an opportunity to put business, the creators of wealth and prosperity, front-and-centre in the UK’s drive for future prosperity and it is vital this opportunity is seized.”

The Chamber will be part of a live roundtable summit, hosted by strategic partner RSM, on Budget Day, with reaction both during and following Mr Sunak’s announcement.

For reaction on the day, follow @EMC_Newsroom on Twitter and visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Pitchford reaches first World Tour singles final and doubles final

Liam Pitchford hailed a “massive step” in his career as he reached his first singles final on the ITTF World Tour at the Qatar Open – a day after reaching his first doubles final.

And although both ended in defeat to opponents from the all-powerful Chinese camp, Pitchford can take huge confidence from a string of eye-catching performances, including beating the world No 1 in the semi-finals.

Seeded 15th for one of the strongest events on the calendar, world No 22 Pitchford started in the last 32 with a 4-2 win over Alvaro Robles of Spain and then overcame world No 27 Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus by the same margin.

His quarter-final against Chuang Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei showed Pitchford at his best as he dismissed the world No 37 – a former long-standing top-10 player – 4-0.

That set up a semi-final against Xu Xin, against whom Pitchford had never won a set. All that changed in spectacular fashion as the Chesterfield athlete won 4-2 with a performance of focus and intelligence as Xu struggled to find attacking openings against Pitchford’s precise short game.

The final was a high-quality affair against a player who was recently world No 1 and who had to pull out his top form to see off Pitchford 4-2).

Pitchford said: “It’s a bit mixed emotions. It’s always disappointing to lose a final, but overall it’s been a massively positive tournament. It’s a massive step and the next step is to win one.”

“I had my chances in the final and maybe on another day it could have gone my way, but I made him play his best and pushed him to the limit.”

“Especially against the Chinese, you’ve got to mix up the play and I think I did that really well.”

“The fifth set was one of the best sets I’ve played and it was probably the same for him. That’s what you’ve got to do against these players and that’s the level I want to be at all the time.”

A day earlier, Pitchford & Paul Drinkhall became the first English pair to reach an ITTF World Tour doubles final, which they did as an unseeded pair.

Having come back from 2-0 down to defeat Serbia’s Marko Jevtovic & Zsolt Peto 3-2 in the preliminary round, they saw off Mohammed Abdulwahhab & Ahmad Khalil Al-Mohannadi of the host nation 3-0 in the last 16, following up with a 3-1 defeat of Lam Siu Hang & Ng Pak Nam of Hong Kong in the quarter-finals.

It was another pair from Hong Kong in the semis, second seeds Ho Kwan Kit & Wong Chun Ting, and the English pair withstood a comeback to seal a 3-2 victory which made them the first English pair to reach a doubles final since the World Tour began in 1996.

Standing in their way were Xu Xin & Ma Long of China, the No 1 pair in the world and No 1 and No 3 respectively in the singles rankings.

Drinkhall & Pitchford lost the first 11-8 but hit back by the same margin, but the Chinese pair stepped on the gas to win the next 11-1, and they completed a 3-1 victory by winning five points in a row from 6-6 in the next set.

Pitchford said: “We hadn’t played together for a while but I think we proved we’re the best pair together and now we’ll play a few more tournaments together and hopefully kick on.”

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Chesterfield’s Seb Perez moves to European GT4

Chesterfield’s 20-year-old race ace, Seb Perez, is to be the new R-Motorsport Junior Driver in the highly competitive GT4 European Series, alongside team mate George Gamble.

Perez makes his move up to the GT4 European Series, after successfully racing Porsches in the last two seasons. Back in 2018, Perez won the Pro-Am title in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain. Last year the driver from Chesterfield claimed two victories in the Pro class of the one-make series.

The team pairing of Perez and Gamble as team mates is not new. The previous years have seen them in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and before that in Ginetta’s.

Perez commented: “I’m really looking forward to the 2020 season with R Motorsport and a new challenge with driving a GT4 Aston Martin Vantage with this vastly experienced team. The team adds European GT 4 this season to its range of different championships and their vast knowledge will help and George Gamble and I look forward to working with them.”

The Swiss motorsport outfit of R-Motorsport will make its GT4 European Series debut this season after confirming the expansion of its GT racing programme with the announcement of the first two drivers for the 2020 season. The spotlight will be on both Perez and Gamble bringing their talents and experience to the team.

Both drivers will race in one of R-Motorsport’s Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4s, taking their first steps in international GT racing. It is more closely based on a standard production car than the GT3 version and is regarded as its ‘little brother’.

Florian Kamelger, Team Principal, explained: “We are very pleased to be able to extend R-Motorsport’s range of activities this season. We see this involvement in GT4 as the logical extension of our previous GT sporting activities”.

“So, as part of our programme of development for juniors, we are now giving these two GT4 drivers a chance to perform well and show that they are ready to move up into the higher categories, such as GT3, for example.”

“With George Gamble and Seb Perez, we have signed two promising young talents, who are very keen to show just what they are capable of in GT4.”

First race of the season takes place in the UK at Silverstone in May and includes prestigious circuits including Spa-Francorchamps and the Nürburgring. The GT4 European championship features high level competition with team and drivers from around the world and promises top class racing and in previous years entries of up to 40 cars have been seen.

The Silverstone circuit will host the opening round of the 2020 GT4 European Series on May 8-10.

Editorial by Paul Horton

Image by R Motorsport  – Image Caption-  Perez and Gambles Supercar – The R-Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4

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North East Derbyshire District Council named as finalists in UK Housing awards for work on homelessness

North East Derbyshire District Council have been announced as finalists at the UK Housing Awards for their work in preventing residents becoming homeless through collaborative working with other authorities.

They have been nominated as finalists in the Homelessness Partnership of the Year category. Dash Services and authorities across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire set up Call B4 You Serve, an initiative which is aimed at providing landlords with free advice and support for dealing with tenants in difficulties.

The awards holders recognised the contribution and success of the Call B4 You Serve Project, which has helped people stay in their homes in difficult circumstances and has prevented homelessness across the two counties in the private rented sector.

Councillor Alan Powell, portfolio holder for Communications and Housing said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the Authority. Being recognised nationally and being finalists for the work we have done on homelessness just goes to show the efforts we are making to help people in desperate need.

“The advice and support landlords have received from the Call B4 You Serve project has been pivotal in helping people stay in their homes. We are passionate about helping both the tenant and landlord, and this project has provided the perfect platform the remediate between the two.

“This award is well deserved and shows that collaborative working with other authorities has far reaching benefits for our residents, a huge well done to all involved.”

The winners of the event will be announced on 7 May 2020 at an event at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Pictured left to right: Mark Skelton (Dash Services Call B4 You Serve) / Lee Pepper (NEDDC Housing Options Manager) / Linda Cobb (Dash Services Call B4 You Serve) / Helen Scott (Dash Services Call B4 You Serve) / Sally Agyeman Dash Services Call B4 You Serve)

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home

Chesterfield FC Community Trust secures National League Trust grant

Chesterfield FC Community Trust has secured funding from the National League Trust to support delivery of sports clubs in the community.

The project is aimed at engaging parts of the community that don’t always have the capacity to access sporting opportunities.

Keith Jackson, The Trust’s head of sport and activities, said: “It’s fantastic news that we have again secured funding from the National League.”

“This will enable us to increase our offer for those in deprived areas, those with disabilities and other hard to reach groups.”

“We owe a huge thanks to the National League Trust for supporting our project again.”

The recent Chesterfield FC match against Ebbsfleet United last weekend marked the Time to Change fixture for Chesterfield FC Community Trust. Time to Change is a nationwide campaign to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems.

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

Winners Revealed: Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards 2020

Shining stars of the local tourism industry were announced at the prestigious Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards last night (5 March).

Designed to recognise and reward excellence in the area’s valuable £2.3 billion visitor economy, the awards brought together 31 finalists in 11 categories for a glittering ceremony at Buxton’s Grade II* listed Devonshire Dome.

Some of the Peak District and Derbyshire’s finest hotels, B&Bs, holiday parks, pubs, visitor attractions and experiences were amongst those recognised at the awards evening, which was organised by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire with support from the University of Derby and the European Regional Development Fund.

Demonstrating the quality and diversity of the area’s tourism offer, awards were hotly contested and nominees progressed through shortlisting, mystery shopping and a rigorous judging process by panels of experts to arrive at last night’s much anticipated awards ceremony.

The evening was enhanced by a sparkling drinks reception which included tastings from White Peak Distillery, the area’s first full-scale craft distillery, and a three-course meal prepared by students from the University of Derby’s Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism.

Host James Berresford, former CEO of VisitEngland, congratulated finalists as Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners were announced, shining a spotlight on the best of the area’s visitor economy.

Gold award winners were each presented with a hand-crafted plaque sponsored by Derbyshire-based C W Sellors Fine Jewellery.

In a further boost, Gold winners will now represent the Peak District and Derbyshire at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence on Tuesday 16 June in Hull.

Brendan Moffett, of sponsors the University of Derby, said: “We’re delighted to host this wonderful celebration of the area’s tourism industry at the prestigious Devonshire Dome in Buxton.”

“The University of Derby is keen to use our location at the heart of the Peak District to continue to support the growth of our excellent tourism businesses and develop the next generation of talent to meet future challenges, ensuring the industry can remain strong and competitive.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “It is our privilege to celebrate some of the talented businesses who offer that extra special service and experience for some of the Peak District and Derbyshire’s 42 million visitors each year.”

“All of our finalists are shining examples of quality, excellence and innovation. It is this emphasis on quality that keeps us firmly on the map as a world-class visitor destination. Congratulations to all our worthy winners and finalists!”

The Winners:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

  • GOLD: Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington
  • Silver: Croft Bungalow Accessible Holiday Let, Birchover
  • Bronze: Hope Cross Cottage at Vicarage Farm, Wheston

B&B and Guest House of the Year

  • GOLD: Underleigh House, Hope
  • Silver: Grendon Bed & Breakfast, Buxton

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

  • GOLD: Landal Darwin Forest, Matlock
  • Silver: Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington
  • Bronze: Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

  • GOLD: Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington
  • Silver: The Devonshire Arms, Pilsley

Experience of the Year

  • GOLD: Pure Outdoor Ltd
  • Silver: Acclimbatize Ltd
  • Bronze: Live for the Hills Ltd

Hotel of the Year

  • GOLD: The Peacock at Rowsley
  • Silver: CASA Hotel, Chesterfield
  • Bronze: Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa, Chesterfield

New Tourism Business Award

  • GOLD: White Peak Distillery, Ambergate
  • Silver: myGuidedWalks Ltd
  • Bronze: Tagg Lane Dairy Ltd, Monyash

Pub of the Year

  • GOLD: The Prince of Wales Village Pub & Restaurant, Baslow
  • Silver: The Devonshire Arms, Beeley
  • Bronze: The Royal Oak, Hurdlow

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year

  • GOLD: Ashford Mill, Ashford-in-the-Water
  • Silver: Peak District Holidays Ltd, Matlock Bath
  • Bronze: Peak Venues – Redhurst Barn, Wetton

Taste of the Peak District & Derbyshire

  • GOLD: Fischer’s Baslow Hall
  • Silver: The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow
  • Bronze: The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop

Visitor Attraction of the Year

  • GOLD: Chatsworth
  • Silver: Matlock Farm Park
  • Bronze: Haddon Hall

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

Leading Chesterfield SMEs boost workforce skills – for free

Three prominent Chesterfield businesses are upskilling their management teams with free training thanks to a government scheme.

The Skills Support for the Workforce Programme supports SMEs to flourish with free courses to boost workforce skills. Delivered by leading provider The Source Skills Academy, with Chesterfield business coach and author Anne Burton at the helm, the training is worth up to £600 per person.

Peak Pipe Systems, one of the UK’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of polyethylene pipe, jumped at the opportunity of boosting its workers’ potential. Along with sister company ControlPoint Ltd, creators of quality assurance systems, it put nine team leaders forward for accredited Team Leading and Management courses.

ControlPoint opened its doors to other businesses and hosted the workshops at its Chesterfield Trading Estate site, including local company Weightron Bilanciai, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of weighbridges and industrial weighing products, software and automation. Five team leaders from Sheepbridge-based MSK Ingredients are also upskilling.

Sammy Hodgkiss, Service Team Leader at Weightron Bilanciai, said: “I want to progress to management at Weightron and this course will improve my leadership skills and give clarity on how to deal with HR issues should they arise.”

Laura Chapman (right), HR Manager at Peak Pipe Systems, commented: “We didn’t know there was free government funding to help us develop our employees until we heard about Skills Support for the Workforce from The Source. We realised it was a fantastic opportunity.”

“Investing in our people is a priority but we have to keep an eye on our budgets. A number of talented staff across our shop floor, offices and warehouse had been promoted to team leaders but had not received managerial training. SSW has enabled us to support them in their roles.”

“The employee’s voice is very important to us. Upskilling our managers, enables them to provide better support to their staff.”

Laura added: “As Chesterfield Champions, we were delighted to support other local businesses by hosting the training.”

Chesterfield has been designated a priority area in the Sheffield City Region’s delivery of the Skills Support for the Workforce Programme, which is co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Dale Robinson, Business Development Director at The Source, said: “We are helping Chesterfield SMEs grow by enabling them to develop their people at no cost.”

“Our SSW courses support the Sheffield City Region LEP’s priority to boost the local economy and will be running regularly in different parts of the region.”

Companies who want to develop staff management skills can contact The Source’s business development officer at vernon.tolson@thesourceacademy.co.uk

 

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

Clarissa’s Interiors opens at Vicar Lane

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is pleased to announce the opening of a brand-new independent pop-up shop at the centre.

Clarissa’s Interiors is run by mother and daughter team Jayne and Clare. They started out in 2016, making hand crafted glass jars and lanterns with floral designs and animals as well as creating bespoke designs for customers. They sold these on a stall at Chesterfield’s Thursday market, which was followed by a gazebo at Vicar Lane on a Saturday. This worked in tandem with them working the local country show and event circuit, so the pop-up shop is the next step in their exciting venture.

The store is located opposite CEX and sells a range of home interiors / home décor collections. These include Clare’s hand-crafted items along with beautiful items for the home – from mirrors, and clocks, to wall art, cushions, lamps, occasional chairs and tables, small accessories, candles, ornaments and more.

The store is open from 9am – 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We’re very pleased to be able to support yet another young, local business spread their wings and grow, in the heart of Chesterfield and are very excited to see the range of products on offer at Clarissa’s Interiors.’’

Click here to find out more about Vicar Lane Shopping Centre

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

New exhibition to showcase people, possessions and perceptions at Chatsworth

A new exhibition will present some of the fascinating figures that have shaped Chatsworth’s past and present over the centuries, by placing their portraits alongside key objects that both illuminate their story and influence perceptions about Chatsworth.

Life Stories traces the lives of friends, artists, politicians and others associated with Chatsworth. Running from 21 March to 4 October, the exhibition pairs portraits and objects, inviting visitors to look closer and meet the many faces of Chatsworth.

Artists Lucian Freud and Angela Conner, the playwright Tom Stoppard, the poet Sir John Betjeman, and ceramicist Natasha Daintry are paired in new and unexpected ways. Objects such as the abandoned paints used by Freud on an unfinished work found in the Sabine Bathroom are used to illustrate their relationship to Chatsworth.

Famous names and objects, Devonshire family members, and staff such as cellarman Edmund Marsden invite visitors to look again at works in the Collection. Founder Bess of Hardwick’s portrait is shown with a modern reproduction of her necklace of 1000 pearls, footage recreating the moment film star Adele Astaire met her future family introduces moments of humour and humanity, while new pieces of jewellery by contemporary artist Tarka Kings are inspired by Chatsworth’s collection of portrait miniatures.

Dr Alexandra Hodby, Curator of Exhibitions & Engagement, Chatsworth said: “We wanted to make the famous faces seen all around Chatsworth more human and easier to relate to – to reduce the distance that their name or the grand setting can sometimes create. In the end, they are human beings like the rest of us and by linking them to a very personal object we make it easier to understand them as people and the impact, great or small, they have had on Chatsworth over the years,”

Click here to find out more about the Life Stories Exhibition

Skin Deep by Natasha Daintry © Natasha Daintry © The Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth. Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees.

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Chesterfield FC Women appoint General Manager

Gabrielle Salomon has been named as the new general manager of Chesterfield FC Women.

Gabrielle, who is involved with the Sport Policy Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University, will oversee the day to day running of the organisation and take the lead on all off-the-pitch matters.

She holds an MSc in Sport Management and is studying for a PhD, investigating the impacts diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives have on gender equality in football workplaces.

Commenting on her new role, Gabrielle said: “I’m excited to join Chesterfield FC Women as this club experienced a lot of great progress both on and off the pitch over recent seasons.”

“There is a strong dynamic around the club’s operations and incredible work planned for the future.”

Michael Noon, Chesterfield FC Women’s chairman and first-team manager, added: “We are delighted to have been able to attract somebody of Gabi’s calibre to come and work with us. ”

“Gabi’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable and she will play a key role in developing the women’s set up even further.”

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

Climate change summit asks Derbyshire ‘what will you do?’

More than 150 people from local businesses, housing developers, councils and other public bodies gathered at an event to explore how they can work together to help tackle climate change.

The aim of the event, held at County Hall in Matlock, was to set out the vision and ambition for the whole of Derbyshire to become a net zero carbon county by 2050 – which means cutting carbon emissions from every area of everyday life to the lowest possible level and offsetting the remaining emissions through carbon absorbing measures such as planting trees.

Council leaders who attended from across the county showed their commitment by pledging their support to helping achieve the 2050 ambition in line with Government targets.

Derbyshire County Council Leader and Climate and Sustainability Champion Councillor Barry Lewis said:
“There’s no doubt our climate is changing and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.

“Clearly action is needed on an unprecedented scale and by 2032 the county council intends to be carbon neutral in terms of our property, street-lighting and fleet operating with net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

“But there is a far bigger challenge that faces us. The council’s own carbon footprint makes up just one per cent of emissions from Derbyshire as a whole. And this is where we intend to grab hold of the nettle and strive to make a real difference.

“By working with our district and borough council colleagues and neighbouring Derby City, we intend to be at the forefront of engagement and innovation, working alongside our communities and businesses and supporting them to bring about change.”

People attending the event were invited to test drive our new fleet of electric pool vehicles during the day. We’ve replaced some of our older diesel vehicles with eight electric cars and three electric bikes which will be used by our staff in an effort to reduce the environmental impact of making essential business journeys in their own cars.

Rounding off the day, Derbyshire Youth Councillors Alex McDermott and George Davidson set down a challenge to everyone attending the event to make changes within their own organisations to support the climate change agenda in Derbyshire.

Councillor Lewis added “We want to move further and faster than any local authority in the UK to achieve a sensible, credible, measured and cohesive plan in which every business and household feels empowered to play their part in reducing the county’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“No business, organisation or individual can halt global warming alone. But by working together, we can design a new way of living and set a strong example for others to follow.”

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