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New skills programmes launched to help get people back into work and advance their careers

Companies in Chesterfield will be able to benefit from a number of upskilling programmes, which will help to boost their organisations and reduce skills gaps.

A range of new skills programmes that aim to help people living in Chesterfield get back into work, access new career opportunities and boost their skills in their current roles are being launched by Chesterfield Borough Council and delivered by partners including Workpays, DBC Training and Workers Education Association.

The range of courses includes programmes that businesses can sign up for but also courses that people who are currently out of work can individually sign up for.

For individuals looking to develop skills to progress towards and into work, Workpays are offering a work readiness and digital inclusion programme from the 1 April to be delivered from a variety of community settings.

Businesses in the borough will be able to benefit from a number of upskilling programmes provided by DBC Training, including a range of Microsoft short courses that will address workplace digital skills gaps and increase productivity.

Specialist care training provider, Workers Education Association will be providing fully funded digital skills training to support people working in the care sector progress their careers.

Funding for the programmes has been provided through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “These are targeted programmes that will help ensure our residents can get the skills they need to access career opportunities and progress in our borough. These programmes form a key part of our skills action plan, which seeks to ensure that everyone can benefit from a growing local economy.

“As part of our skills action plan we work closely with businesses and these programmes aim to provide the skills they need to grow. I’d encourage local business owners to see if these programmes are suitable for them and get in touch as soon as possible to sign up.

“However, we’ve ensured that there is support available for everyone and our work readiness and digital inclusion programme will be run in the community and residents who are seeking employment will be able to sign up directly for these or sign up through their work coach.”

Workpays will be running a work readiness and digital inclusion programme. This will be hosted in community venues across the borough and will help people to develop employability and basic skills that will help them to join the workforce. They will also provide some basic digital skills and access to ICT equipment.

Workers Education Association will be working in care sector businesses to provide their employees with the digital skills they need to progress in the sector.

DBC Training will be providing a digital upskilling programme for businesses. This will allow employees to work through a range of digital courses designed to help them improve their skills, increase productivity and advance their careers.

Further training programmes focussed on green and digital skills for businesses and science, technology, engineering and mathematics will be launched later this year.

The new skills programmes are just one of a range of projects and initiatives which is being funded through the UKSPF, after the council was successful in securing £2.6 million from the Government. It will fund initiatives, until 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

Want to receive regular skills updates? Sign up for our skills and employability newsletter to be informed of the latest news, events, initiatives and showcases taking place in the local community: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/skills/skills-and-employability-newsletter-signup/.

Workpays and DBC Training support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Nibe business

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Love Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

More than 1,000 runners take part in Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K

The Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K has been hailed a great success by organisers, with more than 1,000 runners taking part.

The event returned to Queen’s Park on Sunday 24th March for the first time since the event was moved to March from its previous October date.

Philip Nind was the first to cross the 10k finish line with a time of 00:35:36, with Hayley Gill the first female to finish in a new course record time of 00:37:30 beating her old course record time by over 10 seconds.

The oldest participant in the event was Dave Onion aged 83, and Jayden Peace was the youngest at 15.

Harry Hewitt and Molly Bayliss were the first boy and girl across the line in the Veezu Fun Run, which returned for another year and took place within the boundaries of Queen’s Park in tandem with the main event.

14 organisations also took part in the Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge, a team entry into the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K’s weekend of events.

This year’s event saw the inaugural Nuzest Chesterfield 5K Challenge take place on Saturday 23 March. Situated within the boundaries of Queen’s Park, the winner of the event was Louie Jenkinson. Charlie Parker aged just 8 completed the Challenge also.

The event also helped raise thousands of pounds for good causes, with an estimated circa £30K pledged for charities selected by the runners from across the region including the 10K’s charity partners – Redbrik Foundation, Ashgate Hospice, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and Cavendish Cancer Care.

Following the event, John Timms, Event Director of the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K said: “Following a brief hiatus, it’s been fantastic to see the return of the Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10k to Queen’s Park.

“Ever since we first launched the event in 2020, our goal has always been to create a fantastic experience for participants that benefited the local community and generate much-needed funds for our partner charities. The people of Chesterfield really turned out, there were so many people who turned out to cheer on the runners all around the race route which was amazing.

“We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped ensure that the event came together, including our event partners, sponsors and of course the runners who took on the course on the day.

“I also want to say a huge thank you to all the volunteer marshals who gave up their free time on a Sunday morning to assist the runners, help the public and keep everything running smoothly.

“The patience from the people of Chesterfield who are most affected by the road disruptions is greatly appreciated and we thank them for their understanding throughout the day.

“The money raised by this event will help good causes like the Redbrik Foundation, Ashgate Hospice, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, Cavendish Cancer Care, and other charities to continue their fantastic work in the local community.”

David Cooper, Trustee of headline sponsor the Redbrik Foundation said: “It’s been yet another fantastic Redbrik Foundation Chesterfield 10K.

“Every year it’s such a great atmosphere with spectators lining the streets of the town centre and beautiful Queen’s Park showing their support for all the runners.

“It’s important to have events such as the Chesterfield 10K and everyone at Redbrik are more than happy to support. As a business with a significant presence in the town, it’s great to help showcase the town as people come from all parts of the country to support, contribute or take part.”

Redbrik 10k

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Historic first meeting for new East Midlands Combined County Authority

The first meeting of the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) took place in Chesterfield last week – with council leaders making a series of decisions that establish the organisation’s constitution, budget and plans to improve the lives of everyone who lives and works in the region.

The EMCCA Board, made up of the four leaders and deputy leaders from Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham councils debated a number of key reports at their first meeting on 20 March at Chesterfield Borough Council.

They were joined by representatives from district and borough councils across the area, who will join the Board at the next meeting planned for after the mayoral election.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, who said: “Our shared ambition for our place and the people we serve has united us over the past few years and will continue to be the driving force behind all we do as EMCCA develops and grows.

“The £4 billion of government funding on the table for us through the devolution deal is just the start.

“We aim to attract more investment by making things happen and turning round historic under-investment in the East Midlands so the regional economy is stronger and better for local residents.”

The board meeting took place in Chesterfield ahead of elections for the region’s first Mayor, on Thursday 2 May. After the election future board meetings will be chaired by the Mayor.

Following the board meeting more than 100 partners and stakeholders joined political leaders in a launch event to hear more about EMCCA’s future plans.

The group discussed the strategic framework that focuses on the importance of growing the region’s economy for everyone’s benefit by targeting investment to speed up economic growth, improving transport links to towns, cities and major employers in the East Midlands and improving skills support and training in key sectors.

The launch event was supported by SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, which is wholly-owned by six local authority shareholders, including the four constituent councils involved in the EMCCA.

first-east midlands combined authority -board-meeting

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Staveley Town Deal Board hears from first learners at the Construction Skills Hub

Students at the Construction Skills Hub shared their experiences with members of the Staveley Town Deal Board at a meeting this month.

The first cohort of learners started in September 2023. Initially based at Chesterfield College, they will be moving to the new training hub – one of the projects being funded through the Staveley Town Deal.

An innovative approach to learning, the Construction Skills Hub provides a range of sector specific training on a live construction site in Mastin Moor, allowing learners at the hub to develop their skills, whilst also gaining experience in the sector.

Brandon, a current student of the Construction Skills Hub. said: “This is an excellent opportunity for me to get the skills and knowledge needed to get a job within the construction industry, I have lived within the Staveley area since birth, and this will give me the chance to secure a job working within my local community.”

Brianna, one of two female students at the Construction Skills Hub, explained: “There are not many females who work within the construction trades, but I know that the training, qualifications and work experience that I learn will help me to achieve my ambition of working on a building site. Also, who knows, I might even encourage more females to learn a trade.”

The Construction Skills Hub forms a key part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s skills action plan.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The Hub is a fantastic way of ensuring young people can develop the skills and experience they need to secure a great career here in Staveley. It’s a unique way of approaching skills development and I’m pleased that we are working with so many fantastic partners to deliver this project, which will help ensure that young people in Staveley get the training and skills they need to have a great career in our borough.”

Chesterfield College and the University of Derby have been appointed to deliver the education programme at the Construction Skills Hub.

Gavin Varley, assistant principal, Advanced Manufacturing and Building Technologies explained: “Experiencing a live site is invaluable experience for our students taking their first steps into working in the construction industry. As a college we pride ourselves on serving the needs of our community and unique projects such as this one achieve that on so many levels. Students will experience every single aspect of what goes into a site of this scale meaning they enter this wonderful industry with their eyes wide open to the possibilities and opportunities it can offer them.”

The Hub is being built on a live construction site in Mastin Moor that is managed by the Devonshire Group.

Andrew Byrne, property development director at Devonshire Group, said: “The Devonshire Group is delighted to be involved with this project, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see its progress from an idea to reality and now have students on site. We’re committed to working with local communities and we believe that one of the best ways we can do this is by providing somewhere to train and upskill local people to create long term value for the area. The students who attend the Skills Hub will learn how to shape and create the places that we all live, work and play in. They will be the builders, developers and businesses of the future.”

Funded through the Staveley Town Deal the Construction Skills Hub is initially based in Mastin Moor but this will change as new housing sites are opened up and it will engage closely with local schools.

Ivan Fomin, chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, “It was fantastic to hear from some of the first learners at the Construction Skills Hub and discover how the investment made through the Town Deal is helping them to build their future in Staveley. Our aim is to ensure that Staveley is a place where people can start, stay and grow – the Hub is key to achieving this vision and providing a place where young people can start their career, grow their skills and build a long-term future in the town.”

The Construction Skills Hub is one of nine projects that will be funded through the Staveley Town Deal. After developing a Town Investment Plan, Staveley was awarded £25.2 million to deliver this plan with a funding deadline of March 2026.

Funding has also been provided to regenerate the town centre, extend the Chesterfield Canal and refurbish Barrow Hill Memorial Hall. Find out more about the Town Deal and the range of projects being funded by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/staveley-town-deal

Want to receive regular skills updates? Sign up for our skills and employability newsletter to be informed of the latest news, events, initiatives and showcases taking place in the local community: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/skills/skills-and-employability-newsletter-signup/.

Site visit to Construction Skills Hub

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Creating contemporary spaces in Chesterfield and Staveley town centres

New artist’s impressions have been revealed as two major regeneration schemes in Chesterfield and Staveley take milestone steps to transform our town centres into contemporary spaces.

Work to revamp Chesterfield town centre including our historic market place begins this summer Chesterfield Borough Council has announced.

The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will transform the look, feel and flow of key public spaces. The project has already seen work begin on the refurbishment of our town’s iconic Stephenson Memorial Hall, and improvements to Packers Row.

A new layout has been confirmed for Market Square – making it easier for shoppers to explore, with modernised stalls complemented with vibrant new canopies in heritage colours and the historic Town Pump a unique feature.

New layout for Chesterfield Market with contemporary stalls, heritage colours, Market Hall in the background, town pump a feature

Market Square Chesterfield – artist’s impression

New Square will become a more flexible space designed to support the main market and speciality markets and host festivals and events to bring our town centre to life.

Rykneld Square will become a green space where we can enjoy our much-loved Crooked Spire, and better connect this landmark to the town centre.

Imaginative new lighting will be installed at Spire Walk, enhancing the appearance of our iconic Crooked Spire at night, and creating a more attractive link into Rykneld Square.

Improved paving and lighting will revamp Corporation Street – a key entrance from Chesterfield Railway Station to Chesterfield Museum and the Pomegranate Theatre.

In Staveley, formal plans have been submitted for a new landmark building between Staveley Miners Welfare building and Staveley High Street.

The plans are a key part of the £6 million Staveley 21 project, which will transform the marketplace to support the hosting of new events, provide new tiered seating for outdoor theatre and open-air cinema screenings, and create natural play equipment for families. The scheme also includes better connections to Chesterfield Canal, improved lighting and a greener town centre.

The new building aims to reflect Staveley’s heritage with a modern twist, opening the view from Market Street into the town centre.

Several uses for the building are currently being considered including as a potential site for Staveley library or for retail, leisure, and business start-up uses.

Illustrated red brick pavilion building in Staveley town centre, Chesterfield

Staveley 21 Pavilion Building – artist’s impression

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said:

“The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will be completed in phases and is due for completion in 2025.

“We have a strong track record of making the most of external funding opportunities to invest in the future of our borough, and through projects like the Revitalising the Heart of Project this work will bring real improvements for the residents and businesses of our town, while boosting our appeal to visitors.”

Speaking about Staveley, Councillor Sarvent said:

“Town centres are changing and by trying to expand the offer, creating new opportunities for events and social spaces we want to boost visitor numbers and provide the space for local businesses to thrive.

“We’ll continue to engage directly with local businesses and residents over the coming months to finalise the plans and ensure the project meets their needs, including hosting more drop-in sessions for residents.”

The pavilion building has been designed by Chesterfield firm, Whittam Cox Architects. Ryan Fish, Associate Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said:

“Our team has meticulously developed the Pavilion building as part of the Staveley centre masterplan with utmost care and consideration. This project presented us with a unique opportunity to influence a scheme close to home, drawing on our intricate knowledge of the local area. The result is a contemporary development that not only honours Staveley’s heritage but also serves as a catalyst and hub of activity for future development, aligning with the long-term vision for the area.”

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “The Staveley 21 project has the potential to be transformative for the town centre, ensuring that it is a place where local people and visitors will want to spend time whilst also supporting local businesses to grow not only now but in the future. Our aim through the town deal is ensuring that Staveley is a place where people can Start, Stay and Grow and the town centre reflects this with something to entice all ages to visit, support local businesses and help them to grow.”

Pavilion building with clock surrounded by plants and modern market at Staveley

View from Staveley High Street – artist’s impression

The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will be completed in phases and is due for completion in 2025.

The Staveley area is benefitting from £25.2m worth of government funding through the Town Deal, which must be spent by March 2026.

Find out more about shopping and town centre experiences coming soon to Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

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

Chesterfield Children’s Festival set to welcome families for more fun in Queen’s Park this July

Organisers have confirmed that the Chesterfield Children’s Festival will return to Queen’s Park on the 27th and 28th of July.

This year’s event is being organised with the help of local young people and will include live movie sets, catwalks, an aerial workshop for babies and family life drawing!

The free event organised by Junction Arts and funded by Arts Council England, is a two-day festival for families that celebrates the joy of childhood, imagination and play.

Last year over 8,000 families attended the event, with over 4,000 children participating in the activities, which ranged from yoga classes to tie-dye workshops! Other highlights of the weekend included live music, comedy for kids, silent disco walking tours, theatre, Chinese storytelling and actual reality arcade games. The event attracted thousands of tourists from outside of the town, bringing over 3,500 people into Chesterfield.

New for 2024 is the Project Producers; a group of volunteers aged between 15-20 years of age that are advising and helping to plan the festival alongside Junction Arts. The group was formed earlier this year, and the idea is to give young people in Chesterfield an opportunity to have their say and develop some event planning skills.

This year’s event will take place on the first weekend of the summer holidays, 10 am – 4 pm each day. The festival is completely free, no booking is required, and visitors can turn up on the day to enjoy the activities.

The full festival line-up will be announced in June but acts confirmed so far include; Block Buster Factory, an award-winning immersive street show, where members of the public get to be part of a live movie set! There will also be an interactive family catwalk, family life drawing workshops and Take Flight – an aerial workshop for babies and their grown-ups!

To make the festival more accessible, Junction Arts has enlisted the help of RevoLOOtion, which provides mobile vehicles that enable disabled children and adults to use the toilet or be changed with dignity and respect, the RevoLOOtion service helps to break down barriers that often exclude them from participating in activities and events.

Jemma Burton, Project Coordinator from Junction Arts said: “We had an amazing response to the festival last year and I’m delighted that we are bringing it back to Chesterfield this summer. We’re also excited to have our Project Producers working with us this year, the group of young people are helping us to shape the festival by sharing their thoughts and experiences, as well as volunteering to plan and manage parts of the event. It’s great to have some youthful energy and creativity in the team!

“The full line-up is still being worked on, but I can say that we’ll have lots of creative activities for children of all ages to get involved in, plus some amazing live entertainment – we can’t wait to see you there.”

For further information visit: www.junctionarts.org or follow @junctionartuk on social media.

Find out more about fabulous family events coming soon to Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/events/

Junction Arts supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Chesterfield Childrens Festival 2023 web (44 of 100)

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Popular family-friendly Tractor Fest to return to Hasland this April

From mini tractor driving to antique tractors on display, a family fun day is returning to Derbyshire this spring, with kids able to attend for free.

Tractor Fest will take place on Sunday 28th April from 10am until 3pm at the Storforth Lane Trading Estate in Hasland, Chesterfield.

There will be a huge collection of tractors on display as well as fun activities, including mini fire engine rides, soft play, a climbing wall and more. The event, which is organised by Ashgate Hospice, costs £3 for adults and is free for children aged 11 and under – and tickets must be purchased in advance.

All proceeds from Tractor Fest will help fund vital care for patients and families who need the care of the hospice. Attending the event will help Ashgate fund care for families like Mick Richmond’s, whose wife of 55 years Glennis Richmond received care on the hospice’s Inpatient Unit.

Glennis, from Chesterfield, died in December 2022, aged 75, months after being diagnosed with cancer. Mick said: “We didn’t know really what to expect – whether it’d be doom and gloom or sad, but everyone was smiling and happy.

“I was amazed that all the staff and volunteers said hello as I walked down the corridors. The room was like a hotel room with a different bed. Glennis was happy.

“The nurses and healthcare assistants were just brilliant. They knew straight away how to get Glennis’ pain under control, and soon after she was able to sit up and talk.

“They did everything for us and were just so caring – we couldn’t have asked for more. The hospice allows you to go peacefully.”

The charity must raise £9 million each year so it can continue providing palliative and end of life care to people across North Derbyshire. The event will take place between 10am and 3pm. Its location can be found by searching S41 0QD into your satnav.

Jack Wood, Deputy Director of Income Generation at Ashgate Hospice, said: “We are delighted to be bringing Tractor Fest back to Chesterfield this April.

“Last year was a huge success and we were proud to welcome so many families from across Derbyshire.

“This year promises to be just as much fun, with something for all the family. Whether you’re a self-confessed tractor enthusiast or looking for a way to keep the kids entertained, there’ll be plenty on offer to keep you covered.”

Any owners of tractors or other farming vehicles who would like to showcase their vehicles are invited to contact the hospice’s events team at events@ashgatehospice.org.uk or on 01246 567250 to arrange this. To book your tickets to Ashgate Hospice’s Tractor Fest head to www.ashgatehospice.org.uk/tractor-fest

Alternatively, supporters can contact the hospice’s fundraising team on events@ashgatehospice.org.uk or by calling 01246 567250.

To find out more about great local events taking place in Chesterfield, and more great ways to spend time with your family in our area, head over to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

Ashgate Hospice supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Mum and son playing on a tractor at Ashgate Hospice's Tractor Fest

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Conference urges business growth and collaboration to boost Chesterfield’s economy

Businesses in Chesterfield are being encouraged to explore ways in which they can grow, as part of ambitious plans to improve the town’s economy and create higher-value jobs for residents.

Speakers at Destination Chesterfield’s annual Celebrate Chesterfield Business Conference highlighted ways in which local businesses can harness support to innovate and create new jobs.

They also identified that if all organisations in the town currently categorised as ‘low growth’ experienced just a 1% uplift, it would significantly boost the local economy.

Helping businesses to grow and ensuring people have the right skills are key objectives of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Growth Strategy (2023-2027). To support this, delegates at Celebrate Chesterfield heard from businesses which are innovating and overcoming challenges to boost growth.

Mike Isherwood, Managing Director of event headline sponsor, System Q explained how his business has evolved and adapted to become a supplier to major organisations, including the Ministry of Defence: “We are committed to providing our customers with the most innovative and advanced technology, ensuring their safety and security at all times.

“Our company is proud to be a part of the thriving high-tech community in Chesterfield, a town known for its innovation and progress. Despite the common belief that the best firms and talent are found in larger cities, this quaint town is home to a wealth of undiscovered talent.”

Ash Young, Managing Director of CarMats.co.uk recently relocated his business to the town.

He said: “If we hadn’t done things differently, we wouldn’t have seen the growth that we have. When we set up the business we were aiming for 100 orders per day, but because we changed the way we marketed the products, we are now shipping around 150,000 orders per year and we’re going to turn over about £7.5m this year.

“We’ve managed to hire a really skilled team in Chesterfield and the transport links mean it’s easy for us to get out to couriers easily.”

Amy Revell, of We Are Spaces Ltd recently expanded her business into larger office space at the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, having initially moved into the development last year.

She said: “We currently turn over around £7m and have 15 employees, and we are rapidly growing. Chesterfield has played a big part in our growth – we have a lovely office space here which we managed to grow from one of the smaller suites into a larger one. We’ve managed to recruit really good people in the area, and we are strategically placed really well. Being so central has allowed us to grow all of our core services nationally.”

At the conference, Destination Chesterfield also launched its ambitious new strategy and plan, which outlines the partnership’s aims to attract further inward investment, support businesses to grow and encourage more people to visit the town.

Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair, commented: “This plan reflects our town’s ambition, and where we collectively see the biggest growth opportunities. Recent research has identified 26% of revenues from tourism, inward investment and talent growth are shaped by people’s perception of a town or city.  Meaning our collective work to promote the town are vital to achieving the towns growth aspirations.

Celebrate Chesterfield business innovation panel, Mike Isherwood, Cllr Tricia Gilby, Adam Doyle

“Since 2010, Destination Chesterfield has worked alongside Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Champions to promote the area as a contemporary destination to invest, work, live and visit, and our public-private partnership continues to play a central role in the town’s success. We must continue working together to raise the profile of Chesterfield to realise its significant potential.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council added: “Celebrate is always a fantastic event that showcases the very best that our borough has to offer. It was great to be able to meet with businesses to talk about how the council can support them to grow, but also to hear from them directly and discover what else we can do to drive growth and investment.

“I was also pleased to see a strong reception the new Destination Chesterfield strategy and plan – this aligns closely with our own growth strategy and together we can help grow our local economy, attract more investment and deliver benefits for both businesses and our residents.”

The 2024 Celebrate Chesterfield Business Conference was also sponsored by Markham Vale and the University of Derby. The event also saw almost 40 businesses exhibiting across the East Midlands Chamber Business Support Zone and the Invest in Chesterfield Zone.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Love Chesterfield, Property and Construction, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , , , , , ,

Peak District & Derbyshire businesses celebrate English Tourism Week

People are being reminded about the many great attractions and locations just waiting to be explored in the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby as part of the area’s celebrations for English Tourism Week.

Taking place from 15 to 24 March 2024, English Tourism Week aims to raise the profile of the industry and celebrate the value and quality of tourism in England.

This year’s campaign, co-ordinated by VisitEngland, is using the strapline ‘supporting tourism, the heart of our communities’ to highlight the industry’s important economic, cultural and social impact.

Tourism in the Peak District and Derbyshire continues to be a key driver of jobs and growth for the area, generating an estimated £2.59 billion for the local economy and employing over 28,000 people.

The Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) aims to grow the visitor economy further, working with local, national and regional stakeholders to create a strong, sustainable tourism sector that benefits everyone.

As part of the local celebrations for English Tourism Week, Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council, Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, and Stella Birks, Visitor Economy Development Manager at Derby City Council, visited Derby’s historic Museum of Making to show their support.

The visit kick-started a week of digital activity that will see the teams from Visit Peak District & Derbyshire and Visit Derby showcasing local tourism businesses and urging visitors and residents alike to explore everything the area has to offer.

From stately homes and show caverns, to farm parks and gardens, museums and galleries, and award-winning pubs, restaurants and places to stay, the area offers a fantastic variety of attractions for everyone to explore.

As part of the activity, the LVEP joined team members at Destination Chesterfield to visit local attractions, such as the Crooked Spire, Chesterfield Escape Rooms, Chesterfield Market and Market Hall, Casa Hotel, and local independent retailers such as Adorn Jewellers and The Cheese Factor.

As well as showcasing some of the destination’s key tourism businesses, the activity will celebrate the hardworking people who work in the area’s visitor economy sector.

English Tourism Week also coincides with Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s annual Season Opener and Leaflet Swap, which is being held at Thornbridge Hall near Bakewell on Wednesday 20th March.

The popular event – funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered via the East Midlands Chamber’s Derbyshire Accelerator Project – is an opportunity for local tourism businesses to collect visitor collateral for the coming season, network with industry colleagues and benefit from short workshops and advice surgeries.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “English Tourism Week is an opportunity to put tourism centre stage and showcase this vibrant industry which supports thousands of jobs and communities across the Peak District and Derbyshire.

“It’s a great chance to recognise the value of the sector, worth £2.59 billion locally, champion the hardworking people behind the businesses, and highlight our world-class destination as a great place to visit and stay. With Spring upon us and the Easter break just ahead, there’s never been a better time to visit or revisit some of the fantastic places we are so fortunate to have on our doorstep, and I encourage everyone to get out and show their support.”

Find out more about the range of exciting attractions in Chesterfield and plan your visit to the town: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

To see what the Peak District and Derbyshire has to offer visit the Visit Peak District & Derbyshire website: www.visitpeakdistrict.com.

Visitors to the county’s attractions and local tourism businesses are being urged to share photos of their visits on social media using the hashtag #EnglishTourismWeek24, tagging @visitpeakdistrict and @visitderby. For more information on events and activities taking place in Chesterfield, search for @ChesterfieldUK on social media.

CasaMollieandNadia

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , ,

Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre welcomes chartered surveyors to grade A office space

A multi-disciplinary firm of chartered surveyors specialising in property auctions, surveys and agency has announced a move to Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre.

PriceLinsey boasts a combined 43 years of experience, with each team member having worn many hats in the property industry across Chesterfield, Sheffield, and also Manchester.

The three directors had known one another for almost a decade before deciding to venture out on their own and join forces, with Richard and Marcus going on to meet Jodie when they worked alongside each other at another local property firm. Living and working in the town, they are proud to represent Chesterfield and the surrounding area.

Marcus Linsey, Director at the company commented: “Moving into the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre was a really good move for our business. The new grade A office accommodation with its easy-in easy-out terms suites our every growing business and is superbly positioned within the heart of the town for us to connect with other solicitors and estate agents that we work alongside. The modern look and feel of the building also reflects our brand image.”

PriceLinsey NGEC

The company said that with all three directors living and working in the town, it made sense to make Chesterfield PriceLinsey’s new home.

Marcus continues: “The people and business are friendly and supportive and there are real opportunities for growth especially where business work together. Chesterfield is the perfect place to live and work being strategically located close to the M1 motorway, mainline railway station yet also within touching distance of the peak district for when you need to get away from it all! Personally, we love Chesterfield markets and the events that are help there like Peddler Market. The high street is changing and events like these help draw people into the town.”

“We work closely along side other local business including valuation work for solicitors and survey work for estate agents, and have been humbled by the positive response we have received since establishing. When we were expanding and looking for more office space, the borough council pulled out all the stops to allow us to move into the Enterprise Centre in the timescales we needed- which was short notice!”

PriceLinsey is now hoping to capitalise on further growth in the town following its recent move, with Marcus adding: “We hope the business will continue to grow by increasing the number of properties sold at auction and are keen to work alongside local authorities in the region to act on their behalf.

“On the other side of the business, we are carrying out an ever increasing amount of survey and valuation work. As this builds up we hope to take on an apprentice to help with this work. Who knows- we may soon need a bigger office in the NGEC!”

For more information on the wide range of quality office spaces available for businesses in Chesterfield, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

Pricelinsey NGEC 2

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

More than 160 new energy-efficient homes to be built in Bolsover

Chesterfield housebuilder, Woodall Homes has secured a resolution to grant permission at Bolsover District’s Planning Committee this week for one of the firm’s biggest developments to date.

The development lies on the countryside edge of Bolsover and will comprise 161 energy-efficient properties, with a mixture of one to five-bedroom homes, including bungalows.

Accessed by a new tree-lined link road connecting Shuttlewood Road and Oxcroft Lane, the scheme will feature broad swathes of attractive, accessible open spaces, with multifunctional green infrastructure, landscape corridors, wildlife-friendly habitats and a local play area for community use, along with pedestrian and cycle connections linking to Bolsover’s amenities.

Oxcroft View bolsover

Darren Abbott, Planning Director at Woodall Homes said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured a successful resolution to grant full planning permission for our new site in Bolsover. This will be one of our largest developments and will make a significant contribution to achieving our targeted growth as a business in the coming years. It will cater for a wide range of needs within the area, providing accommodation perfect for couples, families and buyers who are ready to downsize.”

Committed to their sustainability pledge, Woodall Homes strives to deliver excellent developments which nurture safe and inviting communities and their previous work within the area at Scarsdale Green is an outstanding example of how these communities are built.

For more information about Woodall Homes and their work within Derbyshire, visit: https://woodallhomes.co.uk/

Rated the 2nd best place in the UK to raise a family, and the happiest place to live in the East Midlands, Chesterfield has so much to offer. Find out more about the wide range of benefits associated with living here for you and your family here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/living/

Woodall Homes supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,