Leisure

Young Lions heading to the Proact

19th February 2016

England Under 17s will be in action at Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium next month.

The Young Lions will have home advantage for the UEFA Elite Qualifying Round in Chesterfield, Burton and Leek as they target a spot at this summer’s Euro Finals.

Steve Cooper’s squad will take on Ukraine, Turkey and Finland knowing that finishing top of their four-team group will see them progress to the Finals in Azerbaijan in May.

And a second-place finish could also be good enough depending on how the other qualifying groups progress next month.

Tickets for all three home games are now on sale and first up for England is Turkey at the Proact Stadium at 7pm on Thursday, March 24.

England’s U17s head coach, Steve Cooper, said: “The recent Algarve tournament gave the players the chance to play against some top opposition and we’re really looking forward to what will be another three important games for us.

“To host the Elite round on home turf is always exciting and to get round the country and give young England fans the opportunity to see some of our players on home soil is really important. This year it falls during the Easter holidays, and hopefully the local fans can come out and support the team.”

Tickets for all England games cost just £3 for adults and £1.50 for concessions (U16s/OAPs) and are available through each venue. Further details regarding ticket sales will be announced soon.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

National recognition for Brampton Brewery

19th February 2016

Brampton Brewery has enjoyed success at the prestigious CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival which runs from 17th – 20th February, 2016.

The firm won a bronze medal for its Brampton Mild in the Old Ales & Strong Milds category – one of just 4 categories from which the ultimate National Champion Winter Ale is chosen.

Brampton’s Chris Radford was understandably delighted with the award.

He said:- “This festival recognises the finest ales the UK has to offer in this growing sector of the market, and to think that at Brampton we produce beers that stand alongside some of the biggest, best and most respected beers in the whole country is quite humbling”.

Brampton Brewery’s achievement should not be underestimated – the UK can now boast over 1,400 breweries regularly producing in excess of 9,000 different real ales. A renaissance has occurred in recent years and particularly in the field of outstanding dark, malty, rich and roasted beers perfect for those colder months of the year.

Such huge variety means that it has never been a more difficult time to judge the best of these beers. Only a select number of real ales make it to the Finals which fall into the 4 categories of Old Ales/Strong Milds, Porters, Stouts and Barley Wines, with the competition beginning at grass roots level right across Britain soon after the previous year’s finals have taken place.

Brampton Brewery was resurrected in October 2007 by a small group of local enthusiasts, bringing brewing back to Brampton for the first time in 52 years.

Image shows Brampton Head Brewer Chris Radford receiving the Bronze Medal for Brampton Mild from CAMRA National Chairman Colin Valentine.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

University of Derby agrees new partnership to support school sport

17th February 2016

The University of Derby is showing its support for school sport competitions in the county and the annual Derbyshire Schools’ Sports Awards after agreeing a new partnership with Derbyshire Sport and the Derbyshire Schools’ Sports Association (DSSA).

The partnership is part of the university’s ongoing work to create greater links with local schools and encourage more young people with an interest in sport to consider studying at the University of Derby.

In addition the university’s new £10.8m sports centre will play host to several county finals in the DSSA competition calendar.

The partnership was launched at the Derbyshire School Games U16 Badminton Team Championships, organised by Derbyshire Sport, which saw around 50 pupils from schools across Derbyshire competing.

Hari Punchihewa, Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director at the University of Derby, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the work of Derbyshire Sport and the Derbyshire Schools’ Sports Association in this way. The University and its Team Derby brand are serious about sport and have much to offer any young person with an interest in sport.

“This includes a range of sport and exercise courses, a range of first-class facilities, a performance sport programme for badminton, basketball and volleyball, and scholarship and bursary opportunities for talented athletes participating in British Universities and Colleges Sport.”

Ilana Freestone, Derbyshire Sport Director, said: “Derbyshire Sport and the DSSA are excited to be working with the University of Derby in this way. This new partnership will support a range of high quality competition opportunities for young people and allow their sporting successes to continue to be celebrated at the annual awards evening.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

Brookfield Community School smashes Badminton County Finals

16th February 2016

Following their triumph in the district competition, run by the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, Brookfield Community School went one better last week when they lifted the Derbyshire Schools Badminton trophies in both the Key Stage 4 Girls and Boys competitions.

After comfortably progressing through the group stages, the girls met another impressive Chesterfield team, Hasland Hall Community School, in the semi-finals, where they registered a 4-1 victory. They then met Ockbrook School in the final, where excellent serving and movement across the court gave them a 5-0 whitewash.

The boys also made it out of the group with ease, before edging a tight semi-final against Friesland. They completed the job with a 4-1 win over hosts John Port School in the final, making it back-to-back county titles.

Brookfield science teacher and badminton coach, Mr Petty, said: “I’m really proud of them, the girls winning 5-0 and the boys 4-1 in the final. It’s hard to even pick a man of the match because hardly anyone lost a game all afternoon. But I’d give it to Tom Else, the boys’ captain.”

Olympic Silver Medalist and Team Derby badminton player, Gail Emms, was also at John Port School in Etwall to present the winners with their trophies and speak to the competitors. She commended them for their efforts, adding: “It’s great to see so many young players here, playing to such a high standard.”

Alex Fletcher, part of the winning boys’ team, said: “Everyone played really well. Gail Emms was nearly as good as us! We’re proud to win as a team.”

Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, said: “It is a fantastic achievement for Brookfield Community School to be crowned county champions, and a real celebration of the level of participation in badminton across Chesterfield with over 40 teams competing in local qualifying events. Badminton continues to grow in popularity with young people in Chesterfield and to see our schools teams performing to such a high standard in the county finals is testament to the participation base we have established.”

The event was held at John Port School on Thursday 11th February. Both teams will now go on to represent Chesterfield at the Regional Finals which will be held later in the year. There they will face the best teams from neighbouring counties.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

Nearly £3.5m raised for Macmillan Cancer Support‎

16th February 2016

An impressive sum of money totalling almost £3.5m has been raised in support of Macmillan Cancer Support over the past year – thanks to the efforts of kind-hearted local people.

One of the latest developments for the charity, to which some of the money will go towards, is the new state-of-the-art Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre which will bring together vital treatment, care and support in one purpose-built facility – providing joined up services closer to home.

Macmillan has committed £2.5 million to help build the new centre at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Building work began at the end of last year and the centre is due to open in autumn 2016.

Gini Smith, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for Derbyshire said:-

“Because of all your help, in 2015 Macmillan was able to commit £3,429,658 in Derbyshire helping to support the 41,248 people living with or beyond cancer locally. That means there are now around 40 Macmillan professionals working in Derbyshire.

“I just want to say a personal thank you to everyone who hosted or attended coffee mornings, volunteered their time, took part in challenge events, braved the shave, went sober for October, put a pound in a collection box, or held their own events to raise money for Macmillan.”

Speaking about the new Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre, Sheree Hall, Macmillan lead cancer nurse at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, said:-

“Our facilities were built almost thirty years ago when we had neither the number of patients nor the vast array of treatment options. Currently, patients have to visit different parts of the hospital for treatment, usually on different days. It will be a dream come true to have all our cancer services under one roof.”

Gini concluded; “Macmillan’s ambition is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer. By 2030, the number of people living with the disease will have doubled, so it’s a huge task to support each and every one of those in some way.

‘With the support of local fundraisers and volunteers, we can keep funding new cancer centres like the Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre and team up with partners like the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to provide the best cancer care possible here in your community. With your help, we can make sure no one in Derbyshire has to face cancer alone.’

If you’re interested in holding or attending a fundraising event, getting involved with a fundraising group or committee, or would like to choose Macmillan as your charity of the year, please contact Gini Smith on 07790 018400 or email gsmith@macmillan.org.uk

Anyone who has questions about cancer can call the Macmillan Support Line free on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm or by visiting macmillan.org.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Top Sommelier Offers Italian Wine Specialist Course at Chesterfield College

16th February 2016

Italian wine enthusiasts and those with a professional interest in food and drink will soon be able to learn from wine expert, Michele Muccilli, as he brings his fascinating 12 week British Sommelier Foundation accredited course to Chesterfield College in April.

Michele was born and bred in Puglia, Southern Italy and grew up in the vineyards of the area where food and drink is such an important part of the culture and where his passion for the subject grew. Having moved to the UK he founded the British Sommelier Foundation and also works at Sat Bains, Nottingham, recently voted the best restaurant in the UK. He told us:

“The Italian Wine Specialist course offers something for a wide range of people. Whether you are looking to work with wine within a restaurant or hotel environment or gaining knowledge before going on vineyard holidays, the course will appeal to any wine enthusiast. We’ll be looking at a wide variety of Italian wines, learning how a region’s climate, grape and tannins all go to influence a wine’s taste.

“There’s a huge amount of appreciation for good food, wine and beer in Chesterfield, this course provides those with a keen interest in wine to learn so much more, gain a certificate from the British Sommelier Foundation and perhaps start upon the path of becoming a fully qualified Sommelier.”

The course starts on 4 April from 6pm – 8pm on the Infirmary Road campus of Chesterfield College and will last for 12 weeks. It is a theoretical and practical course that will allow you to learn more about the wines from different regions of Italy and teach you how to pair wine and food for the perfect combination.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Cycling festival inspires 650 infants

15th February 2016

Pupils from four years old had the chance to experience a fun day of cycle-themed activities at the 2016 Early Rider Festival, run by the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership and supported by Wheely Fun Wheels.

Spread across 12 stations, there were three cycling activities: Italian pursuit, the team relay and the sprint to stop race. Using the pedal-less bikes, the children could put their prior balance bike training into practice in these fun races.

The remaining stations, which were run by sports leaders from Chesterfield College, were all closely linked to cycling and road safety. These activities aimed to connect with the wider school curriculum. They included the “Think” and “See” stations, where the infants labelled parts of the bikes and then completed a word search to find words related to cycling.

Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the SSP, said: “We are delighted to welcome nearly 700 infants to take part in the Early Rider Festival. This is much more than festival of cycling, it is a chance to really excite and engage young people in sport and physical activity though a range of activities.

“We have tried to bring the classroom to this event with activities linked to numeracy, literacy and communication, managing feeling and self-awareness and of course physical development. We hope everyone has taken a step towards choosing a healthy active lifestyle through cycling.”

Nick Chamberlin, Mountain Bike Leadership and Cycle Training Manager at British Cycling, said: “Learning to ride a bicycle is a rite of passage in any young person’s life, sadly many young people are not getting the support they need to try cycling for the first time. British Cycling are excited by the innovative work of Chesterfield SSP using balance bikes to introduce hundreds of young people to the excitement of riding a bike.”

Chelsea, a pupil from Whitecotes Primary School, said: “I love riding the bike! And the colouring was fun!”

Mr Petch, a teacher at Spire Nursery and Infant School, said: “It’s fantastic seeing all the activities and seeing so many kids on bikes at such a young age. They’re having great fun and interacting with children from other schools.”

Miss McPhie, of Whitecotes Primary School, said: “I like the links to the work we do at school. By having word searches and handwriting activities, they can have a rest and still learn. The kids also enjoyed the station where they labelled the bike parts and the Young Leader running it was excellent.”

The Early Rider programme is the start of the cycling pathway for young people in Chesterfield schools with progressions to bikeabilty levels 1&2, skills to ride and cyclo-cross competitions on which to progress.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

Peak District and Derbyshire share in tourism spending and jobs boost

12th February 2016

Inspirational marketing campaigns to encourage more visitors to come and stay in the Peak District and Derbyshire have proved almost eight times more effective than expected – generating more than £44.7 million in extra tourism spending and creating more than 830 jobs.

Research by national tourist board VisitEngland reveals that official tourist board Visit Peak District & Derbyshire has exceeded Government targets by a huge margin thanks to its major, multi-media marketing push ‘The World Away’ – costing just £600,000 over three years in a public and private sector partnership.

Government-set goals stipulated that the campaigns – which included the area’s first-ever television commercial, advertising billboards, video on demand and on-line, print and social media promotion – should reap a return of investment of £5.8 million and create more than 130 jobs from 2012 to 2015.

But they proved much more appealing than anticipated – mirroring the wider success of VisitEngland’s national campaign, ‘Growing Tourism Locally’, funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) – which has generated an extra £1.05 billion in tourism spend and created a record number of 19,490 jobs in the tourism sector across England over the same period.

“To say we are delighted is an understatement,” said Jo Dilley, Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire. “‘The World Away’ has punched well above its weight in terms of both return on investment and creating jobs, bringing concrete benefits and hopefully a lasting legacy to the local and regional economy that we can build on throughout 2016 and beyond.”

Lady Cobham CBE, Chairman of VisitEngland’s Advisory Board, added: “It’s fantastic to see the results of the ‘Growing Tourism Locally’ campaign’, which was aimed at driving growth by encouraging Brits to book a short break at home in one of the many wonderful destinations on offer across England. It’s a brilliant result, promoting our beautiful country as a world-class holiday destination.”

The Peak District and Derbyshire was one of 14 English destinations to benefit from a £19.8 million pot of money – part of a total investment of £41.6 million, including contributions from VisitEngland and the private sector – funding campaigns to target specific audiences such as young couples, young couples with pre-school children, older couples and groups.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

National recognition for Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre

5th February 2016

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre has once again been announced as a finalist in the prestigious England for Excellence Awards.

The centre in Rykneld Square, which is owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council has been shortlisted for a second year in the visitor information provider of the year category.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy said: “Each year we welcome thousands of visitors into Chesterfield to visit attractions including our open-air market, the Crooked Spire and the wider area including the Peak District.

“Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are often the first people visitors to the town will meet and they will go the extra mile to make people feel welcome and make sure they have all the information they need.”

Other nominees in the same category are: Eastbourne Tourist Information Centre, Gloucester Tourist Information Centre, Thanet Visitor Information Service and The Welcome People London.

Sally Balcombe, Chief Executive Officer of VisitBritain and VisitEngland added: “Awards for Excellence finalists exemplify outstanding tourism talent and distinguished businesses throughout England.

“We received over 400 truly impressive applications this year and there’s absolutely no doubt those shortlisted are a representatives of the best in the industry who place delivering an unforgettable experience to visitors in England at the heart of their business operations.

“I’d like to congratulate all finalists and wish them the very best of luck on awards night.”

The England for Excellence Awards 2016 takes place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Tuesday 8 March.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Getting more disabled people into sports and volunteering

4th February 2016

Ten sports clubs and organisations across Derbyshire are to benefit from free training to help increase the number of disabled people volunteering across the county.

Run by Derbyshire Sport, the IMPACT volunteering project aims to create more sports volunteering opportunities for disabled people whilst increasing their confidence and skills.

The programme will help understand whether having more disabled volunteers supporting a club helps increase disability participation, a key target of Sport England who are funding this project.

A volunteer recruitment campaign is set to take place within ‘Inclusive Volunteer Month’ in June to encourage disabled people to volunteer as well as providing training opportunities for the clubs who the volunteers will be deployed to.

Within the month, Derbyshire Sport will work with local voluntary services and other partners to encourage disabled people to sign up to the project and start their journey as a sports volunteer.

Matthew Dalley, Derbyshire Para-Equestrian rider and has gained many benefits from his own volunteering experience at his riding club where he started helping in the yard and now runs the club’s social media and website.

When speaking about his volunteering journey, Matthew said: “I am committed to helping other disabled people benefit from an involvement in sport, both as a participant and volunteer.

“Through my own volunteering I aim to show that my disability isn’t a barrier to helping make a difference and I encourage others to take the opportunity to get involved with the IMPACT project so they can benefit like I have.”

Sport Development Officer for Derbyshire Sport, Rachael Dyer, said: “it is important to reflect the broad spectrum of people that we are aiming to recruit by providing a varied training programme.

“Clubs and their volunteers will have the opportunity to develop a range of skills and knowledge on how to effectively engage with disabled people who are getting involved in their club in a voluntary capacity.

“The IMPACT project will help Derbyshire clubs and volunteers better understand how to effectively engage with disabled people and to help raise their awareness of what makes an inclusive club”.

Four counties will be involved in the project across the East Midlands; Lincolnshire Sport, Northamptonshire Sport and Sport Nottinghamshire will all be working alongside Derbyshire to get more disabled people volunteering across the region.

The four counties are sharing a £59,200 investment into the region that was awarded by Sport England in late 2015.

For more information on the project please contact Rachael.dyer@derbyshire.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure

World-Class Cycling Rolls into Chesterfield

3rd February 2016

Chesterfield will welcome the Aviva Women’s Tour as it arrives in Derbyshire for the first time this June. The world’s top racers head to the county for Stage Three on Friday 17 June 2016.

Building on the success of hosting the Tour of Britain last September, the Aviva Women’s Tour will race from Ashbourne to Chesterfield. It is being billed as the toughest stage of the race.

The stage will race through the heart of the Peak District National Park including Buxton, Chatsworth, Youlgreave and Matlock, before the finish in Chesterfield. The stage also falls on the same weekend as the popular Eroica Britannia family festival in Bakewell, just a short ride from the Stage Three route.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, Councillor Dean Collins, said:

“We’re delighted to be welcoming the Aviva Women’s Tour to Derbyshire for the first time. Hosting this prestigious sporting event will put Derbyshire on the cycling tourism map, and encourage more people to cycle.

“It will be a great event to watch and we’d expect many visitors to the county to follow the progress of the world’s top women cyclists.”

Cycling fans in the county will also have the chance to catch the action for a second time a day later on Stage Four, which will also pass through Derbyshire on its way from Nottingham to Stoke-on-Trent. Fans in the south of the county will be entertained by a route that skirts Derby between Long Eaton and Swadlincote.

Mick Bennett, Race Director of the Aviva Women’s Tour said:

“We are proud that Derbyshire County Council have decided to host the Aviva Women’s Tour as a part of their ambition to be the most connected cycling county. Stage Three will take the race through the heart of the Peak District National Park, with over 2,000-metres of climbing, making it one of the toughest of this year’s race and a key day for riders with the ambition of winning the Aviva Yellow Jersey.”

Commenting on the route announcement, reigning World Road Race Champion Lizzie Armitstead of the Boels Dolmans team said:

“It’s fantastic news that the Aviva Women’s Tour will continue in 2016. As a British rider it’s a privilege to be able to compete on home roads, the British public have really taken to cycling and you can see that when the race goes through different towns the community really gets behind it.

“I’m excited to see the growth in women’s cycling and I think the Women’s Tour has had a really positive impact on that change.”

Reigning Aviva Women’s Tour champion Lisa Brennauer of the Canyon SRAM team said:

“I’m looking forward to coming back to the Aviva Women’s Tour 2016. The race last year was outstandingly well organised and the amount of people that came to watch and cheer for us was breath-taking. Including some new routes with more climbs and longer stages than before, the tour offers new opportunities and again huge possibilities for thrilling racing. I can’t wait to see all of you again.”

Further news about the detailed routes of Stages Three and Four, including the locations of Strava Queen of the Mountains climbs and the Chain Reaction Cycles Sprints, along with timings will be announced in the coming weeks along with the teams spectators can look forward to seeing in action at the Aviva Women’s Tour.

Images: Aviva Womens Tour Flickr Page

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting