Chatsworth is helping visitors to make the most of the summer with special extended openings of its beautiful 105 acre garden taking place for the first time this August.

A new hop-on-hop-off Garden Train will take visitors to the furthest reaches of the garden, passing under the Cascade through Paxton’s coal tunnel; a feature of the garden not normally open to visitors. It will run every 45 minutes from outside the Orangery shop and have four other stops around the garden, located near Blanche’s vase, the Grotto pond, the Kitchen garden entrance and the Willow Tree fountain.

Flora’s Temple and the Laurent Perrier Champagne Bar on the Broadwalk will be open while all the iconic water features from the Cascade to the Emperor fountain will continue to play up until 8.30pm.

Bands will be playing every weekend in the Rose garden and a classical string trio will be adding ambience during the late garden openings.

Summer garden games based at the maze will also take place throughout the school holidays.

The garden will now stay open until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays from August 8 to 29 inclusive to allow visitors to experience the garden at dusk when it really comes into its own.

With no additional cost to daytime admission, there is also an option to buy a discounted evening-only ticket for visits from 6pm – available on the gate or via www.chatsworth.org with free entry for Friends of Chatsworth.

Eastwood Park in Hasland has been declared one of the country’s finest green spaces, after receiving a prestigious Green Flag award.

The park, which is owned and maintained by Chesterfield Borough Council is one of five spaces in the borough to receive the national accolade this year.

Eastwood Park reopened in June 2013 after a redevelopment funded by the council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

This included restoring the fountain, creating a community garden, mini orchard, rose garden, wildlife area, a new play area for children as well as improvements to the car park, footpath, drainage and war memorial.

Work was also carried out to Hasland Village Hall and a new sports pavilion opened in the park this year with the project carried out by the council’s builders and apprentices.

Eastwood Park also has an active friends group and community gardeners.

The other parks in Chesterfield, which have retained their Green Flags are:
• Queen’s Park
• Holmebrook Valley Park
• Poolsbrook Country Park
• The grounds of Chesterfield and District Crematorium.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing said: “I’m pleased that Eastwood Park has been awarded a Green Flag Award to complement our other four award-winning parks.

“Eastwood Park is well used with a thriving friends group and community garden who take great pride in the park.

“I’d also like to thank our staff who have worked hard throughout the year to maintain each of our parks.”

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd added: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme.

Councillors have approved a deal with Derbyshire County Cricket Club which will see the borough host the popular Chesterfield Festival of Cricket until 2020.

This will mean at least six days of county cricket being played at Queen’s Park with a four-day county game and two limited over games held each year.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said: “One of our priorities is to hold events for the community and the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket is one of the most popular in our calendar.

“The NatWest T20 Blast game between Derbyshire Falcons and Yorkshire Vikings at this year’s event was a sell-out and throughout the festival, cricket fans went into the town centre spending in our shops and bars, contributing to the local economy.

“As part of the deal, Derbyshire County Cricket Club is also giving opportunities for young people to get involved in sport and increase their fitness.”

The 11th successive Chesterfield Festival of Cricket will take place in summer 2016. Funding is provided by the council as part of its commitment to hosting community events.

Derbyshire CCC chief executive, Simon Storey added: “The Chesterfield Festival of Cricket is a highlight of Derbyshire’s cricketing calendar every summer.

“Whilst moving a county cricket club operation represents a huge logistics challenge, the feedback we receive – whether it’s players, national media, members, local businesses and school children – is that this is a real jewel in Derbyshire’s crown. It is a unique opportunity for the town to attract visitors and inspire the next generation of cricketers in the north of the county.

“We are, therefore, delighted to extend our partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Cricket Club which ensures that we are able to look forward to celebrating our 150th anniversary of Derbyshire CCC with a traditional summer visit to Queen’s Park in 2020.

“Now we are in a good position to secure a long-term sponsor for the event which can only be good for the Festival as we seek to build on its success.”

(Image: Simon Storey, chief executive, Derbyshire CCC; Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for health and wellbeing; Councillor John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chris Grant, chairman of Derbyshire CCC; Councillor Amanda Serjeant, cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy and Geoff Miller Club President, Derbyshire CCC.)

Runners taking part in this year’s Chesterfield Marathon and Half Marathon can take advantage of a combination of offers courtesy of three of the event’s sponsors and partners.

Major partner Decathlon’s Eyre Street store in Sheffield is offering £10 of discount for every £50 spent on running related items such as trainers, tops, training technology and more for Chesterfield Marathon runners, as well as advice on running and nutrition.  To benefit participants simply need to take a copy of their registration confirmation email into store when making their purchases.

Another supporter of the event, Facilities For All, is offering free training facilities at Tupton Hall School every Monday and Wednesday from 7pm until 9pm – a second exclusive for runners registered for the Chesterfield Marathon.

Spireites Sport and Health Club is also supporting the race and will offer half-price use of their Hydrotherapy Pool in the Community Stand of Chesterfield FC’s Proact Stadium – the third of the three exclusive offers to registered Chesterfield Marathon competitors.

The three offers when combined offer a chance for the Marathon runners to equip, train and recover.

Zoe Darraugh, Decathlon Sheffield manager said: “We are delighted to be supporting and partnering the Chesterfield Marathon this year.

“We will be present on race day in Queen’s Park, Chesterfield, bringing several sporting goodies for everyone to come and have a ‘play’ with – mini badminton, soft archery, table tennis, swingball, basketball, football, kayaks and canoes as well as things that will interest the runners.

“We’re looking forward to the event and will have more surprises during the build-up.”

Darren Norwood, a Director of Facilities For All said, “The runners registering for the Chesterfield Marathon will be able to get some excellent benefits from using the track at Tupton.

“They can get some good training miles in on a lap-by-lap basis, mixing it up with distance and sprint training to really get the body in good shape for September.

Darren McQuade, of the Spireites Sport & Health Club, said “We are delighted to support the Chesterfield Marathon by offering discounted use of the Hydrotherapy Pool here at the Health Club.

“I’m entering the Half Marathon myself and will definitely be using the pool to ease the pain!”

The event, including a full marathon, half marathon, four person Team Relay and a Fun Run, takes place on Sunday 20 September 2015. All races this year start and finish in Chesterfield’s Queen’s Park.

Nominations are now open for the 10th Derbyshire Sports Awards and residents are being invited to put forward committed sports volunteers, dedicated coaches and talented athletes from the county who they feel are worthy of recognition.

All nine local authorities in Derbyshire are running local awards including Chesterfield, with winners also being considered for the county event, held on November 12 at The Roundhouse, Derby.

The prestigious Derby Telegraph Sports Awards will this year be presented by the media group alongside long-time organiser, Derbyshire Sport and the Champions (UK) plc agency.

There are 14 categories for the county awards, including Lifetime Achievement Award, Sportsman of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year, Disabled Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year, Manager/Coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year.

Last year, Chesterfield table tennis player Liam Pitchford was pipped to the top county award, the Sportsperson of the Year, by double Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning swimmer Adam Peaty, while Chesterfield College and Rykneld Homes Ltd were shortlisted in the Active Workplace Award.

“There are so many people who contribute in so many ways to sport across the county, so it is really important that we take the opportunity to thank those working behind the scenes for their efforts – as well as applaud those who are competing at a high level,” said Hayley Lever, Director at Derbyshire Sport.

The closing date for Sports Awards nominations in Chesterfield is September 25, 2015.  Entry forms and full information can be found as well as full details, available at www.derbyshiresport.co.uk/nominate

Image shows Chesterfield table tennis player, Liam Pitchford.