Leisure

Three young people in the running for top apprentice title at the Love Chesterfield Awards

One young person is set to be named as the town’s top apprentice next month.

Henry Kay, Ria Smith and Will Brooks are all in the running for the prestigious Apprentice of the Year Award in the annual 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards, organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management.

The award, which is sponsored by DBC Training, recognises apprentices that have made a significant contribution to the success of a local organisation.

Henry (21), a trainee accountant at BusinessWise Accountancy and Tax, follows in the footsteps of the company’s founder, who also started his career as an apprentice. “I’m happy to be considered for the Apprentice of the Year award, it feels great to be a finalist. I chose to do an apprenticeship because it was a good way to get into accounting without having to take the traditional university route; it was the better option for me.”

Graham Nash, Director of BusinessWise Accountancy and Tax added: “Apprenticeships provide good quality young people and the opportunity to mould best practice in business for both the apprentice and the company. I am the result of an apprenticeship and have seen many diamonds found and nurtured to reach great potential.”

Ria (22), who is a Support Office Assistant at Peak Pharmacy, began her career with the company when she assisted with its COVID-19 vaccination clinics. She said: “I feel very grateful to have been shortlisted for this award. I was so excited when I found out I had been nominated!

“During the pandemic, I was given the opportunity to work for Peak Pharmacy in its COVID-19 vaccination clinics both within Casa Hotel and the Clay Cross Pharmacy. I was ready to further my education and jumped at the opportunity when I saw Peak Pharmacy was advertising for an apprentice in its support office. I love the fast pace of the office and no two days are the same. My apprenticeship has allowed me to start from scratch and build a career for the future.”

Andrea Street, Head of Support Office at Peak Pharmacy said: “Having apprentices has given us the opportunity to develop and grow a talented and motivated workforce. The aim is to see them move into permanent roles within our company and continue their training. Ria’s energy and enthusiasm has without doubt had a positive impact on our Support team and across the company. She is a valued member of our team, and we couldn’t be happier that she chose to complete her apprenticeship with us!”

Will (19) who is a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Superior Wellness has taken on several additional marketing responsibilities in the business this year and has been praised by his employer for ‘stepping up’.

Will commented: “I’m very happy to be included in the shortlist for the Apprentice of the Year award. I chose the route of an apprenticeship as I feel it suited my work style much better than going to university and could give me experience in the workplace at a young age. It’s had a big impact on me in terms of my ambition and motivation.”

Sarah Elphick, Head of Marketing at Superior Wellness added: Apprenticeships are a great opportunity for people to start their careers and we are huge advocates of them. Will adapted to his role well and was keen to learn from day one.

“In April, our two marketing executives left the business, leaving Will and myself to take on several additional responsibilities. Will adapted to this change in a calm and professional way and was excited about the prospect of additional responsibilities. Will has really stepped up and is doing the same level of work as the marketing executives despite being at the start of his career.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield congratulated Ria, Will and Henry commenting: “Apprentices play such a pivotal role in fulfilling the town’s ambitions for growth. Having a pool of young talent is crucial both for our existing businesses and potential investors in the area so it’s important we give recognition to the apprentices and their employers who are helping them progress in their careers within the town.”

The Apprentice of the Year award is one of 15 categories in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards. The winners of all the categories will be announced at a glittering black-tie ceremony at The Winding Wheel Theatre on Wednesday 12 October.

See the full list of 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards finalists here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/finalists/

As well as Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management and DBC Training, the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards are also supported and made possible by Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Accountants, BusinessWise Accountancy and Tax, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), Elder Way, Great2, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety Solutions, Minuteman Press Chesterfield, MSE Hiller, Peak Pharmacy, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Spirecross Ltd and Sutton McGrath Hartley.

Peter Swallow added: “After the uncertainty of the last two years, the Destination Chesterfield team is working to ensure the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards is the best yet, which is only possible through the generosity of our sponsors.”

There are a limited number of sponsorship packages available. If you’re interested in sponsoring the awards, information is available at www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/sponsors/sponsorshippackages/ or by contacting Tara Underhill, Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator by emailing Tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk or calling 01246 207 207.

2021 Apprentice of the Year Award winner, Ellie Gibson – Heathcotes Group

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

UK’s first ever ‘Splash Zone’ for dogs unveiled in Chesterfield

An award-winning  Chesterfield doggy day care centre has launched a brand-new splash zone for our canine companions.

Rose Cottage developed the new feature, thought to be the first of its kind in the country, in response to the recent heatwave seen in many parts of the UK. It means dogs at the centre can enjoy playing in the water while keeping cool during the summer months.

Dawn Brown, owner of Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care commented: “I developed the Splash zone as this another petal to our Rose I am always thinking of ways in which we can be the best at what we do, and this means always thinking ahead,  we knew Summer was approaching and what is a better way to keep your Dogs cool than their very own a splash zone.

“We are a mini theme park for Dogs and playing in clean free flowing water with their pals is also mentally stimulating, great for joints and teaches the dogs how to play in a different kind of environment.”

Exercising in the water can have a number of benefits for dogs, as Dawn outlined: “Since water is denser than air, your dog’s movement through the water causes a resistance that is evenly distributed against their body, so this movement helps to work all of the muscles without gravity pushing down on their joints. The water is not to deep so at a safe level to play, get fit and strong while having fun.”

Dawn also commented on how exited the team at Rose Cottage was to bring the new feature to fruition: “I can’t tell you how much of a buzz I get when one of my ideas comes to life and I see just how happy the Dogs are playing in there it just makes all the hard work of getting it ready worthwhile.

“Seeing a dog leave an owner’s car in the morning and head straight towards my gate with their tail wagging eager to enter Rose Cottage makes it even more special. I’m so happy I can provide a little piece of haven for dogs in our town and I am constantly thinking of more initiative ways of adding to Rose Cottage. We also have our very own online shop www.doglanddeals.com  and more to come so watch this space!”

“To use the splash zone, you need to register your doggy with us. This is easy to do with our online forms at: www.rosecottagedoggydaycare.co.uk”

Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care 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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New veterinary practice opens in North Derbyshire

A North Derbyshire veterinary practice has opened a new state-of-the-art centre in Barlborough Links, near Chesterfield.

Carrick Vets (originally based in Clowne) – opened the doors to the public to view their new home – a state-of the-art veterinary practice located adjacent to Dobbies Garden Centre.

The new site is easily accessible and offers current and new pet owners an exciting range of services and facilities in a very modern environment, whilst maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a whole host of additional benefits.

Jessica Podmore, MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon and Clinical Director explained: “The new practice has all the space we need with plenty of parking and complements the services already offered by our branches in Holywell Street, Chesterfield and Mansfield.

“We now have an additional consulting room allowing us to offer a greater availability of appointments.  Separate dog and cat waiting areas and hospital wards keeps stress to a minimum for our patients.   A large operating theatre, separate dental suite, in-house laboratory and x-ray room offer a wide range of the latest veterinary equipment including digital x-ray facilities.

“For the welfare and benefit of both our colleagues and clients, internal signage is DDI compliant, the reception desk is designed to comfortably accommodate wheelchair users and we also have temperature control in every area of the practice – a welcome addition especially during heatwaves like we have experienced recently which is of course perfect for our patients too!”

Dog owners, in particular, will be able to enjoy all the benefits that Dobbies has to offer thanks to their dog-friendly policy.  In addition to plants, outdoor furniture and everything you need for your garden and home, Dobbies offers a great range of pet products as well as a dog-friendly restaurant.

Jim Wehrle, General Manager of Dobbies, said: “The service provided by the new practice really complements the dog-friendly approach and products we have at Chesterfield. With The Muddy Paw dog groomers also on site, it’s a really comprehensive offering for our customers with pets.

“We look forward to working in collaboration with the Carrick Vets team and ensuring the best possible offering for Chesterfield customers.”

Dobbies and Carrick Vets share similar values both striving to make their businesses as environmentally sustainable as possible; supporting charities and the local community and delivering the best customer care and experience.

As the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies is committed to delivering environmentally-friendly practices, products and sustainable solutions.

Carrick Vets is also committed to becoming more sustainable and has 100% of its electricity supply from EDF Energy backed by Renewable Energy and Intelligent, low energy lighting for maximum energy savings throughout the practice.  They also operate initiatives to reduce waste, reuse where possible and recycle anything that they cannot reuse.

Consultations at Carrick are by appointment only.  Please call to book an appointment before attending the practice.  New client registrations are most welcome.

For opening hours and more information about Carrick Vets visit our website www.carrickvets.co.uk

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New store for motorcycle and truck accessories opens at The Glass Yard

A store selling goods for motorcyclists and truckers has opened in one of Chesterfield’s newest retail developments, The Glass Yard. 

The Glass Yard SpeedShop has been opened by local company Securit GB Ltd; which was created by husband and wife team, Phil and Caroline Churm. The company has previously been based in Staveley and on Foxwood Road in Chesterfield.

The business has had to adapt several times since being founded in 2004, as a result of factors such as the 2008 recession and Brexit.

However, the company saw a sharp rise in online sales for its MotoWear brand during the Covid-19 pandemic. MotoWear provides unique motorcycle and trucker merchandise, with 75% of the product lines designed and printed in-house. The rest of the lines are manufactured in the UK.

During the pandemic, Securit GB Ltd also took the opportunity of grant and loan support  for the business, enabling the couple to invest in new print machines and time to design & create new exciting lines. This enabled the firm to return to events with an exciting new range.

Caroline explained how the company wanted to take the next step by having a physical retail presence at The Glass Yard:

“We want to open a destination for people to visit in person. It’s a unique open-plan shop, with the motorcycle, truck accessories, and merchandise, with additional space available for the design and print side of the business. We are also able to create one-off merchandise for presents and companies.”

The shop will be offering a ‘click and collect service for its online products too, and will be hosting events for bikers, starting on 2nd October 2022.

Caroline added: “The Glass Yard is an amazingly fresh & modern place to work and trade. As soon as we visited the place we knew we wanted to open a shop.

“We have always been located in Chesterfield, we love the people and Phil grew up in the area, the council has always been proactive towards small businesses and we have a lot of support in the area from family and friends.

“We hope that The Glass Yard SpeedShop will increase our sales and give the customer a different experience other than online. People want to stay local and shop locally. Since we have been open people are happy to visit and use a local company.”

Find out more about Chesterfield’s great range of independent retailers at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/shopping/

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Chesterfield’s top sustainable businesses set to be named in annual awards

Four Chesterfield businesses are in the running to be named as the winner of the Sustainability Award in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management.

Astra Designs UK, Bridge Help, Northern Tea Merchants and Robinsons PLC have all been shortlisted for the Sustainability Award which is sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The Sustainability Award was introduced to the Love Chesterfield Awards and recognises organisations that demonstrates a commitment to sustainable business practices and are working towards becoming carbon neutral.

The four finalists not only measure and report their progress but have also demonstrated a commitment to sustainability during the past five years.

Donna Swift-Moore, Designer and Company Director at Astra Designs explained: “With the fashion industry being the second worst industry for polluting water from dyeing textiles and over a third of all clothing being sent to landfill, it is vital for us to create fashion that has the least impact possible.

Donna Swift-Moore, Astra Designs

“I’m absolutely over the moon that our company has been recognised as a finalist for the Sustainability Award. Our entire business is built around creating sustainable fashion and accessories, so being acknowledged for this is truly amazing.”

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help commented: “At the start of this year, we were delighted to become carbon neutral. To be recognised by the Love Chesterfield Awards for the work we’ve done in achieving this is fantastic. Sustainability is incredibly important to us; it is something the whole team is passionate about.”

Chris Sellars, Bridge Help

James Pogson, Director at Northern Tea Merchants said: “We put a great deal of time and focus into understanding the impact of the work we do. From the food miles right down to the packaging, we’re always striving to make the operation as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. We’ve made some significant positive steps over the last five years and it’s wonderful to get this recognition.”

James Pogson, Northern Tea Merchants

Helene Roberts, CEO at Robinson PLC commented: “Sustainability is at the core of what we do as a business here at Robinson and we are working on a wide range of initiatives to reduce our impact on the environment, as well as enhance the experience of our employees and local communities in which we operate.

“We are delighted to be selected as a finalist for the sustainability award; the team at our Rigid Box site in Chesterfield is proud that our products are not only 100% recyclable and made from 95% recycled materials, but also promote consumers to reuse the beautiful presentation and gift boxes in the home.”

Dr Helene Roberts, CEO of Robinson PLC

Chesterfield Borough Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since committed to the Council and borough becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and 2050 respectively.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re proud to sponsor the Sustainability Award. We all need to work together to tackle the climate crisis and reduce our emissions. It’s important that we celebrate and learn from those businesses that are leading the way and changing their business practices to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Cllr Amanda Serjeant

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented on the importance of recognising sustainability: “Having forward-thinking businesses and individuals is something that Chesterfield prides itself on and the four businesses shortlisted for the Sustainability Award are no exception, helping the town achieve its ambitions of becoming carbon neutral.”

Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair

The Sustainability Award is one of 15 categories in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards. The winners of all the categories will be announced at a glittering black-tie ceremony at The Winding Wheel Theatre on Wednesday 12 October.

See the full list of 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards finalists here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/finalists/

As well as Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management and Chesterfield Borough Council, the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards are also supported and made possible by Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Accountants, BusinessWise Accounting and Tax, DBC Training, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), Elder Way, Great2, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety Solutions, Minuteman Press Chesterfield, MSE Hiller, Peak Pharmacy, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Spirecross Ltd and Sutton McGrath Hartley.

Peter Swallow added: “After the uncertainty of the last two years, the Destination Chesterfield team is working to ensure the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards is the best yet, which is only possible through the generosity of our sponsors.”

There are a limited number of sponsorship packages available. If you’re interested in sponsoring the awards, information is available at www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/sponsors/sponsorshippackages/ or by contacting Tara Underhill, Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator by emailing Tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk or calling 01246 207 207.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Love Chesterfield Awards, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , ,

Less Than Zero Barbers to support Chesterfield parents with free ‘back to school’ haircuts

Chesterfield barbers, Less Than Zero based on Soresby Street has been busy providing support for residents across Chesterfield, with the team giving free haircuts to boys ahead of the new school year.

The barbers, which has won multiple awards, is working to engage the local community and give back to families who are feeling the pinch due to the current cost-of-living. The business is working alongside local charity, Gussie’s Kitchen to book appointments for those in need.

School-age boys in the town are able to book a free appointment at the barbershop on Soresby Street, on a Thursday and Friday morning between 9am – 10am ahead of the school year.

Each appointment will last 30 minutes and can accommodate 12 people per session. While benefitting local families, the initiative will also enable apprentices at Less Than Zero to gain vital experience and training.

Find out more about Less Than Zero being recognised as one of the top 50 SME apprentice employers in the country at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2022/07/chesterfields-less-than-zero-included-in-englands-top-50-sme-apprentice-employers/ 

Less Than Zero owner and founder, Martin Wallis-Keyworth commented: “We are always seeking ways to support different members of the community in Chesterfield and felt this would help parents of school boys just that little bit more before they head back into the school year again soon.

“As we don’t usually open until 10am anyway, offering these sessions utilises the skills of the team and gives more training to our apprentices and also brings more footfall into the town centre too.”

Those interested in booking an appointment are being encouraged to book early. The appointments take place at 7 Soresby Street, Chesterfield, S40 1JW. To book, simply visit the Gussie’s Kitchen facebook page https://www.facebook.com/gussiessuperkitchen/ and choose your day and time.

Less Than Zero 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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New Burning Man Sculptures at Chatsworth ahead of October Burn Event

More than 500 schoolchildren have worked alongside the artists at Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man at Chatsworth to create and build three huge new interactive sculptures as part of the UK exhibition.

These latest additions to Radical Horizons make a total of twelve works spread across a site more than a mile long and half a mile wide and set in 1000 acres of free-to-access parkland surrounding the house at the Derbyshire estate.

Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man runs until 1 October when it will close with the ceremonial burning of the new sculpture Relevé to symbolise the ‘letting go’ of the exhibition. The ceremony follows tradition set by the global Burning Man event in Nevada.

A nine-metre high structure built primarily in wood by the artist Rebekah Waites with hundreds of children from local schools, Relevé was inspired by Derbyshire folklore that says a bronze age stone circle near Chatsworth was formed from the remains of nine ladies turned into stone for dancing on the Sabbath.

Relevé not only pays homage to the nine ladies, but also celebrates the rebellious spirit of dance, music and art. By challenging the folklore behind this archaeological site, Relevé attempts to rewrite the story and release the women from their eternal stillness. Nine twisted structures made of wood and intricately decorated with a rope and string laced facade, dance around one another.

Relevé – Photo taken by Chatsworth House Trust

Over the past few months, schoolchildren and young people from Derbyshire and Sheffield have collected materials and helped build the three new sculptures, mirroring the process in Nevada that sees teams of volunteers gathering in the desert to create new artworks. Burning Man is an arts and cultural event that usually takes place annually in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA.

Alongside Relevé, schoolchildren have worked on-site at Chatsworth with US artists, Shrine, Dana Albany, Heather Henderson, Flash Hopkins, and Kathy Richardson to create and build Coralee and Elysian Towers.

Relevé by Rebekah Waites with Watercliffe Community Primary, Sheffield, 240 children; St Anne’s Primary, Baslow, 17; Stanton in Peak Primary, 42; Rowsley Primary, 29: Relevé was inspired by the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, a Bronze Age archaeological site at Stanton Moore near Chatsworth and this sculpture will burn at the end of the exhibition as a celebratory finale.

Coralee by Dana Albany, Heather Henderson, Flash Hopkins, Kathy Richardson with Spire Junior School (Chesterfield): The sculpture takes the form of a mermaid – inspired by the folklore of the Mermaid’s Pool, situated just below Kinder Scout in the Dark Peak – and has been built of everyday metal and glass donated by Chatsworth, its staff and the local community. Look closely to spot spoons, bolts, keys, chandeliers and bicycle chains.

Coralee – Image taken by Chatsworth House Trust; Image Top Right, Duke Of Devonshire with The Flybary by Christina Sporrong – Image taken by Chatsworth House Trust

Elysian Towers by Shrine (also known as Brent Allen Spears) with Derbyshire Virtual School: Shrine has worked with young adults from Derbyshire Virtual School to create Elysian Towers. The artwork is made from ‘rubbish’ and found objects sourced locally by the participants themselves, using recycled glass donated by Ardagh Glass and plastic bottles stacked into towers, celebrating the joy of the unknown and making a monument dedicated to making the not-precious precious.

Elysian Towers by Shrine – Image by Chatsworth House Trust

These new participatory builds between the artists and local children and young people were organised by Chatsworth’s in-house Learning and Engagement team. Focusing on curriculum linked, hands-on, arts engagement sessions its work is designed to enhance visual literacy and develop technical and creative skills, while outdoor learning sessions include multisensory activities to help develop environmental understanding.

Kerry Fernandez, Arts and Engagement Manager: “This has been a wonderful experience for many children and young people who had never visited Chatsworth before. They have been given a rare opportunity to engage with contemporary art and artists, while learning new skills and techniques. We hope it will draw them into a lifelong engagement with the arts which can open their eyes to seeing things in new ways.”

Chatsworth 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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Chesterfield Community provides diamond anniversary to remember for local couple

A Chesterfield Care Home and the wider community came together recently, in order to provide a diamond anniversary to remember for  local couple.

Valerie and Harry Holloway celebrated their 60th anniversary on 11 August 2022, with help from Crown Care Group’s Belvedere House Care Home, local councillors and residents.

The idea to treat the coupe to a big celebration came about a few days before the anniversary, when County Councillor Lisa Blakemore introduced Valerie to Belvedere House and County Councillor Jenny Flood took the initiative to accompany her to a pamper day.

This was a significant change as Valerie had not left the house to socialise or participate in activities for quite some time.

With so much collective support and care, the team at Belvedere House worked meticulously over several days to make sure that the Holloway family would have a wonderful time. A special meal accompanied by champagne, flowers, and a beautiful anniversary card marked the celebration and warmly complimented the day.

Claire Adsetts, Customer Relations Manager at Crown Care Group said: “We are so humbled and overjoyed to be able to play a part in such a significant event, to share responsibility within our community. We would like to thank our county councillors for their great work and trust in us.”

Shiva Sheikholeslami, Belvedere House Home Manager, said: “our ethos is to raise awareness about good practice in Care and set an example by providing the best service to the elderly in our care home. In turn, we are rewarded by the satisfaction and pride expressed by our residents. We achieve this by continuously collaborating with the fantastic Chesterfield community on projects that can make a difference.”

Crown Care Group 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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Discover more about Chesterfield’s Heritage at upcoming events

Residents and visitors can learn more about local history as Chesterfield Borough Council is set to host two events as part of the national Heritage Open Days.

On Saturday 10 September there is the opportunity to explore the Chesterfield Museum collection, and then the following weekend on Sunday 18 September meet a Sir Joseph Paxton reenactor at Revolution House.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “With the closure of Chesterfield Museum, for the multi-million-pound renovation of Stephenson Memorial Hall, it is important that we offer excellent opportunities for everyone to learn more about our local history. It’s great to be taking part in the national Heritage Open Days and I hope lots of people will take on this unique opportunity to learn more about local history.”

On Saturday 10 September from 11am, people can explore one of Chesterfield Museum’s off-site stores which houses some of the larger items from the Museum’s collection that are not normally on display.

The Museum’s Collections Officer will act as a guide and explain how the museum looks after the items within its care and the challenges involved.

Booking is not required and people can simply arrive at Unit 1 Calow Brook Drive, Off Calow Lane for 11am to take part.

The following weekend on Sunday 18 September between 11am and 4pm, a Sir Joseph Paxton reenactor will be appearing at Revolution House in Old Whittington. Booking for this event is not required.

Visitors will be able to learn more about his life as a gardener, architect and engineer as well as his connection to Chatsworth. There will also be a hands-on activity for children to plant their own seeds.

To find out more about the wide range of events taking place across Chesterfield, go to our events page, or if you want to find something to do this weekend, head over to our ‘Five ideas for the Weekend’ page.

 

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Things are brewing up nicely for new North Derbyshire craft fair event

A new local craft fair will be going all out to ‘roll out the barrel’ when it launches this September.

The Craft and Gift Fair at Drone Valley Brewery in Unstone, Derbyshire, takes place on 11th September and is not just offering crafters a new stage for their wares, but a fun day out for all with live music also on the menu as well as the chance for visitors to sample the brewery’s own selection of award-winning real ales.

The new event will be featuring everything from unusual crystal gifts and felted woodland animals to beautiful wood-burnt carvings; quirky plant pots; sparkling arrays of handcrafted jewellery; scented candles; knitwear and gift sets of every description.

For Fair organiser Caroline Thompson from Dronfield, who also initiated the idea, it’s the culmination of a lot of hard work designed to give local businesses, creative talent, the local economy and lovers of arts and crafts, a big post-Pandemic boost.

“As a craft person myself, I love visiting these sort of events but there aren’t many in our corner of Derbyshire,” she said.

“So I thought, why not start one? Since then, I’ve been amazed at the response from local creative businesses. For visitors, we’ll be adding some extra fun to the event with live music. It’s also a great opportunity to raise the profile of Drone Valley Brewery as an amazing community enterprise and venue in its own right.”

Now into its seventh year, the brewery was conceived, built and continues to be run, entirely by volunteers. All profits are ploughed back into local causes with additional support given by playing host to charities for their fund-raising events.

“Supporting our local community is very much at the core of the brewery’s philosophy.” said Caroline, who is a volunteer there herself. “But we also believe in having fun while we’re doing it, so a craft fair with live music, certainly fitted the bill.”

There are still a few stalls left to book at the amazing introductory offer of just £10. “Obviously, we’re hoping it will be such a big success, it will become part of our regular calendar of events, which has got to be a win-win situation for everyone.”

The event takes place on Sunday 11th September and runs from 10am-3pm.

To book a stall contact Caroline on: dvdcraft22@gmail.com.  For visitor information, visit: www.dronevalleybrewery.com

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Weightron Bilanciai continues partnership with world’s first football club

Chesterfield manufacturer, Weightron Bilanciai has continued it’s partnership with the world’s oldest football club, Sheffield FC.

The agreement which began in 2020 has enabled the football club to continue its engagement in the local community, enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy playing football.

Established back in 1857, Sheffield FC’s vision is to become a worldwide iconic grass-roots football club based on the club’s founding values of Integrity, Respect and Community.

Using the power of sport to encourage social interaction, the club hopes to spread its message locally, nationally and internationally, through diversity programmes in disadvantaged communities under the banner of The Sheffield FC Community.

Weightron Bilanciai have already helped ‘The Worlds First’ make a positive impact in making football accessible for all. Since then, the firm’s work in the local community has grown positively impacting a wide demographic delivering aged friendly sessions, alongside delivering healthy activity and food camps in partnership with Sheffield Council and North East Derbyshire District Council for under-privileged families.

For the upcoming season, The partnership will provide new home & away kit for 190 players across more than a dozen teams, which will feature Weightron Bilanciai front of shirt branding on all home and away shirts.

Graham Abercrombie, Head of Community at Sheffield FC said: “I am delighted that Weightron are continuing to support Sheffield FC.  The wonderful partnership will enable the community and disability departments in particular, to continue to grow and have a bigger positive impact than ever before, whilst creating lifelong memorable experiences for all involved.”

Nick Catt, Managing Director at Weightron Bilanciai Ltd. commented: “The level of involvement Weightron is providing to support our local community forms part of our business strategy and is an integral part in our long term plans.”

In addition to this Weightron are also involved with:

  • Aged Friendly sessions: Bringing together 20 vulnerable elderly local community members before home games for a social meet, food, drinks, transport, and free entry to the home games.
  • FA Wildcats: A non-competitive football for girls who want to give it a go for the very first time or want to play with other girls their own age from 5 to 11.
  • HAF camps: Holiday activities and food programme has provided support to children in receipt of free school meals through holiday period with over 450 local children supported.
  • Disability sessions.
  • CPD Workshops.
  • Weight Management Programs.

Richard Sheldon, General Manager of Sheffield FC added: “I am delighted to announce that Weightron Bilanciai will continue as principal community partner to Sheffield Football Club for the 2022-2023 season. The positive impact for our community teams, players and volunteers has truly been overwhelming since Weightron Bilanciai partnered with The World’s First in 2020. Their continued support the new season will provide invaluable opportunities for our grassroot clubs and community department to grow and flourish.”

Weightron Bilanciai 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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