Leisure

Further statues added to the Markham Colliery miners memorial

Fifteen new statues have been have been added to the ‘Walking Together’ mining memorial at the Markham Vale Business Park to commemorate miners who tragically lost their lives in 3 disasters at Markham Colliery.

The business park was developed by Derbyshire County Council and HBD on the site of the former colliery and the memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the site’s strong mining heritage.

Each statue symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and represents the men who lost their lives in the 3 accidents in 1937, 1938 and 1973.

The new statues takes the total of life-sized steel figures to 77 and Derbyshire County Council continue to work alongside partners to fundraise for all 106 miners to be commemorated.

Councillor Barry Lewis Derbyshire County Council Leader, said: “Although the landscape looks very different, Markham Vale is a hive of industry and employment today just as it was back when the pit stood there and, it’s important we don’t forget the area’s roots.”

He added: “As we enter the final stages towards completing the memorial project, I’d like to thank all the sponsors for their contributions so far, including Viridor Credits Environmental Company for funding the most recent group of figures through the Landfill Communities Fund.”

These most recent additions have been dedicated to:

  • Charles Bown, 27, contractor
  • George Clarence Briggs, 52, deputy
  • Joseph William Brocklehurst, 58, deputy
  • George Cyril Foulds Buckley, 40, contractor
  • John William Watson Commons, 33, contractor
  • George Eyre, 60, gearhead attendant
  • Clifford Brooks, 58, deputy
  • Joe Hardy, 37, Contractor
  • Clarence Hill, 29, belt-hand
  • Fred Reddish, 53, development worker
  • Harry Hudson, 26, gate-end
  • Benjamin Wallace, 29, road layer
  • George Henry Jackson, 43, contractor
  • William Edward Whelpton, 32, rope greaser
  • Michael Kilroy, 53, development worker

Due to the coronavirus pandemic it was not possible to hold a physical event to unveil the latest statues. Instead a short film has been produced as a virtual commemoration.

Find out more information about the colliery and the miners who lost their lives on The Story Mine website.

unearth

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure

New local radio station launched for Chesterfield, Matlock and North Derbyshire

Launching as a local radio alternative to big national brands; Radio Rewind is a new digital age radio station for the communities of Chesterfield, Matlock and North Derbyshire.

The aim is to provide a professional-sounding radio station with friendly and familiar presenters who care about issues and events across Chesterfield, Matlock & North Derbyshire.

The station has been founded by two locals; Andrew Haslam and Joseph Turton, who both grew up in the Chesterfield area, surrounded by local radio and media. Between the two, they have previous experience working at online radio stations, an extensive history with a range of live events and knowledge of the broadcast media space.

Andrew Haslam and Joseph Turton

As a part of the station’s big plan, a local drive time show has been penciled in to start later this year, as well as putting several other local show slots together ready to be filled with local talent. One of which is local radio presenter James Hilton, who has over 20 years of radio experience.

Playing a range of music, from timeless 80s hits, right through to the latest charts and local music, with other shows dedicated to Rock, Blues, Late Night Love Classics and Dance Music, Radio Rewind is designed to appeal to radio listeners in the area, and fill the gap that has been left behind.

Radio Rewind’s Station Manager, Andrew, said: “As someone who grew up listening to local radio in Chesterfield, I am excited to be working on this new local radio station, and hope that we are supported by people and businesses in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire so we can work towards bringing local radio back on the dial, as well as online.”

He then added: “With more than half of radio listening now being via digital platforms such as DAB, smart speakers and other online sources, now is the right time to launch Radio Rewind, which is proud to stand as a local station.”

Co-Founder, Joseph Turton said: “A goal for us with Radio Rewind, is to be able to offer a professional sounding local radio station which endeavours to support local businesses, community groups and residents. As a station we pride ourselves on offering high quality and entertaining shows, along with, travel updates, local content & national and local news.”

“As support and listening increases for the station, we can bring on more and more local shows.”

To help make a difference in the area of North Derbyshire, Radio Rewind runs ‘Local Focus’, which is designed to help promote local events and not-for-profit organisations looking to showcase their groups and encourage people to join in with activities. Local Focus is free for any non-commercial group in the area and features will run regularly across the day.

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

Chesterfield people urged to join the Refill Revolution and cut down on waste

The Plastic Free Chesterfield community group are encouraging Chesterfield people to join the Refill Revolution and bring their reusable water bottle, coffee cup or container to fill up on the go, rather than buying a single-use alternative.

With the school holidays, staycations and summer day trips in full swing as lockdown has eased, a new Summer of Refills campaign to help cut down on litter has been unveiled.

In the town, you can refill at more than 20 venues including Bottle & Thyme, Fred’s Haberdashery, The Cheese Factor, Stephensons Tea and Coffee House and Chesterfield High Street Award nominee Steph’s Sustainable Stuff. Plastic Free Chesterfield is highlighting a different business a day on their social media channels.

Simon Davidson, Owner of The Cheese Factor, said: “The Cheese Factor is joining the Summer of Refills campaign so people can start to help the planet by refilling containers not throwing them away!”

Steph Mannion of Steph’s Sustainable Stuff said: “I’m taking part in the Summer of Refills campaign to help the people of Chesterfield reduce their dependence on single-use plastics. Bringing their own containers for food, toiletries and cleaning products can save money and cut down on waste.”

Greg Hewitt, Community Lead of Plastic Free Chesterfield, said: “As the public get back out and about, enjoying their summer holidays, I hope they will choose to reuse and bring a reusable water bottle, coffee cup or container with them. We can all join together to make a difference and reduce single use in our community.”

The list of all Chesterfield businesses taking part can be found here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Local man to run length of Chesterfield canal and back in 24 hours

On 29 August, local runner David Smith intends to run 92 miles in under 24 hours to raise money for the Chesterfield Canal Trust.

The canal runs for 46 miles from Chesterfield to the River Trent and he will run there and back in a day, the equivalent of 3 and a half marathons.

David is a Life Member of the Trust and will be raising money for its 2027 Appeal Fund. This aims to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027 which will be the 250th Anniversary of its opening.

He will set off from Chesterfield in the afternoon of Saturday 29th August. Having run through the night, he will be aiming to get back early on the Sunday afternoon.

David is no stranger to long distance running, nor to raising money for good causes.

Already a keen runner, when he moved to Chesterfield in 1994 he began looking for running routes and it wasn’t long before he came across the canal. Back then it was just a grassy track, but over the years he has seen what a great job the Trust has done helping to restore the canal.

After a while, various family events led him into fundraising and he started running to raise money for a variety of causes, most notably Ashgate Hospicecare and the MS Society; David’s wife has MS. In 2014, David’s grandson was stillborn and this pushed him to a new level, raising money for two babies’ charities – SANDS and Tommy’s.

David often runs in fancy dress carrying a collection bucket (see below) and has competed in events from 5K to 400K, raising over £100,000 in the process. Weather permitting, he will run in full Scooby Doo attire.

during the coronavirus pandemic. David carried on running in his back garden and later round Derbyshire but not raising much money. He had always wanted to tackle the Cuckoo Way – the official name for the canal towpath.

David said: “Over the weeks of lockdown the Canal has become a vital resource allowing walkers and cyclists to experience its beauty as they exercise. It’s important we ensure the brilliant efforts of the Trust volunteers are allowed to continue so the canal can be fully restored for even more people to enjoy.”

Rod Auton, Chesterfield Canal Trust Publicity Officer, said: “We were blown away when David got in touch with this incredible proposal. A few people have walked the full length of the canal in about 16 hours, but to run it there and back in a day is mind-boggling.”

He added: “We hope that the public will get behind David and contribute to our 2027 Appeal. It would be fantastic to see boats sailing into Chesterfield having come all the way from the river Trent. We’d certainly like to see David on the first boat – hopefully it will have been an easier, but slower, passage!”

If you would like to support David or the Canal Trust, you can visit the Chesterfield Canal Trust website or visit David’s Crowdfunder page. Alternatively, you can send a cheque to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road, Chesterfield, S43 2PF.

Chesterfield Canal Trust supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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

Work progresses on site of Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

The erection of the structural steelwork frame for Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre marks a major milestone in the development’s progress.

Work on the site has been progressing safely through the Coronavirus pandemic with work on the foundations beginning in April and now the steelwork is being erected, which means that the new Enterprise Centre is on track to be completed and will be a key contributor to the town’s economic recovery.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, who visited the site said: “This is both an exciting and an important development for Chesterfield, and I’m pleased that work is continuing to progress despite the current challenges.”

“This Enterprise Centre is key to ensuring that Chesterfield remains a thriving borough and will create lots of new opportunities for local businesses and people, supporting the sustainability of the town centre.”

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is an important development in Chesterfield’s post-Coronavirus economic recovery plans. It is also a key part of the plan to regenerate this key area of the town and to ensure the town continues to thrive.

Robert Woodhead Limited’s Project Manager, Daniel Cove, said: “Our current works on site centre around the installation of the steel frame and are expected to be completed within the next two weeks. This will then allow us to bring back the ground workers, install the lift pit, the underground tanking and the perimeter blockwork to allow for the installation of the ground floor slab. We are also expecting to receive delivery of the pre-cast concrete stair and the composite metal decking at the end of August to allow for the installation of the roof and expect to be watertight by mid-October.

“We are working with local companies on this project, the ground worker we have contracted for the works is DJ Newbury who employ a number of Chesterfield residents. Going forward we hope to engage with local supply chains for a number of trades including dry lining, flooring and painting and decorating.”

Andrew Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “As a local practice we are delighted to see progress being made on site.”

“The Enterprise Centre is an important part of the Northern Gateway regeneration in Chesterfield, providing a new and unique commercial offer which is designed to be a catalyst for further investment and development.”

As well as providing high quality facilities for businesses wanting to locate in the town centre, the architecture will provide a new contemporary landmark which will enrich the urban fabric of the town. This building is further evidence that Chesterfield can deliver its ambition and realise a building fit for a long and sustainable future.

Scheduled for completion in Spring 2021, the new building will provide 32 high-quality offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors. It offers a shared reception and lobby area, meeting rooms, first floor break out area, bicycle store, shower and changing facilities, air conditioning throughout, lift access, internal bin store, kitchenettes on each floor for use by occupants, individually metered power supplies, access control to all office doors, CCTV coverage to internal communal areas and external area. IT fibre connection into building with maximum speed multi bandwidth and WIFI is provided throughout.

Office space is offered on easy in and out letting terms and tenants at the Enterprise Centre will also benefit from access to a range of other council services and venues, including business support and corporate rates for leisure passes, parking permits and conferencing facilities.

With its town centre location, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is easily accessible by car, train, bus and cycle users. It’s situated opposite the new Saltergate multi-story car park and close to all major bus routes and Chesterfield Train station.

The building has been designed to have sustainability principles at its heart, minimising its impact on the environment and achieving considerable efficiencies in energy use.

The new centre is an important addition to Chesterfield Borough Council’s commercial property portfolio and will hopefully be a key component in Chesterfield’s post COVID 19 recovery.

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre project has benefited from grant funding support from the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund.

To find out more about your business being based in the Enterprise Centre email either claire.cunningham@chesterfield.gov.uk or hannah.ramsdale@chesterfield.gov.uk.

To find out more about the Northern Gateway development, click here.

Architects for the centre, Whittam Cox have produced a virtual walkthrough of the building which you can watch below:

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

Series of digital events launched by Chesterfield Museum

Chesterfield Borough Council’s museum’s team have been busy planning a series of digital events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of V-J Day and the end of World War Two, and a range of online summer holiday activities. There are lots of great activities for the whole family to get involved in.

V-J Day – 75th Anniversary

Chesterfield Borough Council will be commemorating the 75th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) by launching an exclusive video on the Chesterfield Museum Facebook page.

V-J Day takes place on Saturday 15 August and the Museum have partnered with History’s Maid to develop a video that commemorates this day and the soldiers who tragically lost their lives in the Pacific campaign.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Our virtual VE Day celebrations were a great success and I’m pleased to be able to announce a similar selection of events and activities to help commemorate the anniversary of V-J Day.”

The video, along with activities for viewers to download, will be released via Facebook at 11am on Saturday 15 August. It will provide some important background to V-J Day including how it marked the end of World War Two. The video and activities will remain on the website for people to view and download.

Follow Chesterfield Museum on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/chesterfieldmuseum

Summer Holidays Online

Chesterfield Museum’s main exhibition this summer was going to be ‘Put That Light Out!’ which would explore the home front in Chesterfield during World War II, including rationing, holidays at home, the Women’s Voluntary Service and the Home Guard.

In order to bring this exhibition to life on a digital platform, the Museum will be running three online videos which aim to tell the story of everyday life during World War Two.

The videos will be available on the Chesterfield Museum Facebook page at 11am on three consecutive Mondays starting from 17 August.

Councillor Kate Sarvent continued: “I’m delighted that the Chesterfield Museum is able to make these videos available online, as it’s so important that we remind ourselves and teach our children and young people about what life was like during World War Two. The Chesterfield Museum website also has a selection of activities including some brilliant arts and crafts that will help young people connect with history and understand the impact of World War Two.”

The first video focusses on evacuation and you will learn about the role of an evacuation officer, how it felt to send her own children away and will discover what ‘operation pied piper’ was. You will also find out how gas masks influenced women’s hair styles, the meaning behind ‘saucepans for spitfires’ and how the blitz affected Chesterfield.

On the 24 August you can learn how rationing changed the lives of local people when it was introduced in January 1940, find out what was in weekly rations and some of the hints and tips that were popular at the time to make rations go further.

It will also look at ‘dig for victory’ and how this encouraged everyone to become vegetable gardeners and grow their own produce anywhere, even on the top of Anderson shelters. There is also a special look at the incredible work done in supplying food for the country by the Women’s Land Army during World War Two.

The final video in the series will be released on Monday 31 August and will explore why clothes rationing was introduced when materials were scarce and why this meant that boys wore shorts all year round no matter the weather. People were also encouraged to repair clothes and recycle old fabric, creating an overall message of waste not, want not.

The series of three video will be released on Facebook, www.facebook.com/chesterfieldmuseum, and the selection of activities that will help young people connect with history and understand the impact of World War Two can be accessed here: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/museum from Saturday 15 August.

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

Chesterfield FC sold to Community Trust

The sale of Chesterfield FC to Chesterfield FC Community Trust has been officially completed.

The ground-breaking agreement, which brings an end to Dave Allen’s decade-long ownership of the Spireites, means the Community Trust is believed to be the first such organisation to own a professional football club in this country.

Community Trust chairman Mike Goodwin, who is set to take up a similar role on the football club board, is delighted to have concluded the deal following months of negotiations. He said: “It has been a long road to reach this position and we are now at the start of a new era for the football club. I would like to thank Dave Allen and Ashley Carson for their co-operation and wish them all the best for the future.”

“There was a very real possibility that the club could have been sold to someone who did not have the best interests of the club at heart. We would urge supporters to embrace the Community Trust as a safe pair of hands to safeguard the future of the club. We are all in this together so it is vital that supporters get behind us.”

“We set out from the start to build on solid foundations, putting together a robust business plan with the help of professional advisors including Rajesh Sharma from Tilston Ventures Ltd and Matt Dunham from Dunham Dean Advisory and we will continue to make decisions in the best interests of the club.”

“As a Trust, we have used the power of football and Chesterfield to make a positive difference to the lives of the people of North Derbyshire. The importance of the club to the community has been acknowledged by Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, who have each agreed to provide financial support for the acquisition and operation of the club.”

“Having spoken to John Pemberton, he shares our on-the-field vision for the club and he will receive the support he needs to shape a squad capable of competing effectively during the forthcoming season.”

“The hard work starts now and we are under no illusions about the size of the task in front of us. Now is the time for everyone to pull together and work to put the club on a firm footing.”

With Mike Warner and John Croot standing down as directors, a new board will be announced soon.

Chesterfield FC Proact

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

Chesterfield College cookery student named South African Young Chef of the Year

Chesterfield College professional cookery student, William Joynes, has been named as the South African Young Chef of the Year after winning a national competition organised by South African deciduous fruit growers, Hortgro.

His skills and the effort he put into the competition means he will go on a trip to South Africa to learn from some of country’s top celebrity chefs.

In the first round of the competition, organisers asked young UK chefs to submit a main course showcasing South African stone fruit. Before lockdown, William and his fellow students, George Allen and Jake Parkin worked in the Chesterfield College kitchens to develop mouth-watering dishes to enter the competition. All three of them impressed judges with their entries and were shortlisted as finalists back in February.

They were due to travel to London to complete a cook-off final at High Timber restaurant, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant this stage of the competition was cancelled. Organisers later resurrected the competition and asked finalists to create a video to demonstrate how they would cook a dessert with a list of ingredients.

William worked with a former Chesterfield College media student to produce a video of him making a South African milk tart with a cinnamon crumb and a caramel apple sorbet. His choice of dish, his creative combination of ingredients and his skill in the kitchen made him stand out and he was named as the winner of the competition last week.

He will travel to Franschhoek in South Africa, as soon as travel restrictions are lifted, to join celebrity chefs, Reuben Riffel and John Norris-Rogers, Head Chef at La Petite Colombe. He will be fully involved in the running of two award-winning restaurants, gain a deeper understanding of how each operation works, and develop his knowledge of South African fine dining.

Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s General Manager for Trade and Markets: “William produced two superb competition entries. Both dishes demonstrated a great deal of skill, a clear understanding of the brief and he showcased South African stone and top fruit perfectly. William should be incredibly proud of himself and South Africa’s top chefs are looking forward to hosting his stage.”

William told us how he developed his dishes and how it felt when he found out he had won: “I did some research on South African dishes and I used the knowledge I had built up from working in the fine dining restaurant Rafters in Sheffield, as well as the skills we learnt at college, to develop the dishes. I added my own flair with my knowledge of different techniques and the ingredients we had to work with.”

He added: “It was just amazing when I found out I’d won. When my tutor called to tell me I was absolutely ecstatic. It was good to get that feedback from professional chef judges.  I am really looking forward to the trip to South Africa. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn about South African cuisine and get unique industry experience that will help me as I start to build my career.”

William’s tutor, Ian Matthews, who supported the students to enter the competition and ensured they had time to develop their dishes, said: “These competitions are a fantastic way for students to extend their skills. It is wonderful to see how each of the entrants from Chesterfield College approached the competition and it is a pleasure to support them to try new things in our training kitchens.

He added: “They worked really hard in difficult circumstances and continued to compete from home during lockdown. The fact that they were all finalists is down to their hard work and passion. I am very proud of them all and everyone at college sends congratulations to William. We look forward to hearing about his adventures in South Africa.”

Chesterfield College supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure

Chesterfield distillery celebrates success at international awards

Derbyshire Distillery’s gins have picked up a hat trick of awards at the London Spirits Competition.

Three of the Chesterfield based distillery’s gins were awarded silver and bronze medals, an impressive result for a company that has been distilling for just over two years.

Chesterfield Dry, the company’s first gin, and their premium gin, Derbyshire Master Blend, were awarded silver medals, with Chesterfield Mojito taking bronze.

The judging panel comprised spirits industry experts, with commercial buying responsibility, which ensured that all spirits selected as winners in the competition were exactly the types of spirits that are favoured by both the spirits trade and the end consumer.   The London Spirits Competition awards panel considered three main elements of each spirit, quality, value and packaging to come to their final decision.

Commenting on the company’s success at the competition, head distiller David Hemstock said: “We are delighted that our gins have again been recognised by an independent judging panel, which this time were evaluating a wide range of spirits from around the world.”

“From day one we have enjoyed positive feedback from our customers, but to win these latest awards endorses our hard work and reinforces our commitment to producing consistently smooth, drinkable gins.”

Derbyshire Distillery was established in 2018 with a simple aim: to produce fantastic gins, vodkas and liqueurs using the best local and international ingredients and fresh, cool Derbyshire water.

Based at Markham Vale in Chesterfield, the distillery also offers a gin experience where you can learn how their gin is made.

Chesterfield distillery celebrates success at national awards

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Home, Leisure, Summer

Chesterfield residents urged to back local businesses through eat out to help out scheme

The area’s official tourist board is encouraging local communities to show their support for food and drink businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire by making use of the Government’s new ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme which launches today.

The nationwide scheme aims to protect jobs in the hospitality industry and incentivise customers to dine out by offering a 50% discount up to a maximum of £10 per person on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at participating establishments throughout August.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire says the scheme is a great way not only for local people to rediscover the great food and drink on their doorstep, but also to show their support for local tourism and hospitality businesses which were closed during lockdown.

The Peak District and Derbyshire’s visitor economy supports over 30,000 jobs and it is hoped that ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ will provide a much-needed boost by increasing customer confidence and helping local businesses on the road to recovery.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “The Eat Out to Help Out scheme presents the perfect opportunity to welcome customers back after a very challenging few months and we urge everyone to show their support for local pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels by dining out and enjoying the Peak District and Derbyshire’s fantastic food and drink offer.

“Our businesses have worked exceptionally hard to reopen their sit-down services in line with government guidelines and not only is the scheme a great excuse for a weekday treat, it’s also going to be pivotal in building customer confidence and helping the hospitality industry to successfully get back on its feet.”

Dom Stevens added: “The Chancellor’s support for the sector is particularly welcome at this time however, we must all ensure we continue to support hospitality businesses beyond the eat out to help out scheme.  With the hospitality sector now fully re-open, the town now has a real opportunity to capitalise on the staycation boom and drive forward its economic recovery.”

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy added: “The re-opening of these businesses is vital for our local economy and will help ensure the longevity of the many brilliant establishments in our borough.”

Destination Chesterfield has prepared a page of Chesterfield and North Derbyshire businesses that are taking part in the eat out to help out scheme at https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer/eat-out-to-help-out-in-chesterfield/

The tourist board will be showcasing participating businesses across the region via its popular social media channels and at www.visitpeakdistrict.com/food-and-drink/eat-out-to-help-out.

The Government has also launched a restaurant finder to enable diners to search for participating eateries within a 5 mile radius.

Businesses can register for the scheme until 31 August and can find out more at: www.gov.uk/guidance/register-your-establishment-for-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme

Eat Out to Help Out in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Funding approved to keep Derbyshire active

APT oversees the delivery of physical activity programmes across Derbyshire under the Active Derbyshire partnership, who Derbyshire County Council work closely with, to increase the levels of physical activity among young people and adults.

Derbyshire County Council, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Councillor Carol Hart said:

“We’re pleased to award this funding and continue our investment in Active Derbyshire to encourage local residents to get more involved in physical activity across the county.

“The benefits of an active lifestyle shouldn’t be underestimated. Physical activity can help treat and prevent diseases and improve the health of those with chronic conditions.”

A report by Sport England has found that during the coronavirus crisis there has been a change in attitudes towards physical activity.

The report highlighted how the government’s guidance around daily exercise had a positive effect with 53% of adults agreeing that they had been encouraged to exercise during the pandemic. In addition 44% of adults took part in online fitness classes or did their own workouts at home.

Councillor Hart added:

“The coronavirus pandemic has created a window of opportunity to engage with our communities and promote the benefits of physical activity.

“Despite rules on social distancing and self-isolation, there appears to be a new appetite for exercise across the country whether that’s walking, cycling or jogging.

“This new funding can help build on that participation right here in Derbyshire by making use of the fantastic outdoor spaces we have on our doorstep.”

Since February 2018 Active Derbyshire, through Derbyshire County Council’s funding, has delivered a number of physical activity initiatives including:

  • Providing strategic leadership across the county and working with key partners to establish physical activity sub groups of locality health and wellbeing partnerships
  • Supporting our Physical Activity and Sports Action Grants programme
  • Making physical activity and exercise daily practice in Derbyshire schools including encouraging a-mile-a-day type activities, and promoting active travel to schools.

Chesterfield 10K

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home, Leisure