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International football set to return to Chesterfield in March

England’s Young Lions will head to Chesterfield’s Technique Stadium in March.

The MU19s host a 2022 UEFA U19 EURO elite round group with Armenia, Portugal and Republic of Ireland as they bid to qualify for this summer’s finals in Slovakia.

Ian Foster’s age group will conclude the group with a fixture against Portugal at the Technique Stadium on Tuesday, March 29 (7.30pm kick-off).

Prior to that, England will host Republic of Ireland at Walsall on Wednesday, March 23 (7.30pm kick-off)  and Armenia at Rotherham United on Saturday, March 26 (2pm kick-off).

Only the group winners qualify for the U19 EURO finals, a tournament England has won once in its current guise in 2017.

The home of the Spireites has hosted a number of international matches since its opening more than a decade ago, ranging from under-16 to under-21 levels. The technique was also one of the host venues for the UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship in 2013.

Foster said: “It’s great that we have home advantage for this final phase of our qualifying campaign and even better that it allows us to take our Young Lions around the country.

“We’re looking forward to visiting Chesterfield where the backing will be vital in helping to get us over the line to qualify for the U19 EURO finals in Slovakia this summer.

“It’s rare that football fans get to witness the next crop of young England stars in their region so we hope to see plenty of all ages come out to enjoy the unique experience of watching international football.”

Chesterfield chief executive John Croot said: “We are honoured to have once again been asked to host an international fixture at the Technique Stadium. We attract good attendances for international matches and we are looking forward to welcoming the Young Lions.”

Tickets are on sale now at TheFA.com/tickets.

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

New game added at Chesterfield Escape Rooms

Chesterfield Escape Rooms has announced the launch of a new game, providing a new challenge to visitors at the attraction.

The new game, titled ‘The Cage’ has been added to the lineup, alongside existing titles ‘The Governor,’ ‘Rob the Bank,’ and ‘The Crazy Cat Lady.’

The game is set to give players a few frights along the way, with the game being set around an evil restaurant owner with a dark secret.

Owner of Chesterfield Escape Rooms, Nick Hogan said he was delighted to be offering the new experience to customers: “We are only offering new games because the people of Chesterfield have supported us so far as nearly 7000 players have taken part so far.

“When we reached number 4 in the UK it was a real pinch yourself moment. The team were challenged to get into the top 20 rooms so to get so far has been unbelievable. The next time the Derbyshire Times posts the question, ‘What’s the best thing about Chesterfield?’ I am hoping someone says the Escape Rooms.”

Nick also explained when people can expect to see further development within the Games Quarter: “From an Escape room perspective, we may look to freshen things up late in 2022 but we want to get the CAGE firmly established as a fantastic experience and we may then look towards the next Xmas theme.

He also hopes that more people across Chesterfield will pay a visit to the attraction and give it a try: “So many people will say they don’t want to be locked in a room or confined space or are scared. There really isn’t anything to worry about. I would ask them to give us a call and talk through the options as to how we would make their experience a fantastic one.”

Chesterfield Escape Rooms 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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East Midlands unemployment rate hits another record low

The East Midlands’ unemployment rate continues to drop – once again hitting its lowest point on record, new figures show.

It was 3.4% for the period between October and December last year, compared to a 4.1% national average.

This is the lowest level since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began publishing regional labour market figures in April 2015, and is higher than only four other regions – East of England, South West, Wales and Northern Ireland.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “After falling to 3.5% in the previous reporting period, it’s fantastic news for the region’s labour market that the unemployment rate has fallen to a new record low, which sends a clear signal that the East Midlands is open for business.

“It reflects our own research that indicates our region’s firms are creating jobs to meet strong demand following the effects of the pandemic. The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q4 2021, covering the same period as the ONS figures, showed two-thirds of companies attempted to recruit, while a net 35% expected to increase their headcount in the first three months of 2022.

“We are represented by a very diverse economy in the East Midlands but there have been some standout sectors to celebrate in recent times, such as a logistics industry that has been a major driver of job creation during the pandemic, which has accelerated pre-existing online shopping trends.”

However, the East Midlands economic inactivity rate – which measures the proportion of 16 to 64-year-olds who have exited the labour market for reasons such as retirement, caring duties or studying – was above the 21.2% national average at 21.9%. It recorded the largest increase compared with the previous year at 1.7 percentage points.

Another key finding in the ONS data was that UK wage growth continues to lag behind the rising cost of living – representing a 0.8% fall when taking inflation into account.

The ONS said early estimates suggest employers are beginning to push up wages further and faster – with median monthly wages in January increasing by 6.3% compared with the same month last year, and 10.3% higher than before the pandemic in February 2020.

Scott added: “Despite the positive trajectory in unemployment, businesses are still encountering major recruitment challenges in a super competitive jobs market, as evidenced by yet another record of 1.3 million job vacancies nationally between November and January.

“The significant rise in the proportion of people exiting the labour market in the East Midlands means there are fewer people to choose from – a worrying trend at a time when companies are desperately trying to fill roles to cope with demand, which will enable them to continue growing and creating more opportunities for local people.

“Many companies in traditional industries such as manufacturing and construction often tell us about the difficulties in replacing an ageing workforce with younger talent, and the latest QES showed that eight in 10 of those that attempted recruitment struggled to find people with the right skills.

“All this highlights the importance of investing heavily in skills, something that was highlighted in the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper as one of its 12 ‘missions’ but must now be prioritised with rapid action to ensure our post-Covid and post-Brexit economic recovery doesn’t stall.”

 

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Have your say on business in Chesterfield

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield are encouraging local retail and leisure businesses located throughout Chesterfield and Staveley town centres to complete a quick survey to allow us to gain a further understanding about supporting our high streets and town centres across the borough.

As a town centre or high street business, we would be grateful if you could complete the business tracker that will allow us to monitor the performance of the town, the success of marketing campaigns, events and business support.

This will help us shape future support for businesses, and events in the borough. Your insight will also be really useful to inform aspects of our significant investment plans which are being brought forward through the Levelling Up Fund and Staveley Town Deal.

The questions focus on your business’s location, if you have seen any recent increases or decreases in turnover pre and post pandemic, the level of footfall you see in your area, your views on Chesterfield or Staveley town centre as a place to shop, your awareness of business support available and your awareness of recent events held in the borough such as the Christmas Lights Switch On and the 1940s Market.

The results will be analysed and the process with be completed three times per year going forward.

Your opinions are important to us, and it will take less than 10 minutes to complete the questions.

The survey will close at the end of February 2022.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , ,

Chesterfield Museum prepares for multi-million pound renovation

Chesterfield Museum is set to close in preparation for a multi-million-pound renovation project that will create an enhanced and improved customer experience.

It is the next step in the refurbishment of Chesterfield’s historic Stephenson Memorial Hall, which houses the museum and The Pomegranate Theatre.

Proposals for the renovation of the Grade 2 listed building are due to go before Chesterfield Borough Council’s Planning Committee on Monday 28 February and, if approved, the museum will close from Tuesday 1 March to begin the complex process of moving the historic collection into safe storage.

The project is projected to cost around £15 million with £11 million of funding being secured via the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. Chesterfield Borough Council has received almost £20 million through this Government fund, the other £8 million will be used to support and enhance the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield Project.

Together this funding will help ensure that Chesterfield is a vibrant market town by improving connections across the town centre and enhancing the visitor economy.

Under the plans the refurbished Stephenson Memorial Hall will bring together an extended Pomegranate Theatre, a reconfigured and modern museum, alongside new gallery space, a café bar, education and community facilities.

The work will also protect the Grade 2 listed building and ensure that it remains part of the borough’s heritage for many more generations to come.

Creating a more accessible experience is another key aim of the proposals. The plans include a new lift which would help disabled guests access the circle and upper museum floors and to compliment this there would be an increased number of wheelchair spaces within the theatre.

Also included in the plans are improvements to lighting, heating, and ventilation.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, explained: “Stephenson Memorial Hall is one of our most striking buildings and these exciting plans are set to make it even more memorable and enjoyable – creating a modern visitor experience in the heart of our town centre.

“Our wonderful museum is a central part of the building and we’re now preparing for the huge and complex task of moving thousands of treasured items that are in our local collections to a safe, temporary home. Subject to planning approval, the museum will close at the start of March, and building work is set to begin later in the year.”

Items in the collection will be securely stored in a controlled environment to ensure preservation. One of the signature pieces, the medieval builder’s wheel, will be stored with a specialist renovator who will clean it whilst work progresses in the building.

Councillor Sarvent added: “We’re working hard to make sure people will still be able to enjoy our theatre and museum attractions in new and innovative ways while the transformation of the building is carried out.

“Our team at the museum regularly host interactive activities and events to help all members of our community connect with our history and we’re exploring even more ways to do this over the coming years – you’ll be able to find out more about our plans on our website and social media pages soon.”

Revolution House, which tells the story of the Revolution of 1688, will reopen on Friday 15 April. The free museum will then be open every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from 11am to 4pm until Sunday 18 September.

Whilst the Museum collection is moved the Pomegranate Theatre will continue to operate as normal and tickets can be booked by calling the box office on 01246 345 222 or by visiting www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk.

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

Chesterfield businesses encouraged to submit entries for the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2022

Entries are now open for the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2022, the annual ranking of England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers produced by the Department for Education.

The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers celebrates England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers and helps future apprentices, parents and careers advisers to identify apprenticeship opportunities at the country’s leading employers.

First launched in 2020, the annual employer rankings have been developed by the Department of Education, in partnership with High Fliers Research, who independently assess and rank the nation’s top apprenticeship employers.

The rankings weren’t produced in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re back in 2022 to showcase the apprenticeship employers that have done the most to provide successful apprenticeships over the last 12 months.

And new for 2022, England’s top small and medium-sized employers are being featured for the first time in the Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers.

Employers will be recognised for their commitment to employing apprentices, their creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of their new apprentices, and the number of apprentices who complete their apprenticeships and progress further with the employer.

Together, the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers will reveal which employers – large and small – are the country’s top apprenticeship employers for 2022.

Apprenticeship employers in every industry and employment sector – from accountancy, fashion and law, to teaching, nursing and engineering – are invited to enter for this year’s rankings.

The entry deadline is Friday 25th March and the new rankings will be announced during a special live broadcast in the summer of 2022.

More details about the rankings, how to prepare your entry, and the minimum entry requirements are available on the official entry website: http://topapprenticeshipemployers.co.uk

The new employer rankings for 2022 will be announced during a special live broadcast in the summer, celebrating the country’s leading employers of apprentices.

Nadhim Zahawi, Secretary of State for Education said: “The business benefits and career opportunities created by apprenticeships makes them a key feature of our commitment to level up skills and opportunity across the country.

“There are thousands of employers of all sizes and sectors that are providing individuals with the chance to learn new skills and have successful careers, while boosting their business’ success in the process.

These rankings will help everyone, from young people to career-changers, to make informed decisions about their future and unleash their full potential. I encourage all eligible employers to enter.”

Find out more about apprenticeships in Chesterfield: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

World famous Burning Man sculptures to arrive at Chatsworth this year

Huge sculptures from Burning Man, held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, USA will be making their UK debut at Chatsworth this spring at an ambitious and free-to-access exhibition in the Derbyshire estate’s parkland.

Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man at Chatsworth is a large-scale exhibition in the publicly accessible 1000 acre park surrounding the house, which sees 12 monumental sculptures from Burning Man, going on display in the UK for the first time from 9 April to 1 October.

While Radical Horizons takes place in Chatsworth’s parkland, a second exhibition Living With Art We love: An exhibition presented by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire will be taking place inside the house from 26 March to 9 October.

It features favourite items from their acquisitions over the past 40 years, few of which have been on public display, including paintings, sculpture and furniture, and including some works from the historic collection with a section dedicated to Lucian Freud in that artist’s centenary.

The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, said: “We’re delighted to be announcing this celebratory programme for Chatsworth. The exhibition in the house is a marker in time – a record of our acquisitions that we want to share with others – while the sculptures in the park continue the great tradition of the estate as a backdrop for contemporary works. We very much hope that visitors find inspiration here in this special place.”

Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man at Chatsworth is an ambitious sculpture exhibition designed to celebrate a shared culture of making and collaboration. Burning Man is a unique event that usually takes place annually in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA, and Chatsworth has worked with the Burning Man team and artists to bring its distinctive culture of possibility and creativity to the Derbyshire landscape.

Chatsworth and Burning Man were introduced by Sotheby’s, who saw a synergy between the two organisations in their commitments to creativity and community.

The exhibition features eight existing sculptures and four works built on site, including three new participatory sculptures that will be created in the parkland with the help of visitors and local community groups over the course of the year, mirroring the build process at Burning Man that sees teams of volunteers gathering in the desert to create new artworks.

Free to access and enjoy for all, the exhibition also benefits from a dedicated engagement programme working with communities of people who generally find Chatsworth hard to access, offering activities designed to leave a legacy of creative possibility and new connections with people.

The Burning Man Project produces the annual Burning Man event in Black Rock City, and works year-round to extend and facilitate the culture that has grown from the event into the larger world.

Kim Cook, Director of Creative Initiatives at Burning Man, said: “We’ve come to understand Chatsworth as a place to foster innovation, creativity, thoughtfulness and thinkers since its early days, something that is also central to our work and ethos at Burning Man. Our hope is that the art in the landscape will provoke joy, new ways of viewing, and be an invitation to make up your own story about meaning as you explore the beautiful expanse of Chatsworth.”

Living With Art We Love

The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire are longstanding supporters of artists and makers alike and have collected works throughout their lives. This exhibition brings the artworks that they live with and love into the public areas of the house to share with visitors for the first time.

Specially selected objects include paintings, sculpture, furniture, ceramics and textiles. Contemporary artworks by Michael Craig Martin, Edmund de Waal, Natasha Daintry and Felicity Aylieff – artists actively collected and commissioned by the Duke and Duchess – are shown alongside historic art from the Devonshire Collections rarely seen in public, including major works by Poussin, Rembrandt and Boltraffio.

The exhibition also includes a special section on ‘Freud at Chatsworth’ dedicated to Lucian Freud, which sees all the artist’s paintings, drawings and prints in the Devonshire Collections on display together in his centenary year. These works span the entirety of Freud’s career and include the major themes of his oeuvre: portraits of his mother, partners, friends, family, and animals. Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire, began collecting and commissioning work by Freud after the two men became friends in the late 1940s. Freud spent time at Chatsworth and in total painted six members of the 11th Duke’s family over a period of 20 years.

Alexandra Hodby, Senior Curator of Programme at Chatsworth, said: “It is wonderful to bring together this group of works, which represent the span of Freud’s life, and celebrate his relationship to the Cavendish family over many years. We’re grateful to private lenders, who have allowed us to bring back two paintings which were once part of the Devonshire Collections, and reunite them with the works at Chatsworth.”

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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Students and higher apprentices graduate with university-level qualifications from Chesterfield College

Students and higher apprentices from Chesterfield College celebrated their graduation recently after studying for university-level qualifications. In the first graduation ceremony for two years, proud friends, family and employers attended a special ceremony at the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield.

Graduates who completed their courses over the last two years were finally able to celebrate achieving their university-level qualifications in a wide range of subjects and levels following their studies during the pandemic.

Achievements in higher national certificates and diplomas as well as foundation, full and postgraduate degrees in engineering, public services, social care, education, sports and creative media were all celebrated. Those celebrating success with higher level professional qualifications in business, human resources, management, accounting and education were also recognised in the ceremony.

James Dietsch, graduated with a BSc Hons in Software Development and was chosen to give the student vote of thanks at the ceremony.  Studying for a degree in computer software development at Chesterfield College gave James the chance to develop a career in something he loved after he was made redundant from a job in retail. He is now working with the college to develop the new digital technology centre which recently opened, providing students on a range of courses from construction and engineering to computing and art with industry standard equipment to develop their skills.

He said: “The fact that we have made it here today to attend our graduation is not only a testament to our commitment to complete a course, but also to the hard-working staff members of the college who have supported us throughout this journey. Graduates, we have all progressed into a unique club of individuals and have the power now to determine our own path, so with that I ask that you simply follow your dreams and do whatever makes you happy.”

Lee Hardy graduated with a Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management along with 3 of his colleagues from the Central England Co-operative Society. They had all studied for the qualification on an apprenticeship. He told us:

“It has been a long time coming to be able to celebrate our achievements so it is a relief to finally be here. The company does really well at investing in colleagues. Studying at this level gave us more opportunities, greater learning and something we can give back to the company as well as ourselves. The leadership skills we have gained already has helped us massively.”

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of the Chesterfield College Group congratulated the graduates at the ceremony. She said;

“I am delighted we are able to hold our graduation ceremony today. It feels very special for the graduates to celebrate the incredible achievements with family, friends and employers. Every year I see students show remarkable dedication but I believe these graduates have shown extra resilience and commitment in achieving such success in such unprecedented circumstances.  On behalf of The Chesterfield College Group and our partner universities, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you and I wish you every success for the future.”

Chesterfield College works alongside a range of partners to deliver university-level and professional courses, including Sheffield Hallam University, University of Derby and Pearson. This allows people who want to work towards higher education qualifications the opportunity to access  flexible, affordable and quality higher level skills with their local college.

To find out more about the courses available at the University Centre visit www.chesterfield.ac.uk/university-level/

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Love Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

Dunkin’ Donuts and Taco Bell set to arrive in Chesterfield

Two new food outlets are set to create more jobs in Chesterfield, as plans have been revealed for Dunkin’ Donuts and Taco Bell to move into a vacant unit on a leisure park in the town.

The two eateries will occupy the unit on the Alma Leisure Park, just off the A61 Derby Road near Horns Bridge Roundabout. The unit was previously occupied by Chiquitos, before the national chain went into administration.

The unit will be sub-divided to provide two new restaurants (with takeaway facilities) to be occupied by Dunkin’ and Taco Bell. The proposed use will be a hybrid use as a result of the mixed restaurant/takeaway elements.

Alma Leisure Park already occupies a number of businesses including:

  • Cineworld
  • Nando’s
  • Nuffield Health
  • McDonald’s Drive Thru
  • Frankie & Benny’s

According to a statement by Canada Life Ltd, the company behind the planning application, the re-development of the vacant unit will lead to the creation of 45 new jobs.

The statement said: “The Dunkin’ restaurant (Unit 6A) will generate 15 employee positions (6 full-time and 9 part-time) and the Taco Bell restaurant (Unit 6B) will generate 30 employee positions (12 full-time and 18 part-time).”

Granting the application, Chesterfield Borough Council said in the decision notice: “The Local Planning Authority have during and prior to the consideration of this application engaged in a positive and proactive dialogue with the applicant with regard to the proposed scheme in order to achieve a positive outcome for the application.”

No objections were raised by consultees or members of the public to the planning application.

Centrally located in the UK Chesterfield is superbly connected, has an abundance of new business premises and room to grow. Find out more about investment opportunities in the town here.

Chesterfield has a quiet food revolution happening – with award winning restaurants that are attracting national media recognition, and independent coffee shops and pubs with a belief in local produce. Find out more about eating out in the town.

 

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

Mortgage 1st announces new partnership with British Home Sellers

Chesterfield-based Mortgage Advice firm Mortgage 1st and Nationwide Estate Agent British Home Sellers are now proudly working together to enhance the home buying journey for their customers.

House hunters across the country entrust British Home Sellers to find them their new home, with the company possessing a large team of experts and a portfolio of hundreds of properties for sale across the UK.

For customers to be able to put in an offer to buy a property, they need an AIP (Agreement in Principle) which is proof that they can get a mortgage. Mortgage 1st has a nationwide team of experienced Mortgage Advisers who can search the market to find the best mortgage deal available to them based on their circumstances.

Their combined operations means that once customers find a property through British Home Sellers, they speak to an Adviser at Mortgage 1st who can provide them with an AIP in a matter of minutes. This means they can offer on the property there and then. Continuing to work closely together until completion reassures their mutual customers that they are in the safest of hands.

The two businesses will be working together in order to provide customers with expertise and guidance to meet the needs of the modern house hunter of today.

Jon Stones, Managing Director, Mortgage 1st commented: “We are delighted to be working alongside the team at British Home Sellers as they completely share in our vision for providing customer excellence and are a dynamic forward thinking business like ourselves.”

“Both Mortgage 1st & British Home Sellers share the same values in that their customers & team members are everything. By creating friendly, supportive and exciting places to work they attract passionate individuals who thrive on delivering great customer service.”

Alex Clendon, Managing Director of British Home Sellers said: “The speed of communication and expertise from Mortgage 1st has been fantastic and improves the service we can provide to both buyers and sellers.

“Their usage of smart technology, combined with experience and a lovely team yields amazing results for our customers.”

Mortgage 1st supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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

Matlock Farm Park’s George Finlay shortlisted for national tourism award

Matlock Farm Park’s George Finlay is celebrating after being announced as one of ten finalists in the running for the title of VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2022.

Organised by national tourist board VisitEngland and supported by The Mirror, the Tourism Superstar competition recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism industry.

The competition invites members of the public to visit mirror.co.uk/travel to watch a short film created for each of the ten finalists and then to vote for their favourite.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s official destination management organisation, is now leading the campaign to encourage votes for George using the social media hashtag #VOTEGEORGE.

At just 22 years old, George goes above and beyond in his role at one of Derbyshire’s leading tourist attractions to ensure visitors have amazing and unforgettable experiences.

As Farm Supervisor at Matlock Farm Park, George’s responsibilities include running daily animal-based activities for the public – such as meerkat talks and wallaby encounters – looking after the health and welfare of animals and engaging with visitors around the park.

George is particularly passionate about sharing his love for animals with young audiences and he was nominated to be VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2022 because of the enthusiasm, passion, knowledge and dedication that he brings to his role – attributes that win him regular praise on TripAdvisor from visitors from across the UK.

As well as shining a spotlight on individuals who go the extra mile for tourists in the UK, this year’s Tourism Superstar competition also recognises the efforts made by teams across the industry in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, during the first Covid-19 lockdown when tourism businesses were closed to the public, George was inspired to create behind-the-scenes social media videos and a YouTube series to bring the farm park to visitors’ homes through the click of a button.

Matlock Farm Park TV has since reached thousands of views online, giving visitors the chance to go behind-the-scenes with entertaining and educational episodes that encourage young people to have a love for animals.

George Finlay, Farm Supervisor at Matlock Farm Park, says: “I am absolutely delighted to be representing the Peak District and Derbyshire in the national finals and to be nominated as Tourism Superstar is an amazing honour.

“I feel incredibly lucky to work in a job where I can share my passion for animals with visitors of all ages from across the UK and Europe, helping them to have rewarding experiences.

“Our amazing destination has so much to offer visitors, and if nothing else, I hope to shine a spotlight on the Peak District and Derbyshire and all it has to offer.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “With his knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication to giving visitors of all ages a great experience, George is a fantastic ambassador for the Peak District and Derbyshire’s tourism sector, and we’re absolutely thrilled to see him reach the final.

“This award recognises the people on the ground whose consistent vision and dedication ensures that visitors have a great experience and we encourage local residents, businesses and visitors alike to get behind him using #VOTEGEORGE.”

Watch George Finlay’s nomination video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSmwQU0uKq8.

Vote for George Finlay in the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar competition at mirror.co.uk/travel.

The voting closes on 22 March 2022 and the winning Tourism Superstar will be announced on 26 March 2022 at the end of English Tourism Week 2022 (18-27 March).

Follow the campaign progress on Facebook and Instagram at @visitpeakdistrict and on Twitter at @vpdd – and use the social media hashtag #VOTEGEORGE.

Matlock Farm Park and Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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

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