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New Chesterfield ice bath business invites residents to ‘take the plunge’

A new Chesterfield business is offering people the opportunity to experience ice bath therapy for the first time in a safe environment.

Cold Plunge Chesterfield is based at ‘The Nest: Therapy & Wellness Hub’ in Chesterfield town centre.

The business, which is located on South Place, off Beetwell Street has a specially designed ice bath, which ensures water can be cooled to the precise degree.

Traditionally, deliberate cold water exposure has been used to reduce pain, inflammation and speed up recovery time.

More recently, research has begun to show the positive impacts ice baths on the nervous system, neurotransmitters and mood, alongside positive impacts on an individual’s immune system, metabolism, mental clarity and sleep.

Gemma Howard, owner at Cold Plunge Chesterfield said: “No experience is necessary as we have trained ‘cold water practitioners’ who can fully support their first ice bath allowing an understanding of how your body will react to the cold.

“Clients can come alone, or with friends, or even hire the studio space for a private event. We also offer the option of having a ‘guided plunge’ with a mindfulness experience or ‘contrast therapy’ using our infrared sauna blanket. Everyone’s reason and experience in the cold water is as unique as them.”

Speaking on why she decided to invest in the town, Gemma commented: “I have lived in Chesterfield for most of my life. Most of my working career has been spent as a Psychology teacher in a local secondary school, but I have had a passion for experiencing and learning about cold water therapy and ice baths for about 4 years now.

“An opportunity to invest in this business and work with the team at ‘The Nest’ arose, and it just seemed like the right time to share the magic of cold water therapy with the people of Chesterfield.

“I have loved meeting all the different clients who live in and around the Chesterfield area. Whether someone comes for physical recovery after an event or training, or to alleviate feelings of anxiety/depression, or even help manage menopausal symptoms – It’s a privilege to watch them push themselves slightly out of their comfort zones and feel the benefits afterwards.”

To get more information about Cold Plunge Chesterfield, head over to the website: www.coldplungechesterfield.co.uk

Find out more about why Chesterfield is an excellent location to base your business at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

cold plunge

 

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Strongmen and strongwomen to flex their muscles at the Peak District Highland Games

Some of the nation’s strongest men and women are coming to our region next month, to battle it out in the bid to be The Peak District Highland Games Champion 2023.

The flagship show, now in its eighth year, takes place at Matlock Farm Park on Sunday 27 August. It features athletes participating in six demanding strength events including the Tossing of the Caber, Eight Tonne Tractor Pull and Peak District Dinnie Stone Challenge.

Beginning with a parade of the athletes accompanied by The City of Manchester Piper Band and a Scottish dancer, the day sees an expert MC provide exciting commentary to enthuse the crowd, with the opportunity for spectators to even take part in a Tug of War.

Lotty Hawkins, Communications Manager of Matlock Farm Park, said: “We’re delighted to be running this fantastic event once again. It’s such a favourite for so many people, whatever the age. It’s a real spectacle and with so much else going on in the park, there’s something for everyone”.

peak District Highland Games 2022 log press

The day also features a range of food, market and craft stalls with a Bradfield Brewery beer tent and a Prosecco stand for Summer refreshments. There is an interactive exotic animal encounter, along with much of the usual fun of the farm park, including sheep racing, small animal handling and playtime fun with the Enchanted Hamlet and Jumping Pillow.

The last two years of the Games have seen strongwomen also competing, much to the delight of inspired spectators. Initially taking part in three of the six strength events, last year they competed in all six disciplines, also pulling the same eight tonne tractor as the men, with Michaela Moore taking the women’s title.

Manbeast Events director Andy Picken said: “There is growing diversity in strength sports and women are demonstrating great dedication to training and some awesome displays of strength”.

He continued: “The female and male athletes are really excited about this year’s Peak District Highland Games, with some amazing competitors lined up. In 2022, newly crowned men’s champion Jake Rideout was pushed right to the very end by Shaun Blairs in a tight contest. With the introduction of some mystery new athletes this year, Manbeast are keeping the rest of the competitors in the dark to keep them focused and ready to battle it out!”

To find out more and to purchase tickets for The Peak District Highland Games, see matlockfarmpark.digitickets.co.uk/tickets.

Find out more about the wide range of events and activities taking place across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire this summer at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer/

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

peak district highland games caber toss

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Joint agents appointed for Chesterfield’s pivotal Elder Way scheme

Jomast has appointed FHP as official joint agents of Elder Way – a pivotal site in Chesterfield town centre which has been redeveloped by the leading regeneration specialist into leisure and retail units.

FHP is the dominant retail and leisure agent within the Midlands, with offices in Nottingham, Birmingham and Derby, and has won the EGi East Midlands Most Active Retail Agent award for the last 13 years.

FHP will now work alongside WSB Property to jointly market the Elder Way scheme nationally to potential occupiers.

There are currently a number of leasing opportunities available at the 21,761 sq ft scheme, from smaller E Class and Sui Generis Bar units of 1,420 sq. ft. upwards to larger units of up to 4,704 sq. ft.

Alan Pearson, Director and Head of the Retail and Leisure at FHP commented: “We are pleased to partner with WSB Property to introduce Elder Way to a wider audience across the East Midlands. The units are suitable for a variety of uses following the change of the use class order which opens this up to office and clinical use, alongside the traditional retail and leisure use.”

Jomast has transformed the former Co-op department store into a landmark mixed-use leisure scheme comprising seven street-level units and a 16,285 sq. ft. basement. The site is being marketed to food and drink, and gym operators as well as retailers.

Constructed in the 1930s, the site boasts a mock-Tudor frontage and is as renowned as the town’s crooked Spire church.

A Premier Inn hotel already occupies the upper two floors of the building where it has been successfully operating since 2019. Recently Premier Inn owner Whitbread reported that its first-quarter sales came in ahead of last year’s figures, supported by strong demand for travel and leisure and robust performance of its UK hotels.

Elder Way is one of the key developments within Chesterfield Borough Council’s £60 million Northern Gateway Scheme which includes and new multi-storey car park, completed in 2021 and an Enterprise Centre opened in 2022. The Enterprise Centre, which has 32 office suites is recording near 100% occupancy just 12 months after opening. Both the Enterprise Centre and Saltergate multi-storey are located within a two-minute walk of Elder Way.

Mark Hill, Commercial Property Director of Jomast added: “We’re committed to creating developments and regenerating properties that have a transformative effect on towns and cities and Elder Way embodies this. It is a pivotal site both in the town centre and the Northern Gateway scheme in Chesterfield.”

Find out more about the Chesterfield Elder Way development here. 

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

Chesterfield Elder Way

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Businesses encouraged to apply for prestigious Derbyshire Tourism Awards

Businesses in Chesterfield’s visitor economy sectors are being encouraged to apply for a prestigious awards ceremony, which could see them gain national recognition.

Applications for the 2024 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards will officially open on Friday 14th July 2023.

Organised by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire in collaboration with Visit Derby, the awards will celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement across the tourism sector.

The awards are set launch at an exciting time for the area’s visitor economy with Visit Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby recently gaining Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) status from VisitEngland, as part of a new national programme aimed at transforming and growing the visitor economy across England in an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable way.

There are 14 awards categories in total covering different aspects of the tourism industry, ranging from hotels, B&Bs and campsites to pubs, visitor attractions, unique experiences, and the hardworking people behind local businesses.

Applications will be open from 14th July to 30th August 2023. Shortlisted finalists will be revealed in the autumn and winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony held at the Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill on 7th March 2024.

The awards are held in association with the acclaimed VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 and eligible regional winners will be automatically put forward for judging in the national awards.

The Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are free to enter for members of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire and Visit Derby. Non-members can enter at a fee of £150 plus VAT per category. Entrants must be based in Derbyshire, the city of Derby, or within the Peak District National Park boundary, and must be part of the visitor economy.

Businesses interested in applying for the 2024 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards can boost their chances of success by attending application masterclasses on Tuesday 11th July or Thursday 13th July 2023.

The free 90-minute webinars will include top tips on how to write a quality awards application and insights on what the judges will be looking for.

Full details of how to apply, and more information on the application writing webinars, can be found at: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/industry/tourism-awards

The 2024 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are sponsored by digital solutions company Destination Core and Derbyshire-based C W Sellors Fine Jewellery & Luxury Watches, who will be designing and handcrafting luxury bespoke awards for all Gold winners.

Businesses interested in sponsoring a category at the 2024 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards should contact Lindsay Rae at lindsay.rae@visitpeakdistrict.com.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “The Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are a celebration of our world-class tourism industry and the passionate people who work tirelessly to provide visitors with experiences to remember.

“Tourism plays a vital role in making the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby such a great place to live, work and visit, and these awards also provide a timely opportunity for our hard-working, innovative and inspiring businesses to pause and celebrate what they have achieved.

“Becoming one of the first destinations in England to gain LVEP status from VisitEngland is a testament to the long-standing collaboration and growth of this sector over the years, and these awards provide a fantastic opportunity for tourism businesses to showcase why they are so important for our region.”

Chris Sellors, Managing Director of C W Sellors Fine Jewellery & Luxury Watches, says:“As a business that prides itself on promoting quality and celebrating our Derbyshire heritage, C W Sellors Fine Jewellery & Luxury Watches is delighted to be once again producing bespoke awards for the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards. Good luck to everyone who applies!”

Categories for the 2024 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards:

  • B&B and Guest House of the Year
  • Hotel of the Year
  • Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
  • Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
  • Visitor Attraction of the Year
  • Pub of the Year
  • Experience of the Year
  • New Tourism Business of the Year
  • Taste of the Peak District & Derbyshire
  • Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award
  • Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
  • Unsung Hero Award
  • Team of the Year (Local Award)
  • Tourism Young Achiever (Local Award)

Gold winners at the 2023 Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Summer, Uncategorised, Visiting

“Ensuring we have opportunities for our young people will make Chesterfield a more attractive place to live, work, and invest”

Chesterfield is currently undergoing a period of major regeneration, and with this change comes opportunity.

New developments in the town, such as Chesterfield Waterside, Markham Vale and the Hartington sites in Staveley are really coming to life now – thanks to councils and businesses working together closely.

Thousands of new homes are currently being built across the borough, which will attract new families seeking an affordable and friendly place to live, with access to good schools and plenty of green spaces.

I was delighted to hear the news that Chesterfield was ranked recently as the second-best town in the UK to raise children. This is a testament to the work of several organisations across the area.

Furthermore, Chesterfield’s ambitious growth plans are creating exciting career options for our young people. A key sector of growth locally is property and construction. Did you know that in this sector alone, around 17,500 new recruits will be required across the East Midlands between 2023-2027?

As a town, we must keep encouraging our young people to consider careers which are offering secure, skilled, and well-paid employment. To that end, it is pleasing to hear that 12 work placements have been offered to students locally by business leaders from the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group. All credit to the innovative ‘Careers Made in Chesterfield’ project, in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council.

Representatives from local firms inspired students by speaking about the wide range of roles available in the property sector, carrying out a series of workshops and face-to-face mentoring sessions with students based at Parkside Community School.

At the beginning of the scheme, only 20% of pupils said they would be interested in a role in property and construction. When asked again at the end of the project, that figure had doubled to 40%. This shows that a hands-on approach can really work in engaging our young people.

As a town, Chesterfield is used to rolling up its sleeves and tackling issues head-on, and this is another example of how our people are continuing to work hard in delivering the changes we all want to see.

Innovative projects, such as the new Construction Skills Hub being developed in Staveley will further boost jobs in the sector, training thousands of local people. It excites me to think that the next generation of builders, architects, surveyors, and designers will be trained in our area.

Ensuring we have opportunities for our young people will make Chesterfield a more attractive place to live, work, and invest. With investment comes jobs, and with jobs comes further growth and prosperity. This is why it is vital we continue to make our future generations aware of the breadth of opportunities available to them, right here on our doorstep.

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Firms urged to inspire young people to explore careers in manufacturing, engineering, and construction

A campaign to inspire young people into manufacturing, engineering, and construction careers is set to return to Chesterfield this November.

Destination Chesterfield is calling upon local companies to get involved in the successful Made in Chesterfield scheme, which enables school pupils to get an up-close and personal look at what a career in these key sectors can offer.

The annual campaign, which will run during November and December 2023, is now in its ninth year. It aims to help reduce the skills gap in some of the town’s most valuable industries, to ensure local people and businesses can continue to thrive in the future.

Made in Chesterfield is organised by Destination Chesterfield, alongside Direct Education Business Partnership, and supported by Chesterfield College Group, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire North Careers Hub, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd and NatWest.

Through the project, thousands of young people have had the chance to explore the wide range of rewarding careers available in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) sectors. Since the campaign’s inception in 2014, more than 3,500 young people from schools have spent time in the area’s manufacturing, engineering, and construction businesses.

Headline sponsor of the project, Chesterfield College Group has also seen an increase in the number of students getting involved in STEM-related subjects since the launch of the campaign.

Julie Richards, CEO of Chesterfield College Group and Destination Chesterfield Board Member, commented: “Having supported Made in Chesterfield consistently over the past few years I’ve seen the real impact the initiative has for the next generation engineering and construction workforce.

“As we position ourselves as a reliable conduit between student and employer to enable the opportunities and inspiration for successful future careers, supporting this initiative is something we feel passionate about.

“With work on our new cutting-edge Engineering, Manufacturing and Science Centre due to commence this year and our involvement with hugely impactful programmes such as the Staveley Construction Skills Hub, Made in Chesterfield further solidifies our commitment to ensuring the young people we serve have access to the very best opportunities in their chosen engineering and/or construction career.”

Ivan Fomin, Director at MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield Board Member said: “There is no doubt that we are experiencing a skills gap in manufacturing, caused by an ageing workforce. Therefore, it has never been more important to generate the future pipeline of talent to ensure our local manufacturing and engineering firms can continue to grow.

“Being able to offer these tours and interact with young people on a face-to-face basis provides them with an invaluable insight into the exciting potential and scope for growth that a career in STEM can offer.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth commented: “Made in Chesterfield is a fantastic programme that create an opportunity for businesses to interact with young people and help them to make informed choices about their future.

“We’re proud to support this programme because helping young people find the right path for them guarantees that they can have a great career in our borough but it also helps employers ensure that the future workforce is developing the skills that they will need.

“Together this will help improve the quality of life for residents whilst also creating a thriving local economy with opportunities for everyone.”

Clare Talati, CEO of Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP) added: “DEBP are pleased to be able to continue supporting the Made in Chesterfield initiative; enabling space for employers and young people to come together.

“Made in Chesterfield provides meaningful experiences for learners to increase their awareness of local opportunities, and for employers to showcase their businesses and meet potential future employees”.

To find out more about how your business can get involved with Made in Chesterfield, please visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/ or contact Direct Education Business Partnership at madeinchesterfieldvisits@debp.org.

The Destination Chesterfield Partnership has received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It follows a successful funding bid by Chesterfield Borough Council, to secure £2.69 million worth of funding for local projects.

Made in Chesterfield - Students visit Aztec Oils

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

Vicar Lane to showcase some of Chesterfield’s top independent retailers

Vicar Lane is set to shine a light on its independent retailers throughout July, encouraging shoppers to find out more about the range of goods and services they offer.

This year, the official Independents Day UK campaign to celebrate independently run businesses in high streets across the UK, is having its annual focus across a full weekend, on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd July.

It is because of this, that Vicar Lane will launch a month-long initiative throughout July to celebrate all of the centre’s independent retailers that trade on Steeplegate and introduce shoppers to all their wonderful wares.

In an effort to continue to connect their visitors with the independent stores and the entrepreneurs that run them – the centre will give them some love on the big screen in St James’ Square and across their social media channels.

Followers on the centre’s Instagram channel will be able to catch their ‘Tell us Tuesday’ series across the weeks to be in with a chance to win a £10 voucher.

More details on how to get involved and win can be found on the Vicar Lane website.

Vicar Lane has recently welcomed two new independent retailers to Steeplegate just in time for summer.

Nursery and children’s gifting retailer, The Little Ark, is having great success following its expansion from The Chesterfield Market Hall into Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, having tripled their sales within the first month of trading.

Lovers of all things vintage can now get the goods at YNOT? Vintage. Focused on sustainability and top brands at affordable prices, YNOT? Vintage doesn’t fall short on style from the 80’s and 90’s, which are sourced from all over the UK and beyond.

Sarah Bowler, Tenant and Community Liaison Manager said: “We always strive to support and recognise the positive impact our independent retailers have on our local community so we are really excited to extend the official Independents Day Weekend throughout the entire month of July.

“We are proud to be able to offer a complete range of retail, entertainment and food and beverage outlets that cater for all styles, needs and wishes”.

Throughout July there’ll be plenty going on at Vicar Lane as the centre hosts its Sumer Fest schedule of events. Find out more.

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

vicar lane shopping centre qoozies

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Research finds inclusive workplaces can help East Midlands businesses fill vacancies amid skills shortages

A growing number of East Midlands firms are creating inclusive workplace policies, new research has found – as they identified a range of business-critical benefits including higher productivity and lower staff turnover rates.

A study from East Midlands Chamber in partnership with emh group found the proportion of firms in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire with a specific equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)-related policy increased from 48% in 2022 to 54% this year. There was also a 3% drop to 37% of firms saying they had no such policy.

Some 56% of respondents said EDI formed part of strategic discussions at leadership or board level, with 15% believing this was to “a great extent” – although the same proportion said there was no focus on EDI at all – in figures similar to 12 months ago.

The biggest benefit attributed to having an engaged approach to EDI was its ability to create an inclusive working environment, which was cited by 65% of respondents.

Other popular reasons included the role it plays in supporting diversity of thought in decision-making (58%), staff recruitment and retention (52%), and better representing customers and clients (44%).

An average score of five out of 10 was given to the importance of EDI engagement to the success of an organisation. This was down from 5.6 a year earlier, while it also falls behind corporate social responsibility, which was awarded a score of 5.7 in a separate survey.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson chaired a roundtable with business leaders at the East Midlands People and Skills Summit recently to discuss the findings and recommendations for future business support tools.

He said: “EDI is about having a focus to create an inclusive workplace environment in which people feel they ‘belong’, in order to bring their best selves to work and support a business to realise its growth ambitions.

“Our research shows that while EDI has slipped slightly down the agenda – perhaps due to the persistent pressures on firms caused by a cost-of-doing-business crisis that has occupied leaders’ minds over the past 18 months – it remains an important consideration for many businesses in the East Midlands.

“Those engaged cite benefits such as supporting innovation, staff recruitment and retention, and better representing customers – all business-critical issues at a time when firms are looking for new ways to improve productivity and plug persistent skills gaps, with our research also showing 73% of firms that try to recruit will struggle to fill roles.

“While there are still barriers to adoption, including a lack of understanding among leadership teams and a fear about getting it wrong, we know that providing businesses with the support they need to implement inclusive policies can lead to greater adoption – and ultimately support business success.”

The research was carried out within East Midlands Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey – which gathers intelligence on how businesses are faring in areas such as sales, cashflow and recruitment – for Q1 2023, with 320 responses. Other key findings included:

  • There was a relatively even split in EDI policy adoption between services-based businesses (55%) and manufacturers (52%) – with a significant growth in engagement among manufacturers after 43% had a policy a year earlier
  • EDI adoption reduces the further down we descend in the business size spectrum – from 90% of large firms having a dedicated policy, this reduces to 68% of medium businesses, 57% of small companies and 37% of microbusinesses
  • Barriers to having an effective EDI policy included it not being viewed as a priority (cited by 42% of respondents), concerns about getting it wrong and causing inadvertent upset (30%), the time it takes to develop a policy (28%), ensuring buy-in from staff (24%), a lack of understanding among the leadership team (22%) and a perception it isn’t needed in their workplace (22%).

The research will be used to create a series of recommendations for further business support and policy activity around how Government can collaborate with employer representative bodies to advocate for EDI and support further engagement.

This was the second instalment of EDI research as part of a strategic partnership between East Midlands Chamber and emh group, an affordable housing, care and support provider based in Leicestershire.

Chan Kataria OBE, chief executive of emh group, added: “I’m encouraged that the second year of our strategic partnership research has seen a positive shift in some areas of engagement among members of the business community.

“This demonstrates a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as acknowledgement of its contribution to business success.

“A key aspect of this research was to explore the barriers to engagement on EDI. The results strongly indicate an appetite for support, and increased engagement on the broader spectrum of EDI.

“The findings also provide a platform to explore opportunities to share good practice and collaborate for better business outcomes.

“EDI is at the heart of what we at emh do, and I look forward to our continued work with the Chamber and its members to help deliver the actions that will make a real difference.

“I’m proud that the diversity of our communities is one of the biggest unique selling points of the East Midlands, and a key factor in its economic success.”

East Midlands Chamber - Chesterfield office

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Plastic Free Festival to return with plenty of entertainment and activities

A successful plastic-free festival is set to return for a one-day event in Chesterfield next month.

The free event will take place at New Square from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, July 16, offering craft workshops, food and drinks, live performances and children’s entertainment.

To keep up with the summer festival’s ethos of reducing waste, the tradition continues – attendees are encouraged to bring their own containers, bags, cutlery and cups if possible.

Greg Hewitt, organiser of the Plastic Free Festival, said: “We’re thrilled to be here for another year! We can’t wait to bring another day of brilliant entertainment, wonderful music and important education around single-use plastics.

“Come along, find great plastic-free products, browse the market and enjoy the show.”

The festival aims to champion local sustainable businesses and raise awareness of environmental issues while bringing together like-minded people for a day of fun and celebration.

Greg added: “It’s unfortunate that we had a bad start because of the pandemic, where we went through a lot between last-minute changes and awful weather, but we haven’t let that put a dampener on our spirits.

“I’m sure people will love what we have put together for them this year and appreciate all the hard work and dedication we have put into organising another fantastic event for all the community.”

This year’s event will see an increased selection of reusable cups on offer, from wine goblets to coffee cups, and a bar serving both alcoholic and soft drinks.

Alongside the jam-packed entertainment schedule, there will also be a workshop from entrepreneur Carmel Page, with tips and tricks on how to repair clothes and reduce textile waste.

Greg said: “The impact the festival has had on our community over the last few years is outstanding. Everyone has been so receptive and people have even started changing their ways when it comes to plastic by reducing their usage. It’s amazing to see the difference we are making and that people are taking the message on board.”

Visit the festival’s Facebook page to find out more: https://www.facebook.com/theplasticfreefestival

Find out more about the full range of events and activities taking place across Chesterfield this summer: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer/

Chesterfield Plastic Free Festival

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Chesterfield property and construction firms announce new recruits, promotions and expansions

Chesterfield businesses are continuing to grow, either with new team members, internal promotions, and even international expansions.

Our latest roundup features three property and construction firms, BSP Consulting, Derbyshire Building Control Partnership, and Redbrik Estate Agents.

Property and Construction firms in the town continue to collaborate in driving forward investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield. Find out more about the work of the Property and Construction Group here.

BSP Consulting announces promotions for key team members

Pedro and Oliver promotion 3

East Midlands-based civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting has promoted two members of its team.

Pedro Navarro has been made an Associate, while Oliver McElroy have been promoted to Principal Engineer.

BSP Director Tony Goddard said: “These promotions are in recognition of their tireless technical work within the civils team and their proven ability encouraging and developing younger staff, managing project finances and going the extra mile to nurture positive client relationships.

“On behalf of everyone at BSP Consulting, I’d like to congratulate Pedro and Oliver and wish them well in their new roles.”

Pedro has been with BSP since June 2017, while Oliver joined in November 2020.

One of the largest independent civil and structural engineering companies in the East Midlands, BSP is an award-winning firm that operates across the UK, offering civil engineering, structural engineering, transport engineering, geotechnical and environmental engineering. BSP works across all sectors including housing, student accommodation, commercial, industrial, health, education, senior living, retail and heritage.

Wealth of industry experience joins DBCP

Leonie King and Catherine Potiphar

The delivery of building control services across Derbyshire and Staffordshire Moorlands has been further boosted with two new appointments at DBCP.

Experienced building control surveyor Leonie King has joined DBCP’s team of field-based building control experts, while former site manager Catherine Potiphar has been appointed as a trainee building control surveyor.

DBCP operates across Derbyshire and Staffordshire Moorlands, working directly with eight local authorities to provide the best, most up-to-date building control service.

Leonie King praised the supportive team at DBCP saying: “Thanks to the experience and knowledge within the team I am learning something new every day. I am passionate about continued professional development particularly in the field of building control. Rules, regulations and techniques are changing all the time and it’s essential we keep abreast of these in order to deliver the best service. Quality and standards are at the heart of everything DBCP which absolutely aligns with my own approach to building control.”

Prior to joining DBCP Catherine was a site manager for 12 years. Her career change is giving Catherine the opportunity to build her skills, knowledge and qualifications through a Building Control Surveyor degree with the University of Wolverhampton which is being funded by DBCP.

She explained: “There are a huge number of transferable skills between my previous career and my new one in building control. It’s great to now be able to combine on site and off site working yet still remain in the industry I love. I am really enjoying the training and development I am undertaking – learning new skills, keeps the brain active!”

Delighted to welcome Leonie and Catherine to the team, David Pratt, DBCP Building Control Manager, commented: “It’s hugely important to us that our team of building control surveyors are not only qualified but also experienced; this enables us to provide the best service to across Derbyshire and Staffordshire Moorlands and why demand for our services is increasing. We want to expand the team further but with the right people. The opportunity to develop a career both in building control and DBCP right now are very exciting.”

International estate agency services launched by Redbrik

Redbrik Estate Agents has announced the expansion of its sales service under a new brand –  Redbrik International.

The firm launched its international department with two fantastic developments, Ombria  Resort and Wyndham Grand, located in Portugal’s Algarve region.

Managing director, Mark Ross, said: “During the past ten years, Redbrik has grown from a single sales office to a multi-branch agency covering sales, lettings, land and new homes, and now international sales!

“We pride ourselves on the award-winning service our team provides, and I know they can’t wait to begin working with investors and homeowners from across the country on this pair of superb developments.

“The launch of Redbrik International, managed by our New Homes Team, is an exciting step for the business, and we look forward to bringing exclusive new investment opportunities to our clients.”

BSP Consulting, DBCP and Redbrik 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, Development, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

New entertainment and activities announced for the Tapton Lock Festival 2023

Now in its eleventh year, organisers have confirmed that the popular Tapton Lock Festival will return this September with a host of new activities and entertainment for families to enjoy.

The free annual event is organised by Junction Arts and Derbyshire County Council, with the aim of bringing families and friends together to enjoy the outdoors, promoting better health and wellbeing.  During the weekend, the Chesterfield Canal comes alive with outdoor theatre, music and dance, arts and crafts workshops, stalls, ‘have a go’ canoes, boat rides and much more.

Family favourites such as the brilliant bubbleologist, circus skills and climbing wall will return but there’ll also be some new entertainment for 2023 including performances and workshops from Bollywood dancers, African drummers, and the Babbling Vagabonds Magical Market Stall!

Visitors will also be able to try their hand at Lego printing, and greenwood crafts or get green-fingered in a seed workshop.

Junction Arts Coordinator Jane Wells said: “Tapton Lock Festival brings together the arts and the outdoors to create an event that is inclusive and accessible to all.  It encourages communities to come together and enjoy the beautiful canal walkways that are on our doorstep.  Working with Derbyshire Countryside Services, each year we aim to bring back the popular activities but also introduce something new…  This year we’re excited to have new performers and activities that will bring even more colour and vibrancy to the festival.

“At Junction Arts, our aim is to build stronger communities through the arts and The Tapton Lock Festival is a great example of this! The festival raises awareness of the area along the Chesterfield Canal and the network of footpaths and cycleways, encouraging people to spend more time in nature with family and friends becoming healthier and happier.”

As part of the festival, Junction Arts will also be doing community outreach with Brimmington Junior School in July.  Pupils will enjoy a trip to the canal to learn all about the flora and fauna of the canal with a countryside ranger.  In September they will also get to work with a local artist to create a piece of artwork that will be displayed at this year’s festival and complete their Arts Award Discover.

For further community engagement, Junction Arts will also commission an ‘artist in residence’ at Chesterfield Football Club to work with a small group of young people who attend Thr1ve, a social prescribing group for young people, part of the Club’s Spireites Trust.

Tapton Lock Festival is a free event that takes place around the Tapton Lock Visitor Centre on the 9th and 10th of September from 11:00 am until 4.00 pm daily.

For more information about how you can get involved, sponsorship and stall opportunities contact jane@junctionarts.org or hannah@junctionarts.org

Find out about the packed schedule of summer events and activities taking place across Chesterfield throughout the summer: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer/

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

Tapton Lock 2022_Junction Arts_ Photo Credit Nathan Hamer

Image supplied by Nathan Hamer

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