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Chesterfield residents and businesses continue strong support for the local community

People and businesses in Chesterfield are continuing to support various initiatives and events, aimed at bringing our community together and supporting local charities.

The town’s network of Chesterfield Champions are helping to support the town through fundraising, sponsorship, and even helping to put smiles on faces to their customers.

Find out below about some of the latest activity from across our community.

Rosewood Wealth Management supports local artists by sponsoring the Chesterfield Postcard Show

Landscape - rosewood junction arts

Chesterfield’s Rosewood Wealth Management is joining forces with Junction Arts this spring to help it stage an exhibition of mini masterpieces that will raise money for the local arts charity.

The Brimington Road financial advice firm is sponsoring The Chesterfield Postcard Show 2023, an annual event that gives local people, communities and up and coming artists the opportunity to showcase their work at an exhibition in West Studios.

Last year 70 artists took part, and 131 postcard-size pieces were exhibited.  The exhibition celebrates the importance of getting creative and its impact on people’s self-esteem and well-being.  The event is organised by Junction Arts and local artist Dave Elsom and the theme for 2023 is Wish You Were Here.  They are inviting people locally, from across the UK, and Internationally to create their own postcard piece of art and submit it by the 20th of April 2023.

Rosewood Wealth Management was founded in 2019 by Directors Shannan Pool-Gorman and Donna Robertson, it has since grown to become one of North Derbyshire’s most respected financial advice firms.  They offer services including mortgages, equity release, pensions, investments, and insurance.

Shannan Pool-Gorman, Director at the firm said: “At Rosewood we believe that it is important to give back to the Chesterfield community in which we operate.  Junction Arts has a fantastic track record of bringing communities together and empowering them through the arts.  This event is brilliant because its easily accessible to people of all ages and abilities, all you need is a piece of A6 card! We’re delighted to be supporting The Chesterfield Postcard Show and I hope that it’s the first of many Junction Arts initiatives that we’re involved in.”

Hannah Bowdler, Fundraising Coordinator at Junction Arts said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to Shannan and the team at Rosewood Wealth Management for supporting this year’s show.  Their sponsorship will allow us to raise more money at this year’s event and help us to engage more local people in the arts. I’m delighted to be working with this fantastic local business that puts community at the heart of what they do.”

The deadline for entries is the 20th April 2023.  The exhibition will run from the 9th to the 19th May 2023 at West Studios. Further information about the exhibition and how to get involved can be found here: https://junctionarts.org/be-part-of-the-chesterfieldpostcard-show-2023/

Incredible donation for Ashgate Hospice from football fundraisers

Ashgate Referees donation

Two stalwart Sunday football league referees who have been donating their match fees to Ashgate Hospice were invited to Chesterfield FC where they handed over their donation pitch side.

Chris Roberts and Bruce Baskerville, from Chesterfield, have refereed thousands of semi-pro and non-league matches between them and decided to start donating a percentage of the fees they receive for officiating games.

The duo, both aged 64, have now raised more than £4,100 for the North Derbyshire hospice in just over 12 months.

Word of their kind-heartedness soon caught the attention of the local football fraternity and teams started voluntarily adding a donation of £5 or £10 as a gesture from their club.

They were invited to the Spireites’ match at home to Notts County on 11 February where they presented the money raised to Ashgate’s Community Fundraiser, Lynn Jones.

“We have made a commitment to ourselves that we won’t ask for any donations – that’s our mantra,” said Chris.

“We have been overwhelmed by the way our little story has caught the attention of the local football community, our friends and family.

“To begin, we just made a comment on our Facebook pages to highlight that we had raised another few pounds for the hospice and in just a matter of weeks people were offering us donations.

“We also noticed that when we arrived to do our matches some teams would voluntarily add a further £5 or £10 to our fee as a gesture from their club.”

Chris and Bruce wanted to help the hospice as they believe everyone in Chesterfield has an “affinity” with the hospice after being touched by its “amazing” care.

Bruce says they also want to improve the reputation of referees as well as the relationship they have with clubs, coaches, players and supporters.

“Last season I refereed a first division game in the Chesterfield Sunday League and sent the home team’s best player off,” he said.

“After the game they asked me to come into the home dressing room. I was expecting an earful and thought they’d end up throwing the match fee on the floor.

“They ended up paying me the £30 for reffing the game and then matching my fee for a donation to Ashgate.”

The money will help Ashgate Hospice care for families at its Inpatient Unit in Old Brampton, Chesterfield, as well as in their own homes across North Derbyshire.

Ashgate’s Lynn Jones, said: “We’re so grateful for the support of Chris and Bruce and everyone else in the local football community that’s supported their fundraiser.

“It’s so inspiring to hear how they’ve managed to turn a hobby of theirs into something that’s going to help families who need our vital support across North Derbyshire.

“I’m looking forward to following their fundraising venture over the coming season!”

Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care puts a smile on the faces of ‘Pup Parents’ for Mothers Day

rose cottage dogy day care

Chesterfield’s Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care helped to put smiles on the faces of customers recently, by giving Mothers Day cards and cupcakes to the centre’s ‘Pup Parents.’

Dawn Brown, Founder of Rose Cottage explained: “Being a mum is a special privilege – we don’t all have human babies, some have fur babies!

“No matter what type of mum you are we appreciate you and we made Mother’s Day cards to make our mums smile and show our appreciation.”

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Chesterfield’s Mortgage 1st reach the finals in two prestigious Industry Awards.

A Chesterfield-based mortgage broker is celebrating a double success, after being named as finalists in two major industry awards.

Established in Chesterfield in 2008, Mortgage 1st offers mortgage & protection advice to customers all over the UK. With Advisers both in Chesterfield and across the country their team have helped thousands of customers over the years to secure their first home, remortgage, become landlords and protect their family with the right insurance.

With no sign of the firm’s growth slowing down any time soon, welcoming new faces into their team on almost a monthly basis, Mortgage 1st have ambitious plans to become one of the UK’s largest Mortgage Brokers.

Alongside offering quality advice to their customers, the Mortgage 1st team are passionate about supporting young people and work closely with a number of schools across Derbyshire delivering mortgage lessons and raising awareness of careers in the financial services industry.

It’s a combination of the firm’s continuous growth, the quality advice they provide their customers, the career opportunities offered to their team and the support they give within the local community that’s lead them to the finals in two separate industry awards.

The firm has been named amongst the list of finalistsin the ‘Best Mortgage Broker (8 to 50 advisers) category at the Mortgage Strategy Award3 2023. The ceremony is regarded as the pinnacle of success for those in the UK mortgage industry. Winners will be announced at the Gala dinner in London on the 25th of May.

Furthermore, Mortgage 1st is also looking to scoop ‘Broker Firm of the Year (11-50 employees)’ at the Financial Reporter Awards. Winners will be announced at the awards event on the 11th of May.

Lisa Stones, Operations Director at Mortgage 1st (pictured above) commented: “To be named as finalists in both of these awards and listed alongside some fantastic businesses is absolutely amazing. Testament to our entire team, their passion, commitment and ongoing hard work. We would love nothing more than to bring home a winner’s trophy but regardless, we’ll have a fantastic time at the award events and will be celebrating our achievements.”

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.

 

Mortgage 1st Office for social

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University of Derby and Derbyshire Voluntary Action shortlisted for the Business Charity Awards.

A partnership project between the University of Derby and Derbyshire Voluntary Action has been shortlisted for a Community Impact Award.

The Business Charity Awards recognise the power of partnerships with charities across the country, and the influence and success they can bring.

Being nominated is a testament to the strong partnership between the University and DVA, which has enabled them to make a real difference in local communities. The winners of this prestigious award will be announced in May at an award ceremony in London.

The award recognises how students, staff, and community groups have worked together to create meaningful connections and support grassroots organisations, build relationships with local communities, deliver training programs, contribute their time and knowledge, and share stories and experiences across higher education, charities, and community groups.

It celebrates how together these resources and expertise have combined to create positive change in Derbyshire.

Claire Carter, Business Relationship Manager at the University of Derby, said: “We are proud of the Community Chesterfield project and our partnership with Derbyshire Voluntary Action.

“We have seen some very impactful activities over the last four years, and going forward we have the opportunity to further our collaborative impact for students, academics and our community.

“Being recognised and shortlisted for this category demonstrates how different sectors can come together to make a difference to communities.”

For more information about the University of Derby, visit www.derby.ac.uk

You can find out more about some of Chesterfield’s charity sector organisations and community groups here.

The University of Derby and Derbyshire Voluntary Action support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

community chesterfield

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60 acres of land to be used for nature conservation in Chesterfield

60 acres of land has been secured by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust for a major project to improve nature conservation in Chesterfield.

The charity says the ‘Wild Whittington’ project has been enabled for local people to enjoy nature, thanks to overwhelming support from the public, generous grants and philanthropic loans.

The piece of land at Old Whittington, to the north of Chesterfield, is set to be rewilded, becoming a place of major importance to nature, and to the people of Chesterfield and Derbyshire.

Wild Whittington has been acquired through a mixture of investment in nature, including donations from Derbyshire wildlife Trust supporters and The John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust in response to the Defend Nature appeal.

The site connects St Bartholomew’s woods to the south and Grasscroft ancient woodlands to the north. These woods join to Unstone and then down into the valley of the River Drone. Using rewilding, the plan is to create varied habitats to bolster a vital corridor between the woodlands and support nature’s recovery in Chesterfield and the surrounding areas.

Matt Buckler, Director of Natural Solutions at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said: “We are so grateful for the incredible response we had to our appeal to secure this land from our members, the public, and our generous major donors.

“Here in Derbyshire, we want to take action to restore nature now. Quite simply, turning land over to rewilding projects is one of the most effective ways to get resilient nature back in people’s lives, and it would not be possible without the support we receive.

“The purchase is not only good news for wildlife, its great news for local residents and visitors to the area too. We can’t wait to turn this piece of land into an oasis for wildlife for future generations to enjoy.”

Wild Whittington

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Matlock Farm Park announces exciting 20th anniversary celebrations

Matlock Farm Park, located between Matlock and Chesterfield, is looking forward to celebrating its 20th birthday in April with its visitors.

The attraction has come a long way since humble beginnings, recently winning for the second year running Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s Visitor Attraction of the Year, as well as their Accessible & Inclusive Tourism award and Best Event for their annual Peak District Highland Games from the National Farm Attractions Network.

Managing Director and founder Allan Finlay said: “We’ve really surpassed everything we set out to do. My background was hospitality and my wife Virginia has always been in farming – we started the park off just as a little something to do together. I look now at what we offer and feel immensely proud, especially of our team who work hard to deliver a great experience. Seeing children and adults happy when they’re with us is just wonderful.”

The farm park started off as a few outdoor pens, a small animal barn and a 15-seater tea room, but has more than doubled in size to be home to a wide range of animals such as goats, meerkats, donkeys, Highland cattle and wallabies. There are activities such as sheep racing, small animal handling and alpaca walking, as well as indoor and outdoor multi-zone play centres, a horse-riding school, function rooms, café and a Changing Places facility.

“There’ve certainly been some trying times over the years,” recalled Allan. “Obviously things were difficult during the pandemic, but back in 2013 we seriously thought about giving the farm park up altogether when things were quiet and we were juggling our young family with other full-time jobs. It was thanks to a small grant we managed to get to build a café and us starting social media posts when things started to change. Before we knew it, visitor numbers began rising and we were able to start re-investing in the park.”

Lotty Hawkins, Assistant Manager, said: “The positive feedback from visitors brings the most pride for the management and staff. Visitors really notice how much we’ve improved over the years and how much there is to do and see during a visit. Many people tell us how contact with our lovely animals helps their wellbeing too – animals can be so calming when there’s a special connection. Visitors with Autism and Dementia can also have such rewarding experiences with us.”

The farm park is now one of only a few attractions in the region to hold ‘Accessibility Champion’ status. “Our Changing Places facility has made such a difference to children and adults with additional needs,” added Lotty.

The team look forward to 20th anniversary celebrations with their visitors in April, including the park’s biggest ever social media prize giveaway and party event weekends.

Lotty said: “We really want to give thanks to all our visitors and to all those who’ve supported us over the years. With Easter and lots of Summer events coming up too, it’s an exciting time for Matlock Farm Park!”

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.

matlock farm park sheep racing

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East Midlands Manufacturing Network reaches 150 members a year after launch

A business network which brings together manufacturers across our region is celebrating success, achieving a membership of more than 150 businesses within its first year.

The East Midlands Manufacturing Network was set up by East Midlands Chamber in March 2022 in recognition of the importance of the manufacturing industry to the wealth and prosperity of the East Midlands.

The network was an initiative that formed part of the UK Community Renewal Fund-backed East Midlands Accelerator project run by the Chamber, although the business representation group always had the intention of continuing its support for the long term.

The Chamber recognised that very often, the challenges manufacturers face can be tackled via collaboration with others and engagement with the right people, through the right channels.

With its connections to Government, local authorities, landowners, the region’s other support agencies and universities, it is well placed to help manufacturers navigate a multitude of issues ranging from planning control to lack of expertise.

East Midlands Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford said: “It’s a challenging time for manufacturers. More than any other sector, they’ve been hit by the meteoric rise in energy costs and raw materials, against a backdrop of recruitment issues.

“The reason the membership continues to grow is because the network offers very real and valuable support, and a safe space to share the concerns of running a manufacturing business at the present time. We’ve already seen several interesting collaborations that have sprung from the network.

“One area which we’re particularly keen to develop is the concept of technology forums. We know that digital technology is an important growth enabler for manufacturers.

“In the spirit of collaborative learning, we’d like to develop a roadshow where network members can host such forums to showcase how they have embraced technology. Sharing best practice and lessons learned in this way is undoubtedly of huge benefit to those members at an earlier stage of the same journey.”

Network meetings are held every six weeks in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, North Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Topics to be covered are varied, and set by the membership in that area. They might include an update from Make UK, information on the adoption of Made Smarter in the East Midlands, an outline of Digital Upscaler technology support from the Chamber, or an announcement on the latest tailored manufacturing support on offer from the universities.

All meetings begin at 7.30am and end no later than 10am. Agendas for each meeting are added in advance to the https://www.emc-dnl.co.uk/services/east-midlands-manufacturing-network/ page of the Chamber’s website.

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

East Midlands Manufacturing Network

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Three Chesterfield businesses boosted by new recruits

Three businesses in Chesterfield have recently bolstered their ranks with new recruits, adding further growth to their organisations.

Law firm CMP Legal, community-based charity Junction Arts and sustainable packaging firm Robinson PLC have all taken on new staff – showcasing growth and investment in the town across a number of sectors.

CMP Legal announces new Employment Director

Lauren Pickard - CMP Legal

The Chesterfield based law firm that delivers expert services to clients in Derbyshire, Sheffield and across the UK is thrilled to announce the appointment of Lauren Pickard as its new Employment Director.

Lauren is a specialist Employment Law Solicitor and joins CMP Legal from national law firm Knights plc where she worked as a Senior Associate, previously based in Sheffield. She has a wealth of knowledge and employment law experience from managing performance, disciplinary and grievance matters to redundancy and restructuring advice, delivering training, drafting contracts and much more.

Lauren Pickard, Employment Director at CMP Legal says: “I am delighted to join CMP Legal at such an exciting time for the firm in terms of growth. CMP Legal has swiftly established itself as a niche practice offering high quality advice. The lawyers at CMP Legal have a wealth of experience and this, combined with their desire to do things in a dynamic and progressive way, works strongly to the benefit of clients.”

Neil Brown, Co-Founder at CMP Legal says: “Lauren has an excellent reputation in the region and will be a fantastic asset to both our business and our clients. We are delighted to welcome her into our expanding team as we continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients.”

Robinson PLC invests in sales team with two senior appointments

Angela Doyle

Robinson – the manufacturer specialising in value-added custom packaging – has invested in its sales team with two new senior appointments in the UK.

Angela Doyle joins Robinson from Berry Plastics and previously Constantia Group where she worked in the flexibles sector in both the UK and Ireland in commercial sales, primarily in the food and beverage sector. Looking forward to her role as a New Business Development Manager at Robinson, Angela highlighted: “I have a strong technical and commercial skill set, working closely with customers and production on development, problem solving and meeting deadlines.  I have always enjoyed being part of a team, leading innovation and out of the box thinking.”

“Robinsons has a really strong collaborative, welcoming culture and I am looking forward to playing my part in the team, creating new business opportunities and building on the strong company foundations”.

Also joining the team as Business Development Manager is Nick Hudson. His background is in UK manufacture and outsourcing of premium packaging across many substrates.

Nick commented: “I am really looking forward to creating awareness of the company’s commitment to sustainable, innovative rigid box packaging and its high standards of quality and service leading to Robinsons being the first choice for customers”.

Junction Arts announces new Managing Director

Emily Junction Arts

Award-winning participatory arts charity, Junction Arts has appointed Emily Bowman, the current Deputy CEO for The Mighty Creatives, as its new Managing Director.

Emily will join the Chesterfield-based charity on the 1st of April and is tasked with helping the team to deliver an ambitious programme of creative events and initiatives throughout 2023. She will lead the charity to deliver its vision, support the Arts Council England’s ‘Let’s Create’ strategy and will be responsible to the Board on all matters of strategy, policy development and management.

Junction Arts has engaged communities across Bolsover District, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield and rural areas of the East Midlands for over 45 years.   Following an uplift in National Portfolio Funding (NPO) from the Arts Council until 2026, the charity has aspirations for significant growth and is hoping to embark on a number of exciting partnership projects over the next three years.

Emily is currently the Deputy CEO for The Mighty Creatives, a children and young people’s charity based in Leicester and Arts Council England’s Bridge organisation for the East Midlands.  She has worked in the creative sector for 20 years and at a senior leadership level since 2015. Through her background and training in performance and her work in arts leadership, she has a deep understanding and passion for arts, culture, and creativity, specifically focused on young audiences, with experience in co-producing high-quality programmes that are accessible to all.

She said: “I am thrilled to be joining Junction Arts. I am excited to be leading such a vibrant and dedicated team and will do all I can to continue to grow and develop the organisation, building on its current success and supporting more people to engage, and creativity to thrive across our communities.”

Lucie Maycock, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Junction Arts said: “Emily has all the right experience, skills, and strategic thinking to take on this exciting role. She is passionate about community arts and making a real difference. Our shared values and her experience working with children, young people and communities, developing programmes that support their cultural, personal and professional development, will enhance our new and existing programmes. Helping to make a real impact and take the organisation to the next level.”

CMP Legal, Robinson PLC and Junction Arts support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

spire view dusk chesterfield

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£275,000 project completed to reduce flood risk and boost wildlife habitats in Chesterfield

An innovative new flood management project designed to reduce flood risk in Chesterfield through natural defences, while boosting local wildlife and habitats, has been completed at Grassmoor Country Park.

The £275,000 scheme, designed to slow the flow of rainwater heading from land to the Calow Brook – and onwards into the Rover Rother includes the creation of temporary and semi-permanent ponds, marshy grasslands and wet woodland – all acting as a natural flood defence while improving and diversifying the habitats for wildlife within the park.

Funded by the Environment Agency and the Heritage Fund, the project was developed in partnership with Derbyshire County Council which owns and maintains the park, the Environment Agency, the Friends of Grassmoor and Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

Natural Flood Management schemes such as this are a sustainable way of using nature to manage flood risk. The work done at Grassmoor will also work to increase the availability of water within the landscape during times of drought, providing vital lifelines for wildlife and plant life, the need for which has been made abundantly clear last summer.

Its successful completion was marked with an event at Grassmoor Park on Wednesday 15 March. Members of the public were also welcomed with a site tour showcasing the new green spaces, habitat improvements, and natural flood management techniques.

Anthony Downing, Catchment Coordinator in the Environment Programme team at the Environment Agency, said: “This scheme is a shining example of the huge benefits of using nature to manage flood risk – and at the same time creating new habitats for wildlife to thrive and spaces that people can enjoy.

“We are facing a climate emergency and are determined to ensure we work with nature to be resilient and adapt. This project has been a great collaboration effort and certainly something we want to see more of in this area.”

Peter Myers, Project Coordinator at Friends of Grassmoor Country Park, said: “We are very proud to have played our part in supporting and working closely with Don Catchment Rivers Trust and Derbyshire County Council to deliver this scheme from the very early stages through to its successful outcome.

“The natural flood management measures are of course the key elements, but we are also very grateful for the inclusion of the significant wildlife habitat features, improvements and the environmental benefits that the scheme brings to our park. We look forward to the continued co-operation to see these elements develop and flourish in the coming years.

“On behalf of present and future generations who will benefit from this investment, thank you to all who have made this possible.”

Rachel Walker, Operations Director at Don Catchment Rivers Trust, said: “The main works were finished last October and the features have been working well over winter, holding water and slowly releasing it back into the Calow Brook. We’re really looking forward to seeing the meadows grow and the features blend into the park over spring and summer. Our thanks to all the volunteers who have joined in to help sow seeds, plant trees, and monitor the site – we will be continuing with the citizen science programme to chart the changes in the park over the coming years”.

Volunteers have been an invaluable asset to the scheme which has included lots of local community involvement such as sowing meadow seeds and helping to plant trees. Opportunities to volunteer for the project are still available with dates in April for sowing and planting.

Attenuation Pond at Grassmoor Country Park

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The Cheese Factor launches ‘Gift to Help’ campaign for local people in need

The Cheese Factor, an independent shop located at Chesterfied’s historic Market Hall is starting a ‘Gift to Help’ campaign to help people in need.

This campaign is designed for people to go into the shop and and buy a hot drink, snack or a sandwich in lieu for someone who needs it.

People in the town who want to help can enter the shop and pay for a “gift” of a hot drink or sandwich. The staff at the Cheese Factor will then give a voucher to the customer who can go and give it to a person in need. The voucher can then be redeemed in the store.

With the recent weather conditions and increasing costs nationally, owner of the Cheese Factor, Simon Davidson says he wants to do more for the local community. The store has taken inspiration for the initiative after seeing it in action in other locations across the UK and abroad.

Simon explained: “It is absolutely vital that we support the local community, because we are a very long established, well known business in the town centre. We have a large and loyal customer base, many of whom have been shopping with us for many years.

“We are an independent, family run business, now in the second generation, and I know this is something that many of our customers appreciate. I am an Ambassador for Chesterfield which is something I am passionate about, the local community are quite simply the lifeblood of my business.

“It is important for the town as a whole because if they see local business owners like myself supporting the community, they feel inclusive of that.”

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

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

simon cheese factor

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Work begins to refurbish former Chesterfield register office

Redevelopment work has started on the former register office in Chesterfield, which will provide a new home for talking therapies in Chesterfield.

Beighton Construction are overseeing the 14-week refurbishment at the building on Beetwell Street for charity Derwent Rural Counselling Service.

The company will carry out roof works, an internal strip out, a new damp proofing system and new electrics.

Inside the refurbishment project will include plastering, internal walls, decoration and floors plus new toilets and a lift with a view to the building opening this summer, and an official launch event in September.

Andrew Holmes, director at Beighton Construction, based in Chesterfield, said: “The works have started externally with scaffold erection, followed by the installation of new perimeter gutters by the roofing team.

“Internally, once the strip out works have taken place, the basement will be prepared for a new damp proofing system and structural alterations will be made to various walls and the first floor in readiness for the new lift.

“New floor screeds and plaster repairs will be carried out through the building, including the construction of new partition walls. Mechanical and electrical works will also run alongside the building works for the duration of the project.”

Final plans for the three storey premises, set to open in summer 2023, include office space, treatment and consulting rooms, meeting rooms and relaxation space to help cope with an increased demand for DRCS services in the area plus tenanted options including rooms and floorspace.

Janette Smeeton, chief executive at DRCS, said: “I am pleased that we are now moving forward on this important scheme that will be the largest building housing talking therapies in the county, and know the people of Chesterfield and beyond will benefit from having high quality facilities in the heart of the town.

“Restoring and reintroducing the building to community use will give it a new purpose, and allow us to deliver a high-quality service to support our service users, and offer room rentals and services to other organisations in the town.”

Over the last 30 years, DRCS has become the largest third sector provider of counselling services in the region offering help to individuals, via self referral or via a GP, with common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress and long term conditions through counselling, CBT, guided self-help, and other forms of talking therapy.

In the last eight years, DRCS has been in partnership with Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust to improve access to psychological therapies throughout Derbyshire achieving above national recovery rates and shorter waiting times.

Find out more about regeneration taking place across Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/

DCRS Former register office

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Chesterfield business leaders congratulate colleagues in Derby on winning bid for Great British Railways HQ

Leaders in Chesterfield have congratulated the team behind Derby’s winning bid to bring the headquarters of Great British Railways to the county.

The Department for Transport has confirmed that the city has beaten off competition from locations around the country, including Birmingham, Newcastle and York, to be selected as the home of Britain’s rail network.

This is expected to bring a number of benefits to Chesterfield, with several rail supply chain businesses already located here.

The news also comes as a new rail innovation and training centre The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) is being developed in Barrow Hill, as one of the projects outlined in the Staveley Town Deal.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to learn of the news that Derby has been successful in its bid to become the new headquarters for Great British Railways.

“I was pleased to offer Chesterfield Borough Council’s full support for Derby’s bid, and we look forward to working with the City to see how the Government’s decision to invest in Derby can also benefit our long-held ambition to grow the rail sector in Chesterfield.

“Through the Staveley Town Deal we are working with partners to develop the Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) at Barrow Hill Roundhouse. DRIIVe will provide a base for training the next generation of railway engineers and pioneering new advances within the rail sector through the provision of facilities for research and development.

“Given our proximity to Derby and the positive relationships we have built up with the City Council in our support of their bid, we very much hope that Chesterfield will be able to benefit from Derby cementing its place at the heart of Great Britain’s rail industry.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “I’m delighted to hear that Great British Railways has committed to locating it’s new HQ here in Derbyshire, as it will undoubtedly provide a boost to our economy here in Chesterfield.

“It gives us a big opportunity to build on our industrial roots and showcase our town’s credentials as a thriving hub of innovation. Chesterfield has always been a town with strong links to the rail industry, not forgetting of course that George Stephenson made our town his home for a number of years.”

“We have a number of businesses locally working in the supply chain for the rail sector, and having Great British Railways situated within our county will mean more opportunities for those existing firms, alongside unlocking more potential investment in our area.”

“I would like to congratulate everyone who was involved in making this bid a success, and look forward to seeing how this development will help to shape the economic landscape of our area in years to come.”

Mervyn Allcock, General Manager at Barrow Hill Ltd. said: “The news of Great British Railways being headquartered in nearby Derby is fantastic news for our town.

“We look forward to build on the town’s strong industrial heritage with the development of DRIIVe at Barrow Hill, which will provide the sector with the high-level skills required to help grow our rail infrastructure nationally.

“This will help to bring more economic prosperity to Chesterfield with quality job opportunities for local people, unlocking further growth across Chesterfield and Staveley.”

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Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Chesterfield

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