Women in Chesterfield have the ideal chance to kick start a healthy lifestyle later this month with Active Derbyshire’s new two-week mini Workplace Challenge.

Studies have shown just 20 minutes of physical activity each day brings significant health benefits and can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by 40 per cent.

It’s why the online, female-only challenge will run from Monday October 19 until Saturday October 31 to link in with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Wear it Pink Day, held on Friday, October 23.

Prizes will be awarded for the best Wear it Pink Day photo, which can be any picture of participants taking part in physical activity while wearing pink.

Other spot prizes will be available to those who achieve the department of health target of 150 minutes of activity each week.

Among the prizes are a cycling goody bag (hand pump, light, spare inner tube, water bottle and bike lock), courtesy of Cycle Derby and a pass for cycle hire in the Derbyshire Dales.

“The This Girl Can campaign has been hugely successful in increasing women’s awareness of the need to say fit and active – and now we want those across the county to show they are keen to act on it,” said Andrea Stone, Sport Development Manager for Active Derbyshire.

“Taking part in a Workplace Challenge event can give you added motivation as it is something you can do alongside your colleagues, and you can push each other along. You could also do something to support a breast cancer charity at the same time.”

The October challenge comes after the successful national #SeptemberShakeUp, which saw 178 people from across Derbyshire log a range of sport and activities, 62 of them ‘newbies’.

They travelled a total of 11,978 miles during the month – the equivalent of Derbyshire to Hong Kong and back – with the University of Derby, Netcomposites (Chesterfield), Derbyshire Dales District Council and Guilford Textiles (Alfreton) among the most active workplaces.

A similar two-week male-only challenge themed on ‘Movember’ is planned to follow next month from Monday November 16 until Sunday November 29.

Find out how you can get involved at www.workplacechallenge.org.uk/derbyshire

Local historian Janet Murphy has launched a new website which celebrates Chesterfield’s black and white buildings to be found in the town centre.

Janet said “Few people realise that there are nearly 50 different black and white buildings in the town centre. The earliest is the building housing Peacocks coffee lounge on Low Pavement, which possibly dates back to the 16^th century.”

“Most were built in the 1920s when the Tudor Revival style was popular, but the attractive Arts and Craft building of 1934, which originally housed the Electricity Board Showrooms on Holywell Street, now the Vibe and Loft night clubs, is one of the latest.”

The new website includes a step-by-step trail round the town centre to see the buildings.

To find out more visit the web site at www.blackandwhitebuildingsofchesterfield.co.uk

A vibrant new wool shop has been welcomed to Chesterfield’s diverse range of shops and restaurants at Chatsworth Road.

Named Chameleon, the new business stocks an entire rainbow of wool, hand-dyed yarns and knitting accessories and is easily spotted with its colourful new signage – created and installed by local agency Jumble Design.

Chameleon’s Tracy Oldfield says: “Andrew has been very supportive in the preparations for the new shop, working closely with me and really understanding the nature of my business and how to promote it to its full potential. I always try to work with local businesses wherever possible and this was the perfect opportunity. I’m thrilled with the end products and have received many positive comments’.

Andrew from Jumble Design, who has also created a stylish new logo and marketing materials for the new venture adds: “‘It has been a pleasure to work with Chameleon on their new brand.  I wish them all the best for the future.”

Chameleon is now open at 420 Chatsworth Road for all your knitting needs.

Staff and students at Chesterfield College took part in Macmillan’s world’s biggest coffee morning last week raising over £2000 towards Chesterfield’s planned Cancer Care Centre at the Royal Hospital.

The day started with a 5km fun run leaving from the college’s Heartspace at the Infirmary Road Campus along the canal and back to college and continued with cake and a croquembouche over 6ft tall!

Aside from the traditional cake sale, many departments across college got on board to bring in the cash for this important cause with activities like leg-waxing, a book sale and a ‘Don’t Show Your Teeth’ competition.

Elena Wynn, Director of Learning for Business and Commercial Enterprise at Chesterfield College said “It is amazing to see everyone get behind this brilliant cause. It’s really important to work together as a community to raise the funds we need for the cancer care centre. Cancer is a disease that touches so many people’s lives so it’s a cause that is close to people’s hearts. I am delighted with how much money we have raised and would like to thank everyone who has donated time, money and cakes to help us make today such a success.”