Visiting

Residents invited to share memories of Chesterfield pop culture for museum project

Chesterfield residents are being invited to take part in a new project that aims to involve local people in a celebration of pop culture and community memory.

Project REVERB aims to collect images, ephemera and oral history recordings which can then be used to inspire works of art which will form the basis of a future exhibition. Chesterfield Museum is currently working on the exciting project with oral history recordist and artist, John Hall from Artspace.

On Sunday 8 October from 11am to 3pm, Chesterfield Museum and REVERB will be in the Pavements Shopping Centre, hosting the first event which coincides with the Chesterfield Record Fair. As well as a place to reminisce and chat to the team, there will also be interactive activities designed to spark musical memories, including a large memory map and a fun badge-making activity.

Record Fair 2

Chesterfield Record Fair

John Hall said: “As well as the big names, Chesterfield has produced loads of its own bands, promoters, fanzines, and DJs. It has had- and still has- great independent record shops, and atmospheric venues that have supported the endless cycle of scenes and trends over the decades, all important to the vitality and changing flavour of the town’s pop culture and identity.

“We are looking for the evidence of all these years of local creativity – the stuff in the back of the drawer, in the scrapbook, or maybe framed on the wall. The stuff you just can’t throw away because of the magic it contains and the memories it can summon.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, and if there’s a story, let’s hear that too.”

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “We’re really excited to be working with John Hall on this project. Our town has a rich cultural history with a host of huge names performing over the years. I hope lots of you will take part in this project and help ensure that your memories can live on for years to come.”

Eventually the project aims to present an exhibition which draws on memories of the local pop scene using images, ephemera (collectable items that were expected to have a short-term usefulness), and oral history recordings to inspire works of art, photography, sound, and film.

The project team are interested in collecting digital scans and photographs of items including posters, leaflets, autographs, photos, tickets, record / music shop bags, fliers, locally produced records, live tapes, badges and more.

Booking is not required for the event on Sunday 8 October.

Hudson's Records Bag

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Santa’s Grotto to return to Chesterfield for the festive period

Chesterfield Borough Council has announced that Santa Claus will be back in town this Christmas wishing everyone good tidings for the festive season, and tickets are now on sale to meet him in the Grotto.

Taking place in the Market Hall’s Assembly Rooms, the Christmas Grotto will be open from Sunday 19 November to 24 December 2023 welcoming families from across the local area.

Tickets for the grotto need to be booked in advance by visiting chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/shows/santas-grotto.aspx, by calling the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) on 01246 345777 (10am to 3.30pm) or by visiting the VIC in person.

Tickets are on sale now and families are encouraged to book their preferred time slots early to avoid disappointment. Tickets are priced at £7.50 per child. A maximum of two adults can attend with each paying child, so any extra adults will need to buy a ticket also.

Every child that visits Santa will receive a wrapped present and they will be able to talk to him about what their Christmas wishes are this year. Each time slot to see Santa will admit up to 10 people, over a 30-minute timeframe.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, portfolio holder for the town centre and visitor economy, said: “Meeting Santa Claus is the highlight of many families’ festive calendars, so we are pleased to be welcoming people back into our brilliant Market Hall grotto for 2023.

“Each child will receive an age-appropriate gift that will be gift-wrapped, making the decision yours if you’d like to take it home and put it under your tree.”

Don’t forget to bring your phones or cameras to capture some photographs of you and your family meeting Santa.

Find out the exact dates and times Santa’s Grotto is open in the Market Hall this year.

Three relaxed sessions will also take place for children with learning disabilities or sensory and communication disorders. Santa’s elves will turn down the music, switch off the flashing lights, increase the background lighting and allow a little longer to meet with Santa.

Santa's Grotto 873x466

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, Visiting

Chair’s blog: “It has been delightful to see so many people attending events”

As summer draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on some of the fantastic activities which have happened in our town over the last few months…

It has been delightful to see so many people attending events, bringing local communities together and supporting our independent businesses.

Back in June, we saw some fantastic cricket as Derbyshire played host to Yorkshire at Queen’s Park, with Derbyshire coming out victorious in front of a fifth successive sell-out crowd.

The Chesterfield Canal Festival also saw more than 8,000 people visiting Staveley. It is brilliant to hear of the work Chesterfield Canal Trust is carrying out with partners to restore the canal and the Staveley basin.

Elsewhere, Chesterfield’s reputation for having one of the biggest and best Pride festivals in the region was once again showcased, with more than 5,000 attendees enjoying ‘90s boyband, A1 and rapper Tinchy Stryder.

The first-ever Chesterfield Children’s Festival proved a hit with youngsters, with silent discos, comedy clubs, theatre workshops, and more. It is wonderful to see that our town is providing a quality leisure offer for people of all ages.

One of the events which really stirred emotions was the Sparkle Night Walk, in aid of Ashgate Hospice. A record 3,100 people took part, raising over £150,000 for a charity which I know is dear to so many in our area. A big well done to everyone who got involved.

We also saw the first-ever Peddler Market in Chesterfield, which was welcomed to the town centre with resounding success. It was great to see people enjoying quality food and drink from the traders, including Chesterfield’s own Pizza Pi! I can’t wait to see its return on the 15th and 16th of September.

I’m excited to see how Chesterfield’s programme of events continues to develop in the coming years, with upcoming regeneration in our marketplace set to create a more communal and social space in the heart of the town. Somewhere you will enjoy sitting and chatting with family and friends.

Plans for next year include a new market layout with modern stalls, more seating, better lighting, and refreshed paving. This will all provide the flexibility needed to host events regularly in the town centre, providing that much-needed footfall for our independent shops, bars, and restaurants. The regeneration will go ahead thanks to £25m of funding, secured by Chesterfield Borough Council, with the market being just part of a major project that will see several improvements to our town centre, including the Stephenson Memorial Hall. Who knows what fun awaits once all the work is completed!?

I hope that we can all continue to support our local events, businesses, and people. By doing so, we can make a huge impact on the future economic growth of our area by attracting more visitors to stay here, more families to live here and more businesses to invest here.

Peddler Market

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Summer, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Chesterfield and Derbyshire producers showcased at 40th Chatsworth Country Fair

Some of Derbyshire’s finest makers and producers had the opportunity to showcase and sell their products to thousands of visitors at Chatsworth Country Fair (1-3 September 2023).

Over 50 local artisans were invited to exhibit in the ‘Derbyshire Makers Marquee’, hosted by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire in partnership with Derbyshire County Council, at one of England’s most spectacular annual outdoor celebrations.

Now in its fourth year, the Derbyshire Makers Marquee aims to support the growth of small, independent artists and producers by helping them to reach new audiences.

Visitors to the marquee had the chance to sample and buy quality items ranging from arts, crafts, jewellery and homeware to photography and fine food and drink – all produced in Derbyshire.

Chesterfield exhibitors included Hogg Norton, an award-winning producer of alcoholic fruit liqueurs, The Original Paper Starlights, whose colourful handmade lanterns decorated the marquee, and Cup & Saucer, an independent tea blender.

Chatsworth celebrated its 40th Country Fair with three action-packed days of entertainment including thrilling grand ring displays, inspirational cookery demonstrations, interactive rural crafts and traditional country pursuits.

Chesterfield’s Casa Hotel was also involved at the event, with their renowned chefs providing cookery demonstrations to the crowd alongside the nation’s top culinary talents.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many artisans and craftspeople embracing the chance to come together to showcase the high quality products made here in Derbyshire.

“As well as being very popular with visitors, thanks to support from Derbyshire County Council, the Derbyshire Makers Marquee also gave independent producers the chance to exhibit at a nationally-renowned, large-scale event – fuelling their growth and helping them to reach new audiences.”

Mike Norton of Hogg Norton Fruit Liqueurs, based in Chesterfield, said: “Having a stall in the Derbyshire Makers Marquee at such a prestigious event such as Chatsworth Country Fair was such a privilege. Being able to showcase our products to thousands of visitors and potential new customers with our liqueurs that are produced in Derbyshire, with fruit from Derbyshire, literally a few miles from Chatsworth House, gives us brand exposure that we could not achieve on our own.

“Also, being with so many amazing producers from across Derbyshire and the Peak District gave us an opportunity to work with new partners and grow our product offering.”

Hogg Norton – Mike Norton displaying products at Chatsworth Country Fair

Mike Norton displaying Hogg Norton products at Chatsworth Country Fair 2023 – Image by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire.

William and Laura Burlington said: “Derbyshire is blessed with a wealth of extraordinarily talented artisan makers, artists and craftspeople and we’re delighted to be able to celebrate their skill and creativity with a broad audience through the Derbyshire Makers Marquee at the Chatsworth Country Fair.”

Councillor Simon Spencer, Deputy Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “We’re proud to promote small local businesses and value the contribution Derbyshire producers make to the local economy.

“The Derbyshire Makers Marquee provides independent artists and producers with a fantastic platform to display their skills and reach new audiences and I’m pleased we were able to support it.”

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, Hogg Norton and Casa Hotel support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Celebrating local producers in the Derbyshire Makers Marquee at Chatsworth Country Fair 2023

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Major progress on new boutique hotel coming to Chesterfield town centre

The development of a new boutique hotel coming soon to Chesterfield has achieved another milestone, having received the green light from planning officers.

Voeberg has taken on the project to develop the Holywell Hotel, next to the town’s well-known Holywell Cross or ‘Donut’ roundabout in the heart of Chesterfield.

The Grade II listed building is set to undergo more than £1 million of refurbishment, sensitively converting it into one two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom apartments for use as short-stay accommodation.

Emily Smith, Property Investor and Mentor at Voeberg commented: “We’re really excited to have the support for the project from the council and all the stakeholders involved in granting planning permission.

“We’re working through some of the final building control requirements, but are expecting to start the renovation imminently. We’re looking forward to enhancing the character of the Grade II listed building while bringing it into a new use.

Once work is completed, the premises will operate as a ‘smart hotel’ with self-check-ins, keyless entry and a digital portal which will provide guests with relevant information about their stay. Work will also take place to repair the buildings, including restoring the sash windows, renovating the doors and conserving all the listed features.

Emily added: “The hotel is going to offer a different accommodation option for Chesterfield’s visitors – whether leisure or business. The location serves the town centre as well as the train station so it’s ideal for people travelling and conducting business in the area.

“It’ll complement other hospitality and retail businesses’ offerings in the town and we’re looking forward to partnering with many local businesses through the development and then the running of the hotel.”

Attendees at the upcoming Chesterfield Investment Summit will be able to hear more about the Holywell Hotel, with Emily being involved as a guest speaker.

She said: “It’s amazing to be asked to be involved in the Investment Summit – it shows the council are supporting smaller developers and business owners alongside some of the larger and established companies investing in Chesterfield. It takes companies of all sizes to support the town’s vision, and each other.”

Get the latest updates on the development of the Holywell Hotel. 

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

Emily and Ryan holywell hotel

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

New housing scheme in Clay Cross offers “save to buy” scheme for local tenants

35 new homes are being developed in Clay Cross, offering a flexible option for local tenants looking to get on the property ladder.

Six two-bed houses and a three-bed home were on display to the public recently, to showcase the new development at Clay Lane.

These homes have been built in partnership with North East Derbyshire District Council, Rentplus, and Woodall Homes, helping fill the need for affordable quality homes in the district.

The scheme is the first affordable rent to buy scheme in NE Derbyshire. Tenants move in with no deposit and pay an affordable rent (which includes all repairs and service charges) which gives tenants the opportunity to save towards a future mortgage.

At key pre-set points at years 5, 10, 15 or 20 they can buy their home and are given a 10% sum from Rentplus towards their savings. The average total household income of tenants on the scheme is £33,000 and the properties have been allocated to local residents, mostly key or essential workers. who otherwise would have struggled to purchase a property on the open market.

Steve Collins, CEO of Rentplus explains why affordable rent to buy schemes are needed: “With the average house price for first-time buyers in North East Derbyshire over £211,000, many working households on lower or middle incomes are locked out of home ownership as they are unable to save enough for a deposit, even though they could afford mortgage repayments.

“Tenants move in without paying an initial deposit and then rent their home at an affordable rent (which includes all repairs and service charges) for between 5 and 20 years whilst they save. When ready to buy, they receive a gifted deposit of 10% from Rentplus towards their savings”

North East Derbyshire District Council Leader, Councillor Nigel Barker said: “I’m delighted to see such a fantastic scheme for some of our wonderful residents, who will be moving into these brand new houses in the coming weeks. In our Council Plan, we have demonstrated our commitment to increasing the number of affordable homes in the district in the years to come.”

MP Lee Rowley has also welcomed the scheme: “I’m very impressed with what I have seen today and I’m looking forward to seeing people move into their Rentplus home. They key thing is to give people choices: whether to rent or to buy, or something in-between. What’s so good about this is that it allows people to become homeowners in the medium or long term but doing it in a way that helps people in the short term.”

Did you know that Chesterfield was recently ranked as the 2nd best place in the UK to raise a family? Find out more about the excellent lifestyle offered to residents in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/living/

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

clay lane houses NEDDC

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Chesterfield organisations continue strong community spirit

Several businesses, charities and community organisations in Chesterfield are continuing to launch new initiatives, aimed at supporting people across the area.

The town’s network of Chesterfield Champions is continuing to help raise the profile of our area and strengthen links, by hosting charity events, launching new support groups and more.

Find out more about some of the latest news from across our community in our latest roundup.

Spireites launch new LGBTQ+ supporters group

Rainbow Spireites

Chesterfield Football Club is now working alongside a new supporters group, aimed at improving the matchday experience for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The group was formed by supporters, Darren Yates and Ellie Yates, with the aim of creating a safe space and ensuring everyone feels welcome at the SMH Group Stadium.

Darren explained: “Our main aim is to be that safe space for LGBTQ+ supporters, who don’t want to come to the game on their own.

“It is also to be a critical friend of the club to help them reach into the community more.

“A group like this can really help fans feel welcome at games, and not have to worry about feeling alone or unwelcome.

“Everyone at the club has been brilliant and totally supportive. We were at Chesterfield Pride and the response was really good. People were saying that they were really happy to see the group being formed.”

Outlining plans for the future, Ellie said: “We’re hoping that now we’ve started getting a few members on board, we can start doing some meet-ups and talk to our members to see what they want to get out of the group as well.

“We’ve joined a regional alliance with some LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups. At the moment, we’re just letting people know we’re there and once we’ve got more members, we’ll look at pre-match meet-ups to encourage fans who might not feel safe enough going to games.”

Vicar Lane to support children’s charities with One Great Day event

Vicar Lane Fun Day

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre will once again be supporting the UK-wide annual charity day ‘One Great Day’ on Saturday 2nd September.

One Great Day is a series of family and community charity events being held throughout the country to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and another local charity close to the heart of each community. This year Vicar Lane is proud to be sharing donations with GOSH and Sheffield Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Hospital Charity.

The event includes a range of free outdoor activities, a tombola and face painting for the youngsters.

From 10am – 3pm, mini aspiring footballers will have a chance to meet Chester the field mouse for a fun shoot-out challenge. For a minimum donation of £1, visitors can show off their skills to score against Chesterfield FC’s cheeky mascot.

To help raise as much money as possible the centre will be running a raffle draw – including a grand prize of 4 tickets to see Chesterfield Football Club play at home.

Brandon Howard, Centre Administrator said: We’re really looking forward to welcoming the people of Chesterfield to Vicar Lane to help us raise much-needed funds for two amazing charities. With the help of Chester the field mouse and Theo the bear, we hope to bring a smile and beat the amount raised last year.

To see the full schedule of events this One Great Day at Vicar Lane, visit https://www.vicarlaneshoppingcentre.co.uk/whats_on/ and plan your day out.

Charity skydive supports children with additional needs in Chesterfield

fairplay

A charity skydive has recently took place to raise funds for Fairplay, a charity which supports young people with additional needs in our area.

Rachel Middleton took the leap, and has so far raised more than £1,000 for her efforts. Rachel commented: “I’ve worked for Fairplay for over two years now and I want to support them to do more great work!

“We support families, child and young adults with disabilities and promote independent living skills in SCaRT, Moving Forward and Enterprise. We have lots of groups running including our gorgeous cafe, craft and gardening groups. Along with the new addition of our shop which the young people make things to sell and will be helping to run themselves!”

Find out more about the initiative on Rachel’s JustGiving page.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital awarded ‘Trailblazer’ status from Race Equality Matters

Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded the prestigious Trailblazer status from Race Equality Matters, a not-for-profit organisation seeking to improve racial equality.

Trailblazers are organisations that are successfully taking action and making an impact on race inequality and Chesterfield was selected for work on The Big Promise solution, where people and organisations make a public commitment to create meaningful and positive change.

Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status is determined by an independent panel of experts – all with lived experience. It aims to identify meaningful impact, keep momentum going, inspire others and evidence an organisations commitment to tackling race inequality.

Becoming a Trailblazer means that the work Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CRH) has done to implement The Big Promise has resulted in significant change and made an impact across the breadth of the entire organisation. This is a step that contributes to their aim to successfully address racial inequality and become a more diverse, inclusive and equal organisation.

Hailey Pottinger, Co-Chair of the Race Equality and Cultural Inclusion Network at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Big Promise helped us to create an inclusive environment where everyone could get involved and talk to us about Race Equality. By giving the Big Promise a central focus, especially as part of Race Equality Week, we created a positive statement and encouraged conversations with colleagues and members of the public. The aim was to increase the understanding that race equality is everyone’s business and secure buy-in and a sense of personal responsibility.

“At Chesterfield, a lot of work is being done to raise awareness of anti-racism (and how that is different to simply not being racist). This work is laying the foundations for conversations around racism and feeding into the creation of our Anti-Racism Strategy. There was a big focus on as part of Race Equality Week.

Kevin Sargen, Medical Director and Race Equality Network Exec Sponsor, at Chesterfield Royal NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are pleased to be highlighted as trailblazers; however, we recognise that this is an ongoing process and there is a lot more we all need to do as an organisation and as individuals to ensure that that we not only highlight this agenda but actively drive action and change. As a Board of Directors, we have made a commitment to tackling race inequality and to be accountable for taking actions. It is something that is very important to all of us and to our colleagues across the organisation.”

BHP hosts work experience academy to provide a taste of the workplace for young people

Chesterfield waterside bhp

BHP offices at Chesterfield Waterside. Image supplied by Derbyshire Economic Partnership

Chesterfield accountancy firm, BHP has recently supported a number of young people by providing a work experience programme this summer.

The firm launched its first ever work experience academy, which the firm expained on its Linkedin page was well recieved by those who took part. The company said: “Our participants really enjoyed the practical, structured programme and many of them said they’ve been inspired to pursue a career in finance following their time with us, which is so great to hear!

“We’re really looking forward to meeting and getting to know our new Graduate and Non-Graduate trainees, who will be joining us very soon.”

Chesterfield FC, Vicar Lane, Fairplay, Chesterfield Royal Hospital and BHP support 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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New outdoor activity business to launch in Chesterfield

A business which provides outdoor activities and unique life experiences for adults with additional support needs is set to launch in Chesterfield.

The Adventure Service is expanding into the town, following successful growth in nearby Nottinghamshire since its inception in 2011.

The organisation enables people to participate in outdoor adventure activities, many they have probably never experienced – thus enhancing their quality of life, skillsets and personal development.

Terry Harris-Ellis, Director at The Adventure Service explained how the business has grown over recent years: “By working closely with my wife Helen (a former special needs teacher), who witnessed my frustrations daily, we created The Adventure Service Ltd.  Fast forward twelve years and our business model is going from strength to strength thanks to a dedicated, trained team of over 30 staff members.”

“We have chosen to expand our services into Chesterfield to allow us to continue providing a service with unique life experiences to adults with additional support needs.”

Terry hopes the new service will help in boosting Chesterfield’s visitor economy: “The Adventure Service Ltd has the potential to help increase visitor numbers by drawing in residents from neighbouring areas to access our services.

“We continually look to expand the experiences of our Adventurers and to do this we look to showcase and tap into the resources on our doorstep. As Chesterfield has some wonderful attractions and historical buildings, our aim will be to visit and learn about their heritage and utilise the local leisure economy in the process.

“This unique service will increase the life skills and personal development of individuals through the use of outdoor adventure, and we are extremely keen to develop relationships with the Chesterfield community.”

The business is hosting a series of open days for people in the area to find out more about its services. These will take place at St. Thomas Church in Chesterfield on the following days, all between 10:30am -2:00pm.

  • Tuesday 5th September
  • Thursday 7th September
  • Monday 11th September
  • Wednesday 13th September
  • Tuesday 19th September
  • Thursday 21st September
  • Wednesday 27th September
  • Friday 29th Septmber

Find out more by emailing welcome@theadventureservice.com or visit the company’s website: http://www.theadventureservice.com

Looking to launch or expand your business? Find out why Chesterfield is the perfect place to locate your organisation: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

 

The Adventure Service

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Chesterfield and Derbyshire businesses to receive a pedal power boost

Tourism businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire can benefit from a new series of free webinars aimed at boosting the local cycling economy.

Supported by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire and Derbyshire County Council, visitor economy businesses can learn about the benefits of being a cycle-friendly business on a series of webinars taking place in September and October.

The webinars aim to help small and medium-sized enterprises in Derbyshire to be more competitive and to gain a greater understanding of the cycle tourism market, which is worth £2.9 billion to the UK economy annually and is growing at a rate of 10-15% every year.

As well as helping businesses learn how to attract cycle tourists, the webinars will help businesses understand how they can play a valuable role in making the area the ultimate destination for active travel.

Derbyshire has over 260 miles of traffic-free cycle routes to explore, and the webinars are part of Derbyshire County Council’s ambition to make Derbyshire the most connected and integrated county for cycling in England.

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire has identified cycle tourism as a key area of growth for the local visitor economy, highlighting its ability to increase the value of tourism, extend the visitor season and enhance the area’s sustainable visitor offer.

The 60-minute webinars will be held weekly from 20th September to 17th October 2023 and consist of five modules:

  • What cyclists want: Wednesday 20th September, 10:30am
    Hear top tips from local cycle-friendly businesses, understand how becoming cycle friendly can boost your business, and discover the free resources available to help your business attract cyclists.
  • Cycling for all: Wednesday 27th September, 10:30am
    Learn how to encourage participation in cycling for all abilities and discover the steps you can take to provide a warm welcome for visitors with additional access needs.
  • Enabling sustainable travel: Wednesday 4th October, 10:30am
    Understand the importance of active travel and how cycling can support the development of sustainable tourism.
  • The cycling pound: Wednesday 11th October, 10:30am
    Learn about the economic value of cycle tourism and discover how your business can access the fast-growing domestic and international cycling tourism market.
  • How to become cycle friendly: Tuesday 17th October, 10:30am
    Learn about the facilities that make a business ‘cycle friendly’, gain top tips on how to exceed customer expectations, and hear about some of the latest cycling tourism developments.

The webinars are FREE for visitor economy businesses (accommodation, attractions, activity providers, cafes, pubs, restaurants etc) based in Derbyshire.

To book a place and find out more, please visit: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/industry/business-support/cycling-webinars.

Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture, Tourism and Climate Change Councillor Barry Lewis said:
“This joint initiative shows our commitment to supporting local businesses to be more sustainable in a way that can also help them to thrive and gain more share of the cycle tourism market.

“It also supports our ambitions to become a net zero county by 2050 or sooner. We have some great speakers lined up and I hope local tourism businesses will sign up for these free sessions and find out about how they can benefit their business and enhance the well-being of our communities and visitors.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Derbyshire County Council to offer local tourism businesses this new programme of cycling webinars, which will provide useful and practical information on how to provide a warm welcome for cyclists.

“As an environmentally sustainable form of tourism, cycling benefits local communities as well as bringing numerous economic benefits to the area, and making your business cycle friendly doesn’t always require major or expensive changes. These webinars offer a fantastic opportunity for businesses to gain a share of the growing cycle tourism market, helping to extend the tourism season, obtain loyal customers, and, above all else, promote our world-class cycling offer.”

tourism cycling VPDD

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Date confirmed for next year’s Chesterfield Pride following successful 2023 event

The date for next summer’s Chesterfield Pride festival has been confirmed, following another successful event which saw more than 5,000 people attend last month.

July’s celebration saw huge names performing including A1, Tinchy Stryder, Baga Chipz, Stooshe and many more. The event also saw the launch of its hugely successful “Kids Zone” which had lots of arts and crafts and Drag Queen story time. Chesterfield Pride has cemented itself as one of the country’s favourite LGBTQ Pride events.

Organisers say planning for 2024 has already begun for next year’s celebration, which will take place on Sunday, 21st July. Tickets are now on sale for the event.

Dan Walker, Organiser of Chesterfield Pride commented: “I love Chesterfield as a Town. The Town has seen some fantastic growth in recent years and is a great place to live and work. We have had amazing support from local businesses and the community for the event and this has helped us push the event to become really successful.

“We are so proud how far the event has come in a relatively short space of time. To think there was nothing before 2015 to now have an event that attracts over 5000 people is unbelievable. We are passionate about the event and look forward to growing it even further.

“2023 was a huge success and we can’t thank everyone that attended enough. The weather was less than perfect, however the atmosphere made up for this. The whole event was a sea of colour and smiles. We had so many areas of the community attend. We are proud to be a community event.

Dan added: “We are passionate about keeping the event entry costs low making it more accessible to everyone including families (under 16’s go free) The event is run not for profit and by volunteers.”

Secure your tickets for Chesterfield Pride 2024 here.

Find out more about the range of events taking place in Chesterfield throughout the summer at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer/

Chesterfield Pride 2023

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Festival to highlight community organisations across Chesterfield

A Chesterfield organisation which aims to benefit the local community is launching a festival to celebrate social enterprises across the area.

Kakou is bringing the SocialFuse Festival for the 2nd year in a row this September, focusing on businesses and groups which make a positive contribution on social impact, sustainability and transparency.

The festival aims to bring together passionate Chesterfield residents and entrepreneurs with an interest in how businesses can positively affect their local community.

Events such as Accessible UK’s Peak District Wellness Walk, or the return of the community crowdfunding evening, Chesterfield SOUP will be included as part of the SocialFuse festival, which runs from 4-9 September 2023.

A spokesperson for Kakou commented: “There are over 100,000 social enterprises operating in the UK alone, and for the second year in a row, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the good work being done by Social Enterprises across Chesterfield and Derbyshire.

“Even if you’ve never heard of a social enterprise, you’ve probably seen some of our work in Chesterfield. From our award-winning public photography exhibition, ‘The Last Photo’, to our involvement in the British Sign Language Choir Unify who recently performed before the nation at the Coronation celebrations this past May.

“Our involvement alone at Kakou has spread far and wide across the UK, let alone the strong network of dozens of other Social Enterprises doing good work for the community in our very hometown.

“We can’t wait for September, and the beginning of a bigger, bolder SocialFuse Festival that we’ve been planning since last year’s inaugural festival!”

To get involved with the festival as a Chesterfield SOUP pitcher or as an official sponsor, get in touch via email at: hello@kakou-technologies.org.uk

To learn more about SocialFuse Festival, and to book your places at the festival’s events, head to: festival.socialfuse.org.uk

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

 

Chesterfield SOUP Ellie and Ann

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