chesterfield borough council

Chesterfield cultural venues receive a further funding boost

Chesterfield Theatres and Chesterfield Museum have received a further funding boost to help support them through the Covid-19 restrictions and ensure they can continue offering unique experiences for Chesterfield residents and visitors.

This funding, received through the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, is worth £153,000 which will be shared between the museum and theatres. In total the venues have received more than £500,000 through this fund over the last year.

Anthony Radford, Chesterfield Borough Council’s arts and venues manager, said: “We are delighted that we have been awarded a further grant of £153,000 from the Culture Recovery Fund. We are extremely grateful for this grant which is a contribution towards the operational costs of Chesterfield Theatres and Chesterfield Museum during the period April to June 2021.

“It is hoped that the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum will be able to re-open during the week commencing 17 May 2021 as per the Government re-opening roadmap. The grant will enable us to re-open during a period when expected income is at a lower level than normal due to the expected restrictions in place.

“The grants received from the Culture Recovery Fund have provided essential support for the provision of cultural services in Chesterfield during the Covid-19 pandemic, and have ensured that Chesterfield Theatres and Chesterfield Museum can play an important role in the cultural life of the town as the community starts to recover.”

Oliver Dowden, Culture Secretary, said: “Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.

“Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said: “Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.

“We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”

Culture creates jobs, supports livelihoods, and brings joy to everyone. The UK leads the world in the creative industries, and culture is vital not only to the local economy but also to the Chesterfield community.

The Culture Recovery Fund is an unprecedented investment from the government in the cultural sector to show it is #HereForCulture and so the sector can weather the storm of coronavirus and come back stronger.

The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.

The Grade II-listed theatres, Pomegranate Theatre and Winding Wheel Theatre, offer a broad range of events, which includes drama, musicals, dance, comedy, concerts, talks and cinema.

The theatres opened successfully for a brief period under Covid-19 restrictions during 2020, before having to close again in November. However, they are looking forward to reopening and have an exciting programme of shows throughout the rest of 2021.

Chesterfield Museum tells the story of Chesterfield, from its beginnings as a Roman fort, the expansion of the Market and the Industrial Revolution, which brought ‘Father of the Railways’, George Stephenson, to town.

The Museum regularly holds a wide range of events for the whole family to enjoy. It also holds regular special exhibitions that explore different areas of history.

Whilst the Museum has still not reopened since closing in March 2020, the team have continued to create online events and activities to help people connect with the history of Chesterfield.

Both Chesterfield Theatres and Chesterfield Museum are proudly owned and managed by Chesterfield Borough Council.

Find out more about the performances planned at Chesterfield Theatres and book tickets by visiting www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk  or by calling the Box Office on 01246 345 222.

For more information on online activities and events planned by Chesterfield Museum, please visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/museum.

The Culture Recovery Fund is administered by Arts Council England, learn more about this funding by visiting: www.artscouncil.org.uk/CRFgrants

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Chesterfield says ‘we’re back’ for friendly local shopping

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield are supporting the re-opening of the high streets this April with the message ‘we’re back’ to encourage shoppers back to Chesterfield’s high streets. Find out more at www.chesterfield.co.uk/wereback

The mini campaign includes a video on social media, featuring some of Chesterfield’s many independent businesses and market traders, asking people to come back shopping in Chesterfield. The video reminds people that safety is everything, but we do need to support our local high streets.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “It will be great to see the start of the re-opening of our town centre and high streets this April.

“It is however essential that we keep our own and everyone else’s safety in mind when we go back to shopping locally in Chesterfield to make sure our town centre stays open. I urge everyone to continue with hands, face and space as we start to re-open.

“Our local shops and retailers have worked so hard over lockdown, offering click and collect and delivery options but it has been a massive struggle for businesses and now it’s up to us to get back out shopping locally. Our businesses really need your support.

“Spending a few pounds a week with local businesses will make a massive difference to them. It’s been convenient to shop online but let’s do more of that with local businesses and also shop safely with them once again in our town centre and high streets.

“Chesterfield is a fantastic place to shop. We pride ourselves on being a friendly town, with many great independent businesses who are ready to welcome everyone back. So, come back and support your town this April.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “The lifting of restrictions on non-essential retail is very much welcomed and further progress in the high street’s journey towards normality. Seeing our favourite businesses adapt with online shopping and click and collect services during lockdown has been inspiring, but shopping in Chesterfield is an experience that can’t be replicated at home.

“Lockdown has shown us all the importance of the high street and the contribution it makes not only to the economy but to the lives of local people and I would encourage everyone to support the high street and shop local to help the many businesses based on it in their recovery.”

To also help support local businesses that are re-opening, and to showcase Chesterfield as a great place to visit, the council is offering local businesses the chance to take out free listings on the Visit Chesterfield website until 31 March 2022.

Independent businesses who are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity can find more details on www.visitchesterfield.info/advertising. Businesses will need to complete an application form and send it along with high resolution images or videos to tourism@chesterfield.gov.uk.

Find out more about shopping in Chesterfield here.

 

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

Plans to revamp Chesterfield Market move forward

Chesterfield Borough Council’s plans to revamp the town’s historic market have taken a further step forward, with expected works to be completed in around a year’s time.

Last December, the council asked residents, market traders and local businesses to share their views and help shape the future of Chesterfield Market.

The aim of the surveys was to understand what people enjoy about Chesterfield Market, what might encourage them to visit more often, and understand how they think it can be improved.

This was the first step in the £3.25m Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project which includes plans to revamp the town’s historic outdoor Market Place, as well as improve the public space around Elder Way.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Chesterfield Market is the heart and soul of the town. It’s crucial that we work together with residents, market traders and local businesses to make sure improvements meet their needs. It was fantastic to receive hundreds of responses to our surveys, which shows the market means so much to everyone in Chesterfield.”

The surveys showed support for changing the layout of the market. 72% of the public, 89% of local businesses and 46% of market traders, supported changing the layout of the market

There was strong support for events, particularly specialist and event markets. These could include food festivals, farmers markets or vintage markets.

The public survey results show strong support for market traders and a desire to support local businesses.

Councillor Sarvent added: “Work is now underway to develop options for the market design and these will be available for comment as part of a consultation with the public, market traders and local businesses this summer. It is especially encouraging to see the public support for traders and local businesses as we move towards re-opening the town centre from lockdown next month.”

Details of how to take part in the next stage of the market consultation will be available from the council’s website this summer. Following this, it is expected works will be complete in Spring 2022.

As well as looking at the future of the market, the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will also include improvements to the public space between the town centre and the Northern Gateway site.

The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project has benefitted from £650,000 of funding through the D2N2 Local Growth Fund.

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Over £23m to be invested in council housing across Chesterfield

More than £23 million is to be spent improving and increasing the housing supply across Chesterfield – as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to enhance the borough’s housing offer and meet the needs of residents.

Councillors have agreed to the ambitious Housing Capital Programme – which sets out the council’s investment priorities for 2021/22 and the medium-term investment through to 2024/25.

The Housing Capital Programme sets out the priorities to ensure that council housing in the borough continues to meet the decent homes standard and provide the good quality, affordable homes for people in Chesterfield.

Modernisation and refurbishment of the council’s existing housing stock continues to be a main focus of the council’s programme of works – including roof repairs, the installation of windows and improvements to estate environments to ensure all properties continue to meet the decent homes standard.

Since 2019 the council will have added 64 new homes to its housing stock and a further 53 homes in the pipeline for 2021-2023, meaning the council will meet its target of adding new 100 new homes to the housing register by 2023 – giving local families more choice and access to modern properties.

The council will also continue to invest in homes for older people, with works currently progressing well at Mallard Court and Leander Court. When completed, this will offer modern, affordable and attractive housing for older people in Staveley for the future.

In response to the climate emergency that was declared by the council in July 2019, the council is also committed to ensuring that all of its homes are energy efficient – allowing Chesterfield to become a low carbon, resilient and sustainable borough.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “Our aim as always is to enhance Chesterfield’s housing offer so that people of all ages can find, and live in a quality home they can afford. Our capital programme shows that we are committed to improving our housing stock to ensure it meets the needs of the people of Chesterfield, as well actively contributing to the climate change agenda by ensuring all homes are energy efficient.

“Investing in affordable and social housing has never been as important, given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has had on many people financially, so it is vital that we continue to enhance the borough’s housing needs and supply affordable living. Our programme of investment has been developed and amended to recognise the challenges which have arisen from the Covid-19 crisis and, together with our partners, we are doing all we can to ensure any minor delays to key projects are resolved, allowing us to achieve our goals.

“We are committed to building a sustainable future and in response to the climate change emergency declared by the council in 2019, we’re taking measures to ensure our homes are energy efficient – which will not only help the planet, but will also give our residents access to affordable warmth.”

“During 2020 – 21 we achieved some key milestones in improving our housing stock and we’re proud that 100 per cent of our properties meet the decent homes standards. By continuing to refurbish and modernise our homes and estates, we can continue to ensure we maintain these standards for local families.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

Vital funding confirmed for community groups in Chesterfield

Community groups in Chesterfield are set to benefit from more than £30,000 of funding that has been provided through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhoods Fund.

The Chesterfield Borough Council funding is being provided to a wide range of community groups for a variety of different projects, all of which have important benefits to local communities and support the objectives outlined in the Council Plan.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “This funding ensures that much needed projects for our community can be supported and delivered for the benefit our residents. This funding is a result of new developments in the borough and demonstrates how we can leverage new developments to ensure they can help meet the needs of our residents in as many ways as possible.

“In the last few months, we have provided well over £100,000 to community groups through this fund. We have further application deadlines coming up, and I would encourage all eligible community groups that are in need of funding in Chesterfield to apply through this scheme.”

This latest round of funding has been provided to six different projects including money for the Cosy Hub to purchase laptops and provide support to residents when creating CVs and for children to complete their homework on. It has also provided funds for the Friends of Hasland Community Hub to improve facilities in the Working Men’s Club to allow several groups to meet at the same time.

The Friends of Stand Road Park has received funding to help provide further improvements to the park and ensure it has excellent facilities for local residents.

Graham King, Chair of Friends of Stand Road Park, said: “The group is delighted to have been awarded the CIL funding for our project. Our community consultation, for which we undertook an extensive opinions survey, has shown that the community’s next priority for improving the park is to install a network of paths with benches at appropriate intervals. The CIL award will allow us to put in eight park benches. We shall site them at locations to suit the route of the future paths. We aim to put in the paths later once we have raised the required funding”.

Another group that received funding are Derbyshire LGBT+ which works to support Chesterfield’s LGBT+ community. The money will help ensure they can continue to provide their services to local residents.

Ian Robson, Chief Executive Officer of Derbyshire LGBT+, said: “Derbyshire LGBT+ is very grateful to Chesterfield Borough Council for supporting us with a grant from the Community Infrastructure Levy fund. This money will allow us to continue operating our Chesterfield community centre, supporting Chesterfield’s LGBT+ communities of all ages in dealing with issues of general health, mental health, sexual health, loneliness and isolation. Our centre provides many support groups and drop-in sessions each week.”

The Community Infrastructure Levy is a charge that councils can place on new developments in their area through the planning process. It is used primarily to fund infrastructure around the new developments, it can include but is not limited to roads, schools, parks and flood defences. Chesterfield is the only borough in Derbyshire currently using the levy to fund infrastructure and projects.

Funding for community groups comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund. Of the total funding 15% is provided to the neighbourhoods fund. In Brimington and Staveley this money is given directly to the respective town and parish councils to allocate, and Chesterfield Borough Council is responsible for this funding in the rest of the borough.

Find out more about how to apply for the next round of funding on the council’s website: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/cil-funding

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Residents and visitors invited to have their say on Chesterfield Museum

Residents and visitors are being invited to give their thoughts and opinions about Chesterfield Museum and share ideas of what they would like to see the museum offer in the future.

Like many museums nationwide, Chesterfield Museum – which is owned by Chesterfield Borough Council – has had to remain closed to visitors since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Behind the scenes, the museum team have been busy extending and improving the museum’s online offer and exploring ideas for future exhibitions and events that will excite the whole family when the museum reopens its doors.

As part of this, the team at Chesterfield Museum are asking local residents and visitors to the museum to share their views on the museum in a short survey, giving them the chance to have their say about what they would like to see in the future and how visits to the museum could be improved: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/explore-chesterfield/museum/more-from-your-museum/chesterfield-museum-survey

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Chesterfield Museum has been welcoming visitors for more than 26 years, telling the story of Chesterfield – from its beginnings as a Roman fort to its history as a manufacturing town boosted by the Industrial Revolution – and we want to hear your thoughts.

“We know many residents enjoy visiting the museum to learn about our local history and take part in fun events, but gathering feedback is vital in ensuring that the museum reaches a wider audience, making the whole community feel included and valued. I’d encourage as many people as possible to take part in this survey and help shape the future of our fantastic museum.”

As well as presenting fascinating temporary exhibitions about the history of the borough in the museum and unique displays in our Art Gallery, Chesterfield Museum is also proud to work closely with many local organisations from across the borough. In recent years the museum has been proud to host exhibitions organised by Chesterfield Photographic Society, Donut Creative Art Studios (DCAS), LGBT+ Derbyshire, Chesterfield Rugby Club and the Don Rivers Catchment Trust.

Residents and visitors have until Sunday 14 March to share their views.

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Staveley’s £25m regeneration plans to be put under the spotlight at Celebrate Chesterfield 2021

Forging ahead with regeneration plans in lockdown, the latest developments for the Staveley area will be unveiled at the tenth annual Celebrate Chesterfield event on Wednesday 31 March.

The ambitious £25 million plans for the Staveley area were submitted to the Government as part of its Town Deal programme back in December.

Chair of Staveley Town Deal Board Ivan Fomin, who is also the Managing Director at MSE Hiller and a Destination Chesterfield board member, will be speaking at the virtual event at which he will call on the business community to help drive forward the area’s regeneration and take advantage of the opportunities it will create.

He commented: “Staveley is blessed with great assets including land for development, heritage buildings and transport links, but these all need investment and local leadership to drive forward the growth and prosperity of the area. At a time when Covid-19 has re-energised the discussion about the use of outdoor spaces, we also have a unique opportunity to link Chesterfield and Staveley to the national canal network for the first time in 113 years.”

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of the Chesterfield Borough Council, will also be speaking at the event, which will be live streamed and boast a 3D virtual exhibition.

Mr Bowen will be updating on the progress the town is making with multi-million pound commercial and residential developments, including Chesterfield Waterside and the new seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place.

Ivan Fomin and Huw Bowen will also be joined by Andy Dabbs (Chair) and Jillian Mitchell (Vice Chair) of the newly formed Property and Construction Group, who will also be speaking at the event.

Now in its tenth year, Celebrate Chesterfield, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with Addooco IT, is one of the most hotly anticipated business events in the area and never more so that in the wake of the pandemic.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Whilst it has been a challenging year for us all, we’re delighted with the progress Chesterfield has made during the Covid-19 pandemic – there are a lot of achievements to celebrate which we will be sharing at the event. We have not stood still a through 2020 and because of this we go into 2021 in excellent shape.

“The Northern Gateway and Chesterfield Waterside developments have made some significant steps and continue to move forward at pace. This, along with the regeneration plans for the Staveley area, it’s safe to say this is an exciting time for Chesterfield.”

Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 is being sponsored by technology specialist Addooco IT Ltd. University of Derby, Whittam Cox Architects and Markham Vale – Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration scheme, join headline sponsor Addooco IT as associate sponsors.

Richard Walters, Managing Director of Addooco IT Ltd, commented: “The concept of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield’ really resonates with me as there is such a rich history of innovation here. Recognising the great work Destination Chesterfield does for organisations in the area, I am delighted that Addooco is the headline sponsor for Celebrate Chesterfield.”

Dr Paula Holt MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby said: “We are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support the Celebrate Chesterfield event again this year. As Derbyshire’s only university, we look to use our academic expertise, research and innovation to foster talent and create impactful partnerships with business.

“The Celebrate Chesterfield event provides a great opportunity for us to have valuable conversations that enable us to understand more about the challenges local businesses face. Our priority remains to effectively service the needs of businesses – creating opportunities for individuals, employers and communities to develop and deliver positive impact on the economic prosperity, health and well-being of the region.”

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, comments: “As a local practice we are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield event. This year is particularly exciting for us, as it will see the launch of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum. The formation of the forum has already had some success in bringing together a network of local property professionals whilst also providing a collaborative platform for engagement with the Local Authority. Although it has been a challenging year, Chesterfield has made some fantastic progress, and the Celebrate Chesterfield event will provide a great opportunity to share this.”

Anthony Clitheroe, Director at HBD, development partner for the Markham Vale site commented: “Our ongoing commitment to the regeneration of Markham Vale has seen momentous change of this area over the years, increasing job opportunities for local workers and ensuring a continued boost to Chesterfield’s economy.

“Alongside Derbyshire County Council, we’re looking forward to continuing the success of 2020 and securing new occupiers at Markham Vale.”

Tickets for the free morning event, which is being held from 8:30am – 10:00am, are available to book now.

To book your place at the event, please visit http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

New partnership launched to combat loneliness and social isolation across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire

Residents across Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover District who are feeling alone and isolated during the ongoing pandemic are being encouraged to seek support.

‘Feeling Connected’ is a partnership project led by Derbyshire Voluntary Action with the support of Chesterfield Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council, which aims to tackle social isolation in the local area.

The project has been commissioned by the Healthy North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield Health and Wellbeing Partnerships which are funded by Derbyshire County Council Public Health.

The ‘Feeling Connected’ project aims to:

• help people better understand the benefits of being socially connected
• raise awareness of existing services which support social connectedness
• identify interventions, initiatives and activities which help people to feel socially connected and which could be further supported and developed in North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield

Jacqui Willis, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Voluntary Action, said: “Most people, young and old, feel lonely from time to time. This is normal, and even healthy. It can be a prompt for action, a reminder to make contact with other people and to create or reaffirm connections.

“Where it can become a problem is if people become isolated through circumstances beyond their control, and if feelings of loneliness become entrenched, or persist for a long time.”

As well as encouraging people who may be socially isolated to seek support, the partnership is also encouraging residents to think about those in their local community who may be alone and consider how they can help them.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Tackling social isolation and supporting our residents to overcome the impact of the pandemic is a priority for Chesterfield Borough Council and is at the heart of our Covid-19 community recovery plan.

“Many people have experienced social isolation throughout the pandemic – especially those who have limited access to technology so we’re really pleased to be supporting this project and looking into new initiatives which will help promote social connectedness for our residents.”

Councillor Alan Powell, North East Derbyshire District Council’s cabinet member for Partnership Engagement and Strategy, said: “The pandemic has affected us all, but for some people the feelings of loneliness and isolation have been greatly amplified during this time.

“We are therefore delighted to be supporting this project which will help our residents access the support they need and encourage others to think about those who are alone.”

In the spirit of connecting with others, the ‘Feeling Connected’ project has linked up with similar work which is happening in Bolsover District: ‘Connect Bolsover’ led by Bassetlaw CVS.

Bolsover District Council’s Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley said: “The situation over the past ten months has highlighted the impact of loneliness and the importance of being part of a community. Even though we have new technology, there is no substitute for human contact, having a cuppa, a biscuit and a chat.

“I believe we will see more people suffering from agoraphobia. Organisations like chit chat groups, craft classes and toddler groups play a huge part in a local community and can provide people with the boost they need if they are feeling lonely or isolated. So we are delighted to support this project within Bolsover District and the wider north east Derbyshire area.”

You can find more information about ‘Feeling Connected’ at dva.org.uk/feeling-connected and about ‘Connect Bolsover’ at bcvs.org.uk/bolsover-together

Derbyshire Voluntary Action supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Jacqui Willis, Derbyshire Voluntary Action

 

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MyFuture careers platform shortlisted for prestigious industry award

An innovative online careers and employability platform, which was launched to Year 11 and 13 school leavers in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire last year, has been shortlisted in the Careers Development Institute (CDI) Awards 2021.

Since its launch, on GCSE results day, the MyFuture platform has helped hundreds of young people gain access to high-quality careers advice, employment support, and skills and educational programmes during the pandemic.

The online platform has been shortlisted in the Innovative and Impactful Employer Engagement category in the annual industry awards which identify and promote excellence in career development. The category is sponsored by the Department for Education (DfE) and CXK, a careers advice charity.

Developed by Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub, MyFuture plugs the careers information gap left by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The innovative platform, which is believed to be a world first, was designed by Chesterfield-based Oasis Studio. It features around 100 virtual exhibition pods across 10 zones, providing advice on careers, transition, and employment in 16 sectors.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that our My Future project has been recognised in this way. Our team have spearheaded this project as part of our Economic Recovery plans, working closely with our partners to help ensure the My Future online platform provides valuable information on careers and skills development for young people in Chesterfield. We will continue to support and develop this platform and I want to encourage young people to log in because it will help them plan their future in our borough.”

Dom Stevens Destination Chesterfield Manager added: “Everyone worked tremendously hard in a very short timeframe to get MyFuture up and running and it has been incredibly well received by all users. To be recognised by the Careers Development Institute is testimony to the strong partnerships that exist in Chesterfield that together make positive changes happen for everyone who lives, works and does business here.”

D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub Lead Dan Heffernan said: “Connecting young people to their future careers becomes an even higher priority during economic crisis as younger workers are at much higher risk of becoming casualties of recession. We are therefore delighted that this project has been recognised by the CDI for the value that it brings to young people across North Derbyshire. It is our hope that any publicity generated by this recognition will encourage further collaborative efforts not just in D2N2 but nationally. Only by working together are we going to weather the economic storm generated by the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

MyFuture is shortlisted alongside Creative Careers Programme and Discover! Creative Careers Week, Creative and Cultural Skills and Whole School Career Day 5th March 2020, Huntcliff School, Gainsborough. The winner of the category will be announced next month on Wednesday 10 March.

MyFuture is one of two North Derbyshire projects to be shortlisted in this year’s Careers Development Institute Awards. Derbyshire Education Business Partnership (DEBP) has also been shortlisted for the Best Practice Award – Careers Programme in a Special School or College category for its Project SEARCH.

To view MyFuture please visit www.myfuture.org.uk

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

Fortem tackles youth unemployment with flexible work experience programme

Fortem have launched a virtual work experience programme, in partnership with the North Derbyshire Careers Hub (D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership), to help tackle rising youth unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The five-day virtual work experience (VWEX) programme prepares young people aged 14+ for the next steps of their career journey, raises aspirations and promotes inclusivity for all through the flexible delivery methods.

Fortem have developed a model which is easily adaptable and can be delivered online or offline, depending on the circumstances and needs of young people. Consisting of five modules; IT, innovation, customer care, design and planning, the programme helps young people identify transferable skills and how to put them into practice.

Since the start of COVID-19, the UK has seen a significant impact on 16-24-year-old unemployment. Comparing the latest quarter, September-November 2020, with the pre-pandemic quarter of January-March 2020, unemployment for young people has increased by 13%, and is set to rise with the impending pressures on the economy. 2020 saw the highest level of youth unemployment since 2016.

Findings from a YouGov poll for the Sutton Trust social mobility charity state that opportunities for young people to get experience of the workplace have also been impacted considerably by the COVID-19 crisis. Many firms who previously offered internships or work experience placements have cancelled them, with just over three fifths (61%) of employers surveyed cancelling some or all of their placements.

Leigh Garbutt, Head of Customer Experience at Fortem, said “At Fortem we don’t leave anyone behind so it was important that we created a virtual work experience programme that could be easily adapted to suit individual needs. We work closely with our clients and partners in the education sector to ensure that our offer is relevant and can really benefit our communities. Delivering people-focused opportunities like this are at the heart of Fortem’s culture and we are dedicated to continuing our commitment to supporting young people.”

The work experience programme not only gives students valuable work experience and an insight into the world of work, it also helps to achieve Gatsby Benchmark 6. Gatsby Benchmarks are a set of eight benchmarks that schools and colleges can use as a framework for improving their careers provision and is widely adopted as best practice. Read more about the benchmarks here.

Emily Carter, Enterprise Coordinator at North Derbyshire Careers Hub – D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said “It has been a privilege to work in partnership with Fortem on their exciting new virtual work experience offer. The flexibility in delivery of this programme will help to reduce barriers to engagement and promote transferable skills in an interactive way for young people.”

Following a successful pilot of the programme at Career Hub school, Springwell Community College in Chesterfield, a feedback survey found that 100% of students found the programme enjoyable and would recommend it to their friends and family, while 78% feel better informed about future opportunities within the industry. Fortem are refurbishing properties across Chesterfield as part of the council’s commitment to investing in its housing stock.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said, “Developing the skills young people have is vital to ensuring they can enter the workforce after they finish their education and is one of our key priorities as a local council. It’s brilliant to see partnerships like this forming and delivering meaningful outcomes for young people in Chesterfield.

“Our local labour clauses have helped ensure that all new development in Chesterfield has real employability benefits for the local community and this work experience programme is just one of many successful examples of this policy in action.”

For more information on the virtual work experience programme, please contact Rebecca Goodwin, Fortem’s Regional Customer and Community Manager, on Rebecca.Goodwin@fortem.co.uk.

The topic of skills and careers for young people was recently on the agenda at the Chesterfield and North Derbyshrie Employability & Skills Conference. You can find out more about the event and watch it back here.

Fortem supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Chesterfield businesses encouraged to check eligibility for grants

Chesterfield businesses are being urged to check if they are eligible for business grants which can help them cover costs during lockdown.

Detailed information on business grants is available on the Chesterfield Borough Council website. Some of the grant schemes, including the Additional Restrictions Support Grant have been available to apply for since early January, but there are still a number of eligible businesses that have not yet applied.

New information regarding the Taxi Driver Support Grant and Additional Restrictions Grant has been added to the website – eligible businesses and individuals are being urged to apply as soon as possible.

Councillor Jean Innes, cabinet member for business transformation and customers, said: “These grants are a vital lifeline for local businesses, and I would encourage every business owner to apply. This funding can be used to cover a variety of costs including rent on business premises and other bills.

“Our team are working hard to process these payments as quickly as possible but it’s vital that eligible businesses apply in order to access this funding.”

The process to apply for business grants through a secure online form and applicants will need to submit some evidence, including bank statements, when applying.

There are currently five different business grants available to apply for online:

– Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG-C) – for businesses that have been forced to close due to national lockdowns or local restrictions.

– Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG-O) – for businesses linked to the hospitality and leisure sectors that have remained open but were severely affected by tier 3 restrictions between 2 December and 30 December 2020.

– Additional Restrictions Grant – a discretionary scheme for businesses that are not able to claim a Local Restrictions Support Grant – Closed (LRSG-C) but have been severely impacted by national or local restrictions.

– Closed Business Lockdown Payment – a one-off top up grant to support businesses that have been forced to close during national restrictions from 5 January 2021.

– Taxi Driver Support Grant – a one-off payment to support local taxi, private hire and contract drivers who are licenced to trade in the borough of Chesterfield.

Find out more about these grants and apply online by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/bsg

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