chesterfield business news

Local housebuilder Woodhead Homes named best in the UK

Woodhead Homes have been named as the National Federation of Builders (NFB) UK House Builder of the Year (delivering under 35 units per year).

The company is part of Robert Woodhead Group ltd, which is currently working alongside Whittam Cox Architects on Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, along with various projects across the East Midlands and the rest of the UK.

Woodhead Homes have created an exclusive and already award-winning development, Rufford Pastures, in the sought-after village of Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire. It is a bespoke and luxurious of collection of just 64 homes.

Leo Woodhead, Director, said: “Being shortlisted against national competition is an achievement in itself. The win signifies the huge amount of effort and visionary thinking that has gone into Rufford Pastures. It recognises our unique design ethos and that there is an appetite to improve new build housing through exceptional design.”

Every detail in the design of Rufford Pastures has been carefully considered with a real focus on quality, space and sustainability. From sourcing the very best materials and products from natural oak doors to beautiful bespoke designer kitchens, made locally by Colour Hill to the cutting-edge sustainability to the clever design of the homes and the wider development.

Leo continued, “we have been overwhelmed by the flurry of demand as people re-evaluate what is important to them in a home. Be that space for home working, a generously sized home, a bustling local high street with independent shops, a rural surrounding with great walks, bike riding trails or simply the chance to connect with nature at Sherwood Forest.”

The homes have been designed by Joseph Kemish Architects who have demonstrated that with careful integration of architecture and landscape an exciting and very personal development can be created which encourages social interaction, a sense of belonging and pride of place.

The flurry of demand has in part been spurred on by the Stamp Duty holiday, providing buyers with savings of up to £8,000. The team are now down to their final few homes and expect to sell out very quickly following the news of their second award.

For more information or to book an appointment contact: homes@woodhead-group.co.uk

Woodhead Group 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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New online directory launched to support Chesterfield’s local businesses

A new directory of Chesterfield’s independent businesses has been launched, featuring the best of the town’s shops, restaurants, food suppliers and more.

Un-hampered has been launched following a collaborative effort between S40 and S41 Local magazines and Chesterfield-based creative agency Defeye, after many of the town’s local businesses begin their recovery following the enormous challenges of the pandemic.

Paul Chapman, owner of S40 Local said: “Our local businesses have been hit hard over the last year, but have risen to the enormous challenge, created an online presence in record time and have changed their offering to provide delivery, takeaway or click and collect services.

“These independent businesses are the foundation of our town, when you shop with them they, in turn, feed money into the local economy. When you eat at a local independent restaurant, chances are they’ve purchased the veg from a local grocer, they may have bought it from a local farm, the farmer services his van at the local garage, the garage owner advertises with us, we eat in the same restaurant – the money stays local and helps build the local economy.

“The Un-hampered directory is the first phase, we have so much more to offer and we’ll be bringing you news as we launch each new development. We really do want to modernise access to the traditional high street and help businesses maintain a physical presence.

Matt Pritchard from Defeye explains, “when Paul first came to us to talk about what would go on to become Un-hampered, we were on board straight away. As luck would have it, we’d been discussing how we wanted to work on a self-generated project of our own that could really help push the independent businesses in town that we love. Then magically, the next week we got an email from Paul asking us if we wanted to meet up to discuss his idea. It felt like Kismet.

“Although the idea has evolved and changed through this incredibly challenging year, the ultimate goal has remained fixed. ‘Create a platform that showcases local independent businesses and gives customers an easy way of finding them’. We were lucky enough to create the Shop and Support local video campaign for the council last year and it gave us the opportunity to talk to so many incredible businesses, strengthening our resolve to get Un-hampered launched so that we could show our support to them.

“We’re excited to get phase one off the ground finally and we hope it will be a platform that helps local businesses at a really critical time.”

If you would like to view the directory or find out more about it, head to www.un-hampered.co.uk

S40 Local and Defeye Creative support 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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Dronfield Hall Barn recognised as one of UK’s top wedding venues in LUX Life Magazine

The team at Dronfield Hall Barn are celebrating, after the venue was recognised as one of the nation’s best wedding venues in LUX Life magazine’s Global Wedding Awards 2021.

The multi-purpose venue which is managed by the Dronfield Heritage Trust and is a registered charity, has been awarded the title of “Best Individual Wedding Ceremony Venue – East Midlands.”

Pauline Hindle Hospitality Manager “We are all delighted to receive this accolade. It recognises the stunning beauty of the Barn and the hard work of the team who put so much effort into ensuring that everyone who  has their wedding here has a perfect day.”

LUXlife Magazine is a premium lifestyle publication which is distributed to a circulation of 238,000 globally. The magazine focuses on a range of topics within the luxury lifestyle industry, featuring articles on; fashion, beauty, fine dining, travel, luxury real estate and much more.

Alongside weddings, the barn serves the local community in Dronfield in a number of different ways. One recent example was how it provided food collection and delivery services to local residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since its restoration, Dronfield Hall barn has hosted a number of events including heritage displays and art exhibitions. There is also a coffee shop serving light lunches and delicious home-made cakes, along with heritage, sensory and wildflower gardens to add to the high quality visitor experience.

This month is also cause for more celebration for the team, as the barn marks five years since it was first opened to the public. Now self-sustainable, the Trust continues to engage the community and generate income to keep the Barn open.

Staff at the barn say they are now taking bookings for 2023 weddings. For more details, head to: https://dronfieldhallbarn.org/weddings/

Dronfield Hall Barn 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’s Superior Wellness continues growth with further recruitment

Chesterfield’s Superior Wellness is showing further signs of growth, with the company announcing a number of new roles within the business.

With the recent move into a brand-new headquarters in Chesterfield and continued growth of the company, Superior Wellness is now taking on several new employees and has launched a recruitment drive.

The recruitment will  provide a further boost for the local economy and employment in the Chesterfield area, with the firm looking for people who share their ambition to be the world market leader in hot tubs and swim spas.

Superior offers a global choice of high-quality products and has been commended for their focus on wellness and best in class customer experience.

The company is hiring in a range of different roles, including a Marketing Executive, After Sales Manager, Graphic Designer, Customer Service Advisors, Technicians and Delivery Drivers plus many more.

The new headquarters based on the Chesterfield Trading Estate houses the warehouse, distribution centre and office, plus one of the UK’s largest hot tub showrooms for their retail division Miami Spas – which will open this summer.  The new location is almost the size of two football pitches and will be the largest hot tub distribution centre in the UK, stocking up to 3,000 hot tubs.

Rob Carlin, Managing Director said: “Our close-knit award-winning team has a family culture and the team are friendly, passionate and fun. There are plenty of opportunities for growth and development – we want to see our team grow.  If you are truly passionate about going beyond expectations focusing on quality, care, innovation and choice then this could be just the career you are looking for.”

The company has a strong focus on the wellness of staff, with team members able to benefit from an onsite gym, subsidised healthy meals, a games room and rooftop bar.  If you are interested in finding out more about a career at Superior Wellness, visit https://superiorwellness.co.uk/careers/

Superior Wellness 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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Kids Planet launches new podcast, All Things Early Years.

A brand-new podcast relating to working and living with under 5s has been launched by childcare group Kids Planet,  which has several centres located in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire .

The Early Years focused platform launched its first episode of ‘All Things Early Years’ with Kids Planet CEO, Clare Roberts discussing her successful business journey since establishing the group in 2008. With 5 settings across Chesterfield, the group continues to expand across the North West, South and Midlands and is now the third largest nursery group in the UK caring for over 8000 children and employing over 2000 staff across 59 settings.

The podcast’s most recent episode, released on March 26th, was an interview with baby product founder, Manju Bhatia from PoorlyBoo who chatted about advice for starting a business in the early years as well as her experiences working with social media influencer, Mrs Hinch.

Other guests who have appeared on the podcast include Actress and mum, Hayley Tammadon. Having recently become a new mum, Hayley spoke honestly about her time on ITV’s Full Monty last December, her new writing project and her experiences raising a baby during the covid lockdown: “You start to feel like a failure because you hear of other people’s babies doing things better than your baby and suddenly, you’re a failure, you’re failing at motherhood”.

Future guests include Chris McFadden, The UK and Ireland’s first male certified baby and toddler sleep consultant, male Early Years practitioners chatting about Kids Planet’s campaign to increase the number of working men in childcare, as well as Coach and trained psychotherapist, Sarie Taylor who offers advice for parents suffering with anxiety.

Episodes of All Things Early Years are released monthly and available to downloads from Apple Podcasts, Spotify and at https://www.kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk/podcasts/

If there is a topic you’d like the group to cover or if you work or have experience in Early Years with an interesting story to share on the podcast, please get in touch with jane.marwood@kidsplanetdaynurseries.

Kids Planet 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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NLT becomes Disability Confident Committed employer

With 7.7 million working age people in the UK having a disability, Chesterfield’s NLT Training Services has been accredited as a Disability Confident Committed employer.

Developed by employers and disabled people’s representatives, the voluntary government scheme is designed to encourage employers to both think and act differently with how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.

NLT is now part of the movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.

Sarah Temperton, Chief Executive at NLT Training Services commented: “I’m delighted that NLT is now a Disability Confident Committed employer. We want to ensure that disabled people and those with long term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.”

Accreditation lasts three years and in order to become a Disability Confident Committed employer a business needs to consider the five commitments below:

1. Ensure your recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
2. Communicate and promote vacancies
3. Offer an interview to disabled people
4. Anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as required
5. Support any existing employee who acquires a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work

In addition to this, the business also has to commit to offering disabled people at least one of the actions listed below:

1. Work experience
2. Work trials
3. Paid employment (permanent or fixed term)
4. Apprenticeships
5. Job shadowing opportunities
6. Traineeships
7. Paid internships and supported internships
8. Student placements
9. Sector-based work academy placements

Sarah added: “Through our Step into Work programme we are able to support people moving into work who may have a disability. Helping people and offering solutions is at the heart of what we do at NLT, so achieving Disability Confident Certification was a natural next step for us.”

To find out more about what becoming Disability Confident Committed means, please visit here. Or, to learn more and register for NLT’s Step Into Work programme, please get in touch with Janice Parker on 07947 550 571 or email janice.parker@nlt-training.co.uk

NLT Training Services 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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Peak Pipe Systems continues development by announcing several staff promotions

Chesterfield manufacturer Peak Pipe Systems has recently announced several internal promotions after staff at the company showed ‘outstanding commitment’ during the covid-19 pandemic.

As part of the company’s values and strategy, it looks to invest in employees and empower staff. Despite describing the last year as tough, Peak Pipe Systems has continued to develop and has made changes in order to enable the team to work more effectively.

Mark Bottoms has extensive experience working on Extrusion since 2014 when he joined Peak and has recently been promoted to Senior Operations Coordinator.

Meanwhile Marcin Ablomiejko, who joined Peak in 2017 working on Extrusion has been promoted to Team Leader following years of continued personal development.

Marcin Ablomiejko, Peak Pipe Systems

Within the sales team, Beccy Thompson joined Peak in 2014 and has shown her dedication and support to the team in varied roles, such as Team Leader. Beccy has recently been appointed to Internal Sales Project Support, which will enhance her strengths and skillset.

Beccy commented: “These last 7 years at Peak have flown by and I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges working within a number of roles predominantly within the Sales Team. Peak have offered me fantastic opportunities which have enabled me to grow professionally and personally.

“They have been a great support throughout my maternity leave during the pandemic, allowing me to come back to work 4 days a week whilst my children are still young. I am looking forward to my new role and getting back to some sort of normality in 2021.”

Katrina Simmons joined Peak in 2017 and has supported the team over the last year, recently being appointed as Internal Sales Team Leader.

Katrina commented: “Whilst working at Peak, I’ve always felt encouraged to expand my knowledge and development. This has been via utilising the in-house knowledge from other experienced colleagues as well as having access to outside courses.

“Within the company we have years of industry knowledge and everyone is more than happy to pass on this knowledge to help aid individual development. Last year I gained my BTEC level 2 certificate in team leadership, which has helped me secure a promotion within the company. I’m now looking to start my level 3 which will further my development alongside my new position.”

Katrina Simmons, Peak Pipe Systems

The company is a UK leader in the manufacture and supply of polyethylene (PE) multi-utility pipeline solutions. You can find out more about the company here.

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

Peak Pipe Systems

 

 

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Derbyshire companies invited to bid for funding to boost the local economy

Organisations in Derbyshire are being invited to bid for funding to deliver projects that will get people back into work and boost the local economy.

Derbyshire County Council has been identified by government as the lead authority in the county to deliver the new national Community Renewal Fund which has been set up to support people and communities most in need, tackle disadvantage and break down the barriers to employment and better skills.

Derbyshire Dales and High Peak have been identified by government as 2 of the 100 areas prioritised for access to the fund, based on an index of economic measures around productivity, household income, unemployment, skills and population density – although other places can apply. Applications from other areas that demonstrate a good fit with the grant criteria and links to the priority areas may also receive funding.

From April 2021 to March 2022, up to £3 million has been targeted by government for projects in each of Derbyshire’s priority areas with bids being welcomed from a range of organisations including local authorities, public sector organisations, higher and further education institutions, private sector organisations and registered charities.

Piloting new approaches and innovative ideas at a local level will be a key part of the projects to be funded.

The bidding process is now open and the authority is inviting applications for funding for projects that will secure:

  • Investment in skills – work-based training; retraining, upskilling/reskilling; and promoting digital skills and inclusion
  • Investment for local business – supporting entrepreneurs to create more job opportunities; encouraging businesses to develop their innovation potential; and supporting decarbonisation measures
  • Investment in communities and place – feasibility studies for delivering net-zero/local energy projects; promoting culture-led regeneration and community development; improving green spaces and preserving important local assets; and promoting rural connectivity.
  • Support people into employment – supporting people on their journey towards employment; identifying/addressing barriers to employment/moving closer to the labour market; raising aspirations / supporting individual to access employment support; supporting people to develop basic skills for sustainable work; testing what works in helping people move towards work.

Tim Gregory,  Director of Economy, Transport and Environment for Derbyshire County Council, said:

“We welcome this opportunity to bring more government funding into Derbyshire to boost skills and employment, improve quality of life, aid regeneration and support our ambition to cut emissions from the Derbyshire economy to net zero by 2050.”

The closing date for sending applications is midnight on 10 May 2021. All applications will be assessed and a proposed list of projects submitted to government by 18 June 2021.

Government will announce which projects have been successful in late July. All projects must be delivered and complete by 31 March 2022.

Find out more information about the Community Renewal Fund here

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University invites Midlands businesses to sign up to employee mental health support scheme

Businesses across Chesterfield and the Midlands region are being offered the chance to boost productivity by working with the University of Derby to provide better mental health support for employees.

The Mental Health and Productivity Pilot will see the implementation of new workplace interventions at pilot organisations and the rollout of existing approaches in small, medium and large businesses across the Midlands Engine region.

The programme aims to:

● contribute to the reduction of mental health distress
● break down the barriers to accessing care faced by people experiencing mental illness
● support their continuation in and return to work
● make a positive contribution to organisational productivity, in terms of wellbeing and economic outcomes

Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health and Social Care at the University of Derby, said: “The cost to the economy of mental health across the Midlands could be in excess of £45bn this year. Yet research shows that for every £1 invested in supporting the mental health of employees, the return to the employer in productivity is £5. Those returns are greater still when employers take preventative, rather than reactive, steps to help their staff.”

Around 1,900 employers took part in the first phase of project, exploring the issues of how mental health and wellbeing are currently dealt with in the workplace and its impact on performance.

Around a third of those taking part reported sickness absence among staff due to mental health issues, and a similar proportion recorded presenteeism, particularly in the hospitality and business services sectors.

Factors negatively affecting mental health of employees include:

● Lone or remote working
● Client expectations on time, quality and cost
● Job insecurity
● Recruitment practices

Dr Holt added: “A healthy and inclusive workplace is essential for all businesses, so providing appropriate support for employees, creating a culture of openness and tackling discrimination and stigma, will help to remove some of the barriers to growth and development for firms.

“The research we have carried out shows that employers recognise that understanding how to address mental health issues effectively can boost morale, engagement and motivation, but also reveals that they are not always sure where to obtain the help they need.”

The pilot will link employers directly to initiatives such as Every Mind Matters, This is Me and Mental Health First Aid, which all provide expert guidance. Once embedded into an organisation, the guidance aims to help reduce the prevalence of mental health difficulties and increase productivity among the workforce.

The University is now offering businesses of all sizes and from all sectors in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Stoke and Staffordshire, Shrewsbury and Shropshire, and Herefordshire the opportunity to work with them integrate effective mental health provision into their organisation.

Training courses which not only help to raise awareness but could be used to support continuing professional development (CPD) are also available.

Businesses taking part will be asked to commit to an initial meeting to discuss how the programme would work for their company, creating a roadmap for its success, and promoting their commitment to the pilot in the workplace.

To find out more about the pilot, visit our website: https://www.derby.ac.uk/business-services/midlands-engine-mental-health-and-productivity-pilot/

Cash Funding for Clever Ideas

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UK Asbestos Training Association welcomes its first international member

The UK’s leading authority for asbestos training, the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA), has welcomed its first international member from Kosovo.

Professor Mimoza Dugolli of Pristina University and manager of Kaizen Environment is now the only provider of asbestos awareness training in Kosovo despite the fact the use of asbestos has been prohibited in in the country since 2005.

Professor Mimoza Dugolli, who is an asbestos trained architect, has worked on many projects including United Nations’ rebuild projects following the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s, and energy efficiency projects for public buildings in Kosovo, will now deliver asbestos awareness training not only in Kosovo but to other Balkan countries that also have no asbestos regulatory bodies.

Explaining why she chose to become a member of UKATA, Professor Dugolli said: “Although I could have gone to other countries for asbestos awareness training, UKATA was the only quality provider where I could become a trainer myself and enable me to deliver much-needed asbestos awareness training.”

Professor Dugolli, who has written a number of academic papers on asbestos safety in Kosovo, added: “Currently in Kosovo there is a huge gap in legislation framework where asbestos is concerned. Most of the industrial complexes and buildings in Kosovo constructed both before and after the war contain asbestos. Unfortunately, Kosovo has been very slow on adapting and preparing specific laws, rules and regulations relating to asbestos, so there is a severe training shortfall in the country.

“Becoming a UKATA member gives me the opportunity to organise and offer asbestos awareness training in Kosovo and other countries like us that lack regulatory bodies. I see asbestos awareness training as a starting point and hope to expand the future training offering to include asbestos removal.”

Professor Dugolli completed her application to UKATA virtually during lockdown. “I received superb support whilst applying and the process was excellent. I even learnt a few new facts and can’t wait to start sharing my knowledge. There is a big job ahead of us,” she commented.

UKATA’s Chief Operating Officer, Craig Evans, added: “We are delighted to welcome Professor Dugolli to UKATA and would like to congratulate her on becoming our first international UKATA-approved training provider.

“Professor Dugolli’s commitment to raising awareness of the dangers of this deadly material in her country is highly commendable and we wish her every success and are delighted that we are able to assist in her mission.

“Asbestos is an incredibly dangerous material when handled incorrectly which is why widespread training is so important. The UK and UKATA has long strived to remain at the forefront of asbestos training and awareness since use of the mineral was banned in this

country in 1999. Hearing about a shortfall in legislation in countries like Kosovo, highlights the progress we have made both as an industry and country over the last 20 years.”

Since being established in 2008, UKATA has gone from strength to strength, now numbering more than 190-member organisations from all corners of the UK and now also in Kosovo who, together, deliver asbestos training to in excess of 200,000 people each year.

For details on becoming a UKATA member or to find a UKATA-approved training provider in your area, please visit www.ukata.org.uk, call 01246 824437 or email info@ukata.org.uk.

 

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Chesterfield businesses encouraged to register for free Covid-19 test kits for staff

Businesses across Derbyshire are being reminded by the county’s Director of Public Health to register to receive free coronavirus testing kits for employees that cannot work from home.

Local companies can sign up to a Government scheme to receive free rapid lateral flow test kits to test staff who do not have any coronavirus symptoms twice a week in the workplace.

The scheme has been set up because one in three people who have the virus do not have any symptoms.

Those businesses which are unable to provide testing in the workplace and which have 10 or more employees can order free lateral flow tests for their staff to collect from their workplace and use at home twice a week.

Dean Wallace, Director of Public Health for Derbyshire, said: “Regular testing is highly effective in breaking the chains of transmission in the community and workplaces.

“With around one in three of those with coronavirus having no symptoms we’re keen to see all businesses in Derbyshire regularly testing their employees, and there are several ways to do this.

“Whatever route you choose, the tests are completely free and you will receive all the information and equipment you need.”

Businesses must register and order kits by 12 April 2021. To get workplace coronavirus tests, go to https://www.gov.uk/get-workplace-coronavirus-tests

Staff from small businesses and sole traders can visit a community testing centre to check if they have the virus. There’s no need to book and testing is free. Find your nearest community testing centre here.

Chesterfield businesses can find out more about various business support and grant schemes here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/

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