chesterfield business news

Chesterfield businesses encouraged to sign up to low carbon courses

Chesterfield businesses are being encouraged to sign up to a range of low carbon courses, which will enable organisations to prepare for the upcoming challenge of meeting sustainability targets.

The free, fully-funded programmes are being delivered locally in partnership between training firm Essential Site Skills and the Serco Skills Support for the Workforce scheme.

The courses are tailored and specialised for a range of sectors, including health and care, construction, logistics and office-based organisations. Participants will gain a level two NVQ award in understanding carbon awareness and energy management.

  • The healthcare-based course will focus on dealing with routine and non-routine waste along with the the principles of decontamination, cleaning and waste management in healthcare settings.
  • In construction, course leaders will guide participants though removing non-hazardous waste in the workplace and confirming the occupational method of work in the workplace.
  • Meanwhile logistics businesses will be able to learn about sorting goods and materials for recycling or disposal in logistics operations.
  • Businesses based in an office environment will also gain a level two certificate in understanding climate change and environmental awareness.

Catherine Storer, Executive Director at Essential Site Skills said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside the Serco Skills Support for the Workforce programme to roll out these low carbon courses to businesses across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

“More and more businesses are realising the importance of sustainability and environment awareness. Prepare your workforce to meet carbon emission targets with our fully funded Carbon Awareness NVQs.”

For further information, or to sign up for the carbon awareness courses, contact Serco’s Partnership Coordinator, Howard Cordingley at howard.cordingley@serco.com or call 07738894879

To find out more about the range of business support on offer here in Chesterfield, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/business-support/

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , , , ,

Excitement builds as food & drink businesses move into The Batch House at Chesterfield’s Glassyard development

Excitement is building ahead of the opening of an all-new food and drink hotspot in Chesterfield.

The Batch house is set to open in The Glassyard on Sheffield Road at the beginning of March, with several new food and drink experiences on offer for visitors to try.

Destination Chesterfield recently paid a visit to the development as the finishing touches were being made to the food stalls ahead of next week’s grand opening.

The Batch House features a new pub/bar, ‘The Hop Lamp,’ serving a range of beverages, specialising in craft beer.

Darren Filsell and Ben Stephenson will be running The Hop Lamp. Ben said: “It’s all very new to us, hopefully it’s going to be very busy down here and with that comes a lot of excitement and anticipation.”

Darren commented: “It’s Craft beer that people will recognise, and we’ve got the keg wall for something a little more unusual. It’s going to be a good offering to compliment all the other independent food vendors.”

A gelato stall will also be open to the public, Giuseppes, serving more than 30 different flavours. Craig Paterson, who is opening the stall said: “We do all your typical flavours, but we do quite exciting ones like Biscoff and Percy Pig. We’ve been producing ice cream since 1926.

Craig explained why he chose to expand into the new development: “We really like the concept of it and have seen it done in a few other locations. It’s a good thing for Chesterfield and it’s exciting to be part of it.”

There will also be an artisan bakery, known as 4 eyes bakery providing some delicious breads and sweet patisserie treats. The stall will also be serving up artisan pizza during lunch and evenings, which will be available to eat in and take away.

Matthew Rhodes and Stuart Griffin are getting ready to open the business, Stuart said: “We just saw it as a great opportunity. There’s nothing like this in the area, and we have this purpose-built unit with everything in.

Matthew said: “We’re really excited. There’s all sorts of products that we’re going to be bringing to Chesterfield; coffee, cakes croissants that people are going to be able to buy on the day.”

John Tompkins, owner of The Devonshire Arms pub in Middle Handley  is opening six units in the new food hall, including ‘The Bubba Bar’ which will comprise of tapas dishes and small plates from around the world.

He is also opening stalls serving street food from India and Portugal, loaded hot dogs, along with a wine and prosecco bar, which will sit directly at the side of a deli serving cheeses and cured meats from across the globe.

John explained why taking up so much new business space in the Batch House was an easy decision: “I’ve seen other concepts that haven’t got a patch on this, I think this is Premier League.

“The landlord has got it right, and I’m one hundred and ten percent confident that we’re going to take it by storm. I think it’s going to be a tremendous success.”

The Batch House is only one part of The Glassyard development, which will also see a Hair and Beauty Salon, a bathroom showroom, 4D baby scanning services and a tattoo parlour open on site.

Find out more about the opportunities available here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/the-glass-yard/

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

Support to help boost business performance and growth comes to Chesterfield

Small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across Chesterfield can access support in developing leadership and management skills through programmes which have recently been launched by the University of Derby.

The courses have been created to help those new to management, as well as senior managers and leaders. The Help to Grow: Management: Chesterfield cohort starts 30th March 2022.

Help To Grow: Management

Help to Grow: Management is ideally suited to managers and leaders, providing an opportunity to boost your organisation’s performance, resilience, and long-term growth. The next intake for the programme is 30th March 2022

The 12-week programme will combine online learning with face-to-face case study workshops in Chesterfield, 1:1 mentor support and peer group networking.

Topics include strategy, innovation, engaging teams, digital technology and building the brand. By the end of the programme, participants will have developed a tailored business growth plan to lead their business to its full potential.

Help to Grow is 90 per cent funded by the government. The University of Derby will be delivering the programme across the East Midlands and West Midlands, with their next cohort taking place in Chesterfield at St Helena’s.

Angela Tooley, Enterprise Development Manager at the University of Derby, said: “We are proud to be a partner in delivering the Help to Grow: Management programme.

“This programme has been designed in partnership with CABS, Small Business Charter accredited business schools from across the UK, and business leaders. Our hand-picked delivery team all have real-life relatable experiences to share from their own business careers and understand the pressures of working in a small business.

“Many small business leaders are time-poor and often struggle to find time to plan the future and engage with likeminded ambitious leaders. Our current participants are seeing the results both personally and professionally. Seeing the impact straight away from their actions they quickly start to reap the benefits of taking time to work on the business, rather than in it.”

Find out more about the programme here.

If your business would like to request more information from the University of Derby, click here. 

Smart and Inclusive Leadership

Participants will develop their unique leadership skills and learn how to build resilience in themselves and others, so that they can create positive impact within their organisation. The next intake for the programme is 25th April 2022.

The programme is suitable for aspiring leaders, graduates, supervisors, and managers and is funded by the European Social Fund and delivering partners (including the University of Derby), meaning participants can attend without any cost to their organisation.

The course will be offered through a blend of online learning methods and has been designed to allow participants to tailor learning to their individual needs. There are four taught units including Developing Your Inner Leader, Leading Through Challenge and Change, Inclusive Leadership, and Leader as Coach and Mentor.

Participants can decide whether to take a single unit or complete the entire programme. There are a choice of start dates with the next intake starting at the end of January.

Find out more about Smart and Inclusive Leadership.

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

St Helena's Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

Collaboration leads to eye-catching display for SDL Minorfern

A collaborative project between two local businesses has led to an eye-catching display being produced and displayed at SDL Minorfern.

The motor parts company has worked with creative experts FWD motion to produce graphics on a Perspex display highlighting the company’s values and achievements. The display is now proudly showcased in the company’s reception area to welcome customers and visitors to the business.

Julie Havenhand, Human Resources Director at SDL Minorfern said: “We are extremely pleased with the result of both the reception wall and the values branding that FWD did, they are a pleasure to work with and very supportive of our vision.

“With the wall being at head office in Clay Cross where the business originally started 42 years ago, it has even more importance to display the history and the growth of the business, from then until now. When visitors and candidates arrive they have the opportunity to see our journey and it’s a great talking point.

“SDL is really proactive in using local business where possible and we value it as vitally important, giving back to the community and also supporting small businesses where possible. Having 12 branches we therefore have the opportunity to support local businesses in all of those areas.”

Emma Cole, Head of Marketing at FWD Motion commented: “FWD were delighted to work with SDL developing their company core value graphics.  Working not only on design, but also installation means we get to see a project delivered and in use. Seeing it on display in the Head Office makes a real difference as you can visualise the impact it will have in the workplace.

“As a fully integrated creative agency we can work with clients on design, print, installation, development and marketing projects.  We love working with local companies and helping make a positive branding impact.  If anyone has a project they’d like to discuss, we’d love to help.

SDL Minorfern and FWD Motion support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Get up to Speed with STEM to inspire young people across North Derbyshire

Young People in North Derbyshire are set to find out more about careers in science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and construction at an annual showcase organised by The Work-Wise Foundation.

Get up to Speed with STEM is the area’s largest annual employer-inspired STEM showcase for young people, and organisers are encouraging businesses interested in taking part in this year’s event to sign up as soon as possible.

Taking place at Magna Science Adventure Centre on Wednesday 23rd March, the event gives young people the chance to see some of the UK’s most exciting STEM inventions and meet the people who design, build and operate them. Attendees can also speak to a host of businesses, inventors, apprentices and education providers on the future of these industries and the career opportunities within them.

Get up to Speed with STEM also gives companies taking part the opportunity to showcase their business, highlight career opportunities and current vacancies and meet with other businesses, whilst helping to address the skills gap in STEM-related industries.

John Barber, CEO of The Work-wise Foundation (organiser of the event) said: “We’ve had a fantastic level of support from businesses already this year and, with just seven weeks to go, we’re almost sold out of exhibition space!  We’re encouraging any companies to get in touch as soon as possible to book a stand, or to become a sponsor, and take part in what is one of the north’s leading interactive science and technology events for young people.”

For the first time, the Get up to Speed live showcase will also be followed by an online event where registered attendees can gain exclusive access to a digital platform. Here users can access virtual tours, demonstrations, career stories, inventions, company profiles and interviews, created by some of the UK’s leading STEM businesses.

Schools wishing to attend the event and gain access to the online platform, are also being encouraged to secure a place as soon as possible, with only afternoon slots now remaining for larger groups. Individuals can also register for the free of charge event.

John Barber adds: “Feedback from our online experience in 2021 was fantastic, so we wanted to ensure that this digital element wasn’t lost now the live event can go ahead again. Every year is a sell out and with the physical showcase and digital platform combined, we have no doubt this year will be our biggest yet. Already 3,000 places have been snapped up by schools, but we do still have afternoon slots available for any schools or individuals and their families that wish to register.”

For over ten years, Get up to Speed, which is championed by employers and organised by The Work-wise Foundation alongside key partners in the private and public sectors, has showcased engineering career opportunities to over 30,000 young people and their families.

The event is designed for young people, their families and teachers to see some of the UK’s best innovations first-hand, hear from and talk to those involved in their success and learn about the future of the sector and its evolution through technology.

Get up to Speed with STEM is open to young people, families, individuals, schools and employers to visit. For more details and to book places, go to www.getuptospeed.org.uk.

Businesses wishing to take part in the event or find out more about booking a stand and/or sponsoring, should email Emily Woods at emily@work-wise.co.uk or call 07847433088.

The Work-Wise Foundation supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

Corrugated Case Company to Support Chesterfield’s Plastic Free Festival

Chesterfield’s Plastic Free Festival, which debuted last year, has announced it’s headline sponsor for the 2022 event – Corrugated Case Company.

The festival, which takes place on Sunday 12th June 10am-4pm in New Square marketplace, aims to be the one-stop place to help people to reduce their single-use plastics, with a special plastic-free marketplace with stallholders selling products that encourage a plastic-free lifestyle, craft workshops for upcycling and recycling, food and drink, and live music performances. No single-use plastics will be given out at the event, with attendees encouraged to bring their own bottles, cups and containers.

This year’s event will feature special guests, Pride of Britain winners Amy and Ella Meek of Kids Against Plastic, who have given numerous TED talks, picked up countless pieces of litter, and influenced businesses, schools and thousands of young people around the world.

Since the festival announced it’s 2022 date towards the end of last year, the event organisation has signed up two main sponsors, Superior Wellness and CCS Media. Now the Corrugated Case Company has come on board as the headline sponsor. The company is one of the UK’s leading cardboard and corrugated packaging manufacturers, specialising in the design and production of cardboard boxes and promotional material.

Mark Wilcockson, CEO of Corrugated Case Company said: “We are delighted to be supporting and exhibiting at the Plastic Free Festival 2022.  Being local manufacturers of cardboard packaging, we relish the opportunity to showcase our work with this sector and our in-house creative venture Deckle & Chop.  There is a great need to move away from plastics, now more than ever and by thinking ‘outside the box’ we aim to do this. We look forward to seeing you there!”

CCS Media, one of the two main sponsors, said ‘At CCS Media we are proud to support the 2022 Plastic Free Festival as helping our communities forms a great part of our culture and ESG sustainability is vital to who we are.’

Greg Hewitt, Chair of the Plastic Free Festival Organising Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the local companies signing up to sponsor the festival, helping us to put on a great event for the second year. I’m particularly excited that Corrugated Case Company have signed up, with their incredible plastic-free packaging proving that single-use plastics can be a thing of the past. We’re really looking forward to being able to showcase their work at the festival.”

Corrugated Case Company and Superior Wellness support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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

Popular fish and chip restaurant confirms expansion to Markham Vale

Popular fish & chip restaurant and takeaway Chesters is set to expand it’s presence even further across North Derbyshire, with plans moving forward to open a new restaurant at Markham Vale.

Chesters has been trading from it’s original base on Sheffield Road in Chesterfield for more than a decade, picking up a number of awards and positive reviews from customers in the process.

Now, owner Chris Ioannides is excited to expand the business to another site in the area. He said: “We are ecstatic & proud that we can be expanding in this current climate.

“It’s a struggle and very challenging but like others we are battling through and although our date has been pushed back we can’t wait to open and to be able to offer our services to the other side of Chesterfield.

“It’s been 10 years of hard work with some weeks working up to to 60 hours to establish our branch on Sheffield road. This has created us a successful brand name in the industry and won us local and national awards which has helped build out reputation to what it is today.

“This along with all our hard work and the great support of people of chesterfield has now helped us to expand.”

The new Chester’s will combine a restaurant, takeaway & drive through. The building will have tall vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass bi-fold doors and windows, which will make it a great dining experience in the summer. A reclaimed boat, man-made sea huts and huge reclaimed walls with artistic drawing will also make up the impressive décor.

The team is hoping to open the new premises in June, despite a few setbacks in the building process caused by Covid-19 and other factors.

Chris continued: “Being local ourselves and being that it’s the people of chesterfield that have supported us over the decade it certainly makes us want to expand our branch within chesterfield & surrounding areas. This gives our community something back by providing many jobs and opportunities for the people of chesterfield. When we are mentioned nationally we are proud to put chesterfield on the map.”

Chesters

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

New game added at Chesterfield Escape Rooms

Chesterfield Escape Rooms has announced the launch of a new game, providing a new challenge to visitors at the attraction.

The new game, titled ‘The Cage’ has been added to the lineup, alongside existing titles ‘The Governor,’ ‘Rob the Bank,’ and ‘The Crazy Cat Lady.’

The game is set to give players a few frights along the way, with the game being set around an evil restaurant owner with a dark secret.

Owner of Chesterfield Escape Rooms, Nick Hogan said he was delighted to be offering the new experience to customers: “We are only offering new games because the people of Chesterfield have supported us so far as nearly 7000 players have taken part so far.

“When we reached number 4 in the UK it was a real pinch yourself moment. The team were challenged to get into the top 20 rooms so to get so far has been unbelievable. The next time the Derbyshire Times posts the question, ‘What’s the best thing about Chesterfield?’ I am hoping someone says the Escape Rooms.”

Nick also explained when people can expect to see further development within the Games Quarter: “From an Escape room perspective, we may look to freshen things up late in 2022 but we want to get the CAGE firmly established as a fantastic experience and we may then look towards the next Xmas theme.

He also hopes that more people across Chesterfield will pay a visit to the attraction and give it a try: “So many people will say they don’t want to be locked in a room or confined space or are scared. There really isn’t anything to worry about. I would ask them to give us a call and talk through the options as to how we would make their experience a fantastic one.”

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

East Midlands unemployment rate hits another record low

The East Midlands’ unemployment rate continues to drop – once again hitting its lowest point on record, new figures show.

It was 3.4% for the period between October and December last year, compared to a 4.1% national average.

This is the lowest level since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began publishing regional labour market figures in April 2015, and is higher than only four other regions – East of England, South West, Wales and Northern Ireland.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “After falling to 3.5% in the previous reporting period, it’s fantastic news for the region’s labour market that the unemployment rate has fallen to a new record low, which sends a clear signal that the East Midlands is open for business.

“It reflects our own research that indicates our region’s firms are creating jobs to meet strong demand following the effects of the pandemic. The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q4 2021, covering the same period as the ONS figures, showed two-thirds of companies attempted to recruit, while a net 35% expected to increase their headcount in the first three months of 2022.

“We are represented by a very diverse economy in the East Midlands but there have been some standout sectors to celebrate in recent times, such as a logistics industry that has been a major driver of job creation during the pandemic, which has accelerated pre-existing online shopping trends.”

However, the East Midlands economic inactivity rate – which measures the proportion of 16 to 64-year-olds who have exited the labour market for reasons such as retirement, caring duties or studying – was above the 21.2% national average at 21.9%. It recorded the largest increase compared with the previous year at 1.7 percentage points.

Another key finding in the ONS data was that UK wage growth continues to lag behind the rising cost of living – representing a 0.8% fall when taking inflation into account.

The ONS said early estimates suggest employers are beginning to push up wages further and faster – with median monthly wages in January increasing by 6.3% compared with the same month last year, and 10.3% higher than before the pandemic in February 2020.

Scott added: “Despite the positive trajectory in unemployment, businesses are still encountering major recruitment challenges in a super competitive jobs market, as evidenced by yet another record of 1.3 million job vacancies nationally between November and January.

“The significant rise in the proportion of people exiting the labour market in the East Midlands means there are fewer people to choose from – a worrying trend at a time when companies are desperately trying to fill roles to cope with demand, which will enable them to continue growing and creating more opportunities for local people.

“Many companies in traditional industries such as manufacturing and construction often tell us about the difficulties in replacing an ageing workforce with younger talent, and the latest QES showed that eight in 10 of those that attempted recruitment struggled to find people with the right skills.

“All this highlights the importance of investing heavily in skills, something that was highlighted in the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper as one of its 12 ‘missions’ but must now be prioritised with rapid action to ensure our post-Covid and post-Brexit economic recovery doesn’t stall.”

 

Posted in Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Have your say on business in Chesterfield

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield are encouraging local retail and leisure businesses located throughout Chesterfield and Staveley town centres to complete a quick survey to allow us to gain a further understanding about supporting our high streets and town centres across the borough.

As a town centre or high street business, we would be grateful if you could complete the business tracker that will allow us to monitor the performance of the town, the success of marketing campaigns, events and business support.

This will help us shape future support for businesses, and events in the borough. Your insight will also be really useful to inform aspects of our significant investment plans which are being brought forward through the Levelling Up Fund and Staveley Town Deal.

The questions focus on your business’s location, if you have seen any recent increases or decreases in turnover pre and post pandemic, the level of footfall you see in your area, your views on Chesterfield or Staveley town centre as a place to shop, your awareness of business support available and your awareness of recent events held in the borough such as the Christmas Lights Switch On and the 1940s Market.

The results will be analysed and the process with be completed three times per year going forward.

Your opinions are important to us, and it will take less than 10 minutes to complete the questions.

The survey will close at the end of February 2022.

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

Chesterfield businesses encouraged to submit entries for the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2022

Entries are now open for the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2022, the annual ranking of England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers produced by the Department for Education.

The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers celebrates England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers and helps future apprentices, parents and careers advisers to identify apprenticeship opportunities at the country’s leading employers.

First launched in 2020, the annual employer rankings have been developed by the Department of Education, in partnership with High Fliers Research, who independently assess and rank the nation’s top apprenticeship employers.

The rankings weren’t produced in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re back in 2022 to showcase the apprenticeship employers that have done the most to provide successful apprenticeships over the last 12 months.

And new for 2022, England’s top small and medium-sized employers are being featured for the first time in the Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers.

Employers will be recognised for their commitment to employing apprentices, their creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of their new apprentices, and the number of apprentices who complete their apprenticeships and progress further with the employer.

Together, the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers will reveal which employers – large and small – are the country’s top apprenticeship employers for 2022.

Apprenticeship employers in every industry and employment sector – from accountancy, fashion and law, to teaching, nursing and engineering – are invited to enter for this year’s rankings.

The entry deadline is Friday 25th March and the new rankings will be announced during a special live broadcast in the summer of 2022.

More details about the rankings, how to prepare your entry, and the minimum entry requirements are available on the official entry website: http://topapprenticeshipemployers.co.uk

The new employer rankings for 2022 will be announced during a special live broadcast in the summer, celebrating the country’s leading employers of apprentices.

Nadhim Zahawi, Secretary of State for Education said: “The business benefits and career opportunities created by apprenticeships makes them a key feature of our commitment to level up skills and opportunity across the country.

“There are thousands of employers of all sizes and sectors that are providing individuals with the chance to learn new skills and have successful careers, while boosting their business’ success in the process.

These rankings will help everyone, from young people to career-changers, to make informed decisions about their future and unleash their full potential. I encourage all eligible employers to enter.”

Find out more about apprenticeships in Chesterfield: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Stay informed

Keep up to date

Dont miss out on all the latest news, updates & special offers.

Signup to our newsletter