chesterfield news

Mitchells Chartered Accountants blasts off the New Year by announcing new recruits

Mitchells Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers based in central Chesterfield are starting 2021 with optimism and have announced the recent recruitment of several new staff members.

The leading accountancy firm has a long-established reputation as an excellent employer and are also part of the Chesterfield Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, helping to promote all aspects of apprenticeships, including traineeships, higher and degree level apprenticeships.

Their Employer Solutions team continue to provide support and guidance to their clients through the myriad of changes to Government support measures; ensuring their clients take full advantage of the various available grants and other support mechanisms. Their Corporate teams also continue to advise their clients through the complexities of Brexit.

Despite the current economic environment, they have also continued to experience high demand for their core services from their growing client base, consisting primarily of owner-managed SME’s. To assist with this growth, they have recently recruited several new full time members of staff.

Recently, Mitchells moved to strengthen their small business department with the return of a former placement Student, Jessica Wright. Jess completed a year’s placement with Mitchells during 2018-2019 and went on to achieve a first class degree in Mathematics from Sheffield Hallam University. Even though Jess didn’t study accountancy, the time she spent with Mitchells gave her an essential insight into the industry which confirmed her future career path.

Small Business Manager, Laura Pain said: “We were very pleased to welcome Jess back to the firm in September this year and she is now studying towards her professional qualifications.”

Partner Andrew McDaid said: “We believe that staffing is a critical factor in service delivery and look for knowledgeable, personable team members who will receive training to ensure they meet modern-day business demands, as well as the human side of being a people-to-people business.”

Regarding the various new roles, Andrew went on to explain: “The roles are client facing and we therefore require individuals who are keen to advance their knowledge of accounting by applying themselves in a dynamic accountancy practice.”

Charlie Furniss recently started, having been made redundant from his role as an assistant accountant at another firm, due to Covid-19. He is currently level 3 AAT qualified and looking forward to further his studies at Mitchells.

Charlie said “Having been made redundant at such a young age during the current pandemic, I was nervous about getting another job. I am delighted to have joined Mitchells, where everyone is so friendly and helpful. I am driven by learning new skills and expanding my working experience and can’t wait to complete my AAT qualification”.

Jeffrey O’Gara recently started having graduated with a first class degree in Accounting & Finance in 2018 at Sheffield Hallam University. He initially moved into industry but was looking for the right move into practice.

Jeffrey explained “I am eager to learn and plan on becoming a Chartered Accountant in the next few years and I believe Mitchells will be a great place for me to achieve this. The chance to work with and improve the local business community with a personal touch is something I want to be involved in”.

Mitchells’ specialist corporate finance team provide a complete end-to-end service for businesses looking at an acquisition, a management buy out, business sale or succession planning. They have extensive experience of successfully arranging corporate finance packages for businesses across a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, manufacturing, commercial construction, healthcare and transport, with finance amounts ranging from £100,000 to £200 million.

Despite the current challenging environment, they are still completing on many deals and don’t see this stopping any time soon.

Andrew McDaid said “We are always forward-thinking and have been pondering the shape of the post-pandemic world. We knew we wanted to strengthen our corporate finance team to accommodate our strategic ambitions and we knew we had found the right guy with Rob Drake”.

Rob recently started at Mitchells as a corporate finance executive. Rob obtained a 1st class degree in Mathematics at University of Sheffield and became a Chartered Accountant in 2019.

Robert was a financial consultant for a High Street bank for several years before moving into practice. He has developed experience working for a wide range of business within both an accounting and audit capacity having worked at a large regional firm since 2016. Having completed his ACA exams in 2019, Robert was seeking an opportunity away from audit that would allow him to continue his professional development.

Rob explained: “When I decided to pursue opportunities outside of audit, I was keen to expand my knowledge in corporate finance. After meeting with Andrew, Tony and Tim, I instantly recognised that we shared the same values. I’m very much looking forward to working with the team and helping deliver a quality service to existing and new clients of Mitchells.”

Andrew McDaid commented: “Robert is a highly confident individual; he is a very personable individual and demonstrates excellent communication skills with a clear commitment to working hard and continuing the development of his career”.

When asked about the challenges in recruiting, training and servicing its clients during a lockdown, Andrew said: “Our IT strategy has always been to invest heavily in technology to keep our business relevant and competitive. This included an upgrade of our entire IT hardware in 2020, which together with our cloud servers meant that we were able to transition to full time remote working without any issues whatsoever. We have the necessary tools and software to create collaborative experiences for staff and clients, which help to develop important relationships and ultimately continue to deliver standout client service.”

Mitchells are enthusiastic energised by the possibilities of 2021 and beyond and encourage the business community to remain optimistic.

Mitchells 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 residents encouraged to take a New Year’s Resolution to reduce plastic pollution

Single-use plastic campaign group, Plastic Free Chesterfield, is encouraging Chesterfield residents to take a Plastic Free New Year’s Resolution Pledge, helping to reduce plastic pollution by making at least one swap away from single-use plastics in 2021.

The issue has been high up the agenda recently, with Chesterfield Borough Council passing a motion earlier in December, taking the pledge themselves to remove single-use plastics from council operations, along with supporting Plastic Free Chesterfield and future plastic-free initiatives.

2020 proved to be a mixed year for the issues of plastic pollution, with single-use face masks and gloves littering our environment and waterways due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and later in the year the UK government officially banned plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds.

Destination Chesterfield and a number of local businesses, initiatives and community groups have pledged to become ‘plastic free champions,’ aimed at cutting single-use plastics from their products and operations.

Plastic Free Chesterfield are now calling on residents to take action themselves, publishing ideas for swaps on their website as well as social media.

Greg Hewitt, Plastic Free Chesterfield Community Lead, said: “The New Year is a perfect time to start thinking about what more can be done to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill, or worse in our streams, rivers and oceans.”

“We want to make it as easy as possible for Chesterfield residents to take action, and are encouraging everyone to make at least one swap away from using single-use plastic. This could range from bringing your own reusable bags when going shopping, to reusing and refilling cleaning products and pantry goods from Plastic Free Champion and award-winning businesses such as Steph’s Sustainable Stuff.”

The group has published 21 Ideas for New Year’s Plastic-Free swaps. This can be found via the Plastic Free Chesterfield website:
21 Ideas for 2021: New Year’s Plastic-Free Swaps

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Vicar Lane Launches a Brand New Reward App

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield, is excited to unveil Local Rewards, its brand new loyalty programme.

Local Rewards, created by tech specialists Maybe*, launched at Vicar Lane this month, meaning Chesterfield locals can now earn rewards while shopping at Vicar Lane.

App users can get up to two hours free car parking when they spend £50 shopping local with Qoozies, Shop Indie and Ministry Clothing, all of which are independent business (more coming soon).

Those wishing to start earning rewards can sign up here https://www.localrewards.chat/. Every time a user spends a pound in any participating business, they will receive points to be redeemed against free car parking.

Check out the Local Rewards Guide here https://maybe.chat/4i47mds and sign up to support local businesses whilst earning rewards.

Plus, Vicar Lane is giving users of the app the chance to win £500 to spend at Vicar Lane. Find out more here https://www.localrewards.chat/.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, ‘’Now more than ever it’s so important to shop local and support independent businesses, so we’re proud to be launching Local Rewards to encourage Chesterfield locals to support our indies whilst earning rewards for themselves!’’

Chesterfield plays host to a wide range of independent shops and suppliers. You can always pick up something special and different, whether you’re looking for a special gift for a loved one or something special for your home. There’s a wide range of independent shops, restaurants and coffee shops to explore across the town.

Click here to find out more about local shopping in Chesterfield, including a great range of independent shops, and recognised high-street brands.

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

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

Spireites’ premier league reading stars project hailed a success

Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s six-week Premier League Reading Stars project at New Whittington Primary School has been hailed as a great success.

Trust coach Alyss Hearnshaw delivered the project, aimed at encouraging pupils to engage with literacy, using football as a way of engaging with them.

New Whittington Primary’s headteacher Emma Tooley said: “Reading Stars has been an amazing intervention; it has boosted the children’s confidence, love of reading and comprehension ability.

“In our most recent reading assessment all of the children who participated, it improved their standardised scores. They feel so proud of their achievements – as are we!

“Most importantly, it has empowered our children to find the confidence to stand in front of their peers and read aloud! Their classmates were really impressed, sharing the same pride as all of the adults.

“Alyss is a credit to CFCCT – the children respected her, learnt from her and couldn’t wait to work with her each Thursday.

“Thank you to all involved at CFCCT – this is an intervention that makes a difference!”

Alyss added, “It has been a pleasure working with the group, who have all engaged with the project and shown improvements in their work.

“It was a real achievement for the boys to stand in front of their class and have the confidence to show what they had learnt.”

For more information on the FREE literacy project, please email robertstevenson@spireitestrust.org.uk

Chesterfield FC’s Community Trust has also received hundreds of donations to the club’s Christmas Toy Appeal. You can find out more about how our Chesterfield Champions have been getting into the festive spirit here.

Chesterfield Football Club 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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Council leaders urge Government to back HS2 Eastern Leg in response to NIC report

Chesterfield Borough Council has released a response to the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)’s recently published report that has recommended scaling back HS2’s Eastern Leg in favour of regional rail link development.

Don’t Cut Here! A Case study on Why the economies of Chesterfield and Sheffield need HS2 in full has been released today (Wednesday 22 December 2020), urging the Government to deliver on its promise of developing HS2’s Eastern Leg to “regenerate, level up and make a real difference to people and communities” in Chesterfield and Derbyshire.

The case study has been released by Chesterfield Borough Council, in conjunction with Connecting Britain to highlight what it says are HS2 East’s “enormous opportunities for the UK economy that will drive growth, but which are currently at risk of being thwarted.”
It follows the NIC’s Rail Needs Assessment for the North and Midlands, which was published in December and included an option to leave out most of Line 2b East until 2050 and beyond, something which local authorities claim would have a “devastating” economic impact on the region.

Chesterfield Borough Council has referenced the Staveley Corridor regeneration, which is centred around a new HS2 Staveley Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) and promises a huge scope of opportunity for the area, with creation of jobs, infrastructure, housing and inward investment.

Opportunities for growth and regeneration include the £125m reopening of the Barrow Hill Line, a £100m link road, the development of 3,500 new homes and the creation of 2,200 new jobs around the area. But the IMD will only be required if HS2 East is delivered in full by 2040.

The document also covers the lasting legacy of HS2 in the eastern region, which would see one million people better connected by the line, 10,000s of cars taken off the roads and 1,000s of bi-modal trains replaced, supporting the government’s decarbonisation targets.

Much of HS2 East’s proposals are focused around masterplans which are already in place for the development of Chesterfield and Sheffield Stations, incorporating pedestrian friendly access and local public transport links.

Responding to the publication of the report last week, Councillor Tricia Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council Leader, said she was ‘hugely disappointed’ that of the options presented the National Infrastructure Commission does not recommend delivery of the eastern leg of HS2 in full.

“This directly conflicts with the Government’s pledge to levelling up in areas like ours. It also seriously undermines local plans for growth in the North and the Midlands,” Cllr Gilby added.

Now Councillor Gilby joins other regional leaders in pushing forward the case for the Government to commit to the HS2 Eastern Leg in full – to realise the ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to shape the region’s future, and avoid land already earmarked for related development being left in limbo for years.

“After decades of underinvestment in strategic rail infrastructure, delivering HS2 is a once in a generation chance to transform connectivity, attract investment, create new jobs, build new homes, boost skills and opportunity and level-up communities across the North, Midlands and beyond. This is even more crucial to our economic future in optimising recovery from the pandemic, which has hit the North and Midlands hard.

“For Chesterfield, the failure to deliver the Eastern Leg in full means facing the prospect of reduced connectivity for our communities, as well as damaging the momentum we have built up around our ambitious comprehensive plans for both Staveley and the area around Chesterfield Station.

“In the Staveley area alone, planned growth worth at least £1bn has been catalysed by the planned HS2 maintenance depot. Taking this away would be a huge blow for an area that has had its hopes raised on the back of HS2’s plans and would leave a huge question mark over how we can deliver the ambitious growth plans our communities need and deserve.

“It is vital that the Eastern Leg of HS2 is delivered in full and that delivery starts as soon as possible. This is about more than just rail and trains – it’s about new jobs, new homes and new starts for communities that have been denied these opportunities over many years.

“This is a critical issue for Chesterfield and Staveley. I will not rest in working with council and business leaders along the planned Eastern Leg to hold Government to account and to ensure that the Prime Minister honours his commitment to deliver HS2 East in full. Time is of the essence to re-assert the strength of Chesterfield’s social and economic case ahead of Government’s planned publication of its Integrated Rail Plan.”

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said: “HS2 East is home to 13 million people, and about six million jobs, equating to 20% of the UK, larger than the economy of Denmark. Chesterfield shows how the investment does far more than just getting people to city centres. The importance of this opportunity to regenerate, level up and make a real difference to people and communities cannot be overstated and must not be missed.”

Dom Stevens, manager of Destination Chesterfield commented: “Chesterfield is already moving forward with significant plans and developments so that the town can maximise the wide range of economic benefits HS2 has to offer.

“The originally proposed spur of the line arriving at Chesterfield Station will improve connectivity, journey times and capacity on our rail network locally and nationally, bringing with it vital investment opportunities.

“We would urge the NIC to rethink its recommendations and take into the account the huge strides our town has already made to regenerate its economy, with HS2 playing a huge role in attracting new people into the area to invest, live and work.”

To read Don’t Cut Here! A Case study on Why the economies of Chesterfield and Sheffield need HS2 in full online visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/media/1492665/chesterfield-borough-council-hs2-document.pdf

 

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

Rosewood Wealth management donate toys to Chesterfield Royal Hospital children’s ward

For the third year running, the team at Rosewood Wealth Management have collected and donated toys for the Nightingale Ward at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

The appeal has been running through most of November and December, with dozens of gifts being handed over to the hospital last Thursday, just in time for Santa to give them to all the children who are spending Christmas on the ward this year.

Donations from local residents and businesses across Chesterfield ranged from ages 0 to 17, so there were gifts available to everyone from toddlers to teenagers.

Rosewood’s Donna Robertson said: “This is the third year we have done it and it has grown each year. We are so overwhelmed with the amount of gifts we have received this year especially due to Covid.

“Being a mum who’s daughter had to have minor day surgery a few years ago, I feel it is the least we can do to say thank you for making things feel very normal for the children on the ward.”

Financial Services Administrative Apprentice, Abigail Denman added: “I feel so proud to be part of a company that is always looking to be able to give back, My mum works for the NHS so doing the toy appeal made me feel really pleased that we were able to give something back especially after the year we have had.

“We didn’t expect to receive many donations this year with people not wanting to venture out and we were shocked by people’s generosity. Chesterfield really is a special place to live.”

Rosewood Wealth Management 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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Derbyshire’s 2021 County Championship cricket fixtures released

Derbyshire’s County Championship group stage fixtures have been released, with Billy Godleman’s side set to return to Chesterfield’s Festival of Cricket in July.

The 2021 first-class season will be split into two parts, with the group placings after ten games determining which division a side is in for their remaining four matches, with the top two teams in Division One competing in a final for the Bob Willis Trophy.

The competition begins on Thursday 8 April, with Derbyshire facing Warwickshire, and continues for eight solid weeks prior to the start of the Vitality Blast in June.

The eagerly anticipated return of cricket to The Incora County Ground comes on Thursday 15 April, when Derbyshire play host to Worcestershire.

Derbyshire will enjoy a duo of blockbuster Group One encounters against local rivals Nottinghamshire as the East Midlands rivalry restarts in Derby on Thursday 29 April, with old scores to be settled after Fynn Hudson-Prentice starred in a record-breaking win at Trent Bridge in 2020.

Another annual highlight of the cricket calendar begins on Sunday 11 July as the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket gets underway with the visit of reigning champions Essex to the north of the county.

Following on from the hugely popular Tourist Fixture against Australia in 2019, Derbyshire will once again test themselves against international opposition, as India A travel to The Incora County Ground for a four-day first-class game, starting on Sunday 27 June.

Head of Cricket, Dave Houghton, said: “Our guys performed really well in 2020, and they all have a year of experience behind them now, so hopefully we can go out there and give these teams a test.

“We have a really tough group, with teams like Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and the champions, Essex, so it will be a challenge, but we’re up for the fight.

“When you play against the best sides, it shows you the standard that you aspire to get to. You can also learn a lot from what they do, but I expect us to be a challenge for any side.”

Derbyshire Fixtures

Warwickshire (A)
8-11 April • Edgbaston

Worcestershire 9 (H)
15-18 April • The Incora County Ground, Derby

Durham (A)
22-25 April • Emirates Riverside

Nottinghamshire (H)
29 April – 2 May • The Incora County Ground, Derby

Essex (A)
13-16 May • CloudFM County Ground

Durham (H)
20-23 May • The Incora County Ground, Derby

Worcestershire (A)
27-30 May • New Road

Warwickshire (H)
3-6 June • The Incora County Ground, Derby

Nottinghamshire (A)
4-7 July • Trent Bridge

Essex (H)
11-14 July • Queen’s Park, Chesterfield

Derbyshire County Cricket Club 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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Joe Pasquale & Sarah Earnshaw to star in John Godber’s April in Paris – Coming to Chesterfield in March

Joe Pasquale and Sarah Earnshaw will star as Al and Bet in John Godber’s classic comedy, April in Paris, which will tour the country, coming to Chesterfield Theatres in March 2021 and will be directed by Richard Lewis.  Audiences will be socially distanced.

In John Godber’s touching and hilarious classic, we go into the heart of one ordinary couple’s life as they go on both the journey of a lifetime and a journey into their relationship.  Al and Bet are in a rut.  Married for 26 years, their conversations are running dry and life has taken its toll. With his building work sparse and her shifts at the shoe shop getting few and far between there’s little to look forward to, apart from a possible ABBA tribute show in Wakefield and the odd trip to the pub.  But Bet has dreams.  She longs to walk with the Pharaohs in Egypt, sunbathe on golden beaches and climb Alpine mountains, all fuelled by her love of magazine competitions with holidays as prizes.  Finally, her luck changes; she wins a night away for two to Paris in April, via a luxury trip on P&O Ferries out of Hull.

John Godber says, “April in Paris is one of my favourite plays and I’m very excited about this new version with Joe and Sarah, directed by my long-time friend Richard Lewis. I hope that Al and Bet’s trip to the French capital helps to raise the spirits and even a laugh or two, as they rekindle their romance amidst the baguettes, Beaujolais and the steak tartare! The play’s message, that we need to be kind to each other, seems to me to be more relevant now than it ever was before!”

Joe Pasquale and Sarah Earnshaw had begun the second UK tour of Some Mother’s Do ‘Ave ‘Em when theatres were closed by the Government because of the Covid-19 pandemic, so they are delighted to be able to go out on the road again, as Joe explains:

“To say I’m excited about performing April in Paris would be an understatement, for lots of reasons.  One of the things that is so important is that we (Sarah Earnshaw, Richard Lewis and all at Limelight) will be on the front line with one of the first shows back into the theatre after such an horrendous year…. and we shall be flying the flag, so to speak, to the naysayers who say it can’t be done.  Well, Richard and his team have proved them wrong; if you think outside the box, anything can be achieved.”

Producer and director, Richard Lewis added, “As I’m sure most people are aware, it is an extremely challenging time for the theatre industry.  It has effectively been banned for over eight months now and has created great hardship – for artists, for theatres and for producers.  As we move into the New Year, it is already clear that only venues that can function with restricted capacity will be allowed to open.  It is hugely challenging for theatres to find the type of product that can operate with these limitations.  This is why I am particularly delighted and proud that Limelight Productions has been able to create a show that can help bring live performance back to its audience.

John Godber’s April in Paris starring Joe Pasquale and Sarah Earnshaw is a funny, touching comedy that lifts the spirits. It will bring a little sunshine into the life of everyone who sees it, and I hope audiences will be encouraged to help support this initiative to bring back live performances.”

Comedian Joe Pasquale has delighted audiences with his live stand-up tours for over 30 years. Along the way he’s voiced characters for Hollywood movies Garfield: A Tale of Two Kittens and Horton Hears a Who!, children’s television animation Frankenstein’s Cat and starred in The Muppets’ 25th Anniversary Show.  Joe made his theatrical debut in 1999 in Larry Shue’s The Nerd, followed by the touring productions of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Mel Brooks’s The Producers. In addition, Joe took part recently in ITV1’s The All New Monty: Who Bares Wins, he was crowned ‘King of the Jungle’ in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here in 2004, appeared on five Royal Variety Performances, hosted his own ITV special An Audience with Joe Pasquale, at times hosted The Paul O’Grady Show for Channel 4 and hosted the long-running television series The Price is Right for ITV.  Other recent TV credits include a celebrity edition of Total Wipeout; Guinness World Records Smashed and Virgin One’s The Prisoner X.

Prior to playing Betty, Frank’s long-suffering wife in Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, Sarah Earnshaw most recently starred as Connie in The Nightingales (Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour) and Jennifer Lore in the UK Tour of Nativity – The Musical.  Her other theatre credits include Travels With My Aunt (Chichester Festival), The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (West End and UK Tour) and the original London cast of Wicked.

The National Tour of April in Paris is produced by Limelight Productions.

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A Year at St. Helena- Update from Dr Paula Holt MBE, Destination Chesterfield Board Member

The following blog has been written by Destination Chesterfield board member, Dr Paula Holt MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health, Psychology and Social Care at the University of Derby.

Dr Holt covers the progress made this year at Chesterfield’s  St. Helena University of Derby Campus, along with the challenges faced by the University throughout the Covid-19 pandemic…

2020 started like any other year at the University of Derby’s St Helena Campus in Chesterfield. Our September cohort of Nursing students had settled in, we were preparing to welcome a new cohort in March, our calendar of business events kicked off, and our business incubation tenants returned after the Christmas break. But life and study changed dramatically in March, when the government announced a UK-wide lockdown due to Coronavirus.

Staff and students adapted quickly to new ways of working as teaching moved to online delivery, and later to a blended approach with a mixture of on-campus and remote learning.

Around 500 of our nursing students from the University’s College of Health, Psychology and Social Care have supported frontline workers in local hospitals and other care settings. The University has provided a range of support to the NHS, local councils, organisations and communities, including the loan of a digital mobile x-ray machine to Chesterfield Royal Hospital, iPads to help patients keep in touch with their families while in hospital and extensive donations of PPE when supply was low.

As we approach the end of the year, we also move towards the completion of the D2N2 Local Growth Fund (LGF) project to develop the Chesterfield University Campus, which we started back in November 2015. The £3.48 million investment from the LGF, plus investment from the University, has allowed us to deliver higher level skills opportunities for school leavers and adult learners, many of which are the first in their family to go to university, and support the economic growth and resilience of businesses in Chesterfield.

I am delighted that, six months before the deadline, we have hit all LGF output targets set for project, including learner numbers, short courses completed, job creation, knowledge transfer partnerships, and refurbished learning space. This is testament to the hard work of our teaching staff, commercial team and strategic partners, including Destination Chesterfield, Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, and Derbyshire Voluntary Action.

CommUNIty Chesterfield, a National Lottery funded project putting the ‘UNI’ into the community, has supported residents, the voluntary sector and students through this challenging period. We have missed not having face to face contact with the community on campus, however we have been reaching out in various ways, such as student placements, virtual shared learning sessions and community led initiatives.

As a University, we take our civic role seriously, and I am immensely proud of the work our staff and students have been doing during the pandemic. As we look ahead to 2021 we will embrace the new ‘normal’, learning from the creativity and innovation this strange period has manifested, and we will continue to support the Chesterfield community and businesses through, and beyond, these challenging times.

The University of Derby 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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Central Technology and BRM Solicitors gift Netflix to Hospice Patients this Christmas

Chesterfield’s Central Technology has generously gifted Ashgate Hospicecare two smart TV’s to help the charity to help upgrade it’s patient rooms and enable patients to view films and TV shows on Netflix.

The company has provided licenses to use the streaming platform on up to 16 TV’s at the Hospice, while leading private and commercial law firm BRM Solicitors has also joined in the charitable effort with a donation of a Smart TV, meaning three have been donated to the hospice in total.

Marketing Manager for Central Technology, Jo Snow said: “During the pandemic, so many charities have been affected and struggled to continue to offer patients the best possible experience due to lack of funding.

“Ashgate Hospicecare’s utmost priority is to always ensure their patients receive the most compassionate and comfortable end of life care.  Whilst their compassion remains as strong as ever, the blow to the funding this year has meant rooms and equipment still need upgrading.

“We wanted to make sure that patients who are sadly not getting as many visitors as normal have the access to what has kept many of us going during the lockdowns – Netflix!  The hospice’s In-Patient Unit has 21 beds, all patient bedrooms have TVs, however 13 of these TVs are not smart so cannot access Netflix and other streaming sites.

“Whilst Ashgate still need 10 more Smart TV’s, we hope this small gesture will provide a wider range of entertainment for the patients and make their stay more comfortable.”

“We would love other businesses in the area to consider gifting a Smart TV to Ashgate to help them upgrade the other 10 rooms.

“If you would like to help them, feel free to get in touch with Ian Snow ian.snow@ct.co.uk or Charlotte Gratton charlotte.gratton@ashgatehospicecare.org.uk. It could make a huge difference to a patients’ Christmas this year.”

Karen Walker, Ward Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare added: “Our patients will love this, especially at this time of year where they can watch Christmas movies with their loved ones.”

Central Technology, BRM Solicitors and Ashgate Hospicecare support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Find out more about how our Chesterfield Champions have been getting into the festive spirit this Christmas by clicking here

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DBC Training continues growth with opening of new centre in Chesterfield

Midlands based award-winning Training Provider, DBC are delighted to announce the opening of their new centre in Chesterfield, adding to their existing centres in Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Hinckley. The Chesterfield office is in a prime, central location on Holywell Street and has easy access to parking and all the amenities Chesterfield has to offer.

The new centre will provide the local community with enhanced opportunities to learn new skills and receive expert support, providing a pathway to a new career across a wide range of sectors. DBC also work in partnership with local employees to match people to opportunities, providing a vital role in both supporting the local economy and local people.

The centre was officially opened by Toby Perkins, the Shadow Minister for Apprenticeships and Lifelong Learning and Labour MP for Chesterfield and Staveley on 7th December.

Mr Perkins said: “This is an incredibly exciting development, I know how crucial apprenticeships are and how important the independent training sector is in enabling smaller employers to access apprenticeships. Apprenticeships also support young people into taking those first steps onto that career ladder or providing opportunities for more experienced people to retrain and learn new skills and begin a new career path”.

He continued “At a time when skills and training need to be at the top of the political agenda it is incredibly pleasing that DBC is opening a site in Chesterfield”.

Managing Director Kerry Bentley expressed her delight at being able to open a new centre and continue the Company’s next phase of growth: “We are proud to open our new centre as it signifies real opportunities for local people and local employers to grow and develop their careers and businesses. We work exceptionally hard to ensure the specialised work-related training we offer is able to be accessed by as many people as possible to provide opportunities that transform lives and fulfil aspirations.

“The new offices in Chesterfield will, without a doubt, help us to keep moving forward and allow us to offer our services to Employers and Apprentices in a new and exciting location”.

Founded in 2000, DBC Training is a leading provider of training and employment solutions.VFor more information visit http://www.dbc-training.co.uk

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

Toby Perkins MP

 

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

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