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Mitchells announces appointment of two female partners on International Women’s Day

The first female partners have been appointed at one of Derbyshire’s oldest firms of chartered accountants.

Laura Pain and Liz Fisher are the first female partners in Chesterfield-based Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers’ 153-year history.

Boasting an impressive 36 years combined service between them, tax and employer solutions specialist Liz and cloud accounting and start up expert Laura now join Tim Leeman, Andrew McDaid and Tony Hornsby in leading the strategic direction of the firm.

Respected and well-known in the business community, Liz and Laura organise regular and longstanding female networking events and head up the firm’s tax and small business divisions respectively.

Liz and Laura’s promotion not only recognises their long service but also their commitment to the continued growth of the business particularly over the last 12 months. Partner Tony Hornsby explained: “Over the past few years, and even more so since the pandemic, Liz and Laura have demonstrated their commitment and drive towards the continued growth of Mitchells and the development of the teams that works with them. They embody the ethos and character of Mitchells and I and my fellow partners are extremely excited at what they will bring to the continued growth and leadership of the firm.”

Laura is a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA). Her promotion comes 100 years after the registration of the first female chartered accountant in the world. In May 1920 Mary Harris Smith, at the age of 75 years old, was allowed to join the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). She had applied repeatedly however the ICAEW could not refuse her again after The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act was passed in 1919 opening the way for women to be admitted into professions such as accountancy.

Laura said: “I am thrilled to have made a little bit of history in the firm. Being one of the first-ever female partners at Mitchells is an incredible honour for me and I am proud that I can share it with Liz.”

Liz’s promotion in particular, embodies Mitchells’ longstanding commitment to growing and developing talent within the firm. She has been with Mitchells since leaving school in 1997, joining the firm in a part time admin role after completing her A Levels. She went on to complete an ATT apprenticeship and later qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser (one of three at Mitchells), winning a distinction for one of the exam papers.

She commented: “Twenty-four years ago the head of sixth form at my school said that leaving education to take up a workplace traineeship would be the worst decision I’d ever make. I hope my recent promotion will inspire other young people currently at a crossroads over whether to choose higher education or the world of work. As I have shown, if you join the right company, which believes in supporting employees and developing them then there is no barrier to progression within your career.”

Laura added: “The last 12 months in my 22-year career in accountancy has been one of the most challenging but also the most rewarding. “I am very proud of the advice and support I and the Mitchells’ team have delivered to clients during the pandemic crisis. I am delighted to join Andrew, Tim, Tony and Liz in leading such a strong and dedicated team.”

Mitchells is a leading accountancy and business advisory firm based in Chesterfield. The firm prides itself on its pragmatic and down-to-earth approach, providing high quality accountancy and taxation services and business advice to all types of industry sectors. It is one of only a handful of care home specialists and their services in this sector are in demand nationally.

With a team of 40 staff, Mitchells is large enough to take on the most demanding of businesses but small enough to provide personal care and attention. The firm is a proud Chesterfield Champion and devoted to supporting the town in its economic development and success.

For more information about Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, please visit www.mitchellsaccountants.co.uk

Mitchells Chartered Accountants 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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Entire Facilities Management continues growth with move to new Bolsover site

A leading service provider in facilities management and support services based in Chesterfield is continuing to grow, by moving to a 4,000 square-foot site in Bolsover.

Entire FM’s new office will enable the company to bring various elements of operations under one roof, with the new premises providing almost three times more floor space than at the previous location of their head office on Whittington Moor.

The move comes off the back of continued growth for Entire, with the company recruiting 32 new members of staff over the last 12 months and further plans to create more jobs. Overall, the firm’s latest figures for Q1 2021 show business growth up five-fold when compared to Q1 2020.

On top of the move to the new North Derbyshire site, Entire FM still has UK satellite offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester as well as a USA office in Chicago.

The new headquarters will house Entire FM’s main operations office, alongside a 24/7 support desk and security monitoring centre. This means the site will act as a central hub for all operations.

In addition, all other companies within the Entire FM group will also be located at the new Bolsover site. This includes JPFM, Block Waste, Alkota and PWE.

The move has been hailed as an exciting time for the company, with the new site providing a key piece of the puzzle of Entire FM’s continuous and rapid growth.

Pete Currey, Managing Director at Entire FM said: “The move to a new head office was certainly due as we simply ran out of space to operate at our old office on Whittington Moor.

“We didn’t necessarily choose Bolsover, but Bolsover chose us; The building was just a perfect fit for what we needed. It will allow us to have more productive work space and allow us to continue our drive forward in the facilities management industry.

“The central geographical location is perfect for us as a business and the fact that we’re literally next door to the M1 is priceless. We can’t wait to reveal the finished product once the refurb works are complete.”

Entire Facilities 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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Students wow the Gateway at PEAK development team with architectural designs

Students at the University of Derby have impressed the team at Milligan, who are developing the Gateway at PEAK, after unveiling their architectural visions for the UK’s first fully-serviced national park gateway based in Chesterfield.

The Gateway at PEAK will be part of the 300-acre PEAK Resort, consented on the eastern boundary of the Peak District. As part of developer Milligan and landowner Birchall Properties’ partnership with the University of Derby, undergraduate and Masters level students responded to a live brief and were challenged to assume the role of architect on the project.

The students were asked to consider local communities, wildlife preservation, sustainable design with a Net Zero Carbon objective, and respectfully incorporate the Peak District’s natural beauty into their designs.

The students worked in teams to envision scheme designs and complementary uses such as F&B, retail and exhibits, delivering unique concepts that offered a broad spectrum of options for the developers to consider.

After all the proposals were submitted, the Milligan development shortlisted four finalists who were awarded a share of ÂŁ1,000.

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Dr Boris Ceranic, Course Director for Masters Programmes and Centre of Excellence Leader at the University of Derby, said: “I was impressed by the quality of the work and particularly pleased by the way undergraduate and Masters students have worked together as a team to deliver such complex and demanding design charrette briefs.

The designs were inspiring, with highly sustainable and distinctive visions of unique visitor experiences, resolved through proposals that blurred the boundaries between the open and enclosed, solid and transparent, static and fluid, natural and built environment.”

Lecturer, Graham Markwell comments, “This live project has allowed us to work with industry partners to deliver a high-quality experiential learning initiative. The students have produced innovative solutions to the brief provided and have greatly benefitted from interacting with professional clients and real-world projects.”

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Gary Dawson, second year student on the BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Venue Design talks about the project and the valuable experience it provided; “We really enjoyed working on the project, being able to apply our creative skills to a public space of the future was fantastic and gave a real sense of how we will apply the skills we are learning in future careers. Having the opportunity to push ourselves and see what we can accomplish, in the limited time we had, helped us all begin to realise what we are capable of achieving and what our futures might be like.”

For Milligan the project was a great way of not only accessing some fresh thinking for the development but also a way of inspiring the next generation of creative talent within the industry.

Paul Hanegraaf, Creative Director at Milligan notes “I was blown away by the quality and thought put into each submission – especially as the students had little under a week to prepare.

We have been developing the plans for the Gateway at PEAK for some time and will soon be announcing the architect we have appointed before revealing their plans later in the year.

It’s wonderful to have input and inspiration from the next generation of designers, planners and architects, after all, it is that generation we’re building this inspiring place for.”

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Rupert Carr, Director of Birchall Properties adds “I was delighted with the quality and the quantity of the work produced by the students in such a short period of time. It was nothing less than remarkable and I was genuinely uplifted by the thinking and consideration behind the concepts the students shared.

“Of particular note for me was the way all teams expressed real enthusiasm for and belief in the potential for a better built environment, one with an underlying philosophy to deliver social and environmental benefits as well as great commercial opportunities”.

The Gateway at PEAK is part of PEAK Resort, where works for the all-weather, all-year, all-ages Summit at PEAK, are already underway. PEAK Resort also has planning permission for up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 lodges as well as a whole range of leisure, education and entertainment facilities, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities.

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

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ÂŁ25.2m investment for Staveley announced

Town leaders have welcomed a multi-million pound funding boost which will pave the way for significant regeneration in a former mining community in North Derbyshire.

Staveley is set to benefit from £25.2m worth of funding following the Government’s Town Deal programme announcement today – presenting a ‘golden opportunity’ to transform the area for future generations.

It follows a successful bid for funding by the Staveley Town Deal Board, which submitted a Town Investment Plan to unlock the funding package for a range of projects that will drive long term economic growth, offer quality skills and employment opportunities and improve the green spaces and canal network around Staveley.

And it is a further boost for the borough’s wider growth agenda – adding to the significant and sustained investments that are already being made across the area to ensure Chesterfield’s communities are in the strongest possible position to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted at the news from Government today that Staveley stands to be awarded £25.2m as part of the Towns Fund.

“Our plans are rooted in the needs and aspirations of Staveley’s communities, and have been driven by the Board’s collective ambitions to attract the investment that this area deserves.

“Bringing funding on this scale to Staveley will transform the area and realise huge benefits to local people, both in terms of how they lead their everyday lives and take advantage of future opportunities. As a local businessman and Chair of the Town Deal Board, I am thrilled that Government has recognised the potential of our place and sees the value in backing our Town Investment Plan.”

The funding will be spent over a five-year period, steered by the Staveley Town Deal Board, and with the overall programme managed by Chesterfield Borough Council.

It follows an earlier successful bid by the Board under the Government’s Accelerator Fund – securing £500,000 worth of funding for grassroots projects. They include a new state-of-the-art all-weather sports pitch at Springwell Community College, new play equipment for King George V Playing Field and new CCTV equipment for Staveley town centre.

Welcoming the news, Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, added: “Today’s announcement is tremendous news for our borough, and for the communities of Staveley who are set to benefit from this sizeable investment in a range of exciting projects and programmes.

“This is a golden opportunity which paves the way for this former mining community – which has often been overlooked by previous national funding programmes – to realise its full potential both now and in the future.

“I would like to thank all of the partners who have worked on the Town Deal over the last year. Staveley is a very special place with a rich history and wonderful assets. Through this funding, we will look to harness the town’s great potential through re-vitalising the high street, delivering new investment and much-needed jobs, supporting local people to reach their full potential and exciting the interest of new visitors to the place.”

Following the announcement of the funding offer, partners in Staveley will be working with Government to agree the terms for the next stage of the Town Deal programme and to determine how each project will be funded.

This will allow the promoters of each project to develop their full business cases, which will be needed before the funding can be released. The Staveley Town Deal Board will be supporting each project through that process so that delivery on the ground can start as soon as practicable.

Elsewhere in North Derbyshire, ÂŁ24.1 million has been awarded to kickstart a number of regeneration projects in Clay Cross.

North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “What an incredible and proud moment this is for Clay Cross and North East Derbyshire. To be awarded the full sum we asked for – over ÂŁ24 million pounds will mean Clay Cross will be an exciting hub of redevelopment, opportunity and prosperity for years to come.”

You’ll be able to find out more about all of the projects included as part of the Staveley Town Deal and other regeneration sites across the area at the virtual Celebrate Chesterfield event, taking place on Wednesday, 31st March. To register your place at the virtual event, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/

Find out more about all the regeneration projects taking place across Staveley here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/staveley/

 

Works road and canal basin

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Chesterfield packaging specialists Robinson launch new sustainability pledge

A Chesterfield manufacturer specialising in value added custom packaging has announced the launch of its ambitious sustainability pledge.

The pledge by Robinson outlines a range of commitments underpinned by their strategic priorities focused on putting the customer first, sustainable growth and thriving people.

CEO Dr Helene Roberts says this the blueprint for Robinson’s future-fit business. She says: “We have a role to contribute to sustainability and regenerative growth, which we view as key drivers with great opportunities for our business and the industry.

“Sustainability is about capacity for now and the long-term: meeting social and environmental needs without compromising the ability of future generations to thrive and prosper. In an industry where our products are used every day, we understand that we must make the most of the resources we use while meeting consumer needs in food and product protection.

“Our aim is circularity: to recover, regenerate and restore all products and materials at the end of their useful life.”

Lubna Edwards, Sustainability and Marketing Director for Robinson, is managing the roll out of the Sustainability Pledge, based on five pillars and 15 ambitious commitments:

  • People – helping people thrive and building a happy and healthy culture, with goals to include implementation of a comprehensive people development plan, zero accidents every year, and championing employee health and wellbeing.
  • Regeneration – extracting the maximum value from resources used in all operations and recovering and restoring materials and resources at the end of their life. Goals include zero waste to landfill, becoming net carbon positive and implementing principles for sustainable buildings.
  • Intelligence – creating sustainable products and services and partnering with customers to contribute to building a circular economy by applying purposeful design, using recycled materials and designing packaging for recyclability. Goals include virgin plastic reduction, maximum recycled content and all products to be fully recyclable.
  • Transformation – driving shared commercial value and income streams beyond current business models and collaborating with customers and partners to regenerate local circular economies. Goals focus on sustainable business environments, greener spaces and habitats, and offering reusable products.
  • Community – delivering real tangible social and environmental benefits to local communities, educating the next generation of change-makers and bringing more sustainable initiatives to the areas in which the business operates. Goals include offering career-enhancing work experience and opportunities, engaging educators and students on the benefits of packaging and recycling and giving back to communities.

Lubna says: “I am delighted to launch our Sustainability Pledge which strengthens our ability to deliver packaging with purpose. It is supports delivery of our company purpose which is to go above and beyond to create a sustainable future for our people and planet. It is an ambitious pledge but one I am confident we will achieve with the support of our people and partners.”

Robinson 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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East Midlands Chamber Business Awards return for 2021 with a brand-new category

East Midlands Chamber has announced its Business Awards are back for 2021 – with a new category celebrating ground-breaking collaborations.

The past year has involved great examples of businesses teaming up to prosper despite the pandemic – and such alliances will be recognised at this year’s awards.

A brand-new category for Collaboration Project of the Year has been introduced for the 2021 awards to celebrate success stories of pioneering partnerships within Chamber membership.

There’s also a new-look Excellence in Innovation award, which replaces the Innovation in Manufacturing category as more ground-breaking firms are invited to showcase how they are pushing boundaries in their sectors.

Fresh off the back of virtual ceremonies being held for the first time across the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Business Awards throughout November and December 2020, entries are now open for this year.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Last year’s Business Awards provided a fantastic opportunity to celebrate some of the amazing success stories witnessed in the East Midlands during what was one of the most challenging years in memory for business.

“It was also a unique event in the history of the awards in that we held it online for the first time, but this in no way took anything away from three truly remarkable virtual ceremonies.

“While we don’t quite know what 2021 will bring, we’re braced for continued disruption followed by signs of recovery – and we can be certain that there will be many more examples of incredible innovation, growth and resilience among our members.

“These awards are a great opportunity to shout about what our region has to offer and the Chamber – along with our sponsors, whose continued support enables us these celebrations to happen – can’t wait to read another set of high-quality entries.”

Alongside the new awards, there will also be a return for the Environmental Impact Award introduced last year, as well as old returning favourites such as Apprentice of the Year, Community Impact, Excellence in International Trade and Small Business of the Year.

There will also be an overall Business of the Year for each county chosen by headline sponsor Mazars. Last year’s winners were PR Marriott Drilling (Derbyshire), Air IT (Nottinghamshire), and db automation and Premier Bowl Feeders (Leicestershire).

The deadline for entries this year is Friday 7 May and finalists will be announced on Thursday 30 June.

Winners will be chosen by a panel including members of the Chamber’s leadership team and board, as well as sponsors, and announced at awards ceremonies for each county at the end of this year.

For more information and to enter the Chamber Business Awards, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/businessawards2021/.

Enquiries about sponsorship opportunities can be sent to partnerships manager Sanjib Sahota on sanjib.sahota@emc-dnl.co.uk or 07776 596889.

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Chesterfield’s Avant Homes Central appoints new Regional Development Director

Housebuilder Avant Homes Central, which is based in Chesterfield has promoted its technical director, Chris Clingo, to the newly created role of regional development director.

Chris has 18 years’ experience in the housebuilding industry and joined Avant Homes in April 2014 as a senior engineer for the Yorkshire region. In his new role, Chris will be responsible for leading the regional development team while also overseeing the planning and commercial functions for the business.

Commenting on his promotion, Chris said: “During my time at Avant Homes I’ve worked across the Yorkshire, Central and Group operations undertaking six separate roles for the company, so I’m proud to have been given the opportunity to take another step in my career as regional development director.

“I bring a great passion for people and the Avant Homes product to the role and I hope to acquire additional skills to build upon my success personally and to benefit the Central region.”

Avant Homes is one of the Midlands’ leading private residential property developers. The Central company currently has 10 live developments in the region.

Avant Homes Central managing director, Stuart Rowlands, said: “Chris has real dedication for the housebuilding industry and following his years of experience in the sector is more than up to the challenge of leading the regional development team in our Central region.

“As the new regional development director, Chris’ expertise will be vital in ensuring our planning and commercial functions are sound and achievable as we continue to drive Avant Homes towards further success.”

Avant Homes Central also announced four further promotions across its regional operation including Lorna Rider who was promoted to land director; Llinos Lewis who has been appointed to regional sales manager; Jack Staples, who has been promoted to regional assistant sales manager; and Paul Sterling who is now an area construction manager for the region.

Stuart continued: “Alongside Chris, we’re pleased to have promoted four further members of the Central team. We are committed to investing in our people and developing their potential at all levels of their career. They all play a significant role in their departments across the business and represent the great people we strive to have in our Central team. We congratulate all of them on their new positions.”

Avant Homes is one of the UK’s leading private residential property developers. The company currently has 60 live developments being delivered by five regional operating companies.

The company is currently progressing with the construction of 173 new homes on the former timber yard site off Brimington Road as part of the landmark Chesterfield Waterside development

In addition to its Central operation, Avant Homes has four other operating companies located within the Scotland, North East, Yorkshire and the Midlands. The Avant Homes Group builds approximately 2,000 homes each year, has a turnover of circa ÂŁ500m and employs around 780 people in total.

Avant Homes 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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Ashgate Hospicecare launch ‘Step into Spring’ initiative to raise vital funds

Ashgate Hospicecare is calling on people across North Derbyshire to set themselves a lockdown challenge by signing up for its newest fundraise-at-home event.

Supporters are being invited to take part in Step into Spring where they’ll go head-to-head virtually to complete as many steps as possible throughout March.

Whether it’s setting a target of 10,000 daily steps or accumulating 50km across the month, taking part in the fundraising challenge will help fund Ashgate Hospicecare’s vital care for patients and their families living with a life-limiting illness.

Participants can run, walk or even skip towards their target distance whilst going up against friends, family and colleagues in the online league table.

Among those signed up for the event already is Kate Redhead, who has set herself a target of running 7.5km everyday in memory of her mother-in-law Lynda Redhead, who was cared for by the hospice.

Kate, aged 32, from Chesterfield, wants to give back to Ashgate after the “wonderful comfort and care” Lynda received – particularly as the charity has lost vital funds since the pandemic outbreak.

She said: “I can’t wait to take part in Step into Spring next month! I think it’s a fun way to keep active during the lockdown whilst helping raise money to help fund Ashgate’s care.

“The challenge gives you control over how many steps you would like to do – I have set myself quite a high target but I’m hoping this will encourage my friends and family to sponsor me.

“I often have low self-esteem so I’m looking forward to seeing what I can achieve when I set my mind to something.

“Ashgate Hospicecare cared for my mother-in-law before I’d met my husband, so we never got to meet but knowing how much the loss of Lynda affected him has motivated me to support the hospice.

“I now care very deeply about the hospice because of the comfort, care and compassion they brought to my family during some very dark times.”

Everyone who registers for Step into Spring, which is ÂŁ7 for over 13s and ÂŁ5 for under 13s, will receive a special edition medal and a running vest.

Participants can choose to use mobile phone app Strava to track their activity, but it’s entirely up to them

With its shops temporarily closed and larger fundraising events cancelled or scaled back, the event is a great and active way to support the hospice at an important time.

Carl Jones, Fundraising Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “Everyone at Ashgate Hospicecare is delighted to be launching our new virtual Step into Spring event and registration is now open.

“We know how difficult the lockdown has been for so many people so wanted to organise an event that will give our supporters a spring in their step throughout March.

“It’s a fun way to keep in touch with friends and family whilst keeping active during the lockdown, plus you’ll be helping us raise vital funds so we can continue caring for terminally ill people and their loved ones.

“And don’t worry, there’s no pressure on how many steps you need to do, it’s up to you to set your own targets – whether you run 230km like Kate or walk 2,000 steps on your lunch break, your efforts will mean so much to us and the families we support.”

All activities must be done in accordance with the latest COVID-19 government guidance.

To find out more about the Step into Spring fundraising challenge and how you can take part go to www.ashgatehospicecare.org.uk/events

Ashgate Hospicecare 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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Essential Site skills shortlisted for national ‘Positive Impact’ award

Essential Site Skills has been made a finalist for the ‘Positive Impact Award’ at the prestigious SME National Business Awards 2020.

The SME National Business Awards are made up of 16 categories and is a sought after accolade of achievement, a veritable endorsement of success in business.

The Positive Impact Award is an award dedicated to those companies who have adapted and innovated their business for the good of the community, in order to provide solutions to presented challenges.

The pinnacle of the awards is the Grand Celebration, a black tie evening on 28th July 2021.

The SME National Business Awards are made up of 18 categories that allow any successful business in the UK to enter. All entries are judged by up to 4 of a national panel of judges.

Training & Consultancy Director for Essential Site Skills, Darren O’Neill commented: “We’re super thrilled to be shortlisted for the SME Positive Impact Award. In what has been a challenging time for all recently, this recognition highlights the incredible durability, creativity and dedication of our outstanding employees across all areas of ESS to ensure our clients still receive the very best services.”

Essential Site Skills provides a plethora of courses across a range of disciplines relating to construction, plant operations, workplace health and safety, and much more. The company is one of 12 others shortlisted for the Positive Impact award.

You can find out more about the ceremony taking place in July here: https://www.smenationalbusinessawards.co.uk/

The company recently celebrated another award nomination; Managing Director Catherine Storer has been shortlisted as a nominee for the National Business Women’s Awards, taking place in May. Catherine will be up alongside nine other women nominated in the ‘Business Woman of the Year – Small’ category. You can find out more about Catherine’s nomination here.

Essesntial Site Skills 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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Vital funding confirmed for community groups in Chesterfield

Community groups in Chesterfield are set to benefit from more than ÂŁ30,000 of funding that has been provided through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhoods Fund.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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People aged 65 to 69 in Derbyshire urged to book their vaccine following recent success of rollout

Anyone aged 65 to 69 who has not been vaccinated is now being urged to respond to their recent invite to get their life-saving coronavirus vaccine at one of the more than 20 vaccination sites across Derbyshire.

Due to the continued success of the programme and the availability of supplies, people aged 64 are also set to be called forward this week, NHS England has announced.

Over two thirds of people aged 65-69 have now had their vital first dose, after invites went out a week ago. Everyone in this age group is now eligible to receive the vaccine, with more than one million invitation letters having arrived in homes across England this week, and online bookings open.

Anyone who is aged 65 or over can get an appointment in one of the vaccination centres by booking through the national booking service, as the NHS looks to help as many people in this age group get their jab and make use of available doses.

The fresh call to those aged 65 to 69 comes as invites for people aged 64 are due to land on doormats across the region later this week, with this group of nearly half a million people nationwide set to be asked initially to book a slot at one of the larger vaccination centres.

NHS Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “The NHS Covid-19 vaccination campaign continues full steam ahead – letters inviting everyone aged 65 to 69 went out a week ago, and already over two thirds of them have had their first Covid-19 vaccination.

“Across England overall, nearly a third of adults have now had their first jab, and early signs suggest this is contributing to the welcome fall in coronavirus hospitalisation that we’re now seeing.”

NHS Derby and Derbyshire CCG Executive Medical Director Dr Steve Lloyd: “NHS staff, volunteers and other partners across Derbyshire have done an incredible job so far delivering the largest vaccination drive in our history, at the same time as dealing with high levels of Covid-19 hospital patients.

“To the small proportion of people who have been invited but not come forward yet, I would urge you to do so this week. Vaccines are the best weapon we have in the fight against coronavirus, and local services are going to great lengths to ensure that local people can get this protection in a safe and convenient place.

“And to the wider public, NHS staff need you to continue to play your part too. That means unless you are in the groups being invited now, please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, we will contact you when it is the right time; when we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments at exactly the time you’re asked to; and whether you have had your vaccine or not, please continue to follow all the guidance in place to control the virus and save lives.”

NHS England Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said: “Over 14.5 million of the most vulnerable people in England have already safely had their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and with people aged between 65 and 69 now eligible too, we want everyone else in this age group to consider making this week your week to get a jab.

“They can – including from later this week anyone aged 64 – use the online national booking service to book in at their nearest Vaccination Centre or pharmacy, so anyone that is able to do so should act this week to seize their opportunity for a life-saving vaccine.”

Since the NHS became the first health service anywhere in the world to administer a Covid-19 vaccine in December last year, when 90-year old Maggie Keenan received her jab in Coventry, more than quarter of a million people in Derbyshire have had their first dose.

The NHS moved to the next phase of the biggest vaccination programme in its history earlier this week, with people aged 65 and over and an expanded group of clinically vulnerable people now receiving the vaccine, and a further acceleration to follow in the coming days when people aged 64 will receive their invitations.

GP-led vaccination sites began vaccinating patients at sites across the county soon after that historic moment, followed by the large vaccination centre at Derby Arena in late January.

High street pharmacists have also joined the great mobilisation to protect the country, and people in the 65 and over age bracket can get their appointment at a community pharmacy, if they prefer.

With important progress already made – including everyone aged 65 years old and over offered a jab, and all care homes visited for vaccination where it’s safe to do so – the NHS is now seeking to drive uptake among the next priority groups.

People who have received a letter can log on to the national booking service at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination and choose from 107 large-scale vaccination centres or 195 pharmacy led sites.

Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.

Although having your NHS number to hand will reduce the booking time, knowing it is not required to get a slot for a jab, as anyone in the top six priority groups identified by the JCVI can book their appointment online or by phone.

Should anybody aged 65 to 69 want to wait to be called by their local GP vaccination service they are still able to do so.

The NHS made history in January, following the ground-breaking world-first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in December, when Brian Pinker became the first person in the world to receive the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine outside of a clinical trial.

Chesterfield Mayor, Cllr Glenys Falconer getting her 1st Covid-19 vaccine at The Winding Wheel

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