chesterfield news

Terminally ill patient marries the love of her life at Ashgate Hospicecare

Lindsay, a terminally ill patient at Ashgate Hospicecare who lives with pancreatic cancer, chose to tie the knot with her – now – husband, Simon, last week in Ashgate Hospicecare’s boardroom.

The ceremony, which was put on with the support of the hospice staff and a number of kind donations from local businesses, was incredibly moving despite social distancing rules. It was attended by a small group of the couple’s family and friends, as well as their 19-month-old son Isaac.

Lindsay, who can now also be referred to as Mrs Birley, told us: “We had such a special day thanks to Ashgate. We had hoped I would be well enough to get married in Chesterfield, but it wasn’t possible so I can’t thank the hospice enough for everything they have done. We’ve been going through some tough times but it was a really lovely day.

“I’d class Ashgate as my second home. My family can’t believe how well I’ve looked since I’ve been here but it’s because my medication got switched around so I’ve been sleeping so much better and shows how comfortable I am.”

Anne-Marie Carey, a Consultant in Palliative Medicine as part of the hospice’s In-Patient Unit, regularly looks after Lindsay. She added: “I’m so happy that this special day was able to go ahead and Lindsay, Simon and Isaac were able to have the special day they had hoped for and we all wanted for them.”

Unfortunately due to COVID-19 guidelines, no reception could take place so instead the hospice’s Head Chef, Mark Taylor, created a special takeaway wedding breakfast box for each of the guests.

Other local businesses that pulled out all the stops for Ashgate’s happy couple included: Blanc & Blanc Occasions which provided shoes, Fresh Ideas Florists which provided all the flower arrangements, Natalie Reynolds MUA who provided hair and makeup services, Weddings by Dragonfly which decorated the room and Tom Hodgson who photographed the whole event and captured a memory which the family will keep forever.

And finally, Lambs Cupcakes of Chesterfield made the spectacular wedding cake which was colour coordinated with Lindsay’s dress for a fraction of its usual price.

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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Chesterfield Borough Council named among Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers

Chesterfield Borough Council is celebrating after being named as one of the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in England.

The council placed 82nd in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers which ranks the very best of England’s large apprenticeship employers, with employers recognised for providing some of the most successful apprenticeship programmes over the previous 12 months.

Chesterfield Borough Council currently employs more than 40 apprentices and has done a lot of work to promote apprenticeships throughout the borough by demonstrating the value of apprenticeships and through its pioneering ‘Apprentice Town’ project.

Councillor Jean Innes, cabinet member for business transformation and customers, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised in this way for the work we do with apprentices. We were the first town in the UK to declare itself an ‘Apprentice Town’ and we are committed to ensuring that young people in Chesterfield can build the skills and careers they want because this is key to ensuring that we are a thriving borough.

“We want Chesterfield to be a town where young people, businesses and parents think apprenticeship first and the council has to lead by example. That is why we have more than 40 apprentices working across the organisation in a wide range of disciplines including project management, legal services and commercial services.”

The council has apprentices working in almost every service area and they are helping ensure that the council has skilled individuals for the future.

Paul Davis, who is taking part in an apprenticeship programme with the council working towards a CIPFA Professional Qualification (Level 7), said: “I wanted to do the an apprenticeship with Chesterfield Borough Council because it allowed me to study further and to progress within my area of work. The apprenticeship gave me a greater understanding of the authority’s finances and management which I could apply directly to my everyday work for the council and enhance my future prospects with a globally recognised qualification.

“I would definitely recommend apprenticeships to other people as they are great way to learn and it provides you the opportunity to progress further in your career with the added benefit of not being left with a heavy burden of student debt at the end.”

Rachel O’Neil, assistant director for customers, commissioning and change, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised with this award for the work we do employing apprentices. Our apprenticeship programme provides the council with highly skilled individuals and in return help ensure they can build a career and a future they are proud of with the council.”

Miles Thirnwell, who recently completed a Housing/Property Management Level two apprenticeship with distinction whilst working for the council, said: “After leaving University this was a difficult time in terms of deciding on an alternative career path. However looking back, I am incredibly pleased with my decision of applying for an apprenticeship and despite the fact that they are often overlooked, they can provide an endless amount of opportunities and the provision of skills you need to develop in your desired career.

“My knowledge and skills were constantly progressing as I was always learning something new, whether this was in the office or whilst carrying out practical tasks throughout the borough. With Chesterfield Borough Council being eager to progress young employees and apprentices, this allowed my knowledge and experiences to develop even further as I was given access to training along with key college courses.”

Chesterfield Borough Council is just one of nine Local Government organisations to feature in the top 100.

Chesterfield Borough Council launched ‘Apprentice Town’ in 2017. It is run in partnership by Chesterfield Borough Council, Destination Chesterfield, the local business community, apprenticeship providers and The Apprentice Town steering group in order to raise awareness of apprenticeship activities and promote all aspects of apprenticeship provision.

2020 is the first year a ranking of the top 100 apprenticeship providers has been compiled. Find out more about ‘Apprentice Town’ here

apprentice town steering group

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

Chesterfield’s Avant Homes becomes 1st UK housebuilder to introduce Honda E vehicle fleet

Chesterfield-based housebuilder Avant Homes has become the first UK housebuilder to introduce a fleet of 30 Honda e electric vehicles for its regional sales teams to use.

With 60 live developments across the Midlands, Yorkshire, north east England and Scotland, the new fleet will enable Avant Homes to provide prospective homebuyers with a more mobile and accessible sales service.

Supplied by motor retailer Stoneacre Chesterfield, the leasing deal is the biggest transaction the Tapton Lock dealership has ever brokered with a corporate client. The leasing agreement for the fleet was handled by Lex Autolease.

The cars have been introduced as part of a new commitment by the homebuilder to meet prospective buyers by appointment only at their preferred location, whether that is at a development, their home or the workplace.

Commenting on the new fleet, Avant Homes chief executive officer, Colin Lewis, said: “We learnt a lot during lockdown about how best to continue to provide our customers with exceptional service that is tailored to their needs.

“We identified that our customers need greater flexibility due to the changing circumstances they face and that we needed to evolve our sales function. We wanted to be able to meet our customers wherever was most convenient for them, so our idea was to be able to take Avant Homes to them on demand, and this led us to securing and introducing our new fleet of Honda e cars.

“We chose the Honda e so that we could not only provide our people with a state-of-the-art vehicle, but also minimise the environmental impact of the increased travel our sales team will be undertaking. The car’s contemporary and exciting design also appealed to us due to our desire to be a housebuilder that is different from the competition. So, like Avant Homes, the Honda e embodies an excellent combination of innovation, practicality and fun.

“We were clear from the outset that we wanted to support a local business to help deliver this initiative, so we are very pleased to have been able to partner with Stoneacre Chesterfield to acquire the new fleet. The service provided by the team there has been outstanding, and we can’t wait to get the cars delivered to our team across our five regional offices.”

Avant Homes is one of the UK’s leading private residential property developers. The business currently builds approximately 2,000 homes each year, has a turnover of circa £500m and employs around 780 people.

The Honda e, which was launched earlier this year, is the first electric Honda vehicle to be sold in Europe. At the beginning of October, it won the City Car of the Year category in the Sunday Times Motor Awards 2020 due to its unique combination of dynamic performance, refined comfort and futuristic technology. Inside, the modern minimalist passenger cabin utilises contemporary materials and is spacious and uncluttered to creates a comfortable lounge-like feel.

The Honda e features a water-cooled 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery that can be charged using either Type 2 AC connection or a CCS2 DC rapid charge. The car is capable of travelling up to 137 miles before drivers need to recharge the battery which can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in only 30 minutes.

Regional manager for Stoneacre Chesterfield , David Harding, said: “The popularity of hybrid and e-vehicles is rapidly increasing, so we were delighted to see Avant Homes select the Honda e as the vehicle of choice for their sales fleet. We’re thrilled to be able to provide an affordable, efficient and stylish option, and help Avant Homes to optimise their customer experience.”

The fleet was officially handed over to Avant Homes at a special event at Chesterfield FC where the cars were revealed to Avant staff for the first time.

Avant Homes are also currently involved in building part of the residential area at Chesterfield Waterside. Find out more here.

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.

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

Young Chesterfield rally driver claims second place in Italian rally event

21-year-old Chesterfield racing sensation Seb Perez claimed an impressive second place at the Modena Cento Ore historic rally earlier this month (October 11 – 15)), having tackled a challenging four days across idyllic Italian terrain alongside team-mate and car owner Andrew Siddall.

After taking some time out due to the Coronavirus lockdown since March and after his European GT4 Championship debut was quashed he showed that none of his motorsport talent had been lost.

The prestigious rally featured eleven special stages and three circuit races that started in the City of Rome before moving across Italy, taking in iconic race tracks on the way finishing in Modena, the home town of Enzo Ferrari.

The Derbyshire race and rally driver currently took to the passenger seat as co-driver for the second time on the event alongside Andrew in the Ford Escort RS1800 MK2 LAR 800P, the historic rally car that was driven to second place in the 1975 Lombard RAC Rally in the hands of the master of rallying himself rally legend Roger Clark.

The start in the historic City of Rome followed a parade the day before of the fantastic rally machinery that was to be thrashed over the picturesque Italian countryside.

Day one saw Andrew at the wheel to tackle the first two stages at Terminillo, the historic hillclimb site that’s used in the European Rally Championship. The pair got off to a good start finishing fourth fastest after the two stages and by the time they got to the end of the day in Perugia were 1 minute 24 seconds off the top spot but dropping to fifth.

A great start to the second day saw Siddall get the Escort back into fourth spot with Perez’s map reading skills keeping the car on the road by the end of SS3 at Colonnetta. The time had come as they arrived at Autodromo di Magione for Perez to get the gloves on and show his rival what he could do. Perez was like wildfire as the lights went out showing he hadn’t lost any of his past two years of championship Porsche Carrera Cup GB racing skills apart from racing in a 45 year old rally car on a race circuit. As usual Perez became the master at work and reworked the car to his needs that saw him take the chequered flag for a podium third place.

An ecstatic Perez sat back in the co driver’s seat and back on the maps as Siddall took to the fast twisty stage of SS4 Portole and ploughed back to take second place and just over one minute behind the leader. Next up was SS5 La Rossinata, the stage was taken a little slower but consistency ruled and second spot was not defeated.

An overnight halt in Florence for the duo was in hand and a well earned rest before Wednesdays leg of the rally.

Perez was in the seat again first thing for leg three, it took them to the delights of Autodromo del Mugello Circuit, Perez was straight into it with a practice session that saw him make good pace and up at the top. The race proved just the same with again lightning speed and precision that would have made the late Clark very proud of his Works Escort.

Fighting side by side on the curbs with the 27 cars on track Perez took the flag after the statutory 7 lap race finishing in 2nd place behind the Dansport prepared Porsche Carrera RS of Brits Philip Lawrance Kadoorie and Dan Wells.

Four stages followed, two at Passo del Giogo and the same at Cornacchiaia that saw them keep on track and consistent through and through keeping the car in second place and some fastest times thrown in as a bonus. After it was back to Florence again for another night’s sleep.

Leg 4 and last day saw two stages and another circuit race on the cards, special stage 10 was at Monte Faggiola that saw Perez and Siddall retain second slot and move onto SS11 Sambuca where again they held onto second pulling out every stop to get closer to the number one car.

Final trial of the race was down to Perez and his circuit skills, he lined up on the tarmac at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. Perez had another great start and for 7 laps he tried to take the car to number one but had to settle for third, 37 seconds behind the Dansport Porsche again but three podium spots out of three races was good enough to end on a high for the demanding but exciting 4 day adventure and to take second place only 1minute 58 seconds behind the winner.

The Perez and Siddall duo took honours in the final ranking at the event finish in Modena taking second overall, first on the race circuit sections, third fastest on the special stages, They also were awarded a class winner’s trophy.

Dansport from Walton Chesterfield came third in the Team Award, they prepared and made sure both the Escort of Perez and Siddall and Porsche RS of Kadoorie and Wells were in ship shape order throughout the rally.

Perez said after the Italian adventure “It was an fantastic week out in Italy. This was only my second event this year and was great working with Andrew for the second year on the rally and being able to drive in the races, Driving the car again was such a honour, it was very different to drive and there was very little we could change on the car that meant I had to drive around a lot of the cars traits to get the best out of it. I gained even more experience in the co-driving world, I have to give a big thanks to both Andrew and DANSPORT for giving me this amazing opportunity in such an historic car.”

Image Credit to Modena Cento Ore

Editorial by Paul Horton

 

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

Essential Site Skills Director Shortlisted for Learning Leader of the Year

Essential Site Skills are proud to announce that their Training & Consultancy Director, Darren O’Neill, has been nominated for Learning Leader of the Year at the prestigious Learning Awards 2021.

It’s been another incredible 12 months for Darren, who has worked tirelessly as Essential Site Skills have adapted to face all the challenges that 2020 has thrown their way. Under his direction, ESS have introduced new ways of providing the training that workplaces need during this difficult time, all while maintaining and improving the overall level of quality across the board.

Darren has worked his way up to a leadership role, starting out as a trainer after leaving the armed forces. His training expertise and knowledge of the industry has allowed him to work his way up to become an industry leader in learning and development.

The Learning Awards are an annual event that celebrates outstanding individuals in the world of learning and development, run by The Learning and Performance Institute (LPI). Receiving one of these awards is the ultimate accolade for anyone working in the industry.

Darren said he was “super thrilled and very humbled” by the news, saying he was “thankful to be able to work alongside some fantastic talented colleagues at Essential Site Skills Ltd, and clients alike, across the Learning & Performance Industry.”

This is just the latest success for the company at the Learning Awards. At the 2019 awards, ESS were finalists in the Learning Provider of the Year category, with Training and Consultancy Manager, Michael Harcourt, winning the Rising Star Silver Award. Last year also saw ESS trainer Matt Fletcher nominated for the Rising Star award.

The Learning Awards 2021 will take place on 18th February at London’s Hilton Hotel.

Essential Site Skills Ltd 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 Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Chesterfield accountant Shorts leads the way on completing Chase Hardware management buyout

Chesterfield-based accountancy firm Shorts recently teamed up with Bell & Buxton and HSBC UK to act as lead advisors, legal representatives, and funders on the management buy-out of architectural ironmongery and general hardware distributers, Chase Hardware Ltd.

Chase Hardware Ltd was founded in 1978, with their head office based in Uttoxeter. Existing Director James Thomas has now taken full control following the acquisition of 100% of the share capital from the long-term owner Robert Roebuck.

Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner with Shorts comments: “In these challenging times it is fantastic to see that transactions can be successfully completed. Chase is a great business and James has been key to driving that success over recent times. It was therefore a pleasure for myself and Adam Ames to advise James on completing the buy-out and we expect to see the business continue to go from strength to strength.”

Corporate Finance Partner at Bell & Buxton, Alex Ross added “Although funded corporate transactions have been difficult to complete since lockdown began, HSBC clearly bought into the ability of James as a manager and an individual and were very proactive in ensuring this deal was completed on pre-lockdown terms. James’ tenacity in ensuring the deal completed after months of delays should stand the business well in the future.”

James Thomas added “Having been in The Hardware & Ironmongery business for over 20 years and with Chase Hardware for the last 10 years, I am delighted to finally complete the management buy-out and to drive the business forward. We have a young dynamic team that are all excited to modernise the business, work more closely with our customers and firmly re-establish our identity in the market. Although it was a rollercoaster ride to get the deal done during such a difficult time, the company proved to be robust enough to trade successfully during the lockdown period. We reported continued growth and things are now looking even brighter for our future success.”
HSBC were advised by Duncan Shepherd of Wake Smith (legal advice) and Hawsons (financial due diligence), and the vendors were advised by Joanna Dawson of Dawson Radford Solicitors.

With a long-standing heritage of 130 years, Shorts has grown from a local business to a nationally recognised award-winning firm. Shorts 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, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

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