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Hundreds of kids take part in superhero walk for hospice

More than 1,300 children and adults got their capes on for Ashgate Hospice’s Superhero Night Walk in Chesterfield.

The walk, sponsored by Motan Colortronic, saw fundraisers descend on Queen’s Park for the event on Saturday 19 October.

Participants took on one and three-mile routes from 5.30pm to help raise funds towards the hospice’s care for families across North Derbyshire.

Sponsorship for the event is still rolling in, but the charity hopes to raise more than £50,000 to help fund its crucial palliative and end of life care.

Children taking part donned their favourite superhero costumes, with many families walking in memory of loved ones who had received care at the hospice.

Every child who registered for the event received a free superhero cape and a glow in the dark mask to wear as they walked the route with family members.

There was a host of entertainment on display including stilt walkers, big bubble displays, live singers and dancers, and more.

Dozens of volunteers gave up their time to support the hospice’s fundraising team to ensure everyone taking part was safe and had fun throughout.

Charlotte Butterworth, Head of Fundraising at Ashgate Hospice said: “After holding our first ever Superhero Night Walk last year we were thrilled to bring it back for a second year.

“Thank you to all of the little superheroes that raised sponsorship money and took part, they all looked absolutely fantastic in their costumes as they made their way around Queen’s Park.

“Everyone at the hospice is so incredibly grateful to all our volunteers, main sponsors Motan Colortronic and many other local businesses for their generosity and support – without them we couldn’t put on events like this.

“The support helps us raise the £11 million we need each year in order to fund our care for families across North Derbyshire.”

Ashgate Hospice’s Superhero Night Walk will be returning again next year with details set to be announced in the near future.

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

Kathryn and Logan superhero walk

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Regional tourism awards to be celebrated next spring

Shining stars of the East Midlands’ vibrant tourism industry will be celebrated at a prestigious joint awards ceremony hosted by Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, next spring.

It has been announced that the winners of the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards and the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards will be revealed at a glittering joint awards ceremony held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on 20 March 2025.

The region’s two Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) – Visit Nottinghamshire and Visit Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby – are joining forces to deliver the awards ceremony in partnership for the first time, to celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement across the tourism sector and give local businesses an opportunity to share their success stories, generate valuable publicity and reach new customers.

From B&Bs and visitor attractions to hotels, campsites and unique experiences, the diverse award categories reflect the breadth of the region’s tourism landscape.

The awards are held in partnership with VisitEngland and Gold winners will have the opportunity to progress onto the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025, which represent the highest accolades in English tourism.

The awards ceremony is supported by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) to celebrate the success of local tourism businesses whilst highlighting the sector’s vital £5.25BN of economic impact contribution to the East Midlands’ economy.

The evening will bring together 500 guests from across the region’s tourism, leisure, culture and hospitality industries, including shortlisted businesses from 30 overall awards categories plus local MPs, partners and stakeholders.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “One of my priorities is to boost tourism and celebrate our region’s heritage, vibrancy, culture and natural beauty through my Visit East Midlands campaign. This joint awards ceremony is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence in all aspects of tourism across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and I’m delighted to host and support these awards.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re excited to be joining forces with our LVEP partners in Nottinghamshire to deliver a glittering joint awards ceremony celebrating the very best of tourism in the East Midlands next spring.

“The Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are a celebration of the passionate, hardworking and innovative businesses who continually raise the bar of our world-class tourism offer. Not only do these awards showcase the sheer quality of our tourism products, but they also highlight the value of our visitor economy and the important role the industry plays in driving growth, creating jobs, and making the region such a great place to live, work and visit.

“The visitor economy is a vital yet often underappreciated asset of the East Midlands, and this event will help us harness the industry’s full potential so we can truly start to punch above our weight”.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “It’s great to see these two amazing Awards come together, ramping up the impact and value of entering for tourism businesses in Nottinghamshire, Peak District and Derbyshire.  These areas have truly outstanding national winners, and we look forward to welcoming the regional award winners to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2025. I wish all of those who enter the very best of luck.”

The 2025 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are sponsored by EV charging specialists VoltShare and Derbyshire-based C W Sellors Fine Jewellery & Luxury Watches, who will be designing and handcrafting luxury bespoke awards for all Gold winners. The Awards Ceremony is sponsored by Nottingham Venues.

For more details on the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards please visit: www.visitpeakdistrict.com/industry/events/category/tourism-awards.

Derbyshire and Derby tourism awards

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Shorts advisors support businesses to grow

Chesterfield-based accountancy practice Shorts continues to support businesses with financial advice, assisting in business acquisitions and helping one company transition to employee ownership.

The company recently advised Sheffield-based Abbeydale Brewery Ltd as it moved towards becoming an Employee Ownership Trust, strengthening the commitment to its talented team, safeguarding its long-standing values and securing the legacy of the business.

Shorts acted as lead advisors on the transaction, including valuation, fundraising, tax advice and project management.

Connor Marshall of Shorts added “It has been great to work alongside MD Law in transitioning such a well-known, acclaimed business into becoming an Employee-Owned Business. From the start the Shareholders and Senior Management Team wanted to do what was best for the employees and, with the implementation of the EOT, this solidifies the prospects of both the business and employees for the longer term. We all look forward to seeing the continued success of such a prominent Sheffield business.”

Elsewhere, Shorts has assisted in the expansion of AxFlow UK, advising on the acquisition of Moody Direct Ltd, a long-established supplier of solutions and services to the dairy, food & beverage, brewery, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors headquartered in Retford.

Shorts’ Corporate Finance team were lead advisers to Moody Direct and Wake Smith solicitors provided legal advice to the sellers.

Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Parner at Shorts, said: “We are delighted to have successfully concluded this transaction on behalf of the owners of Moody Direct, Ken and David. It has been a pleasure for our team of myself, Adam
Ames, Brian Gooch and Ahad Choudry to work with them on this international deal and we look forward to hearing of the continued success of this great business as it becomes part of the Swedish owned Axel Johnson AB Group, giving it access to further fantastic opportunities.”

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

Group of people working for financial advice firm and brewery smiling to camera

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Exciting news and initiatives to support Chesterfield communities, businesses and regeneration

Chesterfield Champions have once again been busy supporting our communities with charity initiatives, events, mental health support and more.

Find out the latest community news across our town in the roundup below:

Archeological Dig to take place in Staveley

Archaeological digging group

Before the next stage of canal restoration at Staveley, Chesterfield Canal Trust has engaged York Archaeology to organise an archaeological dig at Bellhouse Basin.

They will be on site from Monday 21st October to Friday 1st November.

As part of their work, they are asking for volunteers to help on Wednesday 23rd, Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October. It is possible they may also need help on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th.

On each day they will need six volunteers.

To volunteer, you must be of at least secondary school age and reasonably physically fit – certainly able to kneel for an hour or more at a time. If you are under 18, you must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Previous experience is not essential because you will get a full briefing, but it would be helpful.

You will need to wear old, robust clothes and have a decent pair of boots. Gloves, such as gardening gloves, would be a good idea. Tools and any other necessary equipment will be provided.

You will need to report to the site at 08.30 and you will finish by 16.00 at the latest. You should bring a packed lunch. Tea and coffee will be available.

If you would like to volunteer, email publicity@chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk stating on which day(s) you will be available.

Several other digs have taken place on the canal recently; to see them click here and here and here.

Boy, six, to conquer hospice’s Superhero walk for charity in memory of ‘amazing’ dad

Ashgate Hospice superhero walk

A six-year-old whose “Superman” dad died from a rare form of cancer will be taking on Ashgate Hospice’s Superhero Night Walk in tribute to the end of life care he received.

Fletcher Parkes was just 10 months old when his dad Gavin Parkes was diagnosed with a rare form of bladder cancer in August 2018.

Months later – after undergoing intense hospital treatment for the illness – doctors told him the devastating news that his cancer was incurable.

The kitchen fitter, from Sheffield, was admitted to the hospice’s Inpatient Unit in Chesterfield in March 2019, where he received round-the-clock specialist care.

Gavin and his partner Lori’s wedding had been planned for June, and they soon realised he was not going to make it to the date.

But staff and volunteers rallied together to ensure they could tie the knot at the hospice, with Fletcher by their side, just days before Gavin’s death on 4 April, aged 39.

Fletcher and Lori will join hundreds of others at the Superhero Night Walk fundraiser in Queen’s Park, Chesterfield on Saturday 19 October.

“It has been heartbreaking for us all,” said Lori, 30, from Chesterfield. “Gavin was the most amazing man and an incredible dad to Fletcher.

“I honestly can’t explain how much we appreciated everything that Ashgate did for us in those last few weeks.

“Once Gavin arrived at the hospice, I stayed there with him every night. They went above and beyond for our family.

“Ashgate set up our entire wedding for us – including a car, cake, drinks, hair and makeup. It was just fantastic and all our family and friends were there to see it.”

The family, who were living in Sheffield but moved to Chesterfield to get family support, also received care at home from Ashgate before he was admitted to the ward.

Fletcher is continuing to receive child bereavement support from the hospice’s counselling team.

He is getting set to don his favourite Superman costume, which is particularly fitting given Gavin had the theme song played at his funeral.

Lori, a teaching assistant at Tupton Hall School, added: “Fletcher is just starting to feel the impact of losing his dad at such a young age.

“He’s receiving child bereavement counselling from Emily at Ashgate which he loves so much!

“Fletcher wants to take part in the Superhero Night Walk so we can give something back to the hospice for everything they’ve done for us.

“He first did the event last year and loved it! He loves dressing up as Superman because that’s what he called his dad, and we even had the theme tune playing at the funeral.”

Since Gavin died, Lori’s family and friends have raised more than £10,000 to help fund end of life and palliative care for future families.

Tickets cost just £6 per child and adults go FREE – registrations must be made before 1pm on 17th October. The walk will start at 5:30pm, and doors will open at 4.30pm.

Every participating child will receive a fundraising pack, superhero cape, and a glow-in-the-dark mask to wear whilst taking part in the event.

Sign up or find out more about the Superhero Night Walk event on the the hospice’s website or call 01246 567 250.

Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s mental health initiative featured on TV

ChesterfieldFC (35)

Chesterfield FC Community Trust has picked up national media attention, for providing a room in the HUB at the SMH Group Stadium for the weekly Andy’s Man Club meetings.

Andy’s Man Club is a network set up to support men’s mental health The meetings take place from 7pm to 9pm every Monday. They are free to attend.

Take a look at the feature on Sky Sports, with organiser Pete Wilson and Trust chairman Mike Goodwin both interviewed.

Businesses encouraged to share their positive news with local media

Birdseye view of man sitting at a laptop

Businesses are encouraged to share their news with local media organisations to help promote their organisations.

The Derbyshire Times is urging local companies to help spread positivity around Chesterfield and beyond, by submitting their news via a new online portal.

The YourWorld portal is free to use, and provides businesses with an easy step-by-step process to share their stories.

Want to shout about your business achievements? Submit your story on the YourWorld portal here:

You can also share your news with Destination Chesterfield by emailing: info@chesterfield.co.uk

Phil Bramley, Editor of the Derbyshire Times commented: “The new portal on the DT site is a great way to let people across north Derbyshire know what’s going on with our fantastic local businesses.

“It’s simple to use and helps put our local businesses right at the heart of the community.”

The organisations featured in this article support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Immersive light show returns to Bolsover Castle

Bright Winter Nights will return to Bolsover Castle this November, illuminating the town’s iconic landmark and featuring a newly commissioned interactive digital art installation.

The immersive light experience was launched in 2023 by Junction Arts to mark the 30th anniversary of the lantern parade. This year, the event promises to be bigger and better, with three new light installations, co-created with the local community and specialist artists.

Bolsover Castle will once again come to life with live projections, images and sounds, celebrating local people, technology and art.

The centrepiece for this year’s Bright Winter Nights has been commissioned by the Bolsover Place Board and will feature a dazzling, interactive installation. It will be created in collaboration with Derbyshire storytellers Babbling Vagabonds, video projection artists Illuminos and young people in Bolsover.

The numerous light displays will feature a diverse range of voices, including an installation co-created by the LGBTQIA+ community via a national partnership with Dreamy Place, who stage festivals in Brighton and Crawley.

Participants from the PlatformThirty1 project ‘Know Your Neighbourhood’ will also see their work featured in Bright Winter Nights. The project is a creative community project designed to increase opportunities for connection for individuals and reduce loneliness. Through creative workshops in communal spaces, participants have explored a wide range of art forms, including painting, crochet, collage and embroidery.

Kylie North, Project Manager at Junction Arts said: “Bright Winter Nights is back, with more lights, more projections, more community involvement and more chances to engage with the artworks.

We’re excited to be working in partnership with so many great organisations to bring together one amazing event that will mark the start of the festive season. Every piece of content at Bright Winter Nights has been co-created by the community, working with professional artists – representing voices from all parts of Bolsover.”

“The concept of the event is the same as last year, but all the content is new for 2024, with more interactive elements for visitors to explore, immerse themselves in and enjoy. There’ll also be plenty of surprises, we can’t wait for people to come along and experience it.”

Nikki Waters, Bolsover Place Board member and General Manager of Hardwick Estate & Stainsby Mill said: “Bright Winter Nights is such a special and important event in the heart of Bolsover. It’s incredibly exciting that it is back for 2024, bigger and better than before. It will showcase the very best of what the district has to offer and will both attract visitors to the town and provide an important moment for local residents to come together and celebrate the place where they live and work. Bolsover is a thriving and dynamic place with so much to offer, and Bright Winter Nights celebrates and showcases the town and wider district at its very best.”

Joel Wileman from Bolsover Castle said: “At English Heritage, we’re striving to make new connections with the community through heritage and tell everyone’s story. Bright Winter Nights and Junction Arts’ wider work fits perfectly with this vision.

“Last year’s event was a sell-out, so we’re delighted to extend the ticket allocation to 1,000 for 2024, which promises to be a spectacular event. The Castle was built by William Cavendish for impressive celebrations and Bright Winter Nights will continue this trend in style.”

Junction Arts is organising the event in partnership with English Heritage and arts organisations Platform Thirty1, and videoclub. Bright Winter Nights is funded by Arts Council England and Bolsover District Council.

Tickets are the same price as last year, £2 per child and £3 for adults and are available to buy now: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/bright-winter-nights-29-nov-24/

Bright Winter Nights, The Bolsover Christmas Market and the Bolsover Lantern Parade are all part of the Bolsover Winter Festival – a weekend of festive fun that will take place on the 29th and 30th of November.

Looking for things to do with the family in Chesterfield? Check out our events page to find out more: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/events/

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

Bolsover Castle lit up in immersive colours

 

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Progress continues on multi-million-pound refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall

The multi-million pound refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall – which will create a state-of-the-art cultural venue in the heart of Chesterfield town centre – is progressing at pace.

Representatives from Chesterfield Borough Council were provided with a behind-the-scenes tour to review progress and see how work to transform the building has been progressing.

Leading Midlands construction firm, G F Tomlinson, took control of the site last year and has been working to achieve the ambitious plans which include creating a single entrance to both facilities, an expanded theatre, a reconfigured museum, community spaces and a new café bar.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “The building has changed dramatically since December 2023 and the work so far is starting to show how this building will feel when it is completed. I’m excited to welcome residents and visitors back to this venue once it is completed and think it will be a truly spectacular experience that we can all be proud of.

“This is an ambitious project for our borough and there is a lot of hard work still to do, but it will create a truly unique building where residents and visitors can experience culture and learn about the history of our borough.”

Group of people wearing hard hats and high visibility clothing outside building with scaffolding on exterior

Adrian Grocock, Group Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re pleased with how works are progressing for the delivery of the multi-million-pound sensitive refurbishment of the Grade II Listed Stephenson Memorial Hall and you can really see the pivotal stages taking place to breathe new life into the Corporation Street site.

“Once complete, the landmark state-of-the-art facility in the town centre will be revitalised with its expanded theatre, reconfigured museum and improved community spaces, bringing many new opportunities to the local vicinity for arts and entertainment.”

In the auditorium the changes are significant – the circle has been stripped back, with the decorative panelling being safely stored ready to be reinstalled once the project is complete. and new steelwork brought into the building ready to build an enlarged seating area.

Cut outs have also been made in the walls to create a new access point to the circle from the upper floor of the new café bar. New entrances to the auditorium on the ground floor have been created and a new concrete slab has been laid on the auditorium floor which will allow for the installation of a new air conditioning system that provides heating and cooling for theatre guests.

A new accessible lift shaft has been built that will ensure all guests can access every floor of the building including the circle which will include new accessible seating and the basement where a Changing Places toilet will be created.

On the Corporation Street side, part of the roof has been removed ready for a new Link Gallery to be installed. This will house rooms that can be used for events, school trips, and community activities, and as extra space during performance intervals.

As well as upgrading the facilities, much of the work is also about improving the fabric of the historic building to protect it for generations to come, and ensure it is more energy efficient. This has included improvements to the roof, where the existing roof tiles have been lifted, and upgrades to the structure, lining and insulation have been installed to help improve the thermal efficiency of the building and ensure the roof is watertight for many years to come.

Works have also included the cleaning of external brickwork and some re-pointing to restore the building its original splendour.

On Station Back Lane a new extension is being built which will house dressing rooms and a new backstage area to provide performers with modern accessible facilities. A new foundation has been laid and the blockwork in this area is progressing well.

In Autumn 2021 Chesterfield Borough Council received almost £20 million from the Government’s Levelling Up fund.

A portion is being used to improve connections across the town centre and create attractive public spaces to support a range of events and markets. Work began on the Market Place earlier this year.

Around £11 million of the Levelling Up Fund grant funding will be used to fund the renovation and remodelling of Stephenson Memorial Hall.

The project received a further funding boost with £695,000 from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme which will be used to install a ventilation system in the auditorium and create a new Changing Places toilet.

Find out more about the project and sign up for updates about the project by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/revitalise

Auditorium being refurbished with machinery and building materials

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New sports shop opens at Chesterfield Market Hall

A brand-new shop has opened in Chesterfield’s historic Market Hall, selling sports equipment, clothing and health products.

Fearless Sports started off selling boxing equipment, before expanding into selling all sports goods including trainers, t-shirts, hoodies, sports and health supplements.

The business started off as an online enterprise, but has since moved into the Market Hall to expand its footprint.

Neil Siddall, Co-Founder of Fearless explained how the idea for the business came about: ” I started boxing at the age of 10 with Pat Bogle at his Barrowhill boxing club, I then joined the Army at the age of 17 again getting involved with boxing, sailing, scuba diving, rock climbing and Mai Thai to name a few.

“After 29 years in the Regular Army ( still do it part-time) I found myself working in Kenya and got involved with a local Kenyan boxing team and decided to help them develop. To help the young boxers mentally prepare for fights, I came up with the concept of fighting fearlessly.

“After a while, business partner Kieran and I decided it would be a good name for a sports brand. We talked the idea through and decided to give it a go and make our own boxing equipment and clothing, spread the word about how to be fearless in sports and hopefully keep helping young people to develop in sport.

Speaking about why he chose Chesterfield as the town to launch the business, Neil added: “Both myself and Kieran grew up in Brimington, sons to miners so it fits that the first fearless sports shop should open in Chesterfield.

“The area is growing fast, especially in sports with new gyms opening all the time – and also with the peak district on our doorstep and sports tourism increasing year on year, we’re optimistic about the business and its future in Chesterfield.”

Ryan Wilkes, Destination Chesterfield Board Member said: “It’s great to see Fearless Sports adding yet another great shopping option to Chesterfield Market Hall.

“The Market Hall has seen several new independent traders opening their businesses in recent months, which shows continuing business confidence in our high streets.

“On behalf of Destination Chesterfield, I’d like to wish Fearless Sports plenty of growth and success in the coming months and years.”

For more information, visit the Fearless Sports website at: www.fearless-sports.co.uk

Looking to launch your retail business here in Chesterfield? Find out more at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

Fearless Sports market hall stall showcasing sportswear, accessories and supplements

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Calls made for government funding to unlock regeneration in Staveley

Politicians and businesses are calling for government funding to help bring forward the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route (CSRR), to ensure a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revitalise several former north Derbyshire mining communities is not missed.

The proposed 6km road would unlock the development of the former Staveley Works site for new housing, commercial units and community spaces, and also the former Staveley Chemical Works site for employment uses. Investment in the new road would also align with many of the projects currently being delivered through the £25.2 million Staveley Town Deal.

Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader, Councillor Tricia Gilby, was joined by local MPs Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) and Louise Jones (North East Derbyshire), plus officer representatives from Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, and landowners Harworth Group and The Devonshire Group, on a recent site visit to discuss the enormous potential of the Staveley Growth Corridor in terms of new homes, new jobs, a new primary school and new leisure opportunities centred on the Chesterfield Canal.

Harworth Group and The Devonshire Group have both submitted planning applications to Chesterfield Borough Council to develop their respective parts of the former Staveley Works site, which if fulfilled could generate an additional £205 million of spend per annum into the local economy. In addition, The Devonshire Group is exploring how it can redevelop the adjacent former Staveley Chemical Works site for employment uses.

These proposals are dependent on the delivery of the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route, which if constructed will also unlock other regeneration and development opportunities in the Staveley area, relieve road congestion and improve air quality.

The former Staveley Chemical Works site together with the former Hartington Colliery site are also earmarked for inclusion in the proposed East Midlands Investment Zone – where the priority will be to attract new green technology and advance manufacturing businesses and create new high-quality jobs for local people.

Funding for the road project is currently being considered by the Department for Transport.

Many of the region’s political leaders have signalled their support for the new route and the regeneration that would be unlocked by it, including East Midlands Combined County Authority Mayor Claire Ward, who visited the site in July.

Toby Perkins MP said: “The Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route is vitally important to the regeneration of Staveley and alongside improving traffic flows for everyone, it is likely to lead to thousands of new jobs and hundreds of new homes. It is important that money is found to complete the detailed land investigation work which is needed to provide certainty on the costs of the clean-up and construction. And after that we need confirmed approval that the funding for the road will be made available. I will be stressing the importance of this to the new Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, alongside our new Mayor Claire Ward and other local politicians and business leaders.”

Louise Jones MP said: “There is huge potential for the Regeneration Route to unlock the homes and jobs that our community needs. I’m determined that we grab this opportunity with both hands – I’ll be working with Toby Perkins, Claire Ward and our local councils to secure the funding we need to get the project up and running.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We couldn’t be better placed to realise the enormous potential of the Staveley Growth Corridor. The public and private sector are fully aligned in terms of their shared commitment to delivering 1,300 new homes and separately building a commercial estate that will support the creation of 6,400 new jobs over a five to ten-year horizon.

“Our collective ability to do this is however reliant on government support for the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route and trying to secure this is a priority action. It is therefore very encouraging to have the full support of our local MPs and East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward.

“We want Chesterfield to be a thriving borough and working together as partners we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver long-lasting change and future prosperity for communities that are still recovering from the decline of mining and other traditional industries.”

Councillor Carolyn Renwick, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “The Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route is one of the most significant economic growth opportunities in the East Midlands. It has the capacity to deliver the government’s growth agenda by reclaiming brownfield land and facilitating forward jobs, homes and environmental benefits at scale, ensuring an old industrial site is brought back to life.

“With our partners, Chesterfield Borough Council, Harworth Estates and The Devonshire Group, we want to work with government to deliver this transformational investment that will bring widespread benefits to communities along the Staveley Corridor and join the dots with other strategic investments in Chesterfield and across Derbyshire’s northern growth zone.”

Jo Neville, Harworth Group’s regional head of planning, said: “The walkaround the site and the previous visits from the East Midlands Mayor earlier in the summer show real commitment from the region’s leaders to addressing local housing need and creating opportunities for communities.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our partners in Chesterfield to deliver at Staveley Works and hope the government recognises the strategic case for investing in this part of the country as part of its national growth agenda.”

Andy Byrne, Group Property Development Director at The Devonshire Group, said: “We are committed to helping bring the successful regeneration of this once thriving industrial heartland to fruition, so it is reassuring to see and hear the continued support of local politicians. With plans submitted and the support from local stakeholders, we’re raring to get started, so all that’s left is commitment from the Department for Transport to help deliver the new route and unlock this once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

Staveley regeneration route campaign - politicians viewing plans for new road

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Chesterfield design agency nominated as finalists for prestigious business awards

A Chesterfield-based design agency has recently been shortlisted for two prestigious awards, in business and entrepreneurship.

Led by Natalie Burkinshaw (Founder and Creative Director), Crush is a design agency that works to support local businesses through to global corporations with impactful branding, design, website development and marketing support.

This month, the agency has been shortlisted for the regional East Midlands Business Awards, under the category ‘Creative and Media’, whilst the agency founder, Natalie, has been shortlisted for the national, female-championing Novi Awards, under the category ‘Female Entrepreneur’.

As an independent agency working in an environment of 25,000 other UK agencies, these awards prove to be a testament to Crush’s expertise and experience within the creative sector.

From rebranding Chesterfield Borough Council to building the new Ministry of Sound website, Crush’s ethos centres around their motto of ‘Global reach, Local love’. This ethos, too, is reflected in these awards themselves, as an agency nominated for both a regional business award, and a national award honouring the impact of female leadership, innovation and entrepreneurism in business.

Taking place in October this year, the East Midlands Business Awards is an annual event that brings together inspirational business leaders from the local region, recognising shared business success. With several categories, including Creative and Media, the awards aim to unite organisations from across a wide range of different sectors and specialisms to come together in a celebration of excellence in business.

On the other hand, The Novi Awards are specific awards aimed at celebrating female leaders and championing change in business. A 100% female-owned, global community of women, Novi recognises women amongst a variety of categories such as entrepreneurs, leaders, rising stars, mentors and many more. The Novi Leadership Summit and Awards  takes place in London later this year.

Natalie Burkinshaw, Founder and Creative Director at Crush said: “I am exceptionally proud of the whole team. They each bring a unique quality to Crush and it’s a genuine delight to see what they create and deliver for our clients. Entering awards is not something we have ever done before but this year I wanted to really celebrate the team’s hard work and dedication. Becoming finalists in our first two submissions is an absolute honour, not to mention a terrific surprise.”

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

Woman with dark hair sat at desk with apple mac in front of her

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BHP invests in future talent with 34 new trainees

Chesterfield-based independent accountancy firm BHP has welcomed 34 new trainees.

This latest intake includes 17 graduates, nine non-graduates and eight placement students. All of the trainees will take part in BHP’s successful training programme, which is run across each of BHP’s five offices, and all its service lines. The programme provides an opportunity for those looking to break into the finance industry to gain hands-on experience while studying for their professional qualifications.

For the past five years, the BHP training programme has helped over 200 professionals build thriving careers. This year’s programme included a two-week induction, where the entire cohort came together with past trainees and team members from all five of BHP’s offices to share experiences and learnings.

Karen Arch, chief people officer at BHP, said: “At BHP, we’re passionate about nurturing and developing the skills of young professionals looking to break through and leave their mark on the finance industry.

“One of the core values at BHP is about having a positive impact, whether that be on our clients, the communities in which we work or the lives of people who work here. Our trainee programme is key to this as not only through each intake do we help create the next generation of advisors, we also ensure that our clients and our own business are able thrive – not just today, but long into the future.

“Being certified as a Great Place to Work® we pride ourselves on being a supportive workplace that always keeps the wellbeing and future success of our people at the forefront of our business.”

Looking for support to upskill your workforce? Get in touch with us today and we’ll refer you to the right people to help your business grow.

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

Large group of accountancy trainees wearing formal attire in a large huddle

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Apprenticeship events aim to help young people discover career pathways

A series of three events aim to help young people and their and parents and carers learn more about apprenticeships and the options available to them after completing school.

After a successful first year there will be three more Apprenticeship and Technical Education Information Events held in venues around Chesterfield between October 2024 and May 2025.

All three events include information around construction, manufacturing and engineering and health and social care sectors. They will include a question-and-answer panel and the opportunity to speak with Young Apprentice ambassadors to gain a full understanding of different opportunities within these sectors once completing formal education.

The events are organised by Chesterfield Borough Council, the East Midlands Combined County Authority Careers Hub and Workpays.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said: “We saw lots of young people and their parents come along to these events last year because they provide a fantastic opportunity to find out more about apprenticeships. This information allows young people to make informed decisions about their future and reassures parents about the opportunities available to their child.

“Working in partnership with East Midlands Combined County Authority Careers Hub, the ASK programme and local businesses is crucial to ensuring that the information provided at the event is relevant to people in Chesterfield and can help create a pipeline of talented school leavers that can help local businesses to grow.”

There will be three events held over the next year. The first will be held at Staveley Miner’s Welfare Football Club from 6pm to 7.15pm on Wednesday 23 October, the next event will be at Hasland Village Hall on 26 February 2025 and the final event will be held at the SMH Group Stadium on 21 May 2025.

Will Morlidge, Interim Executive Director of Inclusive Growth at East Midlands Combined County Authority, said: “Apprenticeships are a great way for many young people – and older workers – to better understand not only what businesses are looking for, but also to understand their own motivations and strengths. That empowers learners to make smart choices about their future career, and we know that being in the learning environment or job that is right for an individual hugely increases the likelihood of completing the learning or sticking with an employer. It’s vital that we keep getting the message out to learners and employers an apprenticeship can be a smart move for the learner and an excellent value for money investment for a business.”

Tina Patel, from the ASK programme, said: “After the successful events from last year, these   events will provide information and guidance on how to look for the opportunities available in construction, manufacturing, and health sectors. I am looking forward to meeting you all at these events, to support parents and young people to look at all the opportunities available and to answer any questions. We have an ASK ambassador who will be attending, who can support with searching for local vacancies and provide resources.”

All three events for the next year have been listed on the Chesterfield Borough Council website.

Careers event at Staveley MWFC

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