Love Chesterfield

Chesterfield Area Walking Festival returns for 2022

The Chesterfield Area Walking Festival is returning for another year, with residents and visitors being encouraged to get outdoors and enjoy what the area has to offer.

The annual festival – taking place from Saturday 14 May to Sunday 22 May – features a variety of gentle strolls, family walks and hikes for those who are more experienced. Tickets for the festival will be available to book from Tuesday 1 March.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “The festival really offers something for everyone to enjoy. We have so many beautiful countryside locations around Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire, so taking part in this event is a great way to explore some new places or visit your favourite locations with friends and family.

“The festival is really popular and regularly sells out. If any of the events interest you, then book your ticket as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.”

There will be a variety of walks to take part in – including Big Hikes such as The Chesterfield Round, Bolsover Boundary Walk and Ogston and Ashover Circular.

Evening walks such as Railway, Rother and Return or Hidden Treasures, which give walkers an opportunity to find out some interesting stories from inside Spital Cemetery, will also be taking place.

The popular Boots and Boat walks return allowing walkers to combine a canal side wander with a short boat ride.

There are a range of family friendly walks such as the Queen’s Park Buggy Walk, the Family Fun Wildlife Walk and the Family Adventure Journey.

Last year’s event was a huge success, with many more people embracing the outdoors due to the pandemic.

To ensure the festival can be delivered safely, there are a limited number of tickets available for each walk. Please note that booking is essential and anyone who has not booked an advance place may be turned away.

To book tickets for the festival visit: www.chesterfieldwalkingfestival.co.uk

There are also many other self-led walks available all year round in and around the borough. To find out more about these visit: www.visitchesterfield.info/walking

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

Rebel Menswear expands into new town centre store

An independent men’s’ clothing business which has traded in Chesterfield Town Centre for more than 20 years has expanded into a new store.

Rebel Menswear is a family-run business, known for being based on Burlington Street for the last two decades, but has now moved into a larger unit on the corner of High Street and Packer’s Row after outgrowing the previous premises.

The shop was previously occupied by Greggs, before the national chain’s expansion onto Burlington Street, allowing Rebel to showcase even more of it’s product range in-store.

Brands available to buy at Rebel include designers such as Pretty Green and Armani, and the store features a suiting and shirting department, as well as selling jeans and footwear.

The new shop will be spread over two floors, with the ground floor showcasing brand collections including Mastrum, Marshall Artist, EA7 and plenty more.

The first floor will house the suits, shirting and shoes department leading onto a men’s lounge area, which will have a relaxed feel for wedding parties and groups.

Store owner Raj Dhir commented: We have upcycled a lot of the material that has been used and the look of the store will be something completely different to anything there is in Chesterfield or nationally.

“Our aim is to create a shopping experience engaging in the senses, in a relaxed environment where our customers can pop in for chat or for a two-hour shopping experience. We believe in Chesterfield, and that’s why we are spending roughly £500,000 on the store.

“Chesterfield as a community and town centre has always supported us so it’s only right we invest back in the town centre and community. We believe the future of Chesterfield Town is bright and will only get brighter as more investment is made into the town centre.

Rebel’s new store is planning to officially open on Saturday, 5th march at 11am but in the meantime are open for wedding bookings.

Find out more about shopping in Chesterfield Town Centre here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/shopping/

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

Have your say on business in Chesterfield

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

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

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

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

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

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

The survey will close at the end of February 2022.

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

School pupils work towards making our town a better place

Pupils at Highfield Hall Primary School have been exploring how we can all work together to improve Chesterfield and create a more sustainable town as part of a new local democracy learning programme.

Taking place from 17 January, the children drew up ideas about how they think the local area, including the town centre and Queen’s Park, could be improved – and then had the chance to share their thoughts at a special question and answer session with Chesterfield Borough Council councillors.

Aimed at pupils aged between 6 to 11 years, the project is designed to help them think about how working together as a community can contribute to big changes for the future with a focus on sustainability. It also supports the wider curriculum including their English language skills.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, deputy leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We are proud to be able to support this pilot project as part of our local democracy outreach work.

“This has been a fantastic opportunity for local school children to learn more about our borough and contribute their ideas as part of the curriculum. They were all really enthusiastic about the project and had some great ideas for ways we could improve our town and make it more sustainable. I look forward to reading their letters in more detail and seeing if we can introduce any of their suggestions.”

Cllr Serjeant attended the school with ward members Cllr Jill Mannion-Brunt and Cllr Tom Murphy, who accompanied the children on a visit to the town centre and answered questions the children had about the council.

The pupils had some great ideas including public water fountains, reducing in traffic in the town centre, rewarding recycling and encouraging people to walk and cycle more. They had a real interest in sustainability and this was a key discussion topic during the question-and-answer session with their local councillors.

Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Cllr Tricia Gilby, has created a video thanking the pupils for their efforts. The council will also consider some of the suggestions made by the children and see how they can be realised.

To come up with their ideas, the pupils used the booklet “How to make your town a better place”, developed by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Through this booklet, the Congress wants to help children better understand the concept of sustainability and encourage them to share their ideas with their local authority. The pupils at Highfield Hall Primary School helped pilot and test this booklet.

The teachers will now feedback to the Congress on the content of the pilot programme and make recommendations for any improvements. In March, the final learning tool will be adopted by the Congress and be made available for children to use in towns and cities from all 47 members of the Council of Europe.

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

Junction Arts appeals for volunteers to get involved in community events

Junction Arts is looking for Chesterfield residents to help with a number of community projects and events, which help bring people together across the town.

The local Charity which helps to celebrate our community through the arts and other creative projects, is looking for people to help with initiatives ranging from supporting family art workshops, visitor support at festivals and parades, and assisting project coordinators in the set up of these vital projects.

Junction Arts says no previous experience is needed, just a willingness to get involved and have some fun. The charity has a number of events lined up throughout 2022, with voluntary roles available in February and March. Opportunities include behind the scenes event prep and site specific live art events.

Upcoming events include the Love Bolsover event in Bolsover Town Centre on Saturday, 26th February and the Bolsover Artisan and Craft Market on Saturday 19th March.

Katie Petraitis originally started with Junction Arts as a volunteer and is now the lead artist at the Bolsover Lantern Parade. She commented: “I’ve been volunteering for Junction Arts for over 10 years, and it is always a fun, varied and worthwhile experience. I volunteer because I believe that having access to creative experiences is important for everybody.

“Creative activities allow people a space to pause, think, reflect and express themselves, and the better supported these activities are, the more enjoyable and fulfilling they are for the participants.

“Junction Arts provide workshops and activities which are accessible in a way which gallery-based or city-based experiences might not be, and encourage shared creative experiences in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

“No creative experience happens without people supporting it, and through volunteering for Junction Arts I’ve met some amazing people and learnt lots of brilliant new skills.”

All volunteers are given a free Junction Arts T-shirt and have their travel expenses to the project or event covered. Anyone interested in volunteering for the charity is invited to contact the team by emailing hannah@junctionarts.org.

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.

 

Posted in Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

Superior Wellness adds two new brands to its growing portfolio

Chesterfield’s Superior Wellness has announced the launch of two new brands for 2022, both welcomed extensions to its growing brand portfolio.

The two new brands, AquaSolus and Fiji Spas, will offer improved choice, innovation and exceptional designs.

AquaSolus is Superior Wellness’ most high-end product offering in its ten-year history. The new hot tubs from this range will be marketed to prospective partners looking to expand their product offering.

Superior Wellness, the world’s fastest growing hot tub manufacturer, currently offers a wide range of hot tubs and swim spas from leading brands including Platinum Spas, Be Well, Thermals Spas and California Spas.

The two new brands were recently soft launched at SPATEX: The Pool, Spa & Wellness Show 2022. Superior Wellness proudly showcased a variety of hot tubs at the show. Six of the models displayed were completely new to the market for 2022.

AquaSolus

AquaSolus, meaning ‘health through water’ in Latin, is the essence of what users will experience with this range. The hot tubs have been developed with wellness and hydrotherapy at the forefront, offering the most premium hot tub range from the Superior Wellness portfolio yet.

The range encompasses various well sculptured models, from all seater models to models with one lounger. There are six hot tubs in total, all which are named after famous lakes from across globe.

The moulds and placements of jets have been carefully crafted to offer a world-class hydrotherapy experience. AquaSolus will help Superior Wellness and its global partner network attract a completely new target market.

Fiji Spas

Fiji Spas, the new Canadian built hot tub range from Superior Wellness, brings together quality engineering alongside industry leading materials and experienced manufacturing.

The hot tubs have been carefully designed with the end user in mind offering a selection of family orientated hot tubs that incorporate a range of benefits to suit all customer requirements. Fiji Spas encompasses various well sculptured models, from a compact single lounger to a 3-hydrotherapy pump social seater.

Graham Message, Business Development Manager at Superior Wellness, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to launch the new brands at SPATEX this year. This was our first return since the 2020 show, and it was fantastic to return with such a strong presence.

“The response we received from prospect partners was incredibly positive. We are excited about the latest additions to our brand portfolio and are confident that both AquaSolus and Fiji Spas will offer customers across the globe improved choice and exceptional hydrotherapy.

“We welcome any new partners who are interested in partnering with Superior Wellness to reach out to us. There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the journey.”

In addition to the new brands, Platinum Spas, the long-standing flagship brand by Superior Wellness, has also launched three new hot tubs for 2022. The Marseille, Monaco and Mykonos are the latest additions to the Platinum Spas premium range. The Monaco hot tub was proudly displayed on the Superior Wellness stand at SPATEX 2022.

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

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

Peak Edge Hotel wins prestigious wedding award

Chesterfield’s four-star hotel, Peak Edge, has been awarded the best wedding venue in Derbyshire courtesy of the ‘2022 Hitched Wedding Awards’.

Hitched, the online wedding planning platform, celebrate the UKs most spectacular wedding venues and suppliers, honouring vendors for their professionalism, quality of work, flexibility, and customer service. As one of Derbyshire’s leading wedding venues, Peak Edge was recognised for its unrivalled location on the edge of the Peak District alongside the recent developments to refurbish their event spaces.

Boasting panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, the renovation works completed have transformed the existing orangery suite, into the new Oak Room, which can accommodate over 200 wedding guests, featuring a grand fireplace, open sky lights with vaulted chandeliers and outdoor private terrace area and pagoda. The award also recognised the service provided by the dedicated wedding team and the 2 AA rosette food served featuring produce direct from the local area.

Senior Wedding & Events Coordinator, Michelle Bartle, said ‘We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded best venue in Derbyshire. We’ve been working incredibly hard to deliver the most special of days to each of our couples, despite the ever-changing Covid-19 restrictions over the past year. With business returning to usual, this award has given us the best motivation to head into 2022 ready to create another year full of wonderful experiences.’

Developments continue to evolve at Peak Edge, including ongoing refurbishments to renovate adjoining function suite, The Ashover, with a new bespoke bar, private toilet facilities and outdoor terrace space.

The hotels sister property, Casa Hotel, located in Chesterfield’s town centre, also hosts two fully licensed ceremony suites for up to 200 guests along with 100 bedrooms, including four balcony hot tub and sauna suites.

For all enquiries and further information regarding weddings at Peak Edge, visit www.peakedgehotel.co.uk or email weddings@peakedgehotel.co.uk

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

 

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

“We all have a role to play in ensuring that Chesterfield is future-proofed”

Destination Chesterfield Chair, Peter Swallow has published his latest blog focusing on the importance of skills and job creation in the town.

2022 certainly kicked off in style (pun intended) with a trip to Chelsea for Chesterfield FC in the FA Cup.

In what was the ultimate David and Goliath match, Chesterfield FC’s players battled bravely to the end and did themselves proud. However, we must not overlook the fans- Thousands of Spireites travelled to Stamford Bridge and their conduct, friendliness, and optimism made them the ultimate ambassadors for the town. I could not have been more proud of Chesterfield on this historic day.

The conduct of players and fans helped raised the profile of our town in a very positive way, not just nationally but internationally with goodwill messages being received from as far afield as Africa and Russia.

At the 80th minute it would have been easier for the players to sit back and prevent more goals. Not our players, they battled on to score a precious goal against the reigning European champions, sending the fans back home with a smile on their face.

Doesn’t this mirror Chesterfield’s response to the pandemic?

Two years, the town could have bunkered down and ridden out the pandemic. Instead, we chose to forge ahead with existing plans and came up with innovative solutions to ensure Chesterfield continued to grow and develop in the face of adversity.

During the pandemic, Chesterfield has attracted more than £30million in government funding to help revitalise the town centre and regenerate Staveley. Most importantly jobs and opportunities will be created for thousands of young people in the borough.

The last two years have been extremely challenging for students and employers, and it has never been more important to work together to ensure Chesterfield has the skills to grow and recover from those challenges.

We’re committed to creating jobs for local people, which is why, with more than 16,000 students in North Derbyshire set to gain their GCSE and A level qualifications in the next five years, it’s important that they are work ready and know about the opportunities – like apprenticeships – available to them when they leave education.

The annual Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Employability & Skills Conference, which this year fell during National Apprenticeship Week – plays a big role in this.

Organised by Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield with support from Derbyshire North Careers Hub, it continues to strengthen links between education providers and local businesses. Apprenticeships, alongside university and college all take equal billing at the conference, recognising the importance each of them plays in ensuring the town has a skilled workforce.

However, let’s not wait for a conference and awareness week to highlight the importance and value of apprenticeships. Make sure young people around you are aware of apprenticeships and the value they bring to their personal and professional development and the town’s prosperity.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that Chesterfield is future-proofed. Having a skilled workforce is key to ensure our town continues to thrive for generations to come.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Love Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

Chesterfield FC Community Trust agrees partnership to enhance education offer

A partnership has been agreed between Chesterfield FC Community Trust and TEAM Education Trust to greatly enhance the Community Trust’s alternative provision offering.

Led by Matt Morris, who is the education & inclusion manager at TEAM Education Trust, the two organisations will develop a pathway to Ofsted accreditation, with the aim of achieving that within two years.

Commenting on the link-up, Morris said: “There’s a real magic here at Chesterfield Football Club. They’re offering something special and that’s why we at TEAM Education Trust really want to be involved.”

Sarah Baker, the CEO of TEAM Education Trust, added: “This is an exciting partnership which will offer lots of opportunities for our students and staff. It will also support those coming to the club from other schools from across Derbyshire and the young people who are working within Chesterfield FC Community Trust as part of their alternative provision.

“For us, it’s about quality, inclusive education. Between us both, we’re going to be supporting some amazing learning for young people and developing activities designed to motivate and inspire our students.

“We’ll be working with the Community Trust to help them to ensure their provision is of an excellent standard and to secure better outcomes for the young people across this area.”

Martin Thacker, director and trustee of the Community Trust, believes it is a fantastic opportunity for the organisation to move forward with its alternative provision.

He said: “Over a period of time, we’ve done some excellent work with young people who aren’t in schools, for whatever reason.

“This club has become their oasis – a place for them to come to and feel secure and safe and enjoy what they’re doing while they’re not in school.

“This development will mean that there’s an increase in the quality of water in that oasis. It’s so exciting and we’re really glad to be doing this.”

Chesterfield FC Community Trust supports 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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Businesses set to move into Chesterfield’s new Glassyard development

One of Chesterfield’s exciting new developments, The Glassyard is beginning to welcome businesses on-site with a local hairdresser confirmed as one of the companies set to move into a retail unit there.

A move to The Glassyard has enabled MD Hair to take the business to the next level after operating as a sole trader for five years.

The Glass Yard is a 50,000sq ft development comprising a mix of office and retail space as well as an artisan food and drink hall, known as the Batch House – set to open in February.

The move to The Glass Yard on Sheffield Road, has seen MD Hair grow from sole trader status to a team of three.

Michelle Dalman, Director of MD Hair commented: “I’m really excited to see more businesses moving into The Glass Yard. I am already delighted with the number of new clients we’ve had through the door. Now, it’s all about building the brand and moving forward from there.”

Despite having grown from a sole trader working in premises on Mansfield Road, to a salon with eight chairs, Michelle already has further plans for future growth. She explained: “We’re already thinking about how we can grow. We’ve got room here and I would like to add another salon in the near future.

“We’d also love to open a training academy and be able to offer in house apprenticeships. All our staff have got higher training and that’s important to us. We’re offering a luxury, premium service here and want customers to have more than just a haircut – it’s an experience.”

Sheffield-based property law specialist Mason Thomas Law assisted in her move to the brand new, bespoke premises at The Glass Yard. Mason Thomas Law worked closely with Blue Deer Ltd, to secure the lease deal on behalf of MD Hair.

Michelle explained: “The team at Mason Thomas Law has been amazing. Not knowing anything about the legal side of things, they have really helped me understand everything by breaking everything down into Layman’s terms. Jumping from being a sole trader to this is quite a big leap, so it’s good to have their support.”

Cathy Thomas, Director and Solicitor at Mason Thomas Law said: “It’s been great to see the growth of MD Hair and we’re thrilled to help the business move into its new premises. As well as acquiring new premises, Michelle was upscaling the business at the same time, so it was important to us that we made the lease negotiations at The Glass Yard as straightforward as possible for her. It’s an exciting time for Michelle and her team and we all wish he well and look forward to seeing the business thrive.”

To learn more about how Mason Thomas Law can help you, get in touch with the team today on 0114 2945 360.

 

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

West Studios marks landmark anniversary for tenant Junction Arts with Christmas giving tree

This year, to celebrate West Studios tenant and charity, Junction Arts 45th Anniversary, West Studios are hosting their first Christmas Giving Tree celebrating the work they have done across North East Derbyshire, Bolsover district and Chesterfield.

Junction Arts is a community arts charity embedded within communities facing social barriers such as poverty, poor mental health and isolation. They work across the community in care homes, schools, youth clubs and directly with families offering opportunities to be creative, learn new skills and create lasting and supportive friendships. Best known for their events Tapton Lock Festival and Bolsover Lantern Parade, the charity is also hosting Chesterfield’s first lantern parade on the 19th December.

West Studios is supporting Junction Arts campaign to raise £3000 this Christmas to go towards new projects and events to celebrate what matters most to communities across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Joby Parsons, Events & Sales Coordinator, West Studios said: “Junction Arts are a fantastic organisation that uses the arts to bring communities together and help our most isolated and vulnerable. Their values align closely with those of West Studios which is why our community believes it’s so important to give them support, especially at Christmas when those isolated and vulnerable individuals are at more risk.”

Hannah Bowdler, Relationship Fundraiser at Junction Arts commented: “Through the generous support of individuals, local businesses and our incredible volunteers, Junction Arts has been able to carry our aim of bringing our communities back together safely and confidently in 2021! The support of the West Studios Giving Tree signifies our plans to continue vital creative activities which empower lives and create strong and supportive friendships within our communities.”

To support Junction Arts, West Studios is welcoming people to visit the Gallery Shop reception to see the tree, donate and find out more about the charity.  You can also donate directly through Junction Arts online giving page:  https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/18702#!/DonationDetails

Donations will support local creative workshops giving isolated and vulnerable older people the chance to reconnect with their community; help the charity to create events that give young families the space and time to make magical memories together; and offer opportunities for young people to learn new skills, building their confidence to reach new heights.

West Studios and Junction Arts support 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, Celebrate Chesterfield, Christmas, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,