Author: Tara Underhill

Discover Derbyshire with New Free App

A new free app has been launched to reveal local stories and hidden secrets from across Derbyshire.

Designed to boost tourism locally, the app, named ‘Discover Derbyshire & Peak District,’ is now ready to download after more than 10 years of research and design by Derbyshire-based company Audio Trails Ltd.

It allows visitors to discover 200 ‘hidden gems’ around the county and uses satellite location technology to display places of interest close to where they are standing.

People can unlock hidden walking trails and listen to local residents’ personal stories that bring the past to life.  Using archive photography, the app also allows users to fade old images into their device’s camera view and see how today’s scene has changed compared with the past.

Ann Wright, Head of Arts at Derbyshire County Council said:-

“We want people to discover things they may not know about Derbyshire, such as which local suburb was built by Russian wrestlers, or which town liquorice allsorts were invented in and this app will help them do that.

“It emphasises our county’s attractions in an innovative way which is easy for people to use while out and about using their own phone or tablet.”

Audio Trails Creative Director Dan Boys said:

“We’re really pleased to be part of a project like this that combines history with personal accounts and pictures.

“It’s great working in partnership with the council and staff such as countryside rangers who have shared their in-depth knowledge about places such as Linacre Reservoirs and the former industries along Five Pits Trail.

“The idea of the app is to bring personal stories, archive photography and lesser-known historical information together in one easily accessible package so that people can really discover Derbyshire for themselves.”

Dan is currently in the process of adding information to the app about the Pennine Way to celebrate the famous trail’s 50th anniversary. It was the UK’s first long-distance trail and stretches 256 miles from Edale in Derbyshire to the Scottish Borders.

More locations, trails and stories will be added to the app throughout 2015 and people are encouraged to share their stories or old photographs.

The ‘Discover Derbyshire & Peak District’ app is currently available to download for iOS devices via the AppStore with plans for an Android version to follow later this year.  No mobile reception is needed to use it − once downloaded, all content is stored and can be accessed anywhere.

Find more information at www.discover-derbyshire.com.

 

Crooked Spire Chesterfield

 

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Town to Commemorate Battle of Chesterfield

Volunteers are wanted to help mark the 750th anniversary of the Battle of Chesterfield next year.

Plans are already underway to stage a large medieval-style event in the town centre on Sunday, 15th May 2016 with plenty of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

Community group, Chesterfield 750 is looking for people with a range of skills to help from fundraisers and researchers to costume designers and musicians and asks anyone who is interested in getting involved to get in touch.

Publicity Officer, Colin Harrison, a member of the Chesterfield 750 group said:-

“In preparation of the anniversary there will be several separate events and projects – the first of which is the building of a cart to be used on the day. There are also proposals to make a series of videos about life as it would have been at the time, a miniature re-enactment of the battle and plans to involve schools – maybe with something like the design of their own banners. We also hope that as many local groups as possible will take part, in whatever capacity they will most enjoy.

“Actual historical details of events around the battle are slightly sketchy, which we will take advantage of to allow a wide interpretation of them.  We want this to be a fun event, rather than a strictly educational one, although we hope to provide some interesting information as a by-product of our research.”

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 28th April from 7.00pm at The Rose and Crown Pub on Old Road in Chesterfield and everyone is welcome.  For more information please email info@chesterfield750.co.uk or visit http://www.chesterfield750.co.uk/.

Battle of Chesterfield

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

East Midlands Businesses Buck National Trend

Businesses in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire outperformed their national counterparts in the first three months of the year, according to the results of a new survey.

East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) has released the results of its latest Q1 Quarterly Economic Review 2015, which found that business growth remained robust in the early part of the year, giving an increasing number of firms optimism for the year ahead.

The findings were in sharp contrast to the national survey released by the British Chambers of Commerce earlier this month, which saw firms reporting weaker results in most areas – including domestic sales, exports and business investment.

The Chamber tracks business performance across a range of key economic indicators – including sales and orders, staffing levels, price expectations, investment intentions and business confidence – to produce a quarterly ‘State of the Economy Index’.

After falling in two consecutive quarters at the end of 2014, the index increased from a year-ending 377 to 386 in Q1, bolstered by firms’ strengthening confidence in their profits and turnover in 2015, which is resulting in rising staffing levels and investment plans.

In terms of activity, 51% of firms reported an increase in UK sales in Q1, which mirrored the previous quarter, and there was a slight fall in the number of firms reporting a decrease in domestic sales. However, this was offset by a fall (from 33% to 29%) in the number of firms which reported an increase in their export sales in Q1.

Firms’ confidence in both future turnover and profitability increased over the quarter, as 67% (up from 64% in Q4) said they expected their profitability to increase over the next 12 months, while 76% (up from 71%) expected an increase in turnover.

This strengthening confidence has led to business investment plans being revised upwards. Almost four-in-ten businesses said they planned to increase their investment in training and plant/machinery this year, while almost eight-in-ten businesses indicated they will award a general staff pay rise, at or above inflation, in 2015.

Chamber Chief Executive George Cowcher said: “Despite the build up to the General Election, it was encouraging to see such a resilient performance from East Midlands businesses in the first three months of the year, with many indicators of business success seeing improvements.

“Over the past year, the Chamber’s message to politicians and decision-makers has been that the East Midlands has moved from being a ‘bellwether’ of the UK economy to a national leader, so it is equally encouraging to see this message borne out in these findings, with the figures in this report exceeding their national equivalents.

“There are a number of factors contributing to this success, including the broad spread of business sectors present across this region and the drive and commitment that exists within East Midlands businesses and their employees.

“These characteristics will continue to stand the region in good stead post-election.

“Regardless of the political make-up of the next Government, if business had one overarching message to give, it would be to focus on delivering long-term policy and avoid the kind of political short-termism that acts only to complicate the planning and running of a successful business.”

East Midlands Chamber logo

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield

Wingerworth Fencing Club Win Double Gold

Wingerworth Fencing Club is celebrating its fifteenth birthday with two gold medals secured at the British Championships, which were held at EIS in Sheffield last weekend.

In the individual events on Saturday, Hannah Lawrence became British Women’s Champion, a title which she last held in 2008. Hannah won all of her fights on the day and none more convincingly than when beating fellow England and GB team mate Amy Radford, from Malvern Fencing Club 15-6 to take the championship.

The second day of was the team event and the Wingerworth Ladies beat every team in the competition and trounced Truro in the play off final by 45 – 29.  The team had been strengthened this year with the addition of Mary Cohen who joined Hannah Lawrence, Jayne Crook and Caitlin Chang.

Wingerworth Fencing Club coach, Tony Klenczar, said:-

“This was a superb weekend for Wingerworth and the promotion of fencing in Derbyshire. All the people in the club who are competing at this level work extremely hard, along with their coaches, to achieve these results.

“We are always keen at the club to encourage new people to take up the sport. We want Derbyshire fencing to be bigger and better than any other club in the country!”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Arts Festival Something to Shout About at Chatsworth

Chatsworth is set to launch a major new arts festival this September.

‘Art Out Loud‘ is a three-day event featuring a stellar line up of more than 20 speakers drawn from the literary world, art, tv, museums and journalism.

The festival, which runs from 18th to 20th September, has been inspired by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire’s passion for the arts.

The Duke said:-

“Over the past few years Chatsworth has developed a fantastic programme of arts-related exhibitions and events, which has been very well received.

“We are delighted that the Chatsworth Festival will be joining this programme in 2015, giving our visitors the opportunity to hear some of the world’s best authors, journalists and artists share their thoughts and experiences.”

‘Art Out Loud’ is the latest addition to a burgeoning arts scene at Chatsworth and the event will run alongside the 10th anniversary of the ‘Beyond Limits’ monumental sculpture exhibition in the garden starting in September.

Speakers include Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry CBE; author and filmmaker Hannah Rothschild; BBC Arts Editor, Will Gompertz; and the Duke of Devonshire who will be talking about the Devonshire Collection, one of Europe’s most significant art collections.  A full programme for the festival will be announced in June.

Chatsworth

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Spireites Prepare for True Blue Day

Chesterfield’s game at home to Bristol City on Saturday will be ‘True Blue Day’, with Spireites fans urged to wear blue to show their support for the club.

The aim is to be as many fans as possible wearing blue at the Proact Stadium on Saturday 25th April, whether it be a replica home shirt, t-shirt or scarf.

The dress code in the corporate areas of the stadium will also be relaxed on the day, allowing those in the lounges to wear replica shirts.

Spireites Chief Executive Chris Turner said:-

“We want to generate a party atmosphere to celebrate what has been a fantastic season and it would be fantastic to witness a sea of blue in the stands when the teams run out.

“There is a limited stock of home replica shirts on sale in the Club Superstore and we also have some blue t-shirts and scarves available. The players and management have done superbly well to put us within touching distance of the play-offs so let’s make True Blue Day an unforgettable occasion.”Chesterfield Football Club Chester the Field Mouse

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Daredevil Stunt Team Joins Chatsworth Country Fair

Three exciting new acts have been announced for this year’s Chatsworth Country Fair – including the energetic Ukrainian Cossack Stunt Team which is set to wow visitors with mind-blowing stunts – from balancing on a saddle whilst galloping at full speed to hanging from a stirrup with just one leg.

The world-famous group will be joined at the event by The Band of the Corps of the Royal Engineers, who will perform a medley of traditional army marches, as well as a selection of well-known hits and current chart toppers.  Appearing at numerous state occasions, the band continually achieves wide public recognition through its many broadcasts, recordings and concert performances, most notably playing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and, to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Essex Dog Display Team will top off the action-packed schedule of new talent, with 10 various breeds of dogs and their handlers carrying out an exciting display of ambitious exercises and agility obstacles, which may even see them jumping through flaming hoops!  A big hit with royals and celebrities alike, the team has performed in venues ranging from the grounds of Blenheim Palace and Windsor Castle to the studios of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

Held in the beautiful Chatsworth parkland surrounding the house in the heart of the Peak District, the popular three-day event will feature all three acts in the prestigious Grand Ring, along with many more performers yet to be announced.

This year’s Chatsworth Country Fair promises bigger and better entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. For more information visit http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chatsworth-country-fair/.

The Ukrainian Cossack Stunt Team coming to Chatsworth Country Fai

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Job Figures Keep Improving

The number of unemployed people in the East Midlands has fallen by almost 2,500, according to new job figures released by the Office for National Statistics.  The rate is now at 5.1% which is below the national average of 5.6%.

People (aged 16-64) in employment in the region has increased by 10,400 to 2,152,769 in the three months to February, meaning there were 66,549 more people in work than in the same period last year.

The number of people in Chesterfield claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) stood at 1404, which is 562 lower than the figure announced in March 2014.

East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) has welcomed the figures.

Chief Executive, George Cowcher, said: “This was another extremely positive set of employment figures, with the number of JSA claimants across the region falling significantly over the year, the number of people in work increasing and the unemployment rate in the East Midlands now well below the national average.

“Over the past five years, the unemployment rate in the East Midlands has fallen by 2.3% and largely this has been driven by the efforts of local businesses in creating the jobs and generating the growth needed to secure and sustain the economic recovery.

“Wage increases are also now higher than inflation and are boosting living standards – a focus on improving productivity from businesses will ensure this is sustainable.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre up for Prestigious Award

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre has been announced as a finalist in the prestigious VisitEngland Awards For Excellence 2015.

The centre, based in Rykneld Square and owned and operated by Chesterfield Borough Council, is in the running for Visitor Information Provider of the Year and faces competition from the City of London Information Centre, Durham Visitor Information Network, Simply Staffordshire and The Welcome People in London.

Alyson Barnes, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Tourism, Museums and Events Manager said:-

“We provide a welcoming atmosphere for all our visitors both prior to and during their stay in Chesterfield, delivered by enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff.

“The staff are ambassadors for Chesterfield, promoting the town and the Peak District to allow visitors to get the most from their stay, increasing visitor spend and supporting the local economy.”

The winners will be announced at a ceremony held on Monday 11 May 2015 at the Sage, Gateshead and all finalists are guaranteed to receive either gold, silver, bronze or highly commended.

James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland said:-

“It’s been another successful year for our excellence awards as we’ve received hundreds of applications of an extremely high standard. That’s why all the finalists should be incredibly proud that they’ve been short-listed against such tough competition.

“I’d like to congratulate all the finalists who now represent the top five in their category in England and wish them all the very best of luck on awards night.”

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Spireites Sign International Striker

Chesterfield have signed Bermuda international striker, Rai Simons from non-league Ilkeston Town.

The 19-year-old has been on Chesterfield’s radar for some time and manager Paul Cook is delighted to have clinched his signature.

Cook said: “Rai is someone we have tracked for a while. We feel that he will develop as time goes on and have a bright future.”

After agreeing a two-year deal at the Proact, Simons said: “I’m excited because I’ve been looking forward to this moment since moving to England at the age of 15. The set-up sounds brilliant and it is everything I could ask for.”

Simons scored on his full international debut for Bermuda and set up the other goal in a 2-2 draw against Grenada.

Spireites Sign International Striker

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Lawyers of the Future Reach Finals in Regional Competition

Budding lawyers from Chesterfield College have battled their way through a courtroom showdown to secure a place at the final of the 2015 Inter-School Mock Trial.

The annual competition, held by Sheffield Hallam University, in partnership with the Sheffield Law Society, is an opportunity for A level students from schools and colleges across the region to compete for valuable work experience placements with local solicitors, as well as a trophy to take back home.

Students at Chesterfield College gave a winning performance before the jury and now wait to hear who they will face in the final which takes place at Sheffield Combined Courts in June.

Julie Fidorra, 6th form law lecturer said:-

“Competitions like this give students a fantastic insight into what it is like to be a solicitor or a barrister and where their studies can lead to.

“I am really proud of our students. They were articulate and presented their case eloquently. They have proven they can put the things they have learnt into practice without letting the pressure of a real life court room scenario affect their ability to think on their feet. They really did look the part too!”

Holly Cole, one of the A ‘level team members commented:-

“The competition has been an amazing and eye-opening experience. It has been fun too. It’s made me realise that I would definitely like to pursue law as a career.”

 

Photo: From left to right: Chesterfield College A’Level Law Students – Holly Cole, Freya Hindley, Bobby Cutts, Andre Beighton , Tom Ullyatt.

 

Chesterfield College - 2015 interschool mock trial competition

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business