About Chesterfield

Race against time at Staveley Basin

7th April 2016

Chesterfield Canal Trust’s volunteers have been praised this week for their efforts to complete Staveley Basin ahead of the National Trailboat Festival in May.

Managed by Derbyshire County Council, the Staveley Basin project is designed to restore and improve Chesterfield Canal; making more of the waterway navigable.

Working under the direction of council engineers, and with occasional help from the volunteers of the Waterway Recovery Group, the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s Volunteer Work Party has now almost completed the lock. Only the coping stones and lock gates are still to be fitted, despite encountering lots of bad weather and mechanical issues along the way.

The team has also been striving to build an additional 300 metres of canal below the lock – known as Hartington Harbour – ready for boats to turn around. This has proven the biggest challenge, as since November, the section has been at best ankle deep in mud and at worst totally flooded.

Chesterfield Canal Trust’s aging excavator, known as Denis, has also developed frequent problems, however much breakdown support has been received from JCB/TCHarrison.

Trustee in charge of the volunteers, David Kiddy, said: “I am very proud of our volunteers. Many have come to work on four or five days a week throughout the winter, frequently working in atrocious conditions.”

A major project, the Chesterfield Canal Trust has already invested around £100,000, with nearly half of the money coming from donations, and the rest coming from activities such as tripboat rides and membership fees. Part of the Markham Vale development, Derbyshire County Council has committed £89,000 for contractors and a grant has also been received for the lock gates from Veolia.

Chesterfield Canal Trust will host the National Trailboat Festival on behalf of the Inland Waterways Association on May 28th and 29th. The event will run from 10am to 5.00pm on both days and will include boat rides, canoeing, children’s rides, plenty of entertainment, dozens of stalls plus food and drink including a Real Ale bar run by Brampton Brewery.

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

Councillors confirm support for Sheffield City Region devolution deal

7th April 2016

At a special meeting held yesterday evening, councillors again voted in support of Chesterfield Borough Council applying to be part of a devolution deal which will see the borough benefit from a share of £900 million in funding over a 30 year period.

In applying to be a full member of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, powers and funding relating to issues such as transport, skills and training and business support will be controlled locally rather than by ministers and civil servants in London.

A letter from the Government to the Sheffield City Region was provided to councillors at the meeting, confirming the powers to be devolved to local councils and the allocation of a single pot of flexible funding amounting to at least £484 million over the next five years, as a direct result of the devolution deal.

This will not affect the services that the council currently provides to residents in Chesterfield.

The meeting was called following the threat of a legal challenge by Derbyshire County Council.

The report which was considered by councillors when they made their original decision to apply for full membership of the Sheffield City Region on 3 March did not contain a full Equality Impact Assessment, which looks at how the decision will affect groups protected by anti-discrimination legislation.

Councillor John Burrows, Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader and cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We held this second meeting to look again at the options open to us in terms of devolution deals rather than spending public money on legal battles.

“As councillors elected to represent Chesterfield residents, we have looked again at all of the evidence presented to us, including the full Equality Impact Assessment and the decisions of other councils in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

“We feel strongly that the Sheffield City Region devolution deal is the best deal for Chesterfield people and I want to reassure all that this does not mean that Chesterfield will become part of Yorkshire; Chesterfield is and will remain a Derbyshire town – that is not up for negotiation.”

Residents will have another opportunity to have their say on the issue in a further round of public consultation to be held in the late spring and early summer before a final decision is made by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the autumn.

For the latest on the issue, visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/devolution

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Leisure

New High Sheriff for Derbyshire

7th April 2016

Liz Fothergill CBE, Immediate Past President of East Midlands Chamber and Chairman of Derby-based Pennine Healthcare, will be appointment as High Sheriff of Derbyshire today.

Liz started her working life as a librarian but in 1977 found herself between jobs and started helping out in the family company, founded by and named after her father, Ivor Shaw.

The business evolved from engineering, filling stations and car sales and by the end of the 70s was manufacturing a small range of plastic medical disposable products from a new site on Pontefract Street, Derby.

Decades later, Liz still has the manufacturing bug and today the business, now known as Pennine Healthcare, turns over in excess of £30m a year, has 380 employees and produces 250,000 items a day, of which 70% are exported to 70 countries worldwide.

As a keen exporter, Liz is a Catalyst member, a global network of business leaders promoting UK excellence internationally under UK Trade and Investment.

Away from work, Liz gives a lot back to the city and communities of Derby. She is passionate about the positive influence business can have in education and community development.

She was HRH the Prince of Wales’ Ambassador for Business in the Community in the East Midlands from 2012 to 2014. She is Derby City business representative for D2N2 – the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Economic Partnership – and a member of Derby Renaissance Board.

Liz was Deputy Chair of the University of Derby from 2003-2013, is Chair of Derwent Stepping Stones (a neighbourhood nursery and training academy). She is a business champion of YMCA Derbyshire and a governor of Landau Forte Moorhead Academy and was formerly Chair of Derbyshire Dales Careline.

She is also Chairman of the Derby Book Festival, which had its very successful first event in 2015 and will stage an even more inclusive and exciting festival in June this year.

Liz said: “I am honoured to have been invited to be High Sheriff for Derbyshire and I hope I will make the most of the opportunity this office presents.

“During my tenure, I would like to really fly the flag for all that is great and good about Derby and Derbyshire, including its businesses, and ensure that the East Midlands remains a flag-bearer for the rest of the UK.”

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “The chamber would like to congratulate Liz on her appointment as High Sheriff for Derbyshire.

“Liz has been the driving force behind Pennine Healthcare, in Derby, and is a very active member of the local community. She is the immediate Past President of the Chamber and remains a very influential member of our Board of Directors.

“I’m sure Liz will take her enthusiasm for business and for Derby and Derbyshire into her new role and we wish her every success.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield

Spireites invited to 150th Gala Ball at Chatsworth

6th April 2016

To mark Chesterfield FC’s 150th anniversary, a series of events are planned to celebrate such a historic milestone, the first of which is a Gala Ball at Chatsworth House on Saturday, October 22.

Kindly sponsored by G F Tomlinson, this Black Tie event will start at the Proact Stadium, with guests transported to Chatsworth House in vintage buses, arriving at the North Entrance of the famous house. There they will be treated to a champagne and canapé reception in the Painted Hall, with entertainment from Alexandra, a classically trained electric violinist.

Guests will be then invited to tour the North Wing of the house before arrival and seating at the Carriage House Restaurant for dinner and a full evening of entertainment which includes ‘Rat Pack’ singers.

Kevin Fitzgerald, the club’s head of commercial & marketing, said: “We are very pleased to have secured this prestigious venue for such a magnificent occasion and we are hoping to announce one or two special guests for the evening in the coming weeks. There is a limit of 150 tickets and they are available on a first come, first served basis.”

Tickets for the event cost £150 per person and can be booked by phoning Janice Kew on 01246 269300 (ext 4153) or via email: janicekew@chesterfield-fc.co.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Young Spireites midfielder signs new deal

4th April 2016

Chesterfield-born Connor Dimaio has signed an extended contract with the Spireites, keeping the midfielder with the club until 2018.

The 20-year-old joined the club in January from Sheffield United and has shown his qualities in seven outings for the club – memorably scoring on his home debut against Crewe Alexandra.

Originally signing on at the Proact until the end of the season, Dimaio has already impressed sufficiently to be offered a longer deal at the club.

Dimaio’s form has also drawn attention internationally, with the player receiving his first ever selection by the Republic of Ireland under 21s last week and playing the full 90 minutes for his side away in Slovenia on Easter Monday.

After signing his new deal, Dimaio said: “It’s the best thing I could have dreamed of. I’m really happy to have signed and I’m so happy it’s worked out.

“I have a lot to thank the gaffer for as well as Chris Morgan and Ritchie Humphreys; they’ve helped me out and given me the opportunity to come here and play games. I’ve given what I can and I think I’ve done well.

“Now I’m really excited. Hopefully we can stay in League One this season, regroup and then push on next season with the plan to have a chance at getting to the Championship.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Chesterfield College student lands Thailand business trip

1st April 2016

This week a young entrepreneur from the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy course at Chesterfield College was invited to speak at a business seminar taking place in Bangkok, Thailand.

Scott Levers, aged 18, landed the opportunity, along with one other UK student from Leicester, to present to 150 directors and senior practitioners, teachers and students from Thai vocational colleges following his successful work in a local business and his approach to developing his entrepreneurial skills.

Organised jointly by the British Council Thailand and the Office of Vocational Education, the seminar was designed to help share best practice about developing, encouraging and enabling entrepreneurial attitudes, skills and knowledge.

Before Scott flew off to Thailand he told Chesterfield College how the course and his experiences working in a developing wholesale jewellery business creating a sales and marketing database was a real bonus to help him develop his business acumen.

He said: “Doing a vocational course like the one the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy offers allows you to test your own ideas and gives you the ability to try out the theory in a practical situation. Learning in this way helps you to develop logic and reasoning which is so important in business.

“It’s a huge honour to be asked to go to Thailand. I am looking forward to learning more about doing business in different cultures from the Thai students and bringing back new ideas. I hope that this experience will help me during the rest of my course and in my business career.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield

Chesterfield racing driver gears up for Brands Hatch

1st April 2016

Chesterfield racing driver, Seb Perez is preparing for his first race of the season this weekend at Brands Hatch in the Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship.

The 16 year old topped official testing at Brands Hatch last week, where he showed strong pace and fighting spirit in his first test session of the new 2016 season Ginetta Junior Championship, which is contested by 14 to 17 year-old racers.

Perez lapped the Indy Circuit in 56.357 seconds and topped a total of 21 Ginetta drivers out testing with three sessions on track.

Driving for his team, JHR Developments, he reached a top speed of 77.16mph on lap 24 out of 34 laps completed in the third and final session for the day.

Seb’s first full season in a Ginetta G40 race car last year was a total learning curve for him but saw him get top ten finishes at Croft and Snetterton, part of eleven top 15 places for the season. He finished 20th in the final standings.

He then made a podium finish and a top five place in the end to the season in the Winter Series Championship finishing fifth overhaul.

“I had a great first year with Ginetta,” said Perez.

“I’ve gotten used to the Ginetta G40 race car and the circuits we travel to, so I’m hoping that experience will come in handy when it comes to picking up more podium positions!”

“I’ve got a great team behind me with JHR Developments, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out on track,” he added.

Perez made the transition from rallying to racing and following in petrol head father’s motor sport footsteps at the end of 2014 where is raced a Ginetta at Brands Hatch in the final round of the series and part of a support race to the British Touring Car Championship.

He finished 18th and 16th for a first outing in a new car and totally different to driving through forests in a rally car.

Motor sport is no stranger to Perez Jnr, son of 2014 BTRDA Gold Star Rally Champion Steve Perez, who has competed in the Kick Energy Junior 1000 Rally Championship at the wheel of a Nissan Micra rally car. The series is backed by Father Steve’s Global Brands business based in Chesterfield.

Father Steve Perez with Seb as co-driver also finished fourth overhaul and first in class in the MGJ Winter Stages Rally also at Brands Hatch in February.

The Chesterfield-based racing team teenager starts his attack this weekend in the 2016 Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship, as a support race series to the ever popular British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch.

He then races at local circuit Donington Park over the weekend of 16-17th April.

The whole race season is televised live on the Sundays on ITV4.

Images and editorial courtesy of Paul Horton Motorsport Photography.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

103 year old set to become oldest man to get a tattoo – for Ashgate Hospicecare

1st April 2016

One of Derbyshire’s oldest men is set to enter the record books – by having a tattoo for his 104th birthday.

Jack Reynolds – who hit headlines in summer 2014 when he became the oldest Brit to brave the ice bucket challenge – plans to get inked on his big day on Wednesday 6th April.

Jack, who is from Hollingwood near Staveley, is having the tattoo to raise money for Chesterfield-based charity, Ashgate Hospicecare.

The charity provides care to patients across North Derbyshire at the hospice, in the community and at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. All services are provided free of charge to patients and their families, which is mainly funded through donations, legacies and income raised through their 16 shops.

Jack said: “I really love using my age to help me with my fundraising and I’d love for people to help me support Ashgate Hospicecare – it’s a great charity and very close to my heart.”

Jack’s daughter Jayne added: “Dad wanted to do something to raise money for charity again and I suggested he have a tattoo which he agreed to. We all think it’s great.

“I think the tattoo should be his date of birth or his nickname, Jacko. He’s had a consultation with the tattoo artist and it’s been decided that the best place for him to have the tattoo is on the top of his arm. My dad’s absolutely amazing and everyone loves him.”

She added that Jack had a fall before Christmas and spent about two months in hospital with a broken hip – but was now back at home doing well.

Giving the secret to a long and happy life, Jack said: “Work hard, always smile, get plenty of fresh air and last but not least have a tot of Grouse whisky in your tea in the morning and a tot before bed.”

Jack’s family say Guinness World Records has confirmed he will be the oldest man to get a tattoo. Anyone who would like to support him can do so my visiting the Just Giving website and searching for Jack Reynolds.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Top 50 SMEs in North Derbyshire revealed

31st March 2016

BHP Chartered Accountants has published this year’s list of top 50 SMEs in North Derbyshire, along with an overview of the economy locally.

Speaking positively about the results, Dominic Staniforth, Partner at BHP said:-

“North Derbyshire continues to be home to a wide variety of businesses which contribute significantly to the economic prosperity and provide a substantial number of employment opportunities which all help, together with fantastic infrastructure links, to ensure that North Derbyshire remains a great place to do business.

“A broad snapshot of the numbers reveals some key trends: the combined turnover of the Top 50 amounting to £734 million, a rise of 18 per cent on the previous year, profitability at £67 million has increased by an impressive 40 per cent and very encouragingly, employment at just under 5,000 employees has shown a nine per cent increase on last year.

“These statistics make impressive reading and show that there continues to be a lot of confidence in the area.”

Download the report and discover the Top 50 SMEs in North Derbyshire in 2016.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield

Big push for Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre

30th March 2016

This April a total of 18 fundraisers are set to push a hospital bed from a Dronfield pub to Chesterfield Royal Hospital in support of the Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre Appeal.

Set to begin at the Jolly Farmer in Dronfield, the bed push team will head to Chesterfield town centre via Whittington Moor where they will call at Rykneld Square, Burlington Street and Vicar Lane Shopping Centre. They will then continue to Hasland through Eastwood Park, before arriving at Calow Lane ready for the last uphill trek to Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

Taking place on Saturday 9th April from 9.00am, the epic event falls on the anniversary of the day the Jolly Farmer landlord, Ashley Tipper sadly lost his grandmother to lung cancer. Mary Tipper, a retired nurse had been treated for cancer in hospital last March for the fifth time in 3 months and was helping Ashley to plan the route before she sadly passed away on April 11, 2015.

Ashley, 30, said: “Me and my Nan often spoke about my fundraising and it is something she was very proud of and always supported me in.

“We talked of the bed push and I asked if I could wheel her out for a test drive; always getting that look that only nans give you.”

“I did what I do best and threw everything I had into fundraising and making a difference for the charity I am so passionate about. This time, it was more personal than ever before. I had to find a way to make this event happen, and thanks to wonderful support from the police, local authority and a traffic management company, we have found a way to make this happen. This is for my Nan as it’s the last thing she knew I was planning.”

The funds raised will go to the Macmillan Appeal to help build The Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Centre, which will offer over 21 chemotherapy chairs, 2 treatment beds and 3 treatment rooms to North Derbyshire residents.

To support the bed push team and Macmillan Cancer Support go to http://www.justgiving.com/teams/jollyfarmer/

To support the Chesterfield Appeal contact local fundraiser Rob Turner on 07545 419 725 or email rturner@macmillan.org.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Visiting

Have your say on future of Tapton Lock Visitor Centre

30th March 2016

Residents are being invited to have their say on the possible closure of Tapton Lock Visitor Centre in Chesterfield.

Located at Chesterfield Canal – one of the town’s popular visitor attractions – Tapton Lock Visitor Centre is home to the John Varley tripboat, as well as local information, a small shop with refreshments, mobility vehicle hire and public facilities.

Tasked to save £157m by 2018 due to cuts in Government funding, the Derbyshire County Council countryside service needs to save money and it is proposed that Tapton Lock Visitor Centre is closed, unless alternative organisations can be found to run them, or an alternative use for the building can be found.

Councillor Dean Collins, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said:

“We know that many people use the centre so hope they will take the time to let us know how the closure could affect them.

“We are doing all we can to find other organisations that would be either interested in running the centres, or using the buildings in some way. This could involve running similar services to what we offer at the moment, or could be a different type of service. We’d be delighted to hear from any organisation that would be interested.”

Any organisation interested in taking on either of the centres should contact Martin Dowson by email: martin.dowson@derbyshire.gov.uk or tel: 01629 539826.

Derbyshire County Council’s consultation is available to complete online by clicking here. The consultation closes on Friday 6 May 2016.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Summer, Visiting