About Chesterfield

Nonnas to share cooking secrets

8th December 2015

Cookery lessons will soon be on the menu at Nonnas in Chesterfield as the restaurant prepares to launch a series of classes early in 2016.

Aimed at foodies of all abilities, Nonnas Chesterfield Cookery School will be open on Mondays and will run full-days courses from Pasta & Bread making to Regional Specialities days and Chef’s Skills.

The courses will be hands-on, with special demonstrations from Nonnas’ chefs. Guests will get to enjoy lunch with wine match, receive exclusive goodies as well as take home the fruit of their hard work.

Gian Bohan, Founder says:“The Nonnas Cookery School has always been in the pipeline for us as we love to share our passion for cooking, Italian foods and ingredients”.

Nonna’s first full-day course will take place on Monday 15th February 2016 and will teach budding chefs how to create the perfect fresh pasta and gnocchi with Head Chef Jamie Taylor. There will also be the opportunity to enjoy lunch in the new look all-day dining area surrounded by their award winning wines.

Courses can be booked on an individual basis or as private hire and corporate team building days. For further information about events & on how to book contact Chiara at info@nonnas.co.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Christmas, Leisure, Visiting

Miners remembered with memorial unveiling at Markham Vale

7th December 2015

Miners who lost their lives down a Derbyshire pit were remembered on Friday 4th December as the latest phase of an art project was unveiled in tribute Markham Vale.

Six new life-size steel figures were unveiled as part of the Walking Together memorial which will eventually feature 106 figures stretching between the village of Duckmanton, Chesterfield and the former pithead of Markham Colliery.

The walking trail symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and back home again and represents the 106 men who lost their lives in three accidents at the site.

Eighteen miners died and 11 others suffered serious injury when the mechanical brake on a lift carrying them to the coalface failed at Markham Colliery on 30 July, 1973.

It was the third disaster at the colliery, following accidents in 1937 and 1938 in which 77 miners lost their lives.

The new figures will join two existing ones which were placed on site in 2013 to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the county’s worst mining disasters.

The former colliery area has now been reclaimed and is home to our £88m Markham Vale regeneration scheme which is working to create 5,000 jobs on site for local people.

Leader of Derbyshire County Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Policy, Economic Development and Budget, Councillor Anne Western said:

“Derbyshire’s mining history is close to a lot of people’s hearts as everybody who lives locally will have a family member, or know someone, who worked down one of the area’s many pits.

“Our collieries were places where strong friendships were formed and where in some cases generations of families worked.

“It’s important that we remember those lost and provide a place where families and friends can visit and come together as a community.

“Great strides have been made to regenerate Markham Vale and we’ve brought over 730 jobs to the area and have welcomed many new businesses − but we will never forget the importance of its past, or the sacrifice these men made.

Councillor Western added:

“We now have eight figures in total − each figure will carry a tag with the name of one of the miners, along with their age and job role and will be permanent reminders on site to those who lost their lives in the three Markham tragedies.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Local dance showcase wows crowds at Winding Wheel

7th December 2015

Dancers from nine local secondary schools impressed a full house with over twenty performances at the Winding Wheel last week. The annual Secondary Dance Platform, which took place on Wednesday 2nd December, was organised by Chesterfield School Sport Partnership (SSP) and is the tenth year that local young people have been given an opportunity to show off their talents.

Performances encompassed a variety of styles and themes including one of three from Brookfield Community School, entitled ‘Lest We Forget’, which were dedicated to the British Legion and took on an emotional, World War Two theme. Another performance – from Springwell Community College’s GCSE dance class – carried an anti-bullying message.

There were also outstanding dances from groups at Hasland Hall Community School, Netherthorpe School, Outwood Academy Newbold, St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Anthony Gell School, Lady Manners School and Tupton Hall School.

Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the Chesterfield SSP, said: “Tonight was a fantastic celebration of dance and how dance can support the growth of young people. Already looking forward to next year!”

Jasmine Bradshaw, of Hasland Hall, put on a fantastic solo-display entitled ‘The Lonely.’ She said: “I really enjoyed it. I like dancing on my own because there’s more open space to move into. Tonight’s been really good and a great experience. I’ve not been here before but it’s an experience everyone should try.”

There were also guest performances from the Derbyshire Youth Dance Company (Déda) and Crystal Cheer and Dance.

Clare Limb, Head of Dance Development and Learning at Déda, said: “The event was incredibly successful and we are delighted to be involved with this event. A real highlight of my year. I thought our performers were excellent and brought a new dimension to the evening, showing progression routes for young.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Peak FM and Autoworld Christmas Toy Appeal bigger and better than ever!

7th December 2015

Peak FM and Autoworld have once again joined together for the 2015 Toy Appeal.

Over the past four years, people in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire have helped to deliver thousands of toys to children in need locally and it’s hoped that this year’s appeal will bring even more festive cheer.

Residents and visitors who would like to show their support are invited to buy an extra gift with their Christmas shopping to be donated to local children’s charities in time for Christmas day.

Judith Barcroft, Marketing and Communications Manager at Autoworld said:-

“Autoworld is a proud member of our community and we have a desire to improve the area in which we all live and work.

“In recent years we have been overwhelmed with the generosity of the people of North Derbyshire and have been able to help lots of charities locally, such as Ashgate Hospicecare, North Derbyshire Woman’s Aid and Fairplay, just to name a few.

“Gifts of new toys can make a massive difference to a family in need and we’d urge everyone to get involved again this year.”

Anyone who would like to support Autoworld’s Toy Appeal is invited to take an unwrapped, new Christmas present down to any of the Autoworld showrooms on Brimington Road North in Chesterfield by Tuesday 15th December. They will then be forwarded to local charities.

For further information please visit the Peak FM website at http://www.peakfm.co.uk/local/toy-appeal-2015-thank-you/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Christmas, Visiting

Proact to host free Christmas Party

3rd December 2015

Chesterfield Football Club is inviting one hundred people to join them for a free Christmas celebration this December.

Taking place on Wednesday, December 16, from 6pm to 8pm, The HUB car park at the Proact Stadium will turn into a Christmas wonderland with lots of activities for families to get involved in.

The Chesterfield FC Community Trust is organising the big event in partnership with Lifehouse Church. Food and drink will be provided for free, with a barbecue, hot drinks, desserts and much more on offer.

The entertainment programme includes a free raffle, live music, free penalties at the speed cage and many Christmas-themed activities for everybody to have a go at. Santa will, of course, be there and there will also be opportunities for photographs with Chester the Field Mouse.

Michael Noon, from the Community Trust, said: “It’s going to be a really fun event. All our staff will be there, making it a good Christmas atmosphere. The idea is that people can come down with their families just to have a good time. It’s all about having fun and getting into the Christmas spirit.”

There is a maximum of 100 free tickets, available on a first-come, first-served basis and they must be redeemed before the event. Tickets can be collected from The HUB at the Proact or from Lifehouse Church on Chatsworth Road.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas

Chesterfield School receives national School Games Award

2nd December 2015

Temple Normanton Primary School has been awarded the School Games Gold Mark for showing an amazing dedication to physical education and a healthy lifestyle over the last academic year.

The School Games Mark is a government led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community. Temple Normanton is only the third primary school across Chesterfield to achieve this award.

Far surpassing the participation rates needed to achieve the award, Temple Normanton took part in a number of Chesterfield School Sport Partnership events last academic year, including: Mini Soccer, Cross Country, Gymnastics, Boccia, Sportshall Athletics, Dance, Fun to Run, Early Racers, Quadkids, Kwik Cricket and Mini Tennis. On top of this, they encouraged out-of-school sport and leadership programmes.

Sarah Spendlove, of Temple Normanton Primary, said: “We encourage all children to be the best they can be. We try to ensure that all children have lots of opportunities to take part in a range of sports both at school and events organised by Chesterfield SSP. Many develop skills further in a variety of clubs outside of school and we celebrate their success back in school.”

The presentation was made in the morning assembly on Friday 27th November by Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, and Ben Pipes, Team GB Volleyball captain at London 2012. The award was collected by Erin and Lily Mai who are both Bronze Young Ambassadors within the Chesterfield SSP’s leadership programme.

Mark Tournier said: “We are very fortunate to work with Temple Normanton, who are a model school when it comes to providing opportunities for young people to grow through school sport and physical activity. This is led from the front with an enthusiastic and passionate PE subject leader in Mrs Sarah Spendlove and a supportive Headteacher, Mrs Janet Baxter who acknowledges the role of PE and school sport in meeting whole school outcomes.

“They also have a fantastic group of Young Ambassadors acting as the pupil voice and advocating the benefits of school sport. Temple Normanton are a small primary school with only 100 pupils, however when it comes to school sport they punch above their weight. We are delighted that Temple Normanton have achieved the Gold School Games Mark, a national award to recognise their commitment to the development of competition across the school and into the community.

“It was an excellent and inspiring morning for the children and the school as a whole, a great reward for all their hard work.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield

Chesterfield Residents and Businesses Asked for Views on Devolution Deal

2nd December 2015

The Sheffield City Region Combined Authority and LEP are asking residents and businesses to have their say and get involved in the debate on the in-principle Sheffield City Region Devolution Deal with Government.

From Monday 30 November, local residents are being invited to comment on the deal by visiting www.sheffieldcityregiondevolution.org.uk.

The proposed deal, which will mean £900m of additional funding and more power to make important economic decisions locally, has been welcomed by local business and political leaders from across the Sheffield City

What are the benefits to Chesterfield?

The major benefit to Chesterfield of the Devolution Deal is a share of £900 million over the next 30 years to support the delivery of key regeneration projects, improve the skills of local people and help local businesses become more competitive.

Current and future schemes supported via Sheffield City Region include:

Work starting in the near future on the construction of Basin Square, the commercial heart of the Chesterfield Waterside scheme.

Funding allocated for the development of a scheme at the town centre’s Northern Gateway, increasing the attractiveness of the town for shoppers and visitors.

Funding ring-fenced to enable the Peak Resort development to start on site, supporting the creation of a large number of new jobs.

The development of a new Housing Investment Fund that could unlock opportunities for housing growth in places such as the Staveley and Rother Corridor.

The establishment of the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub, providing a one-stop-shop of support for local businesses and start-ups.

Local business access to an Sheffield City Region funding pot of £52 million, to support capital investment that creates new employment.

The establishment of a Skills Bank providing a flexible pot of funding for businesses to provide 42,000 qualifications over the next six years. Many Chesterfield based companies have already engaged with the current ‘Skills Made Easy’ programme to take on apprentices and train their workforce.

Councillor John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We are fully engaged in this devolution process. We believe from our first-hand experience the deal is good for our town and the whole Sheffield City Region.

“Our involvement with the Sheffield City Region has already brought real benefits to Chesterfield and we look forward to working collectively on improving the living standards and opportunities for people in the Sheffield City Region.

“I would encourage Chesterfield residents to read the information on the public consultation website and then give their comments during the consultation process.”

Peter Swallow, chair of Destination Chesterfield, the town’s business marketing campaign, said: “I would urge all local businesses to take part in the consultation.

“Chesterfield’s position within the Sheffield City Region means we do a lot of business with neighbouring towns and cities in the region. Devolution will give the town a seat at a more influential ‘local’ table not to mention more control over our own financial affairs.

“It could also help bring potential funding to the area further boosting our ambitious plans for growth and development in the area over the next 10 years.”

Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton, Chair of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, said: “We’re asking residents and businesses to have their say on our proposed deal with Government. We know that business growth and better job opportunities are issues that people really care about and that’s why we’re encouraging as many people as possible to take part.”

This deal is ultimately based on our belief that decisions that impact on local people will be better made by local leaders, who live and work locally, rather than by civil servants and Ministers in London.”

James Newman, Chairman of the Sheffield City Region LEP, said: “The LEP’s success means that local business leaders now have an increasingly important part to play in creating stronger local economic growth in Sheffield City Region. This deal enables our local political and business leaders to take decision-making to the next level, making bigger and better local decisions over skills, business growth and infrastructure. I encourage anyone with an interest in expanding their businesses and creating job opportunities for local people to show their support for the deal by visiting our consultation website.”

In October 2015, local politicians and business leaders secured the in-principle deal with the Chancellor George Osborne to transfer national powers and control over funding from national Government departments to the Sheffield City Region – as well as securing a massive £900 million additional cash boost over the next thirty years to deliver major regeneration, infrastructure and business growth schemes.

The deal needs to be formally approved by each of the local Councils within the Sheffield City Region and is subject to a programme of consultation and engagement with residents and businesses over the coming months. It is also dependent upon the Government delivering on the promises it has made in this and previous deals, and the City Region agreeing to the creation of a directly-elected Mayor.

It is a deal that marks another step in the journey that the Sheffield City Region has taken over the last five years in securing greater control over its own economic affairs. It enables the City Region to build on some of its world class assets, including the Sheffield and Rotherham based Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, aligning the new Doncaster-based National College for High Speed Rail with the new Institutes of Technology to help meet the wider set of national infrastructure challenges, major town centre improvement plans in Barnsley and the Enterprise Zones across the whole City Region.

The deal covers a range of themes including transport, skills, creating new jobs, inward investment and support to help local businesses export as well as committing to working with Government on new ways to incentivise local growth.

For more information and to take part in the consultation visit www.sheffieldcityregiondevolution.org.uk

Growth Sculpture Horns Bridge Roundabout Chesterfield

Growth Sculpture on Horns Bridge Roundabout in Chesterfield at Night

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield

Healthy living on the menu in Chesterfield

2nd December 2015

Over 100 local primary school pupils learned how to become positive role models for their least active classmates at the Change 4 Life Champions Conference held at Queen’s Park Sports Centre last week.

The event began with an introduction from Change 4 Life Athlete Mentor and former Team GB Volleyball captain, Ben Pipes and included a number of modules inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Champions will now be able to go back to their schools, implement some of the things they have learned and support Change 4 Life Clubs of their own.

Organised by Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, the event was the first of two Change 4 Life Champions Conferences running this academic year and was held in collaboration with the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire School Sport Partnerships.

Sarah Evans, Leadership and Physical Activity Officer at the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, said: “We wanted the day to be fun and engaging for the Champions. The Change 4 Life Champions have learned how to run Change 4 Life programmes and how to publicise a healthy and active lifestyle. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.”

The Key Stage 2 pupils had a great time during the fun activities and learned a great deal about the meaning behind Change 4 Life.

Cerys said: “It was fun! I liked the tag game because we got to run around.”

Kyle, aged 9, said: “We learned how to tell people about Change 4 Life and to get our friends involved.”

There was also a deliverer’s workshop for teachers which ran parallel to the conference. Attended by 30 energised members of staff, the Change 4 Life Deliverers workshop developed the knowledge and expertise of school staff and club deliverers to effectively deliver Change 4 Life Clubs. It was also used to raise achievement and impact on whole school priorities.

Delivering the workshop, Mark Tournier, Partnership Development Manager at the Chesterfield School Sport Partnership, said: “It was a privilege to deliver the Change 4 Life workshop to an engaging audience of staff, who all acknowledge the crucial role physical activity plays in developing healthy active young people and the positive impact this plays on whole school outcomes.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield

Spireites Trust Deliver Recovery Programme

1st December 2015

A sports-based programme is being delivered by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust to help former substance abusers with their recovery.

Called ‘A Spire Right’, the project is being held in The HUB at the Proact Stadium three times a week, from 9.30am to 1pm, over eight weeks. It is completely free and participants also receive a free bus pass to cover their travel, together with a Chesterfield FC tracksuit.

The sessions are a mixture of theory and sports and are aimed at boosting former addicts’ mental and physical wellbeing while providing them with new coping strategies.

The Community Trust’s Keith Jackson is delighted with the way the programme is shaping up. He said: “I have never been part of something so structured and so involved. It addresses the daily battle of former addicts and creates a realistic routine for people, providing them with a support network and decreasing that chance of relapsing.

“They have a classroom in the stadium, which they clean and look after and they make cups of tea in the morning. It is giving them a routine, a responsibility and something to be proud of. Coaching and participants wear the same club tracksuit, so we are all in this together. It gives them a sense of pride; they are proud of the classroom and proud to wear the club badge.

“The sessions also include aftercare, a gym membership that continues for three months after the programme finishes and opportunities to work around the club, whether it is gardening or gaining the qualifications to become a steward on match days.”

Shane, 47, who is one of the participants, praised the initiative. “It is about finding new escapes once you have recovered,” he said. “Four or five years ago there was nothing like this. Everywhere would work on the beginning part but then there would be no aftercare and that is where the recovery really starts. Here we get those opportunities.

“What is amazing for me is that I can finally look my family and friends in the eye when they ask how I am doing or if I am clean. I don’t have to lie anymore. I can actually look them in the eye and say, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’m doing just fine’. More importantly, I can stop lying to myself about it. I can finally be honest with myself about being clean and being okay.”

Leo, 32, also spoke in glowing terms about the programme. He said: “I got an email about it which featured the club logo and I didn’t think it was real because it sounded too good to be true. I can be quite restless, so a lot of classroom work could cause some issues as I may need to move about or talk too much, whereas this breaks it up.”

Gill Quayle, who works with Derbyshire County Council on their substance support schemes, urged people to grab the opportunity available to them. She said: “The combination is really useful because you can learn about different things for your health, listen to the brilliant speakers they have and then you can get some exercise.

“You will have a really full day and meet some new people, which then reduces the isolation, because sometimes you can feel on your own. You don’t realise that other people are going through what you are going through, but the truth is they are.”

Posted in About Chesterfield

Show Racism the Red Card event coming to the Proact Stadium

30th November 2015

The Spireites will be hosting a Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) event on Tuesday, December 8 at the Proact Stadium to teach young people about the dangers of racism.

The event, which runs from 9.30am to 3pm, will feature Chesterfield players and other special guests on a Q & A panel.

Pupils from a number of local schools will take part in an SRtRC workshop, ground tours and a workshop run by Global Education. They will also see a screening of the SRtRC film and have the chance to pose questions to the panel.

Ged Grebby, chief executive of SRtRC, said: “We a very grateful to Chesterfield Football Club for their support of the campaign. The team are looking forward to their trip to the Proact Stadium and to be working with the team from Chesterfield Community Trust who we know are doing some really important work in the area.”

The educational event at football club allows young people to experience a first-hand interaction with anti-racism role models in the form of professional footballers and spend time thinking critically about this important issue.

Michael Noon, the Community Trust’s sport & activity officer, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Show Racism the Red Card by hosting an event in Chesterfield. They do a lot of good work tackling racism around the UK and it’s a pleasure for us to be involved.

“By joining forces with Show Racism the Red Card to deliver a day’s workshop for local primary school children, we’re hoping it will provide awareness of the effects of racism for the next generation of Spireites and ensure the Proact Stadium remains a great place for everyone to watch football.”

During the 2014/15 season, the campaign held 33 events in England, attended by 67 current professional footballers and managers and educating 3,088 young people.

Posted in About Chesterfield

Casa celebrates AA Silver Award on 5th birthday

27th November 2015

Casa Hotel in Chesterfield has been awarded the prestigious AA Silver Award – a commendation received by the team on the eve of the hotel’s fifth anniversary.

Casa’s reputation as one of the leading hotels in the country continues to grow, attracting the country’s top companies, worldwide guests and hosting more prestigious events each year.

Over the last five years, Casa has received many awards and accolades, including being voted one of the UK’s top ten hotels in a prestigious list included London’s Goring hotel and Corinthia hotel.

More recently Cocina restaurant was voted the best restaurant in the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards. Casa has also been voted top hotel in the East Midlands area by Trivago.

Operations Director at Casa, Stuart Downham says: “The team at Casa work tirelessly to ensure the best stay for our guests. Being an independent hotel we are able to really tailor our service to the needs of our guests and every decision we make is made with the guest as our number one priority.

“It is a very happy coincidence that we were awarded the prestigious AA Silver Award on the eve of our 5^th anniversary’.

These thoughts are echoed by the hotel’s owner, Steve Perez, who has built the business from a building site to the multi-award winning hotel. He said: “We are delighted to be celebrating 5 successful years in the industry and look forward to an exciting future ahead. I am incredibly proud of what Casa has achieved in such a short period of time. Throughout this period we have never swayed from our promise to deliver the best customer experience and we will continue to do this in the years to come.”

It is this passion for the best customer service that has seen over the last 5 years, a massive 125,604 breakfast served using Walton lodge eggs and Walton sausages, 368,412 glasses of wine and 39,538 portions of delicious tapas. Casa has accommodated 113,769 sleepers and served 373,577 dinners between our gastro bar Barca and our 2 rosette restaurant Cocina.

Casa has also had a positive impact on local business and employment. Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield the town’s inward investment campaign, said: “Having a four star hotel in the town has helped put Chesterfield on the map nationally, opening investors’ eyes to the potential of developing here particularly along the A61 corridor.

“The fact Casa is one of the top five hotels on TripAdvisor demonstrates the great pool of talent the town has within the customer service sector. Destination Chesterfield shares Casa’s pride in everything it has achieved since opening in 2010.”

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