The University of Derby’s new £6.9 million Campus on Sheffield Road is another mark of the town’s continuing success in economic regeneration, the Duke of Devonshire said at its official opening on Thursday.

The conversion of the former St Helena Girls Grammar School will offer 21^st Century courses in healthcare, engineering, information technology and business to support the town’s growth.  Chesterfield Champions Henry Boot Construction and Frank Shaw Architects worked on the design and construction on the new campus.

The University has long had a presence in Chesterfield, but decided that a dedicated Campus was needed when demand for its highly-acclaimed nursing and public health courses exceeded space in its former base in offices in the Chesterfield Chamber complex.

The sympathetic conversion of the Grade II Listed building on Sheffield Road has retained most of its original features alongside a hi-tech, high spec learning environment for tomorrow’s nurses, engineers and business leaders.

St Helena was ahead of its time even when it was opened in 1911, as architect George Widdows pioneered the use of light and air to create classrooms which put pupils’ needs at its heart. His work was copied all over the world.

Restoring the large number of windows alone cost £1 million, and the Duke reminded guests that one of his family’s famous homes was known as “Hardwick Hall – more glass than wall.”

“I’m not sure that this doesn’t put Hardwick in the shade,” he said. “George Widdows understood the importance of the environment to students, which in 1911 was way ahead of its time.”

The Duke praised Chesterfield Borough Council for embracing the project from the start, adding:-

“The building is something I think Chesterfield, the University and all of Derbyshire should really be proud of. I regard it as another banner of Chesterfield’s success.”

University Vice-Chancellor Professor Kathryn Mitchell said that the University had invested heavily in keeping true to the traditions of the building, but such attention to detail had only been possible with the support of funding partners.

And its opening was the just the beginning of more partnerships in the region in business, engineering and technology as the new campus boasts an Innovation Centre that will allow SMEs to incubate new business ideas, increase their speed of growth and de-risk the process of developing new products.

“We hope to make a big difference to Chesterfield in the future,” she said.

Other facilities at the campus include a mock ward built close to NHS standards with “robot” patients who simulate illness and reactions to drugs, and an immersive suite with giant screens which create the backdrop to situations students will face at work, from the inside of an ambulance to a patient’s home.

Other courses at the Campus – many of which can be studied part-time – include HND Business and Management, BEng (Hons) Professional Engineering and FdSc Information Technology.

The Campus has received investment from partners including £3.48million from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, promoting economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Funding and support from the European Regional Development Fund is contributing to the costs of equipment and support of the Innovation Centre at the Chesterfield Campus, which will support innovation and business growth as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in the D2N2 area.

The original panelling, bannisters and even some of the fireplaces have been saved, and the beautiful parquet floors restored.

The original sash windows were restored but with double-glazing to meet energy efficiency targets at a cost of £1 million pounds.

As the only Higher Education (HE) institution in Derbyshire, the University plans to encourage businesses and the workforce to grow in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire by providing new, local progression pathways to higher level skills provisions.

It will also:

• raise aspirations and ambition amongst young learners by having a University presence in the town;
• encourage more adults to consider self-employment as an alternative to unemployment;
• create a more resilient workforce and assist in retaining more young talent in the Chesterfield area.

Research commissioned by the University into the economic impact of its Buxton Campus ­-  which this year celebrates a decade since its official opening – showed that it supported 500 jobs annually through a total spend of £32 million, a result which it is hoped will be replicated in Chesterfield.

Business bosses and local authority leaders from Sheffield City Region – SCR – are travelling this week to MIPIM UK, the UK’s largest property event. They will showcase the area and its investment strengths to thousands of influential developers and investors.

Sir Nigel Knowles, Chair of the SCR’s Local Enterprise Board, said:-

“This is a region that knows how to do business, and fast.

“We’ve seen a phenomenal increase in traffic through Doncaster Sheffield Airport thanks to ‘pump priming’ funding put into the M18 link road by the SCR. More than 1,000 jobs have been created by international firms investing across the region in the last year, giving us a huge vote of confidence.

“And we know exactly how we will ensure projects can get up and running without delay as we’ve mapped it all in our ‘Integrated Infrastructure Plan’. We’ll be launching the plan at MIPIM.

“Doing business in the Sheffield City Region is very easy thanks to our dynamic private and public sector partnership. We also offer a bedrock of stability thanks to the £1.3billion devolution deal we negotiated. This guarantees investment for the next 30 years, and means decisions for the Sheffield City Region are made here and not in Westminster.

“We have significant assets ready for investment, a straightforward approach to planning and infrastructure, and committed support for skills, training and business growth. Our Integrated Infrastructure Plan sets ambitious targets on job creation and attracting businesses to the region. We remain firmly committed to this and that is why our offer to investors is so strong.”

Key opportunities which will be showcased this week include:

• Peak Resort Development –  Peak is a £400 million leisure, health, sport and education resort on the edge of the glorious Peak District National Park and is set to become one of the UK’s flagship tourist attractions.
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport – has passenger flights to over 30 destinations worldwide including direct flights to Paris and Berlin, a catchment of almost 5million people, and a strong freight offering. Design and build options are on offer for both hangars and industrial units and there is already planning consent for over 2,000,000 sq ft of commercial development

Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Chair of Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, said:-

“Doncaster Sheffield Airport is helping us build a truly competitive centre of excellence in Sheffield City Region. It is a key part of our strategic plan to grow the economy and create more and better jobs for local people.

“Businesses and residents across Sheffield City Region are proud of our fast-growing airport and are embracing the opportunity to get to their destinations more conveniently and more quickly than ever before thanks to the new link road. As our airport continues to grow, more people are travelling to more destinations and are spreading the word about our super-connected region. This makes Sheffield City Region an even greater place for living.”

The Sheffield City Region delegation will be hosting a programme of events to discuss investment opportunities and the support the Region offers in detail.

Global craft brand, Crafter’s Companion, welcomed thousands of visitors to the launch of its second UK store over its opening weekend.

Visitors from all over the country attended the launch of the store, at Dobbies Garden Centre and Shopping Village in Chesterfield.

The store was officially opened by the company’s founder and craft TV shopping star Sara Davies MBE on Friday. The new Crafter’s Companion outlet has been designed to attract more people into craft and provide a community hub where customers can explore the latest tools and products.

Throughout the weekend, visitors were able to enjoy a number of demonstrations led by several craft celebrities. These included TV shopping stars Debbie Shore and Sheena Douglass, who travelled to the region to run sessions and celebrate the launch.

Sara Davies MBE, Founder of Crafter’s Companion, said:-

“Opening a store in Chesterfield was a big step for us so soon after we launched our first store in the North East, so it’s great to see the launch weekend go so incredibly well.

“Dobbies Garden Centre and Shopping Village has such a great reputation and the feedback we have received so far from everyone visiting our new store has been brilliant. We can’t thank all of our customers enough for their continued support.

“We’ve put so much hard work into making the store a success, so it’s been great to see people from the local community and beyond the region enjoying themselves and really getting involved with the activities.”

The new store, which is the result of a £250k investment by the multi award-winning Crafter’s Companion, includes a central hub for workshops and group sessions, dedicated demonstration areas and themed shopping sections.

The store will be open to the public Monday – Saturday from 9am-6pm and on Sunday from 10.30am-4.30pm.

There will also be regular workshops available for booking.

The outlet joins several other brands at Dobbies Garden Centre in Chesterfield, such as Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Holland and Barrett, Lakeland, Pets at Home and Cotton Traders. The extensive garden centre also houses a farm shop, food hall and a restaurant.

Chesterfield’s shopping and retail sector is continuing to do well; however, it has secured the help it needs to become outstanding.

The town has been announced as one of the final 33 areas to be supported by Business in the Community’s Health High Streets programme. Over the next three years, the programme aims to increase footfall, reduce the number of vacant shops and create jobs in Chesterfield.

A total of 100 high streets are now supported by the programme, including the major cities of Sheffield, Leicester and Nottingham. Healthy High Streets is backed by more than 40 high street names, including Boots, EE, Greggs, Marks & Spencer, Santander and Wilko, who are committed to using the leadership expertise, skills and resources of their business to help UK high streets achieve their full potential.

A steering group made up of Chesterfield Borough Council, Marks and Spencer, Wilko, Boots, Greggs, Santander, Vicar Lane, the Pavements Shopping Centre and Destination Chesterfield, has been set up to deliver the objectives of Healthy High Streets, which include:

• Boosting footfall in shopping areas
• Reducing shop vacancies
• Returning pride to the high street
• Creating jobs

The group has already begun a promotional campaign promoting the reduced £3 for three hours parking rate available in Chesterfield Borough Council-run long stay car parks, as well as the free parking for Chesterfield borough residents available before 10am and after 3pm on weekdays and all day on Sundays and bank holidays.

Welcoming the news, Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy, said:-

“High streets up and down the country face challenges due to the impact of internet shopping, so it is important that we constantly look at new ways of reinvigorating our shopping areas in Chesterfield.

“By working with the Business in the Community advisor and bringing in corporate partners from shop chains we are able to share national experience and expertise alongside local knowledge.

“One of the areas the steering group is looking at is about improving and adding to our town centre events calendar. It has already been decided that we will hold a pumpkin hunt event in the last week of October and that we will strengthen our Christmas offer by working in a more co-ordinated way with the big high street chains on initiatives such as the Santa’s grotto in the Market Hall.”

Vic Risorto, Destination Chesterfield Board Member responsible for the town centre added:-

“As a town centre business owner myself I am delighted that Chesterfield has been selected as a Healthy High Streets town.

“Destination Chesterfield looks forward to partnering with the high street stores, independent retailers and Chesterfield Borough Council to bring forward initiatives to stimulate footfall.

“This can only help us attract more investment, creating jobs and a thriving town centre which everyone will benefit from.”

To find out more about the Healthy High Streets programme, please visit http://www.bitc.org.uk/programmes/healthy-high-streets.

Employers who want to update their staff’s skills or individuals aiming to get ahead in their careers can find out what the University of Derby’s new Chesterfield Campus has to offer on October 27 at a Professional and Part-Time Study Open Evening.

From 4pm-7pm, University lecturers will be at the Campus in the former St Helena’s grammar school on Sheffield Road to outline the range of business, engineering, IT and health care courses on offer.

Professor Margaret Bruce, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, explained the benefits of part-time study: “Our flexible approach to teaching and learning enables you to fit studying around your other commitments.

“That means you can gain a professional qualification whilst working, to help further your career, broadening your skills and knowledge in a flexible way, without it affecting your lifestyle.”

Courses available through part-time study in Chesterfield are:

■ HND Business and Management

■ BEng (Hons) Professional Engineering

■ FdSc Information Technology

■ Continuing Professional Development in Health and Social Care

The Campus, due to open next month, has had a multi-million pound conversion which has been sympathetic to the listed St Helena’s building, conserving as many of its historic features as possible.  Booking is essential: visit derby.ac.uk/open days

Two Chesterfield businesses, Start Financial Planning and Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, have joined forces to bring a fresh approach to financial planning for owner managed businesses in north east Derbyshire.

The collaborative working arrangement between the two businesses follows an increase in SMEs in the area now looking to grow following the pre-referendum uncertainty at the beginning of the year.

The low interest rates and grants now available has prompted businesses to turn to Mitchells for practical advice and help on accessing grants and finance, while Start Financial Planning is assisting business owners in protecting the future of the company and their personal finance ahead of potential Brexit uncertainty.

Michael Heath, director of Start Financial Planning, explained:-

“Historically financial advisers and accountants have worked independently of each other which is not necessarily in the best interests of business owners, particularly in the current economic climate.

“It made absolute sense to agree a collaborative working arrangement with Mitchells. By doing so we have created a one-stop-shop for owner managed businesses, offering practical advice in tax, accounting and investments, helping protect the financial future of the business for both the owner and employees.”

Richard Trueman, Managing Partner at Mitchells, added:-

“We’re delighted to have Start Financial Planning on board. Mitchells’ prides itself on both our practical accounting and business advice services, and the agreement with Start is a practical extension of this in response to client demand.

“Start shares our passion for helping SMEs achieve their growth potential and through our working partnership with Start, we are now able to offer our clients a better, seamless service when managing their business turnover and personal wealth.”

Later in the year, Start hopes to agree a further collaborative working agreement with a leading legal services firm in the area in order to deliver a fully comprehensive cradle to grave financial planning service for individuals and businesses in the area.