chesterfield business news

East Midlands Chamber named one of the best places to work in the region

Bringing separate teams together on a weekly basis and empowering staff to organise internal social events has helped East Midlands Chamber to be recognised as one of the top organisations to work for in the region.

The chamber of commerce for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire features in three categories of the Best Companies to Work For lists for Q2 2022.

It ranked 76th in the East Midlands’ 100 Best Companies to Work For, 15th in the national Business Services’ 25 Best Companies to Work For and 34th in the 50 Best Mid-Sized Company to Work for list.

The achievement follows in-depth staff surveys by the industry-leading employee engagement specialist, which asks questions about their wellbeing, pay and benefits, personal growth, team, the leadership and other aspects.

Judges commended the Chamber for ensuring “staff understand how the organisation works and how they fit in”, highlighting how a different area of the business leads a weekly internal meeting to explain what its team does and how it contributes to the business plan objectives.

A social committee that organises events for staff across the organisation to get together informally – one of several internal working groups, with others designed for mental wellbeing, as well as equality, diversity and inclusion – was also praised.

East Midlands Chamber director of resources and HR lead Lucy Robinson said: “The experiences of the past couple of years have really emphasised the importance of looking after our people, who are the most important resource for any business.

“We have done a lot of work to ensure we can be a great employer by creating the conditions and environment that empowers our people to come to work as their best possible selves. A thriving workforce enables us to drive our organisation forward and provide the best services for our 4,000-plus members.

“As well as offering flexibility via a hybrid remote-office working model to our staff and a wide range of benefits such as two days’ additional annual leave for volunteering, we have sought to improve our transparency by holding weekly all-staff meetings to give everyone a detailed insight into the business and allow the various teams within it to share success stories, as well as the ability to ask questions.

“Continuous personal development is rapidly rising up the agenda and we are always keen to offer training and growth opportunities to people across all levels, with the latest initiative being a Future Leaders Academy that seeks to give a small cohort of people the chance to learn key skills and knowledge to take the next step in their career journey.

“For our business, it contributes towards our succession planning as we are developing our own talent for future leader roles while it helps with staff retention – a crucial consideration for employers given we are in the midst of one of the most challenging recruitment crises in memory.”

East Midlands Chamber employs about 180 people across offices in Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Glossop and Mansfield.

Find out more about working in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/working/

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Accountancy firm announces relocation to North Derbyshire

An accountancy firm originally based in Sheffield has announced its relocation to to larger 1250 sq. ft premises on Rotherside Road in Eckington to meet the continued demand for its services.

Number Crunchers Ltd. specialises in providing accountancy services to small to medium sized businesses (SME’s) in the local region. The company has also hired two new team members that will specialise in cloud bookkeeping and payroll creating local jobs in the area.

Founded by Isabella Callaghan in 1996 and with Chris Pheasey BA (Hons) MAAT ACMA CGMA joining in 2006, Number Crunchers has been successfully supporting SME’s including sole traders, start-ups and Limited companies in the local region for over 26 years.

The company offers a range of services including accounting, cloud accounting using Sage, Xero, FreeAgent, Quickbooks etc., bookkeeping, self assessment, payroll and business advice.

Number Crunchers is currently preparing and educating businesses on Making Tax Digital, which will come into place in April 2024. From 6th April 2024 all self-employed businesses and landlords with an annual business or property income above £10,000 will need to follow the rules for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

HMRC will require that a return is submitted quarterly, and that businesses will need to use Making Tax Digital compatible software to keep digital records.

Isabella Callaghan, Managing Director of Number Crunchers says: “We are very excited to be moving to larger premises in Eckington and taking on new staff to strengthen our team. The new offices are an important step in the company’s future growth. I started Number Crunchers in 1996 as a Sole Trader and I still get a thrill about what we do today.

“My ethos has always been to treat each client’s business as if it were my own and to take the fear and mystic out of accountancy. As we enter a new digital age in accountancy, we are fully committed to supporting our clients as they make the transition to Making Tax Digital.”

 

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Central Technology announces latest recruits

The team at Chesterfield’s Central Technology has continued to expand, after the company introduced the latest cohort of new starters.

Central Technology offers customers a fast, fresh and simple approach to Managed Services, Cloud Solutions, Telecoms and Cyber Security that will help companies across all sectors stay one step ahead of the competition.

The company has recently taken on Jack Thompson as Project Engineer, Nicola Goodwin as Sales Support Administator, Bradley Morell and Alex Willerton as Technical Support Specialists, and Lewis Renshaw as an Account Manager.

Jack Thompson, who has joined CT’s Implementation Team as a Project Engineer commented: “I have joined CT as a Project Engineer where I will be both implementing and upgrading a variety of systems to a wide portfolio of customers. I have worked in both Internal and MSP IT sectors for around 7 years, providing support to thousands of customers over a wide range of industries ranging from construction to retail and transport.”

Lewis Renshaw, Account Manager in CT’s Sales Team commented: “I recently joined CT to work alongside our valued customers to help grow their businesses through the use of IT. I enjoy working alongside businesses to take an idea from initial conversation through to delivery.”

Alex Willerton, Technical Support Specialist on the CT Service Desk said: “I’m part of the 1st line support team so I’m the first line of contact for most users when they need support with any of their systems. I previously worked for an insurance company which was my first official IT role, but prior to that I completed my degree in Computer Science at Sheffield Hallam.”

If you are interested in joining the Central Technology Team, find out more on the company’s vacancies page or email careers@ct.co.uk

Central Technology 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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Robinson produce sustainable packaging for Holdsworth’s iconic limited edition Platinum Jubilee chocolates

In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Holdsworth Chocolates and custom packaging supplier, Robinson, have collaborated to create a beautifully crafted limited edition Jubilee chocolate box.

This stunning box has been embellished with silver and gold foil blocking creating an intricate and unique design. Made from 100% recycled paperboard fibres and recyclable once used, this makes the perfect sustainable gift to take to any Jubilee party. Designed with usability in mind the box and sleeve store the chocolates safely and can be continually used until recycled.

David Sharples, Managing Director at Holdsworth Chocolates, said: “Holdsworth is a British owned family run business, we are proud to have produced an iconic box in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The box contains a selection of our exquisite assortment of creams, truffles, pralines and caramels packaged in high-quality sustainable packaging. We are proud to be working with another local British brand to produce this fantastic product.”

To complement the foil blocking the box has a deep royal purple colour, adding to the sophistication and on-shelf appeal. With Robinson being a strategically located supplier, it only took 3 weeks to produce from design to delivery.

Jon Walker, NPD Director at Robinson, said: “These beautiful boxes showcase the fantastic designs that can be created using foil blocking. Sometimes when you think of sustainability you think the design must be basic, but we pride ourselves on brands being able to still have the WOW factor and be kind to the environment at the same time. Holdsworth is a great example of a UK brand that is luxurious and sustainable.”

If you are interested in sustainable boxes for your brand, please email jonw@robinsonpackaging.com

Robinson 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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Council seeks to safeguard future of Tapton House

A new owner or tenant is being sought for Tapton House in a move designed to safeguard the long-term future of this historic Chesterfield site.

Backed by Chesterfield Civic Society, Chesterfield Borough Council has taken the decision to advertise Tapton House in Brimington for sale or rent – with a view to bringing the empty Grade II* listed building back into use.

Dating back to 1794, the building was built by local banking family, the Wilkinsons. It was then briefly occupied by railway pioneer George Stephenson (from 1838 to 1848) before becoming the home of the Markham family from 1873 to 1925.

It was subsequently given to the former Chesterfield Corporation by Charles Paxton Markham, who expressed the hope that it would be used for the benefit of the people of the town, leading to the creation of the former Tapton House Secondary School which occupied the site until 1991. Chesterfield College then took over the building as a base for its Higher Education provision before returning Tapton House to the council in 2018.

Councillor Dean Collins, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, said: “Tapton House and the surrounding area is a key heritage site in our borough, and we’re committed to finding a long-term solution that will safeguard and conserve its future.

“Since the college vacated the building three years ago, we have overseen its general repair and maintenance while looking for a suitable tenant – but are becoming increasingly concerned about incidents of vandalism and arson in the nearby Tapton Park.

“The council, just like the people of Chesterfield want the best for Tapton House, which is why we’re now keen to attract a new owner or tenant who is prepared to make the substantial investment needed to restore and refurbish the building to a standard fit for occupation.”

Philip Riden, Chairman of the Chesterfield Civic Society, said: “The Civic Society committee believes that the best chance of securing the future of Tapton House is for it to be sold by the Borough Council on a long lease with planning permission for change of use back to a private residence.

“If necessary, this could be coupled with the demolition of the school buildings of 1931, which are of no special merit. Public access to the grounds could, we believe, be maintained alongside the creation of a private garden attached to the mansion.”

The property will be available for sale on a long leasehold basis for a term of 999 years at a fixed peppercorn ground rent, or to let on a new lease on commercial terms.

A number of uses will be considered, subject to appropriate consents being in place – and any final decision on the sale of Tapton House will be taken by the council’s Cabinet.

Under the terms of any sale or rental agreement, there will be a small private outdoor area for the exclusive use of the new owner or tenant but plenty of parkland left for residents to walk around and enjoy views of Tapton House.

The building will be marketed by Knight Frank and all enquiries should be directed to Peter Whiteley at Knight Frank by emailing peter.whiteley@knightfrank.com, or calling 0114 272 9750.

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Shorts and MD Law advise on sale of BN Gibson Limited

Chesterfield-based finanical advice firm Shorts recently teamed up with MD Law to act as lead advisors and legal representatives on the sale of a nearby ambulance service.

The two companies provided advice to to Alison and Anthony Corbett on the sale of Nottinghamshire based Ambulance Services, B.N.Gibson Limited to Tim and Rebecca Hawley as part of a Management Buy-In (“MBI”) transaction.

Alison and Anthony will remain involved in the business for a period to ensure a smooth and successful transition.

B.N. Gibson is one of the longest established private ambulance services in the UK and has an established reputation for high standards and reliability.

Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner with Shorts comments: “We are delighted to have advised Alison and Anthony on the successful completion of this transaction. The sale of the business to an MBI candidate whom they have known for a long time feels like a perfect route to ensure the continuing success of the business under new ownership whilst maintaining the well-established ‘family’ culture of the company .”

Corporate Partner at MD Law, James Burdekin, said: “It was a pleasure to assist Alison and Anthony with the successful transition of the business to new owners and, we are very confident that the business will go from strength to strength under its new ownership.”

Anthony and Alison Corbett said “We cannot thank Shorts enough for the support and advice they have provided over the last 8 years. Shorts have guided us through the sales of two businesses which was our long term goal and have been there for us every step of the way.”

With a long-standing heritage of over 130 years, Shorts has grown from a local business to a nationally recognised award-winning firm. The company is home to some incredible expertise – specialists have joined Shorts from some of the world’s leading firms, bringing years of experience that they have shared and continue to hone.

Shorts 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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New series of peer-to-peer networks launched by East Midlands Chamber

Senior leaders in SMEs across UK Community Renewal Fund areas are being invited to join a peer-to-peer networking programme that launches this month.

Delivered by East Midlands Chamber, the Peer Networks programme gives directors and senior managers the opportunity to share common business challenges and objectives. Regular sessions take place over several months and are facilitated by experts in the field and supported by specialist guest speakers.

Sector-based networks such as manufacturing and the visitor economy – as well as specialist groups for high-growth, female-owned businesses and Generation Next – will begin over the coming weeks, with the first one, designed for the visitor economy, starting on 17 May.

East Midlands Chamber deputy chief executive Diane Beresford, who heads up the Peer Networks delivery, said: “Peer networks are quite different to a traditional classroom development programme. They are more informal in nature, and the agenda is set by the group members. Challenges are addressed through conversational peer support and, since group members bring along real-life scenarios, the advice received has immediate relevance.

“Particularly valuable is that members develop support channels in the peer-to-peer network that continue outside the group, and often for the long term. Bringing together businesses in this way to learn from and support one another, is an area the Chamber is particularly well placed to lead on.”

A number of the Peer Networks are being delivered under East Midlands Accelerator, a £5.27m project part-funded by the Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF), and which has received an additional £471,000 of match funding from the Chamber and its partners.

Qualifying businesses must meet a number of criteria. They must be based in either Bassetlaw, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, Leicester city, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, or Nottingham city; have operated for at least one year; employ at least three people; and record a turnover exceeding £100,000. In addition, they must have an aspiration to improve and the potential to scale up or export – or be exporting already.
Up to 11 individuals are involved in each cohort and are required to give a time commitment of about 18 hours across the entire duration of the fully-subsidised programme.

Anyone interested in taking part in the Peer Networks may book their place at: www.emc-dnl.co.uk/peernetworks.

Peer Networks programmes:

The upcoming Peer Networks are:
• Visitor economy: 17 May, 6pm
• Generation Next: 19 May, 8am
• High growth: 19 May and 20 May, 9.30am
• North Nottinghamshire Manufacturing Network: 27 May, 8am
• Leicester City Manufacturing Network: 27 May, 8am
• Nottingham City Manufacturing Network: 1 June, 8am
• High growth: 7 June, 9am
• Derbyshire Dales & High Peak Manufacturing Network: 9 June, 8am
• Women in business: 20 June, 10am

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Fortem launches new health and safety standard

Fortem has launched their new Health and Safety standard, Safe4Life, which builds upon their existing promises to ensure everyone goes home safe, every day.

Safe4Life – Taking Care of You, represents Fortem’s commitment to the health, safety, and well-being of all its staff, trades, supply chain partners and stakeholders. The aim of this rejuvenated standard is to reinforce the essential requirements and expectations, which all levels of the business must meet, to develop and maintain a world-class Safety, Health, Environment and Compliance (SHEC) culture.

The existing standard includes the four key principles required to embed a robust health and safety culture:

  • Value- No one should suffer pain.
  • Belief- ALL accidents can be prevented.
  • Attitude- Everyone has a zero tolerance of unsafe behaviour.
  • Behaviour- Everyone looks out for themselves and others.

These guiding principles are at the forefront of everything Fortem do, be that in the planning and delivery of work, community engagements, on the move and any other way in which its people operate.

The new model builds upon these four guiding principles to incorporate seven key elements:

  • Empowerment
  • Engagement
  • Intervention
  • Supervision
  • Consultation
  • Leadership
  • Recognition

The new standard has been designed to reflect how Fortem approach and manage Safety, Health, Environment and Compliance. Each component of the model details elements of the management system that is either already in place or that will be launched as part of the initiative.

Mike Hart, Managing Director at Fortem said, “The Health and Safety of our workforce, customers and members of the public continues to be our number one priority. A robust, well embedded safety culture creates the foundation for which high Health & Safety standards develops and thrives.

“It helps prevent accidents and incidents and encourages people to report observations, in an environment that does not apportion blame. It leads by example. It protects our people by making sure they receive the right training, equipment, safe systems of work, PPE, support and mentoring. It does not compromise on the safety of its people. It keeps abreast of current legislation and industry best practice and ensures our people are given the relevant information from these so they can continue to work safely. It empowers people to do the right thing, all the time, even when no one else is looking.

“Our refreshed Health and Safety strategy ‘Safe4Life’ is an important milestone in ensuring that, together, we drive our Health and Safety culture across our workforce and supply chain to underpin how we design, plan and deliver all of our work in branches and projects.”

Fortem 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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New menswear retailer set to open in prominent Chesterfield town centre store

A retailer selling a range of clothes for men is moving into a prominent Chesterfield Town Centre location, adding to the plethora of new retailers in the town.

WiseGuys menswear will be opening in the former Greenwoods store on Packers Row, offering a broad choice of clothing, including casual shirts, knitwear, suits and shoes.

Mike Willis, who used to work for Greenwoods before launching his own clothing business, says he is pleased to be bringing a new store to the town: “I’ve always had Chesterfield in mind as the place where I wanted to open my next store, as it fits with the ‘market town’ profile of my business.

“I opened my first store in Sleaford in 2013, followed by Newark, Melton Mowbray and Boston, so I am delighted that the opportunity has arisen to continue growing the business and offering our products to a wider audience.

“We’re really pleased to be welcoming customers from Chesterfield and beyond, and cannot wait to be part of the evolution of the local high street. We’d love to see as many new faces in our store as possible, so please pop in and say hello.”

The store plans to cater for a broad range of sizes, with no skinny fits on offer. Casual shirts range from sizes small to 4XL, while shoe brands are sold in sizes 6-12. Shoes up to size 15 can be sold to order.

Suits are on sale ranging from sizes 34-60 chest. A number of recognised brands will be stocked at WiseGuys, including Dude Shoes, Lambretta Brogues, Ben Sherman Casuals, Lizard King Shirts, Swole Panda socks and underwear, Redpoint Chinos and casual coats, Sunwill jeans and much more.

The store is also recruiting for new staff, with Mike commenting: “I’m looking for a manager and part-time staff to work at the store, ensuring our customers enjoy the best possible visit to WiseGuys. Anyone wishing to apply or find out more, please email wiseguys2014@gmail.com FAO: Mr Mike Willis, Director.”

To find out more about WiseGuys menswear, head over to the website: www.wiseguysmenswear.co.uk

Chesterfield’s high street is home to an array of independent and chain retailers. To find out more about shopping in the town, head over to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/shopping/

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BRM Solicitors appoints New Corporate Director

Regional law firm BRM solicitors are strengthening its corporate and commercial team with an internal promotion.

Trevor Bird has advised a multitude of businesses across the region, specialising in corporate finance, fundraising M&A, joint ventures, and corporate governance. Trevor is also an expert in start-up fundraising, venture capital, and real estate in the care sector.

Trevor said: “I am delighted to be promoted to Director at BRM, the promotion is the result of years of hard work, and I am looking forward to continuing my work with existing and future clients. I am especially looking forward to driving forward the corporate offering in the region. Especially with the fantastic opportunities with tech start-ups across the region.”

Head of Corporate Sarah Rowland said: “Trevor is already a key member of the team and will be an integral part of the firm’s future growth in the region. Trevor’s strong track record and breadth and depth of experience complement our growing client base.

Trevor’s well-deserved promotion is aligned with BRMs policy to recognise and reward talent and commitment and we wish him continued success with the firm.”

BRM Solicitors is one of the leading providers of commercial and private client legal services in the area. Many of the firm’s partners and staff were born in Chesterfield or nearby. Others were attracted to the area by the quality of its working environment and its proximity to areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The team believes its success and appeal is largely due to its mix of staff with city law firm experience and lifelong Chesterfield residents and its practice ethos is to deliver a city-style service to clients without forgetting our market town location and economy.

It is for these reasons that BRM is known nationally and continues to have a diverse client base ranging from local individuals to well known multinational businesses.

BRM Solicitors 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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Chesterfield company celebrates double win in Queen’s Award for Enterprise

A Chesterfield company has celebrated a double award win in the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

Imagesound Group was founded in 1998 and has become a national leader for enhancing customer experience, using audio and visual channels within client venues.

From hotels and leisure through to retail and hospitality, Imagesound delivers to over 60,000 locations across 152 countries and 9 overseas Territories from their base in Derbyshire.

Imagesound has grown exponentially over the last 10 years, employing 128 staff at the Chesterfield HQ and a further 60 worldwide to service global offices in Los Angeles, Miami, Dubai, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and regional consultants in Tokyo, Bangkok, Bali, Delhi, Casablanca, Vancouver, New York and Sydney.

Working with global brands such as McDonalds, H&M, Adidas, national icons B&Q, Co‐op and Next, and independent hotels, businesses, and venues, Imagesound has been at the forefront of technology innovations to ensure expertly curated music and video content is of the highest quality and imaging can be deployed in each location.

Following an introductory event hosted by the Lord Lieutenant and Deputies in July 2021, designed to encourage more Derbyshire based companies to enter these prestigious awards, Imagesound worked with local award writing agency Pure Awards to prepare and submit the nominations to both the Innovation and International Trade categories.

Over the course of seven weeks, investing over 50hours work in each application, the nominations were submitted in September, followed by a six-month wait to find out the results.

Managing Director Phil Burroughes said, “These awards represent the best in British business today and we are extremely honoured that the Imagesound Group has been recognised in 2022 for our efforts and achievements.

“As a business that has grown substantially over the last few years it’s nice to receive recognition for our software that helps underpin our service and help deliver our international coverage so effectively.

“While we know it’s rare to win on our first attempt, it’s a reflection of the hard work that helped us achieve this. Our efforts have certainly paid off with the double win, and we are looking forward to welcoming the Lord Lieutenant for Derbyshire to our offices soon to officially receive our award along with joining the other 224 UK winners in a celebration event at Buckingham Palace in July.”

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious, comprehensive, and detailed business awards in the UK. The award lasts five years and elevates the reputation of each winning company to a superior level so they may achieve further growth, progression, and success in the coming years.

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