Thousands raised for charities and local communities supported
From raising thousands for local charities, supporting grassroots sport and community initiatives, our Chesterfield Champions continue to make a positive difference across the area.
SMH Group raises more than £10,000 for charity at Chesterfield Golf Day
SMH Group has raised more than £10,000 for the MND Association and Paces following its sixth annual Charity Golf Day at Chesterfield Golf Club.
The professional services firm, which operates across Yorkshire and Derbyshire, welcomed clients, colleagues and friends to the event on Friday, 21st August 2026.
The day brought businesses and professional contacts together for a Texas Scramble competition, alongside closest to the pin challenges, a longest drive contest and a golf simulator challenge.
The event concluded with a raffle and prize presentation, supported by prizes donated by local businesses.
Ross Jordan, Partner at SMH Group, organised the event. He said:
“Now in its sixth year, the Golf Day has developed into much more than a golf competition. It provides a valuable opportunity for businesses from across the region to come together in a relaxed and informal setting, while giving colleagues from across SMH Group the chance to spend time with clients and professional contacts away from the usual working environment.
Most importantly, the day supports two charities doing invaluable work. We are delighted that, following the event, over £10,000 has been raised for the MND Association and Paces.
I would like to thank every team that took part, along with our sponsors, prize donors and everyone who contributed to the fundraising. Their continued generosity and support are what make the Golf Day possible.”
BRM Solicitors were crowned the 2026 champions with a net score of 64, seven under par. Sickles Siders finished second with 67, while Pheasant Pluckers took third with 69.
The MND Association supports people affected by motor neurone disease and their families, while Paces supports children and adults with cerebral palsy and other motor disorders through specialist services and Conductive Education.
Weightron Bilanciai strengthens support for Staveley Miners Welfare FC
Chesterfield-based Weightron Bilanciai has announced a new sponsorship partnership with Staveley Miners Welfare FC, supporting the club’s community work and grassroots development.
The partnership will support the club’s plans to expand its community programmes, educational initiatives, and health and wellbeing activities, while continuing to develop one of the area’s leading grassroots football organisations.
Staveley Miners Welfare FC has grown into much more than a football club, becoming a community hub that supports young people, families, schools and local residents through sport, education and social engagement.
As a Chesterfield-based business with deep roots in the local area, Weightron Bilanciai recognises the important role community organisations play in bringing people together and creating opportunities for future generations. The sponsorship reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to supporting inclusion, participation and community wellbeing through meaningful local partnerships.
Nick Catt, Managing Director of Weightron Bilanciai, said:
“We are delighted to support Staveley Miners Welfare FC and the incredible work they do both on and off the pitch. Their vision extends far beyond football, creating opportunities in education, promoting healthier lifestyles, and bringing people together across the community. As a local business, we are proud to play a part in helping the club continue its growth and deliver even greater benefits to local people.”
The sponsorship will contribute towards the club’s ongoing expansion of community outreach activities, educational programmes and grassroots football development, alongside initiatives designed to improve health and wellbeing for people of all ages.
The partnership also supports the club’s vision of creating a lasting positive impact across the local area, while continuing to invest in facilities, opportunities and pathways for future generations.
Chairman Terry Damms added:
“Partnerships with businesses like Weightron Bilanciai are vital to helping us achieve our ambitions. Their support will enable us to expand the work we do within the community, develop new opportunities for education and wellbeing, and continue building a club that serves local people both today and in the future.”
The partnership brings together two organisations with a shared commitment to supporting local people and creating opportunities for future generations, with football continuing to play an important role in community life across the area.
Sponsored swim raises more than £9,000 for two charities
Around 80 local children have raised £9,963.72 through a sponsored swim at Queen’s Park Sports Centre, with the money shared equally between two charities.
Organised by Chesterfield Borough Council, the sponsored swim raised money for Weston Park Cancer Charity and Ashgate Hospice, two charities that support the local community.
The money raised will help support Ashgate Hospice, which provides compassionate, specialist palliative and end-of-life care to patients with a life-limiting illness and their families across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, with much of its care delivered in people’s homes.
Every child who attends swimming lessons at Queen’s Park Sports Centre or the Healthy Living Centre in Staveley was invited to take part, setting their own target distance to help raise money for the charities.
Residents taking part in the council’s weekly Outswimming Cancer sessions also joined the swim. Weston Park Cancer Charity supports the sessions, which give people who have had cancer a supportive and encouraging environment to stay active.
The council’s leisure team also set themselves the target of swimming the length of the River Thames – the equivalent of 13,760 lengths – but surpassed this distance by swimming a total of 14,489 lengths throughout June.
Councillor Gavin Baldauf-Good, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for customers and business transformation, said:
“I want to thank everyone who organised and participated in the sponsored swim throughout June. Together they raised an incredible amount of money for two very worthwhile causes that will have supported so many local people.
“It is also great to see people who take part in our Outswimming Cancer sessions get involved too as this is an activity that is very close to my heart.”
Chesterfield Borough Council, Ashgate Hospice, SMH Group and Weightron Bilanciai are among more than 200 Chesterfield organisations that are proud to support the local economy, working closely with Destination Chesterfield to showcase Chesterfield and North Derbyshire as a destination to live, work, visit and invest.
Find out more about our Champions network.
