Liberal Democrat candidate Tony Rogers has been elected as a Chesterfield Borough Councillor following a by-election in the Moor ward.

The election was held following the death of Labour councillor Keith Brown who previously held the seat.

Mr Rogers won the seat with 532 votes. Labour candidate Ron Mihaly received 445 votes, Conservative candidate Gordon Partington got 84 votes and UKIP candidate Barry Thompson received 69 votes. The turnout was 34.4%.

The result means the political make-up of the council is now:

• Labour – 36 councillors
• Liberal Democrats – ten councillors
• Independent – two councillors

Labour councillor Kate Caulfield, who was elected in the local elections in May 2015 remains the other councillor in the Moor ward. All councillors remain in post until the local elections to be held in May 2019.

A 38-year-old mother of two is using her young son’s recovery from serious illness as motivation when she and her family take on the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon in October.

Marissa Gaunt, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, will run the 13.1-mile route with her husband Craig in aid of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice later this year, taking inspiration from their son Brodie’s recovery from a serious viral infection, from which he almost died, when he was just 14 months old.

Brodie, now six, will also be taking part in the event’s 1km Fun Run with his sister Maisey along with other pupils from St Peter and St Paul School in Chesterfield.

The family will be taking part to support Chesterfield Half Marathon charity partner Bluebell Wood, and have signed up to a weekly after-school running club set up by St Peter and St Paul School to allow pupils and parents to train together in the lead-up to the event.

Marissa said: “You always think life is so precious, especially with your children. Being in that situation, it just pulls on your heartstrings.”

“When Brodie was 14 months old he had a viral infection which spread to his brain, and ended up with inflammation on the brain. He spent two months in hospital and had to learn to crawl and eat again.”

“Thankfully he was discharged but the experience will live with us forever.”

“We’re so lucky to have our lives and when we heard about the work of Bluebell Wood, we wanted to support them.”

Marissa and her daughter Maisey take part in a 5km Park Run every Saturday, with Brodie recently joining them after completing his first run in 39 minutes.

The Chesterfield Half won’t be Marissa and Craig’s first endurance event experience, however – the couple completed the Robin Hood Half Marathon in Nottingham eight years ago in 130 minutes, and are aiming to break the two-hour mark this time.

“Anything we can raise will be amazing,” said Marissa.

“I would say we’ll aim for £500 and any more on top of that would be incredible. Once we get started there’ll be no stopping us.”

Lucy Rathbone, Community Fundraiser at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, said: “It’s fantastic seeing what St. Peter and St. Paul School are doing – with some incredible people and families taking part in their weekly running club.”

“Marissa and her family’s story is a genuinely inspirational one – having been through tough times themselves they’ve come through and are now actively contributing to raising money for a great cause while also keeping fighting fit!”

The deadline to sign up for any of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon races is midnight on Sunday 7th October. For more information and to sign up please click here.

Amigos Team Parker Racing driver Seb Perez rounded off a magnificent debut year in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB by securing the ProAm title at the season finale’ at Brands Hatch last weekend (29^th/30^th September).

The Chesterfield based race ace chalked up the result on Sunday whilst celebrating his 19th birthday at the Kent race circuit, he took third ProAm in the opener on Sunday morning. His twelfth podium of the season was enough to clinch the title with a race in hand.

Perez overcame a difficult start to the year to take six category victories from the 16 rounds of the series but would need to ensure he retained that form if he was to take the title as the season drew to a close.

Seb’s weekend began with a great qualifying session on Saturday where he would land second ProAm behind his nearest championship rival. However, technical checks revealed an anomaly with the lead Porsche 911 GT3, handing Perez the P1 slot for Sunday’s opening race.

The Carrera Cup drivers were greeted by a bright but chilly morning for the first race of the day on Sunday and Perez knew that he would need to keep as cool if he was to firm up his title chances in race one.

Seventeen laps lay ahead, and a measured approach would be required from Perez, who would drop two places on the opening tour to complete lap one in third ProAm place.

Perez as confident as ever knew that it would be all that was required and with rival Dan Vaughan out of the race in the first handful of laps, he would just need to bring the Amigos Porsche home in a rostrum position.

A mid-race Safety Car didn’t alarm him, taking the chequered flag in third ProAm, sealing the title.

Race two saw Seb placed tenth on the grid, the race was a non entity as the job had been done and he was champion but still in his usual style gave the race all he had got to get a finish.

The season has had its highs and lows for Perez, firstly getting used to a new car was a complete learning curve after his last few years in Ginetta Juniors and last year in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship.

“What an amazing feeling,” said an elated Perez.

“It’s been a really tough season and there were times when I thought it really wasn’t going to be our year, but I worked really hard in turning it around. The results, podiums and wins just kept coming and as long as I kept consistent, I knew I had a decent chance.”

Perez cites the team around him as the vital part in his championship efforts.

“I really do acknowledge how much of an achievement it is to do well in the Carrera Cup. It’s such a tough championship and can be very unpredictable, so to come here in my debut year and be first ProAm and second Rookie to George, well it doesn’t get much better than that. I’m so happy for the team and the guys at Team Parker racing who have been superb all year long and have been a really important part of my progress. A huge thanks must go to my sponsors Amigos who have been behind me all the way. What a year”.

Team-mate George Gamble would also enjoy a successful end to the year by securing sixth place in the in the Pro championship, having already wrapped up the Rookie category at Silverstone earlier this month.

Thanks to the efforts of Perez and Gamble, Amigos Team Parker Racing sealed second place in the Entrants Championship.

Editorial by Paul Horton Motorsport Media and Photography

Images by Paul Horton and Carrera Cup GB/Dan Bathie

A keen runner from Derbyshire who has used exercise to ‘push physical and mental boundaries’ following her recovery from mental health issues will be taking on the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon in October.

Annie Windley, from Woolley Moor, was diagnosed with a severe eating disorder in 2012, but after five years of hospital admissions, professional treatment and intensive care, decided to take up running to aid her recovery to ‘overcome the demon holding her down’.

And now, six months into training for the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon on 21 October – which will be Annie’s first-ever endurance event – she is looking to inspire others while also raising money for local charity Ashgate Hospicecare, the Half Marathon’s main charity partner, after being told of the charity’s work by a neighbour.

Annie said: “I’ve always had a passion for running and I like to say that my running shoes are really ‘erasers’ – every step erases some past failure. Every mile brings us closer to a new slate.”

“Each foot striking the ground runs away a word, a look or even an event which led us to falsely believe that success was beyond our grasp.”

The 21-year-old has dedicated up to four hours a day training for the 13.1-mile event – running up to 20km at times and regularly visiting the gym – and has also refused to let a niggling knee injury rule her out.

“It’s important that when you feel like you cannot go another step, that’s when you give it everything you’ve got,” said Annie.

“I believe that everyone has the ability to turn their pain into power, and for some extra motivation to try a new challenge.”

“My boyfriend Steve has been extremely supportive of me and encourages me to pursue my dreams while also motivating me, lifting my spirits and believing in my strength to reach new heights.”

Beth Cole, Events Fundraiser at Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “What Annie is doing is simply inspirational.”

“It’s well documented these days that running and exercise can have such a positive impact on a person’s mental health as well as physical fitness, and Annie’s story further underlines the important role physical activity plays on improving a person’s wellbeing.”

“It’s also fantastic to hear that Annie is fundraising for Ashgate Hospicecare. We’re proud to be the main charity partner of the 2018 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, providing care to patients across North Derbyshire at our hospice and in the community.”

The deadline to sign up for any of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon races is midnight on Sunday 7th October. For more information and to sign up please click here.