Author: Dom Stevens

New Appointment Follows Successful Year For Law Firm

Chesterfield Champions, BRM Solicitors have appointed a new director to its growing Real Estate Department.

James Alger is a very experienced commercial property lawyer, and joins BRM from regional law firm Keebles.

James said: “I am delighted to join BRM during an exciting period of growth. Along with the existing team, I am looking forward to contributing to the firm’s continuing growth and success and helping develop the BRM brand as a commercial force in the region.”

The appointment follows a successful year for the law firm. BRM opened the doors of its Sheffield office at the newly renovated Steel City House on West Street in early 2018, building on the success of its Chesterfield HQ.

In its first year, BRM has seen strong growth. New relationships forged in the Steel City, and a sustained recruitment drive attracting new talent to its commercial teams has allowed the firm to quickly realise its ambitions, and enhance the range and quality of its services. This has been welcomed by both existing clients, and new clients attracted to BRM following the expansion into Sheffield.

Most recently, a team has been created in the Sheffield office within the Property Department to service high-volume plot sales work on behalf of a national property developer.

Alastair Reid, who heads the Sheffield office said: “From a standing start 12 months ago we now have a team of 5 property specialists working in our Sheffield office, this growth demonstrates our success in the property market acting for both established and for new clients to the firm and our commitment and ambition to develop our regional presence. To be able attract someone of James’ experience and quality shows the investment the firm has made in the new office is paying off”

BRM Solicitors

Posted in Business

Number of people in work continues to rise across the region

The number of people in work across the East Midlands rose in the three months to the end of April compared to the previous quarter according to figures released this morning.

Office for National Statistics data showed there were 2,343,049 in work, 31,713 more than during the three months to the end of January.

Over the same periods, the number of people recorded as unemployed fell by 8,421 to 105,124, giving an unemployment rate of 4.3% – a 0.4 percentage point improvement.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at award-winning East Midlands Chamber*, said: “Once again the figures underline the robustness of the region. They show that despite all the doubt and uncertainty over Brexit and the continuing upheaval in Parliament, businesses in the East Midlands continue to do what they do best – create jobs and wealth.

“Although there have been blips over the past year, the overall trend continues to show increasing employment and falling unemployment.”

Today’s figures showed that nationally the East Midlands had the highest proportion of jobs in the production sector at 14.4%.

Despite the improved regional employment figures, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance rose by 1,070 across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire in May compared with April, with Nottingham city seeing the biggest individual rise and Derbyshire, excluding Derby, recording the fewest new sign-ons.

Champion of the Week

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Team GB call-up for Liam Pitchford

Chesterfield table tennis star Liam Pitchford has been named in the Team GB squad for the European Games in Minsk, the Belarussian capital, this month.

Liam (25) represented Team GB at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. A top-three result in the singles at the European Games, being held between June 21-June 30, would mean automatic qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Liam began playing table tennis when he was eight. He won the British Home Countries Championship in 2009 and two Commonwealth Games medals – silver in the team event and bronze in doubles – in 2010.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow he picked up team and mixed doubles silver and men’s singles bronze.

In 2018 Liam competed at his third Commonwealth Games. He won gold in the men’s doubles, silver in the mixed doubles and bronze in the men’s team event. As of May 2019, Liam was ranked the no. 14 player in the world.

Liam was one of the first athletes to become a member of Derbyshire Institute of Sport (DIS) – the only organisation of its kind in the UK that was launched in 2012 as an Olympics legacy programme. It supports and complements the work of National Governing Bodies of Sport to help talented young Derbyshire athletes to perform at their very best on the world sporting stage. It also offer local businesses and organisations unique opportunities to benefit from a range of DIS partnerships that will raise Derbyshire’s profile globally.

Chloe Maudsley, head of operations at DIS, said: “We are incredibly proud of everything that Liam has achieved and we are looking forward to seeing him compete in Minsk.”

The five-strong Team GB table tennis squad also includes Liam’s English colleagues Paul Drinkhall, Sam Walker and Tin-Tin Ho, plus Charlotte Carey of Wales. Liam will compete in the men’s singles and the team event.

The games will feature 199 events in 15 sports (23 disciplines). Organisers expect around 4,000 athletes from 50 countries. Team GB will include around 100 athletes.

In June 2015, Liam was part of the Great Britain table tennis squad at the inaugural European Games in Baku, where he reached the quarter-finals.

Images: Table Tennis England

Liam Pitchford - Image Table Tennis England

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure

Shorts advise on MBO of Bullseye Car Parts

Chesterfield Champions Shorts recently teamed up with Keebles and NatWest to act as lead advisors, legal representatives and funders, to Stacy Phillips on his recent management buy-out of motor parts specialists, Bullseye Superfactors Ltd.

Bullseye have been supplying car parts to South Yorkshire and the surrounding areas for over 38 years.  Stacy first joined the company in 1989 and for the last six years has been Managing Director, playing an active role in the development and growth of the business.  This culminated in being given the opportunity to put together a Management buy-out when the owners decided to sell.

Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner with Shorts comments: “We are delighted to have advised Stacy on the successful completion of this transaction.  This transaction required key support on tax (David Robinson) as well as corporate finance (Adam Ames) and great teamwork between ourselves, Stacy, Keebles and NatWest. We look forward to seeing Stacy continue to grow the business.”

Steve Mayor, Relationship Director at NatWest’s South Yorkshire Commercial Office added, “We are delighted to assist Stacy with funding to complete the MBO of Bullseye and are confident the business will progress under his leadership.  It has been a pleasure to work with local professionals on the deal and we wish Stacy every success for the future.”

Corporate Finance Partner at Keebles, Paul Trudgill said: “It was a pleasure to assist Stacy to complete the buy-out of a business which he has been key to driving over recent times.”

Stacy added “I will continue to manage the business, and as far as existing clients are concerned it will be business as usual.  I am very excited for the next phase of what promises to be an exciting period for the company.”

A family run business, Bullseye’s reputation has built on providing a friendly and helpful service, carrying an extensive range of top brand components and accessories.  With 17 branches throughout South Yorkshire and surrounding region, they offer a competitive and responsive service for customers.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Students, apprentices and employers awarded for exceptional achievements

The achievements of exceptional Chesterfield College students, apprentices and local employers were celebrated at an awards ceremony at Casa Hotel recently.   The annual celebration event recognises those who go above and beyond to develop their own skills or the skills of the local workforce.

Media make-up student, Georgia Maxwell, from Ripley, was delighted to be chosen as the Student of the Year. Not only is Georgia excelling at college but she also works extremely hard away from her studies. Georgia works part-time as a make-up artist, is a student ambassador for the college and regularly volunteers to help out at college events and at numerous charities and organisations.  Keen to build a career in theatrical make-up, she has secured several exciting work experience opportunities.

She said:

“Before the awards I was really nervous, I was physically shaking at the table so you can imagine my shock when my name was called as the winner of the overall Student of the Year. It took me a few seconds to realise it was actually my name up on the big screen; it was such a nice surprise. I still can’t believe it. As well as having the honour of being the Student of the Year, I’ve also won some fantastic prizes including a spa day for two at Ringwood Hall and two tickets to Y Not festival later this summer. It’s been such a great night but now I can’t wait to call my friends to tell them the good news; we’ll definitely be celebrating this weekend!”

The title of Apprentice of the Year was awarded to Beauty Therapist, Barbara Marafini from Sheffield. Barbara is a highly motivated and committed learner who is often praised for her dedication to succeed in her career by her tutors and her employer. She consistently works to a high standard and is always on hand to help and offer support to others.

She said:

“It is really good for the hard work I have put into my apprenticeship to be recognised. It has been a brilliant opportunity to be able to do an apprenticeship. I like being able to study and work at the same time. I work a lot because I want to be the best at what I do. I have my final exams next week and then I will be working full time at the salon.”

Woodhead Construction was crowned as the Employer of the Year. The local company works with the college’s work experience team to provide excellent placements for students at the start of their construction careers. Matt Bust, Business Support Manager and former Chesterfield College student, has been the driving force behind the partnership with the college and always finds the best placement to suit a student’s career goals.

Matt said:

“It is a big part of the company’s social commitment to offer work experience and apprenticeships to bring the next generation into construction. It is brilliant to win this award and be recognised for what we do but the real motivation for doing it is to fill the massive skills shortage in construction. For us it is a key driver to get people into the industry.”

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of the Chesterfield College Group said:

“I would like to congratulate all of our nominees and winners.  It was wonderful to celebrate our students’ achievements at the awards ceremony, especially with family and friends present to share in their success.  Many have shown resilience in the face of adversity and all of them have demonstrated a passion and commitment to develop the skills they need to secure a bright future.  It is inspiring to see how students, apprentices and our employer partners value education and where it can lead. The awards demonstrated the incredible work undertaken every day by the staff at Chesterfield College, supporting our students to achieve and progress to positive outcomes as part of building their future career.”

Other winners included:

  • Level 1 Student of the Year: Erin King
  • Level 2 Student of the Year: Kelly Hall
  • Level 3 Student of the Year: Rachel Durcan
  • Higher Education Student of the Year: Callum Fanshawe, Computer Software Development
  • Adult Student of the Year: Laura Kirk, Beauty/Massage
  • English & Maths Student of the Year: Piper Barras
  • Foundation Studies Student of the Year: Mason Wallis
  • Sixth Form Student of the Year: Callum Smith
  • Student of the Year – Business, Professional and Services Industries: Georgia Maxwell
  • Student of the Year – Engineering, Building Technologies and Construction: Kieran Wieloch
  • Student Project of the Year: Nathan Smith

Students, apprentices and employers awarded for exceptional achievements

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Celebrate Chesterfield

BHP tax department strengthened with new starter

Yorkshire and North Derbyshire’s leading accountancy firm BHP has added to its ever-growing tax department after taking on chartered tax advisor Peter Dobson.

Peter, aged 30, makes the move to the firm, having previously worked for Deloitte in their Global Mobility team based in Manchester.

Originally from Doncaster, Peter is a graduate of Leeds Metropolitan University where he earned an undergraduate and a master’s degree, both in accounting.

Peter has previously worked in personal tax before shifting to expat matters and is looking forward to combining the two at BHP. His appointment boosts the team to a total of 53 tax advisors, 23 of which are chartered – making it one of the largest in the Yorkshire region.

He said: “I like working with numbers, tax was always a favourite topic of mine at university and I decided that was the route I wanted to go down afterwards,”

On his decision to join the firm, he said: “Having spoken to people who know BHP personally, it was so highly recommended by them that I was convinced to join.”

“I was keen to join a firm of this size to allow me to work across all taxes and BHP stood-out in the mid-tier market as both an innovator and a well-known people-centric business.”

BHP was recently recognised by the Sunday Times in their 100 Best Companies to Work For list – now in its 19th year, the hard-fought and nationally-celebrated list recognises the very best in employee engagement around the country.

BHP has more than 300 staff, including 31 partners. Over the last 10 years the business has increased turnover from £8m to over £22m.

BHP remains in the top 35 accountancy firms in the UK and was also recently recognised with the Community Award at the Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards. The firm has five offices in Sheffield, Cleckheaton, Leeds, Chesterfield, and York.

Posted in Business

It’s time to recognise Chesterfield and North Derbyshire’s community champions

A rallying call has been issued to find the best community champions and honour them at a glitzy awards ceremony.

BBC Radio Sheffield has joined forces with the charity South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF) to launch a search for unsung heroes.

The Community Champions Awards celebrate the lives of outstanding people or teams who go above and beyond to care about their community, or who consistently give up their time to help others – and they are now seeking nominations.

Katrina Bunker, editor at BBC Radio Sheffield, said: “We know there are lots of people in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire who deserve recognition but we need help to find these people and honour them for the work they do.

“We’ve got eight categories for these awards and the finalists in each category will be invited to a fabulous evening ceremony at Sheffield Cathedral on Thursday, October 3. We’ll also celebrate each inspirational story on BBC Radio Sheffield.”

Ruth Willis, chief executive of SYCF, said: “People have got until the end of July to make their nominations and every nomination will be read by a panel of judges.

“There are lots of community champions out there and now is the time for people to tell us about them. Let’s shout about all the great caring people we have in this area and celebrate the work they do.”

Nominations are being sought in the following categories.

Neighbourhood/Environmental Champion; for the person or a team who have made a positive difference to their area, community or wider environment. This is also the category to consider nominating a good neighbour – someone who goes above and beyond to make their area a better place to live.

Creative Champion: for a person or team who have made a difference creatively – through arts, music, drama, dance or writing.

Health, Fitness and Wellbeing champion; for the person or team who have made a difference in the field of health, community sport or wellbeing.

Team Champion: for the team that’s gone above and beyond to make a difference in their community – an award to recognise the power of working together. This could recognise a successful community event, a campaign or a partnership between different groups – the key thing is it needed a team pulling together to make it happen.

Community Group Champions: this award recognises a person or team from a stand out community group. This could be a new group, or an established group that makes a demonstrable difference to people’s lives. The judges will be looking for a great idea for a group and evidence that it’s a group needed and appreciated by the service users.

Young Champion: for someone aged under 18 who is going above and beyond for their community.

Business Champion: for the person or team in business making a difference to the community. An award to recognise a business that is giving back to the local community through an event, campaign or scheme that wouldn’t happen without their input.

Outstanding Champion: for the unsung hero or volunteer who is an inspiration. This award is for someone who goes above and beyond to make a difference, for someone who makes their community a better place and is a great role model for others.

People can make nominations by visiting BBC Radio Sheffield’s website at www.bbc.co.uk/radiosheffield; or writing to Community Champions, BBC Radio Sheffield, 54 Shoreham Street, Sheffield, S1 4RS.

The closing date for nominations is Wednesday, July 31.

Community Champions Awards

Posted in About Chesterfield

University of Derby rises in Guardian University Guide 2020

The University of Derby, which has a campus in Chesterfield, has risen three places in The Guardian University Guide from 29th to 26th place – its highest ever ranking.

As well as being ranked in the Top 30, Derby has been placed joint third out of 121 institutions for the number of students satisfied with teaching quality – a jump of 18 places in the league table for the metric.    

The University has also been placed in the Top 10 for student satisfaction with its courses and feedback. 

Welcoming the results from today’s The Guardian University Guide 2020, Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “At Derby we have worked to deliver a powerful regional university that addresses the needs of our students, region and beyond. This has established us as a leading institution for social mobility, achieved through our academic and student frameworks, and highlighted by this latest Guardian University Guide position.

“This improvement is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff and students, the support of key partners across the region, and our commitment to delivering excellence in teaching and learning, providing an outstanding student experience, and increasing graduate employability.

“It also demonstrates how our Strategic Framework and our values, which we launched almost a year ago to the day, are driving us forward to where we want our University to be – making a positive impact in our city, county and region, creating the next generation of game-changers, and opening doors of opportunity to anyone wishing to access education, regardless of their background.”

As well as an overall ranking, The Guardian University Guide 2020 also produces league tables for each subject area, which has seen some equally impressive performances for Derby.

These include Top 10 rankings for:

·         Accounting and Finance

·         Building and Town and Country Planning

·         Business, Management & Marketing

·         Criminology

·         Hospitality and Event Management

The University of Derby has also been ranked in the Top 20 for:

·         Art

·         Fashion & Textiles

·         Journalism, Publishing & Public Relations

·         Nursing & Midwifery

·         Social Work

The Guardian university league tables, published today, rank universities according to a variety of criteria considered most relevant to students, including students’ satisfaction with the course, teaching, feedback and student-to-staff ratio. Institutions receive an overall score and individual assessments are also given for a whole range of criteria including employability, spend per student and, new for this year, continuation.

Many prospective students rely on annual guides published by national newspapers and elsewhere to decide on where they will study, and Derby showed improved performance across a variety of criteria.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Peak FM’s Craig Bailey to host 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards

Peak FM’s popular mid-morning show presenter, Craig Bailey, has been announced as the host of this year’s Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Craig will announce the winners of 15 categories at the glittering black-tie ceremony, which is being held at Casa Hotel on Wednesday 19 June.

Hosting the Retail Awards for the first time, Craig commented: “I’ve been at Peak FM for six years now and regularly shop locally. I have seen first-hand the hard work of retailers across North Derbyshire and it is great that the Retail Awards recognise and reward this. I am really looking forward to the evening and sharing in the celebration of everyone’s success at being shortlisted.”

34 Chesterfield retailers are now set to go head-to-head in the sixth annual Chesterfield Retail Awards which are organised by Destination Chesterfield. The awards will also honour the work of apprentices in the sector, with three young people shortlisted for the Retail Apprentice of the Year award.

This year, the awards also have a brand-new category – Best Town Centre Event, which recognises the plethora of festivals, events and markets that take place every year in the town centre helping bring in more shoppers.

The shortlisted businesses, individuals and events in the 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards are:

Hair & Beauty Business of the Year (Sponsored by Elite Private Education)

  • Belle Vie
  • Less than Zero Barbers
  • TAG Aesthetics

Fashion and Footwear Retailer of the Year (sponsored by In the Works PR)

  • DHC Countrywear
  • Dotique
  • Something Special Bridal

Home & Gifts Retailer of the Year

  • Adorn Jewellers of Chesterfield
  • Astra Designs
  • Etienne Curtains & Blinds

Food & Drink Retailer of the Year

  • Ibbotson’s Fresh Quality Produce
  • Rate Good Brownie Boxes
  • R P Davidson Cheese Factor

Leisure Retailer of the Year (sponsored by Peak FM)

  • Geeks Headquarters Ltd
  • Quinney’s Pet Supplies
  • StraightCurves

Market Hall Business of the Year (Sponsored by Arvato)

  • Fairplay Gift Emporium
  • R P Davidson Cheese Factor
  • Thanks A Bunch

Best New Store 2018/2019 (Sponsored by Pavements Shopping Centre)

  • Astra Designs
  • Ingman’s
  • The Little White Dress

Market Trader of the Year (Sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council)

  • Roper’s Honey
  • Spire Vintage
  • Top Cards

Independent Retailer of the Year (Sponsored by Jumble Creative Design)

  • H&F
  • Something Special Bridal
  • Tech CPR

National/Multiple Retailer of the Year (Sponsored by The University of Derby)

  • The Body Shop
  • RSPCA
  • Specsavers

Excellence in Customer Service (Sponsored by Casa Hotel)

  • Adorn Jewellers of Chesterfield
  • Dotique
  • Something Special Bridal

Best Town Centre Event (Sponsored by Spire Radio)

  • Chesterfield Artisan Market
  • Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival
  • Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon

Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Apprentice Town (Led by Chesterfield Borough Council)

  • Kelly Jaggers (Bliss Hair, Nails and Beauty)
  • Laura Davies (JMJ Pottery)
  • Rebecca McNair (The Therapy Lounge)

Apprentice Employer of the Year (Sponsored by Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group)

  • Bliss, Hair, Nails and Beauty
  • Fresh Ideas Florists
  • The Therapy Lounge

All the shortlisted businesses will also battle it out for the coveted overall title of Retailer of the Year 2019, sponsored by East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire). The finalists for this category will be announced on the night.

Further supporters of the 2019 Chesterfield Retail Awards include: Derbyshire Times, eBusiness Works, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety and Temple Safety.

Further Information about Chesterfield Retail Awards.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield

Huge jobs growth at Markham Vale

A record number of 2,236 people are currently employed at Markham Vale, an increase of almost 600 new jobs over the past twelve months.   The figures are the result of Derbyshire County Council’s Markham Vale Annual Jobs survey.

The 2,236 employees at Markham Vale is now more than the 2,000 people that were employed at the former colliery site in its 1980’s hey day.

There are over 50 companies based at Markham Vale across a range of industry sectors and of varying sizes, with a number of start-up companies employing two or three people and then there are the large multi-nationals employing two to three hundred.

Markham Vale is a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 in Derbyshire, a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire County Council.

One of the region’s most successful industrial locations, Markham Vale is home to the likes of Great Bear, Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein and Sterigenics.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “We look forward to welcoming even more businesses at the site very soon and for those looking to relocate or expand, we still have opportunities available so please get in touch for more information.”

Find out more about relocating to Markham Vale and investing in Chesterfield.

Markham Vale MV55

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development

Local hospice thanks their volunteers for providing over £400,000 of support a year

Local hospice charity and Chesterfield Champion, Ashgate Hospicecare, who cover the North Derbyshire area, will be celebrating the difference volunteers make to their organisation and thanking them for all their time and dedication during this year’s Volunteers’ Week, which runs from 1 – 7 June.

Volunteers make an enormous contribution to Ashgate Hospicecare, not only in terms of the skills and experience they bring, but also in the enormous financial savings through the support they provide. The hospice, which is based in Chesterfield and serves the whole of North Derbyshire, has around 690 active volunteers at any one time, supporting the retail shops, fundraising and clinical staff across the hospice.

Based on volunteers giving an average of six hours a month, and calculated at the National Minimum Wage from April 2019 of £8.21 per hour, their contribution has resulted in over £400,000 of valuable support. In reality, many of the volunteers give much more of their time and would cost more per hour to hire due to the skills and experience they bring to their roles. Ashgate Hospicecare is hugely grateful to all their volunteers for the time they dedicate in their roles, every minute of which helps patients with a life-limiting illness and families to receive vital hospice care when they need it.

Colin Boynton, from Buxton, has volunteered for Ashgate Hospicecare for over a year on the Inpatient Unit. He said, “I get an enormous amount out of volunteering for the hospice. It’s a very special place to me and so when I come here and serve the meals to patients, I feel included and part of the hospice. It’s been hard for me since I lost my husband, Frank, in 2017, but volunteering here keeps me motivated and I feel very well supported by the staff. It feels nice to give something back and bring a smile to the patients’ faces. I’d recommend volunteering to anyone and, no matter whether you want to spend time with patients or help the hospice in another way, you’ll be able to build up your skills and confidence and feel proud to support their fantastic work.”

Joanne Neill, Volunteer Development Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare said, “Ever since we opened over 30 years ago, volunteers have been integral to our operation. We simply couldn’t run the hospice without them. We have volunteers in almost every team: supporting our clinical staff on the ward and in the Day Hospice, helping out in the retail shops, doing administration, bucket collecting, marshalling at events and in many other roles too.

We know that volunteers who dedicate their time to the hospice don’t do it for the praise, but we like to let them know how their support helps more patients and families to receive care, not least because of these enormous savings. Our volunteers are truly special people and part of the Ashgate Hospicecare family, helping us to deliver specialist care when it matters the most, whether directly or indirectly through their roles.”

Colin Boynton, Volunteer Press release - Local hospice thanks their volunteers for providing over £400,000 of support a year

Posted in About Chesterfield