Author: Tara Underhill

International Football Returns to Chesterfield

The Proact in Chesterfield will once again host international football when the England Under-17s play Slovenia in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship on March 23rd.

Chesterfield FC have previously staged several other international fixtures, including last year’s UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship Finals.

Chief executive at the club, Chris Turner said: “We are delighted to have been chosen once again to provide the venue for a Young Lions match.

“We believe that we offer excellent facilities and the fact that The FA has decided to stage another competitive international fixture at our stadium clearly endorses that view.

“Some of the players who will feature in the match could go on to play at the highest level so it is a great opportunity for the Chesterfield public to view potential stars of the future.”

The Under-17 tournament for Europe’s 16 elite nations will be played at venues across the Midlands with St George’s Park at its heart.

England are the reigning champions after John Peacock’s team won last year’s tournament in Malta, but The FA has not previously hosted the Under-17 competition, which dates backs to 2002.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Visiting

Peak and Derbyshire Share in £20m Tourism Spending and Jobs Boost

Over £20 million in extra spending has been generated and 381 jobs created locally since Visit Peak District & Derbyshire launched its latest major marketing push, ‘The World Away’ – worth £600,000 over three years.

And almost half the people surveyed said that successive broadcast, online and print promotions since 2012 had made them more likely to consider the area for a holiday or short break.

Research carried out on behalf of national tourist board VisitEngland reveals that the upsurge in interest in the Peak District and Derbyshire has been achieved thanks to Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s share in a £19.8 million pot of money from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF).

Marketing activity in previous years has included a £150,000 multi-media campaign, including the Peak District and Derbyshire’s first-ever television commercial, screened in ITV’s Anglia and Central (East and West) regions and available on Video on Demand (VOD).

This year promotion is focusing on VOD in the ITV Granada and Central West regions until the end of March and paid advertising on Facebook and YouTube, backed by 250,000 A5 leaflets funded by D2N2, The Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, to reach specific audiences across Birmingham and Greater Manchester.

Website activity also includes The World Away Giveaway – a competition worth more than £2,000 hosted at www.visitpeakdistrict.com/win including many great prizes such as family silver membership for two adults and three children at Chatsworth.

And businesses across the area and beyond are being urged to make the campaign even more successful by sharing Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s multi-platform content on their websites and social media.

“We are delighted that our involvement in ‘Growing Tourism Locally’ is paying such high dividends for the Peak District and Derbyshire,” said Jo Dilley, Destination Management Organisation (DMO) Director.

“The message is that the Peak District and Derbyshire is affordable, accessible and open all year – and the tourism industry, both locally and further afield, can make our efforts even more successful by sharing our content across a number of digital platforms.

“Looking ahead, we hope to build on the success we have achieved since 2012 by securing a share in the £10 million ‘Northern Futures’ campaign, unveiled by the Government last year – designed to lure tourists out of London to enjoy the North’s stunning countryside, history and culture and due to be launched this spring.”

Posted in Business

University of Derby to Help More Chesterfield Youngsters access Higher Education

Inspiring more young people in Chesterfield to get better qualifications is one of the aims of a new £197,000 project led by the University of Derby.

The University has been awarded money by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to run a new North East Midlands Collaborative Outreach Network, one of 35 such projects across the UK created under a £22 million scheme.

Each network will help teachers and advisers find out about higher education through events on their doorstep and provide general guidance about going to colleges and universities.

The network led by the University of Derby has been allocated £120,000 per year by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for the academic years 2014-15 and 2015-16 to set up and co-ordinate its infrastructure on behalf of partners – which include Chesterfield College.

Liz Downes, Head of Higher Education at Chesterfield College, said: “East Midlands is one of the lowest participation regions in England and working together could really make an impact in inspiring young people to consider higher education.”

A further £77,632 per year will also be provided to the University of Derby for extra work that will benefit the schools and colleges within the Network’s area, which covers ten educational institutions across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, parts of Leicestershire and parts of Lincolnshire.

A website to be launched in spring will include information about events and services for local schools and colleges, as well as signposting advice to support schools and colleges as they prepare their students for higher education.

Professor John Coyne, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, said: “More of our young people need to see the way universities can help them build fulfilling careers.”

Krisha Bainham, Head of Education Liaison at Derby added: “I’m looking forward to working with all the partners to raise awareness of the real advantages that a higher education qualification can give.”

Posted in Business

Chesterfield College Launches New Creative Hub

West Studios has opened its doors to showcase the new facilities it has available for creative businesses in Chesterfield.

The former boy’s grammar school on Sheffield Road has been completely renovated thanks to a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.

Part of Chesterfield College, the centre now offers workshop and office space, as well as access to business support that can help turn creative skills into successful enterprises.

Guests enjoyed an exhibition and auction at the event on Thursday 22nd January which featured a diverse range of work from current tenants – from silversmithing to sculpture, knitwear design to performing arts and much more.

Sharlaine Fincham, Manager of West Studios said:-

“It is wonderful to be able play a role in nurturing local creative talent in a way that will give creative industries in our region a real competitive edge.

“It’s evident that a facility like West Studios is needed as we are already working with so many fantastic businesses. We are helping our tenants with things like market research, using social media and other general business support that can really make a difference.”

Photographs from the launch event are on the Chesterfield Facebook page here.

Posted in Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development