About Chesterfield

CrossCountry services reinstated after lobbying efforts

CrossCountry have reinstated a number of rail services to Chesterfield after outcry from local residents and a lobbying campaign led by the leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Cllr Tricia Gilby.

CrossCountry had announced that no services would stop at Chesterfield from the 6th July.

Following this announcement Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, wrote to the Regional Director of CrossCountry, making representations in the ‘strongest possible terms’ to reinstate the service as soon as possible.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, supported this: “The station and its excellent connectivity is an integral part of the growth ambitions of Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield wholeheartedly supports Chesterfield Borough Council’s lobbying to get CrossCountry’s decision reversed.”

Following the lobbying efforts and outcry from local rail users CrossCountry have had a change of heart and direct services will continue at peak times with connecting services to Derby and Sheffield at off peak times.

Commenting on the decision from CrossCountry, Councillor Tricia Gilby said: “I am delighted to hear that hourly CrossCountry train services at Chesterfield will be continuing during the busiest times of day.”

“As soon as I was made aware of the threat to CrossCountry services being withdrawn from Chesterfield station I wrote a very strongly worded letter to the Regional Director and involved local MP’s. We followed this up with very constructive conversations with CrossCountry and their new Regional Leadership Team.”

“Chesterfield Borough Council and our partners across Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and East Midlands have been campaigning for the full re-instatement of the CrossCountry service since we heard it may be withdrawn.”

“In normal circumstances around 620,000 passengers a year use CrossCountry services at Chesterfield, and whilst we are trying to rebuild the local economy and minimise the negative impacts on residents of our Borough and surrounding area, the action being proposed to temporarily suspend of all CrossCountry stops at Chesterfield from 6 July was appalling.”

“These services are critical to key workers and the growing numbers of people that are beginning to travel as the lockdown eases. The provision of regular and reliable public transport will be an essential part of our Coronavirus recovery plans for the Borough and northern Derbyshire communities.”

“I look forward to working with CrossCountry as our HS2 led regeneration proposals for the train station take shape over forthcoming months.”

Click here to find out more about HS2 in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Featured, Home

Enjoy a picnic in Chesterfield with local food and drink

With so many wonderful spots to enjoy a picnic in Chesterfield, you’ll need to make the most of every day to fit them all in this summer.

That means you’ll also need to come up with lots of different food and drink ideas.

Do you have a sweet tooth or are you a lover of savoury snacks? Do you like to spend time baking for your picnic or would you rather pick up a ready-made hamper? Whatever your taste or lifestyle, there are plenty of delicious local food and drink options for you to try.

Remember to take all of your waste with you after your picnic to reduce litter and support the environment. Make sure to keep your family safe by following these NHS sun safety tips.

For more great places to eat and drink in Chesterfield, visit our Eating Out section to find great restaurants, gastro pubs, bars, cafes and more. You can also check out the past winners of the Chesterfield Food & Drink Awards here.

If you love being outdoors, here is a list of bike rides and cycle routes around Chesterfield that you can try out.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your favourite picnic blanket and enjoy some of these Chesterfield food and drink products!

– Local picnic basket items
– Ready-made picnic baskets
– Recipe ideas

Local picnic basket items

Cup & Saucer Teas – Pennine Picnic Cold Brew

Pennine Picnic Cold Brew is a special cold tea drink, made from pieces of apple, rosehip, pineapple, coconut, hibiscus petals and natural flavours. It is bottled, ready to drink and comes in two sizes. The bottles are also recycleable and you can get a 10p refund when you return the bottle so it can re re-used or recycled.

  • £1.60 – 330ml bottle
  • £3.50 – 750ml bottle

Gail Hannan, Owner of Cup & Saucer Teas, says it’s perfect for a picnic because… it tastes like a Pina Colada (without the alcohol) or for adults it can be used as a tasty mixer with Gin, it’s really refreshing, fruity and it’s a favourite of both children and adults.

The Pennine Picnic Cold Brew can be purchased from Cup & Saucer, 132 High Street, Clay Cross, S45 9EE. You can find more Cup & Saucer products, including teas, gift hampers and other local products here – www.cupandsauceronline.co.uk/shop.

Little Morton Farm – Award-winning pork pies

Little Morton Farm is passionate about our animals and producing great tasting produce. A Little Morton Farm gold award-winning pork pie is a perfect savoury addition to your picnic basket. It is made on the farm with home bred and reared, organic fed, pedigree, Berkshire pork.

  • £2 – Medium pie
  • £3.50 – Large pie

Tom & Daniella say it’s perfect for a picnic because… Every picnic needs a pork pie!

These are available to buy from the farm shop at Little Morton Farm in North Wingfield. To order, please call 01246 859 904 by Wednesday for collection on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information and to see more products from Little Morton Farm, visit www.littlemortonfarm.co.uk/livestock-produce.

Crooked Pickle Co – Bread & Butter Pickles

These Bread & Butter Pickles are a tasty twist of a classic favourite, and there is even a hot version for those who are feeling more adventurous!

  • £4.95 per jar

Felix, Owner of The Crooked Pickle Co, says it’s perfect for a picnic because… Our Bread & Butter Pickles are crunchy, sweet-sour and delicately spiced and which makes them amazing on picnic sandwiches, with cold cuts and pork pies.

You can purchase these from the Crooked Pickle Co online store here – crookedpickle.co/collections or from No.10 The Tea Room and Society Coffee Shop & Bar, both located in Chesterfield town centre.

Casa Hotel’s infamous scotch eggs

These delicious Scotch eggs are a brilliant addition to any hamper, a firm favourite with the Casa diners and team! They are available every day from Casa Hotel and they will continue to sell these post reopening as part of their takeaway offerings.

  • £2 per scotch egg

Alex from Casa Hotel says it’s perfect for a picnic because… it’s made from locally reared pork and eggs sourced from Casa Hotel’s Walton Lodge Farm.

Franklin & Sons – Soft Drinks & RTS cans

Produced by Chesterfield’s Global Brands, Franklin & Sons has teamed up with the UK’s top Gin brands to create a range of ready-to-drink G&T cans that tick a lot of boxes. Just cool, click, pour and enjoy. These are available locally at Tesco, Co-op & Morrisons, online at www.goodtimein.co.uk or can be ordered for delivery on the City Grab app through Casa at Home.

  • The RRP is around £2 in the supermarkets or you can buy a case of 12 for £17.49 on the City Grab App or www.goodtimein.co.uk

Fancy something non-alcoholic for your picnic? Franklin & Sons also has a delicious range of Sodas. Sister’s Sodas provide that fresh sophisticated flavour, the perfect grown-up soft drink, sure to cool you down on a hot summer’s day! Available at Tesco, online at www.goodtimein.co.uk or can be ordered for delivery on the City Grab app through Casa at Home.

  • The RRP is £1.20 a can in the supermarkets or you can buy a case of 12 for £9 on the City Grab App or www.goodtimein.co.uk

Charlotte from Global Brands says these products are perfect for a picnic because… They are perfect pick-me-up picnic tipples and they look seriously swanky too!

Northern Tea Merchants – Hot and Cold Teas

Northern Tea’s Gourmet Classic Tea is their finest quality small leaf ‘breakfast tea’, Gourmet Classic is easy to drink, with a delicious aroma, a bright and coppery liquor and excellent flavour due to its excellent quality constituent teas. Drink with milk at any time of day but particularly good at breakfast or an afternoon tea picnic.

  • £3 for 40 tea bags
  • £3.35 for 125g of loose leaf tea
  • £5.63 for 250g of loose leaf tea

Or how about a Red Berry Mix infusion to serve cold as a refreshing summer fruit punch at a picnic? This can be brewed, cooled overnight, then transferred into a flask and will make a lovely refreshing drink on a particularly hot day like we’ve had lately. A spot of honey will make the brew an even more delightful sweet treat.

  • £2.42 for 50g
  • £5.90 for 125g
  • £6.15 for 15 tea temples

James Pogson, Owner of Northern Tea Merchants, says these products are perfect for a picnic because… these teas are perfect for any tea lover and what picnic would be complete without a flask of tea?

Available to purchase online from www.northern-tea.com/buy, from Northern Tea Merchants, 193 Chatsworth Road (free parking available on-street or car park to the rear of the shop) or give the shop a call on 01246 232 600 to arrange free local delivery.

Cacoa Elora – craft chocolate bars

Cacoa Elora is Derbyshire’s only craft chocolate producer making bean to bar chocolate using ethically sourced cocoa beans from Venezuela, Uganda, Nicaragua and Indonesia. Cacoa Elora make a range of dark and dark milk chocolate bars, including vegan options within their milk range of premium bars.

Their bars are full of flavour and let you taste cocoa rather than the sugar which is laden into branded chocolate. Each one is made using the minimum of machinery and tempered by hand on marble.

John, Owner of Cacoa Elora, says these products are perfect for a picnic because… We grind and conche our beans for many hours to bring out the natural notes present within each origin.

They can be purchased from the online shop at www.cacoa-elora.co.uk or they can be purchased at at Cup and Saucer in Clay Cross.

Ready-made picnic baskets

Let a local business do all the work for you and purchase a ready-made picnic basket from one of the below companies.

Salute Prosecco

Chesterfield’s Salute has recently launched its own rage of gift hampers and has created a special Picnic hamper to mark National Picnic Month.

£28.99 (including p&p) – Salute Picnic Hamper:

  • 1 x Cake
  • 1 x Packet of crisps
  • 1 x Bottles of water
  • 1 x Mini Gin & Franklin & Sons Tonic
  • 1 x Mini Prosecco
  • 1 x bottle opener
  • plus plastic glasses

To find out more, visit www.salute-prosecco.com/hampers/fathers-day-hamper, email salute.prosecco@gmail.com or call 07807 159 322.

Chatsworth House

With two picnics to choose from, created for two or four people, these picnics showcase the best of estate farm shop and local produce and are served in a reusable Chatsworth cool bag. Access to the house car park is included with all picnic bookings.

£45 – Chatsworth Family picnic (2 adults and 2 children)

  • Two filled baguettes
  • Two children’s sandwiches
  • Estate farm shop pork pie
  • Summer vegetable quiche
  • Carriage House chunky coleslaw
  • Potato salad
  • Estate farm shop crisps
  • Fresh fruit pots
  • Freshly baked scones with cream and jam
  • Chocolate brownies
  • Two Fentimans botanical beverages
  • Two Cawston Press juice boxes

£50 – Garden gourmet picnic (2 adults)

  • A selection of estate farm shop charcuterie and local cheese
  • Freshly baked rolls and artisan crackers
  • English asparagus, mango and avocado salad
  • Sweet potato, pickled onion, coriander and goats cheese salad
  • Summer vegetable frittata
  • Estate farm shop crisps
  • Summer berries with clotted cream
  • Gold leaf macaroons
  • Chatsworth vanilla fudge
  • Elderflower presse
  • A bottle of Earl of Burlington Collection wine

To find out more or to order, visit www.chatsworth.org/shop-dine/dine/picnics/ or call 01246 565300.

Van Dyk by Wildes

Order a delicious Van Dyk Picnic Hamper and you can choose dine on their new lawns or as a takeaway.

£36.95 – Van Dyk Picnic Hamper for two people

  • Van Dyk’s classic scotch egg and house piccalilli
  • Handraised Nottinghamshire pork pie
  • Cropwell Bishop organic Stilton
  • Vintage Lincolnshire poacher
  • Black Bomber cheddar & Henderson’s relish straws
  • Van Dyk’s marmalade and mustard glazed gammon
  • Chorizo and sausage rolls
  • House pickles and chutney
  • Marinated olives
  • Home baked sour dough loaf and butter

To find out more or to order call 01246 387386.

Recipe ideas

Get the whole family involved and try out a recipe from a local food & drink business. These items can then be added to your picnic basket and taken with you.

Carrot Cake – Stephenson’s Coffee and Tea House

Claire Wood, owner of Stephenson’s Coffee and Tea House, winner of many Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards over the years, shares her recipe for their scrumptious Carrot Cake.

Click here for the recipe

Chocolate Brownie – The Tickled Trout

Chris Mapp, Head Chef at the award- winning The Tickled Trout restaurant in Barlow says: “This brownie recipe has something of legendary status at The Tickled Trout now. It is so good, we just cannot take it off the menu. It is a proper signature dessert and great for chocolate lovers.”

Click here for the recipe

Florentines – Jacksons the Bakers

Trevor Jackson, Managing Director of Jacksons The Bakers in Chesterfield, and a former winner of the Chesterfield Food & Drink Awards ‘Food Hero of the Year’ award, shares the recipe for their popular Florentines.

Click here for the recipe

Energy Boost Smoothie – Qoozies

This delicious Energy Boost Smoothie from Qoozies, located in Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, is all made with fresh fruit and veg, and nothing else. It’s perfect for an all-natural energy boost!

Click here for the recipe

Lemon & Ginger Cheesecake with Raspberry Sorbet – Casa Hotel

This delicious cheesecake recipe, which will give a wow to any entertaining is taken from the cookbook, Mi Casa: Spanish-inspired recipes from the heart of Derbyshire. Written by local entrepreneur and Chesterfield’s four star Casa Hotel owner, Steve Perez.

Click here for the recipe

Find out more about Summer in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Facemask donation from China benefits local nursing and healthcare students

A total of 10,000 protective facemasks have been donated to the University of Derby nursing and healthcare students, to help replace the stocks which were given to local hospitals at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of items of personal protective equipment (PPE), which would have been used by students, were delivered by University staff to the Royal Derby Hospital and Chesterfield Royal Hospital in March and April. Many of the nursing and healthcare students are based at the University’s St Helena Campus in Chesterfield.

Now, one of the University’s overseas partner institutions, Hunan University of Technology, in China, has helped to replenish supplies in Derby by sending the consignment of facemasks.

Dr Paula Holt, Pro Vice Chancellor Dean of the College of Health and Social Care, said: “This is an extremely generous gesture from our colleagues in Hunan, who were aware that we had supplied our PPE to local hospitals. It will help our students during their training, much more of which will be on campus in the coming months, while our NHS partners focus on managing COVID-19 in our hospitals.

“The donation also underlines the value of international co-operation between higher education institutions, and we look forward to a time when we are able to welcome representatives from Hunan to Derby to thank them personally.”

Hunan University of Technology, based in the Hubei Province of China, became one of Derby’s partner universities in 2018. Since then it has worked closely with the University of Derby on student exchange, student progression and teacher training.

The facemask donation was organised by the university’s Chancellor, Professor Yang Liu and his senior management team.

Professor Liu said: “Our hearts are with everyone at Derby, and we hope that all of our friends and colleagues at the University stay safe.”

The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Click here to find out more about the University of Derby’s Chesterfield campus

Professor Yang Liu

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Local packaging company provides defibrillators for three towns

Chesterfield’s Robinson Packaging Company is providing three local towns with brand new defibrillators for use by both the ambulance service and the general public.

Installed at the company’s factories in Kirkby, Stanton and Chesterfield as part of increasing investment in health and safety for the business, Managing Director Steve Haley decided to fit them outside the buildings so the general public can also use them.

Steve said: “We listened to our staff suggestions and are delighted to be able to offer these valuable lifesaving defibrillators to our local towns – we work closely with our communities and it is great to be able to invest in the safety of our employees both at work and in the towns where they live.”

Bought from St John Ambulance, the defibrillators are registered on The Circuit website, in conjunction with the local East Midlands Ambulance service.

Local paramedics have full access to these units as the locations and access codes are supplied automatically into their system. The local public also have access through calling 999/112 and requesting the unit opening code.

All Robinson’s staff members can access these units and first aiders will be given instructions and training on using the defibrillator.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home

Chesterfield manufacturer to increase workforce by 20%

A booming post-lockdown order book has prompted a Chesterfield manufacturer to create new full-time jobs, significantly increasing its workforce by more than 20 per cent.

Blachford UK, based in Holmewood, is looking for 20 people to fulfil a number of jobs and add to its growing work force. The available roles include multi-skilled maintenance engineers, apprentices, FLT Drivers and production operatives. All roles are available to start immediately and, following a 12-week probation period, will become permanent.

The pandemic left the business fearing for its future after it was forced to furlough all staff and shut the factory down for four weeks. After implementing social distancing measures and being given the green light by the Government to re-open, Blachford has since been met with unexpected demand for its acoustic insulation products which it produces for industrial vehicles.

Jason Lippitt, Managing Director, explained: “It’s a complete turnaround situation and a very enviable position to be in considering the current economic climate. Like many manufacturers, lockdown came as a real blow to us and created uncertainty in the business. However, since re-opening the factory, orders from our European and British customers have flooded in, securing the future of Blachford and creating brand new jobs. It’s a great sign for the local economy and manufacturing as a whole.”

Jason added: “All these new roles are part of the company’s growing future. It’s vital to me that all employees progress successfully in their career with Blachford and, more importantly, enjoy being part of a fantastic team.”

People interested in applying for the roles or who like further information, should email recruitment@blachforduk.com

Click here to find out more about locating your business in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing

D2N2 LEP allocated £44.4m in Government ‘New Deal’ plan

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), covering Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, has received a £44.4 million cash boost from the government to fund projects that will help the local economy and create jobs.

The ‘New Deal’ announcement is part of a comprehensive plan by government to deliver upgrades to local infrastructure and boost skills in a move to fuel economic recovery across the whole of the UK.

Answering a national call from Government, D2N2, together with partners from across the region, put forward a long list of compelling and innovative projects to deliver growth and continue to develop the talent, ideas, and facilities in the region.

These projects will now be evaluated by government to identify which will receive funding and deliver the most value in terms of restarting the local economy and meeting the future challenges of levelling up the UK. Successful projects will need to demonstrate they meet LEP key priorities and can be completed by the end of 2021.

David Williams, Interim Chair of D2N2, said: “We very much welcome the announcement by government. This will provide a major stimulus for our cities, towns and communities.”

“We believe the size of the allocation demonstrates a belief in what the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership can deliver and a testament to the collaborative working between the LEP and its partners.”

“We will continue to work with partners as we begin negotiations with the government to determine which projects will receive funding based on their ability to accelerate growth and create employment.”

“As we reshape our Local Industrial Strategy to reflect the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic it’s essential we remain flexible to support our communities, that we adapt to new opportunities, and build an economy that it is more resilient in the long term.”

“We will continue to work with government on future funding for investments to support our ambitions for the region.”

This fast-tracking of investment, totalling £11 million, will help kick-start activity in towns and high streets across the East Midlands, ensuring local people can see and feel the benefit as soon as possible.

The investment will support economic recovery as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be used to improve digital infrastructure; support skills and career opportunities; and the transition to a low carbon economy.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure

Chesterfield Library to reopen this week

Chesterfield Library will reopen on Wednesday 8 July after being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic since 20 March.

Libraries across Derbyshire are to begin reopening from this week, with several temporary changes in place to keep customers and staff safe.

Chesterfield Library will be open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays until further notice, with people being asked to arrange appointments direct with their local library.

‘Book and borrow’ appointments for people wanting to take out books can be arranged over the phone or by email, and use of library computers can be arranged by phone only.

All currently borrowed books and other items have been automatically renewed until 30 September 2020 and people are being urged not to bring them back unless they have made an appointment. No overdue charges will be incurred for books which are currently borrowed.

It will not be possible for library staff to order books from other libraries during the temporary arrangements, and staff will only be able to provide items from their specific branch. This means that specific titles may not always be available. All books will be issued to 30 September 2020.

Library staff will monitor how the new systems put in place are working and ensure social distancing can be adhered to before rolling out the re-opening of other libraries across Derbyshire.

Councillor Barry Lewis, Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Tourism and Culture, said:“We are delighted to be in a position where we can start to slowly reopen our libraries and take the first steps towards getting them back to being fully operational.”

“The safety of our staff and customers is always our top priority, and we’ve been following government guidance closely, considering a range of options to get our libraries open in some form.”

“We know how important libraries are to people, and we’ve seen the number of library members rise by more than 1,100 during lockdown, with Derbyshire residents taking advantage of the excellent range of free services available online, from eBooks and eNewspapers to activities and research materials.”

“I hope library users will bear with us and take advantage of the reopening of services, albeit limited to start with, and we will endeavour to reopen other parts of the service over the next few weeks.”

During the initial phase of reopenings, it will not be possible to:

  • visit without an appointment
  • return books or other items unless attending a book and borrow appointment
  • browse the shelves
  • take part in reader groups or other activities
  • use meeting rooms
  • request specific items/books
  • use the toilets and baby changing facilities
  • read newspapers in the library
  • make donations, including to the foodbank.

Click here to find out more about the temporary new rules on borrowing books, and using computers in libraries.

You can contact Chesterfield Library by calling 01629 533 400 or email chesterfield.library@derbyshire.gov.uk.

Story of Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Water management system produced by Chesterfield manufacturer chosen for United Arab Emirates ship

A water management system produced by Chesterfield-based company Cathelco has been chosen for a cable-laying vessel based in the United Arab Emirates.

The Evac Evolution ballast water management system (BWMS) system will be installed on Cable Ship Etisalat, which is operated by E-Marine PJSC, a leading specialists in telecommunications submarine cable installation, repair and maintenance who have headquarters in Dubai.

The Evac Evolution system is produced and developed by Cathelco, who have been part of the Evac Group since 2018.

Stevenson Varghese, Managing Director of Cathelco Middle East, who won the contract, said: “When E-Marine contacted us, they said it was essential that the system was delivered to Dubai within four weeks so that it could be installed when the vessel was in drydock”.

Technical proposals were submitted to the customer and approved within a matter of days, enabling the assembly of equipment and delivery to proceed at record speed.

Based on a combination of filtration and UV technology, the system gained IMO and U.S. Coast Guard Type Approval in 2019, opening the way to worldwide sales.

Carlo Soddu, Country Manager, who has supervised the contract: “Ours was the first BWMS to allow owners to make an informed decision about choosing a suitable system for the areas where the vessel is sailing”.

The system is being supplied in modular form, enabling individual components to be distributed around the engine room to make best use of available space.

The Evac Evolution also incorporates a unique feedback ‘loop’. It automatically adjusts to different seawater qualities in harbours and estuaries and the system is effective in fresh, brackish and seawater.

The system is also completely chemical-free. This means that the potential hazards and safety implications of dealing with chemicals are completely eliminated, together with the cost of replenishment.

The Evac Evolution system has been fitted on vessels including cruise ships, container vessels, research ships, offshore supply vessels and cable laying craft where its small footprint and potential for flexible installation have proved to be important assets.

The Evac Evolution system is produced and developed by Chesterfield-based company Cathelco who have been part of the Evac Group since 2018.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Manufacturing

Chesterfield’s hospitality and leisure businesses start to reopen

More businesses across Chesterfield, including pubs and restaurants, are set to re-open to the public from Saturday 4 July.

To make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend, Chesterfield Borough Council is reminding residents and visitors to adhere to social distancing rules and respect the Covid-19 secure measures that local businesses have put in place.

Residents that are making a special visit to a particular town centre business are being reminded to check that it is open as a number of businesses have delayed opening until Monday 6 July.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Cabinet Member for Town Centres and Visitor Economy, said: “After over 100 days of lockdown, this is a great chance for you to visit the town centre and support our local businesses. Sustaining our many brilliant independent businesses as well as the many household names that appear on Chesterfield’s high street is vital for our local economy.”

“Please do look after yourselves and your families. If we all follow the rules we can keep everyone safe. It is vitally important that we all remember this when visiting our favourite pubs and restaurants.”

The council is working closely with its partners to ensure that everyone can have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

There will be an increased police presence and the council’s town centre ambassadors will also be on hand if people need any support.

The council’s licensing team have been working with business owners to ensure that they have undertaken appropriate risk assessments and have procedures in place to ensure the safety of both their customers and their staff. Bars and restaurants will be collecting customer details as part of their responsibility under the NHS track and trace system.

The council is encouraging visitors to walk or cycle into the town centre where possible, as it is anticipated that taxis will be busy. Each taxi company will also have their own Covid-19 secure working arrangements in place and you should check these when booking.

Residents using public transport are also required to wear a face covering on all public transport.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Chesterfield businesses can apply for free graduate recruitment scheme

Chesterfield’s SME businesses are being invited to access expert help to attract, select, recruit and train graduates through a region-wide funded scheme.

RISE is a unique business support initiative, focussed on enabling small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow through the employment of graduate talent.

RISE is delivered through a well-established collaboration of the region’s local authorities, universities and a specialist private sector delivery partner working together to provide thetailored support your business needs.

RISE makes the recruitment process easier for businesses, saving costs, time and increasing their access to a wider pool of suitable graduates; but more importantly it is about helping develop your know-how and capabilities, providing the practical tools that will enable you to confidently recruit graduates in the future.

This service is free of charge to businesses and a limited number of one-off small grants are available towards employment costs.

To be eligible your business must:

  • Be an SME based in the Sheffield City Region
  • Currently employ fewer than 250 people
  • Not already be routinely employing graduates
  • Be looking to create new/additional graduate-level jobs

SMEs who have used the scheme previously can access the scheme again, providing they meet the eligibility criteria.

To find out more about the RISE project, download the information brochure here or by calling 0114 221 0220.

The deadline for applications to get involved is Wednesday 29th July.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Development, Featured, Home

D2N2 Careers Hub expands to cover additional Derbyshire schools and colleges

D2N2’s North Derbyshire Careers Hub is to expand to cover both High Peak and Derbyshire Dales.

Careers Hub schools and colleges have access to support and funding to help coordinate activity and build networks, a central fund to support employer engagement activities, and training for a ‘Careers Leader’ in each school and college.

The expansion into High Peak and the Derbyshire Dales is part of a new wave of Careers Hub expansion announced by the Department for Education and The Careers & Enterprise Company, extending coverage in local communities across England.

The expanded D2N2 Careers Hub will be made up of 32 local schools and colleges working together with local employers such as AECOM and United Cast Bar, universities, and training providers.

Across the country, more than 2,200 schools in communities will now be in a Careers Hub – nearly half of all state sector schools and colleges.

D2N2 Careers Hub Lead, Dan Heffernan, said: “In these challenging times, it’s more important than ever to ensure our young people are given high quality, relevant and timely careers provision.”

“The North Derbyshire Careers Hub will play a key role in supporting localised skills development and contribute towards the long-term success of our region’s economy, driving up aspiration and creating a pipeline of talent that our businesses will need to bounce back and to thrive.”

“I’m delighted that we will now be extending our reach to cover the whole of North Derbyshire, and I look forward to welcoming the new schools into our Careers Hub Community in the coming weeks. The progress that we have seen over the last 7 months has been substantial, and we are excited to build on that success over the next academic year.”

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Gillian Keegan said: “We want young people across the country to receive the best careers advice so they can get a head start in the world of work and go on to have successful careers.”

John Yarham, Interim CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company said: “Careers Hubs bring people together. They create a powerful partnership between schools, colleges, employers and local agencies focused on improving skills and opportunity for young people, tailored to local need – nationally led, locally developed and delivered.”

Over one hundred people attended the launch of the North Derbyshire Careers Hub on 14 January.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Manufacturing