Development

Cashless parking coming to Chesterfield

3rd September 2020

Paying for parking in Chesterfield has just got easier as Chesterfield Borough Council partners with PayByPhone, the global leader in mobile parking payments, to offer drivers the option of cashless parking when visiting the town centre.

Cashless parking payments will be introduced to all of the council’s pay and display car parks from 7 September 2020 and will mean motorists no longer have to search for the right change.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “The new car-parking system will offer you a quick and convenient way to paying for your parking. You’ll no longer need to queue at the ticket machine, and you’ll be able to pay from the comfort of your car.

“Over recent months, we have been encouraged to make cashless payments where possible to help reduce the spread of Covid-19, and we think that this new way of paying will help to do this.

“This new system will help to ensure that we continue to play our part to stop the spread of the virus, as well as offering more flexibility for people who are visiting our town centre and supporting our local businesses.”

PayByPhone will be available in the following car parks: Holywell Cross, Durrant Road, Devonshire Street, Theatre Lane, Spa Lane, St Mary’s Gate, Station Road, Queen’s Park Annexe, Queen’s Park North, Queen’s Park South, Coach Station, Derbyshire Times and Albion Road.

Drivers will be able to pay for parking on their phones through the PayByPhone app which is available to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, meaning that they can pay for parking from the comfort of their car. The app is quick and easy to install and use. It also gives drivers the added benefit of extending their parking sessions remotely.

Adam Dolphin, Sales Director for PayByPhone UK, said: “We are very excited to launch PayByPhone in Chesterfield and we encourage everyone to download the PayByPhone app so they are ready to take advantage of this new service.

“With one in 10 adults in the UK now choosing to lead a largely cashless life, and seven in 10 using contactless payments, the shift away from using notes and coins is not only the smart and safe choice, but also one that should be relatively easy for most.”

Frequent visitors can also purchase parking at a reduced rate on a weekly, monthly or annual basis through the PayByPhone app.

Motorists can continue to pay by cash if they prefer by visiting the pay and display machines as usual. The scratch card parking will also continue to be valid and visitors can continue to purchase these from the Visitor Information Centre.

More information on car parking in Chesterfield and how to use the app can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/pay-for-parking-by-phone

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

Heathcotes Group appoints Regional Manager for supported living

3rd September 2020

Chesterfield-based care provider, Heathcotes Group, has appointed Tim Elliott as Regional Manager for its supported living services.

Heathcotes Group is one of the UK’s most experienced providers of specialist care for adults with learning disabilities and complex mental health needs.

Tim joined Heathcotes’ supported living management team in February 2019 and has played an important part in the regional development of the company’s supported living for service users who no longer require full-time residential care.

Highly experienced in working with adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs, Tim has also managed supported living and community support services in previous positions at The Wilf Ward Family Trust and the Avalon Group.

In his new role, Tim will oversee operations in support of four general managers across five services in in Yorkshire and Humberside. The accommodation enables individuals to make a progressive step down from a hospital or residential setting to a self-contained environment that benefits from the availability of support 24/7.

Tim said: “I will be working with the general managers to maintain the quality of our existing services to the highest standard. Earlier this year, we completed our largest supported living development, offering eight new apartments in Leeds which have been widely praised by care professionals, families and commissioning groups. It has become a very successful model of care provision and I will be working with Heathcotes’ Director of Business Development, Natalia Lysiuk, to expand our unique supported living portfolio across the organisation.”

“Heathcotes’ supported living services are a separate model of care to our core residential services, but together they form part of a full care pathway, from full-time care to semi-independent living. Our support packages are tailor-made for each service user, focusing on encouraging and empowering them to recognise their self-identity and develop their independence. We support individuals who have progressed through their care pathway, but we also support individuals who require a single-person service due to their complexity and inability to live with others.”

With expertise in providing living environments that closely resemble typical family homes, Heathcotes Group currently has 72 services nationwide. The company offers a wide range of specialist support for individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, autism, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities, personality disorders, physical disabilities, Prader-Willi Syndrome, sensory impairments, speech difficulties and severe epilepsy.

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home

Local residents asked to share views on Staveley’s future

2nd September 2020

Residents are being invited to have their say on the future of Staveley through an online consultation organised by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The feedback will contribute to the development of a new vision for Staveley that will be used to support the Staveley Town Deal.

The Staveley Town Deal is aiming to secure up to £25m of funding to help build a stronger economy for Staveley. This consultation will be used to support a new ‘place vision’ for Staveley; Chesterfield Borough Council want to know what makes the Staveley area special, how you feel about the area, and how you would might like to see it develop in the future. The consultation is open until Tuesday 15 September.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “It’s vital that local residents and businesses have their say on the future of Staveley. We need to work together to ensure that we are delivering the projects that matter most to the people of Staveley.”

Ivan Fomin (pictured), who is chairman of the Staveley Town Deal Board and Managing Director of local business MSE Hiller, said: “It is a great chance for local people to be involved in deciding how this funding should be used. A key measure of the success of the project will be the level of local benefits that can be achieved for the local community.”

The Town Deal will allow Staveley the opportunity to build on the foundation of previous regeneration activity. For example, the council previously worked with Staveley Town Council on the refurbishment of Staveley Hall which was funded by Heritage Lottery and European Regional Development Fund. This has enabled the renovation of the listed building and the creation of managed workspaces and a community café.

There are also plans for the development of the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route and work is progressing on the remediation of the Hartington site.

The new ‘place vision’ will be used to support the Town Investment Plan which the council aims to submit to Government in the Autumn. It has already submitted a bid for accelerated funding to help kickstart several projects that will have an immediate impact.

A total of five projects were put forward for consideration from this accelerator funding including new CCTV equipment for the town centre, sports pitch development at Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club and new play equipment for King George V Playing Field.

A Staveley Town Deal board has been established and this will help oversee and guide projects that deliver the most value for residents of Staveley. The board is composed of elected members from Chesterfield Borough Council, Staveley Town Council and Derbyshire County Council, both local members of parliament, representatives from local charitable organisations, Derbyshire Police, education leaders and representatives of the local business community.

The Town Deal Board is also appealing for project ideas to be submitted to be considered for inclusion of the bid. Some projects have already been identified, but more are welcome.

Find out more about the Staveley Town Deal and share your views here: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/business-and-economic-growth/regeneration-and-economic-growth/staveley-town-deal/get-involved-in-the-staveley-town-deal

You can also make suggestions for projects here: https://mytown.communities.gov.uk/town/staveley-derbyshire/

Staveley Hall

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

Greatest Hits Radio goes live in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, with applications now open for ‘Back to Work’

1st September 2020

Peak FM has been rebranded as Greatest Hits North Derbyshire, part of the largest commercial radio network in the UK.

The station has also launched local content campaigns today, celebrating the voices and music of North Derbyshire and promoting local job opportunities.

Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire. will bring feature upbeat classic hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s and will be delivered by well-known broadcasters including Simon Mayo, Mark Goodier, Janice Long, Paul Gambaccini and Pat Sharp.

News bulletins will carry locally gathered stories, local traffic bulletins and local information to reflect the interests of Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. For local advertisers, the move will provide significant scale and a broader range of advertising opportunities.

Applications have also opened for Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire’s ‘Back to Work’ campaign, providing free advertising of local job opportunities to North Derbyshire’s employers and job-seekers.

Local employers are encouraged to submit vacancies for inclusion, allowing them to reach a wide audience of local job-seekers free of charge. Job vacancy bulletins will be broadcast four times a day to local audiences and will be promoted on the Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire website.

Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire will kick off with a Top 500 countdown of the country’s most popular songs, ahead of new local content programmes to run over the autumn:

‘Cities of Sound’ – A weekly documentary series celebrating the musical heritage of towns, cities and regions across the UK, including North Derbyshire

The station has been launched alongside a major marketing campaign across TV, print media, radio and digital and social platforms. Central to the campaign is the idea of ‘music bringing good times’ to our lives. It will feature some of Greatest Hits Radio’s favourite artists, including David Bowie, Tina Turner, Madonna, Queen and Bob Marley.

Graham Bryce, Group Managing Director, Hits Radio Brand Network, comments, “We are excited about the role for Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire in giving local communities and listeners in North Derbyshire the music, content and local connections we know they value highly, as well as a platform for a future of digital listening. We are committed to retaining our local relationships and look forward to engaging closely with local listeners and businesses as we launch our airtime initiative.”

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

Local MP praises innovative Derbyshire manufacturer

1st September 2020

Bolsover MP Mark Fletcher has praised a Chesterfield manufacturer for its resilience and hard work amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.

Mr Fletcher, who is campaigning to bring more jobs to Bolsover, made his comments while visiting Blachford UK, which designs and manufacturers acoustic insulation products for industrial vehicles.

Since resuming production post lockdown, the company has created more than 20 brand new full-time roles at its Holmewood site thanks to a booming order book.

Commenting on the visit to the company, Mr Fletcher said: “It was fantastic to visit such an innovative and brilliant manufacturer based in the heart of Bolsover and a real pleasure to meet so many of their team and to understand how passionate they are about their work. Blachford pride themselves on the quality of their products which makes them global leaders in their industry. To have them here is a source of pride to our communities and our constituency.”

Jason Lippitt, Managing Director of Blachford UK, commented: “I am delighted that Mr Fletcher was able to find time in his busy schedule to visit us. We were really keen to show him first-hand that it is not all doom and gloom in the UK right now. There are challenges, but I believe we should face these head on and with positivity. Our parent company fully supports us and sees its UK arm as being central to delivering solutions across Europe.”

Blachford UK is part of the global Blachford group, benefitting from an extensive supply chain and distribution options. Formerly TMAT, Blachford Acoustics Group acquired the Holmewood-based business in 2014 from former owner and current Managing Director Jason Lippitt.

The acquisition of the business enabled Blachford to provide common, coordinated solutions in both North America and Europe. The business was rebranded to Blachford UK in 2017.

Serving Bolsover since 2019, Conservative MP Mr Fletcher is for unlocking the untapped economic potential of Britain, particularly in the Midlands and the North; a desire Mr Lippitt also shares.

Jason added: “We have a strong business here in Derbyshire. Our expertise and products are world-leading and in demand. There are many other companies like Blachford who are doing well, however we just hear the disaster stories right now. We need to move forward, celebrate success and send the message to Europe and the world that Britain’s manufacturing sector is in business and doing well and will continue to do well regardless of Brexit or the pandemic.”

Since July 2020, the company has increased its workforce by 20 per cent. People interested in working at Blachford, should email recruitment@blachforduk.com

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

Growth for Chesterfield e-commerce firm leads to doubling warehouse space

26th August 2020

A growing Chesterfield e-commerce firm is more than doubling its warehouse operation to 102,000 sq ft in an expansion move to a prime industrial site at Markham Vale.

Xbite, which ships products around the globe, has taken a multi year lease on a warehouse at Markham Vale J29a M1, as part of ambitious expansion plans for the growing company which was set up in a back bedroom 16 years ago.

Xbite was started at home in 2004 by Nick and Keely Whitehead retailing video games online. In 2012, it built its own premises in Barlborough and reached a £23m turnover.

The firm, which currently has a £42m turnover, will move immediately to the 102,000 sq ft warehouse, reconfiguring its current 45,000 sq ft base at Barlborough into an office for its 130 employees.

Xbite has taken on 24 staff in the last three months, and expects to recruit another 50 staff by Christmas and expand its executive team. It operates brands including 365 Games, Roov.co.uk, Maison & White, Pukkr and Shop4.

Nick Whitehead, Managing Director at Xbite, said: “We have outgrown our much loved 45,000 sq ft unit at Barlborough and needed a warehouse that had the space and setup required to deliver our current and future objectives.”

“Markham Vale will enable us to deliver a better work environment for all our warehouse operatives, not only will we have the space needed to deliver better performance, there is enough space to ensure that social distancing is easier for everyone to adhere to, which we expect to be around for a while yet.”

“The increase in online shopping plus our diversification from computer games and DVDs into home and gardenware has seen unprecedented growth for us. Our homeware website Roov.co.uk is where our future growth will come from, enabling this expansion of premises and creating jobs.”

Rebecca Schofield, Head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank and sole agent on Markham Vale, said: “This warehouse is ideal for a business that needs to hold and move products quickly across the country as its location at Junction 29a of the M1 allows easily access to South Yorkshire, the East Midlands with direct connectivity to the M1, and subsequently the M18, A38 and further afield.”

Markham Vale has proved a huge success with existing occupiers including Great Bear, Smurfitt Kappa, Ferdinand Bilstein, Gist, Meter Provida and Holdsworth Food.

For further information on Markham Vale click here.

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

‘Chesterfield in Lockdown’ exhibition looking for contributions

24th August 2020

Chesterfield Museum is currently working with a number of local organisations in order to put together an exhibition that conveys different experiences of ‘Chesterfield in Lockdown’.

The Museum team are appealing to the local community to get in touch with stories, memories, images and items that express their experiences during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers hope that by working with local people, community groups and organisations, residents can come together to share memories of lockdown and isolation.

They are also keen to include the stories of key workers who have kept Chesterfield and the UK going during this unprecedented crisis.

There are three main areas of the upcoming exhibition which the team are seeking submissions for:

Photographs

Images that you’ve taken on your mobile or with your camera during this time or anything that you feel is an image of ‘Lockdown in Chesterfield’ (signs, queues, empty parks or streets)
Images of what has helped you cope with Lockdown (nature, your garden, cooking, reading, screenshots of chats with friends and family online).

Items & Keepsakes

Artworks, pictures, paintings, models, textiles – any projects that you’ve embraced and focused on. For example, all the rainbows created.
Items and objects that will always remind you of this time / period such as home-made mask, walking shoes, toilet roll, bottle of hand gel

Stories and Thoughts

Your thoughts about the past six months and ‘Lockdown’ expressed through diary extracts, blogs, poems, letters, emails.
Anecdotes & little stories of some of the things you’ve experienced.

If you would like to contribute to this exhibition please contact the Museum Collections Team via museum.collections@chesterfield.gov.uk or rachel.fannen@chesterfield.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Further statues added to the Markham Colliery miners memorial

19th August 2020

Fifteen new statues have been have been added to the ‘Walking Together’ mining memorial at the Markham Vale Business Park to commemorate miners who tragically lost their lives in 3 disasters at Markham Colliery.

The business park was developed by Derbyshire County Council and HBD on the site of the former colliery and the memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the site’s strong mining heritage.

Each statue symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and represents the men who lost their lives in the 3 accidents in 1937, 1938 and 1973.

The new statues takes the total of life-sized steel figures to 77 and Derbyshire County Council continue to work alongside partners to fundraise for all 106 miners to be commemorated.

Councillor Barry Lewis Derbyshire County Council Leader, said: “Although the landscape looks very different, Markham Vale is a hive of industry and employment today just as it was back when the pit stood there and, it’s important we don’t forget the area’s roots.”

He added: “As we enter the final stages towards completing the memorial project, I’d like to thank all the sponsors for their contributions so far, including Viridor Credits Environmental Company for funding the most recent group of figures through the Landfill Communities Fund.”

These most recent additions have been dedicated to:

Charles Bown, 27, contractor
George Clarence Briggs, 52, deputy
Joseph William Brocklehurst, 58, deputy
George Cyril Foulds Buckley, 40, contractor
John William Watson Commons, 33, contractor
George Eyre, 60, gearhead attendant
Clifford Brooks, 58, deputy
Joe Hardy, 37, Contractor
Clarence Hill, 29, belt-hand
Fred Reddish, 53, development worker
Harry Hudson, 26, gate-end
Benjamin Wallace, 29, road layer
George Henry Jackson, 43, contractor
William Edward Whelpton, 32, rope greaser
Michael Kilroy, 53, development worker

Due to the coronavirus pandemic it was not possible to hold a physical event to unveil the latest statues. Instead a short film has been produced as a virtual commemoration.

Find out more information about the colliery and the miners who lost their lives on The Story Mine website.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure

Local man to run length of Chesterfield canal and back in 24 hours

14th August 2020

On 29 August, local runner David Smith intends to run 92 miles in under 24 hours to raise money for the Chesterfield Canal Trust.

The canal runs for 46 miles from Chesterfield to the River Trent and he will run there and back in a day, the equivalent of 3 and a half marathons.

David is a Life Member of the Trust and will be raising money for its 2027 Appeal Fund. This aims to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027 which will be the 250th Anniversary of its opening.

He will set off from Chesterfield in the afternoon of Saturday 29th August. Having run through the night, he will be aiming to get back early on the Sunday afternoon.

David is no stranger to long distance running, nor to raising money for good causes.

Already a keen runner, when he moved to Chesterfield in 1994 he began looking for running routes and it wasn’t long before he came across the canal. Back then it was just a grassy track, but over the years he has seen what a great job the Trust has done helping to restore the canal.

After a while, various family events led him into fundraising and he started running to raise money for a variety of causes, most notably Ashgate Hospicecare and the MS Society; David’s wife has MS. In 2014, David’s grandson was stillborn and this pushed him to a new level, raising money for two babies’ charities – SANDS and Tommy’s.

David often runs in fancy dress carrying a collection bucket (see below) and has competed in events from 5K to 400K, raising over £100,000 in the process. Weather permitting, he will run in full Scooby Doo attire.

during the coronavirus pandemic. David carried on running in his back garden and later round Derbyshire but not raising much money. He had always wanted to tackle the Cuckoo Way – the official name for the canal towpath.

David said: “Over the weeks of lockdown the Canal has become a vital resource allowing walkers and cyclists to experience its beauty as they exercise. It’s important we ensure the brilliant efforts of the Trust volunteers are allowed to continue so the canal can be fully restored for even more people to enjoy.”

Rod Auton, Chesterfield Canal Trust Publicity Officer, said: “We were blown away when David got in touch with this incredible proposal. A few people have walked the full length of the canal in about 16 hours, but to run it there and back in a day is mind-boggling.”

He added: “We hope that the public will get behind David and contribute to our 2027 Appeal. It would be fantastic to see boats sailing into Chesterfield having come all the way from the river Trent. We’d certainly like to see David on the first boat – hopefully it will have been an easier, but slower, passage!”

If you would like to support David or the Canal Trust, you can visit the Chesterfield Canal Trust website or visit David’s Crowdfunder page. Alternatively, you can send a cheque to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road, Chesterfield, S43 2PF.

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

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

Work progresses on site of Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

11th August 2020

The erection of the structural steelwork frame for Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre marks a major milestone in the development’s progress.

Work on the site has been progressing safely through the Coronavirus pandemic with work on the foundations beginning in April and now the steelwork is being erected, which means that the new Enterprise Centre is on track to be completed and will be a key contributor to the town’s economic recovery.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, who visited the site said: “This is both an exciting and an important development for Chesterfield, and I’m pleased that work is continuing to progress despite the current challenges.”

“This Enterprise Centre is key to ensuring that Chesterfield remains a thriving borough and will create lots of new opportunities for local businesses and people, supporting the sustainability of the town centre.”

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is an important development in Chesterfield’s post-Coronavirus economic recovery plans. It is also a key part of the plan to regenerate this key area of the town and to ensure the town continues to thrive.

Robert Woodhead Limited’s Project Manager, Daniel Cove, said: “Our current works on site centre around the installation of the steel frame and are expected to be completed within the next two weeks. This will then allow us to bring back the ground workers, install the lift pit, the underground tanking and the perimeter blockwork to allow for the installation of the ground floor slab. We are also expecting to receive delivery of the pre-cast concrete stair and the composite metal decking at the end of August to allow for the installation of the roof and expect to be watertight by mid-October.

“We are working with local companies on this project, the ground worker we have contracted for the works is DJ Newbury who employ a number of Chesterfield residents. Going forward we hope to engage with local supply chains for a number of trades including dry lining, flooring and painting and decorating.”

Andrew Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “As a local practice we are delighted to see progress being made on site.”

“The Enterprise Centre is an important part of the Northern Gateway regeneration in Chesterfield, providing a new and unique commercial offer which is designed to be a catalyst for further investment and development.”

As well as providing high quality facilities for businesses wanting to locate in the town centre, the architecture will provide a new contemporary landmark which will enrich the urban fabric of the town. This building is further evidence that Chesterfield can deliver its ambition and realise a building fit for a long and sustainable future.

Scheduled for completion in Spring 2021, the new building will provide 32 high-quality offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors. It offers a shared reception and lobby area, meeting rooms, first floor break out area, bicycle store, shower and changing facilities, air conditioning throughout, lift access, internal bin store, kitchenettes on each floor for use by occupants, individually metered power supplies, access control to all office doors, CCTV coverage to internal communal areas and external area. IT fibre connection into building with maximum speed multi bandwidth and WIFI is provided throughout.

Office space is offered on easy in and out letting terms and tenants at the Enterprise Centre will also benefit from access to a range of other council services and venues, including business support and corporate rates for leisure passes, parking permits and conferencing facilities.

With its town centre location, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is easily accessible by car, train, bus and cycle users. It’s situated opposite the new Saltergate multi-story car park and close to all major bus routes and Chesterfield Train station.

The building has been designed to have sustainability principles at its heart, minimising its impact on the environment and achieving considerable efficiencies in energy use.

The new centre is an important addition to Chesterfield Borough Council’s commercial property portfolio and will hopefully be a key component in Chesterfield’s post COVID 19 recovery.

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre project has benefited from grant funding support from the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund.

To find out more about your business being based in the Enterprise Centre email either claire.cunningham@chesterfield.gov.uk or hannah.ramsdale@chesterfield.gov.uk.

To find out more about the Northern Gateway development, click here.

Architects for the centre, Whittam Cox have produced a virtual walkthrough of the building which you can watch below:

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

Small businesses hit by the pandemic to access support from University of Derby Business School

10th August 2020

The University of Derby Business School is working with the Small Business Charter to deliver a specialised government funded programme for leaders of small businesses to survive and thrive in the coming months.

This new scheme comes as part of a £20million package the government is providing to help small businesses in the long term.

To aid business resilience and future growth in the current climate, the Small Business Leadership Programme will create peer groups to develop stronger leadership, innovation, operational efficiency, marketing and finance.

Derby Business School was accredited by the Small Business Charter (SBC) in January 2020, a national accreditation awarded by small businesses to business schools who excel in supporting SMEs and the local economy.

Coronavirus has put untold pressure on directors and CEOs of small companies trying to navigate unchartered waters.

The government has made up to £30 billion available to support economic recovery ahead of the Autumn and businesses can continue to draw upon a range of financial support during this challenging time, including loans, tax deferrals and cash grants. The SBLP will help businesses to bounce back from the impact of coronavirus and prepare for any future disruption.

Speaking about the Small Business Leadership Programme, Professor Kamil Omoteso, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Derby, said: “I am delighted that the University of Derby is working with the Small Business Leadership Programme to aid economic recovery and support small businesses affected by Covid-19.

“Across the region we have a high number of sectors affected by the pandemic and we are working closely with the city and the county to tackle its impact. Our aim is to support the re-skilling of people post-Covid, help businesses access our large talent pool of students and graduates, and share our expertise and funding to take the knowledge created within the University and embed it in businesses, partnerships and other organisations to help them innovate and grow.”

The practical syllabus provides business leaders with access to small business and management experts from Derby Business School. The Small Business Leadership Programme is free and fully funded by the Government to enhance small business resilience and recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and develop potential for future growth and productivity.

The short and focused programme will be delivered online through a structured course of eight 90-minute webinars over the course of 10 weeks and will provide the knowledge needed for businesses to tackle crisis situations. It will also give businesses the opportunity to strengthen their business network. Participants will develop strategic leadership skills and the confidence to make informed decisions to boost business performance.

Anne Kiem OBE, CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, said: “As we continue to grapple with the Coronavirus crisis it is also essential we look long term to ensure small businesses are supported to build resilience, survival and growth. Business schools can provide the expertise and knowledge all business owners and directors need to continue to thrive in uncertain times.”

Small Business Minister, Paul Scully, said: “The strength of small businesses up and down the country will be vital as we begin to bounce back from coronavirus and re-build our economy. The Small Business Leadership Programme will help to equip small business leaders with the leadership and problem-solving skills they need to grow their firms in the wake of this pandemic.”

Find out more about the Small Business Leadership Programme and how to apply here.

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

St Helena’s in Chesterfield

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