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National recognition for local golf course owner

Owner of Stanedge Golf Club and PGA Professional, Fame Tate, has received National recognition from the Golf Club Managers’ Association.

During the Golf Club Managers’ Association annual two day National Conference, Fame received a special commendation award for her hard work in regenerating the fortunes of Stanedge Golf Club.

Fame was nominated for Best Newcomer Manager of the Year, along with Kerry Alligan-Sith of Redditch Golf Club, for her achievements after acquiring Stanedge Golf Club and bringing it back from the edge of closure and extinction.

Fame took over Stanedge Golf Club in March 2019 and has transformed the place from a run down clubhouse and golf course, to a thriving facility which is an accessible, warm and welcoming place where people of all ages, gender and backgrounds can come enjoy playing the golf course or socialise in the clubhouse.

Despite being named runner-up, Fame was over the moon to be selected as one of the two finalists and receive a special commendation: “I feel incredibly proud and honored to have received this commendation award, to be recognized for what we have achieved at the club in such a short space of time is incredible. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us, members, visitors, local businesses for hole sponsorship and our scorecard sponsors Il Mondo Travel – a massive thank you to my team at the club, I couldn’t have done it without your hard work and long hours, putting Stanedge Golf Club back on the map!”

Fame, who is a PGA professional, has a quite a year in 2019 picking up awards –  to add to her commendation was earlier in the year awarded the “Outstanding Achievement” Award at The English Women’s Awards North, and also named as the PGA Female Assistant of the year for 2019.

Fame said: “I had a strong vision in place when I purchased Stanedge Golf Club, which was to break away from the traditional golf club model, making it a venue that is welcoming, affordable, accessible, friendly and fun”.

Commenting on the journey so far, Fame said: “The resurrection of Stanedge Golf Club has not been easy, it really has been a monumental effort by many people who put many unsociable hours into making the club a place people now want to visit and enjoy being at.”

“Since we acquired the club in February, we have attracted over 120 new members and many visitors in response to our various offers, with different groups getting involved in our coaching and learn to play offers.”

“We have recently launched Tyzack’s Bar at the club which is open to the public as well as members and we serve home cooked food daily, including our breakfasts, Sunday lunches and currently starting on our Christmas Fayre menu and programme of activities.”

A round of 9 holes at Stanedge should not take more than a couple of hours and if you have time to spare afterwards you can drop into the friendly and welcoming clubhouse for refreshments, where there is a fully licensed bar and food served daily.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Hospital volunteer service meets with CEO

Chesterfield Royal Hospital‘s new CEO Angie Smithson has hosted a lunch to thank their volunteers for all they do around the hospital for patients.

Angie Smithson pledged to meet over 4,000 members of staff when she began working at Chesterfield Royal in September 2019, and she’s on target to do just that.

With visits to all departments and community bases at regular intervals to hear staff concerns and improvement ideas, she is also working around every shift pattern so night staff and weekend workers are also covered.

The voluntary service is growing – with 177 volunteers of all ages bringing their skills and talents to teams. They are invaluable – with last year’s infographic showing just how much they contribute to ‘Royal’ life.

From driving the ‘Royal Rider’ which safely delivers patients who may suffer mobility problems to appointments and wards, to providing valuable and widely recognised ‘end of life’ support, volunteers are a vital part of ‘Royal’ life.

Volunteer Services Manager, Richard Ball commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Angie for taking the time to say thank you to our volunteers and hear their views. This is a team that gives up their own time, day in and day out, to brighten up the days of our patients, and we are extremely proud of all of them.”

He added: “Anyone who would like to join us should contact us on crhft.volunteer@nhs.net.”

Chesterfield Royal Hospital‘s new CEO Angie Smithson has hosted a lunch to thank their volunteers for all they do around the hospital for patients.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home

Over 50 schools to receive a share of building boost fund

More than 50 schools across Derbyshire will benefit from building improvements, thanks to Derbyshire County Council’s £1.6 million funding programme.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet approved proposals to provide 54 Derbyshire primary and secondary schools with joint-funding for maintenance projects costing between £20,000 and £100,000.

The funding has been made available through the Insurance Maintenance Pool Allocations (IMP) for 2019-20 – a building maintenance scheme that generates funding from schools which sign up to carry out repairs and improvements – the majority of which we match-fund.

The current IMP has generated £1,195,800 which has been match-funded with £452,000 from Derbyshire County Council children’s services capital budget totalling the £1,647,800 improvement budget.

It will fund projects at the 54 schools including new roofing, boilers, heating systems, new walls, floors, doors and improved path and pedestrian areas.

Councillor Alex Dale, Cabinet Member for Young People said: “We are pleased that primary and secondary schools throughout the county are going to benefit from our IMP joint-funding programme.”

“It is vitally important that our schools have the funding available to carry out maintenance projects so every child can learn in the best possible environment and be inspired to achieve their potential.”

“We’re keen to approve projects like these which highlights our commitment to helping schools achieve their plans, make improvements and prevent the need for costly repairs in the future.”

“These improvements will not only help us ensure that every child has the best start in life but will also have a positive impact on staff, visitors and the local community.”

As part of this round of IMP funding, maintenance projects with a value between £20,000 and £40,000 for primary schools and between £50,000 and £100,000 for secondary schools – which have been deemed a priority by Derbyshire County Council surveying team – have been approved.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home

Avant Homes bringing 97 new homes to Clay Cross

Chesterfield housebuilder Avant Homes will build 97 new homes at Egstow Park in Clay Cross, after being granted planning permission by North East Derbyshire Borough Council for the development.

Located off Market Street in Clay Cross, the £23m development will form part of the wider Egstow Park regeneration scheme, bringing more than 825 new homes alongside offices, shopping areas, a hotel, public spaces and woodland.

Avant Homes acquired the 10-acre site from St Modwen PLC and plans to commence groundworks immediately with the first homes expected to be ready for occupation in July 2020. Called Egstow Park, the development will include a mixture of three and four-bedroom modern, design-led homes across 10 different housetypes. Of the 97 homes that will be built, 11 have been designated as affordable housing.

Stuart Rowlands,  Managing Director of Avant Homes Central said: “We’re very pleased that planning permission has been granted for our homes at Egstow Park. It is a significant regeneration scheme for Clay Cross and the wider region, and we’re excited to be a part of it. As a Chesterfield-based business we’re proud to continue investing in the area through the construction of much-needed quality homes whilst creating hundreds of jobs for local people in the process.”

“The development is in a prime location, close to the centre of Clay Cross and its range of amenities. It is well positioned to provide easy access to the growing town of Chesterfield, meaning Egstow Park is going to be a highly sought-after new residential neighbourhood.”

This is Avant Homes’ fourth current development in the Chesterfield area. De Rhodes Point in Woodthorpe and Portlands in Creswell have both proven popular with homebuyers, whilst the highly anticipated Waterside Quarter, part of the £340m Chesterfield Waterside regeneration scheme, is currently under construction (below).

Nick Whittingham Development Director at St Modwen said: “We are very pleased to complete the sale of this prime site to Avant Homes and to see the development get planning. This further accelerates our regeneration of the former Biwater Pipes brownfield site by opening up the Market Street end of the scheme to provide further serviced housing land and areas of public open space.”

Avant Homes Central is located at Holmewood Business Park on Chesterfield Road. Its development operations cover South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, North Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure

Chesterfield Royal Hospital commits to colleagues who are carers

The Chesterfield Royal Hospital has signed the Staff Carers’ Charter, recognising their commitment to colleagues at the Trust who have caring responsibilities outside of work.

The Royal signed the Carers’ Charter a few years ago that supports the Key Standards the Trust has put in place for Carers. This additional charter recognises that some of those carers will be colleagues that work here who also look after a family member with a physical disability, long term condition, mental health issue or a problem with substance abuse and may need help.

Rebecca Cowley is the Royal’s Carer Liaison Officer, she said: “We’ve put a lot of effort into recognising the role that carers play in the treatment and care of our inpatients. This charter aims to do the same for our staff in terms of offering support and advice for those who work here but have additional responsibilities as a carer outside of the hospital.”

“As a carer, being able to reconcile your work life with caring responsibilities can be difficult so this charter recognises our responsibilities as an employer to help facilitate that. For example we can help line managers to support their teams by being aware of carers’ legal rights and how our own policies and procedures could benefit them.”

“But it’s also about further awareness raising, ensuring that people don’t make assumptions about an individual’s capabilities as a carer. It’s about supporting flexible working where appropriate to help colleagues remain in work effectively and to benefit their health and wellbeing by reducing stress and anxiety. By giving teams, managers and individuals the tools to be able to resolve issues related to being a carer enables that individual to take a bit of control back in their lives and make the most of their work life and their own caring responsibilities.”

The original Carers’ Charter ensures that the Royal is committed to working together with the carers of patients receiving treatment at this hospital. It recognises that these carers are in a unique position because they know that patient’s personal needs and requirements on a daily basis and should be included in decisions about their care and treatment.

Rebecca added: “The charters complement each other very well and a lot of the work that has been done to raise awareness of what a carer is will help our staff to recognise that in themselves.”

“This Trust places a great emphasis on health and wellbeing, recognising that a happy and motivated team is more effective. This charter sits alongside that work and sends out the message that, whether it’s part of Appraisal discussions or regular catch ups, it is something that an individual should feel confident to bring up and talk about with their colleagues.”

By committing to the Staff Carers’ Charter, the Royal is extending that commitment to its workforce and recognising that a balance between work and personal commitments needs to be made.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home

Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon 2020 launched

Event organisers and sponsors have confirmed details for the 2020 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon following the ‘huge success’ of the 2019 event.

Full details for the 2020 event were announced launched at a special launch event, which also reflected on the success of 2019.

The 2020 event will take place on Sunday 18 October at 9.30am, and will start and finish in Queen’s Park following a record-breaking outing in 2019 which saw the highest-ever advance entry for a Redbrik Half Marathon.

Early Bird entries are now being accepted for the 2020 event, with the 13.1-mile Redbrik Half priced at £23 (normally £29) and the Peak FM Five Mile Run priced at £16 (normally £19) until the 29 February 2020.

The 2020 Redbrik Half will again have the backing of Chesterfield Borough Council, and will be headline sponsored by leading estate agency Redbrik in the fourth year of its five-year sponsorship deal.

Ashgate Hospicecare will be the 2020 Redbrik Half’s main charity partner, and the event will also support North Anston-based Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, which also supports families across North Derbyshire, as well as other good causes. In 2019, £40,000 was pledged for charities including Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood.

The run is credited with positively impacting on Chesterfield, according to Race Director, John Timms: “The Redbrik Half plays a huge role in raising the profile of Chesterfield, bringing people into the town – something that’s crucial for the continued prosperity of the region.”

“We’ve been absolutely delighted with the response from the general public since the Chesterfield Half’s relaunch in 2017, with Redbrik and other event partners playing a huge role in its continued success.”

“It’s exciting to be talking about the 2020 event – we’re looking forward to it already!”

Redbrik Managing Director, Mark Ross, said: “The 2019 event was a huge success, and we cannot wait for it to return in 2020.”

“The Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon plays such a vital role in our region, raising crucial funds for some great causes. Supporting local charities is part of our ethos of giving back to the local community.”

“We’re extremely proud to be entering our fourth year of sponsorship of north Derbyshire biggest (and best!) mass-participation event.”

For more information about the 2020 event, including how to sign up, click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Be ‘Ginspired’ with Chesterfield’s newest independent retailer

A new independent drinks retailer, Ginspired, has opened in Chesterfield’s Market Hall, specialising in gin, rum, whisky and other spirits.

Ginspired will focus on high quality spirits with over 200 unique and interesting bottles to choose from, as well as a wide range of gift items for Christmas and other special occasions. In store tasting events will also be a regular occurrence and staff will be on hand to provide friendly helpful advice.

Co-Owners Matt and Darren have worked in the drinks industry for 10 years before using their passion and experience to open Ginspired, showcasing a fantastic collection of gin, rum, whisky, vodka, bourbon, liqueurs, mead, cognac and more.

Co-Owner Matt said: “Our name is taken from Chesterfield’s famous Crooked Spire and our passion for Gin. We hope Ginspired will compliment and support the already vibrant beer and gin scene, with some great pubs, bars and producers well established in Chesterfield.”

He added: “We strongly believe in supporting small independent local businesses and our primary focus will be on products from Derbyshire and the surrounding area where possible.”

Ginspired is now open within Chesterfield’s Market Hall.

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

Launch of Vicar Lane’s big screen

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is delighted to announce the launch of their brand-new big screen on Friday 6th December.

The new LED screen is located outdoors, on St. James’ Square and will be used throughout the year and during key seasonal events to create a much more animated focal point and a lively new meeting area for shoppers within the town, as well as being a key feature in free events run by Vicar Lane.

The launch event will begin at 11am, allowing time for visitors to arrive before the ribbon cutting and official switch-on of the screen at 11:30am.

Visitors will then be able to enjoy a series of screenings from new independent stores at Vicar Lane – Shop Indie and Rate Cute – as well as Let’s Go Peak District and Destination Chesterfield.

Between 1pm and 3pm customers will have the chance to enjoy a PIING social gaming event, while a local business networking event takes place in the store underneath the screen, with presentations from Alterx – owners of Vicar Lane – and a special guest speaker before the day comes to a close at 4pm. Local business people and those working in community groups or other local organisations can claim a free ticket here.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane, said, “We’re really excited about the launch of our big screen. It’s the first really visible change we’ve made to Vicar Lane in a long time and we hope it’s the start of great things to come, with lots of exciting events throughout the year.’’

The installation of the big screen is the first step in a list of improvements that Alterx, who bought the centre out of administration earlier in the year, plan to make to Vicar Lane having identified an opportunity to revitalise it. So, this event is a celebration of their plans coming to fruition and tangible evidence of the investments being made in Vicar Lane.

Find out more here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Win a personalised Christmas message from Santa

Chesterfield Borough Council has teamed up with Santa Claus to create a Christmas competition for residents in which the winners will receive a personalised video message from Santa.

The competition encourages residents to recycle this Christmas by creating recyclable decorations.

Chesterfield residents can enter the competition by:

  • Taking a photo of their Christmas decoration
  • Sending it through as a direct message to Chesterfield Borough Council on Facebook
  • Explaining how they made the decoration in the message
  • Telling the council in the direct message the names of the children Santa should include in the video.

Ian Waller, Assistant Director for Health and Wellbeing at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This competition is a great opportunity for residents to have fun with recycling.”

“A personalised video message from Santa is a lovely surprise gift, so we are encouraging as many children and young people as possible to get involved.”

“We look forward to seeing how creative people can get with recycling.”

Residents can tailor their personalised message and tell Chesterfield Borough Council what Santa should include in the message.

The competition is open for entries from Monday 25 November. All entries are being judged on Monday 16 December and the winners of the competition will receive their personalised video on Monday 23 December.

To find out more about the competition, head to Chesterfield Borough Council’s competition page here, where all of the terms and conditions can be found.

Children can also meet Santa in his Grotto at Chesterfield Market Hall. A visit to Santa including a present is £5. For more information click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Christmas, Home

Vicar Lane Hosts a Calendar of Festive Fun

This Christmas, Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield is helping shoppers get in the spirit of the season with a whole heap of activities for them to enjoy.

With a different event every Saturday from 30th November until Christmas, there’s something for every member of the family to enjoy!

On Saturday 30th November, customers can get their green fingers ready to craft their very own Christmas wreath in a festive workshop. The pro’s from Thanks A Bunch will be on hand to help them with their festive front door creation in these workshops starting at 10am, 12.30pm and 2:30pm. Numbers are strictly limited to 10 per session and cost just £15 a ticket, which includes hot refreshments and mince pies. Over 16’s only. Tickets can be purchased here.

On Saturday 30th November, the centre will also receive a visit from a really wild guest as a life-like polar bear patrols the centre and poses for Christmas selfies at intervals throughout the day from 10am – 4pm!

On Saturday 7th December, a team of professional ice sculptors will have customers transfixed as a unique piece of art emerges from the ice between 11am and 1pm. The Ice sculpture will be available for customers to view until 5pm.

On Saturday 14th December, customers can see Christmas family favourite ‘Elf’ on the big screen at the centre’s pop-up cinema, opposite F. Hinds in partnership with Bluebird North Events. Tickets are just £4 each, and can be purchased here.

On Saturday 21st December, families will have the opportunity to catch a screening of Christmas family movie ‘The Polar Express’ on the big screen at the pop-up cinema, opposite F. Hinds in partnership with Bluebird North Events. Tickets are just £4 each, and can be purchased here. 

On Saturdays 7th, 14th & 21st December customers are offered the chance to take the flap out of wrapping this festive season and visit ‘Shop Indie’ to have their gifts professionally wrapped.

Vicar Lane is also offering time-stretched shoppers a little relief from their frantic festive preparations with late night shopping on Thursday & Friday 12th & 13th and 19th & 20th December, plus Monday 23rd December.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We understand that shoppers expect a little more than just great stores on their shopping trip these days, so we wanted to offer an exciting experience on every visit this festive season. We look forward to welcoming families of Chesterfield and beyond throughout the Christmas period.’’

Earlier this week, Vicar Lane announced will be home to a brand new, dog-friendly, pop-up bar. The Cap and Whippet will serve up a thirst-quenching menu of beers and spirits, all produced at Derbyshire breweries and distilleries. Customers will also find a range of Christmas gifts to purchase and take home, it will be open from 29th November until Christmas Eve.

Find out more about Christmas at Vicar Lane here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Christmas, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Candidates announced for Chesterfield parliamentary election

The Chesterfield parliamentary election candidates have been announced ahead of the general election on Thursday 12 December.

The following candidates are confirmed as standing in the Chesterfield constituency:

• Emily Coy (Liberal Democrats)
• John Noneoftheabove Daramy (Independent)
• Leigh Higgins (Conservative Party)
• Neil Jackson (Green Party)
• Toby Perkins (Labour Party)
• John Scotting (Brexit Party)

Most people in the Chesterfield borough will vote to elect the MP for Chesterfield. However, voters in the Barrow Hill and New Whittington ward and the Lowgates and Woodthorpe ward fall within the North East Derbyshire constituency, so they will vote to elect the MP for that area.

Polls are open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 12 December.

Votes for the Chesterfield constituency will be counted at Queen’s Park Sports Centre, Boythorpe Road, Chesterfield after the polls close at 10pm on Thursday 12 December. The result is anticipated between 3am and 4am.

register to vote

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home

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