Leisure

Opticians helps town’s isolated elderly residents keep in touch with loved ones

An appeal from staff at Specsavers Chesterfield has resulted in four electronic devices being donated to enable local care home residents to keep in touch with their loved ones throughout the twelve-week isolation period.

The store’s optometrist director, Allissa Charlesworth, launched the fundraising campaign this week following a discussion during a recent eye-test with a lady who worked in the local Whittington Care Home.

The customer, who is in charge of planning activities for the home’s residents, raised her concern that due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the home would be closed to visitors and residents would not be able to see or speak with their loved ones.

Within 24 hours of setting up a Just Giving page, Allissa’s fundraiser had already raised £350, enough to purchase a brand new tablet for the home.

Allissa comments: “Although we might be self-isolating with loved ones at home, it was heartbreaking to hear that some members of our community would be facing the prospect of twelve weeks without the chance to see their families.”

“Although it’ll be incredibly hard for most of us to adhere to social distancing, I couldn’t imagine how much harder it must be for those without access to technology, who will be unable to keep in touch with their friends and families.”

“I’ve been totally blown away with the community spirit in Chesterfield, and I am thankful to those who have donated devices and money to the cause. I’m sure the four devices we’ve already donated will be put to good use during this period of isolation.’”

Prior to the lockdown, the team also put a request out for in-store donations of care package items to keep residents busy, which saw dozens of items donated, including jigsaws, books and magazines donated to local homes.

Following the Coronavirus outbreak, staff at the Chesterfield store have been out in the community delivering glasses to residents who are self isolating, whilst also keeping the shop open for emergencies such as the needs of Key Workers.

Click here to find out more about Specsavers Chesterfield store 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure

Beat the Street Chesterfield concludes

Organisers of the Beat the Street game across Chesterfield borough have drawn the game to a close, owing to the restrictions in place to help stop the spread of Coronavirus / COVID 19 that were announced on Monday 23 March 2020.

Beat Boxes will no longer work and the leaderboard has been frozen.

Points are now being counted and the winners of the game will be announced in the next few days on the Beat the Street Chesterfield Facebook page and on Twitter and Instagram plus via the Beat the Street newsletter at www.beatthestreet/me/chesterfield.

Unfortunately, the planned celebratory event is unable to take place however all winning teams will receive their prizes by post and email.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We have seen lots of people get more active thanks to the Beat the Street so we’re sad to see this end, however, we must encourage people to stay at home to stop the virus spreading.

“We are sorry that Beat the Street is ending early but we’d still love to know what you thought of the game. Please complete our survey www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DTPQGSJ and you could be in with a chance of winning prizes.”

Beat the Street has been designed to encourage people to be active, so organisers will continue to help with a new programme called Beat the Bug, packed with hints, tips and advice on how you and your family can stay fit, get active, reduce stress and have fun at home.

There will be regular Beat the Bug advice and Q&A sessions with Intelligent Health’s founder, Dr William Bird MBE, who is a doctor working on the NHS frontline, a world-famous expert in physical activity and an advisor to the World Health Organisation and Public Health England.

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

Derbyshire Emergency Relief Fund for businesses now in place

UPDATE 25/03/20: Applications are currently closed on a temporary basis – “We are currently processing the applications received so far as quickly as possible and prioritising self-employed applicants to ensure they are the first to receive payments.” Read more here.

Following the announcement of an initial £1m allocation, complementing the Government’s coronavirus funding packages, the Derbyshire County Council Emergency Relief Fund for the county’s smallest businesses is now in place.

Businesses with nine or fewer employees and sole traders will now be able to apply online for up to £500 in emergency support to help to cover the initial hardships that companies might have as a result of the pandemic.Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis said: “Derbyshire’s smallest businesses, particularly in certain sectors, will already be feeling the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The support available from the Emergency Relief Fund won’t solve those problems but might help those who face an immediate issue as a result of lost income.””The Fund is easy to apply for and one-off payments will be made quickly for successful applicants. Alongside this direct financial help we are pulling together a wider package of support in place to help companies access the millions of pounds that the Government has made available for businesses and more details are available at  www.derbyshire.gov.uk/businessgrants.”

The Emergency Relief Fund criteria and application form are available online at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/businessgrants . Businesses will need to be registered in Derbyshire, be able to evidence a loss of income as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak and fulfil the other criteria laid out online in order to apply. The Fund will be open until the 17th April 2020 and has a limited number of grants available.

The Government has already announced a wide range of measures to support businesses across the country including a business rate holiday and a range of grants. Details of this support is awaited and the Emergency Relief Fund is intended to help businesses whilst the national support is put in to place.

Businesses and residents can find Derbyshire-specific support during the coronavirus outbreak.

Click here to view our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support Page

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

National Trust closes parks and gardens

From midnight on 21 March the National Trust will close all of its gated gardens and parks to help restrict the spread of the coronavirus.

The move follows the closure of pubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and leisure centres announced by the government on Friday, and tightening travel restrictions and public health advice.

At the start of this week the conservation charity announced that despite closing its houses, shops and cafes, it would work to keep gardens and parks open so people could access open space. However, the Trust warned that a fair weather forecast and Mothering Sunday could tempt people onto the roads over the weekend and National Trust sites would close if high demand meant social distancing could not be enforced.

Director-General Hilary McGrady said: “Despite our desire to keep our outdoor spaces open, the health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and visitors has to be our top priority. Having observed the numbers visiting our properties today and I am no longer convinced we can maintain social distancing over Mother’s Day when numbers are likely to grow, and beyond.”

“We have now sadly taken the decision to close all of our parks and gardens, in addition to our houses, shops and cafes, to avoid crowding that puts social distancing at risk.”

“We know that people are likely to need space and fresh air in the coming weeks and months and we will do all we can to provide access wherever possible.”

“Our countryside and coastal locations remain open with parking charges waived, but we encourage people to stay local and observe social distancing measures.”

“Over the coming weeks our digital platforms – our website, social media feeds, podcasts and video – will become even more important, ensuring the places of nature, beauty and history that we care for on behalf of the nation can remain open for business virtually while we are temporarily closed.”

“We will also be ramping up our efforts to help people connect with nature wherever they are and to find moments of joy in the world around them. We will be providing rich content and staying in touch with our members and followers throughout this time.”

Information on which National Trust outdoor places are open can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure

Chatsworth to close garden with immediate effect

Chatsworth has taken the decision to close its garden to visitors with immediate effect today (22 March) until further notice in light of the most recent government guidance.

The toilets will remain open today 22 March, but all public toilets at Chatsworth will be closed from 23 March. Chatsworth House, Farmyard and Adventure Playground were not open, and will remain closed.

Chatsworth Chief Executive Stephen Vickers said: “This decision has not been taken lightly. The situation is enormously complex and fast moving, and we believe that taking decisive action to help implement effective social distancing is in the best interests of all of our visitors and staff, and is part of the collective national effort to help contain the coronavirus.

“On behalf of the Duke and Duchess, and everyone as at Chatsworth, I would like to thank our visitors for their continued support, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back soon.”

As a vital food service outlet, the Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop remains open, and everyone is working hard to ensure staff and customers are protected with social distancing measures, and maintain stocks and replenish shelves, so it can best serve the community.  More products are being added to the online shop, and local delivery and click and collect services are being set up to support those who are self-isolating. The café at the farm shop remains closed.

Outdoor space and fresh air are imperative to everyone’s wellbeing, and the Chatsworth Park and Woodland will remain open. However, Chatsworth is asking people to observe all Government guidelines regarding social distancing and unnecessary travel.

Updates will be posted when available on the Chatsworth website and social media channels, so please look out for these.

For more information, visit www.chatsworth.org

Chatsworth House

Posted in About Chesterfield, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Barrow Hill Roundhouse and the Rail Ale Team issue joint statement

Barrow Hill Roundhouse and the Rail Ale Team have issued a joint statement regarding the upcoming event:

It is with the utmost sadness that we have made the decision to postpone this year’s celebration of 20 years of the Rail Ale Beer & Music Festival at Barrow Hill Roundhouse.

This has not been a decision taken lightly in our 20th year but the welfare and safety of visitors to this hugely popular event as well as that of our staff, volunteers, traders and musicians is of the utmost importance.

As the country comes together to deal with the threat of coronavirus we must all do what we can to overcome it. Following discussions with all those involved in the organisation of the event – which was due to take place on 14th, 15th and 16th May 2020 – we have agreed that this year’s Festival will now take place on 13th, 14th and 15th August 2020, subject to the Government’s advice at that time.

We would like to offer our sincere apologies to all those who have already booked tickets for this year’s Festival. We are pleased to advise that you may use the tickets you have bought for May in August without any additional charges being payable. However, if you would prefer to be refunded, please contact the ticket seller. For online tickets this is www.seetickets.com who will be happy to help.

We also hope to reschedule the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club event that was due to take place on 14th May 2020 and are in contact with his management team about this. As soon as we are able to provide an update on this event, we will contact all those who have already bought tickets.

The postponement of this year’s Festival will no doubt be a great disappointment to many of you – our incredible team of staff and volunteers who work so hard to make this event happen are equally saddened.

We were really looking forward to welcoming you all to the Roundhouse in May but are hopeful that we will see you all in August. You can keep up-to-date with details of the revised dates and our plans at www.railalefestival.com or on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Barrow Hill roundhouse will also be closed until further notice:

We have made the decision to temporarily close Barrow Hill Roundhouse to our weekend visitors.

This has not been a decision taken lightly in the year that the Roundhouse celebrates its 150th birthday but the welfare and safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers is of the utmost importance.

We do not know when we will be able to reopen and will follow the Government’s advice before we make that decision.

In the meantime you can still keep in touch with us through our website www.barrowhill.org and social media channels.

Stay safe and take care.

The Roundhouse Team

Click here to view our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support Page

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

Garden will open as Coronavirus hits new season at Chatsworth

UPDATE 22/3/2020: Chatsworth to close garden with immediate effect

Chatsworth has announced that the wide-open spaces of its world-famous garden and parkland will welcome visitors from Saturday 21 March but that the house, farmyard, adventure playground, gift shops and most of its restaurants will remain closed until further notice.

The estate farm shop at the nearby village of Pilsley will remain open and is looking at new ways of serving local communities, and particularly elderly and vulnerable people, by extending its home delivery service and increasing the number of products available from its online shop.

Home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, the Derbyshire estate took the decision to restrict entry in response to the rapid spread of the Coronavirus. While the garden and parkland will open for visitors wanting to take a walk and get some fresh air, ‘social distancing’ and additional hygiene measures have been put in place (Read more here – Visiting Chatsworth and the Coronavirus).

Chatsworth’s 105-acre garden is famous for its rich history, historic and modern waterworks and sculptures, its Victorian rock garden and maze while the spectacular 1,000-acre park on the banks of the River Derwent was chiefly designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the 1760s. Parking charges have been waived at Chatsworth and nearby Calton Lees – entry to the garden is paid for but the parkland is free to all visitors.

The Duke of Devonshire: “The health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff is paramount and, in the end, that made it an easy decision to restrict entry. At the same time, with so much of the country in shutdown, we wanted to keep the garden and parkland open to visitors because they are big spaces and can still be enjoyed safely.”

“It’s a great shame that the treasures in the house will be closed and that children won’t be able to go to the farmyard or adventure playground but, under the circumstances, I’m sure they’ll understand. Everybody is still welcome to come and enjoy Chatsworth and we will open in full again as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

At present, the Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth International Horse Trials (15-17 May) and the Chatsworth Country Fair (4-6 September) are scheduled to go ahead but RHS Chatsworth (11-14 June) has been cancelled. All events, large or small, will remain under review and visitors are advised to check Chatsworth’s website and social media channels for updates before making any plans.

Chatsworth is currently undergoing the biggest transformation of its 105-acre garden since Joseph Paxton’s work finished more than 200 years ago. An undeveloped 15-acre area of the garden, now called Arcadia, is being replanted and reshaped by celebrated garden designer Tom Stuart Smith as part of a total 25-acre redevelopment area that also includes a remodelled Rockery, the Maze borders, the Ravine, and Dan Pearson’s work at the Trout Stream and the Jack Pond.

The project involves the clearance of previously inaccessible areas, large-scale structure installations, new sculpture commissions, the movement and addition of hundreds of tonnes of rock, hundreds of thousands of new plants and hundreds of new trees, as well as new pathways taking visitors into underexplored areas of the garden.

The garden is the product of nearly 500 years of careful cultivation. Although some points of interest have been replaced to make way for new fashions, the garden retains many early features, including the Canal Pond, Cascade and Duke’s Greenhouse. The famous waterworks include the 300-year-old Cascade, the Willow Tree Fountain and the impressive, gravity-fed Emperor Fountain, which reaches heights up to 90m.

Read our Supporting Local page here to help businesses across Chesterfield & North Derbyshire

Images credit: Chatsworth House Trust

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

Chamber reacts to Bank of England interest rate cut

Reacting to the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee’s decision to cut interest rates to a historic low of 0.1%, Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), said:

“The decision to cut interest rates to their lowest ever levels leaves us in no doubt as to the immediate challenges we are facing as a business community here in the East Midlands and as a country.”

“While the measures announced this afternoon may offer a short-term boost to market confidence – indeed the value of the Pound immediately rose as a result – it is unlikely to have much long-term effect unless it translates to tangible support for businesses on the ground.”

“It is imperative that the Bank of England works with financial institutions without delay to ease cash flow challenges for firms in these unprecedented times.”

Click here to visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support Page

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, Leisure

National Trust to keep open spaces accessible and free to public

UPDATE 22/03/2020: From midnight on 21 March the National Trust will close all of its gated gardens and parks to help restrict the spread of the coronavirus.

The National Trust will, where possible, open as many of its gardens and parks for free, but close its houses, cafes and shops to help the nation fight the spread of the coronavirus.

A statement on the National Trust website states: “Many factors have to be considered when continuing to open, including whether the garden or park allows enough space for adequate social distancing.”

“We will try to keep as many open spaces available as possible but this is a changing situation and we are strictly following Government advice so please keep checking our website for updated information and always check the site before you visit any of our places.”

“The wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and visitors remains our top concern.”

Director General Hilary McGrady announced that the National Trust’s pay-for-entry sites would close by this Friday (March 20).

McGrady said the charity would work hard to keep as many of the Trust’s gardens and parklands open, free of charge, alongside coast and countryside, to encourage the nation to enjoy open space, if appropriate, during the pandemic, while adhering to the government’s social distancing guidance.

Hilary McGrady said: “The National Trust was founded 125 years ago for the benefit of the entire nation. We want to honour our mission – to enable people and nature to thrive. Over the coming weeks we will do all that we can to keep on providing public benefit through caring for places and giving people access wherever possible.

“While we will close our indoor areas to help fight the spread of coronavirus, we recognise that people are likely to need access to open space and to nature, beauty and history.”

Click here to view our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support Page

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

Chesterfield Iceland stores dedicates exclusive shopping time for elderly and vulnerable

The Iceland store located in Chesterfield’s Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is to dedicate two hours every Wednesday morning for elderly or vulnerable shoppers.

It has been confirmed that the Vicar Lane Iceland store will restrict opening for these groups exclusively between 9am and 11am each Wednesday until further notice. The store will remain open as usual between 8am and 9am and again from 11am.

A post on the official Iceland Foods Facebook page stated: “The impact of Covid-19 continues to disrupt routines for many people and businesses, and there is widespread concern about access to food, especially for vulnerable people and the elderly.”restirtc opening between 10am and 12pm on

“With many of our Iceland stores located at the heart of communities across the UK, we are encouraging our store managers to dedicate the first two hours of opening on Wednesday morning to the elderly (those of state pension age) and vulnerable, such as those with disabilities. We are giving them the flexibility to offer this wherever possible, and arrangement will be publicised in the stores that decide to take this action.”

These dedicated shopping times vary per store so please check with the store you are planning to visit in advance of your journey. More information can be found from the Iceland in-store teams.

Update 18/03/2020: It has now been confirmed that the Iceland store on Sheffield Road will restrict opening between 10am and 12noon on Wednesday.

Click here to find out more about Vicar Lane Shopping Centre

Visit our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support page

Image credit: Adam Chapman

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

Chesterfield Market Traders continue to trade

Chesterfield Market Traders have issued a statement regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Chesterfield Market Traders will continue to trade for as long as we are allowed to.

We recognise that Chestefield Market is an important part of life for many people. We are also aware that for those who are elderly, live alone or can be on low or fixed incomes the market is essential – which is why we want to keep on serving you.

On Chestefield Market and in the Market Hall you can buy everything you need – from antiques to toiletries, pet food, fruit & vegetables, sweets, treats, cheese, clothes, cleaning supplies and much more besides.

Traders are taking all reasonable precautions to ensure that we keep you, our valued customers, safe but we also need you to do your bit:

  • Wash your hands
  • Please don’t touch something unless you are serious about buying it
  • Please respect personal space
  • Cough and sneeze into your elbow
  • Keep smiling
  • Stay safe

We hope to see you all soon, and wish you all the best.

Chesterfield Market Traders

The team at Destination Chesterfield is keen to keep Chesterfield and North Derbyshire businesses up-to-date on the latest advice, guidance and support regarding the coronavirus outbreak in the UK. Please visit our Coronavirus – Business Support page.

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