Local manufacturer and employer, Blachford UK has confirmed its sponsorship of the 1km Fun Run at the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon for the second year running.

The family-friendly Blachford Fun Run will form part of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon events on 20 October 2019, along with the Peak FM Five Mile Run and Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge. The Fun Run will be open to people of all ages – and dogs!

Starting at 9.40am, the Fun Run will start and end in Queen’s Park, with entry priced at £5.

Based in Holmewood, Blachford UK is one of Europe’s leading designers and manufacturers of noise reducing trim and insulation for industrial vehicles.

In addition to its sponsorship of the Fun Run, the firm will enter its own team into the event, as well as the Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge, Peak FM Five Mile Run and Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, to help raise money for local good causes.

Around 1,500 people signed up to Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon events in 2018, almost double the sign-up total from the previous year.

The Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon has raised around £100,000 for good causes since its inaugural event in 2017, including for the event’s charity partners Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Jason Lippitt, Managing Director of Blachford UK, said: “It’s a great honour to be part of the fundraising efforts to support local charities. Many of our staff live in Chesterfield so this is a great way for us to contribute to and get involved with the wider community.”

“Many of the Blachford team are, once again, looking forward to pulling on their running shoes and taking part in all of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon’s events, and to help raise more money for charity.”

Martin Ross, who took part in the 2018 Blachford UK Fun Run with his five-year-old grandson, said: “The 1km event last year was great fun and a good addition to the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon events.

“I’m looking forward to taking part again in 2019 and seeing the Fun Run help the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon continue to grow into one of the region’s biggest mass-participation events. I’m sure my grandson will beat me again!”

John Timms, Event Director at Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, said: “We’re delighted to have Blachford UK on board for 2019 after the success of the 2018 Blachford UK Fun Run.”

“Partnerships with local businesses such as Blachford are crucial to us as one of the region’s fastest-expanding mass-participation events. The firm has good community roots and we’re excited to see this partnership continue to develop.”

Entries close to the Blachford Fun Run close online on Sunday 6 October, however entries will also be taken on race day before 9am. For more information or to sign-up, click here.

Chesterfield Craft – the town centre’s craft beer shop – has partnered with Stasher, to provide the first left luggage service in Chesterfield.

A common problem to visitors to any town, is what to do with their bags and cases. Not all accommodation providers allow guests to leave their luggage at the accommodation prior to check-in or after check-out and not all transportation hubs have left luggage services. Spotting this gap in the market, Stasher was created to match up people requiring luggage storage, with shops and businesses that have space with which to provide luggage storage.

Chesterfield Craft is the town’s first Stasher Stashpoint. Luggage can be left at Chesterfield Craft’s shop, leaving visitors to enjoy their time in the town, without their bags. Prices are set by Stasher, at £6 per item for 24 hours of storage. All luggage must be pre-booked at www.stasher.com and this provides users of the service with £750 insurance for their stored belongings. Bookings are valid immediately.

Richard Young, Owner of Chesterfield Craft, said “As someone who loves travelling myself, I’ve made extensive use of luggage lockers in train stations overseas. I know first-hand the convenience that left luggage services provide to travellers. By joining Stasher’s network of Stashpoints, Chesterfield Craft can provide visitors to the town with the same convenience.”

Chesterfield Craft is active now on Stasher, and ready to take bookings!

Chesterfield’s Women at the Game event, staged last weekend when the Spireites faced Eastleigh at the Proact, has been hailed as a great success.

Held as part of a nationwide initiative to encourage more females to attend football matches, the event was attended by around 60 women. They mixed with VIP guests in the HUB, including the Chesterfield mayoress, Anne Brittain and former Miss World Europe Stephanie Hill, before taking their seats in the stand.

Associate Director Alison Richardson, who organised the event, was delighted with the response. She received some very positive feedback from those in attendance, some of whom were attending a football match for the very first time, such as the comments below:

‘I really enjoyed the match and the atmosphere. It brought back happy memories of going to football with my dad when I was a child and I’ll definitely be coming back to watch the Spireites again.’

‘This was my first football match and I have planned to go back and watch another with my family.’

‘Was a great first introduction to football. Felt very comfortable, met some lovely people, really enjoyed the game and the cupcakes were awesome!!’

Alison added: “I would like to thank the Community Trust for their help in putting the event on and thanks also to everyone who took part.”

Women at the Game was introduced by the late Jacqui Forster. Her widower, Pete Baker, who attended the match, praised the club’s efforts. He said: “Jacqui loved her football, going to games since she was five. She wanted to reach out to women who liked football but had never attended a live game, to remove the fear factor of what’s beyond the turnstiles.”

“It was great to see Chesterfield putting a lot of effort in on Saturday and get a large number of ladies to attend the match in a welcoming environment – exactly what Jacqui wanted.”

“She would have been so happy with what was achieved. I loved the themed cakes, too. Top job, Chesterfield!”

The efforts and achievements of individuals and groups who are using physical activity to help improve the lives of people across Derbyshire have been recognised at the first ‘Towards an Active Derbyshire’ Awards.

The event showcased individuals who have used physical activity to achieve outstanding change in themselves, as well as some incredible tales of what others have done to transform the lives, health and wellbeing of members of their communities.

The awards celebrated all of the amazing work happening in our communities and Active Derbyshire, who organised the event, wanted the opportunity to thank the volunteers, groups and staff who help to make physical activity the norm.

The inaugural Towards an active Derbyshire Awards, organised by Active Derbyshire, were held at the Sports Direct Auditorium in Shirebrook on Wednesday, March 6, and sponsored by Chesterfield College, Derby City Council, the University of Derby, Strategic Leisure, Legacy Leisure, Active Nation, and Derbyshire County Council.

Attended by 200 guests, the event was hosted by Colin Hazelden (right) and included performances from choir CoDA Chromatics, dance group Trinity Warriors, and a spoken word performance from Rhythmical Mike.

The winner of the Change4Life Award was 64-year-old Norman Todd, who joined Livewell, Derby City Council’s free healthy lifestyle service, four years ago. Through physical activity and healthy eating Norman lost ten stone in one year alone, and is now physical active for up to three hours every day.

The This Girl Can Award was presented to Sophie Widdowson from Duckmanton (below) who has lost weight after taking part in multiple sporting sessions and activities and also going on to regional and national success in both tennis and basketball.

Martial arts coach Dave Cartawick, who has been coaching in Chesterfield for more than 25 years, was named Community Coach of the Year. He is passionate about engaging young people in sport and activity and works with local schools, Chesterfield College and community groups to increase participation in sport in general and martial arts in particular, running regular classes to encourage children and teenagers to become more active.

Chesterfield College’s Healthy Lifestyle project was named Project or Innovation of the Year. Funded by Sport England through the Tackling Inactivity in Colleges stream, the project is designed to open out physical activity opportunities to students that have been identified as physically inactive, primarily women and girls, disabled students and students from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Active Derbyshire works in partnership with the local authorities and a wide range of other partners to get people active in Derbyshire.

A full list of winners and runners-up can be found here.

Photography credit: Ian Hodgkinson- PictureIt Media