The 26-year-old Chesterfield athlete, Liam Pitchford, currently No 15 in the world, will join fellow Rio Olympians Paul Drinkhall and Sam Walker, plus Tom Jarvis, in a strong England line-up.
England have been drawn against Belarus and Luxembourg in the first stage of the event, which is in Nantes from September 3-8.
England came through two qualifying stages to take their place among the 24 nations competing for top continental honours.
Liam Pitchford (Image courtesy of ITTF)
On Saturday 10th August, Ashgate Hospicecare’s Summer Fair returns for a day which promises fun and laughter for the whole family.
The event, which will take place between 11am and 4pm, will take place on Ashgate Hospicecare’s meadow, will host a number of different stalls and entertainment throughout the day as well as food, a bar, live music and much more!
Carl Jones, Fundraising Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare said: “The summer is finally here, and our amazing Summer Fair is returning this August.
We have several great entertainment acts at the event including a circus display as well as a host of stalls and games for the whole family to enjoy. Please come on down and enjoy yourselves all whilst raising vital funds for patients and their families across North Derbyshire.”
Last year was a massive success for the hospice and there were a number of great reviews about the event.
Anna Drake, from Chesterfield in North Derbyshire, said: At the weekend at Ashgate Hospicecare’s Summer Fair, my little boy brought two strawberry rocks painted by someone who uses the Day Hospice facilities at the Hospice. Ashgate cared for my Gran before she passed last year.
It’s a home from home and a place where people have the dignity they deserve. The staff work tremendously hard and nothing is too much trouble for both the patient and their family. We will always support Ashgate Hospicecare as a family as my Gran did for most of her life, never knowing she would need their help and support in her last few months.”
Entry price for the event is £2 with under 16’s free, all you have to do is turn up!
If you would like a pitch at this event please contact our Events Team by emailing events@ashgatehospicecare.org.uk or calling 01246 567250.
Ashgate Hospicecare is thrilled to announce that their Open Air Cinema is returning this summer with box office hits Bohemian Rhapsody and Mary Poppins Returns.
The events, which will take place from 7:30pm over two nights (Mary Poppins on Friday 9th August and Bohemian Rhapsody on Saturday 10th August), are one of the most successful events in the calendar year and will take place under the night sky on the hospice meadow.
Carl Jones, Fundraising Manager at Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “Thank you so much to everyone who has already bought tickets for this year’s Open Air Cinema showings. Because of your amazing support, we’re able to care for people across North Derbyshire who really need us the most.
“There are still tickets left for both showings, promising two great films for all the family to enjoy. There will also be a bar on the night with food and drink, including alcoholic beverages, tea, coffee and hot chocolate available for purchase, so come down and enjoy an amazing night knowing that you will be helping to support those in need of hospice care.”
The event is kindly sponsored by Vertu Toyota Chesterfield and the audio visuals will be provided by Urban Entertainment. Because of their amazing support, all donations received from tickets sales will go directly to the hospice.
Claire Fallaway, from Chesterfield in North Derbyshire, said: “I can’t wait for this year’s Open Air Cinema. We came to Ashgate Hospicecare to watch The Greatest Showman here last year and it really was one of the best events we’ve ever been to.”
“The hospice is such an amazing place that supports the local community, so to be able to support them whilst having fun with friends and family really is a win-win. I promise it’s an event not to be missed!”
Parking is available across the road from Ashgate Hospicecare in Ash Green (S42 7JE). Disabled parking will be in Ashgate Hospicecare’s main car park. There is also a free park and ride service from DXC Technology, Manor Road, Brampton.
Check out ideas of more things to do in Chesterfield this year at www.chesterfield.co.uk/summer
Summer may mean sun, sea and sand for some, but for the many that are not going to make it to the coast to feel the sand between their toes this summer, Vicar Lane Shopping Centre has got the perfect solution.
Once again, the centre will be making their very own beach, so that customers can come and enjoy some seaside fun – with 20% of all proceeds going to charity.
From 7th – 17th August 2019, customers are invited to kit the kids out with a bucket and spade and sink their toes into the centre’s giant sandpit, while the little ones create the monster of all sandcastles. There will be the chance to treat them to a ride on the teacups, challenge them to a game of hook-a-duck and spoil them with mouth-watering sweet treats – because we all do like to be beside the seaside!
Ashgate Hospicecare is Vicar Lane’s chosen charity this summer and 20% of all proceeds of your summer fun at the Vicar Lane beach, will go towards helping those affected by life-limiting illness, to live a more comfortable life through hospice care and a range of therapy and support services.
Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane said, “It can be quite a challenge for parents and carers of young children, to keep them entertained for the entire 6 week break, so we wanted to provide something to give them a little helping hand with the added bonus of giving a little something to such a worthwhile cause.”
Only weeks after the green light was given for the construction of 173 new homes at Chesterfield Waterside, permission has been granted to deliver 32,000 sq ft of high quality, grade ‘A’ office accommodation together with ground floor retail space of 5,286 sq ft at the £340million development.
Chesterfield Borough Council has granted reserved matters approval for the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping of the seven-storey office building which represents the first step in delivering Phase 1 of the Basin Square neighbourhood at Chesterfield Waterside.
Designed by Bond Bryan Architects, the new office building is the first grade A office building to be delivered in Chesterfield for some time and will provide much needed ‘grade A’ office accommodation for the towns businesses. The sites location adjacent to Chesterfield town centre will enable occupiers to benefit from the full range of services that the Town can offer. The site is also situated adjacent to Chesterfield train station and benefits from excellent access to the A61, providing an attractive location to businesses throughout the region.
Developer of the Waterside site, Chesterfield-based Bolsterstone Group Plc, is already engaged in commercial negotiations with occupiers for the majority of the space within the new building.
When complete, the first phase of the £75m Basin Square neighbourhood will also see the delivery of residential apartments, a hotel and multi-storey car park, all sited around a high quality public realm area overlooking the newly constructed canal basin. Bolsterstone reports significant interest from both investors and occupiers in all aspects of Phase 1 of Basin Square and hopes to be in a position to make further exciting announcements shortly.
Peter Swallow, Managing Director of the Bolsterstone Group Plc, commented: “I am delighted that Chesterfield Waterside continues to move forward apace. The granting of reserved matters planning approval for the office building at Basin Square is another major milestone for the development and also Chesterfield’s business community, as the local property market is currently lacking in the supply of high quality, large floorplate office space. It is an exciting stage in the development’s timeline.”
Welcoming the news, Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s deputy leader, said: “Chesterfield Waterside is a substantial development for the borough with business, retail and resident elements.”
“I’m really pleased to see the development move a step forward with the reserved matters approved for the high-quality office accommodation at Basin Square and look forward to work beginning on site.”
“With its central location and excellent transport links, Chesterfield is a great location for business and we have a proven track record of growing local businesses and for existing businesses locating here and this will complement the current business accommodation in the borough.”
The scheme is making significant progress in 2019 with Avant Homes beginning the construction of 173 two, three and four-bedroom homes at the site. Named Waterside Quarter, Avant Homes’ £36 million development will form part of The Park character area of Chesterfield Waterside and will be the company’s largest site in the Chesterfield area to date.
Recognised as being one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, Chesterfield Waterside is being led by Chesterfield-based Bolsterstone Group Plc working in conjunction with Arnold Laver Group and Chesterfield Borough Council.
For further information about office accommodation at Chesterfield Waterside visit www.chesterfieldwaterside.com.
Three Chesterfield College students are in the running for the prestigious 2019 Young Chef of the Year Award, following a Master Chef style competition judged by food industry professionals.
Part of the annual Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, the award, which is sponsored by Owen Taylor & Sons, recognises Chesterfield College’s most promising Level 2 Cookery student.
In a specially organised cook-off, Jake Parkin (18) from Swanwick, Sophia Johnson (18) from Dronfield and Callum Fitzpatrick (18) from Bramley Vale, each prepared a two course meal for judges Chris Mapp owner of the Tickled Trout, Andrew Wilson, Head Chef at Casa Hotel and Richard Taylor, Managing Director of Owen Taylor & Sons.
Jake’s seasonal menu included duck breast with celeriac puree, fondant potato and a five spice jus followed by fresh strawberry cheesecake, sorbet, strawberry salad and Swiss meringue.
Commenting on the competition, Jake said: “I started cooking at around five years old with my grandma – making cakes and doing some other baking. I quickly learned I had a passion for it and I know it’s something I definitely want to pursue. Who knows, maybe one day I could be the next Gordon Ramsey!”
Sophia chose to cook lamb rack and croquette, pickled courgetti, mint salsa verde and confit potatoes followed by hedgerow chocolate brownie, crumble, Italian meringue and yoghurt sauce.
Sophia commented on the cook-off: “I felt really pleased with how it went, I’d done plenty of practice runs so felt really prepared and calm. The timings went really well so I had time to think about the presentation. Being a finalist is an exciting achievement and my aim was just that the food I served on the day was a success – and it was!”
Callum prepared roast duck with celeriac, peach, duck spring roll and a red wine jus followed by vanilla poached Asian pear with caramel and cinnamon biscuit for the judges.
He added: “I was surprised to be a finalist but it is really exciting and just goes to show that hard work pays off. I did a lot of online research in preparation for my menu and decided to cook duck and pear as these were things I’d never used before. I absolutely loved plating up the dishes as it is so good seeing the creation come together.”
Commenting on Jake, Sophia and Callum’s performance, Andrew Wilson, Head Chef at Casa Hotel enthused: “All three young chefs were competent in presentation and dealt well with the pressure of cooking two dishes from scratch whilst being observed and questioned about the dishes they were preparing. They had all obviously researched, planned and practised to be able to achieve the high standard of cooking that they presented to the judges.”
Richard Taylor, Managing Director of Owen Taylor & Sons,added: “It was a very good effort from all three students today. The food was delivered with acceptable presentation, but one shone and I look forward to seeing that person on the awards night.”
Fellow judge Chris Mapp said: “The students worked really hard and produced some well-presented, nice food. You could tell that a lot of thought went into the dishes with how they’d pieced them together, which is great for people of such a young age.”
Ian Matthews, Hospitality and Catering Tutor at Chesterfield College, commented: “I am actually incredibly proud of all of the students, to be doing what they have just done, under pressure at Level 2 is extremely impressive. The balance and composition of the dishes were just fantastic. It’s been an amazing experience for them and all of these experiences of a real working environment, including our Taste Restaurant, will help them to stand out to future employers.”
Following the cook-off, the winner of the 2019 Young Chef of the Year Award will be announced by celebrity chef, Brian Turner at the glittering Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards which is organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Chesterfield College and will be held at the Winding Wheel on Wednesday 23 October.
A former winner of the prestigious Chesterfield Young Chef of the Year title includes James Greatorex, who went on to work in Michelin-starred restaurants, The Fat Duck and L’Ortolan.
In addition to Owen Taylor & Sons, other supporters of the awards include Apprentice Town (Led by Chesterfield Borough Council), Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Chartered Accountants, Casa Hotel, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Times, Distinctive Magic, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), Edge Events Management Ltd, Elder Way (Jomast Developments), FEAST – Food and Drink Forum, Hoods Florist, Jumble Creative Design, Kier Group, Learning Unlimited (The Chesterfield College Group), Magnifica, MSE Hiller, Peak FM, Reflections Magazine (Bannister Publications Ltd), Shorts Chartered Accountants and Vicar Lane Shopping Centre
Chesterfield Young Chef finalists 2019 pictured below (L-R) Jake Parkin, Sophia Johnson, Callum Fitzpatrick.
Five of Chesterfield’s parks maintained by Chesterfield Borough Council have once again received Green Flag awards.
The parks and open spaces, maintained by Chesterfield Borough Council, received the recognition from the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy after inspections held last month.
The Green Flags were awarded to:
Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “I’m really proud of the quality of the parks and open spaces we have here in Chesterfield.”
“They are appreciated by our residents and visitors and are a credit to the staff and volunteers who work hard year-round to maintain them to the highest standards which have once again been recognised by the Green Flag award.”
This international award is a sign to the public that the green spaces space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.
Derbyshire County Cricket Club have announced that Saturday’s Vitality Blast opener against Yorkshire at Queen’s Park is now SOLD OUT.
The match sees the return of explosive Twenty20 cricket to Derbyshire, as the Falcons take on Yorkshire as the climax of the BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.
For the third-consecutive year, the game will be played in front of a sellout crowd at Queen’s Park, with Dominic Cork’s side aiming to make it three wins in-a-row over their rivals.
The club received unprecedented demand for the eagerly-awaited local derby against Yorkshire with almost 5,000 supporters purchasing their matchday tickets in advance.
With capacity now reached, only matchday ticket holders will gain entry into the ground and tickets will not be available for sale on the gates. Members and Six Pack Ticket holders who have not already claimed their matchday ticket will also not be able to gain entry.
Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett, said: “Facing Yorkshire is always one of the highlights of the season and we’re really pleased that the fixture has once again sold out.
“It’s great that our first Twenty20 match of the season will be played in front of a capacity crowd in Chesterfield to round off another well-supported week of cricket in the north of the county.
“This is a fantastic summer for the sport, with the World Cup victory, an Ashes series on home soil and a packed domestic calendar. It’s pleasing to see the continued support for county cricket and we look forward to what is now an exciting block of Vitality Blast matches.
“We’re continually grateful to our Members and supporters and we know we have a strong base in Chesterfield. We’d also like to thank our Principal Partners, Pattonair, Festival sponsors, BRM Solicitors, and Chesterfield Borough Council for their continued support.”
Two Chesterfield Champions are now working together to provide house hunters in Chesterfield with a sleek and professional home buying service.
Chesterfield based mortgage advisers Mortgage 1st and local Estate Agent Pinewood Property Estates are now proudly working together to enhance the home buying experience for their customers in Chesterfield and surrounding areas.
When a customer visits Pinewood Properties in search of a new home or buy-to-let investment they are met by an award winning team of estate agents, led by Stacey Davies-Bowler, who will assist them in finding the ideal property.
To put in an offer to buy a property, the customer needs an AIP (Agreement in Principle) which is proof that they can get a mortgage. Mortgage 1st has a team of experienced mortgage advisers, led by Jon Stones, that can search the market to find the best mortgage deal available to them based on their circumstances.
The two local businesses have come together to do what they do best and will provide expertise, guidance and exceptional levels of service to meet the needs of the modern house hunter of today.
The University of Derby is hosting a ‘Civic Roadshow’ at its Chesterfield campus, as part of a series of free events to provide the wider community with the opportunity to share their thoughts on how the University can help to deliver long-term positive impact for Derby and Derbyshire.
The roadshow event which will be held on 24 July at the University’s St Helena campus in Chesterfield is an opportunity for external stakeholders to find out more about the University of Derby’s civic ambitions. The University is keen to understand what the biggest challenges are facing the local community, businesses and organisations within the city and county, and how it can focus its civic endeavours.
All are welcome to attend the roadshow to help shape the University’s future civic direction. There is also an online survey to provide feedback for anyone unable to attend the events.
As part of the University’s commitment to becoming a true Civic University, it signed up to developing a Civic University Agreement, a document that will reaffirm its ongoing commitment to playing its part in the city and county’s prosperity and wellbeing.
Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “We are committed to becoming a true ‘Civic University’, responsible not only to our students and our staff, but also to the places around us. To ensure the impact we make is long-term and sustainable, we first need to understand what the real needs of our city and county are.
“The Civic University Agreement is an opportunity to set out clearly, coherently and creatively how we will fulfil our responsibilities. It will see us working closely with our partners to help deliver positive change across Derby and Derbyshire that makes a significant impact on the county’s local communities, businesses, organisations and overall prosperity.”
Under the Agreement, the University will be driven by the following principles:
1. As a place-based institution, it is committed to attaching a high priority to the economic, social, environmental and cultural life of its local communities.
2. Its civic role will be informed by an evidence-based analysis of the needs of its place, developed collaboratively with local partners and informed by the needs of its local community.
3. It will collaborate with other anchor institutions and form partnerships to overcome the challenges facing local communities.
4. With its partners, it will be clear about what it does and how this is measured, so it can say with confidence what it has achieved – and how it might do better in the future.
The University of Derby Civic Roadshow is a free event taking place from 1pm-4pm on Wednesday 24 July at St Helena, 2 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 7LL
Following the success of last year’s sponsorship, Pronto Paints is pleased to be announced the latest official partner of the 2019 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, set to take place in October this year.
They will be returning as the sponsor of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon Wellbeing Challenge. In 2018, the Wellbeing Challenge saw more than 15 teams enter as a group into the 13.1-mile Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, the Peak FM Five Mile Run and 1km Blachford Fun Run.
This year, they are calling on businesses, community groups, schools and families to engage with the Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge to promote a healthy lifestyle.
David Beckford, Managing Director at Pronto Industrial Paints added: “we all know that health and wellbeing is important, both inside and outside working environment.
“We’re passionate about health and wellbeing at Pronto Paints and always promote physical activity to our employees, who encourage each other to be more physically active.
“The Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon Wellbeing Challenge, and the idea behind it, fits with our company ethos which is why we’re delighted to have returned as a partner of the 2019 event following a fantastic first outing in 2018.”
John Timms, Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon Event Director, said: “We’re really pleased to have Pronto Paints back on board for the 2019 Half Marathon.
“The Wellbeing Challenge was a great success last year and we’re looking forward to it growing it this time out. It’s a superb event to enter providing a bit of healthy competition between friends, family and colleagues.”
For more details or to enter the Wellbeing Challenge contact the Redbrik Half Marathon team via the events official website to declare entry into the Pronto Paints Wellbeing Challenge and receive a discount code for all team member to use.
The discount is available across all three races on the day including the Redbrik Half Marathon, Peak FM Five Mile Run and Blachford Fun Run.
Find out more about the Chesterfield Half Marathon
