Leisure

New online docuseries follows Stanedge Golf Club owner’s one-woman mission to transform golf

A unique new docuseries telling the remarkable story of one woman’s mission to turnaround a rundown golf club and make it a friendly, accessible and inclusive community venue is now streaming online.

In a first for the golf industry, the fly-on-the-wall documentary, Changing the Business of Golf, follows former Ladies European Tour professional Fame Tate as she breaks with tradition and aims to transform the course and customer experience at Stanedge Golf Club, Derbyshire.

In the first episode, Fame recalls the life-changing decision to acquire the golf course and how she is turning the club into an open, friendly venue at the heart of her local community.

Meanwhile, as the team prepares for a new season, they are faced with the prospect of preparing the golf course for reopening without their head greenkeeper.

“If you’d said to me one day you’ll own a golf club, I’d have probably sat there are laughed,” says Fame, whose playing career was cut short by injury.

“My vision from day one was to break away from the traditional golf club model. It’s about making a place that’s welcoming, affordable, accessible, inclusive.”

Working closely with her greenkeeping team – and revealing how she rolled up her sleeves to get stuck in to groundwork – Fame is investing in a major course upgrade to improve playing conditions.

The series documents day-to-day happenings, including course management work led by head greenkeeper Christian ‘CJ’ Johnson.

“It was a tough task for Fame and everybody involved to get the course back to where it was,” says CJ. “But since then we have really tried to improve it as a team and get it moving forwards.”

Just one year after acquiring the club, Fame faced the potentially catastrophic challenge of the Covid pandemic and enforced lockdown, forcing her and the team to call on their inner reserves of strength and resilience to keep the business afloat.

Will she realise her vision and succeed? The series will follow Fame and her team as she reopens Stanedge Golf Club and takes on the business of golf.

Watch the first episode now on Syngenta Golf: https://www.syngentagolf.com/changing-business-golf

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

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Noonah launches new covid-safe product personalisation service

Chesterfield-based engagement Specialist Noonah has announced the launch of ‘Personalize’, a new covid-safe product personalisation service.

The company says with Covid restrictions being lifted, the high-street and event planners face the considerable challenge of how to re-engage with their customer base and stimulate footfall in an uncertain landscape.

It will come as no surprise that online sales grew a massive 36% in 2020 while the high street suffered ‘the worst decline on record.’ But with lockdown easing and public spaces reopening, the team at Noonah believes re-engaging customers lost to e-commerce is not an impossible task.

Matt Franks, Noonah CEO said: “The solution is dependent on traditional bricks and mortar embracing the opportunities that tech offers. The High street needs to play to its strengths, using technology like Personalize to offer what online pure-players can’t, an engaging, physical brand experience.”

“Product-personalisation was on the rise long before Covid 19 and major brands such as Levi’s and Nike used it to elevate their stores from places where goods were sold, to truly experiential destinations. Noonah has long been the market leader in providing product-personalisation tech to its wide array of clients and understands better than anyone the massive potential it holds for brands, retailers and live events in the post-covid landscape.”

The biggest challenge for Noonah was around how to make the technology available to everyone and not just those with the biggest budgets. The new platform is designed to offer product personalisation to all, from the independent retailer to the international brand.

Personalize can be tailored to suit any brand, market and almost any product. Being a cloud-based technology, the software can be operated through a terminal in-store or by using the “Covid-safe” option of the customer’s own mobile phone.

The company also says the software is truly scalable and depending on the size, budget and strategy Noonah can help organise installations as pop-up events or long-term fixtures. The Personalize printers (provided by Noonah as part
of the Service), can print any design to almost any product.

Matt added: “Above all Personalize is about engagement and re-establishing customer loyalty at a time when the high street and live events need as much help as they can get.”

For more information visit: https://noonah.com/personalize/

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

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UK’s largest jumping pillow installed at Matlock Farm Park

The largest bouncy pillow in the UK is now open to visitors at Matlock Farm Park, following the attraction’s recent reopening.

Visitors have been welcomed back to the park since covid-19 restrictions were relaxed earlier this month, giving families their first chance to see and feed the wide variety of animals being looked after

The huge jumping pillow is the latest addition to the Park, which offers indoor and outdoor play areas, both of which have been carefully designed with younger children in mind. The outdoor play area features a wooden pirate ship, slides and climbing areas, with a large sandpit, Wendy house and sit-on original tractor.

Lotty Hawkins, Assistant manager at Matlock Farm Park said: “We’ve been so keen to have a new outdoor play area for a while to provide an even better day out to our customers and whilst it’s been a very tough year financially with the closure, we decided to really go for it and buy the UK’s largest Jumping Pillow! It’s a been a huge hit with visitors.”

The attraction recently gave people a sneak preview on its social media channels, by releasing some drone footage of the new pillow:

Currently staff at the park aren’t allowing children under the age of two years to use the pillow at regular times for safety reasons, but there will be opportunity in the park’s parent and toddler mornings which run during term time, Monday-Friday between 10:00am-11:30am.

The park also has a variety of events taking place throughout the summer for all ages, including an interactive reptile weekend and birds of prey day. In addition, The Snow Sisters and The Big Bubbleman will also be paying visits to the park on selected dates in May and June.

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

 

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Chesterfield’s Still Blooming returns for 2021 

Chesterfield Borough Council is repeating its popular competition for residents called ‘Chesterfield’s Still Blooming’ that aims to find the best sunflowers in the borough.

Chris Turner, Chair of the Chesterfield in Bloom committee said: “In Bloom is always a great event for Chesterfield because lots of residents, businesses and schoolchildren get involved and help brighten the town and borough.

“I hope lots of residents will once again take this opportunity to grow sunflowers and learn more about the plants in their gardens. I know competitions like this can be that spark of inspiration that encourages everyone to get their hands dirty and put some work into their gardens.”

There are three entry categories:

  1. Tallest sunflower – from the top of the soil to the top of the flower (please make sure your picture is taken next to a tape measure).
  2. Largest Sunflower – the largest flower head based on diameter or width (please make sure your picture is taken next to a ruler or tape measure).
  3. Most Sunflowers – plant with the most sunflower heads (please try to make sure all flower heads are visible in your photo).

To enter please send a picture of your sunflower, stating your name and the category you wish to enter to green.spaces@chesterfield.gov.uk.

‘Chesterfield’s Still Blooming’ will run from Tuesday 20 April until Friday 10 September 2020.

Winners will be given a special certificate and will also have the satisfaction of knowing they grew one of the best sunflowers in the borough.

Whilst growing your flowers, a great way of keeping children engaged is to start a plant diary and allow them to track the growth of your sunflower. This is also a good way of teaching them about how plants grow and what they need to survive. The council will be awarding prizes and special certificates for the most creative growth diaries. Please send pictures or copies of your growth diaries along with your entry to green.spaces@chesterfield.gov.uk.

April and May are the best time to start to grow your sunflowers indoors before moving them outside ready to bloom by late summer.

The council will announce the winners in the October edition of Your Chesterfield and on social media.

Find out more about the competition here: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/in-bloom

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Airline staff assist Chesterfield Royal Hospital as VIP Wellness Lounge takes off

A brand new VIP lounge has been launched at Chesterfield Royal Hospital to improve the wellbeing offer for staff, with the help of airline or aviation staff who are currently furloughed, grounded or made redundant due to the pandemic.

The crews used their exceptional customer service skills and expertise to provide the hospital staff with a little bit of respite, as well as an opportunity to chat and share experiences.

The initiative, known as ‘Project Wingman’ got off to a flying start with 70 of staff swapping their boarding passes for a well-deserved break, along with a cuppa and biscuits.

Part of the Wingman team at the Royal Charlotte Turner, First Officer (TUI) says: “I normally work as a Senior First Officer at TUI – so I fly the Boeing 737’s out of Doncaster on the short haul flights. Usually I’m there and back in one day. I really miss it and can’t wait to get back!

“I saw Project Wingman advertised and I thought it was so lovely. NHS workers do such an incredible job and have been working throughout – everyone must be absolutely shattered, having long shifts in a tough environment. We work in an environment that’s really lovely and where we are trying to get people to come on holiday and make you feel amazing. We can’t do that at the moment so we’d like to give it back by bringing it in to Chesterfield Royal Hospital”

Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s Workforce Health & Wellbeing Lead, Andy Picked said: Project wingman is an innovative initiative ran by airline crew, pilots and aviation sector staff to provide a decompression space for NHS Staff away from the challenges of the work environment – especially important during a pandemic.

“Project wingman has contributed to a comprehensive staff health and wellbeing support programme already in place at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and provided an opportunity for staff and airline crew to share a conversation over a drink and a few treats in line with social distancing and covid rules.

“It has been an absolute pleasure working with these professional who have volunteered their time to run their first class refreshment lounges. The Chesterfield Royal Hospital Charity funded the refreshments and logistics of the intiative.”

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

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Plans to restore further stretch of Chesterfield Canal approved

Plans to restore the Chesterfield Canal by 1.6 miles have been approved. This will extend the navigable section in Derbyshire by a third from Staveley almost to Renishaw. It will include a 37m long aqueduct almost 10m above the River Doe Lea.

There remains lots of preparation to be done, but there should be works on the ground by the end of this year or early in 2022.

The restored canal currently ends at Eckington Road Bridge in Staveley, where the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s volunteer Work Party has built a new lock and restored a further 300m of canal. The new section will go through a disused railway line and across the Doe Lea Valley on the Staveley Puddlebank. This is a huge embankment nearly 800m long and up to 10m high that was a wonder of the age when constructed in 1776. The canal then turns north and runs parallel to the Doe Lea to the borough boundary.

The towpath will be a 3m wide all-user trail alongside the canal, so walkers, cyclists and mobility scooter users will be able to join boaters, canoeists and paddleboarders in enjoying the new route.

The application was submitted by the Chesterfield Canal Trust through its Development Manager, George Rogers. Although endorsed by lots of members of the public and numerous organisations including the Ramblers, Chesterfield Cycle Campaign and Chesterfield Civic Society, HS2 Ltd. objected. The canal runs underneath HS2’s proposed line to a maintenance depot. However, negotiations with HS2 earlier in the year led to the objection being withdrawn, leaving the way clear for council approval.

Chair of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Peter Hardy, said: “We are delighted that our planning application has been approved. This is a substantial step on the path to achieving our ambition of reopening the canal fully by 2027. We would like to put on record our thanks to our many supporters and partners who have backed us so far and who we know will stick by us in the exciting years ahead.”

The Trust is hoping to start its Rewatering Renishaw project in the coming months, which will bring a further 1,000m of canal back to life. This will mean that there could be a total of 7½ miles of canal from Chesterfield to Renishaw by the end of 2023.

Once this has been achieved, lots of opportunities for tourism will open up including the hire of dayboats, weekend boats, canoes, paddleboards and cycles. There will be a need for more pubs and cafés, and anglers will be delighted by new opportunities.

At the same time, Staveley Town Basin, now renamed Staveley Waterside, will be developed by Derbyshire County Council and there are plans for a whole new village on the old Staveley Works site, including a hotel and small marina.

Rod Auton, Publicity Officer for the Trust, said: “The next few years will see an incredible transformation along the canal which will bring a massive economic boost to the area. It is our hope that the Chesterfield Waterside development will also continue, including opening the canal basin. This would connect the town directly into the beautiful, green and tranquil oasis that is the Chesterfield Canal.”

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.

 

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New online directory launched to support Chesterfield’s local businesses

A new directory of Chesterfield’s independent businesses has been launched, featuring the best of the town’s shops, restaurants, food suppliers and more.

Un-hampered has been launched following a collaborative effort between S40 and S41 Local magazines and Chesterfield-based creative agency Defeye, after many of the town’s local businesses begin their recovery following the enormous challenges of the pandemic.

Paul Chapman, owner of S40 Local said: “Our local businesses have been hit hard over the last year, but have risen to the enormous challenge, created an online presence in record time and have changed their offering to provide delivery, takeaway or click and collect services.

“These independent businesses are the foundation of our town, when you shop with them they, in turn, feed money into the local economy. When you eat at a local independent restaurant, chances are they’ve purchased the veg from a local grocer, they may have bought it from a local farm, the farmer services his van at the local garage, the garage owner advertises with us, we eat in the same restaurant – the money stays local and helps build the local economy.

“The Un-hampered directory is the first phase, we have so much more to offer and we’ll be bringing you news as we launch each new development. We really do want to modernise access to the traditional high street and help businesses maintain a physical presence.

Matt Pritchard from Defeye explains, “when Paul first came to us to talk about what would go on to become Un-hampered, we were on board straight away. As luck would have it, we’d been discussing how we wanted to work on a self-generated project of our own that could really help push the independent businesses in town that we love. Then magically, the next week we got an email from Paul asking us if we wanted to meet up to discuss his idea. It felt like Kismet.

“Although the idea has evolved and changed through this incredibly challenging year, the ultimate goal has remained fixed. ‘Create a platform that showcases local independent businesses and gives customers an easy way of finding them’. We were lucky enough to create the Shop and Support local video campaign for the council last year and it gave us the opportunity to talk to so many incredible businesses, strengthening our resolve to get Un-hampered launched so that we could show our support to them.

“We’re excited to get phase one off the ground finally and we hope it will be a platform that helps local businesses at a really critical time.”

If you would like to view the directory or find out more about it, head to www.un-hampered.co.uk

S40 Local and Defeye Creative support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chatsworth Farmyard Awarded Rare Breeds Accreditation 

Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) has awarded RBST accreditation to Chatsworth Farmyard, recognising its important contribution to the conservation of some the rarest livestock and equine breeds native to the UK.

Chatsworth Farmyard is home to a number of the country’s rarest breeds of livestock and equines, including Suffolk Punch horses, Shire horses, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Bagot goats and Cream Legbar chickens, with British Landrace pigs and Eriskay ponies due to join them soon.

The award comes as the family-friendly farmyard and children’s adventure playground reopened (13 April) to visitors after several months closed in line with Covid restrictions. The garden is also open and the house will reopen on 18 May.

The farmyard at Chatsworth in Derbyshire has provided agricultural education and entertainment for almost half a century, and the estate has a longstanding connection with RBST. Duchess Deborah, mother of the current Duke of Devonshire, served as RBST President and the Cavendish family are valued ambassadors for native breed conservation.

RBST is the national charity that works to secure the future of rare breeds of native livestock and equines. Chatsworth Farmyard now becomes part of the 25-strong network of RBST accredited farm parks which take part in crucial conservation programmes, manage special breeding groups, and support education about rare breeds and why they matter.

RBST Chief Executive Christopher Price: “Native breeds have an important place in a future for farming where sustainable production goes hand in hand with the natural environment, but they are also an irreplaceable part of our rural heritage. For centuries these animals ploughed our fields, took our soldiers to war and powered our wool industry, it would be devastating if they disappeared, and Chatsworth Farmyard has been doing crucial work to support the survival of some of our rarest native breeds. I am thrilled to welcome them to the network of RBST-accredited farm parks and I look forward to working with the team.”

Melissa Underwood, Chatsworth Farmyard Manager: “Since joining Chatsworth Farmyard in September 2020 we have been increasing the numbers of rare breeds kept here. One of my best moments has been to discover that the Albion breed of cattle originated here in Bakewell. They were an obvious choice for us to have here and we hope to use them in our milking demonstrations later in the year. We were lucky to be able to source our two females and look forward to welcoming their calves in the summer. I am passionate about rare breeds and their conservation and look forward to sharing our journey and exciting new breeding programmes with our visitors.”

Visit www.chatsworth.org/farmyard-playground to find out more about the Farmyard’s reopening and how to book tickets.

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

Images provided by Chatsworth House Trust

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Dronfield Hall Barn recognised as one of UK’s top wedding venues in LUX Life Magazine

The team at Dronfield Hall Barn are celebrating, after the venue was recognised as one of the nation’s best wedding venues in LUX Life magazine’s Global Wedding Awards 2021.

The multi-purpose venue which is managed by the Dronfield Heritage Trust and is a registered charity, has been awarded the title of “Best Individual Wedding Ceremony Venue – East Midlands.”

Pauline Hindle Hospitality Manager “We are all delighted to receive this accolade. It recognises the stunning beauty of the Barn and the hard work of the team who put so much effort into ensuring that everyone who  has their wedding here has a perfect day.”

LUXlife Magazine is a premium lifestyle publication which is distributed to a circulation of 238,000 globally. The magazine focuses on a range of topics within the luxury lifestyle industry, featuring articles on; fashion, beauty, fine dining, travel, luxury real estate and much more.

Alongside weddings, the barn serves the local community in Dronfield in a number of different ways. One recent example was how it provided food collection and delivery services to local residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since its restoration, Dronfield Hall barn has hosted a number of events including heritage displays and art exhibitions. There is also a coffee shop serving light lunches and delicious home-made cakes, along with heritage, sensory and wildflower gardens to add to the high quality visitor experience.

This month is also cause for more celebration for the team, as the barn marks five years since it was first opened to the public. Now self-sustainable, the Trust continues to engage the community and generate income to keep the Barn open.

Staff at the barn say they are now taking bookings for 2023 weddings. For more details, head to: https://dronfieldhallbarn.org/weddings/

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

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Kids Planet launches new podcast, All Things Early Years.

A brand-new podcast relating to working and living with under 5s has been launched by childcare group Kids Planet,  which has several centres located in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire .

The Early Years focused platform launched its first episode of ‘All Things Early Years’ with Kids Planet CEO, Clare Roberts discussing her successful business journey since establishing the group in 2008. With 5 settings across Chesterfield, the group continues to expand across the North West, South and Midlands and is now the third largest nursery group in the UK caring for over 8000 children and employing over 2000 staff across 59 settings.

The podcast’s most recent episode, released on March 26th, was an interview with baby product founder, Manju Bhatia from PoorlyBoo who chatted about advice for starting a business in the early years as well as her experiences working with social media influencer, Mrs Hinch.

Other guests who have appeared on the podcast include Actress and mum, Hayley Tammadon. Having recently become a new mum, Hayley spoke honestly about her time on ITV’s Full Monty last December, her new writing project and her experiences raising a baby during the covid lockdown: “You start to feel like a failure because you hear of other people’s babies doing things better than your baby and suddenly, you’re a failure, you’re failing at motherhood”.

Future guests include Chris McFadden, The UK and Ireland’s first male certified baby and toddler sleep consultant, male Early Years practitioners chatting about Kids Planet’s campaign to increase the number of working men in childcare, as well as Coach and trained psychotherapist, Sarie Taylor who offers advice for parents suffering with anxiety.

Episodes of All Things Early Years are released monthly and available to downloads from Apple Podcasts, Spotify and at https://www.kidsplanetdaynurseries.co.uk/podcasts/

If there is a topic you’d like the group to cover or if you work or have experience in Early Years with an interesting story to share on the podcast, please get in touch with jane.marwood@kidsplanetdaynurseries.

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

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Youngsters educated on healthy eating and internet safety by Chesterfield FC Community Trust

Chesterfield FC Community Trust has rolled out a number of initiatives aimed at educating the town’s young people, including the launch of internet safety workshops and a ‘Healthy Me’ nutrition project at Newbold Church School.

The children learned about how hydrated they are through the foods they eat and discussed the importance of eating five daily portions of fruit and vegetables.

During the six sessions, the importance of a healthy diet was stressed and raising awareness of the use of food banks in order to help others was also covered.

Commenting on the project, the Trust’s activities co-ordinator, Alyss Hearnshaw, said: “The Y4 class were outstanding to teach and their contribution to the food bank, supported by other pupils and teachers in the school, was second to none!”

Nicola Finch, from the Derbyshire Community Hub, added: “Thank you so much to all involved.

“We have managed too take two boxes full of food out into the community to support those who are homeless. Fantastic work!”

Meanwhile the Trust is encouraging young people to take part in the recently-launched internet safety workshops, which are free to schools and parents for home schooling purposes.

These workshops focus on the theme of reliability online, opening conversations with young people about how they explore information, looking at the strategies they can implement to spot and speak out against harmful and misleading content online. The workshops can also be delivered in school upon requests.

Robert Stevenson, the Trust’s Premier League co-ordinator, said “The workshops focus on what to trust online, exploring how influence, persuasion and manipulation can impact young people’s decisions, opinions and what they share online.
“We want to give young people the skills to support one another and the strategies to spot and speak out against harmful and misleading content online.”

If your school would like to take part in the ‘Healthy Me’ nutrition social action project or the internet safety workshops, email robertstevenson@spireitestrust.org.uk for more information.

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

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