Made in Chesterfield

Chancellor gives support to millions of self-employed individuals

26th March 2020

Rishi Sunak has announced a new scheme to support the UK’s self-employed affected by the coronavirus outbreak:

direct cash grant of 80% of their profits, up to £2,500 per month
latest announcement in an unprecedented package of government support to protect businesses and individuals

Millions of self-employed individuals will receive direct cash grants though a ground-breaking UK-wide scheme to help them during the coronavirus outbreak, the Chancellor announced today.

In the latest step to protect individuals and businesses, Rishi Sunak has set out plans that will see the self-employed receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least 3 months.

Millions of people across the UK could benefit from the new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment.

This brings parity with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, announced by the Chancellor last week, where the Government committed to pay up to £2,500 each month in wages of employed workers who are furloughed during the outbreak.

Cleaners, plumbers, electricians, musicians, hairdressers and many other self-employed people who are eligible for the new scheme will be able to apply directly to HMRC for the taxable grant, using a simple online form, with the cash being paid directly into people’s bank account.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Self-employed people are a crucial part of the UK’s workforce who’ve understandably been looking for reassurance and support during this national emergency.”

“The package for the self-employed I’ve outlined today is one of the most generous in the world that has been announced so far. It targets support to those who need help most, offering the self-employed the same level of support as those in work.”

“Together with support packages for businesses and for workers, I am confident we now have the measures in place to ensure we can get through this emergency together.”

The scheme will be open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19 or an average trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

To qualify, more than half of their income in these periods must come from self-employment.

To minimise fraud, only those who are already in self-employment and meet the above conditions will be eligible to apply. HMRC will identify eligible taxpayers and contact them directly with guidance on how to apply.

The income support scheme, which is being designed by HMRC from scratch, will cover the three months to May. Grants will be paid in a single lump sum instalment covering all 3 months, and will start to be paid at the beginning of June.

Individuals should not contact HMRC now. HMRC will use existing information to check potential eligibility and invite applications once the scheme is operational.

Those who pay themselves a salary and dividends through their own company are not covered by the scheme but will be covered for their salary by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme if they are operating PAYE schemes.

The scheme has been designed after extensive engagement with stakeholders including the TUC, the Federation of Small Businesses and IPSE – The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed.

Self-employed individuals are already benefitting from a series of measures announced by the Chancellor to boost household incomes and will be able to access these while the new scheme is being rolled out.

These include a strengthening of the welfare safety-net with a £7 billion boost to Universal Credit, income tax and VAT deferrals, £1 billion more support for renters and access to three-month mortgage holidays.

Notes

further information and details of the scheme will be shared shortly by HMRC
HMRC will use the average trading profits from tax returns in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 to determine the size of the grant
this scheme also applies to members of partnerships
before grant payments are made, the self-employed will still be able to access other available government support for those affected by coronavirus including more generous universal credit and business continuity loans where they have a business bank account

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Meet the Buyer Event Cancelled: But local companies can still benefit from Northern Gateway development

24th March 2020

Local companies are being invited to get in touch with Chesterfield Borough Council to find out how to tender for work connected to the ongoing regeneration of Chesterfield.

The safety of residents, businesses and staff has been considered carefully following the latest government guidance relating to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the Meet the Buyer event that was due to take place at the Town Hall on Friday 27^th March has been cancelled.

However, the construction of the new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre on part of the Holywell Cross car park is still scheduled to commence in April and main contractors Robert Woodhead Limited remain very keen to speak to local companies to form part of their supply chain on this project and other local projects in their pipeline.

As part of its commitment to supporting the local economy Chesterfield Borough Council, as the planning authority, includes Local Labour Clauses within planning approvals for developments of this kind to ensure developers use local suppliers, have apprenticeships and allocate as many jobs as possible to local people.

To maximise the opportunities for local companies, main contractors Robert Woodhead Limited are offering a range of sub-contractor packages available during the project. Opportunities include:

Brickwork
Plastering
Screeds
Joinery and kitchen fitting
Floor finishes
Fencing
Landscaping
Painting and decorating
Wall tiling
Mastic and sealants
Cleaners
Roof Tiling
Local Labour Recruitment Agencies

Councillor Terry Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, said: “There is more than £1 billion of investment currently underway in Chesterfield and one of the key priorities of the council is that Chesterfield residents directly benefit from this by getting new jobs, training, business and skills opportunities.”

“Robert Woodhead Limited has worked closely with the council to ensure that our Borough benefits as much as possible from the opportunities that building this new Enterprise Centre will bring.”

“Whilst it is disappointing that the event is not going ahead as planned, I am pleased that staff have worked hard to ensure a virtual alternative is in place. I would encourage all local businesses that deliver the trades and services specified to follow the link to our website below where businesses and see what opportunities are available for them and their workforces. It is now more important than ever that we do all we can to support local businesses and this is an example of where we can make a difference.”

Dan Cove, Project Manager, Robert Woodhead Ltd said: “It is with regret that the meet the buyer event has been cancelled but we will undertake to respond to all enquiries remotely. As soon as we can, will look to reschedule the event but in the meantime, we would urge local businesses to get in touch through the website to express interest in the subcontractor opportunities we have available on the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre project.”

If you would like to express an intertest in any of the opportunities listed with Robert please click here or contact Emily Williams via email on emily.williams@chesterfield.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

UKATA announces temporary video conference asbestos training during Coronavirus crisis

23rd March 2020

The UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) is urging workers in construction-related industries and trades to make use of the time to upskill or refresh training.

In line with this, UKATA has approved its 200-member companies and individuals to deliver a number of its approved courses by video conferencing software, including Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, UKATA members are approved to deliver the following courses by video conference:

Asbestos Awareness
Asbestos Awareness Refresher
Duty to Manage – Extension to Asbestos Awareness
Non-Licensable Refresher (Delegates must complete a Training Needs Analysis prior to the training)

The move to temporary video conference training was approved during a recent emergency UKATA board meeting.

A number of quality control measures have also been put in place with members to ensure the training delivered continues to be of a high quality. To support the delivery of courses UKATA is also developing a new, bespoke online examination system.

UKATA-approved training providers are audited regularly by UKATA to ensure the training they deliver is of a consistently high standard. They are also authorised to award industry-recognised and respected UKATA certificates following successful completion of training.

To ensure that training can continue to be delivered by members, UKATA has also agreed to grant an extension period to members whose membership process deadlines are approaching.

Craig Evans, Chief Operating Officer of UKATA, which is a highly respected, leading authority on asbestos training explained: “These are uncertain times and we have acted swiftly to ensure that workers can access vital asbestos training and that our members can continue to deliver it.

“It’s a distressing time for everyone concerned, particularly self-employed people, but we are urging people to use this enforced downtime to upskill and increase their knowledge and awareness of asbestos.”

He added: “The industry is going to have some difficult times ahead, from projects being cancelled to shortage of supplies, inevitably meaning works cannot be carried out, but the country and the industry WILL recover and we must all be ready to hit the ground running when that happens.

“UKATA staff are all working remotely to ensure that, as much as possible, it’s business as usual and that we can continue to support our members and the industry during these unprecedented times.”

To find a UKATA member in your area delivering asbestos training visit www.UKATA.org.uk,call 01246 824437 or email info@ukata.org.uk.

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

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Chesterfield technology company release free educational platform to support teachers through the Coronavirus outbreak

18th March 2020

Seymour & Lerhn, an eLearning company based in Chesterfield, have released their primary school education service for free until the 15th May, to help support primary school teachers across the UK during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Seymour & Lerhn offer a library interactive virtual tours, lesson plans and resource sheets for primary schools, to make learning immersive and educational. The virtual tours are accessible online, and aim to keep children immersed in education instead of being put off by potential home distractions.

The service has been released for free so teachers can begin to prepare for school closures, as the resources and virtual tours can assist teachers to set work for students to do from home. This is so education can continue, despite disruption of the Coronavirus.

All teachers have to do is make an account on www.seymourlerhn.com, and they will have access to every single teaching resource, lesson plan and virtual tour. From there, teachers can set tasks using the pre-made work sheets for students to complete by incorporating the activity as part of the virtual tours.

This work can be set using any home-school communication service, or by simply printing the worksheets to be sent home.

Seymour & Lerhn Head Honcho, Charlie Power (below), said: “We believe that releasing our platform for free could help primary school teachers to make life a little easier when it came to setting work for pupils to do at home. As the educational sector, we all need to band together to support schools during this challenging time, and we’ll pull through this like we always do.”

Primary school teacher, Sophie Maunders, said: “Seymour & Lerhn offer a fantastic platform to transport all children to a new world with the click of a finger. Their virtual reality programmes offer opportunities and experiences to children that they may not have otherwise had, all within the confines of their classroom or home. Definitely not one to miss.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Helping local companies benefit from Northern Gateway development

16th March 2020

Local companies are being invited to a Meet the Buyer event to find out how to tender for work connected to the ongoing regeneration of Chesterfield.

The construction of the new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre on part of the Holywell Cross car park is due to start in April. Main contractors Robert Woodhead Limited are interested to speak to local companies to form part of their supply chain on this project and other local projects in their pipeline.

The event will take place on 27 March 2020 between 8am – 12pm at Chesterfield Town Hall, Rose Hill, Chesterfield S40 1LP in committee room one.

The Enterprise Centre will provide 32 high-quality Grade A offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors.

As part of its commitment to supporting the local economy Chesterfield Borough Council, as the planning authority, includes local labour clauses within developments of this kind to ensure developers use local suppliers, have apprenticeships and allocate as many jobs as possible to local people.

To maximise the opportunities for local companies, main contractors Robert Woodhead Limited and Chesterfield Borough Council will hold the event to provide details of a range of sub-contractor packages available during the project.

Other main contractors including Fortem will join the event to maximise the opportunities available to local businesses on the schemes they are developing across the Borough. Light refreshments will be provided, and companies are requested to bring plenty of business cards for what promises to be a valuable morning of networking.

Opportunities include:

• Brickwork
• Plastering
• Screeds
• Joinery and kitchen fitting
• Floor finishes
• Fencing
• Landscaping
• Painting and decorating
• Wall tiling
• Mastic and sealants
• Cleaners
• Roof Tiling
• Local labour recruitment agencies
• Rendering
• uPVC windows and doors
• Fire stopping
• Fire door set installation
• Kitchen and bathroom installation
• Suspended ceilings
• Electrical
• Plumbing and heating systems/gas
• Scaffolding
• Pitched and flat roofing

“Robert Woodhead Limited has worked closely with the council to ensure that our borough benefits as much as possible from the opportunities that building this new Enterprise Centre will bring.

“I would encourage all local businesses to attend the Meet the Buyer event and see what opportunities are available for them and their workforces.”

In addition to the Meet the Buyer event, CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) and Chesterfield College will be in attendance to guide local business on how to access training and assist in the recruitment of apprentices.

To find out more about the Meet the Buyer event please contact Emily Williams on 01246 345254 or email emily.williams@chesterfield.gov.uk.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

D2N2 LEP seeks two new board members

16th March 2020

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has begun recruitment for two new board members who can help continue the growth of the region.

Local Enterprise Partnerships play a central role in deciding local economic priorities to drive economic growth and create local jobs.

D2N2 LEP are looking for new members who can help to shape the economic strategy across Derby Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Their goal is to improve the productivity of our economy through inclusive growth.

Board members represent the LEP’s interests to partners and stakeholders in the private and public sectors and work collaboratively with them to deliver a shared agenda for the economy.

Elizabeth Fagan CBE (right), Chair of the D2N2, said: “We’re keen to hear from business leaders with energy, creativity, and passion to help us shape and deliver our ambitions for the region.”

“This is an important time for our region as we drive forward work on our Local Industrial Strategy to develop a more prosperous and lower carbon economy, which creates better skilled and higher value jobs for our future generations”

“Our board members come from different backgrounds across our region and offer a breadth of sector knowledge and expertise. I am keen to hear from people that can build on this diversity.”

Applications are welcome from across the LEP area and from all sectors of the economy to reflect the diverse business community. The deadline for applications is Monday 20th April 2020.

To learn more about the position, download the Candidate Pack or visit the website here.

Over 200 delegates attended the 2019 D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership Annual Conference

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

‘Greta Thunberg effect’ hailed as an opportunity for innovation and employment in Chesterfield

13th March 2020

The ‘Greta Thunberg effect’ has been hailed as an opportunity for innovation and employment in Chesterfield by leaders from the town’s tourism and rail sectors.

Elizabeth Fagan CBE, Chair of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Jon Veitch, Managing Director of Talgo UK and Rupert Carr, Director of Birchall Properties, the company behind PEAK, spoke at the annual Celebrate Chesterfield Conference (11 March), which was organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with the University of Derby.

The creation of PEAK resort, an HS2 station and maintenance depot, as well as investment in the borough by Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, makes Chesterfield well-placed for the UK’s projected growth in rail travel and staycations brought about by the public’s growing concern for the environment.

Earlier this year Chesterfield Borough Council also announced its plans for the borough to be carbon neutral.

At the conference it was announced that Chesterfield is at the forefront of Talgo’s All Britain Strategy. The company, which has a 60% market share of the high speed rail industry in Spain, established its head office in Chesterfield early this year. It now has plans to open a research and development centre, co-located with Barrow Hill Roundhouse, with recruitment due to begin shortly. The company is currently bidding to supply trains to HS2.

Jon Veitch, Managing Director of Talgo UK, shared his ambitions for Chesterfield and the UK

Jon Veitch praised Chesterfield’s connectivity, saying: “Chesterfield provides us with an ideal location to access clients throughout the UK and take advantages of the growing opportunities within the rail sector being driven, in part, by the Greta Thunberg effect. Already this has had a detrimental effect on air travel in Spain, further opening up opportunities for Talgo. We anticipate a similar effect in the UK and we want to be at the forefront of the rail revolution in the UK.”

Speaking at the conference, Elizabeth Fagan CBE said: “The 2008 Climate Change Act allowed the opportunity for the UK Government to declare its ambition on carbon reduction and set legally binding targets, HS2 allows our region to be at the forefront of declaring itself carbon neutral as well as being a leading bastion in energy efficiency and development and use of clean energy technology.

“HS2 is a once in a generation opportunity for the town, enabling employment opportunities to be unlocked. We must ensure we take this moment in time to deliver our carbon neutral ambition to improve the skills of the people who work in this region and ensure that Chesterfield, D2N2 and Midlands region is at the forefront of leading this UK-wide ambition.”

Elizabeth Fagan CBE, Chair of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, on stage at Celebrate Chesterfield

The decrease in air travel, coupled with Brexit, has led to a growth in the UK staycation market. According to research from UK hospitality job board Caterer.com, 70% of the British population are planning a break in the UK for 2020, an increase in the predicted number of staycations compared to those taken last year.

Riding on the staycation boom, it was announced at the Celebrate Chesterfield conference that construction on the David Lloyd Adrenaline World has begun at PEAK. It represents the beginning of the phase one delivery of the resort which, when completed will be an integrated leisure, health, sport and education destination on the edge of the Peak District National Park; set on the 300-acre Birchall Estate in Chesterfield.

At the event, Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, praised the Destination Chesterfield campaign recognising the difference it has made to investment in the borough. There is more than £1 billion of development currently happening in Chesterfield, with key developments Chesterfield Waterside, PEAK and an innovation centre at Northern Gateway all set to come out of the ground in 2020.

She said: “Ten years ago, Chesterfield Borough Council made the very bold decision to invest in establishing Destination Chesterfield. It is has proved to be a great success helping us attract new companies, like Talgo, to Chesterfield, creating new jobs and transforming local peoples lives and benefitting local communities. The next 10 years are equally exciting, as we have developments like PEAK and Waterside coming out of the ground as well as proposals on the table for the next phase of making Chesterfield a thriving borough.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby was to describe the opportunities for Chesterfield over the next 10 years in 3 words: “exciting, sustainable and inclusive”.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield added: “Destination Chesterfield as a project has put the town on the map. We have a higher regional and national profile which is certainly a tick in the box for current and prospective investors. HS2 moving into the town has further raised our profile and I am confident that international investors will now be looking towards the town.”

Mr Veitch added; “We are delighted to be investing in Chesterfield. The town is on the cusp of sustainable, generational change and we very much want to be a part of Team Chesterfield and its future.”

Celebrate Chesterfield, which was held in association with the University of Derby and sponsored by Bridge Help, Central Technology and Markham Vale, is now in its tenth year, and is one of the biggest and most hotly anticipated business events in the area. This year the free breakfast event attracted nearly 300 delegates.

To find out more about investment opportunities in Chesterfield, click here.

The free business event attracted nearly 300 delegates

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Winners announced of Enterprising Women Awards announced

13th March 2020

Neeyantee Karia, co-founder of nationally renowned, Leicester-based food producers Jake & Nayns’, has been named Enterprising Women Business Woman of the Year for 2020 at a glittering awards ceremony at Double Tree by Hilton, Sheffield Park.

She was one of eight winners on the night as a record number of guests gathered to acknowledge and celebrate the very best female business talent across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Food Attraction Ltd manufactures food for many high street restaurant chains as well as the Jake and Nayns’ brand of handheld street food for the retail market.

Neeyantee has now collected six major awards in the past 12 months, two of them national awards.

She oversees finance, production and the manufacturing site as well as HR and H&S and has been instrumental in the success of the company, which has grown from a start-up to an international business, with further growth predicted.

Neeyantee is mother to two daughters and looks out for the 100 staff in the business. Her attitude to work and passion for supporting those around her is infectious and she is influential in nurturing employees to bring out the best in them.

She said: “I am both shocked and delighted to win this award. I want to thank my amazing team for this win as well as the Enterprising Women Awards sponsors and everyone at the Chamber – this is such a huge honour.”

Other winners on the night included Mital Thanki, Spark Academy (Female Entrepreneur of the Year), Easy Internet Services (Social Commitment Award), Blueprint Interiors (Small Business of the Year Award), Emma Anderson, Freeths LLP (Female Employee of the Year), TTK Confectionary (Team of the Year), Learn by Design (Outstanding Contribution to Working in STEM) and Sophie Neil, Turner & Townsend (Apprentice of the Year).

The sponsors for the Enterprising Women Awards were Futures Housing Group (headline sponsor); Pick Everard, Leicester Racecourse, Leicester Tigers, Hastings Direct, Smallman & Son, The Belmont Hotel, Derby College Group (category sponsors); Purpose Media (media sponsor), Mercia Image Print (print sponsor), Cross Productions (design sponsor) and The Conference Works (AV sponsor). The host for the evening was TV personality Emma Jesson.

Co-Chair of Enterprising Women, Eileen Richards, founder of ER Recruitment, and Vice-President at the Chamber, said: “The standard of entries was, again, very high this year and we had a record number of submissions, which is testament to the real hunger among women in the business community to be recognised for their achievements.

“These awards go from strength to strength every year and are one of the best ways to achieve that recognition. In the past we have had some very worthy winners and I’m delighted that Neeyantee is now among them; every single finalist and winner deserves to be celebrated and should be immensely proud of their efforts.”

Co-Chair Jean Mountain, a Past President at the Chamber, said: “These annual awards never fail to inspire me, and it is an honour to be able to showcase the fantastic female talent we have in this great region of ours. My congratulations go to all the winners and finalists and a big thank you goes out to all our valued sponsors which do such a wonderful job in supporting these prestigious awards.”

Lindsey Williams, Group Chief Executive of headline sponsor Futures Housing Group, added: “Futures Housing is proud to be sponsoring this event. We are currently tackling a long-standing issue – to get more women on company boards – so it is so important to get the messages of encouragement out to women in business.

“Neeyantee’s passion and drive for both her business and her team really shone through and she has won a category in which the standard was exceptionally high.”

For more information on Enterprising Women, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting-you/enterprising-women.

Click here to find out ore about East Midlands Chamber

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Casa Hotels are the highest rated Four Star hotels in Derbyshire

11th March 2020

Casa Hotels are delighted to announce that both Casa Hotel and their sister hotel, Peak Edge Hotel, have once again achieved the coveted silver star status from the AA.

Both the hotels visited by a member of the AA inspector team recently who stayed overnight at each hotel. They were subsequently marked on the various standards that make up the renowned AA star rating, including accommodation, dinner and facilities in general.

The six critical areas that the hotels are marked on are: cleanliness, hospitality, service, bedrooms, bathrooms and food and both hotels with both hotels receiving excellent merit scores. It means that Casa and Peak Edge Hotels are now the highest rated four-star hotels in Derbyshire. The inspector commented on the high standards of the hotel teams and the cleanliness of the hotels. Both the Red Lion Pub and Restaurant and Cocina restaurant have also maintained their Two AA Rosette Awards.

Casa Hotels Managing Director, Stuart Downham said: “We are once again absolutely delighted – to be awarded silver star status is fantastic but to maintain it proves that we do indeed offer consistently high standards at both of our hotels. We all work tirelessly to ensure that our guests have the best possible experience when they stay at Casa or Peak Edge and being awarded the Silver Star award cements all of our hard work”.

Casa Hotel was also a finalist at the Marketing Peak District Tourism Awards on Thursday 5th March. They were delighted to be awarded the silver award in the Hotel of the Year Category. This was the first year of the awards, held at the Buxton Dome in Derbyshire.

Click here to find out more about Casa Hotel

Click here to find out more about Peak Edge Hotel

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

Winners Revealed: Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards 2020

6th March 2020

Shining stars of the local tourism industry were announced at the prestigious Peak District & Derbyshire Tourism Awards last night (5 March).

Designed to recognise and reward excellence in the area’s valuable £2.3 billion visitor economy, the awards brought together 31 finalists in 11 categories for a glittering ceremony at Buxton’s Grade II* listed Devonshire Dome.

Some of the Peak District and Derbyshire’s finest hotels, B&Bs, holiday parks, pubs, visitor attractions and experiences were amongst those recognised at the awards evening, which was organised by Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire with support from the University of Derby and the European Regional Development Fund.

Demonstrating the quality and diversity of the area’s tourism offer, awards were hotly contested and nominees progressed through shortlisting, mystery shopping and a rigorous judging process by panels of experts to arrive at last night’s much anticipated awards ceremony.

The evening was enhanced by a sparkling drinks reception which included tastings from White Peak Distillery, the area’s first full-scale craft distillery, and a three-course meal prepared by students from the University of Derby’s Centre for Contemporary Hospitality and Tourism.

Host James Berresford, former CEO of VisitEngland, congratulated finalists as Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners were announced, shining a spotlight on the best of the area’s visitor economy.

Gold award winners were each presented with a hand-crafted plaque sponsored by Derbyshire-based C W Sellors Fine Jewellery.

In a further boost, Gold winners will now represent the Peak District and Derbyshire at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence on Tuesday 16 June in Hull.

Brendan Moffett, of sponsors the University of Derby, said: “We’re delighted to host this wonderful celebration of the area’s tourism industry at the prestigious Devonshire Dome in Buxton.”

“The University of Derby is keen to use our location at the heart of the Peak District to continue to support the growth of our excellent tourism businesses and develop the next generation of talent to meet future challenges, ensuring the industry can remain strong and competitive.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “It is our privilege to celebrate some of the talented businesses who offer that extra special service and experience for some of the Peak District and Derbyshire’s 42 million visitors each year.”

“All of our finalists are shining examples of quality, excellence and innovation. It is this emphasis on quality that keeps us firmly on the map as a world-class visitor destination. Congratulations to all our worthy winners and finalists!”

The Winners:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

GOLD: Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington
Silver: Croft Bungalow Accessible Holiday Let, Birchover
Bronze: Hope Cross Cottage at Vicarage Farm, Wheston

B&B and Guest House of the Year

GOLD: Underleigh House, Hope
Silver: Grendon Bed & Breakfast, Buxton

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

GOLD: Landal Darwin Forest, Matlock
Silver: Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington
Bronze: Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

GOLD: Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington
Silver: The Devonshire Arms, Pilsley

Experience of the Year

GOLD: Pure Outdoor Ltd
Silver: Acclimbatize Ltd
Bronze: Live for the Hills Ltd

Hotel of the Year

GOLD: The Peacock at Rowsley
Silver: CASA Hotel, Chesterfield
Bronze: Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa, Chesterfield

New Tourism Business Award

GOLD: White Peak Distillery, Ambergate
Silver: myGuidedWalks Ltd
Bronze: Tagg Lane Dairy Ltd, Monyash

Pub of the Year

GOLD: The Prince of Wales Village Pub & Restaurant, Baslow
Silver: The Devonshire Arms, Beeley
Bronze: The Royal Oak, Hurdlow

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year

GOLD: Ashford Mill, Ashford-in-the-Water
Silver: Peak District Holidays Ltd, Matlock Bath
Bronze: Peak Venues – Redhurst Barn, Wetton

Taste of the Peak District & Derbyshire

GOLD: Fischer’s Baslow Hall
Silver: The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow
Bronze: The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop

Visitor Attraction of the Year

GOLD: Chatsworth
Silver: Matlock Farm Park
Bronze: Haddon Hall

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Summer, Visiting

Leading Chesterfield SMEs boost workforce skills – for free

6th March 2020

Three prominent Chesterfield businesses are upskilling their management teams with free training thanks to a government scheme.

The Skills Support for the Workforce Programme supports SMEs to flourish with free courses to boost workforce skills. Delivered by leading provider The Source Skills Academy, with Chesterfield business coach and author Anne Burton at the helm, the training is worth up to £600 per person.

Peak Pipe Systems, one of the UK’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of polyethylene pipe, jumped at the opportunity of boosting its workers’ potential. Along with sister company ControlPoint Ltd, creators of quality assurance systems, it put nine team leaders forward for accredited Team Leading and Management courses.

ControlPoint opened its doors to other businesses and hosted the workshops at its Chesterfield Trading Estate site, including local company Weightron Bilanciai, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of weighbridges and industrial weighing products, software and automation. Five team leaders from Sheepbridge-based MSK Ingredients are also upskilling.

Sammy Hodgkiss, Service Team Leader at Weightron Bilanciai, said: “I want to progress to management at Weightron and this course will improve my leadership skills and give clarity on how to deal with HR issues should they arise.”

Laura Chapman (right), HR Manager at Peak Pipe Systems, commented: “We didn’t know there was free government funding to help us develop our employees until we heard about Skills Support for the Workforce from The Source. We realised it was a fantastic opportunity.”

“Investing in our people is a priority but we have to keep an eye on our budgets. A number of talented staff across our shop floor, offices and warehouse had been promoted to team leaders but had not received managerial training. SSW has enabled us to support them in their roles.”

“The employee’s voice is very important to us. Upskilling our managers, enables them to provide better support to their staff.”

Laura added: “As Chesterfield Champions, we were delighted to support other local businesses by hosting the training.”

Chesterfield has been designated a priority area in the Sheffield City Region’s delivery of the Skills Support for the Workforce Programme, which is co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Dale Robinson, Business Development Director at The Source, said: “We are helping Chesterfield SMEs grow by enabling them to develop their people at no cost.”

“Our SSW courses support the Sheffield City Region LEP’s priority to boost the local economy and will be running regularly in different parts of the region.”

Companies who want to develop staff management skills can contact The Source’s business development officer at vernon.tolson@thesourceacademy.co.uk

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