Made in Chesterfield

Results show Derbyshire A-level students continue to do county proud

19th August 2019

A-level students in Derbyshire schools have continued to do their county proud by achieving good grades.

According to provisional information for the 25 schools and academies in Derbyshire which offer post-16 education:

Around 2,100 students have received their Level 3 (A-level and equivalent) results
The average grade for a Derbyshire student was C this year
The overall pass rate in Derbyshire is 98%

Schools have been working hard to analyse their results issued yesterday and provide information and support for students as they take their next steps towards university, college, employment, apprenticeships or other opportunities.

Our Cabinet Member for Young People Councillor Alex Dale said: “A big congratulations to all students, teachers, staff, governors and parents on their success.”

“We’re really proud of our young people in Derbyshire and we wish them all the best as they choose higher or university education, training, apprenticeships or employment.”

Councillor Dale also reassured students who may be disappointed with their results that support is available.

Students who do not get the grades they hope for should get in touch with their school or college which will be able to help them access support and advice to consider all the alternatives.

Advisers can help students consider their options and decide on the best way forward. That might involve resitting some or all of their exams or taking other qualifications.

If young people have just missed their grades they can try their chosen university or college to see if they can still get in or go through the clearing process to find an alternative place.

Councillor Dale added: “We would advise those students not to panic but take the advice and support that’s on offer, do their research and consider all their options before deciding what to do next.”

“Students with A-levels who are not thinking about higher education can check out the apprenticeship website or visit our Derbyshire Skills Festival – the county’s largest careers event for young people.”

It will be held at the Proact Stadium in Chesterfield on Wednesday 18 September 2019 from 1.30pm to 7.30pm. Visitors will also be able to take part in have-a-go sessions to test their skills and give them an idea of what different careers might be like. Find out more here.

All results are provisional until the Department for Education issues its official performance tables in January 2020 but are accurate enough to provide a countywide overview.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Made in Chesterfield

Behind the scenes tour of the Mayor’s parlour

16th August 2019

Chesterfield residents will have the opportunity to visit the Mayor’s parlour this September as the council open the doors to celebrate Heritage Open Days in the borough.

Every September, organisations and volunteers across the country organise events to celebrate the country’s history and culture, and for the first-time residents can book to get a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the mayor’s parlour.

The mayor and mayoress, Councillor Gordon Simmons and Councillor Kate Caulfield, will also talk about their roles at the council and duties they carry out on a weekly basis.

Two tours will take place on Friday 20 September and will take around one hour to complete. Refreshments will also be provided. A maximum of 30 people can attend each tour so booking is essential if you would like to come along. To find out more and to book your place click here.

You can register to attend one of the below tour times:

• 1pm – 2pm
• 2.30pm – 3.30pm

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, has helped to organise the events. She said: “Heritage Open Days are events that take place around the country each year. The events are all about celebrating history and the communities in which we live, so we are delighted to be opening up the mayor’s parlour for tours in 2019.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

Entries now open for the Derbyshire Times Business Excellence Awards 2019

12th August 2019

Entries are now open for the 2019 Derbyshire Times Business Excellence Awards.

Currently in its 11th year, the winners of the 14 categories will be announced on Thursday 14th November during an awards ceremony taking place at Casa Hotel. The categories for 2019 are;

Charity of the Year
Professional Services Award
Leisure & Lifestyle Award
Community Contribution
Small Business of the Year (sponsored by the University of Derby)
New Business of the Year
Business Person of the Year (sponsored by Banner Jones Solicitors)
Customer Service Award
People Development Award
Apprentice of the Year
Independent Retailer of the Year
Excellence in Manufacturing Award (sponsored by Shorts)
Innovation Award
Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by Future Life Wealth Management)
2019 Business of the Year (sponsored by BHP)

Businesses can apply for more than one award and more information relating to each category can be found on their website here. The awards portal allows applicants to save an entry, and complete it at a later date.

Last year, Future Life Wealth Management’s Managing Director Jillian Thomas won the Lifetime Achievement award and this year the company is sponsoring the category.

Jillian said: “We are proud to be sponsoring this award and I want to be there to congratulate the new recipient.”

“Winning the award last year was a fantastic pat on the back. But it wasn’t about me, it was about the great team we have at Future Life Wealth Management.”

As well as sponsoring the category and being an associate partner, Jillian will be a judge. “I am looking forward to seeing the entries. I am sure the standard will be really high.”

“There are some amazing companies and individuals in our county and we want to be able to help celebrate them all,” said Jillian.

Last year, local hospice and charity Ashgate Hospicecare was recognised with two awards, Charity of the Year and Business of the Year (right). Other winners included Chesterfield Champions Shorts and Stephensons Tea and Coffee House.

The deadline to enter is 6pm on Thursday 19th September 2019. Finalists will be announced 3 weeks prior to the awards, and tickets for the awards ceremony will be on sale from Monday 7th October.

To enter and find out more visit www.derbyshiretimesbusiness.co.uk.

Winners and runners-up of Derbyshire Times Business Awards 2018 join together for a group photograph.

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

Supporting Chesterfield’s growth

8th August 2019

Read the latest blog of Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield.

August is upon us and we’re well into the summer holidays. If you’re looking to explore what our town has to offer you and your family, then this is the time to do it!

We have more festivals and events in and around the town centre than ever before. The shortlist for the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards has also been released, offering a great starting point for the very best places to eat and drink.

It’s a great way to kickstart the summer holidays with the kids. What better way to entice them off their screens than with the promise of a tasty treat followed by a day of learning, disguised as fun and intrigue?

There’s a multitude of events going on in the area – from canal cruises, treasure hunts and miniature train rides to hands on history at Bolsover Castle, science roadshows and the Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival. There is something to suit every taste (pun intended!).

As the events calendar has grown year on year, so has Chesterfield’s fortunes. I am delighted that we can, once again, turn the spotlight on the town in the annual Chesterfield Investment Summit. This year the theme is supporting communities through regeneration.

The increased footfall in the town centre and attendance at the many events is evidence that Chesterfield’s regeneration is successful.

More than £1bn of developments are on site and more are on the way. 2019 is the year that we are seeing spades in the ground on a number of much anticipated sites, like Northern Gateway, Elder Way and Chesterfield Waterside. All these sites are, in turn, creating employment opportunities.

There are now more jobs at Markham Vale that when it was a colliery. A record number of 2,236 people are currently employed at Markham Vale; that’s 200 more people than were employed at the former colliery site in its 1980s heyday. Proof that Chesterfield’s regeneration strategy is working.

And we have more success stories to look forward to. Avant Homes is to begin building 173 homes at Waterside later this year after receiving detailed planning permission. Pronto Industrial Paints Ltd have also acquired a new site that will treble their existing space.

Whether you’re a resident or business, it’s important that we come together as a community to support the town’s growth in order to safeguard our future success. Together we really do make a difference.

If you’re interested in the ongoing regeneration of Chesterfield and finding out about how you can support it and get involved, then register here to attend the Chesterfield Investment Summit which takes place on 11 September at Casa Hotel.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Summer, Visiting

D2N2 businesses to benefit from £16.74m skills training fund

8th August 2019

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP area are urged to take advantage of a £16.74m skills training fund to upskill their workforce.

The training is delivered as part of a programme called Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW), which Serco’s Employment, Skills & Enterprise business is managing across the D2N2 region. Under the 28-month programme which launched in April, Serco will work in partnership with the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to provide skills development that focuses on upskilling employees in key priority sectors as identified in the LEP’s strategic economic plan;

Transport Equipment Manufacturing
Life Sciences
Food & Drink Manufacturing
Visitor Economy
Low Carbon
Transport & Logistics
Creative & Digital Industries
Construction

Through SSW, eligible businesses can benefit from funded training, tailored to their specific needs. Training is flexible and businesses can select full qualifications or mix and match individual units that are directly relevant to their work. Previous SSW programme participants have benefited from increased employee confidence, motivation and productivity and improved employee loyalty and retention.

Business participants will each benefit from a bespoke Training Needs Analysis that identifies requirements for upskilling or skills gaps in their workforce. Training for participant businesses could cover subjects such as IT and digital skills, leadership and management or more vocationally relevant courses.

The SSW programme in D2N2 also offers support and training for individuals at risk of redundancy or those who have been made redundant within the last three months.

To deliver the programme, which is co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, Serco has partnered with expert training organisations to offer local businesses recognised accredited qualifications and bespoke training courses, aiming to enhance employees’ skills and increase the competitiveness of the businesses.

Rob Matts, Head of Skills Support for the Workforce at Serco, said: “I am delighted that Serco has been selected by the Education and Skills Funding Agency to manage the SSW programme in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in partnership with the LEP. We have already supported more than 20,000 learners through our SSW delivery across England with more than 7000 businesses benefitting from this important service.”

“I would urge businesses or, individuals that may be facing redundancy, to get in touch with our team and take advantage of the funded training on offer. We look forward to enabling many more businesses to take advantage of SSW training to upskill their staff and grow their businesses.”

Chris Pook, D2N2 Growth Hub Project Manager said: “Nurturing skills within the workforce is essential to help businesses thrive. Companies that we speak to often require advice and support for them to access the right skills for their business and this programme will provide meaningful training which will help support business growth and productivity improvements in the local economy. We look forward to working closely with Serco on this opportunity.”

Businesses can contact Serco on skillssupport@serco.com or click here for more details and to find out if they are eligible for funded training through Skills Support for the Workforce.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Made in Chesterfield

Barrow Hill Roundhouse to restore railway gem

7th August 2019

Barrow Hill Roundhouse in Chesterfield will bring an historic steam locomotive back to life after purchasing the 1880s gem.

The trading arm of Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society has agreed to buy the Class 1F Half Cab No 41708 from the 1708 Locomotive Preservation Trust for an undisclosed sum.

The locomotive, which has been on display at Barrow Hill Roundhouse near Chesterfield for the last 15 years, will be refurbished and returned to steam, 10 years after the first attempt by the charity to acquire the locomotive with the backing of the National Railway Museum at York.

The Half Cab spent the majority of its working life at the Roundhouse and Staveley Works, where it was allocated for shunting duties, between 1947 and 1965. It returned to Barrow Hill in July 1998 to star in the Roundhouse’s public reopening following the successful campaign to save the unique building from demolition. The locomotive made several further visits between 1998 and 2002 before returning to its home shed on a permanent basis in 2004.

Mervyn Allcock, Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society spokesperson said: “We have now finalised the deal and are looking forward to bringing the 139-year-old engine out of the shed and back into use with funds we have already set aside and with a fundraising campaign which will be launched in 2020, the 150^th anniversary of the opening of the Roundhouse.”

“The restoration and rebuild project will start with a detailed examination of the locomotive in order to understand exactly what needs to be done to bring it back into steam. We are very grateful for the support and advice given to us by Wake Smith which has enabled us to secure the locomotive’s future as an intrinsic part of the Barrow Hill story.”

The Class 1F locomotive was designed by Samuel Johnson, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Midland Railway from 1873 to 1903. Used for hauling freight, shunting and some branch line passenger use, 185 of the class were built in Derby. This particular locomotive was built in 1880, numbered 1418. It was rebuilt about 20 years later and re-numbered 1708.

It underwent another change of identity to 41708 when the locomotive passed into the ownership of British Railways in 1948. By the time it arrived at Barrow Hill in 1947, only 72 of the original 185 locomotives remained in service. By 1961 there were 11 class members and the last five, including 41708, were withdrawn in September 1965. The class only lasted as long as this because the Midland Railway had signed a contract for 100 years in 1866 to provide shunting engines to Staveley Works.

41708 is the only Class 1F to have been preserved. It is also one of only two locomotives which worked at Barrow Hill which have been preserved. The other Barrow Hill survivor is a diesel shunting engine, Class 10 D4092, which is also based at the Roundhouse.

Barrow Hill Roundhouse is the last surviving railway roundhouse in the United Kingdom with an operational turntable. Built in 1870, it was threatened with demolition in 1991 when the site was closed by British Rail. It was saved by a group of dedicated volunteers who transformed it into a unique railway museum and events venue.

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

Town unites to tackle Climate Emergency

3rd August 2019

More than 60 people attended Chesterfield’s first Climate Emergency People’s Assembly which took place on Sunday 21st July.

The day-long event gave those attending the opportunity to voice their concerns on climate change and work together to draw up strategies for taking positive steps as individuals and in communities towards a sustainable future.

The event was orchestrated by Clare Gage, a local mum and ceramicist, who through her membership of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) has been supported to bring people together to form a ‘Peoples Assembly’ and put action into the hands of individuals.

A group ranging in age from 8 to 80 came together for the day and included individuals new to community action, as well as members of local campaign groups. The activities were led by Martin Yarnit and Perry Walker from Talkshop, making sure that everyone has a voice in the matters that concern them. The morning session was used to tease out key issues and establish areas of interest. Groups focused on specific issues such as transport, food production, environmental education and holding to account politicians and corporate business, all to encourage people to adopt new practices to help lessen our impact on the planet.

Some attendees agreed to continue meeting to further develop action plans and a follow-up People’s Assembly meeting will be held in September.

Toby Perkins MP and Cllr Amanda Serjeant were in attendance, a reassuring sign for the attendees that local council and central government alike are recognising the concern from local people about the issues.

Clare said afterwards: “As the organiser of the People’s Assembly I found it fantastic to see so many people from our town gather together.”

“We tackled tricky questions about how we could make a difference in the face of the climate emergency. Difficult issues were discussed, and we looked for practical solutions.”

“I am proud of how respectful our community was of one another and pleased to see what progress can be made when we come together as a team. This is just the start. Our town can be a place where people are empowered to create positive change.”

Follow up activity will take place in September with a meeting arranged for 15th September at 11am. Find out more at www.facebook.com/createchangechesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Summer, Visiting

‘Step Up’ programme a huge success at Vicar Lane

29th July 2019

This month, Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield has been working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education (DACES), who work on behalf of Derbyshire County Council, to run an education programme for young adults in Chesterfield.

The programme called ‘Step Up’ is aimed at 16 year olds with no fixed destination for further education, such as a college place or apprenticeship.

Vicar Lane has been working with organisers on an ‘employer challenge’ within the programme, whereby the young people were set the task of developing creative solutions for the utilisation of vacant units within the centre. An initial briefing was held at the centre on 4th July, when the young people visited the centre, explored the empty units, began work on their initial ideas and met with existing retailers to gain insight into life at the centre.

On Wednesday 24^th July the young people presented their proposals to organisers and the team at Vicar Lane, with huge success. All presentations given on the day were of an incredibly high standard, with participants having carried out market research and SWOT analysis for them to develop their proposals and reach their conclusions.

Three standout presentations included a proposal for a bespoke made to measure underwear retailer, an American 50s style diner and a vegan café / restaurant / store.

All participants were really excited about undertaking the project and this shone through in the presentation. This also helped with self-confidence, speaking and explaining their ideas to an unfamiliar adult. With this they demonstrated increased self-belief and passion for their ideas.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We’re thrilled at the success of this programme and the positive impact that it’s had on the young people involved. We’re proud to support such worthwhile initiatives in the Chesterfield community that help young people and broaden their prospects and improve their self-belief.”

Each participant was given a £20 River Island gift card by Vicar Lane for taking part.

Following the success of this programme, Vicar Lane has been asked to get involved with another 2 groups, so watch this space for further details.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Made in Chesterfield

Reserved Matters planning approval granted for office accommodation at Chesterfield Waterside

25th July 2019

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.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

College students battle it out to be named Chesterfield’s Young Chef of the Year for 2019

25th July 2019

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.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield

‘Step Up’ Programme Comes to Vicar Lane

9th July 2019

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield is working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education (DACES), who work on behalf of Derbyshire County Council, to run an education programme for young adults in Chesterfield.

‘Step Up’ is a programme aimed at young people who have completed year 11, being run in the Hunloke Adult Education Centre for 4 weeks this July. The programme is aimed at 16 year olds with no fixed destination for further education, such as college place or apprenticeship.

Vicar Lane is working with organisers on an ‘employer challenge’ within the programme, whereby the young people are set a task within a real-life employment environment. Participants are required to visit the centre to familiarise themselves with the task at hand, meet the team and gather as much information as possible, before going away to work on their ideas. They then have to present their proposed solution back to the employer at the end of the programme.

Vicar Lane has set this year’s participants the task of developing creative solutions for the utilisation of vacant units within the centre. An initial briefing was held at the centre on 4^th July, when the young people visited the centre, explored the empty units, began work on their initial ideas and met with existing retailers to gain insight into life at the centre.

Proposals will be reviewed and winning plans selected on 24^th July. Their plans will be compared to the centre’s own thoughts to see how they align.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education on this valuable initiative, supporting young people who are unsure of their next steps in education or employment. We can’t wait to see what solutions they come up with for our challenge.”

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager added, “It was great for the team at Destination Chesterfield to be able to support DACES to find a partner to deliver this project in Chesterfield. We thank Chesterfield Champion Vicar Lane for their support of this initiative.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Development, Made in Chesterfield