chesterfield champions

Property & Construction group praises ongoing collaboration across Chesterfield

Members of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Group have praised the ongoing collaboration between private and public sector organisations across the town, which is helping to drive forward several landmark regeneration schemes in the area.

The Chesterfield Investment Summit was delivered to packed room at the Casa Hotel on 28th September 2022. At the summit, the town’s property and construction sector and a handful Chesterfield Champions were invited to a lunch event, which enabled further networking and an opportunity to ask questions to Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader, Tricia Gilby and Chief Executive, Huw Bowen.

After the event, Cllr Tricia Gilby commented: “Chesterfield is very resilient and has consistently come out of national crises stronger than it went into them. In the last recession we established Destination Chesterfield, and this has reaped rewards. We also resolved as a council and with all our partners, to come out of the pandemic fighting and as a result a number of developments came out of the ground, including One Waterside Place and the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre.

“Chesterfield Brough Council and our partners will now work together with inward investors to ensure the next five years are as good as, if not better, than the last five years.”

Read the full round-up of the event here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2022/10/new-investment-sites-set-to-open-up-across-chesterfield/

The event left attendees impressed with the range of potential investment opportunities opening up across the town, along with optimism for the continuation of strong public/private partnership working across the sector to grow the town’s economy.

Jim Lomas, Director at DLP Planning Ltd:

“It was so pleasing to see such a large turnout for the Investment Summit. There is clearly a great deal of investor interest and enthusiasm from both within and outside the local area. Given our previous and current experience of assisting with the planning process, there is a willingness by the Council to help with business development, housing delivery and infrastructure enhancements, all of which will lead to longer term prosperity and hopefully a greener and more sustainable environment.

“Housing developers in particular are currently delivering the mix and range of property types which are meeting demand and addressing needs. It is clear that many adjoining Local Authority areas outside of Chesterfield are failing to deliver their housing needs and consequently the town is meeting not only its own local needs, but also attracting those from the wider area. The positive consequences for Chesterfield are significant, leading to greater spending power in the local economy, enhanced service provision, regeneration of urban areas and creating a vibrant community, something which can only be welcomed.”

Sarah Wills, Associate Director at Nineteen47 Ltd:

“It was great to be in the room for these discussions. I Really enjoyed hearing about priority projects and collaboration across sectors. It was lovely to hear how integral the Council see the private sector in terms of profile and delivery in the Chesterfield Borough, and we are proud to be a continued part of this conversation.”

Kriston Harvey, Director at Rodgers Leask:

“I think one of the biggest highlights would have to be the fact that following on from previous summits, where it has been great to hear about pipeline projects, we are now able to see these projects coming out of the ground and in some cases complete! Both the Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place are fantastic examples of this and can hopefully be part of the catalyst to drive further regeneration and development.

“Having quality office space locally is clearly a benefit to the town also. This will help to retain businesses within Chesterfield and strengthen the local economy. It was also really good to hear that both the University of Derby and Chesterfield College have big plans – investing in the future generation is critical and it is great to see that there will be even more opportunities for people to stay in Chesterfield and develop new skills.”

Tony Buck, Associate Director at Oasis Studio:

“I always enjoy attending the Chesterfield Investment summit. It was great to see a full house of delegates in attendance, reflective of peoples’ interest in the future of the town. A range of engaging speakers provided a concise summary of all the present and future developments in the pipeline including good conversation around the recently completed office developments at the Waterside and Northern Gateway schemes.  Looking ahead, it appears a number of regeneration projects as part of the Staveley Masterplan are taking shape, adding the plethora of opportunity for local business like ourselves.”

Find out more about ongoing development taking place in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, Property and ConstructionTagged in , , , , , , ,

Value boosting accountants thrive in Chesterfield

A Chesterfield accountancy business has announced remarkable financial growth of more than 300% in the last year.

BusinessWise Accountancy and Tax is a small but growing accountancy firm in Chesterfield. Having identified a growing need in the local marketplace for a business-strategy focused accountancy firm, owner Graham Nash launched the firm in 2020, with the initial objective to help turn businesses around and help them recover from the pandemic.

Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength, offering strategic business strategy and financial management advice for start-ups and long-established businesses predominantly in the engineering, property and manufacturing sectors.

Owner Graham comments: “In the last 12 months we have experienced a 300% growth financially and doubled the number of clients we work with to over 100. I have recruited a small team within the first 12 months, and this is targeted to expand further in early 2023.”

One example of the combined expertise and efforts at BusinessWise is how they have helped an East Midlands firm more than double its value to over £5m in the two most challenging years in recent economic history.

The Managing Director of the company said: “They took on everything from a detailed review of the financial processes and systems, to implementing new processes to provide accurate figures. They provided detailed monthly reporting, management accounts and forecasting so more informed strategic decisions could be made. They also managed negotiations and discussions with HMRC on our behalf.

“Graham is a highly motivated and professional individual and has become an integral advisor to my business. Without the team at BusinessWise, we would not be in the position we find ourselves today. I can highly recommend his services and he is a real asset to any business in need of support.”

In addition, BusinessWise has actively passed work and referrals valued at £400,000 of business to local suppliers and professional services in the last two years, once again adding value, proposition and strength to the local economy.

Find out more about the benefits of locating your business here in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

BusinessWise Accountancy & Tax supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Less Than Zero Barbers partners with local football club to champion community activities

Chesterfield’s Less Than Zero Barbers has announced a joint-venture with “The Home Of Football” Sheffield FC, to work collaboratively on a range of local community projects.

The multi-award winning barbers based on Soresby Street in Chesterfield Town Centre, has partnered with the Dronfield-Based club to encourage kids to get involved in the game and also their local community.

Sheffield Club was formed in 1857 and were responsible for the original rules of the game, most of which are still applicable. The club is recognised by FIFA as the oldest in the world.

Martin Wallis-Keyworth, Owner at Less Than Zero Barbers commented: “Less Than Zero are proud to be working together with this amazing club as we share core values of being community focused, conducting ourselves with integrity and being respectful and inclusive.”

Dylan Ralph, Partnership Manger, Sheffield FC commented: “Working together we have some exciting plans which will become apparent over the coming months.”

As part of the plan, Less Than Zero will offer local school leavers the opportunity to get an NVQ Level 1 in barbering during the 6-week summer holidays. To provide the service, the business will be working with Realise, the U.Ks Apprentice Provider of the Year.

The company was recently recognised amongst the Top 50 Small Business Apprentice Employers in England, taking 36th spot on the list developed by government’s Department for Education.

Furthermore, Sheffield FC is working towards providing an innovative ‘pop up barbershop,’ focusing on improving mental wellbeing and self esteem. Details on all collaboration activities will be posted on social media (Instagram: _sheffieldfc and lessthanzerobarbers).

For anyone interested in a Level 1 Traineeship, Realise Training have a dedicated phone number – Tel: 0333 444 3973.

Less Than Zero Barbers supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , ,

Bridge Help strengthens team with another new appointment

Tracey Vaughan is the latest appointment to Bridge Help’s Business Development Team.

Following her appointment, Chesterfield-based bridging loan provider, Bridge Help now boasts an all-female business development team, bucking the trend in the male-dominated financial services industry.

Tracey, who hails from the company’s base in Chesterfield, brings more than 20 years of sales experience to the role. Within the role, she will be offering guidance and support to help manage broker and lender relationships across England and Wales.

The company has continued to grow since its inception in 2017, filling a gap in the market for bespoke bridging loan products for complex deals.  Her appointment follows a successful first half of 2022 and comes hot on the heels of the appointment of Tina Panayi in April.

Tracey commented on her new role: “I just knew this is what I was looking for. It’s an inviting, helpful and professional team providing a bespoke service. There’s a strong focus on relationships and a really good team spirit – I wanted to be a part of it and grow with them.

“The whole team is lovely and I’m excited to see what the future holds and just can’t wait to get going, I think we’re going to be a great fit.”

Tracey joins from phs Group where she was a Field Account Manager. She brings extensive experience in relationship development to her new role at Bridge Help.

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help commented on Tracey’s arrival: “We’re thrilled to welcome Tracey to the team – she’s local and really understands the importance of building relationships, which is what we’re all about at Bridge Help. With her strong sales background and extensive range of experience, I’m sure it’s going to be a great fit for all involved.”

Outside work, Tracey enjoys spending time with her family and taking her French Bulldog, Bonnie, out for walks.

To arrange a meeting with Tracey or to speak to a Business Development Manager at Bridge Help, contact the friendly team today on 033 3303 4681.

Bridge Help supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

Chesterfield workwear designer announces rebrand

A company based in Chesterfield specialising in the design of high-quality printed and embroided workwear, has announced an exciting new rebrand.

Formerly known as Giraffe Graphics, the newly-named Giraffe Workwear has updated it’s brand colours and logo to reflect it’s specialism in the workwear market.

The company was founded in Chesterfield back in 2015, but over the last seven years has gained a reputation for working with businesses and organisations across the entire country, also offering add-on services such as paper print, stickers, and personalised business stationery. In 2020 Giraffe Workwear upscaled to new, larger premises at Dunston Place.

Rebecca Blackwell, Director at Giraffe Workwear said: “We believe the customised workwear industry has existed primarily as glorified t-shirt printing shops for too long—and for that reason, our mission is to bring the industry up to date.

“Through workwear consultations and our online resources, we aim to make our expert advice freely available, and we ensure our customers have access to the cutting-edge work clothing and accessories that not only meet their practical needs perfectly, but also fit seamlessly within their visual brand.

Directors Chris and Rebecca Blackwell are both Chesterfield residents and recognise the advantages to basing their business in the area.

Rebecca said: “We’d love to do more business with local Chesterfield businesses, we currently work with a few but most of our clients are all across the UK, thanks to our E-Commerce web-store.”

To find out more about Giraffe Workwear and it’s range of products and services, go to: https://giraffeworkwear.co.uk/

Giraffe Workwear supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Superior Wellness success at the EMEA 2022 Inspiring Workplace Awards

Superior Wellness has been confirmed as a finalist at the EMEA Inspiring Workplace Awards.

The awards recognise forward-thinking and people-first organisations. Originally, called The Employee Engagement Awards, they have since evolved into Inspiring Workplaces.

The Inspiring Workplaces Group announced its first ever Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces across EMEA at last night’s Gala Dinner held at the Kia Oval in London.  Superior Wellness came 39th out of 50 finalists with special recognition for their culture and purpose.

Wellness is at the forefront of everything that Superior Wellness do, and this is followed through to partners, suppliers and the internal team. The family culture that has been built at Superior Wellness is something they are incredibly proud of. The focus is to create a positive working environment where the team feel inspired to come to work every single day.

Carol Claydon, Head of HR said, “I am absolutely thrilled that Superior Wellness has been recognised as a finalist in the Inspiring Workplace Awards.  The evening was a great success and it was inspirational to see so many organisations who also offer a great work environment and focus on the culture.

“We understand that if there is a positive working environment, our team will enjoy coming to work and in return feel happier. We really are like one big family here and I feel very lucky to be part of it.”

Founder of Inspiring Workplaces, Matt Manners said, “We have been recognising organisations and the inspirational people within them for over eight years now. This year, we wanted to evolve the awards to represent the way the world of work is evolving too.

“Congratulations to all the finalists. We can’t wait to share these stories and promote the inspirational work you are doing day-in-day-out.”

Superior Wellness supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Recently, Chesterfield Champions were invited to the new Superior Wellness showroom and headquarters to hear talks on health and wellbeing, followed by a tour of the premises as pictured below.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

Bumper month for Dawson Radford Solicitors

Chesterfield Champion, Dawson Radford Solicitors is celebrating a record value of corporate and commercial property transactions in May.

Reports of a buoyant buying and selling market would appear to be true, as Dawson Radford has completed over £37,000,000 worth of transactions in just one month.

“To say we are only a small team, the value of transactions completing this month is incredible – we really are seeing some great quality transactions at the moment” says Head of Corporate and Managing Director, Jo Dawson.

“We are almost always working alongside major city firms who have large teams of lawyers at their disposal.  Although we are a small team, we are a strong team producing high quality work and, most importantly, getting deals done for our clients, sometimes under extremely tight time constraints”.

Jo Dawson has a particular specialism in care home sales and purchases, and this area is particularly active at the moment. However, the transactions Dawson Radford is undertaking at the moment are extremely varied.

“We are seeing activity in all industries at the moment, from manufacturing to logistics, marketing companies to heating engineers, property portfolios to stone masons, security firms to funeral directors” says Jo.

Being able to provide a complete business transaction service to clients relies on the expertise of not only the Corporate department, but also the Commercial Property department, led by Joe Phelan, and the Employment department, led by Liam Kenealy, particularly as commercial property refinance transactions continue to grow.

Dawson Radford can offer complete business law support for businesses, both on an ad-hoc and retainer basis. To find out how the firm can assist your business you can visit www.dawsonradford.co.uk or call 01246 932100 for a no obligation chat.

Dawson Radford supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

Central Technology announces latest recruits

The team at Chesterfield’s Central Technology has continued to expand, after the company introduced the latest cohort of new starters.

Central Technology offers customers a fast, fresh and simple approach to Managed Services, Cloud Solutions, Telecoms and Cyber Security that will help companies across all sectors stay one step ahead of the competition.

The company has recently taken on Jack Thompson as Project Engineer, Nicola Goodwin as Sales Support Administator, Bradley Morell and Alex Willerton as Technical Support Specialists, and Lewis Renshaw as an Account Manager.

Jack Thompson, who has joined CT’s Implementation Team as a Project Engineer commented: “I have joined CT as a Project Engineer where I will be both implementing and upgrading a variety of systems to a wide portfolio of customers. I have worked in both Internal and MSP IT sectors for around 7 years, providing support to thousands of customers over a wide range of industries ranging from construction to retail and transport.”

Lewis Renshaw, Account Manager in CT’s Sales Team commented: “I recently joined CT to work alongside our valued customers to help grow their businesses through the use of IT. I enjoy working alongside businesses to take an idea from initial conversation through to delivery.”

Alex Willerton, Technical Support Specialist on the CT Service Desk said: “I’m part of the 1st line support team so I’m the first line of contact for most users when they need support with any of their systems. I previously worked for an insurance company which was my first official IT role, but prior to that I completed my degree in Computer Science at Sheffield Hallam.”

If you are interested in joining the Central Technology Team, find out more on the company’s vacancies page or email careers@ct.co.uk

Central Technology supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Robinson produce sustainable packaging for Holdsworth’s iconic limited edition Platinum Jubilee chocolates

In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Holdsworth Chocolates and custom packaging supplier, Robinson, have collaborated to create a beautifully crafted limited edition Jubilee chocolate box.

This stunning box has been embellished with silver and gold foil blocking creating an intricate and unique design. Made from 100% recycled paperboard fibres and recyclable once used, this makes the perfect sustainable gift to take to any Jubilee party. Designed with usability in mind the box and sleeve store the chocolates safely and can be continually used until recycled.

David Sharples, Managing Director at Holdsworth Chocolates, said: “Holdsworth is a British owned family run business, we are proud to have produced an iconic box in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The box contains a selection of our exquisite assortment of creams, truffles, pralines and caramels packaged in high-quality sustainable packaging. We are proud to be working with another local British brand to produce this fantastic product.”

To complement the foil blocking the box has a deep royal purple colour, adding to the sophistication and on-shelf appeal. With Robinson being a strategically located supplier, it only took 3 weeks to produce from design to delivery.

Jon Walker, NPD Director at Robinson, said: “These beautiful boxes showcase the fantastic designs that can be created using foil blocking. Sometimes when you think of sustainability you think the design must be basic, but we pride ourselves on brands being able to still have the WOW factor and be kind to the environment at the same time. Holdsworth is a great example of a UK brand that is luxurious and sustainable.”

If you are interested in sustainable boxes for your brand, please email jonw@robinsonpackaging.com

Robinson supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Fortem launches new health and safety standard

Fortem has launched their new Health and Safety standard, Safe4Life, which builds upon their existing promises to ensure everyone goes home safe, every day.

Safe4Life – Taking Care of You, represents Fortem’s commitment to the health, safety, and well-being of all its staff, trades, supply chain partners and stakeholders. The aim of this rejuvenated standard is to reinforce the essential requirements and expectations, which all levels of the business must meet, to develop and maintain a world-class Safety, Health, Environment and Compliance (SHEC) culture.

The existing standard includes the four key principles required to embed a robust health and safety culture:

  • Value- No one should suffer pain.
  • Belief- ALL accidents can be prevented.
  • Attitude- Everyone has a zero tolerance of unsafe behaviour.
  • Behaviour- Everyone looks out for themselves and others.

These guiding principles are at the forefront of everything Fortem do, be that in the planning and delivery of work, community engagements, on the move and any other way in which its people operate.

The new model builds upon these four guiding principles to incorporate seven key elements:

  • Empowerment
  • Engagement
  • Intervention
  • Supervision
  • Consultation
  • Leadership
  • Recognition

The new standard has been designed to reflect how Fortem approach and manage Safety, Health, Environment and Compliance. Each component of the model details elements of the management system that is either already in place or that will be launched as part of the initiative.

Mike Hart, Managing Director at Fortem said, “The Health and Safety of our workforce, customers and members of the public continues to be our number one priority. A robust, well embedded safety culture creates the foundation for which high Health & Safety standards develops and thrives.

“It helps prevent accidents and incidents and encourages people to report observations, in an environment that does not apportion blame. It leads by example. It protects our people by making sure they receive the right training, equipment, safe systems of work, PPE, support and mentoring. It does not compromise on the safety of its people. It keeps abreast of current legislation and industry best practice and ensures our people are given the relevant information from these so they can continue to work safely. It empowers people to do the right thing, all the time, even when no one else is looking.

“Our refreshed Health and Safety strategy ‘Safe4Life’ is an important milestone in ensuring that, together, we drive our Health and Safety culture across our workforce and supply chain to underpin how we design, plan and deliver all of our work in branches and projects.”

Fortem supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Business, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Chesterfield based Mortgage 1st have been named as a finalist in the Mortgage Strategy Awards.

Chesterfield-based Mortgage Advisory firm, Mortgage 1st has been shortlisted of a prestigious national industry award.

The Mortgage Strategy Awards are undoubtedly seen as the pinnacle of success for those in the UK mortgage industry.

Widely recognised as the ‘Oscars’ of the mortgage industry, the accolades are not awarded lightly. Several rounds of shortlisting take place before the judge’s comb through each entry and decide on a winner. It’s the culmination of hard work and effort over the past twelve months, the rigorous judging process associated with the Awards that ensures that winning one of the 27 categories really is a mark of excellence.

The shortlist has been announced and Chesterfield based Mortgage Advisers Mortgage 1st are delighted to be named as a finalist in the ‘Best Mortgage Broker 8-50 Advisers’ category in these prestigious national awards.

Lisa Stones, Marketing Director at Mortgage 1st said: “To be shortlisted is amazing achievement in itself! We are very excited to be in the finals alongside a number of large well-known national mortgage firms – Wish us luck!”

This comes off the back of Mortgage 1st also reaching the finals earlier this year in the Natwest Local Hero Awards and achieving Highly Commended on the night, being recognised for the work the team have been doing over the past 12 months to support young people in the area through their apprenticeship scheme and schools program.

The full shortlist for the 2022 Mortgage Strategy Awards can be seen at: https://www.mortgagestrategyawards.co.uk/msa/en/page/shortlist-2022

Mortgage 1st supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

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