Several Chesterfield businesses have taken on new team members, announced promotions, and even scooped awards for tourism recently.
Read the latest news from our town’s community of Chesterfield Champions below.
Silver awards for Matlock Farm Park and Peak Edge Hotel
Matlock Farm Park took home three silver awards for Visitor Attraction of the Year, Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award and Team of the year at the recent Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards.
Chesterfield’s Peak Edge Hotel was also amongst the businesses recognised at the event, with a silver award for Hotel of the Year.
The winners of the 2024 Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards were announced at a special awards ceremony at the Museum of Making in Derby
Some of the area’s finest visitor attractions, experiences, pubs, restaurants and accommodation providers were amongst those recognised at the awards, designed to showcase excellence and outstanding achievement across the area’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Organised by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire in collaboration with Visit Derby as the region’s official Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), this year’s awards celebrated the success and resilience of tourism businesses whilst highlighting the sector’s valuable contribution to the local economy.
The awards were hotly contested, and finalists progressed through shortlisting, mystery shopping and a rigorous judging process by an independent panel of experts to arrive at last night’s ceremony.
Finalists, guests and partners enjoyed a drinks reception sponsored by White Peak Distillery followed by a three-course formal dinner in the historic surroundings of the Museum of Making, which is widely regarded as the site of the world’s first factory, at the heart of the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.
Host Andy Miller compered the event as Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners were revealed in 14 awards categories celebrating the best of tourism in the local area.
Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “The Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are a celebration of all that’s great about our tourism industry locally, and recognise its vital importance to the local economy as well as the dedication of those who work in this important sector.
“Tourism is worth £2.59 billion to the Peak District and Derbyshire, supporting thousands of jobs, and a strong, sustainable visitor economy is vital for the future success of our communities. The quality and diversity of our tourism offer is inspiring, and it has been an immense privilege to bring together such a wide range of tourism-related businesses to pay tribute to their hard work. It’s only fitting that many of our winners could now go on to represent the area nationally at this year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. Congratulations everyone!”
Mitchells Chartered Accountants welcomes new Senior Tax Specialist to bolster expert team
Mitchells has announced the addition of Jane Falconer-White to its growing team in Chesterfield. She joins Chartered Tax Advisers Tim Leeman & Liz Fisher at the firm.
Jane brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the company, further strengthening its commitment to delivering exceptional tax advice to clients of all sizes.
Jane is a seasoned tax adviser and former management consultant, with a proven track record of success working with a diverse range of clients, from blue-chip organisations to individual sole traders. She also boasts a unique background in IT and project management, bringing valuable technical expertise and a collaborative approach.
But Jane’s strengths extend beyond qualifications and experience. She is passionate about simplifying the complex world of tax and empowering clients to make informed financial decisions. Driven by a desire to help people understand and improve, Jane excels at bridging the gap between technical jargon and everyday language. Mitchells believes that this, coupled with a flexible and fast-learning nature, makes her a perfect fit for the organisation.
“I’m excited to join Mitchells Chartered Accountants and contribute my skills to their already impressive team,” says Jane. “I’m particularly drawn to the firm’s focus on technology-driven solutions and client-centric approach, which aligns perfectly with my own values and working style.”
Mitchells Chartered Accountants Partner, Andrew McDaid adds, “We’re delighted to welcome Jane Falconer-White to the team. Her diverse experience, technical expertise, and passion for communication make her a valuable asset. We’re confident that Jane will play a key role in helping our clients navigate the ever-evolving tax landscape and achieve their financial goals.”
Banner Jones announces plans to bolster Residential Property team amidst continued growth in demand
Banner Jones has announced plans to build on the existing expertise and capacity of its Residential Property team amidst continued demand for its services, having handled over 13,500 new residential property related matters over the last three years.
The announcement coincides with news that Shareholding Director and Solicitor Richard Joy will become the sole Head of Residential Property across the firm following the recent retirement of Mark Bilton, a well-known and highly regarded property solicitor in the Mansfield area, who stepped down from his role as Executive Director in November last year.
Richard will now work closely with Kate Skelton, a property law expert who deals with property sales and purchases, transfers of equity and re-mortgages, who has been promoted to Shareholding Director and who is stepping up as operational lead of the firm’s Sheffield and Dronfield-based residential property teams.
Looking to the future the duo say they are hoping to build on the existing expertise and capacity of the team, which has invested heavily in its IT infrastructure in recent years in order to best meet the evolving needs of clients.
The developments have included the launch of the firms online ‘Flying Start’ client portal which allows for much of the conveyancing transaction to be completed online, typically saving up to four weeks throughout the conveyancing process. The ability to deal with the transaction securely and electronically has significantly speeded up the onboarding and transaction times and allows clients to undertake the steps required at a convenient time without the need to attend our offices.
The firm’s Project Management System now also includes an integration to enable property searches to be ordered automatically, allowing for artificial intelligence to assist the expert legal advisors to produce reports for clients based on search reports received.
This year, the firm has also developed a compliance support service for estate agents designed to underpin their increasingly stringent regulatory requirements surrounding ID verification for anti-money laundering and material information disclosure.
Commenting on his role and the department’s continued growth ambitions, Richard Joy said: “I am delighted to be continuing in my role as Head of Residential Property, working alongside Kate to deliver on our growth ambitions which will further strengthen our existing client service offering.
“The conveyancing market in particular has been very active in recent years, and we are confident that the investments that we have made in our IT infrastructure means that we are well equipped to keep up with increased demand and to better meet the needs of clients who increasingly want to work in a more fluid and dynamic way.
“We’re committed to continuing to challenge the way that we do things moving forward to further enhance what we do and how we do it, and I am looking forward to leading the team throughout that process.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Mark the best of luck as he moves to the next chapter in his life.”
Find out more about our award-winning legal services for businesses and individuals at www.bannerjones.co.uk
Long-serving Head of Charities at BHP to retire
Jane Marshall, Partner and Head of Charities and Not-for-Profit at BHP, is to retire from her role at the end of March after 37 years at the firm.
As one of the leading independent accountancy firms in the North, Jane has helped grow the firm’s charities and not-for-profit expertise, leading it to be repeatedly recognised, at a national level, by Charity Finance Magazine in its annual audit survey. Most recently, in December 2023, BHP was named in the top 12 Charity Audit firms in the UK.
The recognition is based on feedback from clients and saw the firm top the national table for client service, scoring 97% for charity expertise and marking the 12th consecutive year of high scores for the firm. Following Jane’s retirement, Audit and Charities’ Partner, Laura Masheder will take on the role as Head of Charities and Not-for-Profit.
Jane founded BHP’s successful annual Charity Conference in 2005, after realising there was no provision for such high calibre events outside of London. Over the intervening 18 years, 15 conferences have been held, with the 2023 event attracting over 100 delegates from charities across the region to hear about the latest developments in the charity sector. During her time with the firm, Jane has also been a member of the ICAEW Charity Committee and was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of South Yorkshire in 2017.
Jane began her work with charities and not-for-profits in the 1990s, before becoming Head of Charities in 2005 and Partner in 2008. She has overseen the team’s growth to be 65-strong, with professionals from across BHP’s five offices currently supporting over 250 charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Laura Masheder will be supported by three partners and three Director Responsible Individuals (RI). Laura is an accomplished Partner and has specialised in the charity and not-for-profit sector for over a decade. She has been working alongside Jane since joining BHP’s charity team in October 2022 and has a wide range of experience providing audit, compliance, technical accounting and compliance services to many charities and owner managed businesses.
Jane said: “I’ve enjoyed many happy years with BHP and have seen the firm grow from one office in Sheffield in the 1980s to be represented now by five offices, covering the whole of Yorkshire and North Derbyshire and serving an enviable client base. I’m enormously proud of the Charities and Not for Profit team we’ve developed, and I know it will flourish and grow further under Laura’s leadership.
“I wish the firm every success in what’s to come and will continue to champion the expert work and values of everyone involved in the firm.”
BHP Joint CEO Lisa Leighton said: “Jane will be greatly missed by her colleagues, clients and so many of her friends and associates across the firm and the industry. She has shared her vast knowledge and experience with countless team members over the last 37 years and leaves a lasting legacy within our Charities team.
I’d like to thank Jane for her commitment and dedication to BHP and the not-for-profit sector and wish her a very happy retirement.”
Laura added: “Jane has played a key role in establishing BHP as a Northern powerhouse within the third sector and I look forward, along with the rest of the team, to continuing to support our clients as they navigate what can only be described as a challenging economic period.
Personally, I wish Jane all the best for her retirement and can’t thank her enough for sharing her expertise and guidance with me since I joined the firm.”
The businesses featured in this article support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
