Peter Swallow Blog Archives - Destination Chesterfield

Chair’s blog: “Make a difference to independent businesses this Christmas”

1st November 2023

Christmas is approaching rapidly, which means we’ll soon see Chesterfield lit up once again. With twinkly lights, trees dressed in tinsel, and our favourite festive tunes on repeat, it’s a truly exciting time for everyone.

With so many activities to enjoy in the town, you can make many precious memories with your loved ones this Christmas period.

Regular events like the Christmas Lights Switch On, the Crooked Spire’s Festival of Christmas Trees, and the pantomime are returning. I’m very much looking forward to this year’s production of Aladdin, which will be headlined by The Chase star, Anne Hegerty… Oh yes, it will!

In our historic town centre, festive editions of the Chesterfield Artisan Market provide plenty of opportunity to source some of your favourite festive goodies. The regular market will also trade every day from Thursday 14^th December, right up until Christmas Eve, making sure you can stock up on all your favourites before the big day.

And that’s not all… Santa Claus is coming to town once again! He’ll be back in his grotto at Chesterfield Market Hall, offering a chance for your youngsters to meet the man himself. You’ll also be able to catch Santa on Chesterfield Canal, so keep your eye out for their special cruises.

We’re getting into the festive spirit at Destination Chesterfield, by encouraging you to shop, eat, drink, and spend time in the local area this Christmas. We’re supporting local businesses by showcasing the best gifts, experiences and produce in the area.

Last year’s ‘Christmas in Chesterfield’ campaign was seen more than a million times online. This time around, we’re hoping to inspire more people to see what the town has to offer.

There are plenty of ways you can support Chesterfield over the festive period. Whether you’re buying gifts from local retailers or going for a meal in one of the town’s superb restaurants. We know that high streets across the country are facing challenges, so anything you can do to support your small businesses will make a big difference.

That said, businesses need your support all year round to sustain themselves and make our town thrive. We all have a daily choice whether to use the online giants or to take those extra few moments to see if we can source a product or service locally. It is simple – we use it, or we lose it.

I’ll leave you with a quote which I read recently from the team at Adorn Jewellers, based in The Shambles, one of many unique independent businesses in our town. – They said: “Christmas is a time for joy and hope. By choosing independent businesses this year, you will help to keep Chesterfield a vibrant town and bring happiness to our small business community.”

For more details on the great activities taking place across Chesterfield this festive season, go to www.chesterfield.co.uk/christmas/

Chair’s blog: “How do we continue to adapt, change perceptions, and inspire our next generation?”

4th October 2023

‘Nothing is made in the UK anymore’: a sweeping statement I’ve heard many times over the years. Yet, 2.5 million people currently work in manufacturing in the UK.

Did you know that in Chesterfield 4,000 people are working in the sector? With industries ranging from food and drink to rail and aerospace, we have a breadth of opportunities for young people.

Projects are moving forward to strengthen our future talent pipeline in the key sectors of manufacturing, engineering, and construction.

The new Construction Skills Hub is now operating in Staveley. This pioneering project will provide 5,000 young people with the chance to learn on a live site. Courses include bench joinery, brickwork, groundworks, and electrical installation to name a few.

In nearby Barrow Hill, The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) will include state-of-the-art training facilities for the rail sector. This project is evidence of our town capitalising on the landscape around us, with key rail firms such as Bombardier and Alstom having a strong presence in Derbyshire.

So, how do we continue to adapt, change perceptions, and inspire our next generation?

Since 2014, the innovative Made in Chesterfield project has enabled more than 3,500 school pupils to visit our local manufacturing, engineering, and property businesses to see behind the scenes and discover what a career in these industries might involve.

Businesses offering ‘Made in Chesterfield’ tours this year include Europe’s most prestigious cast iron foundry United Cast Bar, Weightron Bilanciai – an international firm that makes industrial weighbridges, and Superior Wellness, a hot tub manufacturer listed as one of the UK’s top 50 fastest growing businesses.

We are once again excited to promote another cohort of young people engaging with our range of innovative organisations, and I hope it will inspire them to become our next generation of highly skilled individuals.

All too often, I hear stories of children being told that going to university is the only way to ensure they receive high-level qualifications and good jobs. In Chesterfield, we were the first town in the country to proudly declare itself an ‘Apprentice Town,’ as part of efforts to bust those myths.

Apprenticeship and training programs are widely available in Chesterfield, providing individuals with the opportunity to develop specific skills and gain real-world experience. Did you know many of those apprenticeships can also be studied to a degree level? Not to mention the opportunity to earn while you learn.

Would your children benefit from a business tour this November? Or would your business like to open its doors to young people? Please do get in touch with the team at Destination Chesterfield to find out more or visit www.chesterfield.co.uk/made.

Destination Chesterfield Chair, Peter Swallow speaks at Celebrate Chesterfield 2023