Inspiring a generation?

I couldn’t write this month’s column without talking about sport and the Olympic Games. The Olympics have generated pride, passion and inspiration across the country and have created a new generation of role models as well as promoting Great Britain in a positive light across the world. Well done to Chesterfield’s Liam Pitchford for representing Team GB in the Table Tennis Team Event.

Following the success of the Olympics, we need to continue to develop the facilities and opportunities locally for people to participate in sport and I am proud to say that a number of Chesterfield Champions are involved in projects to achieve this.

Chesterfield Borough Council is working with Chesterfield College to help secure a major investment in Queen’s Park Sports Centre. The Council has agreed to move forward in principle to a dual use partnership with the College and further negotiations are taking place to bring this plan to fruition. The Council have also agreed to prepare and deliver a feasibility study to determine the best options for redeveloping the site.

Derbyshire Sport have recently launched the Derbyshire Institute of Sport with two hubs, one in Derby and one at Brampton Manor in Chesterfield. The aim of the institute is to provide high quality support to Derbyshire’s emerging talented sports performers, enabling them to achieve greater national and international success and in so doing, to enhance the reputation of Derbyshire. Further examples of sport initiatives in the area include Chesterfield Football Club and Derbyshire County Cricket Club working within in the local community and Chesterfield School Sports Partnership is promoting active lifestyles within schools.

The Olympics we’re not just about sport. UKTI, (the agency which promotes Britain to attract overseas business investment), together with Tourism agencies VisitBritain and VisitEngland have been using the opportunity of the Olympics to attract further investment and visitors to the UK. We will be continuing to work with our regional partners to market Chesterfield, promoting our inward investment opportunities and the town as a key gateway to the Peak District for visitors.

Sporting Success

It’s going to be another good sporting year for Chesterfield.  Firstly congratulations to Chesterfield FC on making the final of the Johnsons Paint Trophy at Wembley in March, this is great news for the town and the clubs success continues to raise the profile of the Chesterfield.  We will all be cheering the team on the 25^th March and hope to welcome the team home with the trophy. 

Looking ahead to the 29th June and the Olympic Torch will visit the town and later in the year we should hear if our Olympic hopefuls make their in to their respective teams, Good luck to Liam Pitchford and Hannah Lawrence.  We will be running a number of Olympic themed events for the Chesterfield Champions and will be able to tell you more about these soon.

We also have the Derbyshire County Cricket Club Festival of Cricket returning to Queens Park from the 15^th – 22^nd July including two fixtures against Yorkshire.  These events bring first class cricket to one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the county and we look forward to welcoming Derbyshire to Chesterfield again over the summer.

For the latest information on sporting and other events in the town visit our website http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/ , become a fan on facebook at www.facebook.com/chesterfielduk or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/chesterfielduk