X-Factor’s Chelsea and young musicians urge tourists to ‘get here’ as Peak District takes world stage

X-Factor contestant and Chesterfield singer Chelsea Redfern and pupils from a Bakewell school are helping the Peak District hit the high notes in a new film showcasing the special magic of holidaying in the area to a global audience.

Chelsea (17) and young musicians from Lady Manners School have teamed up with official tourist board Visit Peak District & Derbyshire to create inspirational footage that will be used to lure visitors from all over the world to come and stay throughout 2012 and beyond.

Chelsea – who made boot camp and reached the top 16 in the girls’ category of X-Factor 2011 – sings vocals on the song ‘Get Here’, a 1990s hit for Oleta Adams, used as a soundtrack for the tourist board’s two-minute film to boost the Peak District’s image as a world-class destination.

Musicians accompanying Chelsea in the film – issued under licensed agreement with Warner Brothers Music Inc – include pupils from Lady Manners School on strings, piano and bass guitar.

Songwriter Brenda Russell and Warner Brothers Music have given Visit Peak District & Derbyshire permission to use the song as part of a musical and visual magnet to attract more international tourists.

And the stunning result was premiered to an invited audience in the Theatre at Chatsworth on Wednesday December 14, before going viral as part of the tourist board’s promotional work with VisitEngland and VisitBritain.

It also features on the online visitbritain.tv in more than 100 countries, as well as on the tourist board’s own website, Get Here TV, YouTube and other websites promoting visits to the area. 

“The words of Get Here are a perfect fit with the fabulous film footage we have shot to spread the message about the superb variety of scenery, fantastic range of activities and attractions and matchless history and heritage the Peak District has to offer,” said David Thornton, Head of Marketing and Deputy Chief Executive at Visit Peak District & Derbyshire.

“The original idea came from Lady Manners School pupil Darcy Rae, whose mum Lindsay works with us here at the tourist board. We’re delighted that teachers and pupils at the school and Chelsea agreed to get involved, and that Brenda Russell and Warner Brothers Music have given their blessing to, this imaginative project, which will give us huge scope to broadcast the beauty of the area and the benefits of holidaying here across the world.

“Both the words and images perfectly encapsulate the simple, but effective message we will be trying to convey to prospective visitors during 2012 and beyond as part of our ongoing marketing work with the national tourist boards to reach as wide an audience as possible.”

Joss Croft, Head of Marketing at VisitBritain added: “The romance and splendour of the Peak District has already been captured in blockbusters like Jane Eyre and The Duchess. To now have a dedicated film that brings together all the wonderful experiences that overseas visitors can have in the area is a great way to spread the word about one of the UK’s most beautiful regions, and an ideal way to encourage more people to come and enjoy the fantastic range of things to see and do.”

Chelsea Redfern said: “I feel so privileged to be involved in this project, as I am very proud to be from such a beautiful part of the world. It means so much to have been asked to sing this well-known track for the film, and I hope I have done it justice.”

Sharon Sansom, Deputy Headteacher at Lady Manners School added: “At Lady Manners School, we really value being part of our community, and we were very pleased to be asked to take part. Students thoroughly enjoyed making the recording, which was a fitting activitiy at the end of our first year as a specialist school for music.”

(Source: Vist Peak District & Derbyshire) 

Last Updated on Thursday, 22 December 2011 15:53

New deal sees Shirebrook Academy invite the community to use its facilities at their leisure

People living in Shirebrook will soon have more choice to what to do in their evenings after a local school agreed to open its doors to the public out of hours.

Shirebrook Academy, on Common Lane, has signed a deal with Bolsover District Council which will allow the community to use its leisure and recreational facilities when the school is shut from next January.

Under the agreement, local clubs, groups or individuals will be able to book activities and sessions through the district council. The range of facilities available will include the school’s two sports halls, theatre, dance studio, tennis courts and ICT suite. The council’s own sports coaches will provide a series of health and fitness activities, while the school will also provide adult education courses.

Julie Bloor, principal at Shirebrook Academy, said: “We have always wanted to be a community academy in every sense of the word and playing a more active role in the community is part of our corporate vision, so we decided we’d like to open our facilities to the public in the evenings.

“However, because we didn’t want to do anything that would affect Kissingate, we approached the council to see if we could work together.

“I am delighted with the outcome. Not only will local people put our facilities to good use at a time when they are otherwise lying idle, inviting parents and carers to visit the school on a regular basis helps us to forge better links with our pupils’ families.”

The district council - which runs a similar scheme with Frederick Gent School in South Normanton - is one of the most proactive authorities in the region when it comes to encouraging residents to lead more active lifestyles and runs a number of successful fitness and healthy living campaigns.

Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Councillor Ann Syrett said, “We do not have the money to build new leisure facilities so partnership working such as this is essential if we are to help our residents keep active and live healthy lifestyles. 

“We are always looking at new and innovative ways of providing leisure activities and by opening up the school’s facilities we will be able to virtually double the range of activities and sessions we can put on for the benefit of local residents. And with the London 2012 Olympic Games looming, we want to build on this and provide a sporting legacy for the town.”

And the range of options will be even wider in two years’ time, when the academy opens its new £25m state-of-the-art building, boasting a well equipped sports hall, a floodlit 3G astroturf pitch with club room and, bringing back the movie-going experience to the town, a 200-seat cinema equipped with 3-D projection.

Date issued: 20th December 2011

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 December 2011 16:49

30 Appenticeships on offer

Thirty young people are being given the chance to bypass the unemployment line and join our successful Apprenticeship Programme.Apprenticeship Programme

The vacancies, in ICT, arts, business administration, catering/hospitality, engineering, health care, warehousing and stores, construction and horticulture, are aimed at young people aged between 16 and 24 years old.

The positions offer young people a chance to experience working life and get a foot on the job ladder. Full training will be provided to Intermediate Level 2 or equivalent Apprenticeship Framework and those who qualify in their apprenticeships will then hopefully go on to secure long term employment with their employer or use their skills and experience with other local employers.

Council Leader, Councillor Eion Watts said, “We have already seen one-hundred and six young people pass through our Apprenticeship Programme and to offer an additional thirty the chance is great. Jobs are hard to come by these days, especially for young people and those that have just left school or college. But our Apprenticeship Programme aims to change that and will not only give them the chance to gain the qualifications they need, but will also help provide them with that much needed life and on-the-job experience that employers are looking for.”

The closing date for applications is 5pm on 5th January 2012 and interviews will take place in January. For more information and an application pack contact the Apprenticeship Team on 01246 242338.

The Apprenticeship Scheme is funded through the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, Coalfields Regeneration Trust and placement employers’ contributions.

Date issued: 20th December 2011

Fly Tip of the Week

We have launched our new ‘Fly Tip of the Week’ scheme in an effort to tackle the fly-tipping and litter which blights the local countryside.

Every week we will publish a photograph and details of material dumped in the District on our website and Social Networking sites with the hope that someone will have seen the incident or know who the items belong to.

If anyone has seen the incident, recognises what has been dumped, be it the wall paper, tiling, the furniture etc, or they know who in the area has recently had work done that may have resulted in the fly tipping, then they can contact the Council confidentially by completing their on-line fly-tipping form or telephoning 01246 242424, stating the location and description of the incident from the website.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Dennis Kelly said, “This is our latest weapon in trying to tackle this problem. We cannot be everywhere all the time, so we are using the power of the internet and social media sites to reach more people instantly.

“We are asking our local residents to be our eyes and ears and if they do see anything, they report it to us immediately so we can catch the culprits and stop them doing it again. We understand that some people may not want to give their personal details to us, but we will guarantee that the information provided to us is in the strictest of confidence.”

To view the ‘Fly Tip of the Week’ or if you have any information about fly-tipping then please visit our littering pages , complete our on-line form or telephone 01246 242424.

Date issued: 20th December 2011

Go on a £1.9 million Limestone Journey

We are all set to sign an agreement with Creswell Heritage Trust that will see £1.9million invested into the District over the next five years.

Creswell Heritage Trusts’ The Limestone Journeys Scheme aims to make the Districts’ landscape and heritage become more accessible, inclusive and enjoyable for local communities and assist with the economic and social regeneration of the area.

The Scheme is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Council have helped match fund a range of projects to help lever in the funding. Through a variety of sporting, cultural, environmental and educational activities, people will be taken on a journey to help them realise the importance of their locality and in particular the Magnesian Limestone area. 

Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Councillor Ann Syrett said, “This is a very positive scheme that comes up with a wide variety of community projects to help us make our district and heritage more accessible to people.

“More often than not, people don’t actually realise what is on their doorstep and how significant it is, but with what is planned it will show how we aim to conserve the landscape, wildlife and rich heritage of the area and encourage communities to learn about, enjoy and celebrate it.”

Communities can get involved in projects such as improvements to walks and trails, tree and bush planting, a series of walking and cycling activities and a range of practical and educational activities to raise awareness of the area. There will also be a variety of small grant schemes for landowners to help improve the appearance of the area and create sustainable habitats.

The aims of the scheme are to conserve the natural and built heritage, give people access to the natural landscape and cultural heritage of the District, develop new skills and improve the relationship between local communities and their surrounding landscapes.

The decision is subject to Scrutiny Call In, who have until 23rd December 2011, to challenge or question its decision.

Date issued: 20th December 2011

Notes to Editors:
The Derbyshire Magnesian Limestone occurs in the north east of the county as a narrow belt of elevated land, approximately 10km wide by 20km in length, which runs between Barlborough in the north to Hardwick and Pleasley in the south. The topography of the industrial coalfields in the west contrasts strongly with the low-lying regions of Nottinghamshire to the east. The HLF scheme focuses on the unique landscape and heritage that this geology has dictated and offers numerous opportunities for regeneration. This area continues to score poorly according to the index of multiple deprivation and it is the ambition of Limestone Journeys to be able to make an active contribution to its environmental, economic and social future through the programmes delivered.