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A Chesterfield business with decades of history has grown with the help of a Derbyshire-wide scheme offering support and funding.

The Vision Derbyshire business support scheme offers free, impartial advice and support to new businesses. It also provides grant funding of up to £10,000 to eligible businesses.

To date, more than £280,000 has been issued in grant funding to support entrepreneurs across the county.

One of the businesses to receive the support is Chesterfield-based CK’s Fruit, Veg and Flowers – formerly known as Ibbotson’s – a name that has become a staple of the town for decades.

Businesses across Derbyshire have benefitted from the scheme.
Credit: Destination Chesterfield — Businesses across Derbyshire have benefitted from the scheme. Credit: Destination Chesterfield

Their shop in Hasland offers quality local produce, such as honey from Wingerworth, potatoes from Calow and various vegetables from Holymoorside.

Rich Jones, co-owner of CK’s Fruit and Veg, said: “Without the support of the Vision Derbyshire team we wouldn’t have been able to install new fridges, cutting our energy usage by 2/3, and certainly wouldn’t have been able to justify the creation of our E-Commerce website where our full range of fruit, veg and flowers are available to buy for delivery across the whole of Chesterfield.

“Schemes like this don’t only provide financial support for projects and improvements, they also have training and support behind the scenes to help you succeed as a business. These can include one-to-one conversations, webinars or in-person training days at the colleges and other training providers in the area.

“It’s very easy as a small business owner to feel alone, however the team have supported us over the last 12 months and are always there if we’ve got a question or query.”

Rich said the scheme had helped the business slash its energy costs.
Credit: Destination Chesterfield — Rich said the scheme had helped the business slash its energy costs. Credit: Destination Chesterfield

Rich hopes the shop will help to provide a quality and good-value local service to people across Chesterfield, providing an alternative to the major supermarket chains.

He added: “We’re really keen to get our little business and the amazing products out there to the wider Chesterfield area. Supermarkets provide an amazing amount of convenience and it’s not always easy to get to your local fruit and veg shop or florist and that’s where we’re hoping to make that little bit of difference. What’s more, we deliver it directly to your door. Find us at our website or on Facebook.”

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Coun Tricia Gilby, economic lead for Vision Derbyshire and Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to see CK’s Fruit, Veg & Flowers develop and grow thanks to support from our Vision Derbyshire business start-up support scheme. Helping businesses to be sustainable is a key objective for the scheme, and I wish the team all the best for the future.”

Thinking of launching a business in Chesterfield? For more information on starting and growing your organisation in the town, go to the link here.

Well-loved Chesterfield business benefits from support scheme offering up to £10,000 in grants