Funded Childcare
Are you a working parent of a young child? You may be entitled to free childcare.
Find out more information about funded childcare on the Nottinghamshire County Council website or give them a call.
link: Help with childcare costs - Nottinghamshire County Council
telephone 0300 500 8080
Schools and Ofsted
You can find a school in the Ashfield area:
link: Search for a school - Nottinghamshire County Council.
search for an Ofsted inspection at schools in Ashfield
link: Schools in Ashfield - Ofsted.
Libraries
There are 8 libraries in the Ashfield area with a variety of activities aimed at young ones of all ages with Rattle, Rhyme, and Roll sessions for babies and toddlers, and games clubs for older children with community jigsaws, board games, and Lego. Libraries in the Ashfield area include Annesley Woodhouse, Hucknall, Huthwaite, Jacksdale Community Partnership, Kirkby in Ashfield Library and Learning Centre, Selston, Skegby and Stanton Hill, and Sutton in Ashfield.
link: Libraries in Ashfield - Inspire Culture
Learn how to become a library member for free to borrow books and items, and use eResources, across Nottinghamshire's libraries:
link: Joining and using libraries - Inspire Culture
Pictured: The front of Hucknall Library
Whether you’re starting, maintaining, growing, or moving your business, the Business Support Team at Ashfield can help you reach your goals through a bespoke service that allows you to plan for the bright future of your enterprise. Careers are also top of the agenda at Ashfield, whether that’s advice on being self-employed, how to upskill, find grants and investment, or change your career.
Business Support Team
The business support team is your first point of contact if you need business advice or permissions from the council but don't know where to start. They can help guide you through the range of council services that your business may need to contact including simplifying access to available business support opportunities, including grant funding.
This service is free and you can contact the business support team either by email with specific questions, but please remember to tell them a little bit about your company, so they can identify which support opportunities and grants are most suitable for your business. Alternatively, if you prefer to speak to a member of our team or you have more complex commercial challenges to discuss, then you can request a 30 minute online video meeting.
email: business.support@ashfield.gov.uk
link: Business Support - Ashfield District Council
Success in Ashfield
Are you a business in Ashfield looking for news, support, and networking opportunities with other local businesses? The Succeed in Ashfield social media pages are available for business owners and managers. Join our Succeed in Ashfield Facebook page or follow Succeed in Ashfield on LinkedIn.
link: Succeed in Ashfield Facebook page
link: Succeed in Ashfield on LinkedIn
Business networking event 2024 - YouTube
Career Boost
Are you looking for work or hoping to change career? Do you want to gain new qualifications or need support in starting a new business? Look no further than Career Boost on Ashfield District Council website, providing plenty of useful advice. Career Boost features information on self-employment, jobs fairs and news, and access to training and skills development. The web pages includes many partner organisations that offer career transition support services across Ashfield, including the Department for Work and Pensions, Citizens Advice Ashfield, Nottingham Trent University, University of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NHS Foundation Trust, and Vision West Notts College.
link: Career Boost - Ashfield District Council
Careers Fair 2023 - YouTube
Ashfield’s Education and Skills Improvement Plan
Ashfield District Council has developed a 10 year plan (2022 to 2031), which is the evidence base for local education and skills insights, priorities, success stories, and initiatives, delivered by Ashfield’s Education and Skills Partnership. It offers a reflection on Ashfield’s education and skills journey to date and outlines the strategic direction of travel that will enable people, businesses, and communities in our district to build back, to aspire, thrive, and prosper going forward.
Drawing on our skills and labour market strengths, challenges and ambitions, this plan aims to act as a springboard for future engagements, creative partnerships and conversations, where a diversity of voices from across the skills spectrum are heard, including employers, educators, learners, and policymakers. It offers a wealth of insights and ideas for use by any individual or organisation with an interest in education and skills development in Ashfield.
link: Ashfield District Council Education and Skills Improvement Plan 2022 to 2031
Get in touch if you have ideas to help shape our strategic direction, or you can add value to discussions within the council's Education and Skills Partnerships.
email: business.support@ashfield.gov.uk
Business funding, networks, and events
East Midlands Combined County Authority Growth Hub
East Midlands Combined County Authority Growth Hub is a business support network that provides information and advice on funding, events, and workshops across the two counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. It offers information on local sources of funding and national schemes that provide grants and investment to support businesses at different stages of development, including start-up, innovation, and growth.
link: Managing finance - East Midlands Combined County Authority Growth Hub
link: Events - East Midlands Combined County Authority Growth Hub
Mansfield and Ashfield 2020
Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 has a range of useful information to help with business networking and growth support across the two neighbouring areas. This organisation offers advice on how to promote a business to raise its profile, how to grow your network, and delivers business support and training. There are regular networking events, including breakfast and lunch meetings and annual awards, where advice, ideas, products, and services can be shared.
link: Mansfield and Ashfield 2020
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) provides support to businesses through a range of opportunities from working with undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduates, to attending events to connect with students, workshops, and training. The university also offers a consultancy service that links up businesses with experts in a number of areas, including design and manufacturing, art and heritage, business and legal support, and architecture and the built environment.
Learn about how NTU can help your business.
To discover more contact:
telephone 0115 848 8899
email: workingwithyou@ntu.ac.uk
link: Business and employers - Nottingham Trent University (NTU)
link: How can NTU help your business - Nottingham Trent University (NTU)
The East Midlands Chamber
The East Midlands Chamber connects businesses and communities across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire with business support services, workforce training, and development, and aids the national and international ambitions of East Midlands businesses. The organisation lobbies for local investment and development of infrastructure needed to support the economic activities in the region.
link: East Midlands Chamber
link: Events - East Midlands Chamber
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) helps small businesses achieve their ambitions by offering members a wide range of free business resources through the FSB Knowledge Hub. The group provides financial expertise and support through jargon-free articles, guides, webinars, and training opportunities designed for small businesses and the self-employed.
link: Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
link: Knowledge Hub - Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
Business grants
If you are an established business looking to grow, there may be grants available to help you develop your projects.
Finding available grants
You can search for available grants using the following websites:
- website: Grants online
- website: Grant Nav - threesixtygiving
- website: Grant finder
- website: Funds online
- website: Business finance support - GOV.UK (external link)
Local grants available
SWEF Programme
The SWEF fund is a national charity initiative, aimed at enhancing the activities of young business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs. If you are aged between 18 to 30 years old, from a low-income household or facing other challenges preventing you from developing your business, and you live and work Nottinghamshire then this programme may help you with grant funding up to £2000. You can be at pre-start, start up or established trading stages as long as you have not been trading for over 2 years.
This grant can be used to help pay towards:
- equipment that will help a business bring in a second revenue stream
- equipment that will help a business increase production where there is proven demand
- materials/stock for a new product line
- prototypes
- website/booking system build.
- training
- product development
- website: SWEF grant programme
- website: SWEF funding
Invest to grow
The University of Derby's Invest to Grow programme provides loans and grants to support private sector businesses across the East Midlands, to innovate, grow, and create new jobs or safeguard existing jobs. Funding can cover 30 percent of agreed capital project costs, therefore an award of £15,000 would be for a minimum project cost of £50,000. The maximum award is £250,000. This is a Regional Growth Fund (RGF) grant, with no closing date.
- email: investtogrow@derby.ac.uk
- website: Invest to grow
Innovate UK Business Growth
Attracting funding to support innovation is a key priority for fast growing, innovative businesses that ultimately want to scale up. Innovate UK Business Growth can support you to develop your finance and funding strategy and review your application as a critical friend. This is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment to drive economic growth, and work with industry sector specialists that can support all types of businesses across our region.
- email: information@emc-dnl.co.uk
- website: Innovate UK business growth
Business Parks
There are many advantages for a business when moving to Ashfield, in Nottinghamshire, whether that is great transport links by air, road, and train, close proximity to major Midlands cities and towns, or the chance to be part of the area’s manufacturing and logistics hubs. Ashfield has a number of premises at business parks across the region, with the opportunity to find units that suit specific infrastructure needs.
Castlewood Business Park
Address: Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 1BX
link: Castlewood Business Park
Castlewood Business Park offers bespoke industrial and distribution units ranging from 12,000 square feet to 210,000 square feet. Units are available on both a leasehold and freehold basis, constructed to meet the occupier’s specific needs. Castlewood is at the heart of a major centre for manufacturing and logistics and close to East Midlands Airport, the A38 and M1 motorway, Sutton Parkway train station, and Midlands cities including Birmingham, Leeds, and Leicester. Current tenants include Co-op, Costa Coffee, Greggs, Midland Aerospace, Bombardier Transportation, and Parker Knoll.
Harrier Park
Address: Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, NG15 6EU
link: Harrier Park Brochure [PDF]
Harrier Park is a 67-acre industrial, manufacturing, and distribution development, created through a joint venture between site owner Rolls-Royce and Muse Developments. The site is part of a long-term project that will include commercial space, industrial units, homes, a primary school, and community facilities. It will provide one million square feet of employment space, offered on a build to suit basis, and properties are available from 40,000 square feet up to 600,000 square feet. The site offers easy access to junctions 26 and 27 of the M1 motorway that can be reached via a link road from the Hucknall Bypass.
Sherwood Business Park
Address: Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, NG15 6EU
link: Sherwood Business Park
Sherwood Business Park is a 135-acre business park located just off junction 27 of the M1, with more than 70 large businesses covering sectors such as manufacturing, energy suppliers, and charities. The site is also home to Pure Offices Nottingham with more than 40 businesses that use its co-working space and meeting rooms. The 4-star boutique Mour Hotel is located there with a restaurant and bar, and visitors can also enjoy the popular Lakeside Café. Current tenants at Sherwood Business Park include Dell, Eon, Eddie Stobart, L’Oreal, Pendragon, and Tsubaki UK.
Be Healthy, Be Happy
The Ashfield Health and Wellbeing Partnership (previously known as Active Ashfield) is embedded within Discover Ashfield and leads the Be Healthy, Be Happy message on its behalf. Its aims are to create a healthier and happier lifestyle for children, young people, and adults in Ashfield through new and improved leisure facilities. Also by encouraging healthy eating, to shop locally, and help families gain access to free or low-cost activities. 
Pictured: Kirkby Leisure Centre swimming pool. Changes to tackle health inequalities and improve facilities within the community have been at the forefront of the programme.
One of the ways in which this strategy moved forward was the Ashfield Leisure Transformation programme with its new leisure facility in Kirkby in Ashfield, additional water space at Hucknall Leisure Centre, and investment in Lammas Leisure Centre, in Sutton in Ashfield.
The Feel Good Food project launched in Sutton in Ashfield by Michelin Star award-winning chef Jean Christophe Novelli in May 2019 offered cook and eat sessions and healthy eating events, to help increase the skills and confidence of residents to eat healthily while also shopping locally. Following the project, the Feeding Ashfield network was created. This is a network of local food banks, food clubs, and other services (public, private, and voluntary) working to tackle food insecurities by providing improved access to food and educational opportunities throughout the district.
Find out more about the network and how to get involved
The Feel Good Families project was launched to give families the chance to be part of free or low-cost activities within their local area, including themed park trails, arts and crafts, community events, learn to cycle sessions, cookery sessions, dance, and ice skating. A survey completed by families who engaged in these activities shared a positive impact on their family’s physical activity levels and mental wellbeing, and highlighted the benefits of trying new things and exploring the local area. The Feel Good Families Facebook page is a great place to find opportunities for families within Ashfield. 
'It is simply not right that those living in certain places, of those with disabilities or long term health conditions for example, have a lower healthy life expectancy than others.'
Ashfield Health and Wellbeing Partnership Strategy Be Healthy, Be Happy, 2021-2025
Learn about the Health and Wellbeing Groups in Ashfield
Get in touch if your organisation can provide activities for families for the Ashfield Health and Wellbeing Partnership.
Email: healthandwellbeing@ashfield.gov.uk
There is a huge variety of sports and activities to enjoy within Ashfield, to help you get fit, have fun with friends, and support a healthy lifestyle. Take your pick from award-winning leisure centres and parks to tennis courts and top-quality synthetic pitches for football and hockey. There are also miles of scenic trails for walking, running, and cycling, and for those early risers plenty of parkruns across the area for all ages.
Brierley Forest parkrun, Huthwaite
Brierley Forest parkrun is a free 5k community event held every Saturday at 9am at Brierley Forest Park, Huthwaite.
Hucknall junior parkrun, Hucknall
Hucknall junior parkrun is a free 2k community event for 4 to 14-year-olds held every Sunday at 9am at Titchfield Park, Hucknall.
Pictured: Titchfield Park
Sutton Lawn junior parkrun, Sutton in Ashfield
Sutton Lawn parkrun is a free 2k community event for 4 to 14-year-olds held every Sunday at 9am at Sutton Lawn, Sutton in Ashfield.
Cycling, National Cycle Route 6
This cycle route is 390 miles long, and runs from London to Threlkeld in Cumbria, passing through Ashfield near Hucknall and Annesley. Plan your cycling route through Nottinghamshire with the Sustrans website or with CycleStreets.
Walking routes in Nottinghamshire
There are miles of off-road trails in Ashfield and the beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside with routes suitable for walking, cycling, and horse-riding.
Cosey Mosey Walking Group
A walking group aimed at older people who enjoy a leisurely stroll rather than a fast-paced ramble. Run by Our Centre, in Kirkby in Ashfield, the free Friday walks take people to the wonderful green spaces in the area, including at Brierley Forest Park, Kingsway Park, and Mill Waters. There is a fully accessible bus available for a small charge to take walkers there and back. For more information, call 01623 753192.
Seated exercise class sessions
Held at Our Centre, in Kirkby in Ashfield, every Tuesday and Friday from 11am. The gentle chair-based exercises designed to suit all abilities are delivered by a qualified instructor. The sessions are £3 and transport to the venue is available at an additional cost.
Join a cancer support walking group at Kings Mill Reservoir, in Sutton in Ashfield, for some gentle exercise and fresh air to boost wellbeing and meet like-minded people. Organised by Macmillan Cancer Support, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust, and Self Help UK, this group is for patients, family members, carers, and health professionals. It is held the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 1pm from the reservoir side car park. For more details, call 01623 622515 ext.6499 or email: sfh-tr.cancer.info@nhs.net
Find out about sports and clubs in the area on our Places to Visit page.
Links to funding and support to help run a sports club or group:
Active Notts – The main aim of Active Notts is to get people moving. It offers advice on funding and a range of coaching courses and workshops.
Ashfield District Council – The council runs a number of annual events, where sports groups can promote their clubs or offer activities. To take part, email: events@ashfield.gov.uk
Ashfield Voluntary Action (AVA) – AVA can help set up a new sports group or club, aid with governance, funding, insurance, and help advertise volunteer vacancies.
Buddle – Buddle has free resources and workshops for grassroots sports clubs and community organisations who want to engage new communities and existing members.
Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) – CPSU has guides and advice on policies and procedures to help ensure children are safeguarded and what to do if you have a concern.
Nottingham Community Voluntary Service (NCVS) – Supports groups to write funding applications and offers details of grants and advice on budgeting.
Forever Notts – Forever Notts has useful information on grants and also provides a bid writing service (charge applies).
Notts Help Yourself – An online directory to promote a club or group free of charge. Notts Help Yourself is regularly updated and is promoted widely across Nottinghamshire.
The King’s Trust – Grants are offered by The King's Trust to help young people into training, education, employment, or to set up their own business and promote other funding opportunities.
UK Coaching – Helps anyone that's encouraging others to become active including new and experienced coaches, mentors and instructors, and offers workshops, training, guidance, insurance, and networking opportunities.
There are many volunteering roles across the Ashfield district that help the community, as well as provide the chance to learn fresh skills and meet new people. Whatever your age, background or skillset, there could be an opportunity for you as a volunteer.
Ashfield District Council volunteering programme includes opportunities such as assisting at events and on special projects, environmental volunteering, and roles in health and wellbeing.
Ashfield Voluntary Action (AVA) has a wide database of volunteering opportunities. Charity AVA has a range of interesting roles including in fundraising, literacy, befriending, and delivery.
Citizens Advice Ashfield trains people to become an advisor, campaigner, or trustee, learning vital team and interviewing skills along the way.
FoodCycle have an vision to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community. With community dining, week in, week out, they feed the hungry and give company to the lonely in communities.
Inspire Community Makers help deliver cultural and learning services across Nottinghamshire and volunteers are a key part of the service. Services include libraries, arts, archives, learning, youth arts, and music. Whether you have a few minutes, a couple of hours, or a day, get involved to become an Inspire Volunteer. Tasks can include completing learning surveys, joining a pool of Inspire Online Book Club Readers, or helping to run arts events.
Become a part of the volunteer team at Mill Waters to learn fresh skills, make new friends, and enjoy the great outdoors. Volunteer opportunities include volunteer ranger; event volunteer; heritage and conservation volunteer; information and design volunteer; survey volunteer, and volunteer walk leader.
Complete a volunteer enquiry form for Mill Waters
Learn about the experience of a volunteer at Mill Waters
Portland Charity is a specialist college, residential care provider, and Centre of Excellence for Autism. There are many opportunities to get involved at its campus and sites across Nottinghamshire to meet new people, develop new skills, and help improve the lives of people with disabilities. Volunteer within its educational programme, transport learners and citizens as a minibus driver, and help shape the landscape of the Woodland Adventure Zone and campus. To find out more contact 01623 499111 ext 202 or email: jordanbooth@portland.ac.uk
For more information about volunteering roles, email: volunteering@ashfield.gov.uk
If you are part of an organisation with a volunteer programme, share volunteer roles by emailing: place@ashfield.gov.uk
Ashfield is well served by public transport links running through the district and across Nottinghamshire. The area has three train stations at Hucknall, Kirkby in Ashfield, and Sutton Parkway.
Learn about tram times and routes at Nottingham Express Transit (NET)
Find out bus service times and routes at trentbarton
Discover train timetables at East Midlands Railway (EMR)
Across Ashfield, you will find nature totems in 6 of our parks.
Each park has a theme, along with sensory totem poles and a magnifying post.
Brierley Forest and Portland Park - Woodland Theme
The theme at Brierley Forest and Portland Park is woodland. Explore the parks to find a hedgehog, badger, fox and deer. Find out more about these animals by clicking the links below.
Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus):
Hedgehogs spend much of their lives asleep and hibernate through the winter months in a nest made from fallen leaves. The Irish word for hedgehog is ‘gainneog’, which means ‘ugly little thing’ but we think they’re really cute!
Find out more about Hedgehog's here.
Badger (Meles meles):
Badgers are the UKs largest land predator and therefore a wood's ruling clan. Badgers live in large family groups in burrows under the ground called a ‘sett’ which they usually keep neat and tidy.
Find out more about Badger's here.
Fox (Vuples vulpes):
A familiar character with a bushy tail. The fox is equally at home in woodlands and on our streets. The diet of a fox includes everything from birds and beetles to rabbits and rats.
Find out more about Fox's here.
Roe Deer (Capreolus capeolus):
The roe deer is native to the UK and widespread across woodland, farmland, grassland and heathland habitats. The roe deer tends to be solitary in summer but forms small groups during winter.
Find out more about Roe Deer here.
Kings Mill Reservoir - Butterfly Theme
The theme at Kings Mill Reservoir is butterflies. Explore the trail to find the butterflies and find out more about them be clicking the links below.
Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io):
Deep-red in colour, the Peacock Butterfly has black spots and blue 'eyespots' on its wings that look just like a Peacocks tail feathers. These butterflies can be seen feeding on flowers all year-round.
Find out more about the Peacock Butterfly.
Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni):
The Brimstone Butterfly is pale yellow in colour with distinctive, veiny, leaf-shaped wings. You are most likely to see these butterflies in gardens, woodlands and parks during the spring.
Find out more about the Brimstone Butterfly.
Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus):
Found in a variety of grassy habitats, this is the most widespread blue butterfly in Britain. The bright blue coloured males are easier to identify whereas the females can be a little trickier. The colour of the upper wings of females vary from mostly blue to almost completely brown.
Find out more about the Common Blue Butterfly.
Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa atalanta):
This black-and-red butterfly can be seen feeding on flowers on warm days all year-round. Most red admirals are migrants to the UK from North Africa and continental Europe, arriving in spring.
Find out more about the Red Admiral Butterfly.
Selston Country Park – Owl Theme
The theme at Selston Country Park is owls. Explore the trail to find the owls and find out more about them be clicking the links below.
Tawny Owl (Strix aluco):
Well known for their ‘too-wit too-woo’ that can be heard at night-time, it might surprise you to hear that this isn’t the call of a single bird. Instead, this is a male and female calling to each other. The female makes a ‘too-wit’ sound and the male answers with ‘too-woo’!
Find out more about the Tawny Owl.
Barn Owl (Tyto alba):
With a heart-shaped face, the Barn Owl is a distinctive and much-loved countryside bird. Barn Owls are birds of prey, using their sensitive hearing and the ability to spot movement in very low light to hunt small mammals.
Find out more about the Barn Owl.
Little Owl (Athene noctua):
This small owl was introduced to the UK in the 19th century. It can be seen in the early morning often perching on a tree branch, pole or fence post. The Little Owl has rounded wings and flies with a slight bounce.
Find out more about the Little Owl.
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus):
The Long-eared Owl is a medium-sized owl with head feathers known as ear tufts it raises when alarmed. This owl lives in dense woodlands and is a skillful hunter.
Find out more about the Long-eared Owl.
Sutton Lawn - Bee Theme
The theme at Sutton Lawn is bees. Explore the trail to find the bees and find out more about them be clicking the links below.
White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus Iucorum):
A black-and-yellow bee with a bright white 'tail'. This is a social bumble bee that emerges early in the spring and can be found feeding in gardens, woodlands, farmland and heaths right through to Autumn.
Find out more about the White-tailed bumblebee.
Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius):
The red-tailed bumblebee is black with a big, red 'tail'. It can be found in gardens, farmland, woodland edges, hedgerows and heathland: anywhere there are flowers to feed on.
Find out more about the Red-tailed bumblebee.
Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum):
One of the most common bumblebees, the common carder bee is a fluffy, gingery bee. It is a social bee, nesting in cavities, old birds' nests and mossy lawns. Nest may contain up to 200 workers.
Find out more about the Common Carder Bee.
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera):
These little bees are hard workers, living in large hives made of wax honeycombs and are famous for the honey that they produce. Each hive has a queen that lays eggs whilst the workers care for the young.
Find out more about the Honey Bee.
Titchfield Park, Hucknall – Insect theme
The theme at Titchfield Park, Hucknall is insects. Explore the trail to find the bees and find out more about them be clicking the links below.
Dragonfly:
Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects in the UK, reaching speeds of nearly 30 miles per hour. They can use each of their four wings independently to fly forwards, backwards, sideways, and hover making them great hunters.
Find out more about Dragonflies here.
Butterfly:
Butterflies play crucial roles in the food chain as well as being pollinators of plants. The UK has 59 species of butterflies – 57 resident species of butterflies and two regular migrants – the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow.
Find out more about Butterflies here.
Bee:
Bees come in many shapes and sizes and are vital to our planet. Bee’s work hard to pollinate trees, flowers and farmers crops which enables us and other animals to eat. Without bees we would struggle to survive.
Find out more about Bee's here.
Ladybird:
There are more than 40 species of ladybird in Britain. Many are predatory on aphids and other insects that love to nibble on garden plants making them very popular with gardeners. You can encourage them into your garden by putting up a bug box.
Find out more about Ladybird's here.
