Avoid Olympic Chaos in the Capital

A leading Midlands conferencing venue is advising companies to rethink their logistics when organising group bookings and events during next year’s Olympic season.

With London and further South hotels now having their space block booked during the summer, group bookings have become extremely difficult to accommodate in the capital and surrounding areas.

And with availability in 2012, Conference Aston is welcoming those pushed out of South East and London venues by the ‘Olympic displacement’ effect to its centrally based hotel.

Conference Aston’s head of sales and marketing Christine Page suggests a number of tour operators and larger group bookings are looking to escape the Olympic hype of next year.

“It’s great news for the Midlands and further north as those who would have traditionally chosen London or the South East hotels are being forced out through price hikes or date clashes with the Olympics and we have certainly reaped the benefits of the ‘Olympic Effect’,” she said.

“There’s no denying that the games are a fantastic revenue generator for the South East and the UK as a whole but some people wish to avoid the increased volume of visitors and travel chaos that comes hand in hand with a national event of this magnitude.”

“We are perfectly positioned to welcome those who wish to reroute their groups through the UK and avoid Heathrow and Gatwick airports by flying into Birmingham or further north and work their way down the country.

“Our central location means we are still accessible to the capital, with our venue being only an hour and half train journey.

“By rethinking the logistics of group tours in the UK, operators can provide a more relaxed itinerary during the more chaotic Olympic period with little disruption to those booking.”

Conference Aston welcomes more than 54,000 people a year to Birmingham for training, residential conferences, for weddings and to stay in its high quality hotel facilities and on site campus accommodation.

It sits at the heart of Aston University, which is a long established research-led university known for its world-class teaching quality and strong links to industry, government and commerce.

Kelly sprinkles Gold Medal dust at Cotswold Conference Centre

Dame Kelly Holmes, double Gold Medal winning athlete, joined the British Triathlon team at Cotswold Conference Centre near Broadway this week for two days of inspirational teambuilding.

With core values that include respecting the environment, the triathletes were challenged to arrive at Farncombe Estate using minimal carbon footprint. Five of the super-fit team chose to cycle an average of more than 60 miles round trip to Broadway, while others car pooled, picking up fellow staff en route from all over the country.

It’s the second year that the British Triathlon team has chosen Cotswold Conference Centre for its annual meeting. The addition of Kelly Holmes brought a special meaning to this year’s Olympics theme. “Kelly came to sprinkle some gold dust on our team-building event,” said Chief Executive Zara Hyde Peters, who organised the event for the 41 staff members.

Middle-distance runner Kelly Holmes won the adoration of millions at the Athens Olympics in 2004 when she won Gold in the 800m and, only a few days later, another Gold in the 1500m. She was 34 and – having battled injury for much of her sporting career – became an inspiration to many.

After retiring, Holmes set up “On Camp with Kelly”, a mentoring programme to encourage young female middle-distance runners, and the DKH Legacy Trust to inspire disadvantaged young people. She said she was very impressed with the setting and facilities of Cotswold Conference Centre.

“I haven’t been here before but wow, it’s a great place,” she said.

The team’s two-day training day included a strategy meeting, an outdoor challenge using one of Cotswold Conference Centre’s own teambuilding activities on the 370-acre site and a celebration Christmas dinner. Other sports teams to meet at Cotswold Conference Centre include England Athletics and UK Athletics.

Happy 25th Birthday to Radcliffe Training and Conference Centre

25 fantastic facts about Warwick Conferences to mark the 25th birthday of its most established training and conference centre – Radcliffe



1. Warwick Conferences comprises three dedicated, all year-round training and conference centres (Scarman, Radcliffe and Arden) and utilises the very best of the University facilities during student vacation periods – the Conference Park

2. Warwick Conferences’ Radcliffe and Scarman now offer bed and breakfast for business travellers

3. Warwick Conferences’ Scarman is one of few venues in the UK to achieve the IACC (International Association of Conference Centers) gold standard

4. This year, Warwick Conferences played host to Teach First’s three week residential Summer Institute for the second time in a row. The event, which takes place at the Conference Park, attracts over 1,300 top graduates to the venue
5. Warwick Conferences’ venues are located at the hub of the national motorway network and are served by excellent air and rail travel links making it the ideal, central location for companies to bring their staff together

6. Warwick Conferences’ Scarman training and conference centre underwent a £2 million refurbishment this summer

7. The venues are located on 700 acres of rural parkland in the heart of England. The location benefits from banks, bars, shops, a pharmacy, supermarket and hairdressers, so all amenities are close at hand. Warwick Conferences also offers access to extensive sports facilities

8. Warwick Conferences offers free Wi-Fi for delegates across all of its venues and is supporting the Conference Cloud campaign

9. Warwick Conferences regularly welcomes famous faces. Over the years these have included President Clinton, Princess Anne, Howard Webb, Gordon Brown and Alistair Campbell

10. Warwick Conferences plays an active role in the conference and meetings industry. It is a member of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA), Conference Centres of Excellence (CCE), International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), Venuemasters, Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA) and Marketing Birmingham

11. Richard Harrison, General Manager of Scarman is the current chair of CCE while Alan Robinson sits on the board of the MIA and our business development manager Gail Tomlinson-Short is on the board of Venuemasters

12. Radcliffe is just one of a handful of conference venues in the UK to offer state-of-the-art Cisco TelePresence video conferencing technology. It is even available at no extra charge as part of a day or 24 hour delegate rate
13. Warwick Conferences is the largest of the University of Warwick’s commercial operations. All surplus from its £20 million turnover is reinvested into the University’s world-class teaching and research

14. In March 2011, Warwick Conferences won three gold awards and one silver at the M&IT Awards. This was the 16th time in the awards history the venue has taken home the gold award for Best Academic Venue

15. On 24th June 2011, Scarman celebrated its 20th birthday. Since opening, Scarman has hosted an amazing 77,060 events and its loyal staff have served up 721,000 sausages, 2,164,00 rashers of bacon and over 3.8 million cups of tea and coffee

16. Warwick Conferences was awarded gold in the TUCO Chefs and Food Service Challenge in 2011

17. This summer, our development chef Graham Crump helped raise £800,000 for underprivileged children in South Africa when he took part in the ten day Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger 2011

18. Warwick Conferences has a reputation for sporting excellence. Events hosted in conjunction with Warwick Sport in recent years include the British Transplant Games, the Nike Premier Cup and the Under-23 Women’s International Football Tournament

19. The University of Warwick is home to 22,000 students, 1,000 academic staff and 700 researchers and is recognised as one of the UK’s leading universities, with a reputation for excellence in research and teaching, innovation and links with business and industry

20. Clients to have hosted events at Warwick Conferences include Coca Cola, E.on, RSPCA, Siemens, Costain, The Environment Agency and Jaguar Land Rover

21. Having worked at Warwick Conferences for 25 years, Dannie Cahill is one of its longest serving employees. He started as head chef at the Radcliffe training and conference centre and is now general manager at the same venue

22. This December, Warwick Conferences will play host to the annual Jewish Limmud festival for the fifth consecutive year. The event welcomes up to 2,500 participants from more than 30 countries worldwide and involves more than 800 sessions over a six day period

23. Warwick Conferences offers a huge choice in accommodation. It has 479 hotel standard en suite bedrooms at its three training and conference centres and student accommodation in excess of 1,200 rooms

24. Warwick Conferences is on Twitter. Follow us at @WarwickConf

25. Warwick Conferences has achieved triple gold in the BDRC Continental’s VenueVerdict assessment this year. The accreditation is awarded in recognition of their outstanding level of customer satisfaction

IMAGO TO WELCOME PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE IN 2012

imago, the hospitality and conference brand of Loughborough University, has kicked off preparations for a high profile and successful 2012 after being named the event manager and hospitality provider of the prestigious AUDE Conference.


The conference, held from 2nd to 4th April 2012, will see 120 individually invited Directors of University Estates descend on the James France Exhibition and Meeting Space at Loughborough University, for a stimulating programme of plenary and seminar sessions. In addition to leading the management of this reputable event, imago will also be offering delegates a range of services at its conference centre Holywell Park and four star hotel, Burleigh Court.

All delegates will be attending key note speeches by Sir Drummond Bone, Master of Balliol College, Oxford and Baroness Sue Campbell, Chair of UK Sport and the Youth Sports Trust.

Emma Boynton, head of marketing and sales at imago, said: “The AUDE Conference is a natural fit for imago due to our strong academic ties with Loughborough University. The title of the conference is ‘Leading the Way’ which has obvious links with our role as host to Team GB and the Japanese Olympics team. Andrew Burgess, Director of Facilities Management for Loughborough University has played a vital role in bringing this respected conference to campus and continues to be key in leading the event management.

“Not only is imago able to provide a high standard of accommodation and excellent conferencing facilities but we also have the skills to lead in the management of this event. This is an added value service that we provide to ensure our client has the best event possible. We’re looking forward to welcoming the delegates and proud to be representing the East Midlands.”

The annual AUDE Conference is a specialist event which travels to a different location each year. In 2012, AUDE chose Loughborough to represent the East Midlands due to its fantastic links with competing Olympic teams and world-class athletes. AUDE is a not-for-profit organisation which promotes excellence in the planning, management, operation and development of Higher Education estates and facilities. AUDE offers membership to publically funded UK bodies who work within higher education teaching or research.

For further information on imago’s portfolio of venues visit http://www.welcometoimago.com/, call 0845 036 4624, or follow @imagolboro on twitter. For further information on AUDE, log on to www.aude.ac.uk.

An early Christmas present from Cotswold Conference Centre

We’re getting into the Christmas spirit at Cotswold Conference Centre, with a fantastic offer to all our agents. Book a new event to run before the end of 2011 and we will DOUBLE your commission to 20%.

To enjoy your early Christmas present and create a successful event for your clients, all you have to do is book an event that runs in November or December this year*.

To help you match us to your last-minute bookers, here are some important facts to remember:

• We are an award-winning, dedicated conference venue in the Heart of England

• Delegates can reach us easily from the M5 or M40

• We’ll arrange free transfers from Moreton-in-Marsh station (direct from London) for residential delegates

• There are ten meeting and training rooms, the largest of which takes up to 120 theatre-style

• Our USP is our location: there are stunning views from our 370-acre estate in the north Cotswolds

• We’ve just completed a beautiful new bedroom courtyard, bringing our bedroom total to 89

To unwrap your 20% commission, Call the Hotline on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Special Christmas Rates at Ashorne Hill

Book a Christmas meeting at Ashorne Hill to take place between 19th - 23rd December 2011 and take advantage of some great rates!

Day Rate: £35.00 + VAT

24 Hour Rate: £125.00 + VAT


You will be able to relax in our festively decorated Great Hall while tucking into fresh mince pies!!

** Applies to all new bookings taken for this period

Call the Hotline team now on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

The Møller Centre, Best UK Management Training Centre, rebrands

The Møller Centre, the only dedicated residential management training centre in Cambridge is a successful and growing business. Having established its foundations nearly twenty years ago, The Møller Centre awarded “Best UK Management Training Centre” has rebranded.

The Møller Centre, a wholly owned subsidiary of Churchill College in the University of Cambridge, today launches its new logo, which has been designed to more accurately reflect the identity of our established business activities.

The new logo maintains the Møller “M” which is recognised by our clients as a symbol of quality and which also reflects the shape of the Centre’s iconic tower. The new logo incorporates the traditional crest of Churchill College to demonstrate to clients and stakeholders the relationship with Churchill College and the University of Cambridge.

The new platinum Møller Centre brand incorporates a suite of 3 logos to represent the key business activities:

• The Møller Centre
A world class host venue for clients’ own training and development activities.

• Møller Centre Executive Education.
During the last seven years, The Møller Centre has been delivering customised executive education programmes providing a special combination of practitioner and academic based learning to senior executives from international organisations.

• Møller Professional Services Firm (PSF) Group
Supporting clients’ needs, this company was established in January 2009 and comprises of 20 partners focused on leadership, strategy, research and development within professional service firms.


“As The Møller Centre approaches its 20th anniversary in 2012, the rebrand aims to recognise the breadth and reputation of our services internationally”, comments Gillian Secrett, CEO at The Møller Centre.

“The Møller Centre is a customer orientated, forward thinking organisation which has celebrated substantial growth in recent years. We will continue to focus on the changing needs are our clients, tailoring our services to surpass their expectations”.

Discover Penyard House - the home of The Leadership Trust Foundation

A superb venue for conferences and executive training, Penyard House's warm service and exceptional attention to detail is unparalleled. Set in beautiful surrounds, facilities include a spacious 130 seat lecture theatre, 3 conference suites with 11 syndicate rooms, and a dedicated board room with spacious breakout area. High quality accommodation is combined with exceptional local and seasonal food, and a complementary gymnasium.

In addition to conferencing and venue hire Penyard House is the UK’s foremost provider of leadership development solutions. A wide selection of open leadership courses is supported by bespoke solutions, executive coaching, applied leadership research and evaluation.

Research projects include the Worldy Leadership Initiative which aims to review leadership wisdom and ask the questions, ‘Have we got it right? and ‘What are we missing?’

Chefs Challenge 2011 - winners announced

Warwick Conferences opened its doors again to host this year’s Chefs Challenge Competition 2011 and the beautifully refurbished Scarman House was a very appropriate setting to celebrate exquisite food and fantastic service levels.

The Chefs Challenge was billed as a celebration of the skill and dedication of Chefs across member venues of both IACC and Conference Centres of Excellence and it did not fail to deliver. With the proliferation of cooking programmes and people travelling the globe our food experience becomes ever more sophisticated and our attitude towards food we are served ever more critical.

Conference Centres of excellence venues deliver the most suitable food for the event taking place, whether a working lunch or an important dinner our chefs enjoy the challenge of stretching their creativity to deal with the smallest of budgets for food to those wishing to celebrate something special with a fine dining experience.

The chef’s challenge was an opportunity for some of the best chefs in our sector to be recognised by their peers and a distinguished panel of judges from across our industry. The judging took place under tight Salon Culinaire conditions and once again the judges were impressed by the high standard of Cooking

“The standard of food and service we witnessed today has once again assured me that Conference centres of excellence and IACC venues are among the best in the country.”

“Every one of our finalists should be very proud of their achievements today. Well done to you all!”

Graham Crump, Chairman of the judges, Executive Development Chef at the University of Warwick and Secretary General of the education committee of the world association of chefs was assisted by:

• Jim Eaves, Chairman of the British Culinary Federation
• Jerry Toth , Group executive chef for the sundial group
• Peter Griffiths MBE, Director of Le Salon Culinaire
• Graham Day, Food Health & Safety Manager at the University of Warwick
• Steve Lambert, Senior Catering Officer University of Brighton
• Tony Freeman from S H Jones & Company

Food is an important factor in supporting the success of an event whether it’s the conditions in which it’s prepared the nutritional content or the way it tastes and looks. This competition really tests the chefs’ skills in these areas, but it’s meaningless if the cooking conditions don’t reflect the reality of our chefs in their day to day professional lives. That is why there are strict entry conditions and restriction on the types of food that can be used and of course the amount each chef can spend on their menu.

You might think this restricts creativity, but speaking to one chef who took part he disagreed and said “we enjoy the challenge and much prefer the competition to recognise the day to day challenges we face, after all it’s not hard to create fine dishes with the most expensive ingredients, with lots of chefs buzzing around the kitchen as you might find in a Michelin starred restaurant, we provide tasty, healthy food that fuels our delegates through their busy day at our venues. We do get the opportunity to show off at dinner, but during the day it’s all about speed and nourishment and being flexible enough to fit in with the needs of the delegates and organisers”

Richard Harrison said “this is the 13th year of this competition and the standard gets better and better each year, much as it does on Masterchef, but it’s a testament to the colleges such as Stratford College who continue to train and develop first class chefs and recognise the importance of developing raw talent not only into great cooks, but great kitchen managers too by teaching them the basics of business, so they have a better understanding of managing budgets and careful purchasing. We are grateful to Stratford College who continue to support this event year on year”

Further thanks go to all supporters, who without their generosity this event could not take place.

Tim Chudley, a trustee of Meeting industry meeting needs (MIMT) was on hand to receive the proceeds of the charity raffle, which generous attendees raised during the awards dinner.

Finally, we are delighted to announce the following winners from the Chefs Challenge Competition 2011.

• Gold Award went to Raymond Thomson of the Stirling Management Centre
• Silver Award went to Lisa Morris of Ashorne Hill
• Bronze Award went to Paul Worthy of Woodland Grange
• Best Hygiene Award went to Raymond Thomson of the Stirling Management Centre
• Best Starter Award went to Vincent Wood of Wyboston Lakes
• Best Main Course Award went to Raymond Thomson of the Stirling Management Centre
• Best Dessert Award went to Raymond Thomson of the Stirling Management Centre
• Best Food Service Skills Award went to Peter Tedford of the Stirling Management Centre
• Chairman’s Award for Best Team Work went to Raymond Thomson and Peter Tedford of the Stirling Management Centre.

www.cceonline.co.uk

Allergy-free rooms are a safe haven for sufferers

In the approach to Indoor Allergy Week 2011 [14 to 20 November], Cotswold Conference Centre has become the first venue of its kind in the world to qualify for an international allergy-friendly award.

Cotswold Conference Centre, on the Farncombe Estate near Broadway, has been accredited with a prestigious ECARF Seal of Quality for eight new Allergy Free bedrooms and a wide range of allergy-friendly policies.

“We are delighted to give this award to Cotswold Conference Centre, the first dedicated conference venue in the world to earn the ECARF Seal,” says Professor Torsten Zuberbier, an allergy expert from the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation. “Conferences can be a headache for allergy sufferers, who are confined to meeting rooms and bedrooms with little chance to escape.

“Allergy at work and at school leads to lower levels of concentration and achievement. We want to find affordable ways to make people’s lives easier.”

One in four people in the UK now suffers from an allergy. Cotswold Conference Centre’s accreditation is an acknowledgement of a raft of measures to combat the problem.

This autumn, the centre completed a £3.5m bedroom courtyard of 32 bedrooms, of which eight are designated Allergy Free. No smoking, pot plants or pets are permitted. Wooden floors replace carpet, there are blinds instead of curtains and a special vacuum cleaner gives 99.9% filtration and helps eradicate dust mites.

In the dining room, kitchen staff deal with a growing number of allergies: dairy, gluten, peanut, nuts – even celery. In the bedrooms, delegates allergic to perfume can request fragrance-free toiletries.

“The body of scientific evidence shows us that allergies are getting worse,” says Professor Zuberbier. “ECARF takes a pragmatic approach, we do not want to put allergy sufferers into a sterile box, but offer support for a better life.
“Over-insulated buildings can make things worse. It always helps to be able to open a window.”

Cotswold Conference Centre’s operations manager Richard Howdle has noticed a significant increase in allergic customers in the past 10 years. “We have many different reactions to deal with these days,” he says. “If you have lactose intolerance, we will offer you a lactose-free coffee to help you concentrate on your conference or training.

“If anyone comes to us with an allergy, we do our best to make their stay just as comfortable as at home.”

Warwick conferences takes steps to alleviate delegate stress levels

Last week saw Warwick Conferences and mental health charity, Coventry & Warwickshire Mind team up to support National Stress Awareness Day.
The collaboration was in response to recent reports which suggest that work-related stress has doubled over the past decade.

According to a recent report by the Health and Safety Commission, out of the 33 million working days lost to illness last year, more than a third (13.4 million) were attributable to stress, anxiety or depression.

Due to the nature of Warwick Conferences’ business, it meets many businessmen and women who are all taking time out of their usual work environment to attend conferences, meetings, training sessions and events.

It is therefore inevitable that some delegates arriving at the venue may be feeling anxious. This may be compounded if they are feeling under pressure to deliver their best, are worried about other work they feel they should be doing or being away from home.

In a move to help reduce these potential feelings of anxiety amongst delegates, Warwick Conferences has developed two sets of tips. One offers advice to delegates about how to manage feelings of stress and get the most out of their conference experience, while the second offers tips to event organisers about how to prevent delegate anxiety.

Coventry & Warwickshire Mind were at Warwick Conferences’ Scarman venue on National Stress Awareness Day on Wednesday 2nd November to offer advice and practical relaxation guidance to delegates if they wished to take part.

Rachael Bartlett, head of sales and marketing at Warwick Conferences said: “We understand that taking a day or more out the office to attend an event can sometimes be stressful if delegates are already feeling under pressure; so we wanted to offer some tips on how to make their experience more enjoyable and productive.

“We also realise that distracted attendees can compromise the success of a conference or meeting so we designed the second set of tips with the aim of helping event organisers manage and prevent delegate anxiety and replace any feelings of stress with confidence.”

Chris Sampson, resources officer at Coventry & Warwickshire Mind comments: “It’s great that Warwick Conferences took the time out to mark National Stress Awareness Day.

“Stress is a serious and health-debilitating issue which not only affects the individual but can also have a detrimental effect on families, relationships and businesses.

“As the pressure of modern living takes its toll, stress is on the rise in the UK and it is important that we have the support of organisations like Warwick Conferences to help raise awareness of this issue.”

If you would like copies of the tips please contact Conference Centres of excellence on 0845 230 1414 or info@cceonline.co.uk.

Anthony Lishman presents at CIPD 2011

Anthony Lishman gets up on stage at the annual CIPD exhibition in Manchester tomorrow, where he will be offering expert advice on how to find the most suitable venue for every training need.

Presentation: How to Choose the Best Venue for your Training Event
Date: Tuesday 8th November
Time: 15:15-16:00

Apologies to those who have seen it advertised for Wednesday... it is definitely tomorrow, make sure you are there!

Visit us at stand 3110 at any time!

Success after success for Ashorne Hill

The training and conference centre team at Ashorne Hill near Leamington Spa is currently celebrating three exciting new developments in the same week! Ashorne Hill is based around a Grade II listed mansion set in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, and has been a dedicated training and conference centre for over fifty years.

A £2.4M refurbishment project, transforming the restaurant and part of the training/conference room facilities, has now been formally opened by Mr. Andrew Robb, Chairman of Tata Steel Europe. Mr. Robb is also a board member of Jaguar Land Rover – and both organisations are key customers of Ashorne Hill. The opening ceremony was followed by a gala reception and dinner for over a hundred customers and guests.

The following day it was announced that a chef at Ashorne Hill has won second place in the UK Chef’s Challenge. This is a very tough national competition and so to be placed overall second in the UK is a fantastic achievement.

And all of this good news comes on top of the confirmation that Ashorne Hill has been selected by the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board as sole provider for the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) Associate training programme, responsible for design, residential training, delivery and project management for the next four-year contract period. Debbie Buckley-Golder, Head of Knowledge Exchange at the Technology Strategy Board, said: “KTP is the leading programme in Europe helping businesses to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance through partnerships with higher education institutions and research organisations, so it is vital that new KTP Associates are provided with the best possible management skills to enable them to make a success of their assignment. We are delighted that Ashorne Hill will be providing these important training programmes and look forward to working with them.”

John Carson, MD of Ashorne Hill, commented “Our team at Ashorne Hill is renowned for our high standard of customer service, and making this much progress in just one week reflects that commitment. These developments take us to a new level, from which we can continue to create excellent training and conference solutions for our customers.”

Woodland Grange completes makeover of its smallest rooms!

The makeover of the washrooms at Woodland Grange, the Warwickshire conference centre owned by EEF Venues, is now complete – and so far, guests have given nothing but positive feedback.

The venue recently replaced all its outdoor signage with stunning magenta and brushed silver signs - and they looked so good that it was decided to continue with a theme of vibrant, contemporary colours in the smallest rooms.

An eye-catching lime green was chosen for the entrance lobby and the border below the basins and there is a striking striped laminate with chrome trim at the back of each cubicle. The basins and toilets are bright white with clean square lines to give a really modern look and feel. Slate grey wall tiles and a dark stone ceramic floor contrast well with the green and shocking pink.

Comments from guests have included ‘bright and eye-catching’, ‘certainly wakes you up in the morning’, ‘clean and contemporary’ and ‘excellent lighting’.

A war hero remembered as new facility opens at Cotswold Conference Centre

Military heroes past and present were honoured in a moving ceremony at Cotswold Conference Centre, Broadway, this month. Maudslay Court, a new £3.5m Cotswold-stone building constructed at Farncombe Estate, was officially opened by Victoria Trevelyan, niece of the Dam Busters’ hero Henry Maudslay. The Maudslay family lived on the Estate during WW2 when Henry was tragically killed in raids on six German hydroelectric dams.

To commemorate the connection with 617 Squadron, the Dam Busters’ unit of which Henry Maudslay was B Flight Commander, a plaque was also unveiled by Wing Commander Keith Taylor, currently Officer Commanding 617 Squadron.

'This beautiful building has given us a fantastic opportunity to honour an earlier resident of the Estate,” said Cotswold Conference Centre’s MD Mark Philip-Sørensen. 'We would like to thank the Maudslay family and Wing Commander Taylor for making our opening ceremony so special.'

The large new wing of 32 en-suite bedrooms, constructed by skilled local tradesmen, boasts a number of ecological features, including a ground-source heat pump and solar panels. The Cotswold stone building even has its own tower. One deluxe room - Number 617 – is themed with prints that tell the Dam Busters story, including a picture of the Lancaster Bombers in action in May 1943.

The Grand Ceremony began with the Celebration Reed and Brass Band of Hampton playing stirring renditions of the Dam Busters theme and the RAF March Past, while 80 guests and staff assembled in Maudslay Court.

The historic afternoon was completed with traditional afternoon tea – in the Estate’s dining room decorated with gingham and bunting, to the strains of Vera Lynn.

All four EEF venues are now Conference Centres of Excellence!

EEF Venues has announced that following a recent independent and rigorous assessment, Engineers’ House in Bristol and Broomgrove in Sheffield have joined Woodland Grange and Broadway House as Conference Centres of Excellence!

That means that EEF Venues is the only group in the UK able to offer the high standards that CCE insist on – at all its venues. Conference Centres of Excellence is a consortium of the finest conference and training centres. To become a member, a venue has to meet exacting criteria. Only dedicated business centres can achieve this coveted hallmark which is a guarantee of quality and the very highest standards in terms of service, facilities, catering, residential accommodation and technical support.

'The assessment takes place on a normal working day,' said David Vaughton, Venues Director. 'Two CCE Board Members examine every part of the business to ensure that we are providing a superb working environment, free of distractions and supported by excellent customer service.'

Woodland Grange became the first EEF venue to join CCE in 2004, and has since been continually improving all areas of the business. In the last year alone, Woodland Grange has been re-certified to ISO 14001, has re-launched its website, created a fresh new brand identity – and invested in management training and teambuilding to help the venue offer an even better experience for its customers.

'Our outstanding customer service is one of the things we’re most proud of,” David says. “From the moment you step through the door until the moment you leave, we’re friendly and welcoming. There’s a genuine sense of belonging at an EEF Venue – you’re not just ‘another delegate’

Having dedicated and high quality conference venues in Sheffield and Bristol is good for the consortium because it enhances its geographical footprint.

And it’s certainly good for EEF Venues, enabling it to share best practice and ideas with other members and benefit from the expertise and reach of CCE’s dedicated sales team.

Overnight delegates benefit from new state-of-the-art sports centre at Aston University

Local businessmen and former Aston Villa Chairman Doug Ellis has opened the £5 million refurbishment of Aston University’s historic Woodcock Sports Centre, which has now been renamed in his honour.

The Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre is now available for University staff and students, and also for residential conference and event delegates attending meetings organised by Conference Aston.

Visitors to the new Centre will be able to enjoy a range of facilities including;

• A new 120-station fitness suite with latest cardiovascular machines and weights

• A new two-storey facility with martial arts, fitness and dance studios

• A refurbished sports hall and swimming pool

• A new sauna, steam room and changing rooms

• Improved badminton, basketball and netball facilities

Sheila O’Neal, Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Aston University, added; 'We’d like to thank all of the Aston alumni and benefactors who have personally contributed towards the redevelopment of this important sports facility within the heart of the City. We are very proud to have a strong alumni body, which yet again has supported Aston University and its commitment to student and community engagement.

Warwick awarded top marks by independent education charity

Record numbers of top graduates gathered this summer at Warwick Conferences to train to teach in the UK’s most deprived areas.

Warwick Conferences has been highly praised by Teach First, after successfully hosting the largest ever three week residential Teach First Summer Institute, with over 1,300 top graduates converging on the Midlands for part of their unique two-year Leadership Development Programme.

Teach First is an independent charity working to break the link between low family income and poor educational attainment by creating, equipping and mobilising a movement of teachers and leaders with a commitment to raising the achievement, aspiration and access to opportunity of children from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Held at Warwick Conferences’ Conference Park, Teach First utilised classroom and accommodation facilities as well as use of the library building as a recreation zone. Warwick Conferences also hosted a barbecue for all 1,300 delegates on two evenings.

Amanda Timberg, director of leadership development at Teach First, said: 'Warwick Conferences took on the organisational and logistical challenge of Teach First’s biggest ever Summer Institute and delivered beyond our expectations.

'The Summer Institute is a vitally important time for our participants, marking the beginning of their time on the two-year Leadership Development Programme and we are delighted to work with Warwick Conferences to ensure its success.'

Rachael Bartlett, head of sales and marketing at Warwick, said: 'Teach First required a completely focused venue for its National Summer Institute. With so many delegates in attendance, and a complex programme of activities, not many venues would be confident in delivering the consistently first-rate experience which was both expected and required.

'Our belief is that every delegate, whether visiting us for a small meeting or as part of a large multi-day event, is entitled to the highest standard of service and an environment which allows them to concentrate fully on the purpose of their visit.

'We were delighted to welcome Teach First back for their second annual event and look forward to their return next summer.'

Fantastic delegate rates for all new business at Kents Hill Park

Get 1/3rd off day delegate rates and 24 hour rates for all new business at Kents Hill Park between November 1st and January 31st



Arrive to a very warm welcome less than 10 minutes from...
• Central Milton Keynes
• M1 junctions 13 and 14
• Milton Keynes central rail station

Stay in one of our 330 en-suite bedrooms and enjoy...
• television, telephone and alarm facilities
• free wi-fi access
• hospitality trays
• dry cleaning and laundry facilities
• 800 free car parking spaces
• one of our Executive Packages

Play in Milton Keynes’ most extensive hotel health and fitness facilities, such as our...
• 17m pool and jacuzzi
• steam and sauna rooms
• gym, squash courts and sports hall
• Oasis beauty room

Relax and socialise in our ergonomically designed café bar and enjoy...
• Sky and Sky Sports on our 118” screen
• the benefi ts of free wi-fi in our cyber café

Dine on a comprehensive choice of dishes...
• delivered by our highly experienced chefs
• all made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients

For further details, contact our Hotline team today on 0845 230 1414 or info@cceonline.co.uk

Engineers’ House gets its biggest ever facelift

Following a complete makeover of its Blue Room Lounge and Restaurant in early October, Engineers’ House - EEF Venues’ Bristol-based conference facility - is now re-vamping all its lounges, dining rooms, coffee stations and breakout areas.

The makeover started on the 24th October, and is due to be completed within a single week.

The improvements are designed to take the elegant 19th century building to a new level of excellence and comfort. Engineers’ House is Grade II listed so all refurbishments have to be completely in character with the building. For the coffee lounges, EEF Venues have chosen some classically simple wooden-framed chairs in muted blues and creams and stylish poseur height tables in a deep red. The dining chairs are, again, simple yet elegant with pale green and aubergine upholstery.

Martyn Bowen, the Venue Manager says: 'It’s been a personal ambition of mine to give these areas a complete makeover for quite some time, so I’m delighted that it’s going ahead. The new décor, furnishings, carpets and curtains will add a touch of luxury to this state-of-the-art training facility, which recently became a Conference Centre of Excellence.'

To celebrate the improvements clients past and present are being invited to come and have a tour of the building – with lunch to follow. The tours will be held every day during the week of the 31st October and will include the newly refurbished lounge and dining areas.

A return on your objectives and a competitive edge

By Anthony Lishman, Executive Director


The key principles of Conference Centres of Excellence: genuine all-inclusive pricing and dependable, comprehensive knowledge of our venues

Anthony Lishman - Executive Director

CCE has had a long held belief that to be successful we have to do all we can to support businesses deliver the objectives of their events. Over the last couple of years that’s meant being as competitive as we can, being innovative and listening to our clients. At the same time we have had to look after our own business to ensure its survival, looking at new markets offering new products and efficiencies that don’t compromise quality.

As we head, hopefully, out of recession the experience of the difficult times has taught us not to take business for granted, continue to believe in our quality ethos and to be as flexible as possible. That’s why we, at Conference Centres of Excellence and our members continue to offer competitive all inclusive pricing packages with no hidden extras as well as individual pricing, for those times when you as event organisers need to compare apple with apples. So if you don’t want to get charged for Wi-Fi or additional cups of coffee check out our range of quality venues located across the UK, Conference Centres of Excellence the UK’s only Marketing Consortium for Venues that’s quality assured. It’s not all about free venue finding (although we offer that too!!!!)

Have you ever asked the question 'have you visited this venue you are recommending to me?' you might be surprised by the response you get from most venue finders. Fit for purpose is a term you hear a lot these days but how can you measure if a venue is fit for purpose for your event by looking at a venues’ website or a brief description on a conference listing site, even our highly detailed information on our website sometimes is not enough.

You have to trust the specialist knowledge of someone who has actually been and carried out a site inspection of the venue. Our enquiry handlers have been to all our member venues and have an excellent understanding of the constituent elements that make for a successful event. We pride ourselves on matching the right venue to the requirement of the customer. Our team have great listening skills and take a little time in finding out what is important to you before selecting the most suitable venue, but don’t take our word for it try us for free and find out for yourself, in fact it’s always free whenever you place an enquiry with our team.

For us it doesn’t end with a successful placement, our team follow up with a call both to you and the venue after every event and our member venues participate in and independent quality assurance programme, Venue Verdict, managed by BDRC continental.

Quality doesn’t cost more, it just takes a little time and expertise, ours, to source and remember a better more suited venue delivers more of the important things, like a return on your objectives and a competitive edge.

Conference Centres of Excellence: www.cceonline.co.uk - 0845 230 1414

Henley Conferences: the perfect ‘green’ venue for any event!

Henley Conferences at Greenlands is committed to achieving the highest standards of environmental performance, preventing pollution and minimising the impact of its operations. In the past year, the venue has achieved the extensive recognition for all the work undertaken to protect and sustain the environment. This includes:

• BS ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, demonstrating commitment to the environment.

• BS ISO 9001Quality Management Systems demonstrating commitment to service quality.

• Platinum Tier International Association of Conference Centres Green Star accreditation.

• Green Tourism Gold Award for Sustainability.

Not content with resting on our laurels, Henley has continued to implement numerous systems to improve the sustainability of the business and whilst segregating waste for recycling has been common practice for several years, its team have now gone one step further to divert many tonnes of waste away from landfill, by harnessing the power of the mighty worm! Working alongside Kompost, Henley Conferences at Greenlands have introduced several specially created composting bins to their waste and recycling collection point. These bins are filled with food waste, tea leaves, coffee grounds and other vegetable matter and then play host to a colony of busy earthworms, who munch their way through this wonderful banquet and in their wake leave a superb organic compost, that then goes back onto the gardens of the estate to bolster productivity.

Greenlands is also fortunate to be situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty, with a unique riverside environment and it is our policy to work to conserve these natural habitats and create additional areas of wildlife value wherever possible. River banks have been reinforced with an environmental solution to river bank engineering and allowed the creation of wetland scrapes to encourage wildlife habitat and there is also a wild meadow area containing many specimens of local flora and encouraging insect and mammal activity.

The venue has an ongoing programme of tree planting to add to our arboretum, using planting, felling and conservation methods to create additional wildlife habitats where possible.

Triple gold for Warwick Conferences

Warwick Conferences is celebrating after achieving a triple gold in the BDRC Continental’s VenueVerdict.

The achievement for its Radcliffe, Scarman and Arden training and conference centres means that all three Warwick Conferences training and conference properties are now in the elite BDRC Continental grouping at the end of quarter three. The accreditation is awarded in recognition of their outstanding level of customer satisfaction.

VenueVerdict Gold Standard is measured through ‘Net Promoter’, a progressive measure of customer service performance, and is awarded to venues with a twelve month ‘Net Promoter Score’ of +70.

James Bland, senior client services manager at BDRC Continental said: “Warwick Conferences should be very proud that all three of their venues have now achieved the Gold Standard Award.

'Net Promoter can range from -100 to +100 so to achieve and sustain a score of +70 requires consistently excellent customer service.'

Alan Robinson, director of training and conference centres, said: 'We are absolutely thrilled that another of our venues has gone on to win the VenueVerdict Gold Standard Award. 'There is no better testimony than positive customer feedback and this accolade is a real testament to the outstanding service that we strive to deliver on a daily basis.'

Ashorne Hill completes £2.5 million refurbishment project

Ashorne Hill training and conference centre has recently completed its biggest facilities investment in 50 Years, a £2.5 million pounds upgrade of its kitchen and dining facilities, together with a modern façade to the existing pre-cast concrete building from the 1960s.

The refurbishment has turned the dining room, into a beautiful space including a mezzanine level. The extension will enable Ashorne to seat around 200 guests. The interior has been completely transformed into a welcoming space ideal for dining, private functions and weddings. In addition, a beautifully laid patio has been built overlooking the grounds and is perfect for a drinks reception with outdoor lighting showcasing the true beauty of the Grade II listed manor house.

The project has given a real boost to the local economy with all sub-contractors working on the project based in the West Midlands. Along with contractors, many local craftsman were commissioned to design and manufacture bespoke items such as; furniture, fabric and artwork. John Carson, Managing Director of Ashorne Hill said: 'The investment will cement our reputation as a leading centre for management training and conferencing. We are committed to continued investment to ensure that companies know they will receive the best training, conferencing and events provisions. This work is hot on the heels of the unveiling of five new meeting rooms here at Ashorne Hill'

November availability at Ashorne Hill!

November availability at Ashorne Hill!

We now have the following space left available in November!



14th/15th November - 1 x meeting room plus 50 beds

24th/25th November - 1 x meeting room plus 30 beds

29th/30th November – 1 x meeting room plus 30 beds

Take advantage of a ‘super low’ last minute 24hr rate of £130 and day rate of £30 (plus VAT) by booking these dates now!


Call us now on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Our Chairman: Richard Harrison

Richard Harrison became the Chair of Conference Centres of Excellence in September 2010.

Richard joined Warwick Conferences in June 2006. He has overall responsibility for the Scarman operation, including the meeting and exceeding of financial and guest satisfaction targets and the effectiveness of its ongoing investment programme. The centre, which has 54 meeting rooms and 204 bedrooms, currently holds the ‘Best UK Management Training Centre’ and ‘Best Value for Money Conference Centre’ gold titles in the annual Meetings & Incentive Travel awards.

Richard Harrison becomes Chair at a critical time for the meetings venue sector, but believes that the place of specialist conference and training centres is being reinforced by current trends. “In times of pressure, organisations want to maximise the effectiveness of their workforce through training and team building, and dedicated centres optimise that process,” said Richard: “At the same time, specialised venues enable organisers of all kinds to demonstrate their determination to create cost-effective, fully focused events, which is now more critical then ever. I look forward to helping the consortium to communicate these benefits.”

Meet the Team: Executive Director Anthony Lishman

CCE has appointed Anthony Lishman as Executive Director. This is a new, full time position designed to help the consortium grow through a process of raising its sector profile and achieving a progressive increase in membership.

Most recently he was regional general manager for the Niche Hotel group, based at its Cotswolds venue Wyck Hill House, where he was responsible for a £3 million investment to expand bedroom capacity and extend conference and leisure facilities, and for developing new business.

Previously he managed his own executive search and business consultancy, specialising in the conference centre and hospitality sectors. This followed a nine year career with Initial Style conferences (now De Vere Venues), including a period as multi site general manager with specific responsibility for the development of the group’s Wychwood Park and Cheadle House conference and training centres in Cheshire. He successfully managed the projects to develop both venues from greenfield sites to fully operational businesses with multi million pound turnovers. His previous roles with Initial Style included general manager positions at two Buckinghamshire venues, Uplands in High Wycombe and Harben House in Newport Pagnell.

Our people: Sophie

Sophie Gibson is our Marketing Executive

Sophie graduated from The Nottingham Trent University in 2008 with a 2:1 BA Hons in Business Studies and Marketing.

Her four year degree included a year in industry where she worked at Panasonic, which she felt was invaluable marketing experience alongside the course theory. Sophie then worked for IDS Scheer as Marketing Executive for 18 months where she managed a variety of campaigns and gained a broad range of skills and knowledge in all areas of the marketing mix. Within this position she managed and executed the company’s annual conference, which made her realise she had an interest in the conference and meeting industry and a passion for exceptional quality and high levels of service.

Sophie then spent a year in Australia, where she spent time working at Janssen-Cilag and Queensland Gas Corporation to fund her travelling before returning to the UK to focus on her career. Sophie will be responsible for all Marketing activities in line with the overall Marketing plan.

Meet our Hotline Team: Katharine

Katharine Armstrong is our Hotline Sales Manager

Katharine will be responsible for generating new business and developing the existing client portfolio within CCE. Working closely with key accounts to find them the solution that most accurately meets their needs.

Meet our Hotline Team: Rebecca

Rebecca White - Business Development Executive

Rebecca graduated from De Montfort University in 2009 with a 2:1 BA Hons in Dance and Arts Management.

Whilst studying an events management module on the course in her final year she became interested in perusing the events and hospitality side into greater depth. This led her to gain the opportunity to work as an Administrator for Conference Centres of Excellence upon graduating.

Rebecca has developed her role within the company and succeeded to the position of Enquiry Co-ordinator and is now progressing into the role of Business Development Executive.

Rebecca will be responsible for generating new business, growing the existing client basis and developing relationships with small to medium agents.

Meet our Hotline Team: Pauline

Pauline Saunders is our Enquiry Co-ordinator

Pauline graduated from University College Birmingham with a 2:1 degree in Events Management. This degree gave her knowledge and understanding of the industry and encouraged her to pursue a career in this sector.

After university Pauline spent a year working in Australia and travelling Fiji and New Zealand, when she returned to the UK she worked at Ardencote Manor Hotel before joining the team at Conference Centres of Excellence as enquiry co-ordinator.

Start your 'Olympic' year with a meeting warm up!

For any new meeting booked to take place in January or February with Henley Conferences, the following special rates will apply

Residential rate - £165.00 - normally £175.00 per person

Day Delegate Rate - £55.00 - normally £65.00 per person

Based on a minimum of 10 delegates

Quote 'January Warm Up Rate' at the time of booking.


Call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk for more details

Cotswold Conference Centre manager celebrates 30-years career

Nick Akerman, Head of Sales at Cotswold Conference Centre, is celebrating 30 years since he started working at Farncombe Estate, Broadway in Worcestershire.

Nick started out when the Estate was Group 4, at the tender age of 19, when he was too young to drive a company vehicle. His first role away from Broadway was based in South London. Early career memories include looking down the barrel of a shotgun during an armed robbery in London.

“We were in the cash-in-transit business then,” says Nick, “carrying money across pavements from retailers and delivering to banks. I knew my way around London pretty well.”

“One day we were in Charlton on the south side of the river, when there was a Post Office raid. With a gun pointing at me, the training kicked in and I had to give away six big bags of Post Office money. It was frightening actually. Soon after that I was moved away to a new district office in Oxford. I worked at the Unipart Head-Office by night and sold Group 4 services during the day!”

Gold Business Tourism award

Nick’s 30-year career has taken him to a number of locations – including a stint operating a new guarding contract in New Delhi – but his longest-serving roles have been based on the 370-acre Farncombe Estate, owned by the Philip-Sørensen family.

Ten years ago, Nick was part of the launch team at the Cotswold Conference Centre.

“At that time, Group 4 decided to close its training facility on Farncombe Estate and I was working at the Dormy House. I was tasked with researching the conference industry for a new venture,” says Nick. “One of our first clients was the global engineering group IMI, who still train here today.

“Highlights include us winning the first ever Gold Business Tourism Award from VisitBritain – and writing the business plan which led to the building of our new building, Maudslay Court, which has opened this autumn. This brings our bedroom capacity to 89 and takes our business to a new level.”

Not all Nick’s memories are as scary as the Post Office hold-up. Some – like escorting the late Dennis Thatcher to the bathroom at the first Birmingham SuperPrix and, in India, managing one of the largest guard forces anywhere in the world – bring a smile to his face.

“One night in India, I was doing the rounds checking in on the security guards,” he recalls. “I approached a gate house where a Sikh guard was sitting with his feet up and his eyes closed. ‘Are you relaxing?’ I asked him. The guard stood up immediately. ‘Oh no sir, my name is V.P. Singh.’”

A practical way to meet that reduces environmental impact @henleymeetings

Whilst all businesses recognize the need for some face-to-face meetings, when participants are some distance apart this normally requires most parties to travel to a remote location and forsake a great deal of time to that travelling. Most forms of transport today still rely heavily on fossil fuel thereby creating emissions of carbon dioxide and pollutants such as nitrogen oxides. Henley Conferences now offers clients a practical way to meet with clients and colleagues that significantly reduces the impact of business meetings on the environment.

The new Video Conferencing suite is equipped with all the latest low emissions technology to ensure a smooth and easy communication across any distance and can accommodate 15 people seated comfortably around a large board table. WiFi access and the support of Henley's skilled technical support staff also make it feasible for conference members to make a variety of presentations and negotiations remotely, saving time and energy of postal contract exchanges and the like.

Henley Conferences has been at the forefront of Greener Conferencing in the UK for some years, with it's sustainability achievements being accredited with BSI ISO14001 for Environmental Management, as well as Greener Tourism Gold Award and the International Association of Conference Centre's Green Star award

Booking the Video Conference Suite couldn't be simpler, just contact the team at Conference Centres of Excellence to arrange times and dates, giving details of any technical support you need, then arrive on the day to hold your meeting.

Government Funded Training

Government funding of up to £1,000 towards your leadership and Management Training.

As part of the investment required for the Private sector to take up the challenges in the months and years ahead, the government has, through the Skills Funding Agency, launched a scheme to assist businesses with vital training for senior managers.

In this scheme, using a simple one-page form you fill in prior to booking, you can claim back half the cost of training for senior managers, up to a maximum of £1,000.

That means you have direct access to a whole range of courses that will benefit you directly, along with all the help you need to process your application as quickly as possible.

Cotswold Conference Centre | Official Blog site | Meeting and Training in the Cotswolds: Government Funded Training

Sports Centre gets £5m Refurb at Conference Aston

Aston University’s new sports centre is now open after a £5m refurbishment. The Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre is open to staff and students of Aston University in addition to delegates and guests at Conference Aston.

Facilities include:
• A new 120-station fitness suite with latest cardiovascular machines and weights
• A new two-storey facility with martial arts, fitness and dance studios
• A refurbished sports hall and swimming pool
• A new sauna, steam room and changing rooms
• Improved badminton, basketball and netball facilities


**New Catering Partnerships**
Conference Aston’s Lakeside Centre in Birmingham city centre has discovered the venue’s reputation is growing in the Caribbean and Asian communities of Birmingham as the place to celebrate love and romance.

With the number of weddings rapidly on the increase, the Lakeside Centre is pleased to announce a number of partnerships with local catering companies which will offer the best traditional cuisine in the city for these events.

Christine Page, Head of Sales and Marketing for weddings, conference and banqueting, comments: 'With an increase in Asian and Caribbean weddings, we’re keen to ensure that our budding brides and their husbands to be have a simple, stress free experience with us.

'By creating partnerships with catering specialists in these areas, our brides have one less thing to worry about because we can put them directly in contact with organisations who have met our quality criteria.

'Each event will have one of our dedicated event planners throughout the planning process and a manager on the day to work with the appointed caterer; this will allow the bride and groom to enjoy their day without any worries on the day.'

The venue has continued their commitment to the local Birmingham area by focusing on catering companies from the region.

Christine continues: 'These preferred suppliers have been individually selected for their quality and customer service and have undergone an inspection of their food production and systems to ensure that the highest standards of service are met.

'They’re also based in Birmingham and the Midlands, so not only are they on the doorstep for the bride and groom, but we’re supporting local business'.

The specially selected caterers that Conference Aston is partnering with are renowned for their outstanding standards of service and cuisine; couples can relax, safe in the hands of:

• Five Rivers – Asian Cuisine - www.thechefskitchen.co.uk

• Sukhdev’s Catering Services – Asian Cuisine - www.sukhdevsfood.com

• The Deep Experience - Caribbean Cuisine - www.caribbeanrestaurantbirmingham.co.uk

'We believe in embracing the many cultures of Birmingham and by working closely with these carefully selected local suppliers, we can ensure we provide the highest standard of service on the most important and romantic day of their life'.

The Lakeside Centre at Conference Aston, in the heart of Birmingham, is a self-contained venue which is ideal for self-catered events and celebrations including birthdays, weddings and Mehndi ceremonies.

The Lakeside Centre overlooks the Chancellor’s Lake in the heart of Aston University campus and boasts a spacious reception area and the potential to host celebrations on the ground and first floor banqueting suites.

The ground floor banqueting rooms can accommodate up to 170 guests with an adjacent room offering a casual seating or reception area and when combined with the first floor, can accommodate an additional 350 guests with an adjacent reception area.

One step ahead...Free wifi in all 41 Conference Centres of Excellence venues

With increasing demand for free wifi to be standard in venues within the meeting, training and conference industry, Conference Centres of Excellence are proud to be one step ahead with all 41 venues offering free wifi.
“Our dedicated training and conference venues are all highly focused on providing fantastic learning environments and with technology improving at such a rapid rate we believed that wifi would be and has become a necessity.” Anthony Lishman. Executive Director, Conference Centres of Excellence

As leading providers of dedicated training and conference venues within the UK, Conference Centres of Excellence know the things that are important to the client so it is no surprise that all venues already offer free wifi.

“Free wifi is just one of the many tangible parts of our overall offering. We believe it is important to understand what clients expect and need, and what we can offer to make their experience the best it can be. Whether it is good transport links, free wifi or residential capability that our venues already offer or a personalised service that involves going the extra mile.” Richard Harrison, Chairman of Conference Centres of Excellence.

The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) recently launched the Conference Cloud campaign, which calls for free Wi-Fi for conference delegates at venues across the UK. The campaign follows feedback from PCO members regarding the negative impact of high Wi-Fi access prices for delegates and calls from buyers for venues to review their pricing strategies when it comes to separate charging for Wi-Fi. An open forum debate on the topic at the recent Summer Summit in Belfast further reinforced the need for a campaign to address this issue for PCOs.

Newly appointed ABPCO Chair Michael Foreman commented: ‘The Conference Cloud campaign has already achieved great support from both venues and individuals signing the petition. Providing Wi-Fi free of charge to conference delegates is a growing demand and as ABPCO we are pleased to have highlighted this issue and stimulated debate on the topic in the industry. We are currently planning a round table debate in the next few months.’

Day meetings from £19.95*

Throughout the month of October, Warwick Conferences are offering day meetings from £19.95* per person!

For further details, contact our Hotline team today on 0845 230 1414 or info@cceonline.co.uk and quote OCT_1995.

*Rates quoted are exclusive of VAT. The offer is available on day meetings only taking place between 1st and 31st October 2011 subject to availability.

Cotswold Conference Centre are shearing their rates !

For one week only, due to a cancellation, Cotswold Conference Centre have taken the clippers to their delegate rates!

Take your group for a conference, teambuilding or training event in the week beginning 7 November and they will guarantee a stripped-down Day Delegate rate of £20 and a 24-hour rate of £90.*

Cotswold Conference Centre is perfectly located near the M5 and M40 motorways in the Heart of England. The campus-style meeting rooms are set on a 370-acre estate with real sheep and panoramic views towards the Malvern hills. The food is great and so are the 89 en-suite four-star rated bedrooms. The dedicated conference service is backed by free WiFi and excellent phone signal.

Cotswold Conference Centre - rural but not remote.

*New bookings only apply for this exceptional offer. Call the Hotline on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk.

On your marks, get set, go

To commemorate the start of the 2012 London Olympics year, The Møller Centre is offering their clients even more when booking an event with us at no extra cost!

Whether you are planning a strategy meeting, budget planning, review meeting or team event that is held from the 1st December 2011 to the 29th February 2012*,when making a new booking you will receive one of the following benefits for no extra cost:

Day meeting options:
Full English Breakfast included
After meeting drinks/canapés reception (max. of 2 glasses of house wine or soft drinks/person)
Free laptop hire
Video Conferencing
Access to preferential bedroom rates (subject to availability)

Residential meeting options:
Champagne evening reception (max. of 2 glasses of house
champagne or soft drinks/person)
1.5 hour walking tour of Cambridge
1 hour ghost tour of Cambridge
Cinema night in our lecture theatre plus refreshments
Free upgrade to fine dining for one night

Call us now on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Fantastic offers at Warwick Conferences

Book your December 2011 event at Radcliffe or Arden and for every delegate place booked, you could receive another completely free! Valid up to a maximum of 12 free delegates places*.

For events larger than 24 delegates please call us to discuss what we can do for you.

Contact us today on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk and quote 'TCCDec112'.

*Offer is redeemable on new bookings only and is subject to availability.

Take a look at our latest brochure!

Open publication - Free publishing - More venue finding

End the year in style

End the year in style at the newly refurbished Scarman House.

Book your next residential event at Scarman and receive complimentary private dining room hire or half a bottle of wine per person with dinner*. Available for a minimum of 10 delegates on the first night only.

To find out more simply contact us today on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk and quote 'SCAPD11'.

* Offer only available on bookings taking place in November and December 2011. Subject to availability, offer must be quoted prior to confirmation for discount to apply and cannot be used in conjunction with any others.

Celebrate Christmas at The Moller Centre

Celebrate Christmas at The Moller Centre with fantastic rates for Christmas lunch, dinner and meeting packages.

Come and celebrate your staff 2011 Christmas party at the Møller Centre and enjoy a festive high quality lunch or dinner fine dining experience in beautiful, elegant surroundings.

The Møller Centre is located within 42 acres of parkland, close to the centre of Cambridge at Churchill College along Madingley Road. With ample free parking, our staff warmly welcome you to our facilities.

Christmas lunch £25.95 + VAT

Christmas dinner package £39.95 + VAT

Day meeting package with Christmas lunch or dinner - £99 + VAT

Christmas Full package – day meeting,Christmas dinner and accommodation with breakfast - £149 + VAT

Disco and entertainment can be arranged on request.

Call us now on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Christmas at The Manor House

The Manor House is an ideal venue for a truly memorable Christmas celebration. They are hosting Christmas Parties throughout November and December, suited to individual parties of 50 guests or more or for smaller parties from 8 up to 20 guests.

A selection of fantastic menus created by our head chef Nick Jeffels to choose from and entertainment can be arranged to suit all budgets and tastes.

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk 

New IT Partnership for Wellcome Trust Conference Centre

The Wellcome Trust Conference Centre on the Genome Campus near Cambridge is pleased to announce a new partnership with Kinetic Solutions in providing their new booking system.

The announcement comes after two months of hard work and training through the summer, updating and matching bookings onto the new system up to 2015 in readiness for the switch.

'Clients have commented on how well the switchover has gone,' said Rachel Cordier, Conference Centre Manager, ' Those with knowledge of the change reported no impact on them, which is thanks in no small part to meticulous planning and scheduling with our IT teams. I'm really impressed with how smoothly everything has gone.'

The benefits of the switch have been seen already in an improved chase system for keeping track of bookings and the faster dispatch of invoices. Linda Prior, Sales and Marketing Manager comments: 'Previously we were working with three different systems to achieve the same results, which was time consuming, unproductive, and often unreliable. It's a relief to have one system for all data and its management.'

The new booking system is also being implemented at the Wellcome Trust offices on Euston Road, London to manage around 80 internal meeting rooms in support of the Head Office function.

Introducing the Chicheley Challenge team building event

With the shorter days of autumn creeping around the corner take the opportunity to boost staff morale with an action-packed team building day at Chicheley Hall.

Make the most of our 80 acres with motorised activities, real clay shooting or try our new Chicheley Challenge: based on the principles of a treasure hunt, involving code breaking, orienteering and problem solving, this team building event is personalised to suit Chicheley Hall's many historical and unusual features.

Lasting a full day, or part of a day, the Chicheley Challenge can be combined with a business meeting or leading into evening entertainment.

The objective of this team challenge is to have terrific fun in discovering the secret combination code to unlock the Safe, which contains the location map for the Treasure Chest, by answering as many questions on the "Mission Passport" as possible.

Delegates are informed that there is a locked Treasure Chest hidden in the grounds. The map for the Treasure Chest is contained in a locked safe and it's your task to answer clues and complete challenges to find the combination lock to get access to the Treasure Map to find the location of the Chest.
There will be a prize for every team that successfully "cracks the code" and gains entry to the Treasure Chest. There will be an additional prize for the FIRST team back to have successfully opened the Treasure Chest.

And it's not necessarily the first team back which is the winner! This Mission involves planning and team work and if questions on the passport have not been correctly completed or answered then the next team will have the first opportunity to unlock the safe.

Each Challenge is created to your specification based on your numbers, timescales and budget. As a guide the cost is £59.50+VAT per person, based on a minimum of 20 delegates, plus venue facility fees and catering. Large numbers will be at a lower rate.

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk