Key to helping delegates retain information revealed through imago research

An interactive presentation where delegates are encouraged to get involved with the learning process is of most importance to meeting attendees in helping them retain information, according to research carried out by imago.

The research - Does the future have room for face-to-face communication - was conducted earlier this year amongst a sample of more than 750 event organisers, delegates, graduate and undergraduate students – and is helping the conference arm of Loughborough University shape successful meetings for its clients.

Visuals, such as power point presentations, graphics and videos also ranked highly as an important way of retaining information, whilst technology such as audience response systems are only rated as of moderate importance. Social media ranked as the least important method of retaining information, particularly amongst students.

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago commented: “In line with other findings from our research into the value of face to face communications, we found that exercises and asking questions of the person leading the meeting help delegates retain more information. It confirms that people want to talk with other people face to face as it is how they get the most out of meetings. As one of our focus group attendees told us there is nothing better than a white board and pen or a flip chart to help with group cohesion. It was surprising to see social media ranked so low by students. They are considered its biggest group of supporters when using it socially so it is interesting that this isn’t reflected in a learning environment. The research has been of great value to imago as we have been able to take the findings and put the results into practice at each of our venues for the benefit of both organisers and those attending meetings.”

The research was undertaken by Loughborough University and imago.  The Right Solution provided methodology, analysis and validation of the research which was conducted amongst 779 respondents using a mixture of focus groups, online and face to face questionnaires.  The final research paper is available from http://go.welcometoimago.com/meet-the-future. Follow the debate and share thoughts about the research on Twitter via #futureF2F.

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sport and leisure facilities. imago manages Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

Conference Centres of Excellence 2016 Conference - Early Bird Bookings Open!

Thursday 28th – Friday 29th January 2016

The 2016 Conference will bring together like minded professionals from across the industry to discuss and share the latest ideas and innovation for our sector.

The conference will feature inspirational keynote speakers, interactive workshops sessions and an exhibition showcasing top industry suppliers with various opportunities to network with peers throughout the course of the event.

An optional study tour of the recently built Crausaz Wordsworth Building at Robinson College and the Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre will take place on Friday 29th January.

Open to directors, senior managers, sales & marketing professionals and operational managers from food & beverage, front of house and technology. The programme is designed to stimulate all areas of our business with unique opportunities to collaborate, innovate and succeed.

The Møller Centre in Cambridge will be the host venue for this year’s event.  An intelligently designed purpose-built residential leadership development and conference centre set within 42 acres of beautiful parkland on the grounds of Churchill College, University of Cambridge.

Delegate packages include the full day conference, evening reception drinks, networking dinner and overnight accommodation.

Early bird bookings are available now for Conference Centres of Excellence and IACC members!

An event not to be missed – click here to register 

Wyboston Lakes appoints Operations Director

Wyboston Lakes are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Jones as Operations Director for this £multi-million family business. Steve joins with a brief to further improve the Hospitality skills, operational efficiency and guest care - thereby delivering an even more secure future for this largest of independent specialists.

With over 24 years in hospitality, Steve’s career has followed consistent early promotion and four general management roles in his earlier career.  He was instrumental in creating the enormous success of Four Pillars Hotels through nine years rising to be the Board Director responsible for operations across all 6 properties with over 900 bedrooms. Most recently he has been the General Manager of the prestigious 414 bedroom Beaumont Estate following the purchase of Four Pillars, PH Hotels and De Vere Venues by Starwood Capital.

“Wyboston Lakes is a family business with a 50 year history and a long-term view of the Hospitality industry and the team that makes our success possible. Steve Jones joins us as Operations Director because he embodies all the Values and Principles that are at the core of our business and is hungry for further success and the opportunity to bring his ideas and wide experience to bear on our future.” Mark Jones, Managing Director.

Shaken, Not Stirred at Woodland Grange

David Jenkins, assistant food & beverage manager at Woodland Grange conference centre in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, has won first prize for his cocktails at the Conference Centres of Excellence’s Chefs’ Challenge 2015 at Cambridge Regional College on Saturday 24 October.

The 23-year-old competed with Woodland Grange chef de partie, Ian Sutton, as a new element to this year’s competition was a ‘Cook and Serve’ style approach, where each chef was
accompanied by a waiter or waitress who served the food, beverages and made cocktails for two invited guests. The duo competed with thirteen Conference Centres of Excellence (CCE) teams from throughout the UK to showcase Woodland Grange’s high quality food and service standards.

David took first place for his cocktails – a blueberry and ginger mojito and a Paddington Martini made from vodka and marmalade and featuring orange candy floss. He received a trophy, a certificate and a bottle of champagne for his creative efforts.

He said:”I am absolutely over the moon and never expected to win! There was some outstanding talent there and I am really grateful for the opportunity to compete with such skilled hospitality
professionals.” David Vaughton, director of venues for EEF Venues, the group behind Woodland Grange, said:”It was great to see junior talent acknowledged and celebrated in this way and to give young hospitality professionals an opportunity to shine. This latest success for Woodland Grange shows the emphasis we place on acknowledging every team member’s contribution to our reputation for excellence.”

imago Wins Business Tourism Title at Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards

imago, the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, has won Gold in the Business Tourism category at the Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards 2015.

The fifth annual awards were hosted by Leicester Shire Promotions and held as part of the inaugural Leicester Business Festival 2015, with the awards ceremony being held at the Leicester Mercure Grand Hotel last week (November 5, 2015). Its winning entry will now be re-judged for the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2016.

This award acknowledges the importance of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector of the tourism industry. The judges felt imago’s winning entry was creative, inspirational, and passionate with a focus on detail in all areas, being committed to guest requirements and constantly striving to better themselves.

It is not the first time imago has been recognised for excellence at the awards – Burleigh Court has twice won Gold in the Large Hotel of the Year category. The Link Hotel was also shortlisted in the Accommodation Provider of the Year Category at this year’s awards.

imago is one of the region’s leading business tourism providers – renowned for its commitment to excellence and customer service - offering high quality meeting and event venues and accommodation alongside sporting and leisure facilities. Its award winning portfolio includes Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, The Link Hotel and Loughborough University. These are complemented by its event management service which allows event organisers to make the most of its local knowledge and expertise.

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, comments: “Winning the Business Tourism award highlights imago’s strength as a leading provider to the meeting and events industry within the region. Winning awards such as this is a testament to the hard work of the entire team and I would like to thank them for their enthusiasm and commitment in helping us achieve our goals. This is a fantastic accolade and recognition of our hard working, customer focused staff.”

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand. For more information visit www.welcometoimago.com or call 01509 633030.

Another Award for CEME Conference Centre

The Havering Business Awards were held at CEME Conference Centre on 16th October to celebrate the success of the local business community in East London. Over 320 guests attended the glittering Awards Dinner hosted by comedienne Francine Lewis.

CEME Conference Centre Director, Eamonn Cole
with CEME’s ‘Award Winning’ Team – Ranjith Kumar, Debbie Beckett,
Kristina Jefremova, Marc Chattaway and Darren Lee

CEME Conference Centre were the proud winners of the Customer Care Award. Their success was the culmination of what has been a fantastic year for CEME having achieved their highest ever Net Promoter Score of 94; over 67% in ‘exceeding customer expectations’; and been a ‘Featured venue’ with Conference News and the Meetings Industry Association.

In receiving the Award, Eamonn Cole, Conference Centre Director commented,
‘This Award is really for our fantastic team here at CEME.  We focused this year on raising their levels of engagement through a bespoke team development programme that raised their engagement and ownership and, ultimately, their performance not least of all, in the crucial area of customer service. Our clients appreciated that enormously as reflected in the NPS result proving that 9 out of 10 of our conference clients will not only use CEME time and time again, but have no hesitation in recommending us to others’.

CEME Conference Centre is the only venue in East London or Essex to achieve ‘Accredited in Meetings’ Gold quality standard with the MIA and is a member of Conference Centres of Excellence and a World Host venue for outstanding customer service.

Multi-Million Investment Will See Warwick Conferences Open Fourth Venue in Coventry

Warwick Conferences has unveiled plans to invest £5.3 million in opening a fourth dedicated meeting venue on the University of Warwick campus in Coventry and Warwickshire.

The new venue – which will open in September 2016 – will offer 650 square metres of contemporary and highly flexible event space from a brand new standalone facility adjacent to two of Warwick Conferences’ existing training and conference venues.

With a single flat-floor space capacity of 350 seated, expansive ceiling height and reinforced flooring, the venue offers bookers a completely new option in Warwickshire and the West Midlands, and extends Warwick Conferences’ capability significantly.

Richard Harrison, head of conference centres at Warwick Conferences comments: “This is an important investment for both Warwick Conferences as a business and the region as a whole. Demand for high capacity, high quality, genuinely flexible event space is rising and there are few venues that can meet all these requirements in Central England currently – and even fewer that can do so without compromise.

It therefore should go without saying that we are thrilled to be making this announcement today. As a completely new development, our new venue will offer an uncompromised, contemporary and striking space that will give clients a complete blank canvas for their event. And, alongside our existing facilities, the new space will help to showcase our local area, bringing more business events and generating greater footfall to Coventry and Warwickshire.”

Designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, utilising highly sustainable construction standards, the new building will feature large expanses of glazing and exposed timber glulam structural elements. Surrounded by trees and landscaping, and in a lakefront location, the venue will also feature a striking full-length glass wall, opening onto a suspended deck that overlooks the water.

The new venue is available from September 2016.

For more information, visit www.warwickconferences.com.

October 30th, 2015

Research conducted by imago is being used to help shape the way its event management team assists clients in delivering successful meetings.

Conducted in conjunction with Loughborough University and The Right Solution, the research asked event organisers, delegates, graduate and undergraduate students what they felt were the main benefits of meeting face to face in a learning environment. The results found that the biggest benefits of attending a meeting were to learn from industry experts and to listen to speakers who inspired new ideas, challenge the norm and initiate change in every day thinking.

imago is using the results from the research to ensure its event management service provides clients with all the resources and knowledge to deliver a return on investment from their meetings.

The research also revealed there was a gap in the value event organisers and delegates placed on networking opportunities, both in terms of building relationships and meeting peers in a similar field from other businesses. Event organisers (92%) ranked networking as the most valuable element of face to face communication, whilst it ranked third for those attending events both from a delegate (84.4%) and student (74.6%) perspective.

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago, commented:

“The research is having a real impact on the event management service we offer. The aim is to be able to work alongside clients and provide them with all the tools they need for a successful event, not just sell them a meeting space. This includes working out how they can best use their time so delegates get the most out of their day out of the office.

“The research showed that delegates rated listening to speakers who inspire new ideas, challenge the norm and initiate change in every day thinking as the most valuable element of face to face learning whilst students rated learning from industry experts first hand as most valuable. Through our links with Loughborough University we can source speakers which will be of genuine interest for both event organisers and those attending. And it is interesting that networking was rated highly by event organisers but not seen as such a valuable opportunity by those attending the event.”

The final research paper is available from go.welcometoimago.com/meet-the-future. Follow the debate and share thoughts about the research on Twitter via #futureF2F.

The research was undertaken by Loughborough University and imago. The Right Solution provided methodology, analysis and validation of the research which was conducted amongst 779 respondents using a mixture of focus groups, online and face to face questionnaires.

Wyboston Lakes Executive and Training Centres Assessed as "Green Healthcare Venue"

October 30th, 2015

Wyboston Lakes Executive and Training Centres are pleased to announce that they have recently become a “Green” Healthcare Venue, the only one in the Bedford area in the expanding Healthcare–Venues.com portfolio. This is following a rigorous assessment of their two standalone venues, facilities and services by the independent healthcare consultants Compliant Venues Ltd, confirming their suitability to host healthcare meetings and events.

The Healthcare Venues directory is a solution created and promoted by Compliant Venues Ltd and is a directory comprising of venues that have progressed through the audit, assessment and training solution they provide. The assessment solution has been developed to assist venues to understand and work more effectively with the healthcare sector, ensuring they can match the meetings and event compliance aims of transparency and appropriateness outlined by strict regulations across the sector.

Caroline Hill of Compliant Venues Ltd says “we are delighted that Wyboston Lakes Executive and Training Centres have joined our Healthcare Venues directory. We were extremely impressed by the quality and extent of facilities suitable for healthcare meetings and look forward to working with them moving forward.”

The assessment solution also includes key venue staff taking a compliance training programme teaching them about the Healthcare sector, industry regulators and the scope of regulatory codes as they relate to meetings and events. The course also provides tangible practical skills to integrate into everyday venue operations to enhance and support healthcare enquiries and meetings.

Having undertaken the training, Karen Evans, Commercial Director and Tony Knox, Business Development Manager are now considered Venue Healthcare Champions. Karen says,

“We are very proud to be joining a select number of venues in the Healthcare Venue directory and are now better positioned to demonstrate our knowledge and understanding of what is a challenging but important sector. This also underlines our ability to provide healthcare clients our excellent facilities in a controlled environment”.

Whilst Wyboston Lakes has been established for many years as the UK’s largest privately owned single site specialist conference and training venue, the quality of its facilities and overall services has been recently enhanced through a comprehensive £3.5 million investment programme.

Its two residential conference and training venues, the Wyboston Lakes Executive Centre and the Wyboston Lakes Training Centre, have received significant investment to enable the company to offer an exceptionally wide choice of dedicated facilities, services and delegate packages for conferences, meetings and training events. Becoming a Healthcare Venue underlines the commitment to continual improvement.

This investment and such initiatives as becoming a Healthcare Venue, are supported through strong team morale which has led to Wyboston Lakes achieving 35th position in this year’s The Sunday Times ‘Best Companies to work for’ List. This is the second year that Wyboston Lakes has ranked in the top 100, this year moving from 69th to 35th place.

Please see the full venue assessment on www.healthcare-venues.com/venues/4001

Academic Venues Join Forced For Agency Familiarisation Weekend

October 30th, 2015

A group of event organisers from meetings and travel management company Inntel have spent two days experiencing the best the Midlands has to offer during a motorsport-themed familiarisation trip organised by two leading academic venues.

imago, the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, and Warwick Conferences, the conference facilities at the University of Warwick, welcomed a group of 10 staff members from the UK’s largest independent meetings and travel management company for the ‘Do You Have the Need for Speed’ themed trip, which took place on 9-10 October.

Helen Lowrie, Senior Business Development Manager at imago, and Justine Meek, Client Relationship Manager at Warwick Conferences, organised the trip, which was not only aimed at showcasing the award-winning facilities on offer at both AIM Gold accredited sites, but to highlight a number of on and off-site events delegates can enjoy when booking events.

Participants took part in a series of motor-racing themed activities, including Scalextrix races and a Soapbox Challenge and Race at Warwick Conferences, and a Batak and Formula 1 Race Simulator challenge at imago. Scores from each activity during the trip were collated with the winners announced during a private dinner and awards presentation on Sunday 10 October.

Helen Lowrie, Business Development Manager (Agencies) at imago, commented: “The idea behind the joint familiarisation trip was to show what academic venues can really offer in terms of creative events. It highlights the partnerships we have with industry suppliers so the focus of an event doesn’t just have to be about meetings, but on and off-site activities too. The feedback we had from Inntel was fantastic and has gone a long way to changing the perception they had of academic venues. This is hopefully the first of many familiarisation trips we’ll be holding in association with Warwick Conferences as the familiarisation trip has been beneficial for both venues.”

Justine Meek, Client Relationship Manager at Warwick Conferences, comments: “The ‘Need for Speed’ familiarisation trip held in partnership with Imago recently was a hugely valuable way to showcase both our local area and the benefits of academic venues for meetings. Trips such as these help to highlight what venues have to offer, and partnering with imago meant that our visitors from Inntel were able to get a wider experience of academic venues in the Midlands.”

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sport and leisure facilities. imago manages the AIM Gold accredited Burleigh Court and Holywell Park as well as Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel.

Warwick Conferences is an award-winning collection of conferencing venues at the University of Warwick, including three AIM Gold accredited dedicated training and conference centres and the on-site Conference Park.

October 27th, 2015

The prestigious CCE Chef’s Challenge welcomed 9 member venues on Saturday 24th October to enjoy a feast of culinary competition as Junior and Senior Chefs created tantalising dishes complemented by a demonstration of superb cocktail and food service skills from their Front of House colleagues.

Best Team – Nicholas and Paul with Stuart Websdale,
Chairman of Conference Centres of Excellence,
from The Møller Centre, Cambridge

Now in its seventeenth year, the Chefs’ Challenge underwent scrutiny by nine accomplished judges chefs including Peter Griffiths MBE President and Jim Eaves MIH Chairman of the British Culinary Federation. This year’s contest was the biggest to date with 13 teams competing across two heats at Cambridge Regional College.

As the temperatures rose in the kitchens, the competitors kept their cool to deliver outstanding innovative dishes demonstrating their culinary knowledge and abundance of local produce. Each Chef must design, cook and serve in 2hrs 30mins four plates of a three course meal suitable for an end-of-conference banquet for 40 people. This year, the starter included plaice, the main course guinea fowl forming the basis of the menu for Chefs to build their creative flair. The dishes are then served to invited guests by a food service team demonstrating their cocktail-making, wine service and food service skills.

Each year, items from the menus are sponsored and this year was no exception, with British Premium Meats and Fishco Midlands providing the guinea fowl and plaice. Other partners and sponsors, including Wilson Vale Catering Management, Tchibo Coffee International, Elior UK, Kent Frozen Foods, Savona and Cambridge Regional College all worked in partnership to contribute to this annual culinary feast.

Competition Chairman Barry Stonham OBE said “This was the first time we have made the competition entirely Cook and Serve, and the first time we have awarded prizes to junior competitors. Both of these changes were very popular and effective, and the quality of food prepared, and the skill with which it was served, were at the very highest standard, making the judges’ task of identifying the winners very difficult. The facilities at Cambridge Regional College were excellent and I am very grateful to them for all their help and cooperation. I would like to congratulate all 26 competitors on their great performance.”

The awards were presented at a gala dinner that evening at The Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre, to the following competitors:

Best Starter – Senior Nicholas Harry         Kents Hill Park
Best Starter – Junior Lewis Woodcock         Scarman House

Best Main Course – Senior Stuart Scanlon         Ashorne Hill
Best Main Course – Junior Lewis Woodcock Scarman House

Best Dessert – Senior Jason Turton                 College Court
Best Dessert – Junior Lewis Woodcock         Scarman House

Best Cocktails – Senior Paul Mott                         Kents Hill Park
Best Cocktails – Junior Dave Jenkins                 Woodland Grange

Best Wine Service – Senior Paul Hampton         Ashorne Hill
Best Wine Service – Junior Kimberley Tayler Scarman House

Best Food Service – Senior Paul Hampton         Ashorne Hill
Best Food Service – Junior Zoe Harrup         Wyboston Lakes

Best Team Nicholas Harry & Paul Mott         Kents Hill Park

Food Service Champion Paul Mott                 Kents Hill Park

Champion Chef Nicholas Harry                 Kents Hill Park

Nicolas Harry, from Kents Hill Park was awarded Champion Chef on the evening who with the help of his waiter Paul Mott, presented the following menu:

Kent Hill Park

Chef: Nicholas Harry
Waiter: Paul Mott

Cocktails

Apple and Pecan Mojito
Cambridge Hill Martini

Menu

Pecan Smoked Confit of Plaice
Candied Beet and Caramelised Seed Salad
Fennel and Parsley Purées
Gavi, Tuffolo

——————————————-

An Assiette of Guinea Fowl
Crepinette Crushed Sunflower Root, Chantrelle Beurre Noisette
Rillette Crisp Rosemary Crouton
Wellington Potato and Truffle Mille Feuille
Port Reduction
Chianti Reserva, Campobello

—————————————–

Elderflower Cremé
Strawberry and Yoghurt Cloud

New Report Reveals the Value of Expertise in Meetings, Conferences and Events

October 23rd 2015

A new independent study into the relationship between expertise and success in meetings reveals that venues have an ever-important role to play in ensuring their events
deliver.

The study – which sought the views of a cross-section of events, meetings, and conference stakeholders – investigates the motivations behind bookers’, managers’ and
delegates’ behaviours. It considers common problems and misunderstandings, as well as attitudes to off-site training across the board.

The Value of Expertise report has been commissioned by Warwick Conferences and acknowledged by both the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) and Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA). The second in the series, it follows 2013’s Value of Satisfaction report, which revealed how customer satisfaction affects the value of meetings, conferences, and events.

For this research, delegates, their managers, and internal event bookers were interviewed on a range of topics relating to their use of external venues.

Wi-Fi and technology is also examined in the new report - with an apparent disconnect between what delegates expect and what venues provide – and the issue of hidden costs is revisited, first examined in 2013’s Value of Satisfaction report.

Rachael Bartlett, head of sales and marketing at Warwick Conferences, comments: “This is Warwick Conferences’ second independent research report, and as in 2013, we’ve used a wholly independent sample to provide an accurate reflection of the state of the industry, which allows us to consider the sector’s issues objectively.

“This time around, we’re taking another look into what matters when it comes to meetings, where the most common problems arise, and crucially, how – by working in partnership – we can look to solve them. The study shows that misaligned expectations can occur throughout the event process, and highlights the need to champion collaboration and co-operation in events.”

Jacqui Kavanagh, chairman of the HBAA, the trade association for the hotel booking agency, apartment, and venue community, comments: “Following on from 2013’s Value of Satisfaction paper, it’s great to see Warwick Conferences is again leading the way with this new report. We work in an industry where relationships and communication are key. Co-operation and shared learning create a joined-up approach which is vital when we consider the channels that need to be navigated, from bookers, venues, managers, and delegates.”

Jane Longhurst, MIA chief executive, comments: “In today’s meetings industry, expectations to deliver are high – and justifiably so. With a plethora of venues and services on the market to choose from, what sets one apart from another? I believe it is a commitment to excellence, in terms of customer service, facilities and processes - and alongside this, the underpinning theme of this report: expertise.”

Rachael Bartlett concludes: “One consistent theme runs across our findings: a lack of expertise. Throughout the process, event bookers, delegates, and managers struggle to stay on the same page, leading to disparate expectations that could diminish event effectiveness. 

“A venue’s experience affords it a unique position to bridge the gap. Reframing the relationship between client and venue as a business partnership allows venues to promote their own expertise. And, when able to counsel on the wider aspects of an event – not just selling the space – a venue’s expertise can help to deliver events that score highly for managers, bookers, and delegates alike. It’s this collaboration that can make all the difference, helping all those involved to make the most of their meetings.”

The Value of Expertise report can be downloaded from voe.warwickconferences.com 
Join the debate on Twitter @warwickconf #valueofexpertise

For further insight, follow ‘The Value of’ Showcase page on LinkedIn