imago welcomes new university facilities

imago, one of the UK’s leading academic venues, has welcomed the opening of Loughborough University’s latest facilities. 

imago already provides event organisers with access to one of the UK's largest and most extensive single conference sites through the facilities available on campus. The 410-acre campus features more than 75 state-of-the-art exhibition, meeting and conference rooms for up to 2,000 delegates, in addition to facilities Burleigh Court, Holywell Park and The Link Hotel. 

The opening of the new £3 million teaching space - The West Park Teaching Hub – will see Its campus offering extended even further. The West Park Teaching Hub – located in the former Ford College building - features five lecture theatres, two seminar rooms and a central learning and exhibition zone and is equipped with the latest audio visual equipment. Alongside the formal teaching space there is an informal learning area and waiting areas with seating and a café.

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, says of the new meetings facilities: “It’s really exciting to be able to offer clients a new event space on campus – it is an outstanding facility to have in our portfolio. The West Park Teaching Hub offers everything event organisers need for successful meetings and conferences. But our campus offering is about more than the buildings. Being able to utilise the university’s reputation for academic excellence is also a great way for event organisers to enhance the content of their event so it has real value for delegates attending.”

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

Offsite meetings valued by employees, imago research reveals

Research into the value of face to face communication showed that employees value offsite meetings compared to those held in-house.

The research - Does the future have room for face-to-face communication - was conducted amongst a sample of more than 750 event organisers, delegates, graduate and undergraduate students.

The research revealed that delegates felt getting to know colleagues outside the office was the most valuable element of an offsite meeting, followed by increasing learning ability away from office distractions and meeting new people that encouraged new thinking.

Respondents who took part in the focus group sessions agreed that a neutral environment encouraged a fresh approach to thinking, with interactive sessions and good food showed investment in employees to make them feel rewarded.

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, commented: “All too often meetings are arranged in-house. Whilst this is convenient it often doesn’t lead to productive outcomes for those attending or the organisers. Holding a meeting offsite should not just be seen as a day away from the office. As our research revealed that employees get more out of going to meetings that are not held in familiar surroundings – it encourages them to get to know their colleagues, increases their learning ability and by meeting new people i9t encourages a different way of thinking. All of these elements are beneficial to those attending and the businesses they work for as it provides a greater return on investment.”

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.

Such has been the success of imago’s research, the organisation is planning a follow-up research project, which will be launched later this year. Emma adds: “The feedback from the research and its findings have been extremely positive. As an organisation it is helping us shape successful meetings for our clients and improve the services we offer. The purpose of the next research project is to look into individual areas in more detail and we look forward to seeing the results.”

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports 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.

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. 

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.

Bumper year of events boost growth at imago Holywell Park

A bumper year of events at imago Holywell Park has boosted growth, with the venue seeing a 100% increase in the number of exclusive use bookings year on year. 

Based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, Holywell Park is one of the most popular venues in the East Midlands thanks to its extensive facilities. The purpose built event venue offers a large exhibition area, nine versatile meeting rooms and a well-equipped lecture theatre. It also benefits from spacious break out areas, free Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art AV equipment and free parking. 

Events held at Holywell Park over the last 12 months include gala dinners, product launches, small trade shows and conferences and it is forecast that total sales will be 8% ahead of target.  

Event organisers choosing Holywell Park can take advantage of its all inclusive package, which costs as little as £7,000 (excluding VAT), and the benefit of booking accommodation at preferential rates at Burleigh Court and the Link Hotel (subject to availability). 

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago, comments: “During the last year we have seen a significant increase in the number of organisations looking for a venue which provides space and flexibility. And this is where Holywell Park comes into its own. It can be used for a wide variety of events from meetings and conferences to trade exhibitions and gala dinners. Our exclusive package has proved extremely popular – it provides event organisers with everything they need at an affordable price - and has been a factor in the venue’s growth. 

“One of its biggest assets is its location. Holywell Park’s central location and excellent transport links by road, rail and air makes it an ideal venue in the East Midlands. We are forecasting our growth to continue into the New Year and we hope that new and existing clients will take advantage of all Holywell Park offers.”

Holywell Park is one of the venues in imago’s portfolio of venues. Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, which also includes Burleigh Court, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

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

imago’s Burleigh Court retains Visit Britain silver standard for service

The multi-award winning team at imago’s international conference centre Burleigh Court has retained the prestigious Visit Britain Silver Award for the second year running, scoring an impressive 100% for hospitality. 

The Visit Britain report on Burleigh Court stated: “The level of hospitality is exceptional. The whole team, without exception, offered a smile, an appropriate hello, good morning, afternoon or evening and really went out of their way to offer conversation to guests during this stay. One of the very few hotels awarded 100% for hospitality, well done to the whole team on this achievement.” 

Burleigh Court achieved an overall rating of 86% - a three per cent improvement on the previous year. The national average for four star hotels is 82.1%. The hotel and conference centre performed particularly well in key areas, achieving Gold standard scores in service, food and cleanliness, as well as hospitality. 

In addition to the Silver Award, Burleigh Court also achieved the Breakfast Award, an accolade which is given to venues which offer a high-quality and extensive breakfast, supported by service and hospitality that exceeds the requirements expected of a four star rating. Visit Britain also renewed Burleigh Court’s mobility level three accreditation, which is part of its National Accessible Accreditation Scheme. 

Burleigh Court’s Operations Manager Guy Hodge commented: “We are extremely proud that Burleigh Court has once again been recognised for its high levels of customer service. We are one of the only a few select venues nationally to achieve 100% for hospitality, an area where we have worked hard to build and maintain high standards. We’re particularly pleased to have improved on our previous score and we expect to do the same next year as we look to achieve the Visit Britain Gold Award.” 

“We couldn’t achieve this without the support and enthusiasm from our staff. They are all experts in service and help us reach a common goal of absolute customer satisfaction. The positive comments from the report about the team reflect their highly motivated and upbeat attitudes and provide us all with a great sense of satisfaction.”

The Visit Britain Silver Award is given to venues that achieve exceptional standards of hospitality including customer service, catering, housekeeping and the quality of bedrooms and bathrooms. 

Part of imago’s portfolio of venues, Burleigh Court offers business and leisure guests 26 meeting rooms, 150 square metres of exhibition space and 225 en-suite bedrooms with a range of facilities to suit all needs, including a well-equipped gym complete with swimming pool, sauna and a spa offering a range of relaxing treatments. Earlier this year, Burleigh Court won Gold in the Large Hotel of the Year category at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014. 

imago strengthens event management team

imago has appointed Naomi Purvis to the role of Event Services Manager as it strengthens its event services offering. 

imago’s event management team offers services that extend beyond the confines of imago itself.  As well as arranging all on-site activities, the team help groups looking to make the most of their time in the area by booking and organising team building events and logistics. 

Naomi has a background in the events industry having previously worked at Universal WorldEvents (now Ashfield Meetings and Events), and has experience of the pharmaceutical sector – a target market for imago. In her new role, Naomi will be responsible for managing events from the time they are booked through to delivery as well as developing the services offered to business groups across the portfolio of venues. She says: “I’m looking forward to being part of imago’s continuing success story through the development of its events service offering and bringing on new business in its target markets.” 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago comments: “Our events management team offers a service that ensures all events held with imago are both creative and make the most of everything the area has to offer. Naomi brings with her a wealth of experience and makes a great addition to our team, particularly having worked in the pharmaceutical sector – a key target market for imago. Strengthening our events management offering allows us to maintain a first class client offering whilst giving us the opportunity to build and extend the services we provide and take advantage of new opportunities.” 

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

imago targets growth through new business development appointment

imago has appointed Richard Money as Senior Business Development Manager as the organisation focuses on building long term relationships with clients.

Richard previously held business development roles at Zibrant, Q Lifestyle (Bonvo Travel Singapore), De Vere Belton Woods and The Belfry Hotel & Golf Resort and worked as Head of Sales and Marketing at 2BP Ltd. 

In his role with imago, Richard will be proactively looking for new opportunities to increase the number of business events taking place across imago’s diverse portfolio of venues – Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University campus and The Link Hotel. Of his appointment he says: “imago offers businesses an unique package for a wide range of events. It is a well established company that has already experienced significant growth. I have a passion for identifying and securing new business opportunities, as well as offering excellent customer care across all aspects of my work, which will help imago increase business even further.” 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, commented: “We are delighted that Richard has joined our business development team. He has a proven track record in this field and will help us reach our goals as we target new areas of business and look to increase sales across imago’s portfolio of venues.” 

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 sports and leisure facilities.

Burleigh Court shortlisted for VisitEngland Awards for Excellence

imago’s four star conference centre and hotel Burleigh Court has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Large Hotel of the Year category at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014.

Burleigh Court is part of imago’s portfolio of venues, offering business and leisure guests 26 meeting rooms, 150 square metres of exhibition space and 225 en-suite bedrooms with a range of facilities to suit all needs. Other on-site features include a well-equipped gym complete with swimming pool, sauna and a spa offering a range of relaxing treatments.

The venue is mobility three accredited, which is part of the National Accessible Accreditation Scheme run by VisitBritain, with dedicated disabled parking bays located close to reception and training rooms, restaurant, lounge area and 13 bedrooms all designed with improved accessibility in mind.

The VisitEngland Awards attracted 368 applications and finalists were chosen based on key criteria such as customer service, commitment to excellence, staff training and development, accessibility, marketing and promotion, quality improvement and development and sustainability.

The awards ceremony will take place at Cheltenham Racecourse on Monday May 12, 2014, when Burleigh Court will find out it if it has received a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended Award.

Guy Hodge, Operations Director at Burleigh Court, comments: “It is fantastic news that Burleigh Court has been shortlisted as a finalist for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014. We are committed to providing our guests, whether they are here for business or pleasure, with the best possible service. Being recognised for such a celebrated award is recognition of the hard work of the entire team.” 

James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland, said: “I would like to congratulate all those nominated as finalists for this year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.  We receive hundreds of applications each year of an extremely high standard, so it is a tremendous achievement for Burleigh Court to become a finalist and to represent the top five in their category in England.  I wish all the finalists the very best of luck for the Awards Ceremony in May.”

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation alongside excellent sports and leisure facilities.

Let Me Play returns to Loughborough University

imago, Loughborough University’s hospitality brand, will once again be playing host to sporting stars of the future when Let Me Play brings four of its intensive sports camps to Loughborough University in August 2014.

Loughborough University has been chosen to host week long training camps for football, tennis, basketball and athletics enabling participants to experience its first class sporting facilities. During their stay, participants will be hosted by imago on campus and take advantage on the additional support its staff can offer sportsmen and women.

Imago has a proven track record in the sporting arena. It was the official preparation camp for the 2012 GB Olympic team and hosted the Team GB experience at Holywell Park. More recently, Burleigh Court hosted the England Rugby Football League team during the recent World Cup.

Established in 2004, Let Me Play is a sports and education organisation that delivers programmes across the UK, providing young people with opportunities to play their chosen sport in a safe and secure environment.  
Ben Aherne, Business Development Manager, Sports Development Centre, Loughborough University, comments: “As a world leading University for sport, Loughborough University provides a performance environment to inspire all levels of participants to fulfil their potential.  We are delighted to partner with Let Me Play for a second successive year and create a unique opportunity for children to raise their aspirations and follow in the footsteps of sporting alumni including Lord Sebastian Coe and Sir Clive Woodward.”

Matthew Lord, Director of Let Me Play, says:  “Let Me Play is excited to be returning to Loughborough for four of our summer camps in 2014. The world class sporting facilities offered by the university and the additional support from the staff at imago will really benefit camp participants in their development during the week-long courses. We aim to use the facilities at Loughborough for the foreseeable future to further establish the UK’s best set of residential sports camps.”

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, comments: “It is great news that Let Me Play is returning to Loughborough with their training camps. They provide young people with the opportunity to hone their skills using the university’s world class facilities. They also have the chance to experience the facilities imago offers to top sporting stars. With a wealth of experience hosting the world’s best athletes, our staff are highly knowledgeable and can offer support in key areas during their stay and we look forward to passing this on to sporting stars of the future.” 

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

Gold for imago from Investors in People

imago has reached another milestone in its pursuit of achieving the highest standards of service. The conference arm of Loughborough University has been awarded the Investors in People Gold standard. imago is one of only a handful  of venues from the meetings industry to achieve the standard. 

Employing 180 people across the four venues, Investors in People is particularly important to imago, and it places a high value on providing its staff with excellent working conditions which it believes contributes to its success. 

Investors in People is the UK's leading accreditation for business improvement through people management, and provides a framework to help businesses get the best from their people. To achieve the standard, imago worked with an Investors in People specialist from emb-x; the organisation that delivers the Investors in People service for Central England.

Tatjana Walker, Front of House Manager at Burleigh Court, says: “The Investors in People framework has always been an essential external benchmark which exhibits imago’s commitment for growth, support and engagement of every member of our team. Over the years it has become quite clear that our people are our success. Their contributions and dedication has enabled imago to grow and go from strength to strength.

“It has been a team effort involving members from all areas of our business and a real journey which makes this Gold award all the more important. Through this accreditation we have improved our business processes, communication and most of all staff engagement in establishing and embedding best practices in everything we do. Our plan for the future will ensure that we further develop our strategies and plans in order to continually review, evaluate and improve performance. The core Investors in People principles – Plan, Do, Review - will push us to a whole new level within the market place.” 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, says: “imago values its staff and is committed to the continual improvement of our employees. Excellent customer service is central to everything we do, and our success depends on staff consistently providing the best level of care. By investing in our staff and working to the Investors in People framework we can help our staff grow and achieve their full potential. Attaining the Gold standard is recognition of the systems we have in place and demonstrates our ability to deliver excellence to customers.”

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sport and leisure facilities. It’s portfolio of venues includes Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

New European flight routes makes imago even more accessible

New flight routes to East Midlands Airport and Birmingham Airport are making it even easier for delegates to travel to imago’s portfolio of venues in Leicestershire. 

East Midlands Airport recently opened flights to Dubrovnik, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanaca, Nice, Fuerteventura, Jersey and Reus. 

It already operates direct flights to a wide variety of airports in European hub countries including Scotland, Ireland, the Channel Islands, Holland, France Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Latvia, Greece, Croatia, Austria, Mediterranean Islands as well as Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and the United States.

Flybe has announced it is to operate a new route between Birmingham Airport and Ireland West Airport Knock, making it the largest scheduled airline at the airport in terms of number of aircraft movements. This latest route to Knock increases the airline’s already extensive list of 23 destinations, including Belfast City, Dusseldorf, the Channel Islands, Paris Charles de Gaulle, regional France and Scotland. 

Key routes from Birmingham Airport include: Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Holland, Spain, France, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Turkey, Russia, Poland, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Croatia, Romania, Belgium and Slovakia as well as flighty to the Middle East, South Africa, China, United States, Hong Kong, Canada, Brazil and South Korea. In 2014, the airport will be extending its runway bringing with it direct flights from additional long haul destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Johannesburg. 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, comments: “Many clients are surprised to learn how much of an international destination Loughborough, and therefore imago is. Both East Midlands and Birmingham Airport are on the door step making our venues easily accessible from many world leading business destinations. The new flight routes make it even quicker for international delegates to get here as there are many travel options available to them. Future development at Birmingham Airport will open up additional international routes making imago n attractive proposition for overseas business events.”  

Located in Leicestershire, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand - including Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel – allowing it to offer unrivalled conference facilities and luxury accommodation. 

Burleigh Court retains silver standard for service

The multi-award winning team at imago’s international conference centre Burleigh Court has retained the prestigious VisitBritain Silver Award for the second year running.  

Awarded for exceptional standards of hospitality including customer service, catering, housekeeping and the quality of bedrooms, the Burleigh Court team achieved an impressively high rating of 83 per cent. This was a three per cent improvement overall on the previous year; with service up by 18 per cent, and housekeeping by 16 per cent. 

In addition to the Silver rating, VisitBritain again presented the ‘Breakfast Award’ to Burleigh Court. This accolade is given to venues which offer a high-quality and extensive breakfast, supported by service and hospitality that exceeds the requirements expected of a four star rating.

Guy Hodge, Operations Manager at Burleigh Court, said: “The whole Burleigh team is immensely proud to retain the prestigious Silver status, which couldn’t have happened without the support and enthusiasm of our expert staff. 

“As in previous years, positive comments about the team give me the greatest sense of satisfaction and pride. They reflect both their highly motivated and upbeat attitudes, which were highlighted by VisitBritain. We’re particularly pleased to have improved on our previous score and will strive to do the same next year.”  

Burleigh Court is located near to junction 23 of the M1 on Loughborough University campus. It has 26 air-conditioned meeting rooms and a total of 225 en-suite bedrooms, with a range of facilities to suit all needs. Other on site features include a well-equipped gym complete with swimming pool, sauna and a spa offering a range of relaxing treatments. 

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

imago set to support England rugby football league squad during 2013 World Cup

Leading event, conference, and meetings provider imago, has welcomed the England Rugby Football League team following the announcement that Loughborough University will be its official base in the build-up to and during the Rugby League World Cup 2013.

The imago team will be responsible for nutrition and accommodation at its four star hotel Burleigh Court. The England team will arrive in Loughborough in mid-October to commence preparations for the tournament that will bring together the top 14 rugby league teams in the world.

Kay England, imago Chief Executive, said: “Loughborough University and the imago team gained a lot of experience during its time as the official preparation camp for Team GB. We understand the importance of providing athletes with a varied and interesting diet as well as the role that a relaxing space, provided through high-quality accommodation, plays during an intense training schedule. 

“The team has frequently used the fantastic facilities at the University since its first preparation camp in October 2010. We’re looking forward to welcoming them back and supporting the whole team as it strives for a first class performance.” 

Kevin Sinfield, the England Rugby League Captain, added: “There’s a familiarly with us coming to Loughborough now. To be in this sort of environment where everybody here is trying to learn, improve or better themselves, we fit in great because that’s what we are trying to do.

“The (Burleigh Court) hotel is fantastic and they really look after us. The facilities here are as good as you can get anywhere and really suit what we need.”

Peter Keen, Director of Sport at Loughborough University, concludes: “It is hugely significant to have a team like England Rugby League here preparing for the biggest matches of their lives.

“For me, it validates everything that we are about and stand for. It confirms that we have what you need to operate at the highest level in sport, that we are able to put together the kind of environment, package and support that makes sense for them, given the choices they have, to come and prepare here.”

The Rugby League World Cup 2013 starts on 26th October with a clash against fierce rivals England and Australia at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.  The final will be played at Old Trafford, Manchester on 30th November.

Further information, including ticket details, can be found on the Rugby League World Cup 2013 website at http://www.rlwc2013.com/world_cup.

Going for Gold

Leading events and hospitality provider imago is celebrating after receiving yet another accolade in recognition of its high-quality standards.  Having received the Investors in People Silver Award in May, imago has now set its sights on achieving Gold in November this year.

imago is the hospitality brand of Loughborough University, managing its conference, accommodation and catering through a team of over 240 employees across four different venues.  First-class conference centre and four star hotel Burleigh Court celebrated its 21st Anniversary last year and along with day conference centre Holywell Park, played host to Team GB as part of the official  London 2012 preparation camp.

Burleigh Court Operations Manager Guy Hodge, said: “The Investors in People framework is a great way to ensure that an organisation as diverse as imago continues to provide a consistent and unified service offering.

"People are the key to our business and we want to be recognised as a fantastic organisation to work for, as well as one that delivers excellence to customers.  imago is committed to continuous improvement and the great thing about Investors in People is that it evolves and develops with us as a business.

 “Our Specialist has developed a good knowledge of our organisation after working with us for a number of years. This ensures a great insight into our business and provides valuable information and feedback on our progress.

“We have a great team, everyone contributes to our success and we are confident that we will be able to achieve the Gold Award by November”    

imago is working with an Investors in People Specialist from emb-x; the organisation that delivers the Investors in People service for Central England.

Tracey Pepper from emb-x added, "The achievements of imago are credit to everyone who works there.  They are committed to delivering excellence through continuous improvement and are a good example of the benefits that working with Investors in People can bring."

imago Christmas Conference

Hold an event during December with imago and receive a Christmas party for free!

Have you ever thought about combining your conference with a Christmas party? Anyone who holds an event with imago during December 2013 will receive a Christmas party free of charge.*

imago's Christmas Conference package includes: 

• Free Wi-Fi
• Accommodation
• Main meeting room
• Full English breakfast
• Christmas carvery lunch
• Essential audio-visual equipment
• Tea/coffee and refreshments
• Unlimited use of spa and leisure complex
• Christmas party (includes a three-course Christmas dinner and music entertainment)

Price -  Burleigh Court 24 hour delegate rate - from £110 per person (+VAT)
         
Call us on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk for more details.

*Subject to availability. Conferences must be held on a Monday-Thursday, with a minimum of 20 delegates. Smaller bookings could result in a shared party on a different evening, depending on availability.

Awards Dinner and Annual Conference 2013

Conference Centres of Excellence is delighted to be holding its 2013 conference and awards dinner at imago, Loughborough. 

Thursday 18th/ Friday 19th July 2013

This annual event provides an opportunity for CCE Members, industry professionals and suppliers to network and discuss the latest issues affecting our industry in a friendly and supportive environment.

The awards dinner is an opportunity for Conference Centres of Excellence to recognise quality venues and suppliers to the meetings and events industry and the celebratory dinner kicks off the conference in style.

Anthony Lishman, Executive Director said: 

"The peer to peer networking and educational benefits speak for themselves, but the whole event is designed to not only move our consortium forward and demonstrate our passion for our industry, but also give us a glimpse into what very large organisations are doing to get the best out of their most precious resources.

I’m delighted that this year’s conference returns for its third year with a stronger line up of speakers and workshops than ever. It is a great opportunity to reward your team for a job well done in these most challenging of times. "

For the full conference schedule and booking details visit our website today or email summerconference@cceonline.co.uk

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

Conference Centres of Excellence is delighted to be holding its 2013 conference and awards dinner at imago.

This annual event provides an opportunity for CCE Members, industry professionals and suppliers to network and discuss the latest issues affecting our industry in a friendly and supportive environment.

The awards dinner is an opportunity for Conference Centres of Excellence to recognise quality venues and suppliers to the meetings and events industry and the celebratory dinner kicks off the conference in style.

Event Date:

Thursday 18th July to

Friday 19th July 2013

Venue:

imago, Loughborough 

Event Schedule:

Further details will be available shortly. 

Click here to view last year's event >

For more details please contact: marketing@cceonline.co.uk or contact 01926 488 020.

imago Filmed for Google's 'Business Photos' Feature

Loughborough based imago is one of the first UK businesses to be filmed for Google’s brand new ‘business photos’ feature. 

Expanding on its current ‘street view’ mode, Google will offer 360-degree tours inside a number of businesses and venues.

Chris Jones, on behalf of Google

Four star conference centre Burleigh Court and The Link hotel were the first venues in Leicestershire to be visited by Google, building on imago’s ‘virtual tours’ which are a new feature on its own website.

Emma Boynton, Head of Marketing and Sales at imago, said: “It’s very exciting to be involved in Google’s latest innovation at such an early stage. The internet has become a very important tool for searching and selecting venues in the hotel and conference industry – I’m sure that the added option of seeing inside the venue will assist potential clients in finding the perfect setting for their event.” 

imago Burleigh Court

Burleigh Court is one of the Midlands largest 4-Star accredited residential conference and training centres. Facilities include 225 quality bedrooms including executive suites, 26 top specification training rooms, equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment, a versatile exhibition area, superb restaurant and private dining room.

Burleigh Court is proud to be Mobility 3 accredited, boasting some of the most accessible facilities in the region.

Ideally located in the Midlands, one mile from the M1 and 8 miles from East Midlands Airport.

For bookings and more information on imago Burleigh Court call the Conference Centres of Excellence Hotline 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

BURLEIGH COURT EMBRACES GREEN TO GET THE GOLD

imago’s four star hotel Burleigh Court is celebrating Green Tourism Week after earning a gold rating on the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), which is accredited by the British tourism board, Visit Britain. 

With a strong sustainability agenda and a forward thinking approach on issues around energy, recycling and wastage, the Loughborough based hotel managed to earn a gold accreditation for the second time running. 

Burleigh Court excelled in criteria which judged the environmental impact of its green policy and the resulting benefit to staff and the business. 

What’s more Burleigh Court is now a featured example on the Green Tourism website due to its strong and proactive management team headed by hotel manager, Guy Hodge. 

Guy said: “We are thrilled to have held on to our gold status during the 21st anniversary year of the hotel and to be used as an example of best practice on the Green Tourism website. It was quite an achievement to receive the highest level of approval at the first attempt two years ago, so to retain it again is amazing. 

“We are very passionate about sustainability and ensure all staff receive regular and thorough training on green issues. Initiatives such our cycle to work and staff car share scheme continue to make a difference whilst our green policy, which includes ideas such as recycling food waste and grey water, extends across the whole hotel. We see sustainability as much more than our efforts to save water and energy - it is also about benefiting the community and our guests. We are proud to display our gold accreditation and are committed to maintaining it for many years to come.” 

imago has been recognised by Visit Britain for its comprehensive monitoring of energy, water and wastage across all areas of the business to ensure consumption and wastage targets are achieved. A unique example is the hotel’s ‘Heatsaver’ pool cover that reduces heat evaporation from the pool surface. The hotel also strives to support the community and encourage sustainability by sourcing local produce and supporting local producers and suppliers. 

The GTBS is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Originally developed in partnership with Visit Scotland, it is now the only certification scheme validated by Visit Britain, through the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT).