New Business Concept for Yorkshire

Peter Chubb, Development Director at Weetwood Hall Conference Centre and Hotel, Leeds, has created a forward thinking concept to bring conferences to life during this tough business market. 

Peter has developed a business model in which people who have a unique concept or special interest for a convention or event can host their idea at Weetwood Hall. The concept is titled Inspirational Conventions and Events (ICE) where conferences are set up on diverse subjects and topics that inspire conversation, feed the imagination and demand to be explored. 

Each event is researched and run by a specialist programme director, an expert in the subject field, who will set the programme, uncover the best key-note speakers and identify external events and excursions, where applicable. 

The conferences give people the opportunity to present their passion to an audience where they would not otherwise be able to. The first conference will take place in July 2014 and is a First World War in Retrospect Conference, remembering the outbreak of the First World War in its centenary year. It will be directed by Dr Peter Liddle who has spent the past 40 years interviewing people who have been in and affected by the First World War. Dr Liddle, along with 18 expert speakers will be presenting various aspects of the outbreak of WW1.

The second of the ICE conferences is titled Appreciating Aspects of Art where eight speakers will discuss the socio-historical background to great Yorkshire names such as David Hockney, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, interspersed with opportunities to meet and be addressed by contemporary artists such as Margaret Harrison, 2013 winner of the North's answer to the Turner Prize, and Kane Cunningham, who created a studio in Knipe Point Drive, a house falling down a cliff on the eroding coastline of Yorkshire.

Peter Chubb said: “The idea of the concept came to me as I found there was a need to revolutionise the way conferences are held and create a concept in which likeminded enthusiasts could connect in specialised subjects. Most ICE events will take place over a number of days and can be residential or non-residential. They provide the opportunity for people to listen, reflect and gain a fresh perspective on different topics. So far we have received a lot of interest in our two conferences and I look forward to hearing about future concepts.”

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

Major industry awards for EEF Venues

EEF Venues has been named ‘No 1 Small Group’ and ‘Best Value for Money Group’ in the VenueVerdict Awards 2013 – the only industry awards programme to be based entirely on the voice of the customer. 

Venues and groups are benchmarked on a number of measures, and the groups recording the highest headline scores for the year are independently recognised as providing the best customer experience for meetings and events. 

This year's results are based on 22,000 individual responses from event planners across a pool of over 360 participating venues.

David Vaughton, director of venues for EEF Venues, said: "We couldn’t ask for a better start to 2014. To be recognised in this way is a fantastic endorsement of our teams who consistently exceed customers’ expectations across our three dedicated venues – Broadway House in Westminster, Engineers’ House in Bristol and Woodland Grange in Warwickshire.” 

James Bland, client services director, BDRC, said: "Over the seven years that we have been running this programme, we have seen a consistent increase in quality standards from the many participating venues.  Their participation in independent external accreditation is evidently repaid by closer customer relationships resulting from the better service they are able to provide. The awards are split into three groups; recognising the different operational challenges that face groups of different sizes.” 

EEF Venue’s three venues have also scooped gold standard accreditation in The VenueVerdict Accreditation Programme, a comprehensive measure of service standards – again based entirely on the voice of the customer. 

Administered by BDRC Continental, an independent third party market research agency, and judged by real customers over a 12 month period, the VenueVerdict Accreditation programme is completely unbiased and so a true reflection of customer satisfaction levels. 

David Vaughton said: "Repeat bookings account for 70 per cent of business across our three venues so keeping our customers happy and satisfied is everything as it has a direct impact on our performance as a group. Retention and loyalty drive this business so it is truly humbling that our efforts have been acknowledged in this way.”

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

RNLI College Grows Nationwide footprint for Conference Centres of Excellence

RNLI College, the home of RNLI Training, has joined Conference Centres of Excellence, the UK’s only sales and marketing consortium of dedicated meeting providers.

RNLI College is the home of training for the charity's lifesavers. Overlooking Poole Harbour on England's south coast, the College welcomes its volunteer Lifeboat crew members and Lifeguards from around the UK and RoI, who visit for training courses and to make use of extensive training facilities – including a unique Lifeboat Bridge simulator, and Sea Survival Centre.

Since opening in 2004, RNLI College has also been used to raise funds for the charity, as the classroom facilities and function rooms designed to train lifesavers are perfect for conferences, meetings, presentations, private dining, training seminars and team building.
The award-winning facilities combined with its inspirational atmosphere and stunning waterside location, make RNLI College a conference venue with a difference and one where every visit supports the charity in saving lives at sea.

Having met stringent criteria in terms of facilities, accommodation and customer care, joining Conference Centres of Excellence enables RNLI College to benefit from the group’s marketing activities, providing customers with a single route to booking one of our nationwide venues, with consistent quality standards.

Anthony Lishman, Executive Director of Conference Centres of Excellence said “We are strengthening our membership and growing our geographical footprint to cater for customer requirements, and having RNLI College join us broadens our customer offering to the South Coast of England. An inspirational venue in many ways, RNLI College aligns itself to our exacting quality standards, delivering customers an excellent meeting, training or teambuilding experience.” 

Conference Centres of Excellence has been working with specialist venues in the meetings, training and events industry for 21 years, and its 33 members include many of the country’s best known specialist venues, covering a geographical area extending from the south coast of England to Scotland.

“We are delighted to be joining Conference Centres of Excellence; this provides RNLI College with a great opportunity to be part of a consortium of specialist venues for meeting, training and business events” commented Perry Simpson, Business Development Manager for RNLI College.  “A totally unique, waterside venue, RNLI College is the home of RNLI training, where our volunteer lifesavers enjoy fantastic facilities, whilst learning vitally important lifesaving skills. We are very much looking forward to welcoming new customers to the RNLI through our membership with Conference Centres of Excellence.”

For more information please call our central sales team on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

An executive decision: Warwick Conferences confirms key HBAA appointment

Chris Nagle, Agency Relationship Manager at Coventry-and-Warwickshire-based Warwick Conferences, has been appointed to the Training Chair of the HBAA Executive Committee.

Chris will replace Rose McDonald with immediate effect, not only chairing the Training Committee, but also taking a seat on the HBAA Executive Committee.

As the trade association for the hotel booking agency and venue community, the HBAA has been helping businesses and individuals within these sectors to strive for ever higher professional standards. The HBAA runs a schedule of training, meetings and networking events for the sector throughout the year. This schedule is overseen by the Training Committee, whose role is to plan the training course calendar and coordinate the delivery of the induction online and the HBAA Customer Service NVQ.

Chris Nagle comments: “I am delighted with this opportunity to assume the Training Committee Chair, and to continue the great work started by Rose in 2013.

“Focussing on delivering training that meets the needs of our membership will be key for the Committee in 2014. I look forward to working to deliver another exciting year of training and development.”

Warwick Conferences, part of the University of Warwick, is one of the leading providers of conferencing space in the UK.

The Manor House Strikes Green Gold

The Manor House, the conference centre based in Godalming, Surrey has retained its Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) gold standard following a recent assessment by the organisation.

The GTBS is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK and according to a June 2013 report produced by Totem Tourism , is the World’s most credible Sustainable Tourism Programme. 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). 

"We are absolutely delighted to have retained this gold award" says Centre Manager Howard Canning. "We first achieved gold two years ago, but as the award is all about continuous improvement, we knew that we couldn’t sit on our laurels if we wanted to maintain the standard. We’ve work hard at being green, so this is Mission Accomplished!"

Businesses opting to join Green Tourism are assessed by a qualified grading advisor against a rigorous set of criteria, covering a range of areas, like energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and more. Those businesses that meet the required standard receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement. The membership network currently numbers around 2300 organisations in the UK, Ireland and Canada and there is a wide range of business types from hotels to tourist attractions and holiday parks.

“This award is the culmination of everybody's efforts and we’re very proud of some of the initiatives that we have developed and built on over the last two years" continues Canning. "We now use more local suppliers than ever before for everything from food to laundry. Capitalising on new technology, we have also managed to reduce our utilities bills – we use about 20% gas than we did two years ago, for example, which is fantastic, given that the cost keeps increasing."

Although the next assessment is not until 2015, Canning is keen not to stand still. "We have plenty still to do" he says, "not only do we have to maintain our gold standard for a third time, but the assessment criteria are due to change, which will make a gold much harder to achieve."

Warwick Conferences chef wins Institute of Hospitality award

Warwick Conferences has another culinary success to celebrate after a member of its catering team was recognised at the Institute of Hospitality awards.

Graham Crump, Executive Development Chef at Warwick Conferences, was nominated for the Innovation in Management award for his contribution to the university’s development of its chefs and catering. The Institute of Hospitality selected Graham as the winner from a shortlist of nominees for his involvement in Warwick Conferences’ apprenticeship scheme and for leading chef development at the University of Warwick.

Graham mentors Warwick Conferences’ apprentices throughout their training. He ensures they gain experience in all areas of catering and frequently goes the extra mile to make sure they benefit from a rounded experience. The panel were particularly impressed by his planning and arranging specialist placements to enable them to learn skills in areas of expertise, as well as covering the fundamentals normally expected during an apprenticeship.  

In terms of supporting chef development, Graham ensures the team are kept up to date with modern trends and are constantly involved in the ‘bigger picture’ of understanding and appreciating how the food is grown, cared for, selected and processed to make it onto a delegate’s plate. The fact that Graham also encourages chefs at all grades to enter and participate in culinary competitions did not go unnoticed: the panel commended his efforts to help them hone their skills in different environments and under different pressures, and to network with professionals in the industry. 

The awards were organised to mark the Institute of Hospitality’s 75th anniversary and to celebrate excellence in the hospitality industry. Aside from Innovation in Management, two other awards were presented for the Highest Achieving Student and Outstanding Leadership categories.

Graham commented: “I’m delighted to accept the Innovation in Management award. The Institute of Hospitality is a hugely respected organisation in the industry and it’s a real honour to have been recognised as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations.” 

The awards were presented at a gala dinner on the 20th November at The Westbury Hotel in Mayfair, London.

British Premium Meats joins Conference Centres of Excellence as preferred partner

British Premium Meats (BPM) has entered into sponsorship agreement as preferred partner with Conference Centres of Excellence, the UK’s leading sales and marketing consortium for training, meeting and conference venues. 

Formed in 1986 by four brothers who opened a butchers shop in Kenton North London, British Premium Meats are a well-established meat suppler to the catering trade. This privately owned business has enjoyed extensive growth, predominantly from recommendations and referrals and has gained a reputation for quality and reliability. In 2005 the company opened its BRC accredited processing plant at Welwyn Garden City, in a 1950 Sq. Metre purpose built site.

The company has a broad customer base including multi-outlet contract caterers and restaurant chains, award winning restaurants, pub groups, private schools and colleges, and Event Caterers. BPM work closely with each sector to ensure that their specific requirements are met and even exceeded, whether sourcing a new product, setting up a product specification, or tailoring a delivery route to fit in with access requirements.

With a purchasing strategy to source and buy the best product available from a range of accredited suppliers from home and abroad, BPM ensure full traceability and due diligence throughout the process, with a computerised system tracking products from gate to plate. 

From the Welwyn production site, products are dispatched to the distribution centre at Wembley North London, ideally located to deliver to a variety of locations throughout the midlands and the south of England.

Weston Wright, Head of Sales at British Premium Meats commented “We are delighted in becoming a preferred partner to the group and look forward to working together with Conference Centres of Excellence in promoting and supporting the business in whatever way we can”.

British Premium Meats join Wilson Vale and Tchibo Coffee Ltd as select preferred partners with Conference Centres of Excellence, and as part of the agreement, will be sponsoring the annual conference and awards dinner, to be held during the summer of 2014.

Anthony Lishman, executive director of Conference Centres of Excellence, said:

“We continue to strengthen our membership at every level, and part of this activity involves supporting our members’ commitment to quality and standards by working with select preferred partners. Our customers expect great service and excellent facilities, with quality of food consistently being a key factor in determining the success of an event. The agreement benefits both parties and we are delighted to align our brand with BPM who have such a strong reputation within the industry. We look forward to a successful 2014 and beyond.”