Double AIM Gold for EEF Venues

EEF Venues’ Broadway House in Westminster and Engineers’ House in Bristol have both achieved Gold in the stringent Accredited in Meetings (AIM) assessment – the nationwide 'kite mark' of quality. 

Assessments take place every three years, and this is the second time that each of the venues has received the highest ranking. Only 24 UK venues are currently Gold accredited, and these include EEF Venues’ third venue, Woodland Grange in Leamington Spa, which is due to be re-assessed next year.

David Vaughton, director of venues for EEF Venues, said:  "We feel very proud that twelve per cent of all UK venues with the top AIM ranking come under the EEF Venues’ group. Customer service underpins everything we do so this is a great reflection of our teams. There is no doubt that going through the AIM process, with its regular audits and assessments, fuels continuous improvement prevents complacency. It drives a culture of aspiration and innovation and supports staff engagement and motivation, which in turn enhances the customer journey.  Achieving Gold again is the ultimate benchmark of quality and we view it as a vote of confidence in our facilities, our consistent standards across the group, and particularly, in our people.”

Alderley Park Conference Centre joins Venues of Excellence

Internationally renowned conference and event venue Alderley Park has joined Venues of Excellence as one of its newest members.

With its 233 seat Auditorium, eight breakout rooms and exhibition and catering space, Alderley Park has an international reputation and easily meets the stringent standards of facilities and service required to join the Venues of Excellence consortium.

Situated in 400 acres of beautiful Cheshire parkland the conference centre is ideally suited to high profile conferences as well as smaller meetings, workshops and training courses.

All event spaces are installed with excellent inclusive audio visual equipment with the in-house technical team safeguarding the smooth and efficient running of all events. Fast, free Wi-Fi is available for all delegates, with complimentary car parking and easy access from the motorway network ensuring guests a hassle-free event experience.

Award winning chefs have devised a range of menus, providing delicious catering options to suit all event and meeting requirements. 

Martin Mochan, Head of Conferencing at Alderley Park Conference Centre said: “It is a significant moment for us to join Venues of Excellence as we look to elevate our position in the industry.

“The accreditation process is very rigorous and I am delighted we have joined this prestigious group of venues which represents the very best of the conferencing sector.”

Mandy Jennings, Director of Sales for Venues of Excellence comments “Alderley Park really is first class, and the truly impressive auditorium is unrivalled as a space to offer to our clients in the North of England.  This is indeed an excellent venue, and we are delighted to be working with them”. 

University of Leicester Conference venue receives new accolade

College Court win at Niche Business Awards follows East Midlands Chamber of Commerce Award last week

The University of Leicester’s conference and training venue College Court has taken pride of place in a prestigious local awards dinner.

It is the winner of the ‘Professional Services’ category at the Niche Business Awards organised by Niche Magazine, a Leicestershire publication presenting some of the very best of what the county has to offer.

The award recognises those that provide excellent facilities, outstanding collaborations and the best staff training as well as individuals or teams who have made positive contributions to the business and local community.

The £17.5million facility has already won a clutch of awards and was last week announced as the Winner of the Business Improvement through Technology and Finalist for Excellence in Customer Service categories at the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce Awards dinner.

College Court Director Steve Crawford said: “Our success is down to a team effort so a huge thank you to all who work at College Court. As we head toward our 3rd Anniversary I am sure that we can look forward to future success and indeed the need to buy a bigger trophy cabinet!

“We are a truly passionate team who strive for excellence every day, whether it be process, procedure, setting and achieving goals, hitting budgets, hitting top line sales targets, delivering that perfect buffet lunch or reserving a car space, this award will be an opportunity to thank those staff for all that they do.”

Since opening in October 2013 College Court has generated sales of £6.5 million. With the combined offer of College Court, Stamford Court and the broader portfolio, annual sales for the next financial year will be in excess of £4.5 million. All profits feed directly into the University.

In just a short time, College Court has developed a reputation for quality and service which has put it ahead of many competitors and has attracted national and international clients to Leicester, not only benefitting College Court but the City as a whole.

Discovered in Windsor: the hidden home of Roald Dahl’s BFG

A BBC documentary about the life of Roald Dahl, airing for the first time on Tuesday 13 September, the centenary of the author’s birth, will shed light on the true home of one of his best-loved characters, the BFG. The house is revealed as none other than former royal residence and hidden gem of Windsor Great Park, Cumberland Lodge.

At the end of The BFG, fresh from helping the Queen of England by rounding up the world’s man-eating giants, the BFG and his friend Sophie are rewarded with lavish gifts from around the world, including a “special house” from the Queen.

The book reads: “The Queen herself gave orders that a special house with tremendous high ceilings and enormous doors should immediately be built in Windsor Great Park, next to her own castle, for the BFG to live in. And a pretty little cottage was put up next door for Sophie.”

The “special house” almost certainly alludes to the largest property in the Great Park, Cumberland Lodge. The beautiful Grade II listed building has been part of the Crown Estate since the second half of the 17th century and since 1947 has housed an educational foundation with a mission to facilitate open discussion and the exchange of views on some of the big ethical and social issues of the day. 

It was King George VI who granted the building to the foundation back in 1947, an arrangement continued by The Queen, who is the foundation’s Patron.

The reference to Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park appears to have been a private joke on the part of Dahl, who spent much of his childhood living in a relatively modest house in Cardiff, also called Cumberland Lodge.

In his autobiographical book, Boy: Tales of Childhood, Dahl describes how his mother moved the family to Cumberland Lodge, Cardiff, shortly after the death of his father. It is described as “a smaller and more manageable house...it was nothing more than a pleasant medium-sized suburban villa”.

The seemingly unlikely connection was highlighted by Ann Alston and Heather Worthington in the essay they contributed to Roald Dahl: Wales of the Unexpected, a collection of academic essays published by University of Wales Press this year and edited by Professor Damian Walford Davies, Head of the School of English, Communication and Philosophy at the University of Cardiff.

Dahl’s own complex relationship with his Anglo-Welsh heritage is present in subtle ways throughout his writings for children and adults and in his wider world view. The book reveals the place of Wales in Dahl’s imagination and the many different ways in which his Welsh identity was expressed.

“Dahl would almost certainly have known of Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park and the connection with the name of his former childhood home In Llandaff, Cardiff is no coincidence”, explains Professor Walford Davies.

“As Wales of the Unexpected shows, the figure of the Big Friendly Giant in The BFG, and his trajectory from the ‘margins’ to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Great Park, can be read as Dahl’s anxious reflection on his own cultural trajectory – from Cardiff boy to ‘English’ author. In imagining an ‘Establishment’ English home for the BFG at the end of the book, Dahl is also summoning a Welsh location. The tension is characteristic of his work.

“He was a man characterised by multiple identities (Welsh, English, Norwegian, American), moving between contrasting locations and social circles. He never stopped reimagining Wales in his work and struggled with conflicting desires to champion the underdog while craving Establishment approval.”

Canon Dr Edmund Newell, Principal of Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, said: “As a fan of Roald Dahl myself, I was intrigued to discover that Cumberland Lodge is actually the BFG’s fictional home. In real life we’re an educational charity and while we don’t round up disruptive giants and store bottled dreams in our cellar like the BFG did, we do seek to inspire creative thinking and stimulate debate around important issues like how to respond to the challenges of extremism and divisions in society and build more cohesive communities. We’re very fortunate to have been granted the use of this former royal residence by Her Majesty the Queen.”

Professor Walford Davies continued: “Wales is present in Dahl’s work in ways that are not necessarily explicit. The unspoken, hidden ‘in’ joke at the end of The BFG is a profoundly serious one – the expression of a dual identity. His childhood Cumberland Lodge is now part of Howell’s School here in Cardiff, and Dahl’s links with the property are well-known and still celebrated.”

The BFG is also the subject of a film co-produced by Steven Spielberg, released in July 2016 to coincide with Roald Dahl’s centenary year. 

Great Welsh Writers: Roald Dahl, the new BBC television documentary, will air this Tuesday evening on BBC Wales at 10.40pm and will be available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

All abuzz about sustainability at Wilson Vale

With the global honey bee population in decline, Wilson Vale has committed to adopting 50 bee hives from the British Beekeepers Association to support vital research into honey bee health and education into good bee husbandry.

“We are doing what we can to support Mother Nature,” said Andrew Wilson, co-founder of Wilson Vale. ‘As big users of quality honey throughout our 85 catering operations nationwide, we feel that this is a great opportunity to support the wonderful work carried out by the British Beekeepers Association.”

The company is taking a step further by actively supporting its client’s beekeeping initiative at Kellogg’s in Manchester. Kellogg’s has partnered with Plan Bee, a leading sustainability company that establishes and manages on-site honeybee hives for businesses seeking unique ways to enhance the environment. 

An initial eight honeybee hives are being managed and maintained by Plan Bee for the global food giants at their headquarters and manufacturing plant in Talbot Road, Manchester. The beehives help Kellogg’s to extend their sustainability credentials, an ethos inherited from company founder W.K. Kellogg more than a hundred years ago.

Lynda Percival, Kellogg’s European Environment Manager, said: “Our founder was passionate about health and wellbeing, and sustainability is at the heart of our company. Working with Plan Bee is important to us – we rely on bee pollination for some of our raw ingredients and we know that the bee population is declining, not just in the UK, but globally. By installing bee hives at our UK headquarters and the Manchester factory, we are helping to increase the bee population. 

“There is also a novel aspect of having bee hives as this is new to Kellogg’s. It’s already helping with employee engagement as our volunteer bee keepers are really enthusiastic.” 

Wilson Vale chef manager, James Wood, and his head chef, Jason Alexander are supporting the initiative, and are even planning to undertake a bee keeping course next year.

Andrew Wilson said: “There are approximately 660 people at the Kellogg’s site so our chefs use the honey from the on-site hives within the staff restaurant and the busy on-site hospitality service for dishes such as honey-glazed gammon ham, honey & mustard salad dressing and honey & banana sponge cake. The ‘Talbot Road’ branded jars of honey are also available to be purchased by employees. 

“Our chefs are delighted to be involved in this initiative as it is perfectly in tune with our fresh food and sustainability ethos.”

This news coincides with the launch of Wilson Vale’s latest CSR report, ‘It’s a natural choice’, outlining the company’s  wider sustainability initiatives and achievements, such as the use of  ‘ugly’ produce for cooked dishes and the company’s on-going commitment to planting trees in the National New Forest for every new client gained. 

imago retains Investors in People Gold

imago has retained its Investors in People Gold accreditation following its latest audit, maintaining its reputation for achieving high standards. 

The conference and events arm of Loughborough University first achieved Investors in People Gold accreditation two years ago. imago employs 300 people across its portfolio of venues – Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, The Link Hotel and Loughborough University campus, and believes in providing its staff with excellent working conditions and career development opportunities. 

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. imago has used the framework improve its processes, communication and staff engagement to establish best practice. 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, says providing staff with training and development and excellent working conditions contributes to its success. She comments: “Investors in People is a commitment to the people that make your business a success. Measuring our performance against the standard’s objectives creates clarity around where we can improve and channel our resources more effectively. This allows us to harness the talent of staff towards achieving company goals. We are committed to the continual improvement of our employees, and by investing in our staff and working to the Investors in People framework we can help our team achieve their full potential. To retain our Gold accreditation recognises the systems we have in place and demonstrates our ability to deliver excellence to customers.”

Kay England, imago’s Chief Executive adds: “As a company in its 25th year, imago’s ambition has always been to provide customer excellence delivered by excellent staff. Integrating the Investors in People standard into our business strategy gives us the framework to challenge ourselves; to look for opportunities to develop so that we deliver service excellence through consistently high standards and team work. Having Investors in People Gold improves our company. It helps recruit high quality people and attracts and retains more customers. It is much, much more than an award.” 

The Investors in People standard is also valued by imago’s client base. Mike Stirzaker, Director of Prescience Business Learning, commented “As a leadership development provider, we work at many venues throughout the UK on behalf of our various clients. imago is our preferred choice and the benchmark against which we assess all others. Not only does imago have the right facilities, what makes it stand out is the capability and support of the staff in ensuring everything works, and works well.  Such levels of customer service don’t happen by chance and, as learning and development practitioners ourselves, we recognise the focus given to training and development in helping establish a culture that is personable, welcoming and at all times highly professional.” 

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. 

Venues of Excellence consolidates growth

Venues of Excellence, formerly known as Conference Centres of Excellence, consolidates growth in the portfolio with further venues joining since the rebrand earlier this summer.

The new additions to the venue portfolio demonstrate the growth of the consortium both geographically into the North of England, and with a broader range of venues adding value and meeting the requirements of customers.

The most recent venues joining the consortium are Alderley Park Conference Centre in Cheshire, Manchester Conference Centre in central Manchester, and Keele Hall in Staffordshire.

By joining Venues of Excellence, each venue endorses their venue with a ‘quality kitemark’ achieved only when stringent criteria are met. Customers using venues within the group are assured of the best facilities and service delivered within the conference, training and events industry, and this continues to strengthen with the sharing of best practice and benchmarking within the network of excellent venues.

Venues of Excellence represents 31 member venues in the UK, and is aiming to grow membership further to 50 members by 2020.

Marketing Manager Amanda Stacey explains the new members add value to the portfolio:

“Alderley Park, Manchester Conference Centre and Keele Hall are three completely individual venues, each providing an exceptional service across their range of facilities.  We have been hoping to broaden our geographical footprint in the Manchester and North Midlands area for some time, and are delighted we can now offer customers these venues which meet our exacting quality standards. They allow us to offer more choice for our clients, and will also benefit from the range of marketing activities on offer to our valued partners.”

For more information about the venue portfolio, or the membership services on offer please contact info@venuesofexcellence.co.uk.