A CONFERENCE CENTRE COOK-OFF – GOOD LUCK FIONA !

The team at Cotswold Conference Centre, Broadway are thrilled that Fiona Mansell-Shelton of Redditch has reached the finals of the CCE/IACC Chef’s Challenge. The competition is open to any Chef who works within Conference Centres of Excellence or whose centre is a registered member of the International Association of Conference Centres.

Fiona and the other finalists will compete in a final cook-off on Saturday 25th April at Stratford College in Warwickshire. Each chef must produce their menu entry and will be judged by a panel of invited professionals from the hospitality industry.

Catering Manager Rosie Neale explains “We are delighted and very proud that Fiona has got through to the final of the CCE Chef's Challenge. It’s the first time we have got this far and it has really motivated the rest of the team and caused a buzz amongst the staff. We are all looking forward to bringing back the deserved recognition of Fiona's hard work from the award evening!”

The winners will be announced at a awards dinner on the evening of Saturday 25th April at Scarman House, University of Warwick.

STAYING COMFORTABLY IN THE COTSWOLDS – FURTHER REFURBISHMENT AT CCC

Work has recently started on Brook House, one of 4 accommodation buildings on the campus, to upgrade the 16 bedrooms to 15 new double bedded rooms and one 4ft large single. All will have new ensuite bathrooms with the very latest contemporary fittings.

Operations Manager, Richard Howdle explains “This is a significant investment for us and is an exciting development for our facility. In recent years Brook House has lagged behind our other bedroom buildings but now takes a giant leap forward and I’m sure will become the most popular accommodation on the Estate. We have four rooms finished already and the current plan is to complete the work on all 16 rooms by late summer.”

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MICK! A 30 YEAR CELEBRATION IN BROADWAY

Mick Pay from Honeybourne recently celebrated his 30 years service award with his colleagues on the Farncombe Estate. Mick started as a Group 4 employee back in the days when the Estate was the International Headquarters for the company and continued his service on when Group 4 left the area 8 years ago.

“During the 30 continual years, Mick has painted everywhere several times and been a key part of the maintenance team that look after all our buildings” explained the Group Personnel Manager, Richard Sutton. On behalf of the Chairman, Richard presented Mick with a commemorative tie pin and a personal letter from Mr J Philip-Sorensen CBE.

During the presentation some interesting facts emerged about Mick’s career to date….according to his colleagues calculations, Mick has used 6,000 gallons of paint and paste as follows:

3000 gallons of magnolia
1500 gallons of white
800 gallons of undercoat
800 gallons of gloss
100 gallons on wallpaper paste
Plus 60 wallop brushes

Apparently 6000 gallons of paint equates to painting 1 football pitch every year for 30 years!

Eco-consumerism

Our chairman Mr. J. Philip-Sorensen CBE was recently listed 48th in the Sunday Times Green Rich List on 1st March 2009. The article justified his position with the following words:

Jorgen Philip-Sorensen is investing heavily in Ecover, the ecological consumer brand he rescued in 1999. He retired in 2006 as chairman on G4S, formerly Group 4 Security, which his grandfather started in the 1930s. Philip-Sorensen was sent from Sweden in the 1960s to extend the empire from the Midlands. Philip-Sorensen retains a stake which has defied the turmoil and is now worth £334m. He has sold £260m worth of shares in recent years while his other interests including his Ecover stake, add at least £50m.

Beer – nothing ordinary available this spring at CCC !

Over the next few months featured english beers include Black Sheep (of course), Brakspear Organic, Roaring Meg, Manchester IPA and Norfolk Nectar.

Watch out for the launch of our own branded local bottled beer ‘Ewe Nutter’ which will be out when Goffs Brewery, Winchcombe can print the labels !