School designs discussed at crucial meeting

Education experts, architects and planners are meeting at the award-winning Cotswold Conference Centre this week to discuss the future design of UK schools.

More than a dozen leading members of the British Council for School Environments (BCSE) will come together on Thursday and Friday to examine the effect that surroundings have on learning and agree a way forward to improve school standards.

The BCSE aims to help schools make the right decisions about their design and their environment and this week’s meeting follows months of gathering evidence from schools, teachers and other educationalists across the UK.

Suzanne Kent, Team Coordinator for the BCSE, said: “As we support the creation of effective and efficient learning environments, we are keen to hold our events in spaces that match our values and high expectations.

“We want to inspire some big thinking from our attendees to help us find better solutions for schools and we are certain that Cotswold Conference Centre will give us the perfect setting to do so because of the excellent learning environment here.”

After the event, the BCSE will compile an advice and best practice toolkit for school design based on the research and last week’s meeting.

It is hoped that the BCSE guidelines will be tested in the autumn with a number of different schools including those in the Priority Schools Building Programme.

Richard Howdle, Operations Manager of Cotswold Conference Centre, said: “We take real pride in our unique meeting and training offer, so it will be great to welcome the BCSE, who themselves are experts in learning environments.

“I’m sure their experiences here will lead to some fascinating discussions and, hopefully, some really positive outcomes for the future design of schools too.”

Cotswold Conference Centre is a modern, award-winning venue based on the 320-acre Farncombe Estate, five minutes from the picturesque town of Broadway and just half-an-hour from Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon. 

For more information about Cotswold Conference Centre call 0845 230 8580 or visit www.cotswoldconferencecentre.com.

Geoff's winning bid

Marking its 10th birthday, Cotswold Conference Centre is spending the year raising money for local charity Noah's Ark Trust.  One of the fund-raising events included a Christmas Charity Auction at The Cotswold Conference Centre in December.

Continuity Shop Director Geoff Howard was the winning bidder for a tour of the Japanese Garden followed by lunch at the Barn Owl bar at the Hotel.

Geoff thoroughly enjoyed his visit to the garden and explains "I have pressed the buzzer at the barrier on the Farncombe Estate more than a hundred times, unaware that hardly fifty yards away is an exquisite garden. I learnt of its existence at a charity auction where I placed a winning bid to be taken on a tour of it. The garden was the idea of the late Jørgen Philip-Sørensen and has been in existence for less than 20 years, but appears to have been there for ever."

" It possesses quintessential qualities of a Japanese garden - a magnificent vista framed by delicate acers. There are streams, ponds, stone lanterns, a sun-house, oriental flowers and above all tranquility."

For details on how you can help raise money for Noah's Ark Trust - email Ellie Jones or call 0845 230 8580

A short film about the work of the Noah's Ark Trust

This year Cotswold Conference Centre is celebrating its 10th birthday. During our 10th year we will be focusing on our chosen charity of 2011, Noah’s Ark Trust, a charity supporting bereaved children and their families in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. 

If you work for a local business, please come and join our Team Challenge event on 15 July - it will be great fun, a worthwhile team building activity, and will be raising funds to support the ongoing work of this wonderful regional charity.

For further details simple complete our online enquiry form or email ellie@cotswoldconferencecentre.com

Cotswold Conference Centre catering: keeping it local

Cotswold Conference Centre prides itself on using local grocers and suppliers of high quality and seasonal food and drink, delivered in controlled temperatures. For most of the fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to the Farncombe Estate, the Catering Team will now be using Worcester Produce in Pershore. Worcester Produce was started over 100 years ago and have farms in Offenham and Harvington, and along with their local location have a solid ethos of purchasing and sourcing the goods they offer from surrounding farms and growers, in addition to the items that they grow on their own farms.

Just a few of the other ways in which we try to keep our “food miles” down;

• Our kitchen uses a nearby farm shop for all jams, marmalades and honey and returns the jars for re-use
• Goff’s, a local brewery, bottles Ewe Nutter exclusively for our bar and dining room
• A ‘Pure Water’ filtration system enables us to bottle and carbonate water on the estate. We wash and re-use our own branded bottles to reduce food miles further.

For more information about dining options at Cotswold Conference Centre contact Rachael on 0845 230 8580 or visit www.cotswoldconferencecentre.com

New date for Charity Team Challenge at Cotswold Conference Centre!

A new date has been announced for our Charity Challenge in aid of Noah's Ark Trust. The event will now take place on the 15th July 2011 here at the Centre.

Lots of companies have signed up, but we still have space for teams on this great day of teambuilding and networking. Noah's Ark Trust is Cotswold Conference Centre's Charity of the Year and has pledged to raise £10,000 for Noah's Ark.

If you would like further details on how to enter, please click here or call Ellie Jones on 01386 854169.

Charity Team Challenge

The Challenge will be based on the Cotswold Conference Centre orienteering course; each team will

collect clues to win credits that will buy them a raft building kit. Then use the skilfully made raft to
cross the lake. The winner will be the first team to cross the finish line after successfully completing
the challenge.

• Entry for teams of up to 6

• Entry Fee of £100 (plus VAT) per team

• There is a minimum sponsorship pledge of £500 per team.

• The day will offer companies and staff members great PR coverage, a good teambuilding opportunity for team members and networking opportunities at the post challenge BBQ.

• The day will start at 11am and the BBQ and networking at 2.30pm.

• B & B will be available at a discounted rate for those who would like to stay the evening before the challenge.

Noah’s Ark Trust supports bereaved children and their families in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The Team challenge will help raise the £10,000 target set by the Cotswold Conference Centre.

Greener Conferencing in the Midlands

It is easy to assume that being surrounded by a glorious landscape of outstanding natural beauty and supporting the needs of the local community as an important stakeholder in the development of the business activities is all you need.

But the team here really are passionate about this environment and as local people themselves, they care about the impact CCC has on the local economy and the people who live close by.

Over the last few years the centre has also planted 19,000 trees to help support the local environment, and has taken steps to incorporate fresh local produce into the restaurant menu.

Eco-minded organisations with a strong interest in ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ can rely on the Cotswold Conference Centre as an ethical partner. Companies including Waitrose, who use the centre for teambuilding events regularly do so in the confidence that this supplier shares the same ethics.

To support greener business travel, CCC operates a free collection and return service whenever possible for delegates arriving for a residential event by train at either Moreton-in-Marsh (7 miles) or Evesham (7 miles). Moreton-in-Marsh is on the London Paddington to Hereford line via Reading and Oxford. From Birmingham, Evesham is best served via Worcester.

To request collection from either of these stations, please call CCC Reception on 01386 858000 and, if possible, give at least 78 hours notice of your arrival time.

Cotswold Conference Centre, Meeting and Training Venue, Midlands

Investing in your people? We're taking a holistic approach at CCC.

Focusing on your people's health and wellbeing will give you an amazing return on investment, from improving employee engagement and productivity to enabling your workforce to be ready to embrace change.

At Cotswold Conference Centre we offer a Wellbeing meetings package that can bring an holistic approach to your next away day. The all-in-one package includes a low food miles lunch and advice on how alternative therapies can be used in the workplace.

Our sister company Farncombe Estate ALC Ltd run a weekend course programme that includes informal day and weekend courses in a wide range of subjects. They offer a staff discount to organisations that adopt a pro-active approach to employee work-life balance. If your business would like to take advantage of this offer or include their details on your Company Intranet, talk to William@FarncombeEstate.co.uk or visit the website http://www.farncombeestate.co.uk/

For more information about Wellbeing meetings call Rachael on 0845 230 8580 or email Rachaelb@CotswoldConferenceCentre.com

PLANTING THE SEED OF ‘GREENER MEETINGS’ IN THE MIDLANDS

Cotswold Conference Centre Broadway has now introduced a new sustainable meetings package for organisations sharing a passion for minimising their carbon footprint.

CCC, a 300 acre training venue located in the heart of England, is well recognised for its proactive approach to environmental issues.

The new “greener meetings” package offers clients the option of paperless meetings, low food miles menus, outdoor team building and sensory evening walks.

Sales Manager Nick Akerman explains “The Meetings & Hospitality Industry is one of the most wasteful but at CCC we try our very best to minimise our impact on the environment locally. We bottle our own water on the Estate reducing bottle miles, all of our cleaning products and toiletries are sourced from Ecover to keep toxicity to a minimum, and we have planted over 19000 trees on the Estate in the last few years which the birds, deer and badgers love. We also offer a free collection service for delegates using public transport.”

Having already achieved the Bronze, Cotswold Conference Centre is currently working towards a Silver award under the Green Business Tourism Scheme, and recently received awards for Sustainable Tourism, Outstanding Customer Service and Best Conference Venue at the Heart of England Excellence Awards 2009.

New eco-meetings package from Cotswold Conference Centre

The Meetings & Hospitality Industry is one of the most wasteful but at CCC we try our very best to reduce our impact on the environment. Our new inclusive package includes a low food miles lunch and outdoor team building activities plus the option for a paperless meeting. For full details of greener meetings at CCC call Rachael on 0845 230 8580 or email Rachaelb@cotswoldconferencecentre.com.

Tree O'Clock

CCC successfully planted 90 new trees on the Estate as part of the national Tree O’Clock world record attempt on Saturday morning. Some of the CCC team and their families took part and we also had help from Broadway Girl Guides with parents and friends…

Big thanks to Tim and Colin from the Estate Team for the guidance and for doing some fantastic preparatory work which made the task very straight forward. Thank you also to the Kitchen Brigade and Operations for providing hot drinks and homemade biscuits!

The Cotswold Conference Centre team will be planting trees to help break a World Record

CCC is celebrating National Tree Week by teaming up with the BBC for an amazing one-off event. Tree O'Clock is a nationwide challenge to plant more than 600,000 trees within a single hour (11am - 12 noon on 5th December). CCC staff and their families & friends will be joining in with this challenge .

Every tree must be planted between 11am - 12 noon.

If you’re keen to grab your wellies, roll up your sleeves and join us in trying to set a brand new Guinness World Record - then give us a call.  

For more information about the Tree O'Clock world record breaking attempt visit the BBC's website www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/treeoclock

Delegates 'Dined by Candlelight'...

Delegates 'Dined by Candlelight' in the Cotswolds last week when Cotswold Conference Centre supported the region's Switch It Off Campaign.

Participation in the campaign was part of CCC's on-going dedication to greener business. Nick Akerman, Sales Manager, explained "it was a great opportunity to encourage our guests to consider the environment. Hopefully the concept of Dining by Candlelight to reduce energy costs is something they took away with them. The campaign also provided a good reminder to our own team of what a difference switching off can make.”