There are 37 members of Conference Centres of Excellence, the UK’s leading consortium of specialist conference, meeting and training providers. As you’d expect from a group where quality of facility and service is the priority, there’s always a great deal going on. Investment in new facilities, hosting prestigious events, winning awards, developing sector-leading new services: here’s just a selection of its members’ recent achievements.
imago at Burleigh Court International Conference Centre, Loughborough
imago has been chosen to host to the 600 strong Japanese Olympic 2012 team, alongside parent organisation Loughborough University. The team, arriving this month for a pre-training camp, will be taking advantage of the world-class sporting facilities provided by the University, and the award-winning conference, accommodation, food and leisure facilities offered by imago. The team’s requirements will include the need for some 1700 room nights in this calendar year alone and generate a further 3500 room nights each year until the Olympics.
imago is enhancing its staff training schedule to address the influx of overseas visitors, with many employees attending the ‘Welcome International’ programme and briefings on Japanese customs and hospitality etiquette.
www.welcometoimago.com
Cotswold Conference Centre, Broadway
Significant enhancements to the centre's Smallbrook building have seen the reception, bar and dining room areas completely rebuilt and upgraded inside and out. In addition, the upgrade phase for its Brook House bedrooms is nearly complete, and its Coach House will have four new training rooms in 2010.
The centre recently hosted a three week residential training programme for officers from the Libyan police force, studying UK policing in various operational situations. Its location in the Midlands enabled visits to a range of regional constabularies, while delegates were reported to have very much appreciated the centre’s efforts to accommodate their cultural needs, including their catering requirements.
www.cotswoldconferencecentre.com
Missenden Abbey, Great Missenden, Bucks
Missenden Abbey has achieved a third consecutive Environmental Health Gold Award for its standards of food safety. It’s a further sign of the venue’s commitment to the highest all round standards, combining modern conference and residential facilities with traditions, décor and architecture that take their cue from a heritage that that goes back to the 12th century. Each of its 22 conference rooms has wireless broadband and modern technical equipment, with on-site technical support. There are 57 delightful ensuite bedrooms and a range of inviting areas for dining. Five different on-site team-building activities are available within the venue’s landscaped grounds.
www.missendenabbey.co.uk
The Royal College of Physicians, Regent’s Park, London
The venue has completed the latest phase of one of its most distinctive features, its ‘physic garden’. The garden, which includes many exotic and historic medicinal plants - including some dating back to prehistoric times - is a popular location for summer events, including receptions and garden parties, and also provides a relaxing break for conference delegates.
The garden, which is located in a secluded area to the side of the main RCP building, is a popular enhancement of the conference and events portfolio of the Royal College of Physicians, which earlier in the year won the BDRC market research organisation’s ‘No 1 UK Venue title’ for the second year running.
www.rcpevents.co.uk
Wyboston Lakes, Wyboston, Bedfordshire
The group, which includes CCE members The Robinson Executive Conference Centre and The Waterfront Centre, has added to its portfolio of learning and development products with the launch of contract hire training space. Competitively priced corporate training suites are available to hire exclusively at the group’s Willows Training Centre, providing corporate and training organisations with a blank canvas on which to create their own dedicated training centre. The available space has been created in response to a growing demand from organisations that are looking to reduce their fixed asset and training delivery costs and gain flexibility in these increasingly challenging times. The package allows clients the flexibility to style the suite to match their specific corporate branding.
www.wybostonlakes.co.uk
The Beardmore, Clydebank, Scotland
The Beardmore recently scooped two top awards for its first-class service. The Clydebank venue was named ‘Scottish Business Hotel of the Year’ at the Scottish Hotels of the Year Awards 2009, while also receiving the Conference Hotel Commendation 2009 award at the 2009 Scottish Hotel Awards. The venue was selected by the Scottish Government for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the NHS in Scotland where the guest of honour was HRH the Queen.
The venue has recently installed new iMac computers in each of its 168 bedrooms, and has also launched a new website designed to optimize appeal and accessibility.
www.thebeardmore.com
The Møller Centre, Cambridge
The venue’s Study Centre, opened in 2007, recently won a regional award in the prestigious annual RIBA architecture awards. The Study Centre was developed as a collaborative learning environment, a flexible space that can be used in a variety of ways and quickly adjusted from one format to another. A typical event could see a formal presentation, followed by small breakout work groups, followed by working around the space using graphic artists, role-play or theatre for experiential learning or to develop new business ideas, models or strategies.
To ensure that the new space supported the needs of end-users, there was extensive consultation with existing clients to determine their requirements for conference, meeting and training space over the next ten years.
www.mollercentre.co.uk
Stirling Management Centre, Stirling, Scotland
The centre was recently chosen to host the ‘Welfare to Work Scotland’ Convention 2009. Its central location, flexible layouts and high standards of accommodation and support facilities made it ideal for the high profile national event, which brought together a wide range of private, statutory and voluntary organisations providing help to workless people and communities. Delegates included staff from all DWP local government training providers, Job centre Plus staff, key officials from Scottish Government, employers active in providing opportunities, elected members and senior officials from local authorities and third sector agencies. The event provided the opportunity for Scotland’s providers and policymakers to hear the latest ideas and analysis, gather information and best practice in helping people into sustainable employment.
www.smcstir.ac.uk
Conference Centres of Excellence contacts
Tel: 0845 230 1414
Email: info@cceonline.co.uk
Website: www.cceonline.co.uk