MK’s Greatest Loser Coming this May
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THERE’S A BRAND NEW DAY OF THE WEEK – RUNDAY 23RD JUNE 2013
tri for life, the charity that brought you the very first triathlon at Woburn Abbey, is delighted to announce the launch of its brand new running festival, RUNDAY. www.runday.org.uk.
Set against the backdrop of the stunning house and gardens of Luton Hoo, RUNDAY is the perfect event for families that want to participate together, ensuring that no-one is left at home. RUNDAY will comprise three different distance running events for the grown-ups – a 5km, 10km and Half Marathon. For the young ones there is the FANCY 500, a mad dash over 500m in fancy dress. And for the slightly older kids there is the FLYING K, a 1km run. All in one busy, buzzing morning of activity!
This is the second event from tri for life, a charity run with the express purpose of raising significant sums for its four wonderful charity partners – Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity, Rays of Sunshine, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Whizz Kidz.
tri for life has committed to raising £150,000 for each charity to fund specific, and mutually identified, capital projects. tri for life is on target to fulfil these obligations within the next two to three years and the charity has raised over £1.2m since its inception six years ago.
Trustee Marcus Anselm said, “RUNDAY is a fantastic new addition to our charity focus. We are very well established in the triathlon world having delivered successful events for the last five years and an extension into the huge participation sport of running was a natural evolution for us. Our event at Luton Hoo ticks the boxes for what we know our participants are looking for – a beautiful setting, a fun and action packed day out for the whole family and the chance to continue our great fundraising work.”
tri for life is unique in that everyone participating has to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship creating an incredible level of buy-in to the charity’s ambition from all involved.
For more information, and to see all the details, please visit www.runday.org.ukor contact tri for life at info@triforlife.co.uk
MKCO ANNOUNCES NEW CHAIR
Marian Livingstone has been elected by the Patrons of Milton Keynes City Orchestra as their new Chairman, following five years supporting the PR and awareness activity in a voluntary capacity.
Marian is a well-recognised and respected figure in the Milton Keynes business community, through her PR consultancy and sponsorship of Midsummer Breakfast Club. She will assume the role with immediate effect and begin to implement changes to the charity to ensure its future success and long term sustainability.
Strengthening the Board has been a first job and this has already seen the election of four new members; Angela Rhodes (Crispin Rhodes HR); Paul North (Illuminis IT); Liz Newell (Keen Shay Keens) who is elected as Treasurer and Michael Benn, recently retired. Peter Barnes was also elected by the Board as Deputy Chair. All of these positions are voluntary.
At the MKCO Annual General Meeting and reception, held at The Venue theatre at Walton High School on 19 February, Marian, announced that a root-and-branch review of the charity is underway and several key partnerships have been established to boost awareness, funding and attract concert. The Orchestra now has plans to link with The Parks Trust and hold a ‘Proms in the Park’ in August, it is working with the Community Foundation to enhance their Music Bursary, and the University Campus of Milton Keynes has pledged support to enable work to build the local audience. The partnership work is vital to success for MKCO and Marian also took the opportunity to thank the companies and individuals that volunteer their time and services to keep the orchestra alive.
Marian said: “There is a strong appetite for MKCO as an important pillar of culture for Milton Keynes. We are the only professional orchestra performing here, and in some ways the best kept secret. We will not lose sight of our Chamber roots and a section of our programming will always involve contemporary and sometimes challenging work. But our job is to move forward and provide the classical music that a wider circle of people know and understand and want to listen to. We are carrying out a root-and-branch review of the organisation, concentrating on increasing our skill base and putting a huge amount of effort into improving our income streams and performing an attractive repertoire. In challenging economic times we are grateful for continued grant support but we can’t survive without improving ticket sales and being attractive to philanthropists, and engaging with local businesses to engage through funding and corporate and social relationship activity.”
For further information about the Milton Keynes Orchestra and how to get involved, visit www.mkco.org or email Marian at marian@livingstonewhite.co.uk
A BUSINESSWOMAN’S EXPO DREAM CREATES A BUZZ ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
A brand new business exhibition hit Milton Keynes on Friday 8 March at the MK Dons stadium:stadiummk, in the form of Business Expo 3.0, the free international business exhibition founded by a very determined Milton Keynes’ businesswoman, Victoria Beale.
The exhibition, sponsored by Mazars LLP and organised by Victoria’s Buckinghamshire based business, Rapid Sales Solutions, was the city’s first international business exhibition at such a mammoth scale to be held in Milton Keynes and the woman with the dream presented her vision to the nation on International Women’s Day to make a statement to the world that, whether male or female, it is the big-dreamers and can-doers that make extraordinary things happen.
The exhibition showcased over 100 exhibitors ranging from local and national start-ups, UK businesses, and global organisations such as the Toyota Group, Santander, Costco, Phillips, Scala alongside professional membership organisations such as the IoD, FSB, MAS, ICM and the UKTI all under one roof.
Lord Younger, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills opened the event with Mark Lancaster, MP of Milton Keynes South, the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Catriona Morris and Milton Keynes’ go-getting founder of Business Expo 3.0, Victoria Beale.
Victoria wanted to present a business exhibition not only full of innovative ideas for those in business, but also to surprise visitors and entertain them throughout the day, giving them talking points and an opportunity to network but also creating a visual experience to ‘go viral’ on social media. This comprised of animated ‘Grannies’ walking around the exhibition bent over walking sticks who broke into street dance when the urge took them, gifted Guitarists playing solo performances in between guest speakers, a racing simulator for up to 6 people to race each other in their lunch breaks, complimentary massages and ‘wellbeing advice’, a full size F1 car simulator , Toyota and Lexus test-drives outside the stadium, and street dancers entertaining Business Expo 3.0 guests.
“I wanted to make a difference to the business community, providing a business exhibition with a central objective to provide a platform to ‘do business’, but also to ensure that visual snapshots of the exhibition remain firmly in the memories of everyone that attended. My vision to create a unique exhibition for businesspeople around the world has now kick-started a cascade of curiosity that has already sparked sponsorship requests, pre-paid exhibition spaces for next year and a handful of very strong investors in next year’s Business Expo 3.0.”
Shadow British Secretary, Chukku Ummuna, also held a question and answer session at the stadium with Lord Parry Mitchell and Iain Wright in attendance, emphasising the weighty political support in the new exhibition.
Next year’s venue is yet to be confirmed but the waiting list is already encouragingly long and Victoria’s dream is set to storm the UK and she predicts that Business Expo 3.0 will become an international event to take around the globe.
“The beauty of trialling this year’s exhibition means that the Rapid Sales Solutions team can now monitor the feedback, iron out the creases and take the successes with us to ensure that the Business Expo 3.0 brand develops and strengthens every year. This is only the beginning of a never-ending story with infinite possibilities. I dream big but I also make things happen and with such a strong team behind me I’m confident that we will develop our dream into a perfectly executed triumph year after year!”
THE WEBBER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL HOST EASTER FAYRE
The Webber Independent School is set to hold a spectacular Easter themed Fayre on Saturday 16 March from 11am-2pm and it’s completely free and open to the public with fun for the whole family.
Located in Stantonbury, the Easter Fayre will include a wide variety of stalls from handmade crafts to The Webber Cake Bake stand.
Children can enjoy a range of activities including a range of arts and crafts and taking part in the ‘Webber University Challenge.’ There will be many Easter traditions to entertain all with a chick and egg hunt, a model railway and face painting. Guests can also enjoy individual music performances from students.
In true Easter theme, The Webber Independent School will have farmyard animals including ducks, chickens, a donkey and rabbits for children to pet. Children will have the opportunity to have a photograph taken with the animals to remember the day.
Principal, Sue Vig says “The Easter Fayre will be a wonderful day out for families to enjoy as well as showing what The Webber Independent has to offer. Everyone is welcome to attend.”
For information about The Webber Independent, please visit: www.webberindependentschool.co.uk
Stony Stratford Evening WI March Meeting
Stony Stratford Evening WI
“The Peachy Life”
Life’s a Peach, Suck it & See!
A presentation by celebrated Sculptor
Diane Coates
Thursday, 14th March 2013 @ 8pm
Stony Stratford Evening WI has a packed programme of speakers and trips for 2013 so why not come along and enjoy a fun night out, see what we are all about?
Our next meeting is on Thursday 14th March at Swinfen Harris Hall, London Road, Stony Stratford. We meet the second Thursday of every month at 8pm.
We offer a warm welcome to members and visitors alike. Visitors fee £3.50 on the door.
For more information contact
Julie Boyes 07738 054915
Debbie Litchfield 07598 986215
You can find us on Facebook at Stony Stratford Evening WI
Venue: Swinfen Harris Hall
Stony Stratford EVENING WI ~ SSEWI
Stony Stratford Evening WI, is now 4 years old and continues to grow. Having outgrown our original venue we now meet at the Swinfen Harris Hall, London Road the 2ndThursday of the month @ 8 p.m.
We offer a warm friendly welcome to visitors and offer a diverse range of speakers. Over the past year we covered many subjects from Royal Butlers to Polenastics! The coming year promises to provide an equally entertaining programme covering, as it does, subjects as diverse as “puppy socialising” to the art of Burlesque. Posters detailing the speaker for the month are posted the week before the meeting around Stony Stratford and online.
We also enjoy a range of theatre trips, visits Christmas markets and to stately homes. Our last Christmas market trip was to Chatsworth on a bitterly cold, bright sunny day with many member hoping to return in the summer to enjoy the gardens.
Some of our members have also enjoyed the county rambles and this year we will be hosting our own Ramble in June. Our membership is a mixed group of ages and stages; from Lily, our ‘honoury’ member at 16 to those enjoying active retirement and all stages in between!
Come along and have a taster evening, see what we are about.
Contact: Julie Boyes (President) on 07738 054915 or Debbie Litchfield (Events) on 07598 986215.
You can find us on Facebook at Stony Stratford Evening WI
Wear a hat 2013
Milton Keynes is a distinctly different destination
With its beautiful open spaces, huge range of activities and easy accessibility, Milton Keynes is out to prove that it really is a ‘different destination’ when it comes to choosing the ideal location for your next conference or meeting.
Most people who visit Milton Keynes are surprised by how easy it is to get around, either by train, car, coach or even executive jet. While other towns and cities may claim they are centrally located, being mid-way between London, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge, Milton Keynes really is.
As well as a number of hotels and spas, a variety of outstanding sporting venues and historic sites, Milton Keynes can offer its corporate visitors some truly unique venues; including the UK’s only events facility set in a 700 acre site and with 50 miles of exhilarating test tracks at Millbrook Venues, and a mansion house which was home to the famous WW2 code-breakers at Bletchley Park. There’s even the opportunity to take your delegates skiing or on safari when you visit Milton Keynes.
Designated a new town just 46 years ago, Milton Keynes’ growth and expansion could not have been envisaged by those early developers. It has a vibrancy that rubs off on all who visit, and its people have a ‘can do’ attitude, which has contributed to the development of a state-of-the-art sporting stadium for Milton Keynes Dons FC, the creation of one of the most successful theatres outside London and an internationally-renowned contemporary art gallery.
Steven Gordon-Wilson, chief executive of Destination Milton Keynes says: “Businesses that choose to visit Milton Keynes will be spoilt for choice, with a diverse selection of venues from city centre hotels and purpose-built residential training and conference facilities, to country houses, historic buildings and sporting venues. With so much on offer you can base yourselves in the very heart of the city or escape to the country to get away from it all and enjoy some energetic teambuilding activities – the choice is yours!”
To find out more about choosing Milton Keynes for your next conference or meeting visitwww.destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk or call 01908 608801.
CITY BAN ON CHEWING GUM
‘Would Milton Keynes like to become the first place in the UK to ban chewing gum?’ asks local Group.
The After8 Group, a collection of city professionals and authorities united to promote the safety and prosperity of Milton Keynes’ night-time economy, is calling on the public to air their views on chewing-gum being a major nuisance in and around the City centre and the prospect of Milton Keynes becoming a chewing-gum free zone.
The idea, which has been proven to be effective in Singapore, has received interest from key central destinations including; Xscape, Midsummer Place Shopping Centre; The Hub & the Theatre District; all have highlighted gum issues in terms of its antisocial appearance and the cost of removing it.
Approximately 7.5 billion pieces of gum are consumed each year and 3.5 billion pieces are disposed of irresponsibly (4.2 million tonnes) – and costs the British Government £150 million to clear up each year. Councils claim it costs 3p to produce a piece of gum and 10p to clean it off the streets
The Group conducted several checks on pavements around Central Milton Keynes and in one particular square foot it found 22 pieces of gum. “Chewing gum littering has become an unattractive irritant that many wish to see the back of”, says Phil Winsor Chair of the After8 Group. “We need to take on board the views of city centre users and in conjunction with Milton Keynes Council and partners identify solutions.”
The After8 Group has set up an email for people to contact them and share their views info@after8cmk.co.uk
The response from the public and property owners will be collated and presented to discuss the next steps at the start of May 2013.
Chewing Gum Facts:
· Britons are the second biggest consumers of gum in the world with 120 to 130 sticks per person each year
· British chewing and bubble gum sales were £405m in 2005 and are expected to rise 3.2pc this year
· Chewing gum sales in the UK have increased by 47pc since 1999
· Britain is the seventh largest gum market in the world with the US and Japan being the top two
· Wrigley is the biggest chewing gum seller in the UK with 95pc of the market and has dominated the UK market since it first came to the country in 1911
· The global chewing gum market is worth over £10bn
BUSINESS AS USUAL IN MILTON KEYNES
After the sad news that the Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce closed this week, faith is now gratefully restored in view that Milton Keynes is ripening as a UK hub for entrepreneurship and business in the form of Business Expo 3.0, the brand new and free business exhibition held next Friday 8 March at stadiummk.
The exhibition, sponsored by Mazars LLP and organised by Newport Pagnell based business, Rapid Sales Solutions, is the city’s first national and international business exhibition at such a large scale to be held in Milton Keynes. It has attracted over 100 exhibitors including local and national start-up UK businesses, global organisations such as the Toyota Group, Santander, Costco, Phillips, Scala and professional membership organisations such as the IoD, FSB, MAS, and the UKTI under one roof.
Lord Younger, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills will be opening the event at 08:45am with Mark Lancaster, MP of Milton Keynes North, Iain Stewart, MP of Milton Keynes South and founder of Business Expo 3.0, Victoria Beale, marking the moment that Milton Keynes is ‘given the nod’ as a premier UK choice for business activity and trade.
Visitors can expect a day not only full of innovative ideas for ‘business bods’, but of surprising entertainment and fun for everyone involved. A racing simulator for up to 6 people to encourage the ‘big wheels’ to jump behind the big wheel, complimentary massages and ‘wellbeing advice’, a full size F1 car simulator , real test-drives outside the stadium, and a show to entertain the masses while they browse the stands.
Founder of Business Expo 3.0, Victoria Beale, comments:
“After the sad news that the Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce closed its doors this week, Business Expo 3.0 will pick up the flag that Milton Keynes has been flying to mark the city as a major UK destination for international business and entrepreneurship. With over 1500 visitors booked to attend the event and a wealth of exciting brands exhibiting, Business Expo 3.0 will unite some of the most influential business minds under one roof for one very special day.”
Tickets to attend the event, and the charity fundraising gala dinner on 6 March at Bistro Live, are still available atwww.national-expo.co.uk/visitors and is still free to attend.
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