Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel, Leeds, is launching its First World War, In retrospect, Conference from 28th July 2014 to 1st August 2014. This is to aknowledge the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

The five day conference will cater for residential and non-residential participation, with all accommodation, catering and events included in the conference programme.

The conference sits under Inspirational Conventions & Events – an innovative approach  which Weetwood Hall is taking within its conferencing sector.

The conference has been planned by Dr Peter Liddle, Conference Director and Colonel Alan Roberts, Military Consultant for like-minded enthusiasts and experts to listen, reflect, network and acquire a fresh perspective.

All this and more is to be brought to the delegates at this imaginative conference by a team of talented men and women accustomed to sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with audiences from a wide-ranging interest in the First World War.

Peter Chubb, Development Director  for Weetwood Hall says: “I am inspired by what we have achieved in the researching and organising of the extensive programme, quality speakers and events for our 2014 First World War Conference. Working with Dr Liddle and Colonel Roberts has been a most enjoyable  experience.”

The 2014 conference will be the first in a series of annual conferences based upon the First World War to be hosted at Weetwood Hall through to 2018.

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For PR enquiries and images please contact: shadi.shadlou@weetwoodco.uk/ 0113 388 5659 or if you have any enquiries on Inspirational Conventions & Events  or the First World War Conference, please contact Peter Chubb, Development Director: peter.chubb@weetwood.co.uk

For more information on the First World War, please visit: www.weetwood.co.uk/firstworldwar

Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel, Leeds has launched a new and vibrant website today: www.weetwood.co.uk. The Conference Centre & Hotel has created a contemporary look to its website, adding more features, new images, and updated copy to coincide with a number of developments the hotel is going through, making Weetwood Hall’s website more user-friendly and easy to navigate around.

The website consists of new ‘shopping cart features’, which will enable visitors to purchase dining vouchers, special event packages and conference packages for their innovative approach within its conferencing sector called ‘Inspirational Conventions & Events. Guests can also take advantage of Weetwood Hall’s live booking system, guaranteeing them the best available rates.

Whilst you navigate round the hotel’s sleek website, you will be introduced to many other features which will keep you up to date with Weetwood Hall. The Inside Story, the hotel blog, will keep you informed with current news and opinions and the Conference Centre & Hotel’s live social media feeds will stream to and from the website, giving all visitors the chance to socially feel apart of the hotel’s current affairs.

Michael Longstaff, General Manager, says: “We have been working hard to develop our website for the last few months and I am delighted to announce that this has now come to an end and is live . We hope to drive an increased amount of traffic to the Weetwood Hall website as it is one of the most important communication tools and look forward to enhancing visitors ‘Weetwood experience’ “

To check out Weetwood Hall’s brand new website, please visit: www.weetwood.co.uk

To celebrate Mother’s Day, We asked some of our staff to comment on  how their mothers have influenced and encouraged them in life, and what they most of all love about them…

Katja Pandza, Assistant Sales & Marketing Manager

My mum is a very strong & hardworking person, one of the best things she has taught me is to fight for what you want and always finish what you started.

Martin Hicks, Managing Director

By instilling in me high levels of resilience & tenacity, that helped her through the hardships experienced in world war two, were she was bombed in her home in East London.

Rebecca Davis, Hospitality Supervisor

My mother & father have five daughters ageing from 22-30, my mother always encouraged us from young ages to take opportunities presented to us and she always instilled that we could achieve whatever we wanted as long as we worked hard and treated other people and ourselves with respect. One of  her favourite quotes regarding  work and success is: “Always be nice to people on the way up, because you will surely meet them on the way down.”

Chris Platt, Hospitality & Beverage Manager

My mum has always supported me in any decision I have made, whether that be the right one or the wrong one.

Lynn Geldart, Nights Operations

My mum is 81 now and has more energy than a lot of people half her age. About 18 months ago she had a bout of ill health, but once treatment was sorted she was back to playing tennis  four times a week and is not satisfied by taking it slowly, but takes pride in her competitive streak! She doesn’t play with any 80+ year olds, but with people in their 50′s and 60′s. She walks the dog twice a day and always keeps the house spotless.

I admire her energy, spirit and positive attitude.

Collette Hurley, Customer Service Manager

My mum has taught me how to make a great Irish Stew!!!

If you want to re-live some of your childhood memories with your mum over lunch this Mothering Sunday, why not book a table for 10th March at Weetwood Hall. To book please call 0113 230 6000 or visit www.weetwood.co.uk

A wedding co-ordinator plays an important part at your wedding. From all the planning, budget handling, and the running of the day, your wedding co-ordinator has to see it all.

So with our wedding fayre coming up on 13th January 2013, we took the chance to interview our very own Wedding & Special Events Co-ordinator, Rachel Raphael on what she really thinks about weddings galore.

Why should you choose Weetwood Hall as your preferred wedding venue?

Weetwood Hall has a lot to offer couples who are looking for a wedding venue. It has picturesque grounds perfect for wedding photos, a 17th Century Manor House with traditional features, perfect for small intimate weddings and plenty of accommodation for wedding guests. Weetwood Hall really does have the complete package to host ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and evening receptions.

Which Weetwood Hall wedding package is your favourite?

My favourite wedding package from is the new brochure the Ruby menu package and the drinks package 5.

What has been your most memorable wedding you have planned throughout your career?

My most memorable wedding would have to be the one in September 2012, this was the first wedding I had booked and confirmed at Weetwood Hall. It was very rewarding to be part of the planning and then seeing the bride on the morning of her wedding day.

What is your favourite part of the day?

This would have to be the wedding breakfast and speeches, I love a good laugh and a cry.

What is your favourite thing about your job?

Getting to know the bride & groom, discussing plans and knowing that I have played a part in their big day.

Top honeymoon destination?

The Maldives would be a top honeymoon destination, perfect for relaxing and being in total luxury.

Do you think ’brides to be’ can benefit from wedding fayre’s?

Yes I think wedding fayre’s are ideal for future brides, as they get to see their venue set up, it also gives them an opportunity to see how their wedding might look like and most importantly helps them gather ideas for decorations, wedding transport, cakes and photographers.

For more information, please visit www.weetwood.co.uk/weddings and look out for our re-vamped wedding brochure in the New Year!!!

Planning a party can be hard, especially when you want everyone to have a fantastic time. It’s about giving something back, showing your appreciation and finally a great excuse to have a party.

So why not celebrate your Christmas Party in Leeds this year, and at the same time make a weekend of it?

Weetwood will make sure you have a blast with your friends & colleagues with party packages starting from just £25.00pp. Furthermore you can make your Christmas break even more memorable by visiting some of Leeds local attractions as part of your party break.

You can start off with some Christmas shopping at the Victoria Quarter in Leeds and take advantage of some of the world’s fashion and lifestyle brands like Reiss, Liz Earl, and Karen Millen. You can also walk around its elegant grade 11th listed buildings and enjoy lunch at the Fourth Floor Cafe  & Bar at Harvey Nichols, in one of the country’s finest shopping destinations.

To complete you’re Christmas experience drop in at the Leeds Christkindelmarkt and enjoy mulled wine and a delicious German sausage.

The Leeds German Market is one of the most established German Markets in the UK. Its running right now until mid December and will guarantee you an evening of festive fun, from 40 quirky little chalet stalls of handcrafted toys to delicious food & beverages, its colourful twinkling lights will make the atmosphere magical and will be sure to leave you with an unforgettable festive experience.

To end your day drop your bags at Weetwood Hall, get ready and party the night away.

Merry Christmas!

To continue our work in the community, we recently had four students from Abbey Grange School visit us for work experience.

Cameron Scougall, Claire Bundy, Harkirran Matharu and Grace Yusef  joined us in the Summer. The students worked across conference operations, housekeeping, hospitality, reception, conference & events and sales & marketing.

We were delighted with their enthusiasm and hard work and just wanted to say a big thank you to the students involved.

In recent years the focus on environmental sustainability has increased with new figures released by the government and targets set in place regarding carbon emissions. Therefore the need for businesses to focus more on being environmentally friendly has never been so strong.

Weetwood Hall Conference Centre and Hotel makes every endeavour to promote a continued positive culture of environmental and sustainable awareness within the organisation. Becoming a member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme in March 2011, Weetwood received a silver award accreditation for its efforts in environmental sustainability.

Benefits of being a member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme not only include benefits for the business such as: reducing congestion and pollution, improving the public issues of our establishment, reduced wastage and to improve the quality of the service that we provide. But as a result of this, Weetwood Hall Ltd has benefited the local community externally and is supporting the local economy in various different ways such as sourcing the majority of its produce locally.

With this in mind Weetwood Hall’s Staff Consultative Committee (SCC) have compiled a ‘Green Team’ with the objective of promoting environmental and sustainable awareness and monitoring the work practices undertaken so as to enable a positive impact towards such issues.

Rachel Rostron, member of the Weetwood Hall’s Green Team says “We are happy with the progress that the Green Team have made in creating environmental awareness within the organisation. Our aim is to continue this success throughout.”

Weetwood Hall Ltd saw a 14.4% decrease in water usage since last year. Carbon emissions fell by 6% from last year and 642 M Sq. (38.25%) of general waste was recycled (Weetwood Hall Environmental & Sustainability Review, Summer 2012)

Written by Rob May

So you’re getting married and you must be thinking ‘where do I start?’ What’s really running through your mind is £££ – yes the first thing that pops into your head is budget and we dont blame you, all that planning! Oh the list just goes on.

Budgeting is the most important ingredient towards planning a wedding, which is the reason why we are looking at why weddings are so expensive and will show you ways in which you can plan a wedding on a shoe string, and the best thing is you dont have to break your bank account to have a fabulous day. Your wedding day will be the most memorable day of your life no matter how much you spend. Below are some suggestions on how to save money but look and feel fabulous.

Guest List

Your guest list is the trickiest when planning a wedding. Who do you invite? Well since your wedding is an intimate moment why not just invite close family and friends?

The Cake

Cakes are probably the easiest money saver – why? because you can get someone to make one for you. Or even better pop into your nearest supermarket and purchase two plain iced cakes and have someone decorate it for you.

The Dress

Choosing your dress is the most exciting thing a bride can do throuout the process of planning a wedding , and who wouldnt be excited about all those beautiful gowns out there? The thing to do is hunt for a bargain, and you can do this by visiting bridal shows, wedding fayre’s or by visiting bridal shops who have sample sales going on. Here at Weetwood Hall we have our very own wedding fayre on Sunday 2nd September 2012. Why not pop along? You will be able to speak to all our wedding specialists and get to view all the lastest bridal trends from our very own catwalk show.

Hair & Makeup

When it comes down to hair and makeup, why not try and find a local mobile hairdresser to do your hair, there are fantastic junior stylists out there that charge reasonable prices and give you quality results . If you want to save money with makeup, why not buy some fabulous products from Bobbie Brown and apply your makeup  yourself? Who knows what you want, better than yourself right?

The Invitations and Favours

This is the part where you can use your creativity and imagination. You don’t have to spend lots of money on invitations and favours. Making your invitations can be just as fun and you can put your special mark on it. Favours can be anything from sweets. candles or jewellery.

Venue 

Wedding packages are the simplest way to book your ceremony. wishing you could just dream about having a day to remember and not have to worry about the financial strain it brings? Here at Weetwood Hall we have put together a bespoke wedding package which includes a wedding breakfast for 40 guests and an evening reception for 80 guests all for just £2950! The offer is available on Fridays & Sundays throughout 2013 and applies to new bookings only.

So relax and take your first step into organising this beautiful chapter of your life …

Happy wedding day from Weetwood Hall!

For more information please visit www.weetwood.co.uk

Like me, many of you have reached the point in your life where you have recently graduated and are looking at various options open to you. You may have decided to go travelling, or want to use your degree and go straight into the world of work.

With the job climate as it is at the moment, there  is around two hundred graduates applying for each job vacancy advertised. How do you really stand out from the competition? And do you really want to put off applying for jobs for another year? Well I asked myself these very same questions three months ago, and decided to use the contacts I had collected through networking in my final year at university, to see if there were any internships available to gain some career specific work experience to add to my CV.

After numerous enquiries, I was finally offered a work placement with Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel in their Marketing department and through this, I had the opportunity to network with an outside company called ‘Business Network International’ (BNI). BNI is an organisation specialising in networking opportunities and business referrals. So far I have attended a few conferences held by them and have added to my list of career contacts. I personally think that networking is the key to land yourself a job after university, whatever career you decide to go into.

Here are some professional tips from BNI’s Area Director, Rick Armstrong:

• Before you go out to get what you want, you should really know what you want? Do you want to stay in further education or do you want to work? Make a plan and then go for it!
• SME’s (Small & Medium Enterprises) are the biggest employers in the UK & Ireland. You may want to research into some companies before you approach them. Be pro-active, 90% of success rates result from being prepared. You need to make yourself known. The more attractive you are to people, the more attracted people are to you, it’s so important to build a professional relationship with most of your contacts, whether this is through networking or not.
• The fastest way to build quality relationships is to look for ways in which you can help them, i.e. work placements. People are more likely to help you progress through your career, if you have helped them.
• Your self image and how you portray yourself is important. Be passionate about everything you do. How much confidence does your self image project? A positive attitude breeds positive results.

Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel welcome all individuals who are interested in career based work placements within this industry.

I wish you all the success at finding your perfect job.

Rob May

We are delighted to welcome Yorkshire County Cricket Club, as we have recently joined their President’s Business Club and become their preferred hotel supplier.

Yorkshire CCC says “On behalf of YCCC, we are delighted Weetwood Hall have joined our President’s Business Club and become our official hotel supplier . With the longest staging agreement to hold international cricket involving England outside London we are hoping this can be the start of a long and hugely beneficial partnership for both parties.

If you’re visiting Leeds for any of the upcoming matches, Weetwood Hall has put together some fantastic cricket packages for you. For more inforamtion, please visit http://bit.ly/KTAWkQ