Pedal power for Sierra Leone

Half-a-dozen brave souls returned to Hastings on Monday afternoon after cycling to Boulogne and back to raise funds for the Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link.

The group were welcomed back from their 200 kilometre plus trek by a band of supporters and sponsors including Councillor Jeremy Birch.

The six cyclists - Roger Mitchell, Steve Frost, Bill Evans, Mike Cooper, Einar Einarsson and Jansen van Rensburg - were waved off on their challenge on Saturday morning from Hastings Pier by the Mayor Councillor Maureen Charlesworth and members of the Hastings-Sierra Leone Friendship Link. From there the group made their way to Dover and across the channel for a 2 night stay in Calais. Sunday saw them cycling to the port of Boulogne and back – a journey of around 50 miles – in blazing sunshine.

The Pedal for Sierra Leone was arranged by Diligence sister company Nice Work. Money raised from the event will help funding for the Community Resource Building in Hastings Village in Sierra Leone.

What's your era?

Finding the right music for your conference or training event can be difficult. The choice of music is subjective - and if you have delegates covering a wide age range it can be tricky finding common musical tastes!

We organise entertianment at many events and in our experience, deciding the musical input is often made easier by getting some agreement on musical tastes by era. So, a good old fashioned Rock 'n' Roll band playing 1950's covers usually apeals to most tastes - although, naturally, the more mature will find it more to their liking. One of the best 50's rockabilly band around, Lucky Strike are on our recommended list as are The Drifters - still drifting after more than 50 years!



Similarly there are some great bands from the 1960s still touring and playing to the coporate market. Bands such as The Merseybeats and The Searchers, after some 40 years on the road know just how to put a great show on - and, of course, the music is considered by some to be timeless!

Moving on to the 70's and its an opportunity for Glam Rock and Glitter to make an appearance - the choice of original artists isn't as great as it could be, but, once again, if you're to pick an original artist rather than tribute, you're pretty certain to get highly polished entertainment. We've used bands such as The Rubettes - and they certainly know how to put on a show! Remember those white caps? Well they're still around.



Then its on to the 80's, a much-maligned era but one that is now providing some great acts for the corporate market - there are enough Bee Gees, Elton John, Eagles and Bon Jovi tribute acts to fill a Convention Hall and bands such as Go West and Haircut 100 are now available again.

The problem era though is the 1990's - with a paucity of both original artists and good tribute bands available. That said, tributes such as Fake That and Noasis are still good enough to provide great post conference entertainmnet.

If you'd like to know more about choosing the right entertainment for your event, why not get in touch with us?

Where will you take your company in 2008?

After more than 20 years of managing and organising events both in the UK and overseas, our Events team has built up a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise that’s second to none.

This year we will be working on events throughout the UK and in locations throughout Europe – from the Arctic Circle to Southern Ireland! We are experienced at presenting and arranging sales, staff and management conferences and we also manage and organise customer and staff incentive and hospitality programmes.

We work closely with all our clients providing a high level of personal service to ensure that your event goes exactly to plan. We believe that sound preparation and strong management are preferable to luck, a wing and a prayer!Over the last 20 or so years, we've worked in most major European locations and we can advise on a wide range of activities to interst or excite your customers or staff. In addition to getting you and your guests to the venue, we can arrange a comprehensive social programme around your meeting - to include teambuilding, sporting and social events such as golf, maybe a theatre trip, fine dining and hospitality.

Our marketing background means we are able to offer a meeting planning service which can include assistance with your presentations as well as hosting and facilitating services. Plus we can help with putting together all the communications required to ensure that everybody arrives on time and in the right place!

(Above: Tromso in the Arctic Circle - one of our 2008 destinations)

If you're thinking of some interesting destinations for your company this year, why not take a look at some of our 2008 ideas?

Sales incentive programmes

Incentives are a speciality of ours and, in addition to destination and location management, we provide a comprehensive marketing and communications service to participants as well as the delivery of all the awards. Recent promotions that we've managed on behalf of clients include those providing a top prize of a weekend in Europe plus a host of Experience Days including Clay Pigeon Shooting, Driving a Ferrari and Wine Tasting! Each of the Experience Days is also personally managed by ourselves to ensure that our client’s interests are best served.

This year we are organising group travel to locations in the UK, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Italy and Ireland – that’s so far! Northern Europe offers superb value for money at the moment and a meeting in Bruges, Le Touquet or Brussels can often work out cheaper than some local venues. And don't be put off by numbers - we have taken groups as small as four for sales, management and partner conferences and meetings.

Meeting in Bruges

We are frequent visitors to Bruges and our clients always thoroughly enjoy their stay in the 'Venice of the north'. Bruges offers some great value meeting facilities and there are a number of high quality hotels that are ideal for meetings and sales conferences of all sizes. With a journey time of just over the hour from Calais by road it's a very 'do-able' short visit destination. Flights to Ostend airport also leave you with a quick transfer time to the city centre.

A two day/one night meeting in Bruges is available on a budget as little as £150 per person, including transport to Bruges, meeting facilities and overnight accommodation. Out of hours socialising is great in Bruges with some superb restaurants, bars and, of course, delightful shopping!

If Bruges appeals why not consider combining a staff, management or client trip to coincide with the Christmas Markets? It might seem a long way off - but there's no substitute for long-term planning!!

Minimum numbers 4

Meeting and fine dining in Northern France

One of our favourite locations in France is Montreuil-sur-Mer and we've been taking groups for both business and social purposes to this lovely walled town for many years now.

Montreuil is situated an hour from the channel ports and whilst it can be reached with ease for a one day trip, overnight is better! The town has a fabulous reputation for its restaurants and its proximity to Le Touquet makes it an ideal destination for those who wish to combine business with a spot of golfing.

Minimum numbers 12

A Day at the Races

There’s not a lot to beat a day at the races! Goodwood, Folkestone, Epsom, Plumpton – and other courses are available for midweek or weekend trips. Our minimum numbers are low with party sizes of just 15 available. A Day at the Races not only offers the very best in top-class racing, but will be one of the highlights of your organisation’s social calendar.

We will arrange transport and your day can start with breakfast, lunch or supper so that we arrive in good time for the first race. We’ll arrange tickets including access to your preferred viewing areas, including the Parade Ring and Winners Enclosure.

Your Day at the Races package includes:

• Luxury coach transport to and from your chosen location

• Welcome aboard pack – including free goodies

• Admission to the racecourse

• The services of guides throughout the trip

• Optional meals en route or picnic

At the end of the meeting, we will return you safely home – or you can continue the entertainment with post race dinner or entertainment. Each of our Day at the Races events is a bespoke service – designed to suit the needs of you and your guests.

Some other great ideas to think about

We also have some great itineraries for Ireland, Holland, Iceland and Germany - and we can also put together some exciting programmes in some great value city destinations overseas such as Prague, Warsaw, Krakow and Lisbon.

Why not contact us for a chat about the location of your next customer or staff incentive event?

Christmas is coming ....

We've almost finished our Christmas season and we're delighted to have been involved in a number of different types of events.

In the Nice Work (a Diligence sister company) diary this month we have a couple of shopping/wine and dine trips to Northern France. Channel hopping will always be popular here in the south east, with a number of companies using it as a vehicle for client entertaining and staff rewarding. Our favoured destinations are Northern France, using Montreuil-sur-Mer and Le Touquet as a base, and Bruges.

We've also got Christmas Quizzes, Race Nights, Casino Nights - and even a night of Snail racing for one Kent-based client.

So, if you’re looking for something different to reward or entertain your staff or clients, you should talk to Diligence. We’ve got the ideas, we’ve got the experience; and we’ve got a pricing structure to suit all budgets.

We can help you devise a special incentive scheme for your clients or customers, providing guidance on setting your objectives and measurement criteria as well as sourcing the rewards to fit within your budget, whether these are gift or experience based.

Diligence can manage the communications and keep you informed through effective reporting of what items have been used, how many and at what value.

For experienced based rewards, we can offer a range from Party events to special overseas conference and incentive trips.

Our free venue-finding service will help find the right place for you to celebrate your event for staff and customers. We actively manage the arrangements both prior to the event and on the night, to ensure that your function meets all your objectives.

For more information, click here to visit http://www.diligencegroup.co.uk/

Montenegro

A recent visit to Przno in Montenegro proved that old habits die hard in these former Yugoslav republics!

We arrived in Przno in the early hours of Saturday morning after a three hour flight and a three hour road journey from Dubrovnik which involved crossing the Croatia/Montenegro border. Now, we would hate to reopen old wounds but it isn't five minutes since these two states were part of the same country but you'd think they'd give something up for the sake of good neighbourlyness wouldn't you?

Not a bit of it.

A queue as long as the Adriatic just to cross the border with forms and God knows what else needed. And when we arrived it was like living in a good old-fashioned pre-Cold War state beurocracy. Not one public servant weencountered is able or willing to break into a smile. A four mile stetch of beach and surrounds is out of bounds due to a Government official having his holidays in the place!

But that was nothing to the return journey to Dubrovnik - which took five hours! The border queue was even longer. A great shame because first and last impressions are so important - and I'm afraid our stay was overshadowed by an unneccessary focus on bearocracy.

Whic is a great shame because Montenegro is a stunning country - worth a try if you can stomach the queues to get in!!

Slovenia - an undiscovered jewel?

The opening up of new low-cost flight routes to Eastern Europe and the Balkan states now offers the business and leisure traveller a host of new destinations to choose from.

Slovenia is a relatively new country - but with a rich history. A recent visit to Ljubljana for a site visit has convinced us that here is a great place for conferences, incentive groups or simply as a short-break destination.

EasyJet flies to LJ on a regular basis and the city offers all the friendliness of a small town and at the same time everything that a capital should offer. Apart from the remains of the Romans, it boasts a medieval castle and numerous old city centre Baroque buildings with uneven roofs and richly decorated façades and portals. The mosaic of Ljubljana is completed by picturesque bridges across the Ljubljanica river and the vast Tivoli park, which extends to the very city centre.

Ljubljana is a city of culture, which, among other things, boasts one of the oldest philharmonic halls in the world. Every year it hosts more than 10,000 cultural events ranging from concerts, theatre performances and fine art exhibitions, to avant-garde events.

One of the delights of strolling through the city on an evening is the almost complete absence of hordes of British youths taking advantage of the low flight costs and cheap drink. In fact, eating, drinking and staying in Ljubljana is still much lower than almost all other European capitals - and that is despite its membership of the Euro.

Away from the capital, one must-visit place for your itinerary is Bled with its stunning lake and castle. A walk around the lake is a pleasnt way to spend an hour - and if you're feeling energetic then you can take a rowing boat to the island in the lake and visit the pretty chapel.

Hotel accommodation in Slovenia is comfortable and there are some great deals available on conference venues.

If you'd like more information on Ljubljana or Slovenia then contact Nice Work today.

Event accessibility

We came across this useful checklist for event organisers looking to ensure that accessibility for disabled people meets acceptable standards. Whilst facilities for disabled guests are infinitely better than they used to be, there's still an awful long way to go!

If you'd like advice on ensuring your event meets standards, why not contact an experienced event management company for advice and help?

Transport

Does the venue provide accessible transport for disabled people or know where to obtain it?
If accessible transport is not readily available, can it be organised when asked for, or tell someone where to get it?

Parking

Does the venue have designated accessible parking and dropping off points?
Locate accessible spaces on the shortest possible safe route to an accessible building entrance, recommended 45m max.
If more than one entrance, distribute spaces among parking areas.

Approach

Is the approach leading to the venue accessible and easy to traverse?
An accessible approach is one that is clearly signed, well lit, without obstruction or uneven surface, and with a minimum width of 1800mm and distance to parking bay no greater than 45m.
If stepped, then a ramped approach must be available with handrails if required.

Entrances

Are all entrances to the venue accessible and easy to use?
Is the call entry system easy to locate and use?
Is the entrance signed and well lit?
Does the entrance have a minimum width of 800mm with a flat threshold?
Are there clear 'push' and 'pull' signs or symbols on doors?

Reception

Is the reception accessible and easy to use by a disabled person?
Is the reception desk usable by a wheelchair user?
Can a wheelchair user turn around in the reception lobby?
Is the call for assistance facility accessible?

Corridors

Are corridors accessible and easy for disabled people to move around the building?
Corridors require a minimum width of 1200mm with passing places of 1800mm. They should be clear of obstruction, well lit and signed.
Visual, auditory and tactile guides assist movement and orientation, e.g. colour schemes, decor, tactile floor changes, handrails.

Doorways

Are doors and doorways accessible to disabled people?
Doorways should be a minimum of 800mm with flush threshold.
The door furniture must be easy to use and in contrast to the door.
Doorways and doors should be colour contrasted to the surrounding floor and walls.

Signs

Are functional and directional signs accessible and usable by disabled people?
People need clear information about the purpose and layout of buildings.
Often visual information is reinforced by audible and tactile information.
Effectiveness is determined by: location, layout, height, font size, colour and finished surfaces of materials.

Stairs

Are stairs or steps usable by disabled people?
Stairs & steps require contrasting nosing with handrails that guide and assist disabled users.

Lifts

Are accessible lifts provided for upper floor access?
Accessible lifts require: minimum of 1700mm by 1700mm clear floor space outside lifts to aid wheelchair manoeuvrability.
Lift doors should be highlighted and stay open for a minimum of 20 seconds.
The lift car should be a minimum 1100mm wide and 1400mm deep with a mirror on rear wall.
Lift doors should have minimum clear opening 800mm.
Controls should be at usable height, tactile and with audible announcements.

Ramps

Are ramps provided for changes in level or where there is a stepped approach and no alternative access?
It is preferable to have both steps and ramp.
The gradient for the ramp should be 1 in 20 up to 10m.
Shorter distances of under 2m can be 1 in 12.

Toilets

Do you provide accessible toilet facilities?
Accessible toilets require space to turn around and transfer (min 1500mm by 2200mm), which can be from the right or left.
If two accessible toilets are provided then both options can be provided.
Grab rails, emergency cords and doors that open outwards with accessible handles are required.

Refreshments

Is the provision of refreshments accessible?
Refectory, dining rooms, sandwich bars, coffee areas, vending machines all need to be accessible.
Alternative dietary requirements need to be catered for.

Telephones

Are the telephones accessible?
Public telephone should be angled and located between 750 mm and 1000 mm above the floor.
A clear space of at least 1350 mm x 1200 mm should be provided within a telephone booth.
Handsets require large buttons, amplified earpiece and able to work with induction loop.

Procedures

Are procedures in place to ensure the safe egress of all users?
Procedures must be in place to assist disabled people who are not familiar with the building and require assistance to leave the building.
Fire procedures must be available in alternate formats, and included in introduction to event.

Alarms

Are there visual, auditory and vibrating alarms?
In areas where disabled people may be alone, such as toilets, flashing fire alarm beacons connected to the fire alarm system should be installed.
For some people with no auditory access, the installation of a vibrating fire pager is recommended.

Exits

Are emergency exits accessible to disabled people?
Are exit routes clearly signed, unlocked and free of obstacles?
Do exit doors open outwards with minimum of 900mm clear passage width and flat/ramped egress to Fire Assembly Points?

Refuges

Are accessible refuges provided for disabled people in an emergency?
Refuges are fire-protected areas providing sufficient space to enable people to wait in safety.
Refuges are primarily designed for people who are unable to use stairs or experience difficulty leaving buildings in an emergency without assistance.

Access Technology

Does the venue provide access technology and equipment so disabled people can take part fully in the training?
Equipment such as: thick black pens for signing or writing, different coloured paper, magnifier, clipboard, CCTV, Induction loops.
Access technology such as: voice synthesiser software, large print screen software, voice recognition software, laptops.

Environment

Is the environment supportive to disabled clients taking part in your service? E.g. noise reduction - low background noise, floor coverings, curtains - controllable temperature and ventilation, good natural and artificial light, adjustable blinds, and suitable colour schemes?

Furniture

Is the furniture provided at venue usable by disabled people, e.g. desks, tables and seating?
Suitable means variable height, adjustable back and arm support.
Desks and tables for wheelchair users should be at a height of 725 - 750mm with a minimum knee space under the desk of 800mm wide, 500mm deep (630mm preferred) & 700mm high (720mm preferred).

Layout

Is the layout and organisation of the training rooms suitable for disabled people?
Can someone who uses walking sticks or a frame, or is a wheelchair user move around freely and without hindrance?
Can the layout of the seating and presentation equipment be arranged to maximise disabled people's participation?

Accommodation

Is the accommodation accessible and usable by disabled people?
Consider the journey, for example: getting to the room, getting in and out, moving around inside, using the facilities (such as telephone, tea-making, television, bathroom), and getting out in an emergency.

Access requirements

Does the venue or training provider check out delegates for access requirements before event and at start of event?
Are access requirements of delegates asked for and acted upon by training provider and venue provider before the event?
Adjustments include: timing, frequency of breaks, alternative format materials, alternative seating, place and method of delivery, the amount and complexity of information.

Assistance

Are venue staff confident and competent to assist disabled people?
Such as 'spotting when assistance is really required', 'establishing the access required', 'enabling independent use of service', and knowing when to say 'no'

Feedback

Do you monitor satisfaction of your service and research the reasons why disabled delegates are dissatisfied?
By monitoring the service provided to disabled people by the venue, there will be an opportunity to increase inclusion at three critical points: a) at promotion - your promotional material is not accessible or available, b) at first contact - delegates' first experience of the venue and training puts them off, and c) after bad experience - something happens that makes them feel excluded or not welcome.