In the December issue Chineham Park takes the reader through the functions of the new MEPC app, but it is looking for a different business app to review every month throughout 2011 that assists businesses and is available via iPhone, BlackBerry or smartphone.
If you have a business app of the month, please email parklife@chinehampark.co.uk with your suggestion.
Newlyns Cookery School, situated above Newlyns Farm Shop in North Warnborough in Hampshire, provides cookery courses for anyone wanting to learn the basics through to preparing impressive specialist menus making it the ideal gift this Christmas.
Perfect as an individual present for someone special or as a corporate reward, Newlyns offers hands on courses for up to 12 people or demonstration courses for up to 20 people.
Newlyns Cookery School holds a wide range of cookery courses. From Butcher It, Cook It, Carve It, Fantastic Fish and Express Dinner Parties to Beginners, Five Day Culinary Life Skills and Four Week Evening Courses, Newlyns has something for all tastes.
Newlyns also offers cookery courses for young chefs aged between eight and 12 years old and 13 plus where budding chefs are guaranteed to be educated, inspired and occupied during the festive holidays.
If you would like to treat a friend, colleague or family member this Christmas, please visit: www.newlyns-farmshop.co.uk for more information.
If you have subscribed to the free courtesy coach text alerts you will have already received a welcome text introducing you to the service.
Courtesy coach users who subscribe to the alert service instantly receive a text message informing them of any problem with the coaches, traffic delays or weather related issues, allowing them to make a quick decision and factor this into their journey to work, also reducing the stress of their commute.
If you are a courtesy coach user and would like to subscribe, please email Wendy Scott at wscott@mepc.com
Festival Place will be hosting an interactive talent week from Monday 25 October 2010 to Friday 29 October 2010, designed to encourage young people in the community to look at a variety of career options that are available in the local and wider area.
The event is an initiative driven by the British Council of Shopping Centres and aims to raise the working aspirations of young people in the regions of their member shopping centres.
Running daily from 11h00 to 16h00 in Porchester Square, Festival Place has lined up a range of organisations that will be putting on a variety of demonstrations and displays including:
Monday 25 October: Style zone from Basingstoke College of Technology and cooking demonstrations from students
Tuesday 26 October: Local community youth group, Vinvolve, with break dancing demonstrations
Wednesday 27 October: The Basingstoke College of Technology automotive team will be demonstrating their green car project
Thursday 28 October: Advice from The Prince's Trust and Key Training plus an interactive DJ studio demonstration from Heart FM
Friday 29 October: Displays from the Basingstoke Academy of Dancing with the opportunity to find out what dancing means to those that take part
Steven Connolly, centre director for Festival Place, said: “As a local employer we recognise the importance of harnessing talent in the local community, so we are delighted to be hosting a talent week at Festival Place. This initiative allows us to link up with a variety of groups and businesses to provide something of relevance and interest to young people who are considering their career options.”
For more information about this event, please visit: www.festivalplace.co.uk
If you would like to make new business contacts join the Regus Basingstoke networking group on Tuesday 19 October 2010 between 12h00 and 14h00 at Regus in the Pinewood area of the park.
The event is free to attend with refreshments and provides you with the perfect opportunity to meet other local business people.
For each company that attends Regus will give free blue businessworld cards allowing 10% off meeting room bookings with any Regus centre.
For more information, please contact the Regus Basingstoke team on 01256 698000 or email basingstoke.chineham@regus.com
Bizz Radio, 100% local in Basingstoke, officially launches on Monday 20 September 2010 at 07h00 in the morning.
Famous voices of radio and television including ex Virgin Radio favourite Neil Francis and ‘Mr Saturday Night’ voiceover artist Peter Dickson, most famously known as the voice of the X Factor, will come alive in four days time to bring local radio back to the town.
To tune in to Bizz Radio online 24 hours a day, please visit: www.BizzRadioBasingstoke.com
Chineham Park has raised £3,500 for Naomi House Children’s Hospice, having entered a team which completed the London to Paris bike ride last week.The Chineham Park team, managing director Rupert Batho and estate manager Richard Hawkes, cycled for three and a half days covering nearly 500km starting from the UK's capital, through the English countryside over to France and on to Paris, finishing under the Eiffel Tower.
Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “The London to Paris bike ride was extremely challenging, but we were determined to complete the cycle and raise as much money as we could for Naomi House.”
Welcome to Spotlight, Parklife’s new feature. Every month Parklife will interview a different Chineham Park employee to give you an exclusive insight into other occupiers on the park.
This month Parklife put Laurie Pruvost from Hello Paris Ltd in the Spotlight.
Who do you work for and what do they do?
I am the managing director of Hello Paris, which sells Paris extras to private customers and small tour operators. Anything from a travel card to travel on public transport, a museum pass to visit lots of museums without queuing, tickets to glittery cabaret shows and Disney.
What does your job role involve?
Oh God, where shall I start? I have to make sure we have enough business to maintain employment mainly. I am responsible for the jobs of eight people. It is a big responsibility. I have to maintain my customer’s database, get more, travel and attend exhibitions to do so, juggling with money and the exchange rate is another daunting task. Honestly, I would need three pages to tell you all the things involved in running two companies.
What do you like about working on Chineham Park?
I like the environment, the landscape gardens, the gym, the nursery for my staff, Dayer’s restaurant and take away. But, mainly it is the environment. I visited so many cheaper offices, but they were either facing a scrap yard, behind a railway line or next to a builder’s merchant. I thought my staff would hate it and I like to have a happy workforce.
Which Chineham Park amenities do you use?
I use all of the amenities. I go to Dayer’s both to the restaurant and for sandwiches regularly, one of my girls has put her three year old son in the nursery and I am now a member of Fitness First as is my daughter.
What do you do on your lunch break?
Lunch break? What lunch break? I do not have time, but I do go to yoga on a Thursday.
What are your interests outside of work?
My main interest outside of work is my motorcycle, which is my passion. Fighter planes, aircraft carriers, submarines. Ask me to choose between going to an air show or the shops.
Are you a collector of anything?
I collect fighter plane keyrings and pins. I have a Typhoon and an F-117 keyring and B2, Typhoon and Blackbird pins.
What is the best present you have ever received?
The best present I have ever received was a sat nav for my motorbike.
What is the worst present you have ever received?
The worst present I have ever received were two ugly porcelain figures representing a marquis and marquise. Yuk!
What single thing would improve your life?
To have more me time would improve my life.
What is the greatest lesson you ever learned?
Rationalise! If something is not done in time, it is not the end of the world. Look around you, people are dying.
What motivates you?
My daughter motivates me. Everything I do today is for her tomorrow.
What is your motto in life?
I will do this! Whatever it takes!
What is the first thing you notice about people?
The first thing I notice is whether they are smiling or not.
Which TV show would you like to be in and why?
I would like to be in Megastructures. I love all things big and I would absolutely love to be able to follow a reporter on a mission about something enormous.
If you went on Mastermind what would be your specialist subject?
My specialist subject would be fighter planes.
Who would you like to be for a day and why?
I would like to be the person in charge of the US Air Force so I could spend one day flying in a B2 bomber.
You have won a round the world trip with five stopovers. Where would they be?
The USA, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia and the Galapagos Islands.
What is your least favourite mode of transport and why?
My least favourite mode of transport is a bus. They take forever to get anywhere, stop everywhere and are uncomfortable.
What is your dream job?
My job is my dream job.
What would be your epitaph?
I will never surrender.
If you would like to be in the Spotlight, please email parklife@chinehampark.co.uk
The App can be downloaded from the App store.
Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has announced The Blazingsmoke as the winner of its Basingstoke sandwich competition in association with Dayer's Fine Foods, the park's onsite restaurant. The Blazingsmoke, created by Laura Finney, was the biggest selling sandwich of the competition and its ingredients include smoked ham or smoked bacon with crisp lettuce and a spicy fresh tomato salsa.
Laura Finney, business development assistant for HCR Group the UK’s largest independent relocation company, said: “I was thrilled to win such a fantastic and unusual competition. It was great to see businesses give something back to the local community. My prize was amazing and has caused a great deal of envy at work.
“Many of our staff recently volunteered for a tree planting day as part of HCR’s pledge to plant a tree for every corporate relocation undertaken. Therefore, I have decided to raffle off the prize of one month’s worth of sandwiches to help raise money for our next planting day.
“I hope that Dayer’s and MEPC especially, as a UK Green Building Council member, will be pleased to hear that they have helped us continue to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint.”
Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “On behalf of Chineham Park, I would like to congratulate Laura on her achievement. The Blazingsmoke was popular with the judges and it has proven to be Basingstoke’s favourite.”
As well as receiving a prestigious silver salver, The Blazingsmoke has a permanent position on the Dayer’s sandwich menu and Laura gets a lunchtime sandwich free for one month.
Hello Paris Ltd, a globally recognised supplier of essential Paris extras to independent travellers, has relocated its headquarters to MEPC Chineham Park.Hello Paris, a leading provider of tickets for public transport, attractions, sightseeing tours, restaurants and shows, has acquired a lease on building number four in the Elmwood area of the park, following a growth in business.
Laurie Pruvost, director for Hello Paris Ltd, said: “We decided to move to Chineham Park because of the first class business accommodation it has to offer. Located in a prestigious environment, Chineham Park has excellent onsite facilities and transport links. MEPC provided an extremely professional service and we believe Chineham Park has the expertise to fulfill our business needs.”
Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “It is great to let office space in the Elmwood area of the park and welcome Hello Paris, a growing and dynamic organisation, to Chineham Park. From holiday companies such as Hello Paris to personal protective equipment suppliers like Sperian Protection, our diverse range of companies at Chineham Park underlines our position as the thriving business community in Basingstoke.”
Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, is celebrating the explosive success of its sports day themed fun day on Friday 02 July 2010.The annual fun day, held outside Central 40 between 12h00 and 14h00, was free to attend for all those working at Chineham Park.
Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Chineham Park is home to over 50 organisations and the fun day is a great opportunity for occupiers to interact with other businesses onsite. The annual function, which is one of our events, demonstrates why Chineham Park is a great place to work and a thriving business community.”
At this year’s fun day, occupiers took part in a variety of traditional games including a space hopper challenge, an egg and spoon race and a giant ski relay.
On the day, there was also a fully lined track with start and finish posts, a compere who organised the races and a mouth watering selection of BBQ food provided by Dayer’s Fine Foods, Chineham Park’s onsite restaurant.
Chris West, general manager for Fitness First, said: “What a great event, the teams that took part seemed to really enjoy themselves and it was great to see everyone having a go. We look forward to seeing the photos and getting involved again.”
Rick de Blaby, chief executive, comments: "This award demonstrates MEPC's commitment to providing Great Estates throughout the UK, accommodating more than 1,000 organisations, employing 20,000 people."
Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has introduced two new coaches to its onsite courtesy coach service.The two coaches, which will replace the current Chineham Park fleet, have new livery and electronic registering onboard.
Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Our coaches were due a refresh. Instead of just replacing them, we decided to upgrade their design and improve the coach card system.
“The new coaches will provide users with a more efficient service and enable us to accurately measure the usage and its effectiveness as an amenity for our occupiers.”
The courtesy coach service is available to all occupiers and runs between Chineham Park and Basingstoke railway station every 15 minutes at peak hours.
Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has responded positively to the changing commercial conditions by creating an enterprise hub for SMEs.
Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has created outdoor rooms as part of its natural place to work campaign.
Chineham Park, Basingstoke’s leading business location, has welcomed a new general manager to its onsite gym Fitness First.Chris West will run the health and fitness centre based in the Spindlewood area of the park.
Wendy Fletcher, estate assistant for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Chris to Chineham Park. Promoting a healthy work life balance is a key objective for the park management and working with Fitness First who provide state of the art equipment and expert assistance for their members helps us achieve our goals.”
Chris West, general manager for Fitness First, said: “As well as offering premier fitness facilities in Basingstoke’s leading business location, my role at Fitness First is to encourage occupiers of the park and the wider community to take advantage of the world class health and fitness expertise we can provide.”
The Chineham Park onsite management team has celebrated the start of the New Year by showcasing the extensive range of amenities with new signage at the park entrance.Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “We recognise that it is extremely important to highlight to anyone that enters the park what we have on offer.”
The park prides itself on providing quality amenities for occupiers and their employees including a fully equipped Fitness First gym, sandwich bar and restaurant and it offers superb childcare facilities.
Fitness First has approximately 2,500 members with a capacity for 3,000, Dayer’s Fine Foods sells over 65,000 sandwiches on Chineham Park each year and KidsUnlimited changed roughly 56,000 nappies in 2008.
The team of gardeners landscape Chineham Park’s 95 acres, the courtesy coach drivers carry out 170,000 passenger journeys every year and the security guards are onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Chineham Park is a community in itself. We currently accommodate over 40 business organisations ranging from local enterprises to international headquarters and the park is a place of work for over 2,500 people. Our existing amenities offer essential onsite services and play a vital role in helping us to attract more businesses to the park.”
