Count-down to the county’s big day out
Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st June 2012 at the Lincolnshire Showground, Grange de Lings
This year’s Lincolnshire Show will come to life at the 200 acre Grange-De-Lings site on 20th and 21st June, with world-class jousting from the Knights of the Damned, two qualifier heats for the Kennel Club’s Scruffts mixed breed dog show; top level show-jumping and a host of shopping opportunities.
Reflecting the agricultural heart to the Show, this year’s events will include the ever popular pig racing; the spectacular Grand Parade of the best of the county’s livestock and the vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display.
As well as the county’s finest animals on show, there will be an exciting mix of rural and family attractions during the two days, including the best of Lincolnshire produce at the massive Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire Food Court, home to a mouth-watering selection of local produce and some great homemade recipe demonstrations throughout each day from local food champion Rachel Green. The Discovery Zone will be hosting Pork to Fork : The story of the Sausage, explaining how one of Lincolnshire’s most famous products reaches the table, and other Show performances will range from falconry to bee keeping.
Clydesdale Bank and Duckworth’s Land Rover are once again major sponsors for the Show, where one of the star attractions is Knights of the Damned, the medieval jousting stunt team, regular favourites at the Show. This year they will be in prime position, having moved to the Main Ring, where they will appear on both Show days, led by Justin Pearson, whose film credits include Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and most recently the Madonna film WE. The troupe includes two young local riders, Rob and James Pavey. Their display includes high adrenalin clashes on horseback and superbly choreographed foot fights with swords, flaming fireballs on chains and unyielding quarterstaffs.
This year’s Sports Zone has top billing in the run up to the 2012 London Games, and will be encouraging visitors to try their hand at a huge range of Olympic and Paralympic sports. This year’s sports include cricket, golf, wheelchair basketball, canoeing, volleyball, table tennis, hockey, athletics and the ever-popular Zorb Balls. The Sports Zone is one of Lincolnshire Sports Partnership’s biggest events and last year nearly 6000 people took part in the Sports Zone over the two-days.
For the second year running, dogs will be allowed on the Showground, with dog rescue centre Jerry Green running a doggie crèche on both days. Scruffts have confirmed that they will be running a regional heat on both days of the Show this year for their Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year competition, giving Lincolnshire two regional winners in the 2012 national final. Also confirmed is an appearance from Merlin, the ambassador dog for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, who is on a special mission to raise £30,000 for the charity during its 30th anniversary year. The charity trains dogs to alert deaf people to important sounds and danger signals in the home, work place and public buildings.
More than a thousand young people will be taking part in the Schools Challenge over the two days, demonstrating their understanding of food, farming and agriculture, as well as having a go at making sausages with Uncle Henry’s cafe and farm shop. This year’s challenges range from learning about the optimum growing conditions for potatoes, to coming up with a marketing strategy to encourage young people to visit the Lincolnshire Show.
For horse lovers, there’s a busy competition programme in the equine rings; top level showjumping in the main ring; and retired racehorses will have their day once again, with Market Rasen Racecourse sponsoring two ex-racehorse classes at the Show. The sponsorship comes as the Racecourse seeks to raise awareness about the care of thoroughbreds after they leave the sport.
There is also special entertainment for the Wednesday evening, with the Bush Doctors band. The cover band has been playing to audiences all over the UK during the past 12 years, and this year sees them playing the outdoor stage at the Lincolnshire Show, in the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society members’ area. And according to lead singer Richard Aksam, the band will be delivering a set that’s designed to suit all tastes and guarantee that everyone is swinging along. He said: “This promises to be one of the biggest and best gigs of our summer schedule."
For shoppers, there will be boutique-style stalls in the Mews and a shop-to-drop experience at the 600 trade stands at the Show, offering anything from a new car to a pair of shoes.
Jayne Southall, who will be leading the Showground team in her first year as the Director of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society and Lincolnshire Events Centre, said: “We’ve got a fantastic line-up for this year.
“The heart of the Show is to tell the story behind the county’s agriculture and food production and to encourage more people to put local produce top of their shopping list, but it is also a major visitor attraction which helps to bring Lincolnshire’s wider visitor and tourism story to a national audience.
She added: “Lincolnshire has so much to shout about, and the Show has a vital role to play as a flagship event for the county.”
Each year the Show is a big earner for the county of Lincolnshire and it is estimated that every £1 spent at the Show generates £20 in the local economy and the Show provides a major boost for local hotels and B&Bs, creating demand for 18,400 overnight stays locally.
Visit the Lincolnshire Show website at www.lincolnshireshow.co.uk for more information and to book your tickets or call the ticket hotline on 0845 2305171
Ticket prices have been held at 2011 prices and offer discounts on advance purchase:
Adult £20 : £18 in advance
Young person age 17-22 : £15 available in advance only
Child – age 5-16 – £6 : £5.50 in advance
Family – 2 adults and 3 children – £45 : £40 in advance
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Twitter: @lincsshow
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Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
First firms complete dual ISO / LEXCEL accreditation
Members of the LawNet network are taking a dual approach to quality management to support compliance and cut audit requirements
Leading law firm network LawNet has become the first in the sector to offer dual quality accreditation to ISO 9001 and Lexcel standards, in a move designed to cut costs and resources for its members.
The LawNet dual accreditation route has been developed to offer firms efficiencies where Lexcel is a requirement in public funded work or for tendering purposes. All members of the network must achieve the LawNet ISO 9001 quality standard within 24 months of joining, with ongoing six-monthly assessments.
Now the firms can also opt for Lexcel assessment at the same time as their regular ISO audit, cutting audit times dramatically.
At Oxley & Coward Solicitors LLP in Rotherham, practice manager Peter Hedley said: “The Lexcel standard is becoming increasingly common as a requirement in tenders and we also wanted to avoid having multiple audits every year to keep our family and criminal legal aid work. We found the dual ISO/Lexcel audit process very easy and knowing we will have just two audits to manage each year is the real bonus. There were very few things in Lexcel that we weren’t already doing, but it helped us to focus on meeting the demands of the SRA handbook and OFR.”
Another firm that has achieved the dual accreditation is Parrott & Coales LLP in Aylesbury. Debbie Rymer, quality coordinator said: “We could not renew our family legal aid contract without Lexcel or other external auditing, and we expected that Lexcel would open the door to new work streams in the public sector and with other bodies that now demand this as a standard.”
She added: “We welcome audits because we use them to improve the way we work, but streamlining any audit process can only be good. “
John Thomas, chief executive of LawNet said: “One of our main objectives as an organisation is to help our firms deliver high quality legal services. We need to make things as simple as possible for them, so they can concentrate on fee earning.
“We are the only group that can offer dual accreditation in this way, with our dual accredited firms having just one audit annually for each accreditation. Devising the dual accreditation has been a complex process from our side, and it has taken some time to put it in place, but our firms will benefit as it will mean far less resources to achieve and maintain the standard, as well as giving another string to their bow in securing work.”
Thomas added: “A number of firms had been asking for this and it’s win win all round, as the Law Society will have more firms going for Lexcel accreditation, and they will be firms that truly understand quality.”
Also coming on line from LawNet shortly is an online portal designed to help firms manage the requirements of the SRA Handbook and Outcomes-Focussed Regulation (OFR) which has been described as providing real tools for firms to use day-to-day.
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For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
The combined income of the 67 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £20m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Each year LawNet delivers over 60 CPD accredited learning events at venues throughout the UK, covering a wide range of technical legal updates, practice management and business development topics, including a leading-edge strategic leadership and management development programme. All the learning days are CPD accredited, many are provided as a free service within membership, and the member-defined programme ensures that topics tackle key issues affecting that particular area of practice.
All LawNet firms must achieve ISO 9001:2008 LawNet Quality Standard certification within two years of joining, and securing and maintaining that accreditation is a condition of membership. Through a unique agreement with the Law Society, firms can also secure and hold the Lexcel practice management standard and benefit from a simplified dual auditing process for the two marks, with the independent assessment delivered through LawNet.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
Blog: http://thelawnetblog.wordpress.com/
Groups join forces to support solicitors in post-LSA environment
Two leading and long-established law firm membership groups have joined forces to provide their law firm clients with access to increased support in the post Legal Services Act environment.
360 Legal Group, which specialises in law firm management, structure and merger will provide acquisition and merger support to member firms of LawNet, a mutual and member-owned group which comprises independent law firms with between 6 and 39 partners and operates the legal market’s largest PI scheme. LawNet will reciprocate by providing 360 Legal Group members and clients with valuable support in quality, risk management and specialist training. Both sets of members will benefit from greater access to a large pool of potential merger partners, increased training, conference, event and networking opportunities and a vast choice of consultancy services.
Whilst both organisations will remain totally independent in their operations, they will be looking at ways to share resources, services and contacts to the benefit of their members. The organisations serve different audiences – with 360 Legal Group primarily working with progressive small to medium-sized law firms and LawNet working with mainly heavyweight independent firms – but both agree that there is huge potential to work more closely.
John Thomas, Chief Executive of LawNet says: “We are different organisations but both aim to ensure our members stay ahead of the competition, reduce costs, improve efficiencies and enhance profitability and we believe we can be stronger together. Working collaboratively, whilst retaining our individual identities, ensures our members enjoy the best of both worlds – the membership benefits and support they have always enjoyed, but with access to a greater level of contacts and services.”
“LawNet has built its reputation through the exacting standards placed on member firms, and is well aligned with our values here at 360 Legal Group, to be innovative, ambitious and forward-thinking.” adds 360 Legal Group Chief Executive Viv Williams.
cont …
“As the legal sector consolidates there will be merger, ABS and private equity opportunities for many. Others are looking to raise their game and build their business around “Brand Solicitor”. By sharing our expertise, knowledge and best practice we can offer an unrivalled level of support to help all members achieve their ambitions.”
Benefits to members are already being realised with LawNet firms taking part in 360 Legal Group’s February Merger and Consolidation Summit. The organisations are now focusing on new packages for those seeking to buy, sell or merge.
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Background Notes to Editors:
About 360 Legal Group:
Founded in July 2004, 360 Legal Group has become the largest membership organisation for legal businesses in the UK, growing steadily over the years in response to a growing need for efficiency and business skills amongst its members and the legal profession as a whole. It provides marketing, management and strategy solutions for law firms, helping lawyers to manage and market their practices more successfully as businesses, differentiate themselves from local competitors and overcome the challenges facing the profession. The Group also specialises in the merger and acquisition of legal practices.
Through its dedicated business consultancy service delivered through a nationwide team of advisors, 360 Legal Group further helps its clients on a one-to-one basis to recognise the sweeping changes being introduced by The Legal Services Act, understand the difficult and fast changing trading conditions in which law firms now operate and explore how to take advantage of forthcoming deregulation.
360 Legal Group members access free SRA authorised CPD seminars for an unlimited number of staff as part of membership, which starts from under £30 per month. Membership also includes a free practice review which revisits and updates business plans and objectives, an annual benchmarking report to enable members to get an overview of their organisation’s performance against other member practices, a quarterly e-zine to inform members about trends and developments in the legal sector, a telephone helpline and discounts of at least 20 per cent on all of 360 Legal Group’s consultancy services.
360 Legal Group, Tel: 01275 465540 Visit: www.360legalgroup.co.uk
For further information please contact:
Jacqui Southway Viv Williams
Jacqueline Southway PR 360 Legal Group
Tel: 01454 201869 / 07747 804703 Tel: 01275 465540 / 07879 999274
About LawNet:
The combined income of the 67 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Each year LawNet delivers over 60 CPD accredited learning events at venues throughout the UK, covering a wide range of technical legal updates, practice management and business development topics, including a leading-edge strategic leadership and management development programme. All the learning days are CPD accredited, many are provided as a free service within membership, and the member-defined programme ensures that topics tackle key issues affecting that particular area of practice.
All LawNet firms must achieve ISO 9001:2008 LawNet Quality Standard certification within two years of joining, and securing and maintaining that accreditation is a condition of membership. Through a unique agreement with the Law Society, firms can also secure and hold the Lexcel practice management standard and benefit from a simplified dual auditing process for the two marks, with the independent assessment delivered through LawNet.
Twitter: @LawNetUK Blog: http://thelawnetblog.wordpress.com/
For further information about LawNet, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Lincolnshire Show 2012: press passes, feature articles and reader competitions
LOOK BACK EARLY IN 2013 FOR DETAILS ABOUT REGISTERING FOR 2013 PRESS PASSES, FEATURES AND COMPETITIONS.
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This year’s Show takes place on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st June 2012
PRESS PASSES WILL BE DIGITAL: For 2012, press passes for the Lincolnshire Show will once again be managed wholly online. ALL requests will have to be made through this website, specifying named contacts and the days on which they are attending, as digital passes will be issued. Special requests for car parking or other access to the site should be made through the same online system. To request accreditation, please click here
PRESS RELEASES AND FEATURE ARTICLES ONLINE: All press releases about the Show will be published on the Showground web site and also available online here, through the Prima PR client news feed. This will include copies of all press releases, feature articles and press packs as they go live, providing a single easy-to-access route. In addition, if you would like exclusive feature material, or if you require interviews before or at the Show, we will be happy to work with you – contact Maggie Taylor at Prima PR : maggie@primapr.co.uk
READER COMPETITIONS: Each year we work with media titles to offer their readers the chance to win tickets to the Lincolnshire Show. If you are interested in discussing such joint promotions, then please get in touch and tell us how you would promote the offer to your readers or use the request form you will find within the media centre pages of the web site, when live. Please email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM PREVIOUS SHOWS: A selection of stock photographs from previous shows is available. Pictures from 2010 and 2011 are on Flickr at the following link: primaprandmarketing You can also find many pictures from other people on Flickr if you search for Lincolnshire Show. We have further archive catalogues here and elsewhere online click here for a 2009 gallery and will be happy to provide unique or specific shots on request.
Keep in touch:
The Show online: www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk
Follow the Show on Twitter: @lincsshow
Follow the Show on Facebook: LincolnshireAgriculturalSociety
All PR and Media enquiries should be made via:
Prima PR & Marketing : info@primapr.co.uk : Tel: 01400 251557 : www.primapr.co.uk
Twitter: @magtay
Flickr: primaprandmarketing
Client news feed: click here
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Olympic hopefuls top the bill at Lincolnshire Horse Trials
Thousands turn out to see the Who’s Who of equestrian eventing
Nearly two thousand riders and visitors converged on Lincolnshire Showground for this year’s Horse Trials. The three day event attracted Olympic hopefuls from across the world, together with all the top local riders.
World renowned rider Mark Todd narrowly pipped local rider Nicola Baguley to win the Open Intermediate T section. Competitors from Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the USA joined the cream of British riders, including Olympic hopefuls William Fox Pitt, Laura Collett, Piggy French, Ruth Edge, Oliver Townend and Nicola Wilson.
A top pack of local riders were also put through their paces, including Ros Canter and Gina Ruck, who led through the dressage, dropping into second place overall following cross –country time penalties.
And the up and coming Emilie Chandler from Stathern in nearby Leicestershire, fulfilled expectations with two wins in the OI and novice sections, attributing her success to winter-based hillwork with her horses.
Competitors take part in dressage, show jumping and cross country over the three days at pre novice (BE100), novice and intermediate levels.
This year the course was redesigned by Horse Trials director and course designer Charles Hood, drawing praise that was reported in Horse & Hound’s review of the event, saying “Riders continue to travel the length and breadth of the country to compete at Lincolnshire – the entries list reads like a Who’s Who of the sport. It is a well deserved reputation and one that was upheld again this year.”
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- Photographs are available. These may be used only in relation to reporting of the Lincolnshire Horse Trials 2012, and any pictures used must acknowledged the photographer Julia Shearwood. Lo res versions supplied, please request any for usage as these are large files in high res version, and we cannot share via usual route of Flickr for copyright reasons. Please email your request
- A link to full results: http://www.bdwp.co.uk/lin
- Biographies and further information about British Olympic hopefuls available on the British Eventing website: click here
- Interviews with riders can be organised through Nina Lloyd-Jones at British Eventing Tel. +44 (0)2476 698855 email: Nina.Lloyd-Jones@britisheventing.com
FAQs about the Lincolnshire Show and the Showground:
The Lincolnshire Show:
Just some of the statistics involved in managing the spectacular annual event that is the Lincolnshire County Show.
10,000 square metres of marquees, 20 miles of electrical cable, 800 tables, 3,000 chairs, 12,000 loo rolls, and 45,000 copies of a 66 page programme.
A complete town emerges on the 200 acre showground site at Grange de Lings. There are road names, car parks are marked out, and the marquees are all in place and 12000 cars have to be parked during for the Show.
Nearly 200 stewards are involved, one for every aspect of the show, each in their distinctive bowler hats.
There are 11 rings, 1800 horses and ponies entries, over 1300 cattle, pigs, sheep and goats in the livestock entries, and there are over 600 trade stands selling everything from frying pans to fashion.
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society:
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society was formed in 1869 and is best known throughout the county as the organiser of the annual Lincolnshire Show, an event which draws visitors from all over the county and beyond.
Its objectives, as laid down by its Victorian founders, are “the furtherance, welfare and progress of the Agricultural Industry and all professions, trades and crafts connected therewith”.
Today those objectives are more important than ever to us and since 2005 the Society has had the additional focus of sustainability and protection of our natural environment for the benefit of future generations.
The Society works closely with individuals, schools, organisations and businesses whose common vision is to promote the agricultural industry and pursue activities that have a positive effect on our environment and community.
As a charity, sponsorship and support is vital to the success of the Society. It also generates income to support its activities through the Lincolnshire Events Centre, the trading arm of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.
Lincolnshire Events Centre:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project.
Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space. Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, now in its 126th year, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting 300,000 visitors each year.
Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Media enquiries:
Sarah Poucher at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
spoucher@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Neil’s security advice creates euro zone interest
French security professionals and police chiefs have been learning the benefits of sophisticated remotely monitored CCTV systems from a British specialist.
There are more than 45 million CCTV cameras operating in the UK but just 6 million in France and very little remote monitoring.
Expert Neil Jackson was invited to address the meeting in Paris because he has developed a leading edge remote control monitoring centre at Lincolnshire-based GB Security Group, where he is a director. The monitoring centre has been recently updated through an association with French technology company ESI to create a very sophisticated video receiving solution that works alongside the alarm monitoring and CCTV.
A recognised authority in security technology, Neil has been involved in a number of advisory panels for the industry regulator, the British Security Association (BSIA). His presentation in Paris highlighted the need for effective industry standards to ensure systems are adequate and reliable. In the UK, the major standard is BS 8418: 2010, which deals with minimum standards that will enable the police to offer a level one response, a standard to which Neil Jackson has contributed as part of the BSIA panel.
Following the product development made with GB Security at their Lincolnshire site in Donington near Spalding, ESI France is keen to push the system throughout Europe. And as a result of Neil’s presentation, there’s a new entente cordiale in the making, with a return visit made to GB Security Group by a group of French and Swiss security specialists.
“We had a very useful exchange of experience during my initial visit to Paris. It’s interesting that France has not undertaken any amount of remote monitoring, nor Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain. But the market is wide open now and we’re looking at how we can share our knowledge to help future developments across Europe,” said Neil Jackson.
He added: “France currently makes most use of video verification, where any intrusion activates recording and opens a telephone line enabling the capture of a clip showing what is happening to be relayed to a remote monitoring centre.”
The latest developments within the GB monitoring centre will enable seamless integration between video receiving, telephony and other messaging systems.
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Media enquiries:
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
GB Security Group has a 30 year track record in security and fire protection, with customers ranging from multi-site food processing plants, commercial businesses, professional firms and schools through to retailers and housebuilders. Their portfolio delivers a complete range of security products and services, backed up with leading edge technical expertise, including:
- CCTV
- Fire Alarms
- Guarding Services
- Intruder Alarms
- Access Control
- Gates & Barriers
- CCTV Monitoring
- Integrated Systems
GB Security Group also operates its own specialist 24 hour remote monitoring centre. working to the highest achievable accreditation levels with NSI and SIA, and with a proven track record since 1993. All monitoring centre staff are SIA licensed for monitoring both private and public space and the company operates under the Approved Contractors Scheme (ACS), the independently assessed quality standard for suppliers of private security services.
From: Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Gelston House, Gelston, Grantham, Lincs, NG32 2AE
Tel: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767 602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk Web: www.primapr.co.uk
Company VAT Reg No: 598 3614 90
Just the ticket for early birds
See coverage of this story: Lincolnshire Echo
Sales have already taken off for this year’s Lincolnshire Show, after tickets went on sale three months earlier than usual.
Tickets are not usually available in outlets until April, but organisers opened this year’s online bookings at the end of January, and are already reporting good interest.
Billed as Lincolnshire’s big day out, the Lincolnshire Show is organised by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society to boost awareness of countryside matters, and the vital role that agriculture plays in the local economy.
One of the few county shows to remain true to its heritage, each year it attracts around 60,000 visitors, as well as some 600 exhibitors.
Clydesdale Bank and Duckworth's Land Rover are once again major sponsors for the Show, which will take place on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st June 2012. Full plans will be unveiled soon, but organisers say this year’s line up promises to appeal to all tastes and ages.
It includes world-class jousting from the Knights of the Damned, a qualifier heat for the Kennel Club’s Scruffts mixed breed dog show; top level show-jumping and a host of shopping opportunities.
And reflecting the agricultural heart to the Show, this year’s events will include the ever popular pig racing; the spectacular Grand Parade of the best of the county’s livestock and the vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display.
Director Jayne Southall said: “Plans are well advanced and it’s great to see the interest on these early ticket sales. Most importantly at this stage, we are seeing excellent support from both exhibitors and sponsors.
“It’s great to see local businesses supporting their local community by supporting the Show. Many come every year, and that’s because it’s also a valuable route to reach their customers.”
Each year the Show is a big earner for the county of Lincolnshire and it is estimated that every £1 spent at the Show generates £20 in the local economy and the Show provides a major boost for local hotels and B&Bs, creating demand for 18,400 overnight stays locally.
Jayne Southall, who took over late last year as director of Lincolnshire Events Centre, the Showground’s major year-round regional conferencing and outdoor events centre, added: “I want to see further growth this year across sponsorship, trade exhibitors and overall attendance figures. The show is a major tourism attraction on the county calendar, but still has huge unexploited potential and I want to attract more interest from within and outside the county.”
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Staff celebrate as coach company saved
See coverage of this story in the media:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-17426196
http://www.midlandsbusinessnews.co.uk/2012-03/staff-celebrate-as-coach-company-saved.aspx
http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/business/ac-williams-firm-lives-to-fight-another-day-1-3675243
http://www.sleafordstandard.co.uk/news/business/jobs-saved-in-family-coach-firm-buyout-1-3642310
http://www.blmforum.net/en/blm/headline/2722/Jobs-secured-at-AC-Williams--Home-rest.htm
http://www.lincsmag.com/LincsMagnews/1NewsLincs/018_Staff_Celebrate_As_Coach_Company_Saved.html
Jobs secure as long-established Lincolnshire coach and bus operator is saved, with promise of more local jobs to come in future growth plans.
One of Lincolnshire’s best-loved coach companies has been saved.
A private investor has stepped in to secure the future of A C Williams Coaches, in a move which prompted celebrations by the 25 drivers, mechanics and office staff after learning their jobs were safe.
Coach and bus operator A C Williams was established nearly 60 years ago in Ancaster and despite a healthy demand for bookings, its future was threatened following the closure of its sister business in December, the A C Williams Renault car dealership.
Now its future is guaranteed, which is good news for customers who made bookings for future trips and holidays, as deposits will be safe and trips will take place as planned.
The company, which numbers Harlaxton College, The Red Arrows and football clubs Lincoln City and Boston United among its regular coach customers, has received a cash and management injection from investor Glen Pratt, who wants to save jobs by turning round small family-owned companies. He has plans to build the business through employee profit sharing and the partnership principles which have proved so successful for John Lewis.
As executive chairman of the company, Glen Pratt, age 39, a successful investment fund manager in London, will be keeping not just the A C Williams family name, but the Williams’ family involvement as well, with former directors David Williams and Alison Parker fulfilling non-managerial roles within the company.
The family approach will be expanded further, with financial accountant David Pratt joining his brother Glen on the board as finance director.
The company started out by transporting just three children to school from an outlying farm, but it is now one of the leading providers of school transport in the county, holding major contracts with Lincolnshire County Council, transporting 500 children every day. It also runs a busy schedule of day trips and holidays, and serves many local colleges, sports clubs and businesses including Norbert Dentressangle, formerly Christian Salvesen. The company’s 20-strong coach and bus fleet covers a wide range of transportation solutions, including state of the art executive coaches, double decker school buses, together with specially modified vehicles which offer tables or wheelchair access.
Under the new leadership, the company is set to expand and hopes to create more jobs in the local community in coming years.
Said Glen Pratt: “A C Williams is now fully funded for a long term future and the whole team is very excited at the prospect, with many new plans set to go ahead against the secure backing that’s in place. Those plans will build on the values the company is known for - safety, reliability, comfort and value for money.”
Former managing director David Williams said: “I am delighted that jobs will be saved and that the A C Williams name will continue, in what promises to be a bright future for the company.”
Peter Blair, a partner in the Nottingham office of corporate recovery specialists Begbies Traynor, was appointed joint administrator of A C Williams in December. He said: “We are pleased to have saved jobs and maintained important services in Lincolnshire. We are grateful for the support and tenacity of the A C Williams staff during difficult circumstances, and that we were able to retain those staff. We wish the new venture every success for the future.”
Glen Pratt added: “It’s a company with a strong heart and has been picking up new work even during the administration period, because people want to deal with A C Williams. There’s a real sense of goodwill. The entire team is looking forward to serving the people of Lincolnshire. ”
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Please contact Maggie Taylor at Prima PR & Marketing:
Tel: 01400 251557 Mob: 0797 3767 602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Editor’s note:
Born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, Glen Pratt is currently a Partner with a London-based fund management company, where he is a UK portfolio manager. He joined Fidelity, the world’s biggest investment house, direct from Nottingham University where he read economics, becoming one of their youngest ever fund managers at 25, and was managing a £2bn portfolio of client funds by his early 30s.
A C Williams was established in Ancaster in 1953, as a motor engineer and agricultural machinery repair business. Its first contract was transporting three children from a local farm to Ancaster Primary School. Now the company transports 500 children every day. It also runs many leisure trips and holidays for local people, travelling throughout the UK and Europe, as well as providing transport for local football teams, service personnel and academic institutions. A fleet of 20 buses, coaches and minibuses range from a 75-seater Sykliner double decker executive coach to specially modified vehicles which offer tables or wheelchair access.
World class riders head for Lincolnshire
Update for Lincolnshire Horse Trials : World class riders head for Lincolnshire
World class riders and Olympic hopefuls from across the world will be in Lincolnshire this month to compete in the renowned Lincolnshire Horse Trials, taking place at the Lincolnshire Showground from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th March.
Competitors from Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the USA will be joining the cream of British riders, including Olympic hopefuls William Fox Pitt, Laura Collett, Piggy French, Ruth Edge, Oliver Townend and Nicola Wilson.A top pack of local riders will also be put through their paces, including Ros Canter and Gina Ruck, both winners in last year’s competition.
Competitors will be taking part in dressage, show jumping and cross country over the three days at pre novice (BE100), novice and intermediate levels. Selectors for the British team are expected to be on the lookout once again during the pony trials that are also held.
For further information:
- Biographies and further information about British Olympic hopefuls available on the British Eventing website: click here
- Interviews with riders can be organised through Nina Lloyd-Jones at British Eventing Tel. +44 (0)2476 698855 email: Nina.Lloyd-Jones@britisheventing.com
- A full list of local riders participating, including address details to identify those local to your area, is available here: click here
- Full story on the horse trials including all programme and entrance information: click here
Images and captions from previous years are available for download at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/55414176@N07/sets/72157625604731346/
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602