Young professionals get that loving feeling with Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice

The winning team members were (L-R): Sonya Bell – Headline Communications, Jason Norris – Deloitte, Rebecca Mawdsley – Team Captain/Enl, Amanda Porter – Birmingham Future Chair/Mills & Reeve, Martin Noble –, Shakespeare Putsman , Amy Cox – Birmingham City University , Ben Evans – FleetMilne

More than 30 young professionals and students got in touch with their creative side as they took on the challenge set by Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice to dress their shop windows with a Valentine’s Day theme.

The budding retail designers came from professional services membership organisation Birmingham Future and each team was assisted by a student from Birmingham City University’s Theatre, Performance and Event Design course.

With sponsorship from specialist city centre letting agent FleetMilne Residential each team was challenged with creating shop window masterpieces which would entice shoppers into the charity shops run by the Hospice in and around Birmingham.

Caroline Taylor, head of fundraising and marketing at St Mary’s Hospice, said: “Our shops around the city raise a significant amount of funding for the Hospice and we are very grateful to the public for the support they provide. However, our resources for window dressing are heavily reliant on the type of donations we receive and the time of volunteers.”

The teams were given just three hours to pull together their masterpieces and the judging was carried out by a panel which included Kevin Breese, general manager of Harvey Nichols; Natalie Strachen, marketing and retail director, Birmingham Development Company; and Pam Stanley, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice retail manager.

A team made up of members from Birmingham Future’s Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) and Talent Retention and Development (TRaD) committees, assisted by student Amy Cox from Birmingham City University, won the challenge with their efforts at the Selly Oak shop.

David Pardoe, retail manager at the Mailbox, commented: “There was some really good work here and we were impressed with the overall standard, in particular the strategy committee’s visual impact was very strong and also a special mention for the marketing committee’s “Love Vintage” which was well executed.”

Claire Elaine Arthurs, solicitor at HBJ Gateley-Wareing and chair of Birmingham Future’s community development committee, which organised the event, said: “There is a definite passion and drive to do more for the community among young professionals in Birmingham. This competition allowed Birmingham Future’s committee members a fantastic opportunity to team up with the next generation of graduates and make a difference for Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice shops.”

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice cares for over 1,000 people each year suffering from life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis. The aim is to give people the best quality of life for whatever time remains to them, supporting them and their families, for as long as needed. For more information, please visit http://www.bsmh.org.uk.

The efforts of all the Birmingham Future teams were on show at the Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice shops in Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Weoley Castle, King’s Heath, King’s Norton, West Heath and Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice Furniture Shop in Cotteridge.

St Basil’s Cotswold Challenge

Suzie Branch, 2009 BYPY winner, community development committee member and founder/client services director at BHMG Marketing, is launching the call for Birmingham Future members to grab their walking boots for the annual St Basil’s Cotswold Challenge.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 5 June, offers a mammoth 28 mile walk as well as a 14 mile challenge for the less adventurous.

Suzie says: “At just £125 for a team of up to six people to enter, this is a fantastic way to raise money for a good cause while having some fun and pushing yourself along the way. And, you get to network in some of the UK’s prettiest countryside.”

To find out more about the walk, please contact Suzie at suzie@bhmgmarketing.co.uk.

Out and About with Lise-Ann – At The Hampton Manor…

The Hampton Manor
Shadowbrook Lane
Hampton-in-Arden
Solihull
B92 0EN
http://www.hamptonmanor.eu/
I love discovering new places especially when they are literally on your own doorstep leaving you wondering how you never knew about them before! I had such an experience last Sunday when I visited the new Hampton Manor Hotel in Hampton-in-Arden.
Once the estate of Sir Fredrick Peel, the house was originally designed to host political, commercial and social meetings that a man of such standing would have been expected to hold, so as you can imagine it’s quite an impressive building. Until recently the estate was used as a care home for people with learning difficulties until it was bought by hoteliers Derrick and Janet Hill who have successfully converted the manor into a luxury hotel and conference centre.
The restaurant is currently only open for Sunday Lunch prior to the official launch of the hotel, a clever idea as it gives the kitchen a chance to iron out any potential issues before they fully open and also allows the waiting staff a good opportunity to perfect their service.
Sunday Lunch is a tour de force of five courses for £29.95 a head. A weekly changing menu features locally sourced seasonal produce and features a choice of starters, mains and desserts.
On our arrival we were shown to the bar to have a pre-lunch drink as we considered the menu. The house has been lovingly renovated with a few modern touches in the furnishings. Our order was taken whilst we had our drinks and we were shown to our table in a nice, leisurely fashion when our food was ready. The meal began with an amuse bouche of vine tomato soup with freshly baked bread, a delicious gutsy start to the meal that would have been welcomed as a full starter in its own right. This was followed by starters of sweet melon with passion fruit sorbet and a smoked mackerel and crab parfait, both of which were interesting and rather unusual but none the less tasty. The sorbet was a rather new way to begin a meal while the fish parfait was more of a terrine.
For mains we had roast pork with crackling, roast potatoes, apple puree and sage, and roasted vegetable with polenta and a fresh pepper sauce. My companion thoroughly enjoyed the pork, however is a fan of more chunky apple sauce. My vegetarian main was packed with flavour and very satisfying.
Between dessert and mains we were served a vanilla panna cotta with rhubarb compote which was rather rich and creamy. The rhubarb cut through the cream nicely but there wasn’t enough in comparison to the panna cotta.
We both opted for crème brulée for dessert which was, for what is essentially baked eggs, very, very good!
Overall the lunch was a real treat and the service was impeccable. The team at the manor is well on their way to opening with a finely polished product when they launch the full Hotel.
Alternatives:
Mint – Sutton Coldfield http://www.mint-restaurant.com/
Pascals – Edgbaston http://www.pascalsrestaurant.co.uk

Out and About with Lise-Ann – The Orange Tree, Chadwick End

The Orange Tree
Warwick Road
Chadwick End
Warwickshire
B93 0BN
With Autumn well and truly here it’s out with barbeques and alfresco dining and in with log fires and good hearty food, which was exactly what we found last weekend at the Orange Tree.

When we arrived at 6:30pm the bar was already buzzing with the post-office crowd welcoming in the weekend. We ordered a couple of drinks and managed to find a free couch by the open fire to settle into. After a while our hunger got the better of us but having not booked we were regretfully informed there were no tables available in the restaurant, however we could still order food and eat where we were which we decided to do.

If you have visited any of the other five venues in the ‘Lovely Pubs’ collection, including The Boot in Lapworth and The Crabmill at Preston Bagot you will be familiar with the menu which features a selection of sharing plates and starters, followed by salads available in either small or large portions. The mains are divided into sections starting with a range of ‘fired pizzas’ which when read quickly is easily mistaken for fried pizza! There then follows a selection of pasta, grill, and stove dishes to chose from and finally four rotisserie options including piri piri and lemon and tarragon.

We decided to go for a selection of dishes to share which included a sharing plate of rustic breads with roast garlic and extra virgin olive oil, crostini with deviled chicken livers, fresh mint and chili from the appetisers, a pizza pollo pesto with tomato, chicken and pesto and a side order of fries. The food arrived and we proceeded to tuck in attempting to retain some form of table manners despite essentially having to eat on our laps!!

The deviled chicken livers were delicious, perfectly cooked they melted in your mouth and packed a fair punch of flavour. Pizzas in pubs are in my experience a rather hit and miss affair but I can happily report a definite hit this time, with plenty of chicken and a generous scattering of mozzarella it was crispy and delicious and all gone in next to no time! The rustic bread was a little greasy for my liking but the chips were good and fluffy.

We did manage to leave room for dessert and opted for the daily special, a warm brownie with vanilla ice cream. Now with brownies being one of my favourite cakes to bake this dessert had a lot to live up to and unfortunately it didn’t quite make the grade, we both agreed it was more of a chocolate cake than a brownie but still tasty enough in its own right.

Overall the Orange Tree continues to deliver a reliable and friendly atmosphere with well cooked food freshly prepared according to the season. Worth braving the chilly autumnal wind for!

Alternatives:

The Saxon Mill
Coventry Road, Guys Cliffe, Warwick CV34 5YN

Twenty-Three Essex Street
23 Essex Street, Birmingham, B5 4TR

Future Focus with TV personality and Birmingham Alumni Ben Shephard…

From rolling around in tights with 16 other dance students to rolling around on a rugby pitch, Ben Shephard’s time in Birmingham was varied to say the least. In this month’s Future Focus, we hear from the television presenter about his memories as Birmingham alumni, his advice for the City’s students and graduates, and get to the heart of the matter – City or Villa?

1. As a Birmingham graduate, do you feel this helped or hindered you in your career?

I’m not sure I have ever actually been employed because I went to Birmingham and can now do a passable brummie accent, but there’s no question that my experiences at uni in Birmingham led me to the job that I now do

2. What is your favourite memory of Birmingham?

There are tons. The rugby, rolling around on the floor in leotard and tights doing my dance degree with 16 other girls has left me with loads of great memories, scoring a try on the 1st xv pitch during a big BUSA game with a large crowd was very special too, oh and I met the wife there too

3. What was your first big career break?

I did a show for C4 called control freaks

4. If you were not presenting, what do you think you would be doing instead?

I like to think I’d be travelling.

5. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you on TV?

Amongst the wealth of embarrassing moments falling off the back of the GMTV sofa is up there

6. Have you tried the assault course on the Krypton Factor?

Unfortunately due to insurance issues I haven’t had a chance, but hopefully if we do it again I’ll sneak on

7. Have you ever been star-struck?

Not horrifically, although the first time I met Kate Beckinsale was a touch difficult once she admitted she rarely wears underwear

8. Do you return to Birmingham often and have you noticed any significant changes?

I haven’t been back for a very long time, although when I have returned I am aware how much more fashionable the students are and how much money they must spend on their hair now

9. What advice would you give to both students and graduates of Birmingham University?

You are at an incredible place, in one of the most underrated cities in the country. Soak up every moment it ends far too quickly and the beer will never be as cheap again!

10. Villa/City?

I am a west ham fan but all my family are from Brum and are big Villa fans so have to go with The Villa

This interview is thanks to Nadia Yaqub from Brewin Dolphin and Member of the Birmingham Future Marketing committee.