Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition document
Please click on the link to obtain a copy of the full coalition document which has just been released.
Free swimming lesson funding and support across Cornwall.
There are opportunities to access funding to deliver 6 hours of instruction, to non swimmers at your pool. The funding of £250 per set of lessons is available and 8-12 participants are required to run the session.
I’d also like to make any pool provider know I am here to help on any matters related to swimming, including lessons, teaching courses and awards.
For further information please contact me at neil.hutchinson@swimming.org or contact me on the number below.
NEIL HUTCHINSON
Swimming Co-ordinator for Cornwall
Cornwall Sports Partnership, Penweathers Centre, Tresawls Road, Truro. TR1 3LD
07787 148360 (Mobile) 01872 323336 (Office)
St Ives Coasts its Way to Success
St Ives has been declared Best Family Holiday Destination in the prestigious Coast Awards 2010. Hailed as the ultimate year-round holiday destination it was praised for its mix of adult and child friendly attractions and things to do, and singled out for having a unique art scene.
The award comes as a result of topping the Coast magazine readers’ voters poll and according to Alex Reece, deputy editor of the magazine and Coast Awards organiser, it is well deserved: “We’re not surprised that St Ives is a hit with readers. For a small town, it offers such variety – from bucket-and-spade beaches to high culture.”
Closely following St Ives in the category was Newquay which was awarded runner-up status alongside the only non-Cornish contender, Southwold in Suffolk, highlighting Cornwall as being a clear favourite for families.
Glory was also bestowed on St Ives for its culinary excellence with Porthminster Beach Café crowned Best Coastal Café, Pub or Restaurant. Having claimed the title as a joint winner in 2008 and as runner-up in 2009 Porthminster Beach Café has emerged as a firm favourite among Coast readers. It was its concern for sustainability and affordability that clinched the award for them for the third year.
To create a hat-trick of award credits for the town Tate St Ives was announced as Best-Loved Coastal Building runner-up. Malcolm Bell, Head of Tourism at VisitCornwall, is delighted with the accolades: “St Ives is one of Cornwall’s most popular visitor destinations with almost half of all visitors going there at some point during their stay. Its unique combination of sandy beaches, local shops and great places to eat is topped off with artistic flair and seaside charm making it perfect for each and every type of visitor.
“The businesses of St Ives should be immensely proud of themselves, especially Tate St Ives and the Porthminster Beach Café who have both been instrumental in putting the town on the map.”
Further award mentions for Cornwall came in the form of Best Marine Green Project which listed Padstow’s National Lobster Hatchery among its runner-up’s. The South West Coast Path (of which 48% is in Cornwall) was also honoured as a runner-up in the Joules Award for Best Coastal Path.
2010 Coast Awards Winners
COAST READERS’ VOTE
1. Best British beach
Winner: Holkham, Norfolk
Runners-up: Bamburgh, Northumberland; Rhossili Bay, Gower
COAST READERS’ VOTE
2. Best Family Holiday Destination
Winner: St Ives, Cornwall
Runners-up: Southwold, Suffolk; Newquay, Cornwall
Since the opening of Tate St Ives in 1993, this seaside town has become the ultimate year-round destination. Grown-ups enjoy the arts scene, the walks, the shops and great places to eat, while children play on the four sandy beaches, which are ideal for swimming, surfing and seal spotting. ‘We’re not surprised that St Ives is a hit with readers,’ says deputy editor and Coast Awards organiser Alex Reece. ‘For a small town, it offers such variety – from bucket-and-spade beaches to high culture.’
3. Joules Award for Best Coastal Path
Winner: Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail
Runners-up: Fife Coastal Path; South West Coast Path
4. Best All-Round Seaside Attraction
Winner: Living Coasts, Torquay, Devon
Runners-up: Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancs; Brighton Pier, Brighton East Sussex
5. Best Coastal Café, Pub or Restaurant
Winner: Porthminster Cafe, St Ives, Cornwall
Runners-up: Castle Cottage, Tea Rooms, Pevensey, East Sussex; Joe’s Beach Bar, Ingoldmells, Skegness, Lincs
The Porthminster Café is a firm favourite with Coast readers – it was joint winner in this category in 2008 and a runner-up in 2009. Our judges are equally enamoured with its high standard of service and culinary excellence. But what clinched this year’s Award is the Café’s concern for sustainability (for example, including unmarketable bycatch on the menu) and affordability. In the past year, it has opened a fish and chip shop beneath the restaurant. ‘This is a great way to cater to people who can’t afford to eat there,’ says coastal entrepreneur and beauty writer Jo Fairley.
6. Best Shoreline B&B/Hotel
Winner: St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
Runners-up: The Brudenell Hotel, Aldeburgh, Suffolf;
The Saunton Sands Hotel, nr Braunton, Devon
7. Best Marine Green Project
Winner: Surfers Against Sewage
Runners-up: Living Caosts, Torquay, Devon;
The National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow, Cornwall
8. Best-Loved Coastal Building
Winner: Blackpool Tower, Blackpool, Lancs
Runners-up: Southwold Pier, Southwold, Suffolk; Tate St Ives, St Ives, Cornwall
9. Best Campsite, Caravan or Holiday Park
Winner: Yellowcraig Caravan Club Site, Dirleton, East Lothian
Runners-up: Butlins, Minehead, Somerset; Seaview Caravan Park, Cromer, Norfolk
10. Unsung Coastal Hero
Winner: Mike Stentiford, National Trust for Jersey
Highly Commended: Constance Brown, Browns Cafe, Pembroke
Runner-up: Maggie Sheddan, Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick
The full results of the awards will appear in the June 2010 issue of Coast magazine, on sale 26 April.
Visitors Promised a Quality Welcome to Cornwall
Key tourism figures from across the county came together at Newquay Cornwall Airport on Monday 29th March to celebrate the launch of an innovative customer service programme which aims to drive up quality across the county.
‘Welcome to Cornwall’ is a one-day course which mixes customer service training with destination knowledge and is designed to inspire people employed within tourist related businesses to share their passion for the county and give a genuine warmth of welcome to visitors. It forms part of the nationally accredited Welcome to Excellence series of training programmes which are run by South West Tourism in the region, and builds on the tried and tested Welcome Host Plus course which develops customer service and communication skills.
Financed by the Learning Skills Council and delivered by Newquay for Excellence Training, the course has the full support of VisitCornwall, the official tourist board for the county, and is being herald as Cornwall’s weapon in the bid to become the most welcoming UK visitor destination.
Malcolm Bell, Head of Tourism at VisitCornwall comments: “Customer service and warmth of welcome are among the most important factors influencing how an area is perceived by visitors. Although research shows that we are already on the right track with 75% of visitors rating the welcome offered in Cornwall as ‘very good’, it is important to keep striving for improvement especially whilst the eyes of the world are upon us in the lead up to the Olympic Games in 2012. We have to stand out from other destinations and prove that the service in Cornwall is seconded to none.
“The Welcome to Cornwall training programme is an excellent vehicle for creating a consistent and quality approach to customer service and I’d urge the industry to support it. We want employees to enjoy the Welcome to Cornwall experience, learn more about the county and then go out and spread the word.”
Helen Jones, Training Manager at South West Tourism, adds: “It's fantastic news that Cornwall is investing to empower businesses with strong customer service skills and destination knowledge. Businesses that invest in training are enhancing their staff skills in addition to increasing their confidence, motivation, and making them feel more valued.
“We were delighted to be involved in facilitating the development of the ‘Welcome to Cornwall’ course. Cornwall is leading the way in destination focused customer service training and we hope that other areas will follow their lead in developing tailored courses to enhance the customer service skills across the region as a whole.”
In partnership with Newquay for Excellence Training and VisitCornwall, Newquay Cornwall Airport has spearheaded the development of the Welcome to Cornwall training programme and is the first business to sign-up all of its employees to the course.
Managing Director of the Airport, Al Titterington, comments: “The Airport is a gateway to Cornwall and the quality of service that we provide affects visitors first and last impression of the County. With this is mind we are keen to ensure we provide the best welcome possible and also enrich visitor’s experience of Cornwall by helping them to get the most out of their stay. The ‘Welcome to Cornwall’ programme has my full support and having completed it myself I can testify that the product knowledge and skills that it develops will be extremely beneficial to Cornwall’s visitor economy.”
Carolyn Rule, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, adds: “Tourism and transport go hand in hand so it is encouraging to see that Newquay Cornwall Airport has taken a proactive approach to quality service provision and are wholeheartedly supporting the Welcome to Cornwall initiative. In order to develop loyalty among our visitors and make them want to visit Cornwall again, it is vital they leave having had a positive experience and this course is an invaluable tool in ensuring that.”
Eight employees from Newquay Cornwall Airport have already completed the course by spending a day test-driving the interactive activities and working their way through the 52 page participant guide which features inspirational imagery and detailed information. Other businesses with visitor contact from hotels to taxi companies are now invited to register their interest in the course by contacting Newquay for Excellence Training on 01637 871067 or by emailing claireevans@nfet.co.uk. The first fifty places are offered FREE of charge.
Information on Credit Crunch Support Package and Launch of Business Support Simplification Programme
The Government has launched a new scheme designed to help hotels win more public sector contracts. The Government Hotel Programme (GHP), which will launch later in 2010, will feature a range of recommended hotels and serviced apartments for use by public servants. All accommodation providers will offer pre-negotiated prices. Small, independent operators are invited to tender for the scheme, through Buying Solutions, which is a procurement partner for UK public services.
http://www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/categories/travel/governmenthotelprogrammewww.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/categories/travel/governmenthotelprogramme
Clean Cornwall Week
Clean Cornwall week is when anyone with a passion to keep Cornwall clean gets together to collect litter on our beaches, countryside, roads, towns and villages.
Clean Cornwall takes place twice a year, this year the next spruce up is on the18th - 26th September.
Take a look at www.cleancornwall.org where you will find details of Clean Cornwall week events that you can join in.
