WORCESTER TRAVEL AGENT NAMED BEST...
WORCESTER TRAVEL AGENT NAMED BEST IN CENTRAL ENGLAND
A Worcester travel agency has been named as the best in Central England.
arrangeMY Escape was named Central England’s Top Agency as part of the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2023: an annual power-list of the nation’s best agents by industry bible, Travel Trade Gazette.
It is the second year in a row that the agency has taken the crown for the region, and was last year also named UK & Ireland’s No.1 Travel Agency.
TTG editorial director Pippa Jacks said: “Now in its eighth year, our TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative sees us tour the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to find those travel agents who have worked smartest, provided the best customer service, and done most to contribute to a fairer travel industry, in the last year.”
“We were delighted to see the high street travel agency sector performing so strongly, with almost every finalist reporting a record year of sales in the last 12 months – reaping the rewards of the extraordinary service they offered to clients during the challenges of recent years. There is no doubting that the high street travel agent is here to stay – and that holidaymakers are valuing their expertise more than ever.”
About arrangeMY Escape’s win, judges said: “Last year's UK & Ireland No.1 has not rested on their laurels over the last 12 months, from working with a local producer to create a branded gin, to creating bespoke video content for display on the in-store TV. We loved the agency's commitment to taking apprentices and work experience placements, and a new scheme whereby arrangeMY Escape plants a tree for every wedding or honeymoon booking. This is an agency excelling in all areas, and going from strength to strength.”
Jennifer Lynch general manager said “What a wonderful 12 months the agency here in Worcester has had. Winning the UK & Ireland No.1 in 2022 propelled the agencies status and determination. With this we concentrated on our customers and focused on all the finer details as well as strongly introducing sustainability as a core part of our company and customers’ journey. The team are thrilled with this award for the second year running and cannot wait to see what the next 12 months ahead will bring.
The TTG Top 50 ceremony took place at The Vox in Birmingham on Thursday 27 April, with more than 500 of the UK and Ireland’s top travel agents and supplier-partners in attendance, with entertainment from Fine Young Cannibals’ Roland Gift and chart-topper Chesney Hawkes.
Find more about TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative, see ttgtop50.com and #ttgtop
WORCESTER AGENT NAMED BEST IN THE COUNTRY FOR WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS
A Worcestershire travel agency has been named as the best weddings and honeymoons retailer in the British Isles.
arrangeMY Escape was named UK & Ireland’s Top Weddings & Honeymoons Agency as part of the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2023: an annual power-list of the nation’s best agents by industry bible, Travel Trade Gazette.
TTG editorial director Pippa Jacks said: “Now in its eighth year, our TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative sees us tour the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to find those travel agents who have worked smartest, provided the best customer service, and done most to contribute to a fairer travel industry, in the last year.”
“We were delighted to see travel retailers performing so strongly, with almost every finalist reporting a record year of sales in the last 12 months – reaping the rewards of the extraordinary service they offered to clients during the challenges of recent years. There is no doubting that travel agents are here to stay – and that holidaymakers are valuing their expertise more than ever.”
About arrangeMY Escape’s win, judges said: “We had a lot of love for the wedding and honeymoon services of this Worcester-based agency, with their strong focus on LGBTQ+ customers and busy schedule of wedding fairs. Hand holding couples with a bespoke after-sales concierge service and showering them with sweet treats, keepsake luggage tags and the gift of a tree planted in a developing country are just some of the ways this agency woos its happy customers.”
Jennifer Lynch the agencies general Manager said “We take immense pride in this award; our wedding and honeymoon packages have really been refined with care and attention to detail. We really think about the journey our special couples experience with us right from the get-go. As a team we are really proud to achieve such a prestigious award and title and look forward to continuing our innovative wedding and honeymoon offering.
The TTG Top 50 ceremony took place at The Vox in Birmingham on Thursday 27 April, with more than 500 of the UK and Ireland’s top travel agents and supplier-partners in attendance, with entertainment from Fine Young Cannibals’ Roland Gift and chart-topper Chesney Hawkes.
Find more about TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative, see ttgtop50.com
Congratulations to arrangeMy escape!
CUPP CELEBRATES NATIONAL BOBA TEA DAY WITH FREE BOBA TEA GIVEAWAYS
Boba tea has become increasingly popular in the UK over the past few years, and CUPP is proud to be a leading boba tea brand in the country. National Boba Tea Day is the perfect opportunity for CUPP to celebrate their passion for boba tea and thank their loyal customers.
"We're thrilled to celebrate National Boba Tea Day with our customers and give them a taste of our delicious boba tea," said Lee Peacock, CUPP's Founder. "We're grateful to Minor Figures for sponsoring our Oat Milk and helping us provide our customers with the best quality boba tea."
In addition to the free boba tea giveaways, there will be other fun activities and giveaways in all of the CUPP stores. Customers can participate in competitions and win exciting prizes.
"We invite everyone to come celebrate National Boba Tea Day with us at their nearest CUPP store," said Lee Peacock. "It's a great opportunity to try our boba tea and have some fun with our community."
For more information, please visit the CUPP website at www.cuppbubbletea.co.uk.
Summer bunting is on its way in Worcester!
Towards the end of April, colourful bunting will be installed across the city on the High Street, Pump St, Mealcheapen St, St Swithins St and Broad St!
Join in the fun and decorate your shop windows in the most colourful way you can! Sign ups for the Worcester BID summer window art are still open for all BID businesses until tomorrow at 4PM.
This is a joint installation bought to the city by Worcester BID and Worcester City Council.
Worcester Whitehouse Hotel enjoys visit from Robin Walker MP
Aspire - Contemporary art exhibition by artist Wayne Warren The Commandery, Worcester
Aspire arrives at The Commandery, Worcester on 1 April until 3 September 2023
8 works on the themes of aspiration, dreams and ambition placed at significant points
Free family workshops with artist Wayne Warren on Easter Monday 10 April
Butterflies and angels are taking over The Commandery in an exhibition filled with hope and aspiration. Aspire opens at The Commandery on Saturday 1 April and runs until Sunday 3 September 2023.
The artworks have been created by contemporary artist Wayne Warren in response to the beautiful Commandery building and it’s amazing one-thousand-year history. The artworks represent aspirations, dreams and ambitions.
Visitors can follow the trail of artworks around The Commandery, take a selfie in front of huge angel wings in the historic Great Hall and enjoy a programme of wing-inspired family activities over the Easter holidays, including a workshop with the artist himself on Monday 10 April.
Situated in the heart of Worcester, The Commandery has been a medieval monastic hospital, a Tudor home and a 1950s print works, but is most well-known for being the headquarters of the Royalist army during the Battle of Worcester in 1651 – the deciding battle of the English Civil War.
The artworks include Golden Wings, situated in the building’s beautiful Great Hall; and Growth, a new artwork commissioned especially for the exhibition at The Commandery, featuring gold leaf on oak leaves and acorns, situated upon a stool made of wood from the Boscobel Oak, purported to be the tree King Charles II hid in when fleeing from the Battle of Worcester.
Wayne Warren’s work has been exhibited at Worcester Cathedral and internationally in Hong Kong, Beijing, New York and Venice. Wayne says of his show at The Commandery: “My work reflects my thoughts and feelings about the 1,000 years of history contained within the fabulous building.”
Commandery Manager Rachel Robinson says: “It is fascinating to have The Commandery’s history interpreted in new ways and to shed light on its many layers of history. We hope visitors will enjoy finding the artworks around the building, taking their angel wing selfies, and having fun with the family activities.”
The Commandery is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday 11am – 3pm. It is also open Bank Holiday Monday 10 April 10am – 5pm and there are workshops at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Normal admission applies, no extra fee for the exhibition. Small fee for the family activities. For more information, please visit www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱!
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The new exhibition From the Cornish Coast to the Malvern Hills arrives at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Saturday 4 March – Saturday 1 July 2023 | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Monday to Saturday 10.30am – 4.30pm
FREE entry
The new exhibition, From the Cornish Coast to the Malvern Hills, arrives Saturday 4th March until 1st July 2023, celebrating Worcestershire’s influence on British Impressionism Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum and the links between Worcestershire and the Newlyn School of artists who were pivotal in this magical moment of British art in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Including paintings by Stanhope Forbes, Dame Laura Knight and Elizabeth Forbes. Camille and Lucian Pissarro represent the influence of French Impressionists. As well as, two works by Dame Laura Knight recently acquired for the Worcester City Collection. The artworks were purchased with support from Art Fund, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums Charity and kind donations from Art Gallery & Museum Members. Dame Laura Knight lived and painted in Malvern and the town and hills become very dear to her, influencing her work.
For more information visit
www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk
Worcester is ready to light up for Christmas
Christmas is coming to Worcester – with the festive lights being switch on in a fun-packed family event on Saturday 26 November.
This year there will be more streets lit up in the city than ever before, including – for the first time – seasonal illuminations on New Road to create a closer link between the festive offers in both the city centre and St John’s.
This year’s Christmas lights are a joint effort between Worcester City Council and Worcester BID – and with low energy LED bulbs being used, this festive season will also be better for the planet.
Free and fun for all the family, the big switch-on event begins at 4pm on Saturday 26 November in Cathedral Square, with Radio Wyvern hosting live music performances from local band Split Second, school choirs, and characters from the Swan Theatre’s pantomime cast of Cinderella. The Mayor of Worcester, Councillor Adrian Gregson, will help to switch on the lights.
If Worcester residents have all been good boys and girls this year, Father Christmas might also make a special appearance.
This year’s colourful festive lights will, for the first time, extend into New Road, and Worcester BID will be supporting lights in Reindeer Court, Lower Broad Street, New Street, Friar Street, The Hopmarket and The Shambles. The latter location will have overhead festive lights for the first time, while the New Street and Friar Street lights will feature purple colours to reflect Worcester recently securing the purple flag in recognition of it being a safe night-time destination.
There will also be a trail of 12 ‘light boxes’ to be explored around the city centre, each hiding an image of one of the 12 days of Christmas. Visitors will be able to use the torch on their mobile phone to reveal the image inside each box.
Councillor Robyn Norfolk, Vice Chair of Worcester City Council’s Place and Economic Development Committee, said: “At a time when many cities are scaling back their Christmas plans, I’m very pleased to announce that Worcester’s festive lights will be better than ever. And, for the first time, the illuminations will take in New Road, creating a colourful seasonal link between our two busiest shopping areas in the city centre and St John’s.
“Despite the pressures that people are under at the moment, we hope the Christmas lights will encourage shoppers and visitors into our city and help our local businesses to enjoy a successful festive season.
“The family-friendly switch-on event on 26 November in Cathedral Square will be packed full of great free entertainment and will kick-off a fantastic programme of seasonal fun – with more to be announced very soon!”
All of Worcester’s Christmas illuminations this year will be low-energy LED lights – with over 80,000 individual LEDs in use around the city. These are kinder to the environment and are also around 85% cheaper to run.
Sam McCarthy, CEO of Worcester Business Improvement District (BID), said: “Worcester BID’s focus this year for the Christmas lights has been around the sustainability and running costs of the scheme. We have focused on ensuring that whist the lights capture the spirit of the season and help visitors and shoppers to enjoy the city centre, everything – including the LED bulbs, use of phone torches that are already charged, and quantities of lighting – has been chosen to be more sustainable this year than ever before, across many busy and popular city zones.”
This year’s extensive programme will bring Christmas lights to the main shopping streets in the city centre and St John’s, and include the traditional brightly-lit tree on the New Road roundabout.
A brand new Escape Room experience opens at The Commandery, Worcester
- New Escape Room opens at The Commandery, Worcester, Saturday 5 November
- Booking live now on commandery-quest.co.uk
- Commandery Quest has been created by 12Volt: Games Studio who have created escape rooms for the award winning Shepton Mallet and Shrewsbury Prisons, as well as props and interactives for Escape Live's Horrible Histories experience.
There will be an exciting new way to experience history at Worcester’s Commandery from November when The Commmandery’s brand new Escape Rooms are launched.
Commandery Quest, created by 12Volt: Games Studio, is based on the traditional escape room experience which invites participants to complete a challenge by tackling a series of puzzles against the clock.
The Commandery is in the heart of historic Worcester, just minutes from the High Street, riverside and many pubs and restaurants, with convenient parking opposite in King Street.
Commandery Quest invites teams to explore The Commandery like never before. The Escape Room is based in the Commandery attics which are off the normal visitor route.
The Escape Room story is based around the Commandery’s role as the Royalist Headquarters in the English Civil War. Teams of 2 – 6 players will become museum curators, battling against the clock they will solve a series of puzzles to find Charles II’s lost treasure before infamous thief Arty Snitch catches up with them.
Commandery Events Officer Helen Manning says: “We are so excited to present this Escape Room with a difference – actually set in one of Worcester’s most historic buildings. We look forward to seeing if teams can rise to the challenge and beat Arty Snitch to the treasure.”
The Commandery has recruited special Games Masters to greet teams and help them with their search.
Booking is open now at www.commandery-quest.co.uk, or for more information please call The Commandery on 01905 361821.
Get to know your city employers
The Worcester News Jobs Fair is an ideal event for those looking for work, to find out more about vacancies that are currently available and to speak to local employer's face to face.
If you missed our October Fair, don't despair! A new date will be released for 2023 which will see big names returning to the Guildhall.
If you are looking for work, here is a selection of Worcester's powerhouse employers which cover a broad number of sectors.
Simply click the photos to go through to the employer's website.
Armed Forces Careers
THE ARMY IS ITS PEOPLE
What makes the British Army? It’s not the weaponry or the vehicles – it’s the people.
Our vision is a competitive, adaptable and inclusive Army imbued with an unwavering will to win; where people feel they belong; where their talent is nurtured, where health is positively promoted, and opportunity maximised.
Does this sound like you? Find out more on their website.
Step by Step
At Step by Step, we offer a completely free service to our applicants, and all information you provide will be treated with respect and kept confidential. What sets us apart from other agencies is our willingness to not simply work for you, but to work with you to get you the right job.
Our honest, friendly and professional consultants are here to help with your search for employment, and we pride ourselves as treating each and every one of our applicants as an individual, taking the time to get to know you and your exact requirements.
A-Plan
A-Plan is different – it’s what our clients love about us. As an advice-providing broker, we’re here to lend our expertise to help our clients find an insurance policy that’s right for them. We’ve built our business on this personalised service, and we’re proud to offer it to over 500,000 clients.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to work in an environment where you’ll be central to what we do, A-Plan is for you. And if you’re willing to develop your insurance expertise to help your career progression, we’d love to hear from you.
We’re waiting for you to get in touch so that we can explore what’s right for you.
West Mercia Police
We’ll provide the training and variety you need to let you make a real difference, plus a host of benefits from flexible hours, generous annual leave and pension contributions across job roles, from officers, to contact handlers.
Worcester City Council
We play a vital part in keeping the beautiful City of Worcester a great place to be. We work hard to build a successful future on 2000 years of history. Why not be someone who gets involved and makes a difference. Be part of our amazing and diverse team of dedicated people to help sustain the amazing history and heritage of an increasingly modern and contemporary City.
Help us to build a better society.
Sanctuary
Looking for a new job? We want to be a diverse and inclusive organisation where our people thrive. If you share our values and are talented and ambitious, we want to hear from you. We employ more than 12,500 staff throughout the UK and maintain Investors in People status.
Worcester County Council
Find a new career with Worcestershire County Council.
The Council is committed to promoting equality and diversity, and ensuring that all appointments are made based on the suitability of a candidate to the role only.
We are a 'Disability Confident Employer', which means we will guarantee an interview to any candidate with a disability who shows that they meet the essential criteria for the advertised role.
Jobseekers and employers alike were delighted to see the Worcester News Jobs Fair making a welcome return in partnership with Worcester BID.
The fair took place at Worcester's Guildhall in the heart of the city centre's High Street. A second fair date is in the diary for 2023 with more information coming in the new year. Keep an eye out on our socials to find out the next date to meet the employers face to face.