UK. The Travel Retail Consortium recently hosted a Winter Wonderland networking weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon, raising over £900 for a Guillain Barre Syndrome charity.
Funds were raised through a raffle, comprising 80 prizes, and a £5 in the pot charity draw.
73 members, customers and guests attended the festive-themed event at Ettington Park Hotel. Attendees included representatives from British Airways, Condor Ferries, DFASS, DFDS, Dufry, Jet2, MSX, Newrest, Overseas, P&O Ferries and Tallink.
The weekend began with a drinks reception and outdoor German festive market offering a variety of typical food and drink including bratwurst, Schwäbische Käsespätzle (macaroni cheese), bratkartoffeln (potatoes) and sauerkraut.
The next day saw guests take part in a 90-minute ice sculpting exercise. Creations included a working bar base with space for bottles and glasses, cruise ship, port bottle and glass and a perfume bottle.
The winning teams were John Harwood Lincoln, Sondre Liland and Karen Hunter for their bottle and glass and Richard Hamilton, Jacqui O’Shea and Toni Barnes for their remembrance day poppy.
A Taittinger Champagne gala dinner completed the weekend, with live music provided by Simply Swing.
DFASS UK Director of Operations Karen Sparrow said: “It was my first time attending one of the TRC events. It was fantastic, so very well organised and such a great location at Ettington Park Hotel near Stratford-upon-Avon.
“I found the weekend not only most enjoyable but really interesting and beneficial, meeting up with different faces from the travel retail industry, both from the people I already know and quite a few that were new to me. The ice sculpting activity was amazing and there was certainly a lot of creativity and talent amongst the group. A great event, thanks to all.”
TRC Chairman Peter Ayling commented: “Every year I think we do better than the year before, but this event really has surpassed them all by far. The hospitality from the Ettington Park hotel has been truly amazing throughout the weekend and I must give TRC’s Tina Davies a huge thank you for all her hard work in making it all run so smoothly.
“Combined with the incredible enthusiasm that everyone put into the ice sculpting and the generally fantastically friendly atmosphere, this weekend has truly been one to remember.”