What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 21st May

Welcome to another week at Cloud 9 and its sure to be a busy one!

We have five days worth of work to shove into three days as we are having two trips out and about this week with some of our great hotel partners.

On Thursday we are off to enjoy an exclusive preview of the new conference and banqueting facilities at the Hilton and Hampton by Hilton, St George's Park, in Burton on Trent.

A landmark in the history of English football, establishing a National Football Centre in England has long been a dream of The FA. Various sites and schemes have been considered over the years, and in 2001, a 330-acre freehold site in Burton-upon-Trent was acquired by The FA. The site was landscaped and pitches were installed. The FA is delighted to partner with the internationally respected Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Hampton by Hilton.

The two hotels will operate under one roof at St. George’s Park; a luxury Hilton hotel and a Hampton by Hilton hotel for value-wise guests, and we get to take a sneak preview this week at both properties and the facilities!

In fact, it's so much of an exclusive preview that we have even been asked to supply our shoe size so we can wear work boots on site!

Friday sees us going much further afield to enjoy the great hospitality of Q Hotels at the unveiling of the Carrick Suite at The Westerwood Hotel and Golf Resort in Glasgow.

The Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort is one Glasgow hotel not to be missed. The Westerwood Hotel is located in prime territory whether you are craving the city buzz or the simple pleasures in life. With the recent opening of the M80 motorway, allowing extremely easy access to the hotel, The Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort is now only fifteen minutes from both Glasgow city centre and Stirling giving you a world of options that other hotels in Glasgow could only dream of.

The Westerwood Hotel near Glasgow prides itself on a lot more than just its location. Our grounds are second to none, without even touching on our 18 hole championship golf course. But if you do want to treat yourself to a round or two, the challenge will be made even more spectacular by the surrounding Campsie Hills.

We are looking forward to afternoon tea with a wee dram, a drinks reception and a great black tie do with ceilidh dancing! We can't promise to be any good at the dancing but I am sure we will enjoy the event immensely!

We are certainly seeing some very generous people around at the mo and our Royal Ascot Ladies Day event on 21st June is certainly benefiting. As part of the proceedings we have a charity raffle in aid of Breast Cancer Care and our haul of prizes is starting to stack up!

We wont list them all just yet, but here is a selection of some of the great prizes you could win on the day!

Restaurant 1877 has donated not one, but two prizes of a meal for two from the pre-theatre menu and also, a Cookery Class experience for one person with two guests.

1877 is a family-run, Michelin rated, traditional English restaurant, located at the former Ben Bowers site on Canning Circus, in the heart of the city and is one of the finest restaurants in Nottingham. http://www.restaurant1877.com/index.cfm

Effortless Beauty has donated a 45 minute Lava Shell back, shoulder and scalp massage which is a treatment suitable for both ladies and gents.

The radiating heat from the polished smooth shells delivers a deeper pressured and highly relaxing treatment. Lava Shells retain their heat up to 10 times longer than hot stones. The Beeston based salon has a range of great treatments so please do take a look http://www.effortless-beauty.co.uk/index.php

Sutherland & Barnett Hair & Beauty have donated a Ladies Cut & Finish at their stylish Lace Market Salon.  http://www.sutherlandbarnett.co.uk/  Sutherland & Barnett was conceived by Kate and Andrew Sutherland and Craig Barnett who all agreed that, despite what we are led to believe, most cities and towns in England lack high quality independent salons that are not franchises, clones or multinationals. Nottingham is no different.In the last 4 years, they have won British Hairdressing Business Awards Business Newcomer, Hair Awards Talent Scout 2012, and the Heart 106 Lifestyle Awards Best Hair Salon.

A huge thank you to those who have donated prizes so far and we'll reveal more soon so watch this space!

We end this week with a reminder about the CIPR Northern Conference and the competition to win a VIP Delegate Place! 

Simply purchase a ticket before Friday 15th June and one lucky delegate from each region (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, the North East and the North West) will be entered into a prize draw.

 

The lucky winners will then be fully refunded for their ticket and enjoy:

• A complimentary place at the event (if you have already paid to enter we will refund you)
• A small bottle of Bucks Fizz on arrival
• Full VIP treatment at the event including reserved seating
• A VIP Delegate Badge
• A Delegate Brochure signed by all of the speakers
• A personalised slide during the welcome and a mention in the Delegate Brochure

The winners will be notified during week commencing 18th June 2012 and confirmations issued. Please email paula@cloud9em.co.uk for additional information or contact your regional committee chair.

See www.ciprnc2012eventbrite.com for details

So, lot's happening, so lets get on with it! Have a good week! 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 14th May

Welcome to another week!

The CIPR Northern Conference is starting to shape up nicely and we are delighted that the event, being held on 4^th July at the Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds, is being supported by Kantar Media.

Delegate numbers are really starting to pick up and this could have something to do with the fabulous competition we are running – where one lucky delegate from each of the three regions (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, the North East and the North West) each have the opportunity to attend the event as a V.I.P.

Simply purchase a ticket before Friday 15th June  either using the eventbrite link (www.ciprnc2012.eventbrite.com) or by emailing paula@cloud9em.co.uk and a winner from each region will then be drawn.

The lucky winners will then be fully refunded for their ticket and enjoy:

• A complimentary place at the event (if you have already paid to enter we will refund you)
• A small bottle of Bucks Fizz on arrival
• Full VIP treatment at the event including reserved seating
• A VIP Delegate Badge
• A Delegate Brochure signed by all of the speakers
• A personalised slide during the welcome and a mention in the Delegate Brochure

The winners will be notified during week commencing 18th June 2012 and confirmations issued. Please email paula@cloud9em.co.uk for additional information or contact your regional committee chair.

It’s a pretty tightly packed schedule this year at the Conference with three keynote speakers and all delegates have the choice to attend a choice of two out of three different workshops and panels.

Book now, you really will not want to miss this!

Our Royal Ascot Ladies Day Comes to Nottingham is starting to gain momentum and we have been on a mission to secure lots of lovely stuff to add to the goody bags – each guest will get a complimentary bag brimming with great goodies!

Our great friends at Hearst Magazines are leading the way and the latest issues of Cosmopolitan will be winging their way down to Cloud 9 towers ready for stuffing – if you will excuse us!

We don’t want to give too much away too early but you are also in for some great little surprises!

And now a note to all of the gents!

Yes it’s a ladies day, but you are welcome and we have relaxed the dress code so you can ditch the extra expense of top hat and tails. Lounge suits will be fine guys!

We have had lots of calls about this so just to reassure you all, ladies you can still dress up to the nines, but chaps, relax!

 

A couple of weeks ago we visited the Conference and Hospitality Show in Leeds and in addition to meeting some great people and discovering some new venues that have not previously appeared on our radar (how remiss of us!), we also have a great find to report!

We’ve all seen those great photo booths that pop up at events where you can get dressed up, but this is something a little different and makes us slightly nostalgic here at Cloud 9.

Funflip are pioneers in the next generation of flip books.  They’ve taken a century-old concept and flipped it on its head to create the very latest in motion capture. Like all the best ideas, its brilliance lies in its simplicity.

We will be using them at the next event we can and suggest you might like to do them same – and if you are not convinced then take a look at http://www.funflip.co.uk/ and play the video!

We end this week with a little Am-Dram!

No, we are not taking to the stage but there is a local production we are supporting, The Noble Spaniard.

Written and first performed in 1908, it was not published until 1953 and it’s an amusing farce with clever and witty dialogue that has become a staple of many amateur theatre companies.

Marion Nairn, a young widow, is spending the summer together with her young sister Lucy at Boulogne with Justice Proudfoot and his wife. The Duke of Hermanos, who is also passing his Summer at Boulogne, one day catches sight of Marion, and from that time on, her is her devoted admirer. He stands outside the window and admires for a few days, but finally he enters the house and declared his passion. Marion, ostensibly to get rid of him, tells him that she is married, whereupon he declares that her husband must die, and goes forth in search of him.

When the maid tells him that Justice Proudfoot is the master of the house, he naturally mistakes that elderly gentleman for Marion's husband and challenges him to a duel, which of course brings Lady Proudfoot under her husband's suspicion. One after another, the men in the piece are mistaken by the impetuous foreigner for the husband of his adored one, and one after another, he tries to fight them all. In the end Marion succumbs to this passion - it seems the only way to kill it.

So there you have it – a little culture to see out the week!

Have a lovely week everyone…

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 8th May

Another short week ahead and lots to pack in so we better get on with it! 

The weeks are rushing by and the CIPR Northern Conference 2012 will soon be upon us. The full line up is pretty much in place now and next week delegates will be able to select their choices for workshops and which of three panel sessions they would like to attend. With great key-note speakers and a packed schedule, you certainly don't want to miss this event this year.

If you haven't booked yet then now is the time to do it!

The event takes place on Wednesday 4th July at the Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds and you can either book by emailing us directly paula@cloud9em.co.uk or if you would prefer to  book online, then you can visit the eventbrite page www.ciprnc2012.eventbrite.com The site has additional details about the schedule for the day and lists the speakers. 

Have you planned your holiday this year yet?

One of our clients is offering the chance to win the trip of a lifetime to Mauritius. 

As the first hotel company in Mauritius the Beachcomber Hotels got the ‘first pick’ of some of the most stunning locations and prime beach fronts. All eight of their Mauritius hotels are designed to make the most of their magnificent surrounds ensuring you enjoy a holiday of a lifetime.

For the chance to win, simply follow this link and watch the brief film, featuring non other than Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and you might also spot a familiar face - yours! http://www.beachcomber-escape-to-paradise.co.uk/

It's all fresh on the Fresh front this year!  Last week saw the launch of our inaugural, well newsletter isn't quite the correct term for it...as it's basically the takes on a subject set by us on a monthly topic and our first issue was all about Fools Rush In. We invited three industry professionals to contribute and Gerry Farrell was hilarious, Wini Tse informative and Mark Borkowski incredibly clever. If you didn't see it, then make sure you register on the Fresh site to make sure you don't miss that May edition! www.freshawards.co.uk.

Fresh is open for entries for 2012 now with a closing date of 20th July so whilst you have plenty of time to start thinking about which pieces of your work to submit this year, do take a look at our new creative this year which has been devised by the team over at McCann Erickson in Birmingham.

It really is rather fabulous and is all about Making Your Mum Proud - with the help of some rather famous creative's Mums taking centre stage! 

We end the week with a call to you all about our Royal Ascot Ladies Day Comes to Nottingham event.

The opportunity for shopping, lunch and afternoon tea all in comfort is one not to be missed this year!

Throw in the chance to win some great prizes and also be one of four models on the day, and you could be in for the experience of a lifetime!

We are teaming up with personal image consultant Unique You who will offer our ladies the chance to have a make-over and show off their style!  

http://www.uniqueyou-imageconsultant.co.uk/index.html 

Book ahead ladies and make sure you don't miss this amazing event! Thursday 21st June from 11am - email paula@cloud9em.co.uk for a booking form or book online via eventbrite http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2556510592

Have a great week everyone!

 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 30th April

30th April

Welcome to another week and we are in a post champagne & tea party high after celebrating the birthday of a special friend of ours yesterday up in Manchester! 

But it's another busy time at Cloud 9 Towers and our first order of business this week is our special ladies day in June. Royal Ascot Ladies Day comes to Nottingham is starting to gain momentum and we are in major promotional mode for it!

As well as ads in some of the local magazines around the Rushcliffe area, we have also run in the latest issue of Affari, which was their Jubilee Special.

You can take a look using this linkhttp://goo.gl/2k549

It's well worth a read so do take a look and sign up to get a free copy straight to your in-box each month!

If you like a little shopping, then you are in for a treat at the event as we now have 30 different stalls booked for the event selling everything from Soap to Sweeties. In fact its been so popular for Stalls that we have had to issue a sold out sign on all of the sites where we had listed the event!

So we have the venue, we have the shopping sorted and whilst its still a little early to get the champagne on ice just yet, its not too early to book your tickets for this exceptional event.

It really is great value as the ticket price includes Champagne & Canapes on arrival, a three course luncheon with wine, afternoon tea, your own reserved seating all day, a goody bag, top class advice on racing, a friendly atmosphere and free parking! 

And if you book a table of 10, you get a 10% discount, so don't delay, book now! You can book online via Eventbrite or you can simply email paula@cloud9em.co.uk for a booking form, it couldn't be easier!

 

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2556510592 

We are getting pretty close to announcing the full line up for the CIPR Northern Conference 2012 now so watch this space! Do make a note in your diary though as it's Wednesday 4th July at the Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds.

In addition to three great workshops, we also have three great panels, with one on Social Media, one on Journalism and one on Video Broadcasting. Book early!

http://ciprnc2012.eventbrite.com/

As we are moving in to May, its fair to say that Wedding Season is firmly upon us and if you, or anyone you know is getting hitched this year, please don't forget our sister company, Dazzling Table Displays http://www.dazzlingtabledisplays.com/

Not so much a Wedding Planning Service, although we can do this if asked, but a great resource for hiring decorations for your event, at a really incredibly cheap rate.

In fact, we are bit a like the Pound Shops, but we just ask for a deposit and the return of our items after you have finished with them!

So, toodle pip folks and here's to another great week!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 23rd April

Welcome to another week!

First up is the launch of Fresh 2012 with some truly fabulous creative from McCann Erickson in Birmingham http://www.freshawards.co.uk and this year with new categories including a breakthrough category for those that haven't entered before, there has never been a better time to get Fresh!

We are also supporting some new initiatives with Fresh in 2012 including the Jack & Ada Beattie Foundation which is all about Fighting Corners, especially for those that can't fight them, themselves. A remarkable charity set up by the legendary brummie Trevor Beattie, please do take a look and see what they are all about http://www.beattiefoundation.com

Even if you missed the early bird booking deadline for the CIPR Northern Conference this year, you will not want to miss the event. With three fabulous keynote speakers, three workshops and three panel sessions, it will certainly be a packed schedule with something for everyone working in the PR and Communications industry.

With a Fit for the Future theme, it promises to be a very inspirational day and we are delighted to announce that Rob Brown of Staniforth will be joining the Social Media Panel.

We will be announcing the other panellists shortly, but do make a note of the date: Wednesday 4th July 2012 at the Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds. www.ciprnc2012.eventbrite.com

We have a bit of a diary clash on Thursday! During the day we are off to the Conference & Hospitality Show in Leeds, at Leeds United Football Ground.

It's always good to stay up to date with the venues and new initiatives planned around the City and whilst we have the CIPR Northern Conference in Leeds this year, we thought we should go and stay up to date!

It's Thursday night that is the real problem! 

Is the How Do Awards and whilst we normally go and always enjoy the event, it looks like we can't make it this year.

We would like to wish everyone shortlisted the very best of luck and hope that everyone going has an enjoyable evening!

It's also the 4th Birthday Party of RSViP at the Alea Casino in Nottingham and as a member (of RSViP, not the Casino!), we should be going along and networking and helping them celebrate!

But, a Friend of ours has bought tickets to see Mary Shelley at Nottingham Playhouse http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/drama/mary-shelley/ and we think we already said yes, we would go! 

Bit like buses events, nothing and then three come along at once!

We sign off the week with a very Happy Birthday Message to our dear friend Sybil who celebrates a big Birthday at the end of the week. We will be enjoying our time with Syb as she throws a Champagne Tea Party in Manchester!

Happy Birthday Syb, hope your day is as fabulous as you are!

Have a great week everyone!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 16th April

So normal service has resumed this week after two short weeks and to be honest, with so much going on, its a good job!

Momentum is picking up for the CIPR Northern Conference and this is the last week when delegates can take advantage of the early bird discounted rate for bookings via Eventbrite, as after Friday the normal pricing is in place. http://ciprnc2012.eventbrite.com/

You have been warned! 

We have a great line up in place for the first of three fabulous panel sessions (the other two being Journalism and Social Media) covering Video Broadcasting.

Stuart Bruce

Chaired by Stuart Bruce, the panel will feature Rob Pittam from Robin Hood Media, Jonathan Grice from Fruition Media and Ian Fenton from the Tyneside Cinema Co.

Each of the panelists will offer a different perspective on this fascinating subject before a Q & A session, chaired by Stuart, with all of the Delegates in attendance.

We did read not so long back that your website soars up the rankings once you have Video Content in place so you will not want to miss this panel!

We also understand that there is somewhere in the region of 8 years worth of video uploaded on to YouTube every day - every day, we know! 

On that basis, who has time to work?! 

Hotels are very much the order of the week for Cloud 9 this week. Firstly the Hilton in Nottingham has an open day to go and take a look at their new conference facilities and sample their new menus, both of which have had a major overhaul.

We like the hotel but haven't had the opportunity to use it much on a business basis so we are hoping the open day inspires us for a few events of our own, even if most of our client base always seems to be looking north!

We are also heading over to Breadsall Priory in Derby to take a long overdue look around. We are a little ashamed to say that we haven't been to the hotel for around 6 years so its time to make sure we are updated! Not that we need much of an excuse as from memory, its a rather fabulous property.

Now that Easter is well and truly done and dusted, The Grand National is over, and the next big race meeting is Royal Ascot. Our unique event, Royal Ascot Ladies Day Comes to Nottingham is certainly picking up momentum and as well as being chocka block full with stall holders, we are also starting to secure some fabulous raffle prizes in aid of Breast Cancer Care.

Looking at the package prices to attend the actual event, we are offering incredible value as our ticket price includes Canapes and Champers, a three course lunch with wine, and afternoon tea!

Plus you don't have to traipse around from muddy over crowded and over priced car parks to see the action live from the event. You don't have to fight to see the racing and you don't have to pay inflated prices for drinks and refreshments.

We'll be screening all of the races live throughout the afternoon at Blotts, which has free car parking and comfortable seating!

The other big attraction to the day ladies is SHOPPING - and you will certainly be spoilt for choice. Check out our Facebook Page for details of the stalls who will be there!

So that's it for now - have a great week!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 9th April

Okay, so its the 10th April.....

With the Easter Holiday its another short week, but we hope everyone had a great break over the extended weekend and didn't over do the chocolate eggs!

Another short week ahead and again, lots going on!

Bookings are starting to come in for the CIPR Northern Conference 2012 with many delegates starting to take advantage of the early bird discount available for tickets booked prior to 20th April.

http://ciprnc2012.eventbrite.com/

In addition to the choice of two out of three workshops, delegates can also choose to attend two out of three panel sessions; one covering Social Media, one covering Video Broadcasting and one covering Journalism.

Combined with the great keynote speakers, including Emma Leech from Nottingham University, and Helena Moore from the Bromfield Group, this really will be an unmissable event this year and the venue alone is worth a look...

 Purpose built to house the Northern Ballet Theatre Group, the building on Quarry Hill in Leeds is truly magnificent with several dance studios, meeting rooms and lots of informal relaxing space.

From the upper floors youo can enjoy a spectacular view of the city and delegates this year can really make the most of the building without the restrictions we faced last year whilst using the BBC Media City building in Manchester! 

Fresh 2012 is gathering pace and the juries are almost complete, the dates for judging in place and the venue...well almost sorted. Having enjoyed the delights of Skegness last year we felt a huge injection of class was probably required this year so we have opted for the Cotswolds. 

As its an area we don't know that well, we thought it wise to go and take a look so at the end of the week we are making a trip down to see the relatively new built Cotswold Conference Centre in Broadway. We know the judges like a tipple so we have already googled it to make sure the nearest pub is in within walking distance! 




The quest for raffle prizes continues this week as momentum is really starting to pick up for our Royal Ascot Ladies Day Comes to Nottingham event on 21st June.

In aid of Breast Cancer Care, we are looking for all sorts of prizes from the big to the small to enhance the day and add to the glamour of the occasion. We are more than happy to credit anyone who can help, on the big screen and as part of the printed items on the day, the menus,  programmes etc so please don't be shy about making a donation! 

Please email paula@cloud9em.co.uk for details

Now we are in April, thoughts are turning to a rather special event at the end of the month as we celebrate a good friend of Cloud 9's birthday, with a very special vintage tea party.

Not only will it be nice to go to an event which we haven't had to do any work towards, but it will also be great to see Once upon a Teacup in full swing!

Once upon a time in Manchester "Once Upon a Teacup" started out as a couple of vintage tea sets for a girly tea party. As the passion for finding beautiful pieces grew, so did the china collection. Soon they knew that they had to share it with others. They enjoy collecting beautiful mismatched china and take pleasure in mixing them with vintage linen textiles, silver plated cutlery and pretty cake stands to create stunning and unique vintage style occasions for all to enjoy!

They specialise in providing Private Vintage Tea Parties in your own home/garden (or chosen Venue). They cater for between 8 - 30 people providing all the food needed together with their beautiful vintage crockery. Their aim is to make your vintage tea party a day to remember. Perfect for birthdays, baby showers, christenings, hen parties, charity events and more!

So if you are in Manchester or Cheshire, please do take a look at the great service on offer and do something a bit different this year, do it in style and what's more, do it in vintage style! http://www.onceuponateacup.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Have a great week everyone!