Cadbury World is gearing up for another busy year, after a record number of people visited the attraction in 2011.

Last year, over 590,000 people took a trip to the Bournville-based Cadbury World where, amongst other features, visitors boarded the magical Cadabra ride and watched the talented chocolatiers at work, both of which are included in the 14 amazing zones open to visitors.

The figures, a year-on-year increase of 6%, mark the attraction’s best ever year for footfall, beating the previous record of 574,000 visitors, set in 2009.

Diane Mitchell, marketing manager at Cadbury World, said: “We’re really pleased that Cadbury World continues to be a popular choice for families across the UK. Last year, we installed a brand new outdoor children’s play area and offered visitors a packed schedule of family entertainment and themed activities, something that will continue over the next 12 months. 

“So, whatever your age, you can enjoy coming to Cadbury World time and again - there are always new things to see and do.”

Along with planned improvements to the attraction, the coming year will see further special weekends planned at Cadbury World. There is still a chance to see the Cadbury World pantomime, which runs until the weekend of 28th and 29th January and visitors will be able to enjoy a packed programme of family entertainment during the upcoming half term holidays.  

Magicians, jugglers and ventriloquists will be among the performers at the attraction from 11th - 19th February, with handmade chocolate hearts also available on Valentine’s Day.

For more information about Cadbury World, and to arrange a visit, please visit www.cadburyworld.co.uk.

This February, eco-luxury skincare brand Bodhi has created a pair of indulgent gift sets that will ensure a Valentine’s Day kissed with Love. 

Bodhi has created the Love for Her and Love for Him gift sets, perfect for an evening of romance. Love for Her combines Bodhi’s Ylang-Ylang Incensa Sensual Bath and Shower Therapy and its sumptuous body moisturiser in the same signature fragrance. Spiked with honeysuckle and neroli, the fragrance blends natural aphrodisiacs Ylang-Ylang and patchouli.

Love for Him provides a similar combination of bath and shower and body moisturiser in confidence-enhancing scent Pep Noir, an energising infusion of bergamot, black pepper and white thyme. 

Each fragrance is taken from the Botanical Therapies range, which uses natural ingredients to gently cleanse without stripping your skin of its natural oils. The silky body moisturisers, developed to complement the bath and shower range, hydrate instantly and leave your skin feeling soft and nourished.

Bodhi has also created the Assemblage sampler kit for couples looking to discover their own perfect combination. And, because Bodhi prides itself on omitting the use of harsh synthetics such as sulphates and parabens found in many other products, all of Bodhi’s products help soothe the mind and the skin equally.

Bodhi products are available at branches of Harvey Nichols nationwide, from selected stockists and online. For further stockist information and more details about Bodhi products, please visit www.bodhi.uk.com. 

Stuart Griffiths, Southside BID chair. Photograph: Jane Williams Photography

Southside BID welcomed guests to Birmingham Hippodrome on 18th January for an event hosted by BID chair Stuart Griffiths and Southside BID manager Julia Chance.

The event looked back at the work completed since the formation of the BID in 2011, and outlined what is planned for the coming 12 months, with the very latest news detailed in a special edition of Southside Spotlight for guests to take home.

Stakeholders had the chance to mingle and forge new connections, as well as sign up for BID initiatives, including a radio scheme to combat crime and a new business breakfast club that launches in February. Heather Forrester, managing director of Research by Design, was also on hand to present the findings of research into the views of Southside businesses and visitors. 

The event was attended by over 80 guests, including representatives of local businesses, residents, local dignitaries and friends of the organisation, who chatted over drinks and nibbles. Businesses also had the chance to find out more about sponsorship of Southside’s festive lights for 2012, while the BID leadership appealed for a representative from the retail sector to join the board. 

BID manager Julia Chance said: “I’m delighted so many people came out in support of Southside and can’t wait for the next event.”

“It has been a tremendously busy and exciting first few months to be involved with Southside BID. We now face lots of new opportunities in 2012, so I’m looking forward to really putting Southside on the map.”

For information about festive light sponsorship, the business breakfast club and the radio scheme, please contact information@southsidebid.co.uk.

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Closing date for applications: Friday 10 February 2012.

Branding specialist ORB has won a competitive pitch to deliver a campaign to encourage uptake of cervical screening in the Dudley area.

ORB will be working with NHS Dudley Public Health to create a radio, social, outdoor and ambient media campaign with the aim of increasing awareness and uptake amongst 25-29-year-old women. 

As part of a social marketing project the campaign will focus on increasing the uptake of cervical screening (smear tests) by women who are invited for the first time, as well as encouraging regular participation in screening every three years by all 25-29 year olds. 

The branding specialist will also create a dedicated micro-site to engage young women and provide further information on the importance of cervical screening. 

Rob Bloxham, managing director at ORB, says: “We are going to work closely with NHS Dudley Public Health to deliver a creative, engaging and impactful campaign which young women can really identify with. We are looking forward to working on such an important campaign which hopefully challenges attitudes towards cervical screening.”

Reducing the risk of cervical cancer is dependent on high levels of women accepting their invitation for cervical screening from the age of 25 years onwards. However, concentrating on women aged 25-29 is important as those not attending screening at this age tend not to take up screening later on.

Joy Boyes, PR and campaigns officer for NHS Dudley Public Health, comments: “ORB demonstrated a clear understanding of the aims and objectives of this project, and we’re confident that the team will deliver a campaign which not only educates and reinforces the message of the importance of smear tests, but actively encourages the target audience to book in for the potentially lifesaving screening.”   

Ruth Pipkin and Sam Dowling from Rewired with Julia Chance, Southside BID manager

Southside Business Improvement District (BID) in Birmingham has appointed Rewired to deliver its PR, marketing and communications strategy over the next three years.
 
Southside is the fourth business improvement district to be established in Birmingham, and encompasses Chinatown, Arcadian and the Gay Village.

The BID was established on 1 April 2011 after 82% of eligible businesses within the Southside area voted for the creation of the district.

Following a competitive tender process, Rewired will support Southside in communicating the vibrancy and diversity of the area, raising the BID's profile and attracting new and existing visitors to the range of businesses and leisure destinations within the district.

Stuart Griffiths, Southside BID Chairman said: “We look forward to working with Rewired on a number of campaigns over the coming months to show visitors what great destination businesses we have here in Southside.

"There are a vast array of different businesses down here that we wish to promote and encourage visitors to visit, we have a great offer in Southside and it will be good to enhance those messages on behalf of the businesses.”

Ruth Pipkin, Managing Director at Rewired said: “All great cities need something that sets them apart, and Southside brings that to Birmingham.

"To have the opportunity to work with the Southside BID team and businesses within the district to raise their profile, support the development of the area and drive visitors is a really exciting challenge, and we can’t wait to show the rest of the world what Southside has to offer!”

One of Birmingham Southside’s most popular gay venues, the Nightingale Club, has unveiled Lawrence Barton as its new owner after being sold for an undisclosed sum.  

Lawrence Barton, who already runs the Loft Lounge and Village Inn venues in Birmingham’s Gay Village is set to invest in excess of £1million in the business over the next few years. Mr Barton is also keen to build a proactive relationship with all full Nightingale Club members and will honour the current benefits and membership offers until next April. 

Opening in 1994 on Kent Street, the Nightingale Club marked a significant step forward for Birmingham’s gay community and has remained popular with not only Birmingham residents but also the UK’s wider gay population. 

New owner Lawrence Barton said: “The Nightingale Club has played an important role for Birmingham’s gay community and we’re really pleased to have the opportunity to help it to continue to move forward. We are keen to build working partnerships with the other gay venues in the city, along with developing established relationships to ensure that the venue once again becomes one of the biggest gay superclubs in the country.” 

Southside Business Improvement District (BID) Manager Julia Chance said: “Since it first opened its doors in 1994 the Nightingale Club has remained one of Southside’s most popular venues offering everything from live performances to The Big Saturday Night Out. We’re delighted that Lawrence has taken ownership and look forward to helping support the next chapter for this significant venue.” 

A Birmingham-based office supplies retailer is planning to take on market leaders by launching a new online service.

WAE+ is launching with over 40,000 discounted items available online in a bid to secure a share of the £450 million office supplies market.

Iain Charnock-Shields, New Business Executive at WAE+, said: “For too long this market has been dominated by the same big players, and we feel really strongly that it’s time to offer better customer service, a better buying experience and better prices. 

“We want to remove the stress that can be associated with purchasing office supplies and our easy-to-use online interface allows for a quick, hassle free interaction.”

By not using printed catalogues, WAE+ is also looking after the environment. The company has an ultra-low carbon footprint, utilising electric vehicles and recycling 90% of the materials it uses.

Leena Marsh, Development Manager at WAE+, said: “We’ve spent a long time developing our online site to ensure that it is as intuitive as possible, but that doesn’t mean that we are neglecting the personal approach. 

“We wanted to replace outdated methods, such as sending out huge catalogues in an almost anonymous manner, with a new website and dedicated account handler, in a bid to provide a much better experience for our customers.”

To find out more about WAE+, please visit www.waeplus.co.uk.

Members of the Kraft Foods senior leadership team have been helping to organise the food storage room at SIFA Fireside, following the homeless charity’s recent relocation to a new building in Digbeth.

The five Kraft Foods volunteers helped to arrange stock after a huge amount of food was donated by members of the public during the recent harvest festival. 

Employees from the staff shop at the Bournville site have also provided crates to help with the relocation, whilst the company as a whole has donated £1,000 to the charity.

Nick Bunker, President of Kraft Foods UK and Ireland, said: “We have a longstanding relationship with SIFA Fireside with some of our employees recently volunteering at the site during our annual Delicious Difference Week, sorting clothes and serving food to clients.

“It’s a fantastic charity to be involved in, and it was great to meet service users directly and see the impact that the organisation makes first-hand.”

SIFA Fireside works with those who are homeless, affected by alcohol or otherwise socially excluded, to improve their physical, social and mental wellbeing.

Carole Fox, operations manager at SIFA Fireside, said: “We were overwhelmed by the public donations during the harvest festival period – it was an amazing effort. 

“As we enter the winter months, it’s crucial that the food donated to us is distributed to those in need as efficiently as possible. It’s through the volunteering efforts of companies such as Kraft Foods that we are able to effectively manage the produce we receive, allowing us to help more people who really need our support.”

For more information on the Kraft Foods community programme, please visit www.kraftfoodseurope.com.

Employees from Ernest Jackson & Co. Ltd in Crediton have revisited their school days, by dressing up as characters from the St. Trinian’s films to raise over £1,600 for this year’s Children in Need Appeal.

The team of ten from the Kraft Foods owned medicated confectionery manufacturer, which included David Walter, managing director of the site, got dressed up and collected money from shoppers in the town centres of Crediton and nearby Exeter. 

The donated funds were then doubled through the Kraft Foods cashmatch initiative.

Justin Offer, community champion at the Ernest Jackson site, said: “Each year we always do something to raise money for Children in Need and this year was no exception. The enthusiasm of the staff was really reflected in the generosity of the donations we received from members of the public.

“We raised a fantastic amount, the highest we’ve ever raised for Children in Need, and I’d like to thank the employees who took part and the members of the public who donated.”

The record-breaking sum from the staff at Ernest Jackson & Co. Ltd, who have raised over £5,000 in the last five years for the cause, has been added to the total raised during the annual BBC Children in Need show – a record in itself of over £26,000,000 – £8m more than in 2010.

The aim of the fundraising activity was to raise as much money as possible to help support children's charities across the country.

For more information on the Kraft Foods community programme, please visit www.kraftfoodseurope.com.