Stephen Threlfall to judge Manchester’s Bridge to the Stars

Chetham’s School of Music director of music Stephen Threlfall is to head up the judging panel for Bridge to the Stars, the X-Factor style talent contest for the Manchester business community.

Stephen will be the lead judge at the auditions being held at The Bridgewater Hall on Wednesday 13^th and Friday 15^th June.

The contest is being held to celebrate and to raise much needed funds for the Learning and Participation Programme at The Bridgewater Hall, funded by the Hall and the Community Education Trust.

Stephen Threlfall said: “I am really thrilled to be involved in this terrific initiative to support the Bridgewater Hall Trust.    I am looking forward to the exciting array of talent that will no doubt come through from the various organisations putting forward their teams.   I am sure there will be many desperate to seek the opportunity to have their fifteen minutes (or even less) of fame”.

Bridge to the Stars is a talent contest exclusively for people who work for the region’s businesses. The contest is open to anyone who works for a Manchester-based business, from the managing director to the office receptionist. Entries can be from amateur singers, soloists or bands.

At the auditions, Stephen Threlfall will help choose six finalists who will appear alongside Coronation Street star and singer Catherine Tyldsley and musician Cole Page at a special gala fundraising dinner at The Lowry Hotel on 20^th October 2012.

The two celebrities will help choose the overall winner at the event. The winner will then get to perform on the main stage at The Bridgewater Hall in front of a specially invited audience.

Entry forms are available through the Learning pages at The Bridgewater Hall website or by calling 0161 831 0261.

There is a £95 entry fee per entrant. The closing date for entries is Friday 1^st June.

The Learning and Participation Programme, which is based at The Bridgewater Hall, gives communities of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to listen to music, engage with artists, musicians and poets and to perform.

By working closely with schools and disadvantaged communities, the charity has introduced learning through arts and culture to over 1800 children and 2500 adults in the last eighteen months.

Full-time professional musicians, bands or singers may not enter the competition. In the case of bands, at least one member must work for a business inManchester. Full terms and conditions of entry are available on the contest website.

Nigel Hughes PR is providing public relations support for the competition.

Water on Wheels

I’ve been helping the team at Judge & Howard on their PR campaign for United Utilities, looking at the work done by the company’s Water on Wheels team. The six man team of truck drivers and emergency engineers  help keep the North West’s domestic water supply flowing while repairs are carried out.

This film explains more:

Talk of Manchester to provide clown doctor for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is set to benefit from one of the Manchester’s most anticipated business events.

The organisers of The Talk of Manchester, an all-day speaker event being staged for Manchester-based entrepreneurs and small business owners, have targeted raising £11,000 to provide a Clown Doctor for the hospital.

Michelle Mone OBE, founder of designer lingerie brand Ultimo and one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs, is headlining the event which is being held at the Midland Hotel on Thursday 26^th April.

Nigel Hughes PR is providing PR support and is also a partner in the event.

TV comedian and impressionist Kevin Connelly is hosting the day, which is designed to help Manchester-based SMEs thrive in an economic downturn. Other speakers will include Peel Group director of communications Paul Newman and well known sports psychologist Michael Finnigan, who has worked with international stars such as golfer Darren Clarke and cricketer Freddie Flintoff.

The Talk of Manchester’s fundraising target of £11,000 will pay the cost of having a clown doctor at the hospital one day per week for a full year.

When they visit patients at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Clown Doctors always bring a smile to the faces of patients and their families.

The Clown Doctors service is just one of the projects supported by Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity which funds projects across the largest children’s hospital in the UK.  The hospital treats over 185,000 children each year from across the North West and beyond and offers specialist care in the treatment of children’s burns injuries, bone marrow transplant and critical care,

The charity ensures that, through charitable funding, excellence in treatment, care and research, Manchester not only boasts the largest children’s hospital but also the very best. The charity’s clown doctors visit over 50,000 children every year and it has received thousands of testimonials from families for its work, using laughter to improve a child’s stay in hospital.

Paul Kilroe, founder of The Talk of Manchester, said:

“The Royal Manchester Hospital is the official charity of the Talk of Manchester this year and I’m delighted that the day will fund something that is recognised as having of so much benefit to young people. Clown doctors are recognised right across the world for the positive impact they have on patients.”

Jenny Clark, corporate and individual fundraising manager for Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundations Trust Charity said:

“Our Charity aims to provide the all important extras within the hospital.  This event will help fund a dedicated a Clown Doctor for our hospital over the coming year.  This means we will continue to bring a smile to thousands of children during their stay in hospital.

“We would desperately like to continue to offer this service to our young patients and we are really grateful that The Talk of Manchester will help us to achieve this goal.”

Tickets for The Talk of Manchester are now available by booking online at www.thetalkofmanchester.co.uk or by calling the ticket hotline  0845 689 0226.

They are priced at £155+VAT per delegate or £1,240+VAT per table of 8.

The event will run from 12 noon until 7pm. A three course lunch and refreshments throughout the day is included in the ticket price.

Should you use twitter?

Hat tip: Column Five Media for producing this great infographic. Great, clear thinking. I wish I could claim it as my own!

Bridgewater Hall unveils Bridge to the Stars

The Bridgewater Hall Community Education Trust is launching a city-wide search to find the musical talent that is hiding in Greater Manchester’s boardrooms and offices.

Bridge to the Stars is a talent contest exclusively for people who work for the region’s businesses.

The winner will get to perform on the main stage at the Bridgewater Hall in front of a specially invited audience. Before then, six finalists will appear alongside Coronation Street star and singer Catherine Tyldsley and musician Cole Page at a special gala fundraising dinner at The Lowry Hotel.

The two celebrities will also help select the winning act on the night.

The contest is open to anyone who works for a Manchester-based business, from the managing director to the office receptionist. Entries can be from amateur singers, soloists or bands.

First round auditions are being held at The Bridgewater Hall on Wednesday 13^th and Friday 15^th June. For their audition, entrants will have to perform for an ‘X-Factor style’ judging panel led by Bridgewater Hall CEO Nick Reed.

Entry forms are available through the Learning pages at www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk   or by calling 0161 831 0261. The closing date for entries is Friday 1^st  June. The final and gala dinner at the Lowry Hotel is being held on Saturday 20^th October.

The Bridge to the Stars contest is being held to celebrate and to raise much needed funds for the Learning and Participation Programme at The Bridgewater Hall, funded by the Hall and the Community Education Trust. There is a £95 entry fee per entrant and sponsorship opportunities are available.

The charity, which is based at The Bridgewater Hall, gives communities of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to listen to music, engage with artists, musicians and poets and to perform.

By working closely with schools and disadvantaged communities, the charity has introduced learning through arts and culture to 1800 children and 2500 adults in the last eighteen months.

Trustee of The Bridgewater Hall Community Education Trust Christine Oxenburgh said:

“Bridge to the Stars will be a great way of highlighting the work done by the trust. Entrants can be singers or musicians, soloists or bands, receptionists, or managing directors. As long as they have some musical talent and they work for an organisation in theManchesterbusiness community, we want to hear from them.

“We’re not looking for professional singers or musicians, just people who want to have fun and win a unique chance to perform on stage atManchester’s own world-class concert venue.”

Full-time professional musicians, bands or singers may not enter the competition. In the case of bands, at least one member must work for a business inManchester. Full terms and conditions of entry are available on the contest website.

Nigel Hughes PR is providing public relations support for the competition.

Brother UK, Kids Allowed, Living Ventures and Bayfield Capital join Michelle Mone OBE at The Talk of Manchester

The line-up for the Question Time panel at the much anticipated Talk of Manchester all-day speaker event has been finalised, with some of the biggest names in the regional business community set to take to the stage.

The panel will consist of five of the North West’s most well-known business owners and entrepreneurs.

They are Tim Bacon of Living Ventures Group, Marc Duschenes, chairman and CEO of Bayfield Capital, Jennie Johnson, founder of Kids Allowed, Brother UK sales and marketing director Phil Jones and executive recruitment specialist Gary Chaplin.

The Question Time session will follow keynote presentations from Michelle Mone OBE, the founder of Ultimo lingerie and one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs, employment law specialist Mark D. Owen from Peninsula Business Services and sports psychologist Michael Finnigan, who has helped achieve positive change for international stars such as cricketer Freddie Flintoff and golfer Darren Clarke.

Peel Group director of communications Paul Newman will also be on stage, talking about what the next few years holds for MediaCityUK.

The Talk of Manchester is all-day speaker event aimed at Manchester-based small business owners and entrepreneurs. It is designed to help Manchester SMEs thrive during an economic downturn.

Nigel Hughes PR is providing PR support and is one of the partners in the event.

Founder Paul Kilroe said: “The Question Time panel is going to be one of the highlights of the day. Every one of the panellists has their own tale to tell and there are some really strong personalities too. We’re expecting a really lively session.”

The event is being held at the Midland Hotel on Thursday 26^th April.

TV comedian and impressionist Kevin Connelly will be the co-host on the day, sharing compere duties with well-known Manchester-based entertainer Vince Miller.

The day will also be raising funds for the Talk of Manchester’s official charity, the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Peninsula Business Services are the headline sponsors.

Tickets for The Talk of Manchester are now available by booking online at www.thetalkofmanchester.co.uk or by calling the ticket hotline 0845 689 0226.

They are priced at £155+VAT per delegate or £1,240+VAT per table of 8.

The event will run from 12 noon until 7pm. A three course lunch and refreshments throughout the day is included in the ticket price.

TV star and MediaCityUK added to Talk of Manchester line-up

Peel Group director of communications Paul Newman and impressionist and TV comedian Kevin Connelly are two of the latest names to be added to the bill for The Talk of Manchester, an all-day speaker event aimed at Manchester-based small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Michelle Mone OBE, founder of designer lingerie brand Ultimo and one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs, is the headline speaker at the event, which is designed to help Manchester-based SMEs thrive during an economic downturn.

Nigel Hughes PR is providing public relations support for The Talk of Manchester and is also one of the official partners.

At the event, Paul Newman will provide an insight into MediaCityUK’s plans for next few years.

Kevin Connelly, one of the stars of the popular BBC2 comedy series Dead Ringers, will act as the event host throughout the day. Compere duties will be shared with well-known Manchester entertainer Vince Miller

The Talk of Manchester is taking place at The Midland Hotel on Thursday 26^th April. Tickets are now available at www.thetalkofmanchester.co.uk or by calling 0845 689 0226.

Other speakers already confirmed include Mark D. Owen from top employment law consultancy Peninsula and sports psychologist Michael Finnigan, CEO of i2i, who has helped deliver positive change for international sports stars such as Darren Clarke and Freddie Flintoff,

The event will also feature a Question Time session with a panel of five high profile Manchester-based entrepreneurs who will answer questions from the audience on how to trade in the current economic climate. Questions will be taken from the audience on the day or can be posed in advance by email, via twitter (@TalkManchester) or at a linkedin group that has been created for the event.

David Speakman, the founder of Travel Counsellors and the man who pioneered the concept of travel agents working from home concept, is the first confirmed member of the Question Time panel.

The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is the official charity partner for the event. Peninsula Business Services are the first confirmed commercial sponsors.

Tickets for The Talk of Manchester are now on sale priced at £155+VAT per delegate or £1,240+VAT per table of 8. The event is being staged by Wilmslow-based PMK Events Ltd.

The event will run from 12 noon until 7pm. A three course lunch and refreshments throughout the day is included in the ticket price.