December 2019
THE DAY HAYS TRAVEL HIT THE HEADLINES
ALSO INSIDE: Homeworker Conference Garden Party 2019 Award Success
Your news from your company
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W H A T ’ S I N S I D E
Hays Travel Foundation & Local Community Partnership.................. 26 Travel Team - My Story.................... 30 Hays Travel Graduate Scheme...... 33 A Day In The Life - Bridie Foot............................................. 34 Time Hop................................................. 35 Homeworker Conference................ 36 Educational - India............................. 39 Panto......................................................... 40 Customer Relations go the extra mile......................................... 41 Educational - China........................... 42 New Digital Contact Centre.......... 43
A Day In The Life - Laura Jane Jackson........................... 44 Diary Dates............................................ 45 Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace...................................... 46 Educational - Mexico........................ 48 Caption This.......................................... 49 A Day In The Life - Leeanne Burns..................................... 50
Garden Party............................................ 4 Award News............................................. 8 Hays Travel Graduate Scheme....... 11 Spirit of Discovery............................... 12 Educational - Canada, Nova Scotia.......................... 13 Thomas Cook......................................... 14 Retail Conference................................ 18 Hays Travel Graduate Scheme...... 22 Staff Promotions.................................. 23 Guess The Baby................................... 24 Amber’s Law......................................... 25
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 2
WELCOME J O H N & I R E N E H A Y S
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A lot has happened since our last edition of Home and Away – two conferences, a few more awards, and oh yes we took on over 500 shops and welcomed 2,500 new colleagues into the Hays Family.
It’s been amazing, exciting, exhausting and hugely humbling to see everyone’s commitment and continuing hard work. As you can see from this edition, we have many other achievements to celebrate and lots to keep learning about the travel business. We have also had a lot of fun on the way which is what makes our job and our industry so appealing.
Enjoy this issue and see you in the New Year at the start of a new era in Hays Travel’s history!
John & Irene
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E V E N T S GARDEN PARTY 2019
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Hays Travel’s annual summer garden party took place on Sunday 7 July. This year was the largest event yet, with 580 members of staff descending on John and Irene’s garden in Whitburn, where they enjoyed an afternoon of fun and frolics which included prosecco, pimms, a hog roast, and entertainment from beloved cover band, Foxx. John said: “We’ve been holding staff garden parties for almost 40 years now. It started off as just a BBQ in the garden for a handful of staff to say thank you for all their hard work. This year I still wanted to say thank you, but it was a slightly bigger affair, with nearly 600 people partying the afternoon away! Here are some of the best bits.
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“I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SEEING EVERYONE ENJOYING THEMSELVES. I FELT PARTICULARLY EMOTIONAL WHEN THE BAND SURPRISED ME WITH A RENDITION OF ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS – WONDERWALL BY OASIS – TO CELEBRATE MY 70TH BIRTHDAY. IT WAS WONDERFUL LOOKING OUT SEEING ALL THE AMAZING PEOPLE WHO I WORK WITH SINGING AND SWAYING ALONG. I FEEL VERY LUCKY AND VERY PROUD.”
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7 YOUR NEWS FROM YOUR COMPANY
A W A R D N E W S
MORE AWARD SUCCESS
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As always, we have plenty of award success to relay!
The Weymouth Team
The Agent Achievement Awards
In the last edition we reported on four of our branches who had been shortlisted for the TTG Top 50 list of travel agents. More than 500 agencies put themselves forward for consideration from which a shortlist of 110 finalists across 22 categories was devised. Our Mold, Northallerton, Ringwood and Weymouth branches all made the shortlist. There followed an extensive judging process, which saw agents rated by tour operators and other suppliers, and then assessed by travel trade journalists. The final list was revealed at a glittering ceremony in Birmingham on 25 April, at which our Weymouth team was named the South West’s Top Agency! TTG group editor Pippa Jacks said: “Now in its fourth year, our Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative has seen us tour the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to uncover its most dedicated and innovative travel agency businesses. The team at Hays Travel in Weymouth impressed our judges with their huge team spirit, their entrepreneurial
approach, their extraordinary focus on training, and the very impressive feedback they have received from clients. Huge congratulations to Katie and the team for this fantastic achievement.” In June, Hays Travel was named among the 50 Best Places to Work in the North East. Companies from around the region submitted entries in a competition run by The Journal newspaper, with entries being judged on factors including policies for staff development, community involvement, perks and bonuses, and looking after workers’ physical and mental health. Hays Travel came in 12th position in the final list. Next came news that we had yet again been nominated for a top award at the prestigious British Travel Awards. Last year we won the silver award for Best Large Independent Travel Agency, and this year we were up for Best National Travel Agency, in which we won the bronze award. Winners were determined by consumer votes, with the successful companies announced at the BTA
Gala Awards Dinner in London on 27 November.
Jane Schumm, said: “I’m delighted that we have yet again received a prestigious accolade at the British Travel Awards. These awards are considered the benchmark for excellence in the industry and are voted for by the consumer, so I am very proud that we have been recognised.” The Agent Achievement Awards took place in front of 850 industry guests at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel on Thursday, July 11. These awards
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 8
Irene & John picking up their award at the Sunderland Echo Portfolio Awards
have celebrated excellence in the travel trade for the past 24 years and are regarded as the highest honour in the industry for both individual agents and agencies. This year, Hays won the Large High Street Agency of the Year, Large London and South East England Agency, and Large Yorkshire, North Midlands and North East England categories. We also had finalists in the Apprentice Leisure Agent of the Year and Young Leisure Agent of the Year categories. Well done to Jordan Watson and Rebecca Beedham. Hays Travel staff were also shortlisted in this year’s TTG Travel Awards. Rebecca Holt from the Chapeltown branch was a finalist in the Manager of the Year category, Victoria Burridge from Wimborne in the High Street Agent of the Year category, and Rebecca Beedham from the Metrocentre branch was up for the Young Travel Agent of the Year award. They got to attend the spectacular awards ceremony on 16 September at The Lyceum Theatre in London, with an after-party at the glamorous Savoy London. Hays Travel won both the Large Business of the Year and the Overall Business of the Year titles at this year’s Sunderland Echo Portfolio Awards, in recognition of our incredible year of growth in which we re-opened hundreds of former Thomas Cook shops and saved over 2,000 jobs of Thomas Cook workers. John and Irene received a standing ovation as they collected the awards at the celebration on Thursday 7 November at the Stadium of Light and Irene’s
Jordan Watson
Rebecca Beedham
Rebecca Holt
Victoria Burridge
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heartfelt speech brought on cheers and tears from the hundreds of people packed into the room. The North East Business Executive Awards is one of the biggest events in the North East business calendar. Run by local paper The Journal for more than three decades, the awards shine a light on the region’s brightest and most inspiring business leaders. An expert panel of judges choose the shortlists for the various awards, which this year took place at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on November 13. John and Irene received The Hotspur Award for bold endeavour in promoting the North East region. Next up is Rose Price from the Ringwood branch, who was shortlisted for the Investors in People Community Employee of the Year award. Rose not only runs a successful branch and motivates happy staff but also gets involved in many local community partnership events and escorts Hays Travel trips. Rose attended the IIP awards ceremony on 19 November.
Rose Price
Faye Robinson
Faye Robinson from our Middlesbrough branch was crowned Apprentice of the Year at the 2018 North East Employee of the Year awards, and this year she was among the finalists for the Rising Star award at the 2019 North East
Business Women of the Year awards, designed to celebrate and reward female entrepreneurs within our region. The ceremony took place on Friday 22 November at Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park.
THE NORTH EAST EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Three of the family were shortlisted in the prestigious North East Employee of the Year awards 2019. Olivia Prest from the Crook branch and Casey Earl from head office were finalists in the Best Apprentice category, while Billingham branch manager, Charlotte Sigsworth, was shortlisted for the Making a Difference in the Community award. They attended a snazzy ceremony at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Newcastle on 29 November, where Olivia was named Best Apprentice. Well done Olivia!
Olivia Prest with her award presented by last year’s winner, Faye Robinson
Casey Earl
Charlotte Sigsworth
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 10
H A Y S T R A V E L G R A D U A T E S C H E M E
GEORGINA EARLEY
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WHEN DID YOU START: I started on the 29th July 2019 and was assigned to the Creative Department. I have been with creative for the past four months and it has been a wonderful whirlwind since I started with them. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON SO FAR: I have been working on a number of projects since July, both day to day with the creative department from copywriting and proof reading to a bit of PR with Caroline Fretwell, Head of Communications. I also had been working on projects for press pages to be created for the Hays Travel Foundation and Hays Travel for Business before the expansion on 9 October happened. Since then, I and the other two graduates have been the Hays Travel Press Office – also known as the Three Degrees! We have had major media enquiries from both national and local press to deal with which, for a journalism graduate, was so exciting. We also presented at the retail conference in Turkey on the work we had done with the press office and how had a plan to get the branches more involved in gathering stories for their local press. I really am truly grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I have had so far with Hays Travel. BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB : I get to meet and connect with lots of different members of the company as well as implement the skills I have learned from my degree and experience the amazing whirlwind of the expansion through the press coverage we have had - seeing a published outcome of my work in the press. It has been one of my proudest moments so far and I hope we did the company proud too.
WORST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB: There is not a single bad thing about this job! From the fantastic opportunities I have had, to the people I have met, worked with and now can call friends, applying for this position is the best thing I ever did. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING OUTSIDE OF WORK: I enjoy going to the theatre to see anything from Shakespeare to musicals. So now being based next door to the Empire Theatre it is great. I can book to see a show after work and attend a lot more often. I also love to explore the culinary scene of the North East trying lots of different dishes and attending food markets such as Tynemouth and Quayside market. HOPE FOR YOUR CAREER FUTURE: I hope to one day be very successful within the management sector, potentially in PR, but at the moment I am taking each opportunity as it comes and I hope to stay here at Hays Travel. I would love to try my hand at the rising stars programme, but overall, I am happy to see where my hard work and dedication takes me. The travel industry has always been an interest of mine and it has been a real blessing to realise just how much I love it and wish to further my career within it.
AGE: 21
DEGREE SUBJECT: Journalism BA (Hons)
UNIVERSITY: University of Sunderland.
DEPARTMENT: Creative.
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY TO THE HAYS GRADUATE SCHEME: I applied for the scheme as I knew Hays Travel had very strong family and community aspects of the business. I knew if I was fortunate enough to get the position at Hays Travel I would be working for a successful and expanding company which could offer the opportunities and support I was looking for so I didn’t hesitate to apply.
HOW DID YOU FIND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS:
The process, although a bit nerve- wracking at times, was a fantastic experience from the presentation stage to the two interview stages, one of which was hosted by Irene Hays. The opportunity, involvement and then being offered the position was just the best feeling. I cried along with my parents and grandparents, when I was offered and accepted the position.
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H A Y S T R A V E L SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
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Saga held a trade event to launch Spirit of Discovery in July, which members of our retail teams, homeworkers and head office staff attended.
Homeworking general manager, Amy Brooke, gives us the lowdown…
“We were able to experience the ship and all of the facilities and really get a feel for what our clients will be offered on board. We decided the best way to explore was a quiz-style treasure hunt, which all the homeworkers took part in. We had to visit various areas of the ship to answer questions and take those all- important selfies at different locations! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this and agreed they got to see areas of the ship they may have missed before. “I think our clients will be in for a real treat if they book on to the Spirit of Discovery! A big ‘thank you’ to Saga for having us all on board; I’m looking forward to seeing those bookings sailing in!”
“It was an absolute pleasure and honour to be invited to attend the VIP trade shakedown event on board Spirit of Discovery, along with 30 of our homeworking partners. “I think, like many, I had preconceptions of what a Saga cruise may look and feel like, but boy was I wrong! Every little detail has been considered on board this magnificent ship, which offers boutique-style luxury cruising in a really modern, contemporary and stylish way! Every single cabin has a balcony and the cabins themselves are some of the most spacious I have ever been in. The food was absolutely sublime and there was something to cater to everyone’s requirements. The entertainment on board was also superb.
“IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE AND HONOUR TO BE INVITED TO ATTEND THE VIP TRADE SHAKEDOWN EVENT ON BOARD SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY, ALONG WITH 30 OF OUR HOMEWORKING PARTNERS.”
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H O M E W O R K E R E D U C A T I O N A L CANADA, NOVA SCOTIA
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Danny Parker Osler was thrilled when he got invited on an educational experience to Canada, Nova Scotia
I had never been to Nova Scotia before but now I have gained so much insight into this area and it has inspired me to want to travel throughout Canada - just to see a moose! I started the first day off early with a delicious buffet breakfast; then straight off to tour around Halifax, where we took a surprise visit to a cemetery where those who perished on the Titanic are buried. After that we were straight on to Peggy Cove with its beautiful pristine coastline, a lovely little lighthouse, and very welcoming people. Our tour guide and local legend, Darren, provided us with insightful and knowledgeable facts that made the whole experience even more incredible!
I stayed in a number of hotels during my visit. The Western Nova Scotian was first, followed by the Inverary Resort on Baddeck Bay, and lastly the Rodd Charletown - where not only I have stayed, but royalty has too! There were plenty of bars around; I was spoilt for choice. I went to an Irish bar where I was greeted by some lovely locals and had some delicious food. I then moved on to a Blues and Jazz bar that had great live entertainment. The weather while I was there was always fresh in the morning with a stunning blue sky and it got a little cold at night. I would definitely recommend Nova Scotia to anyone who is thinking about or wants to travel to this
destination; the stunning coastline, tainted historical past, and beautiful mountain views made this trip truly spectacular. I love working for Hays Travel; as it has not only provided me with this opportunity but has also provided me with the possibility to develop myself. Plus, I love being my own boss and providing my customers with the personalised service they well and truly deserve!
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H A Y S T R A V E L THOMAS COOK
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On Wednesday 9th October 2019, Hays Travel became one of the biggest good news stories of the decade - if not this century.
John and Irene with former Thomas Cook employees the day the news was announced
John and Irene announced that they had acquired the entire retail portfolio of Thomas Cook, doubling our workforce and trebling our shop numbers, beginning a new era in travel industry history.
John and Irene being dubbed ‘heroes of the high street’ and appearing across every part of the national media from the BBC Six o’clock news to The Guardian, The Daily Mail, and Good Morning Britain. They were interviewed literally hundreds of times, and at one stage we had half a dozen television crews at Gilbridge House.
At one point head office got a call from Sir Richard Branson’s office looking to congratulate John and Irene, but when John was told “Richard Branson’s on the phone for you”, the response was, “We’re going to have to call him back!”
And what a whirlwind it has been since. The media storm was unparalleled, with
The response from the media has been so positive. Even the most cynical of
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 14
journalists were singing the praises of Hays Travel. One highlight was Nick Ferrari, who is a very outspoken columnist in the Sunday Express, who wrote: “If you have any holiday or travel plans, why not head to Hays. They deserve our support.” While BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine said: “It’s one of those lovely stories, when we can genuinely say
without fear of being impartial that we wish them the best of luck.”
to each and every one of you that we can make this happen. The hard work, commitment and dedication shown by our brilliant teams in the past weeks has been humbling.
The goodwill from the public has also been overwhelming. John and Irene have been getting stopped on the street ever since the announcement, as people want to congratulate them, thank them, or just give them a hug. But it is down
Here’s to an amazing 2020 for all in our newly extended Hays family.
WE SPOKE TO SOME OF OUR NEW RECRUITS TO FIND OUT HOW THEY WERE FEELING…
Sue Digby - Alfreton “When I first found out I had the opportunity to work for Hays Travel I screamed and then jumped up and down before collapsing on the floor - I couldn’t believe it - I was so happy.” Andrea Earnshaw - St Anne’s “After just a few days at Hays I knew I’d made the right choice! I felt like I was part of the family immediately. After 15 years at Thomas Cook, I felt nervous about such a big change, but Hays have been so welcoming and friendly I was made to feel at ease straight away. Here’s to the next 15 years!” Katie Carr - Mansfield “I’m loving working for such a trustworthy company and I’ve already been made to feel like part of the family.” Natalie McQuade - Forestside “Hays Travel has given me my drive, passion and love for travel again. From my very first day I felt like I was treated as part of the family. And the biggest thing I can’t get over is that more than anything Hays Travel just like you to be you!”
Donna Close - Ballymena “So far, working at Hays Travel has been a breath of fresh air and I love how all the Hays family are so friendly and nothing is a bother to anyone. Hays has given me back the spark for travel that I had in the early years, which has been missing recently.” Lisa Murray - Newtownabbey “Working with Hays has absolutely been the best change ever. Working here is like working with your family day-in, day-out. Everyone smiles every day and enjoys their working environment. We have the freedom to bring out our personality every day and this is what our customers love.” Savannah Hyndes - Belfast Victoria Sq. “So far working for Hays has been great. I love that Hays is very family-oriented and I feel more looked after than I did in my last job. I’m really looking forward to the opportunities that Hays has to offer and am excited to see how well we can do!”
Nicola Gunson - Bradway “My team and I are all really looking forward to the future with Hays. After 27 years I thought that might be the end of my career, but now things are looking bright.” Adam Bramley - Nottingham “I’m honestly on cloud nine. I can’t thank John and Irene enough for what they have done for me and the team. Not long ago we were at rock bottom and I never thought it would be possible to get picked up again like this, but Hays Travel have done it. We will do them proud and we will repay them. I’m so determined and committed to that.”
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HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 16
R E T A I L CONFERENCE
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The Hays Travel Retail Managers Conference was due to take place just four weeks after we welcomed our Thomas Cook colleagues into the family, so it was all go at head office as we worked fast to reorganise everything to accommodate more than double the numbers we were expecting. Extra hotels, extra aeroplanes, extra everything, but we did it! And what a success it was.
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“THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE WILL REFER TO ANYONE AS ‘EX-THOMAS COOK, FROM NOW ON WE ARE ALL PART OF THE HAYS TRAVEL FAMILY.”
More than 700 people attended the conference at the Rixos Premium Belek in Turkey this November. Branch managers old and new, head office staff and key suppliers took part in the three-day event which included informative business presentations, workshops, match-making sessions with suppliers, and of course, fun-filled evenings! On the first morning, Retail and Training Director, Jane Schumm, welcomed everyone to the largest Hays Travel conference in its history. She told us: “This is the last time we will refer to anyone as ‘ex-Thomas Cook’; from now on we are all part of the Hays Travel family.” The conference was told that just as Hays Travel doubled in size six years ago, another new dawn with a bright future ahead was starting. In the weeks since the Thomas Cook takeover, more than 2000 ex Thomas Cook employees have chosen to take permanent contracts with us. And we’re continuing to recruit. John shared his vision for 2020 - with the main theme being ‘happy staff equals happy customers.’ He paid tribute to the Thomas Cook brand and colleagues, and also explained why he thought Hays Travel could succeed both on the high street and on line. “We have absolute confidence and trust in the skills and commitment of our colleagues to use all channels to develop strong connections with customers, so
that they always book the right holiday for the right client.
“They have the freedom to communicate unscripted to our clients and can use their talent to the full to sell the unlimited range of holidays we can provide as the UK’s largest independent agent – and they tell me this is an important part of their job satisfaction.” Announcements that excited new branch managers included the ability to manage their own branch Facebook pages, and tailor each post to their individual customers, something that is totally new for them. The message was ‘know your customers, understand what they’re looking for and connect with them in the best way for them, whether on line, in store or both’. It was also announced that we would be investing £360,000 to kickstart fundraising in local communities all over the UK - extending the Local Community Partnership scheme to all our new branches, which provides every branch manager with £500 cash to use towards raising further funds for good causes of their choice in their local area. The aim is to increase the figure significantly and make donations to a charity, school, individual, or other important cause in the local community. Toni Gibson is our sales support manager and oversees the Local Community Partnership scheme. She said: “Retail staff are encouraged to be creative with their
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fundraising activities and are given full control over where the money is donated, which means the money raised is put to best use in each local community and year after year the teams outdo themselves.” The biggest ever match-making event took place with more than 50 suppliers involved, and evening events included a blue and orange night and West End themed fancy dress, as well as the gala dinner and awards evening. Jane Schumm said: “As always at conference, we worked hard and played hard. But this year was extra special. It was such a fantastic opportunity, just four weeks after our Thomas Cook colleagues joined us, to get to know each other, celebrate, learn a lot, and have loads of fun. Our conferences are legendary but this one was on a scale we’d never done before! “Something really important to me at conference is ensuring that we recognise, reward and celebrate all the hard work and dedication of our managers over the past year. And this year I also got to say thank you in person to all our new managers who have put so much effort into getting their shops back up and running as quickly as possible. With all these amazing new people on board, I can’t wait to see where we can take things in 2020!”
This is what people had to say about the conference.
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Martin Brown Age: 41. Job title and branch: Branch Manager, Carlisle. How long in the job:
Kerry Thomason Age: 42. Job title and branch: Branch Manager, Eastleigh Market Street. How long in the job: Joined Hays 1st November 2019. How long in travel: 26 years with Thomas Cook. Hobbies: Travelling, dog walking, movies. Best thing about your job: My Team. I’ve always lived by the motto, ‘you are only as good as the team you have behind you’. Worst thing about your job: Not enough annual leave to travel to all these beautiful destinations! How did you find your first Hays retail conference: It was an amazing experience and I was made to feel part of the Hays family immediately. I was so excited to have a personalised note book and pen! What did you learn: That Hays Travel really is one big family with a very clear vision. The Hays Travel Foundation is at the heart of the business and is something I am very passionate about working with. I also met so many suppliers and took away so many KSPs and this really supports the ‘sell what is right for the customer’ mantra. What was the funniest moment: Fancy dress night! John and Irene doing the Thriller walk was THE BEST! What do you think is the most important thing you took away with you: That the future of Hays is exciting and bright. I feel very lucky to be a part of it and will forever be grateful for the respect that the original Hays Travel family showed the ex Thomas Cook managers whilst on conference. It will always be remembered. Any advice for first timers at the next event: Work hard but play harder and embrace the one big family you have joined.
Leanne Tomlinson Age: 39. Job title and branch : Branch Manager, Castleford Carlton Lanes. How long in the job: Two months. How long in travel :
One month with Hays & 17 years previously with Thomas Cook. How long in travel: 17 years. I started as an overseas representative with JMC (Thomas Cook) and ended up as branch manager of Thomas Cook in Carlisle. Hobbies: Socialising, keeping fit, spending time with family and friends, and of course going on amazing holidays. Best thing about your job: Developing my team to ensure we deliver the best service possible. Worst thing about your job: Dealing with complaints, but by turning negatives into positives we can give the customer the best outcome. How did you find your first Hays retail conference: Truly inspirational. I was made to feel welcome as soon as I arrived at the Airport; Irene welcomed all the managers at the boarding gate and took time to say hello to each and every one of us. What did you learn: That there are endless opportunities as we have so many operators to use. As managers we have the empowerment to deliver some amazing results and ensure our staff and customers are at the heart of everything we do. What was the funniest moment: Fancy dress night! What do you think is the most important thing you took away with you: That knowledge is power! And how important it is to be training and developing my team and ensuring all staff are using HTOL and being fully effective when serving our customers. Any advice for first timers at the next event: Learn as much as possible and enjoy yourself.
20 years. Hobbies:
Socialising and having fun. Best thing about your job: Colleagues and customers. Worst thing about your job: Working weekends. How did you find your first Hays retail conference: Fun and informative. It was great to find out about the Hays ways and it was exciting to hear more about our future. It was reassuring hearing from John and Irene that they are in this for the long haul. What did you learn : I loved the theme of conference – ‘Share, Learn and Improve’ - and I felt this involved all staff, both old and new. Something that stood out for me was the trust and empowerment we have. Facebook is a huge opportunity and one that we need to embrace with speed! I also picked up on the importance of using HTOL for both land and cruise holidays. It was brilliant to see the work that the Hays Travel Foundation has done and the opportunity for us to support local charities is amazing! What was the funniest moment: My funniest night was the blue and orange night with the John and Irene masks! I also loved Irene’s funny stories on stage, she is amazing! What do you think is the most important thing you took away with you: Amazing memories with colleagues old and new. It was great to get to know so many new colleagues. Any advice for first timers at the next event: Be prepared to work hard and play hard.
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H A Y S T R A V E L G R A D U A T E S C H E M E OLIVIA COLQUHOUN
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were given, especially the business simulation and presentation, were challenging and interesting. The competences based interview that followed was conducted well as I felt that I was really listened too and the interviewee thought what I had to say was valuable. I feel that the setup of the recruitment process allowed me to showcase my skills and knowledge.
about the graduate position is the amount of responsibility and ownership we have had from day one. As soon as we got into our department we were given a set of objectives and worked with our managers to create a step by step for them. We were put forward by Irene to start up the press office at the time that Hays Travel was receiving the most attention it had ever received, the acquisition. We also were given the responsibility to present the Retail Conference in Turkey. WORST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? If I’d have been asked this question a few months ago, I would have said having to present my research and strategies to John, Irene, and multiple other managers after just 6 weeks I would have said you’re joking but presenting in front of them so early on was vital to my development. Little did I know that this was only the warm-up one. With the branch numbers increasing the retail managers did too. I along with the other two graduates were tasked with presenting to them at the retail conference. I thought it would be the worst thing but it ended up being a massive learning curve for me. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING OUTSIDE OF WORK? Outside of work, I enjoy watching crime documentary’s which I normally get really invested in, trying out new restaurants as I am a total foodie, and researching into my next travel destination, so I’m definitely in the right industry. HOPES FOR YOUR CAREER FUTURE? Over the next two years, I hope to get a full understanding of every part of Hays Travel and be able to implement my ideas and collaborate with others in the delivery of theirs. I also hope to have figured out which department I get the most enjoyment from and I can offer valuable skills too, allowing me to follow down my career path.
WHEN DID YOU START? 29/07/2019
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON SO FAR? The first few weeks consisted of settling in with the team and shadowing each of the six departments within Digital Marketing, to gain a full understanding of the department and how it fits within the business. With this new found knowledge, I was set to work on my first set of objectives, to create a PR strategy for topical marketing, and another to showcase the opportunities and successes of apprenticeships, which I presented to John and Irene Hays. I was then given a development plan to implement the PR strategies that I proposed. This plan took a slight detour when the Hays Travel acquisition happened. The other two graduates and I were tasked with dealing with the media storm that followed, becoming the Press Office. This was an area I had no former experience in so initially felt out of my comfort zone, but we quickly got into the swing of it. We spoke to the UK’s most high profile media, organised the likes of The One Show to come in and wrote press releases. We also arranged countless interviews for John and Irene. We now have regional divisions to manage to ensure that Hays Travel has nationwide coverage, and the branches can get their stories out in their local communities.
NAME Olivia Colquhoun
AGE 22
DEPARTMENT Digital Marketing
DEGREE SUBJECT BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
UNIVERSITY University of Sunderland
WHAT MADE YOU APPLY TO THE HAYS GRADUATE SCHEME? After speaking to a previous graduate at a fair at my university, I felt the programme would provide the training and structure I needed to progress. She described to me about her experiences so far about being placed in multiple different departments and the responsibilities she had been given. The way she described the workforce, as family focused, sparked my interest. I felt that being in a supportive environment would enable me to develop further and feel comfortable to ask questions and put forward ideas.
HOW DID YOU FIND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS?
To my surprise, I found the recruitment process quite enjoyable. I had initially been very nervous to attend the assessment day but the tasks that we
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? I would say definitely the best thing
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 22
H A Y S T R A V E L STAFF PROMOTIONS ///////////////// Here are details of some of the latest promotions available to staff. Further info can be found in the Commercial Concessions folder on The Hub.
A 2 NIGHT / 3 DAY STAY FROM £161 PP PLUS
Full Board Meal Plan for the price of Half Board
10 % Discount on the Super FASTPASS
50% discount on Buffalo Bill’s wild west show tickets
+ FREE EXCLUSIVE Disney Stars Benefits
23 YOUR NEWS FROM YOUR COMPANY
HERE’S ANOTHER SELECTION OF ADORABLE YOUNGSTERS, BUT HOW DID THEY TURN OUT!? Work out which members of the head office team are shown below and email your answers to homeandaway@hays-travel.co.uk – first one to send the correct names wins a bottle of fizz!
Helen Liddle Allison Clark Toni Gibson Gemma Morrell Match the name to the pictures on the right
B
C
A
D
Email your answers to homeandaway@hays-travel.co.uk
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 24
H T O L 10K RAISED FOR AMBER’S LAW
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HTOL Customer Relations team help raise almost 10k for Amber’s Law
Amber’s Law Walk
HTOL Customer Relations Team
Catherine & Ashleigh
In May last year, Catherine Baker from the HTOL customer relations team, was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Catherine underwent major surgery followed by an intense course of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy. Fortunately, the treatment went well, and once Catherine was feeling up to it, she decided to organise a fundraising event to raise money for local charity, Amber’s Law. The Amber’s Law project was launched in 2017 in memory of Amber Rose Cliff, who lost her fight with cervical cancer aged 25. Its aim is to get the Government to lower the cervical cancer screening age. Amber’s Law are pushing to lower the current smear test law from the age of 25 down to 18, which will give young women a better chance of detection and survival and hopefully stop the pain and heartache Amber and her friends and family went through. Amber went to the doctor multiple times and was refused a screening on all of these occasions because her age was below the NHS guidelines. Amber then went on to pay
South Shields to Roker Pier. The HTOL customer relations team and others from head office joined Catherine on the walk, helping to raise a total of £9,400. The event was organised with the help of Catherine’s best friend, Ashleigh Hackett, who runs local boot camps, ‘Can you Hackett?’ The event saw participants walk along the coastal path past Marsden Rock and Souter Lighthouse, finishing at Roker Pier. Catherine said: “We had such a great fun day. The charity gave all participants a t-shirt, there was a glitter face painter at the registration table, and a fun warmup routine with music playing. We ended at the Poetic License Bar, who kindly donated a function room and provided refreshments, and where we carried out a presentation of certificates and medals for everyone. “I am so grateful to all my team in the HTOL customer relations department who took part in the event with me, it was such a fun day for us all. As this was such a success we are definitely going to make it a yearly event.”
for a private screening at the age of 21 and found she had cervical cancer that had been there for 2-4 years already. Amber’s Law will fund any young females over the age of 18 to have a private smear if they are suffering symptoms and who have been refused a smear by their GP. Catherine said: “After being misdiagnosed for a number of years and being refused an early smear myself, I am absolutely shocked to learn how many people don’t attend smear appointments and ignore the warning signs. I am passionate about raising awareness of how one simple smear can save lives. “Earlier this year the Sunderland Echo revealed that more than 18,000 women in Sunderland missed their last smear test. This means that only 75.4% of the 73,200 women over 25 who were due a smear test before the end of March 2018 attended their potentially ‘live-saving’ appointment.” More than 140 people took part in Catherine’s fundraising event this June, completing an 11 kilometre walk from
25 YOUR NEWS FROM YOUR COMPANY
H A Y S T R A V E L F O U N D A T I O N A N D L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y P A R T N E R S H I P NEWS ROUNDUP
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The Hays Travel Foundation has had yet another successful year helping charities working with young people, while our branches have made huge contributions within their local communities.
ZOE’S PLACE is a registered charity providing palliative, respite and end-of-life care to babies and infants aged from birth to five years. We granted £5,000 to help support their pre and post bereavement counselling services. Jane Schumm, Retail & Training Director, along with Mandy Sousa, Hays Travel Foundation representative and Kelly Coley, Middlesbrough Branch Manager, visited the hospice to see the amazing work they are doing and present Zoe’s Place with the cheque. GRANTED £ 5,000
WESSEX CANCER TRUST
offer support to people living with cancer. They received £6,602 to cover the costs of a new counselling project for children affected by cancer. GRANTED £ 6,602
Our teams have organised a variety of fundraising activities from skydiving and abseiling to good old fashioned cake sales and coach trips. However, we have also seen some new initiatives such as Bonkers Bingo and in-store flight simulators.
This year alone, our branches have contributed more than £57,564 to various charitable causes close to their hearts. In 2019, 65 requests have met the criteria for match-funding by the Hays Travel Foundation, resulting in an additional £36,215 being donated to charities working in our areas.
We have also continued to support many amazing applications from charities working to improve the lives of young people. This year, our trustees have approved just over £300,000 for various projects across the UK that will benefit the communities in which we operate.
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 26
HARTLEPOOL UTD COMMUNITY SPORTS FOUNDATION works to offer inclusive activities to children, adults and disabled people with opportunities to enjoy and develop themselves in a friendly environment. We granted £3,150 to support 30 weeks of activities for young carers. GRANTED £ 3,150
EXIM DANCE enable disadvantaged and disabled young people to participate in regular dance activities which help with the development of essential life skills. A £4,500 grant was made to support the costs of dance sessions to children in the Plymouth area. GRANTED £ 4,500
NORTH STAR COUNSELLING help and support children, young people and families in the Sunderland area who are struggling with mental health issues. We granted £6,296 to help with the setup costs of their project and provision of free services to children and young people. GRANTED £ 6,296
WETWHEELS FOUNDATION
aims to build the confidence of disabled people by offering them the opportunity to access the sea in a fun, safe, stimulating and rewarding way using specially modified, fully accessible powerboats. They received £5,000 to help with the running costs of 10 days of Wetwheels events in the North East and Yorkshire area. GRANTED £ 5,000
LIVING PAINTINGS works to end isolation impacting blind and partially-sighted people. They received £2,500 to enable the creation of a touch-to-see version of ‘The Snail and the Whale’ book. GRANTED £ 2,500
“On behalf of the Hays Travel Foundation trustees and head office team, I would like to say a massive thank you to all our managers who have helped visit hopeful applicants and provided us with amazing reports. This has been a great year and we look forward to an even more successful 2020 - with all our new colleagues onboard we can really make a difference to local communities across the UK!” Mihai Catea, Hays Travel Foundation Intern
R E C E N T L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y P A R T N E R S H I P E V E N T S
HAYS TRAVEL ANDOVER AUCTION NIGHT
Over 65 guests attended Andover’s party and auction night which was organised to raise money for the Rainbow Corner at Andover & District Mencap. This is a specially adapted children’s home used to provide short breaks and day care for children and young people with additional needs. On the night, guests enjoyed a buffet, DJ and auction. The prizes were donated by the local community and the team at Andover said they were incredibly moved by how everyone in the area pulled together to put on such an amazing night. RAISED £ 1,716
HAYS TRAVEL REDCAR HIKE TO HEAD OFFICE Our Redcar team decided to walk a massive 35 miles from their branch to head office as part of a ‘treadmill trot-a-thon’ in support of Victoria’s Wish. Starting at 8 o’clock in the morning and finishing just after 4pm, the team took turns on the treadmill in order to walk the distance. While challenging, this was a very fun-filled day with many customers getting involved and showing support for this great cause. And the team managed to raise a whopping £1,525. Victoria’s Wish is a north east charity dedicated to providing respite care and events to children and young people with life threatening and terminal illnesses. RAISED £ 1,525
HAYS TRAVEL BILLINGHAM FAMILY FUN DAY The team held a family fun day in the town centre. The weather was on their side and the sun was shining, making the carnival games even more attractive. There was something for everyone to enjoy and customers and their children got involved in a variety of games, enjoyed homemade goodies, a colouring competition, and even the chance to win a holiday. The day was a great success and the team raised £750 for their local charity, Butterfly Giving, a charity dedicated to fighting teenage cancer. RAISED £ 750
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 28
HAYS TRAVEL HYTHE SKY DIVE
Oakhaven House Hospice is a self- funding charity providing end-of-life care to cancer patients of all ages. In order to show support to the charity that offered such excellent care to her grandfather, Katie from our Hythe branch took part in a sponsored sky dive. In total, she managed to raise a fantastic £1,925 for this amazing cause. RAISED £ 1,925
HAYS TRAVEL STANLEY BONKERS BINGO
The Hays Travel Stanley team organised a great night of Bonkers Bingo, with more than 180 of their customers attending. Putting a twist on the classic bingo night, the team had customers up and dancing through the whole night! Everyone had a fun time and in total the event raised £1,520 for Henry Dancer Days. All proceeds will go towards helping families with children suffering from cancer. RAISED £ 1,520
HAYS TRAVEL DORCHESTER BINGO NIGHT The Lexi May Trust is a charity working to support children with terminal illness or life-limiting conditions in the Dorset area. Our local team were really happy to once again support this great charity and did so by organising a fun bingo night. Over 130 guests attended on the night and took part in games for a chance to win one of 50 prizes available on the night. At the end of the fun-filled night, our Dorchester team were pleasantly surprised to learn that they had managed to raise £1,296 for the charity. RAISED £ 1,296
29 YOUR NEWS FROM YOUR COMPANY
T R A V E L T E A M MY STORY
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As well as being fab at our jobs, many of the Hays Travel team have talents outside of work. In this issue we hear from a cheerleader, an actor and a marching jazz band member.
to cheerleading and joined the North East Cheer Allstars in South Shields. I competed until the age of 20, and for the last two years have been coaching. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY: Cheerleading has given me so many amazing experiences and introduced me to some of the people I call my best friends, but I think my best memories would have to be becoming two times European Champions and then getting the opportunity to represent the country, competing at the World Championships in Thailand! In my time as a cheerleader I have competed at three European Championships and one World Championships, as well as in numerous national and regional competitions. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVE CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT FOR US: Surprisingly there is more to cheerleading than waving pompoms and cheering on football teams. There are different elements to a cheer routine such as tumbling, stunts, pyramids, and dance, so that’s quite a hard question! My favourite part would be either tumbling, which is basically backflips, or pyramids, which includes linking stunts together and holding multiple cheerleaders in the air together on top of each other!
Mae, back row, second right
MAE HESKETT Mae works in our marketing department and is an award-winning cheerleader and coach.
AGE: 22.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB: The amazing friends I’ve made and get to work with every day. Hobbies: Cheerleading and coaching, music, travelling, and spending time with friends and family. HOBBIES: Cheerleading and coaching, music, travelling, and spending time with friends and family.
JOB TITLE: Marketing Assistant.
BASED AT: Head Office.
DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS FOR YOUR HOBBY:
HOW LONG IN JOB: 4 years.
In the short term I want to continue coaching as it is so fulfilling helping the kids that come to the club achieve their goals and help them to be able to experience the opportunities that I have. In the long run, if the opportunity came along to turn my hobby into a full time job, that would be absolutely amazing!
HOW LONG IN TRAVEL: 4 years.
WHEN DID YOU GET INTO CHEERLEADING:
I started gymnastics at an after-school club at the age of 5 and later transferred to a competitive club called Deerness Valley in Durham. I loved gymnastics and was lucky to reach a lot of goals as a gymnast but wanted to try something new so when I was 15 I moved over
PREVIOUS JOB: I started my apprenticeship with Hays after doing A-Levels at Newcastle Sixth Form College.
HOME AND AWAY DECEMBER 2019 30
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