Blog

Business Link Yorkshire held a Halloween inspired Friday day of fun and spookiness. Spider cakes were baked and sold, Nothing But Nets orange wristbands were sold and donations all given to JCI UK's charity for 2011. Several members of staff dressed up for the Halloween theme, spending the day carrying out their normal business apart from the fangs and broomsticks!

£50 was raised which is converted into $80 dollars so allowing Nothing But Nets to purchase 8 bed nets, potentially saving 8 different families.

JCI chambers across the UK have raised $10,000 this year, equalling 1000 bed nets purchased to reduce the spread of malaria.

http://www.nothingbutnets.net/

Read more

JCI Boston hosted the Yorkshire Regional awards ceremony at the New England Hotel. A historic occasion as it was the first time it had been hosted outside the Yorkshire Border. The Dinner had a theme of ‘discover the countryside' and attendees had the pleasure of spending the evening with a life size scarecrow.

JCI Boston did a fantastic job of hosting, and Tracy Anderson and her team were rewarded with 5 winning awards on the night including Most outstanding contribution by an Individual for Tracy and Most Outstanding Leader for JCI UK National President and Bostonian Alli Cowell. JCI Sheffield won 10 awards, including Most Outstanding President for Kate Senter. We had our own success winning 2 awards, I was delighted to receive a Certificate of Merit for Most Outstanding New Member.

Read more

The weekend of the Regional awards dinner was also the opportunity for those members who plan to hold leadership roles in the future at JCI chambers to attend local leaders training. JCI UK trainers Dan Lally and Emma Eastwood conducted the first newly revised local leaders training.

The training focused on leadership skills which members could take back to their respective chambers. 6 JCI members graduated from this course, including our Deputy President Kirstie Barnett. The training has empowered and enthused Kirstie for her presidential year next year and she is now busy planning a programme of personal development, as well as working with JCI Sheffield to co-ordinate region wide training opportunities.

Read more

An opportunity to gather in our posh frocks and dinner suits could mean only 1 thing...... a JCI annual dinner! This time it was JCI Sheffields turn to host current and past JCI members and senators at the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria.

JCI Sheffield has celebrated a 182% membership increase in 2011 and this is thanks to the enthusiasm and drive of President Kate Senter and her hard working council team. As the wine flowed and the cheese was passed around, Andy McMenemy, guest speaker put most of us to shame as he talked about his challenge to complete 66 ultra-marathons in 66 consecutive days, despite enduring an Achilles heel injury which started in Bradford, only the second ultra-marathon he was to complete.

As the night progressed Kate praised her members and council for their commitment during the year and rounded off her speech by launching the JCI Sheffield Ap, the first interactive Ap from any chamber across the world. "There's an Ap for that" can now be heard all across the region, and now the world after JCI Sheffield were invited to attend World Congress last week in Brussels to discuss their technological breakthrough in the JCI world.

WELL DONE JCI SHEFFIELD!!

Read more

I was born in Birmingham but moved to Yorkshire in 2005. I'm currently a Premisand Facilities Manager for Business Link Yorkshire, based in Barnsley. My role involves looking after all aspects to do with our 13 offices including heating, lighting, contracts, budgets, managing a team and health and safety.

In the past 12 months I have also been a voluntary director of a local charity, and have now taken up the challenge set by this year's President Vicky Savage to be the Admin Director for JCI Barnsley for 2011. It means I get to be all organised and organise other people, one of my favourite things!!

I am a Birmingham City Football Club supporter and have been for about 15 years, I even met my husband there! It's definitely a challenge following Birmingham City but I find it a good stress reliever being able to take my week's frustrations out on the football players although not sure those who sit around me would agree.

I joined JCI as a couple of my work colleagues were members and kept telling me how good it was. After moving to Yorkshire with my husband and only having friends through our jobs, it has been nice to make friends with other people and enjoy many laughs.

In my spare time I like to chill out, eat my husband's cooking as I am a terrible cook, go to nice restaurants and yes, Doncaster does have some! My husband likes to cook adventurous foods so I have eaten wild boar and pigs cheeks but draw the line at goat!

I also like to watch tv, I'm a big fan of Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, Private Practice, Sex and the City, Hollyoaks, Come Dine with Me, Question of Sport.

My favourite films are Sex and the City, Dirty Dancing, Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka, Finding Nemo!

Quick fire Questions

What is your favourite TV show? Brothers and Sisters or Grey's Anatomy.

What do you usually have for breakfast? It has to be pain au chocolat or croissants at the weekend, boring cereals in the week.

What food do you dislike? Anything spicy! Being from Birmingham and not liking curry is odd I know!

What is your favourite CD at this moment? Plan B- The Defamation of Strickland Banks. I'm seeing him in March at the Doncaster Dome.

What characteristics do you despise? Lying and cheating.

Favourite item of clothing? PJs, I spend a lot of time in them!

If you could go anywhere in the world on holiday, where would you go? New York is on my wish list at the moment

What was your most recent memorable birthday? My 30th last year.

Favourite sport to watch? Football and boxing, being married to a Sports Journalist means you need to like sport!!

What did you want to be when you were little? A florist, an air stewardess and a teacher.

What is your favourite sweet/chocolate? Anything by Cadburys, a Birmingham delight and the source of my biggest addiction!!

What was the last thing you ate? BBQ pulled pork fajitas cooked by my husband.

Favourite drink? Britvic 55 Orange or a good cuppa tea.

Favourite restaurant? Santinis in Doncaster or Red Peppers in Birmingham.

What are you afraid of? Being alone.

How many years at your current job? Five

Favourite day of the week? The weekend, surely they are not 1 day!!??

How many cities/towns have you lived in? Birmingham, Midhurst (West Sussex) and Doncaster.

Read more

I joined JCI Barnsley in 2005 and have been an active member of the chamber ever since. I joined JCI after finishing my MSc and found I needed business skills quickly! It was also an unexpected and fantastic way to meet people in a new town and found I had an instant social life! That was in 2005 and I have been an active member ever since. I still can't believe the number of opportunities that have been on offer in that time.

This is my second year as National Admin Director, not the most exciting title but it's a very exciting role... honestly! At the start of the year I get to find out who will be taking on local roles and make sure everyone is kept up to date with changes and can keep in touch with each other. I also order things like business cards, chains of office, pins and name badges. Throughout the year I communicate with presidents and members, answer queries and ensure everyone is informed about National Council meetings etc.

My favourite part of the role is as Awards Manager, I love collating the entries, organising the judging and being a part of a process that recognises the great things that our chambers achieve each year.

Since I joined JCI Barnsley I have been to European Conferences in Finland and Hungary, attended the European Academy in Sweden, the TOYP Academy in Turkey and the European Presidents meeting in Latvia. International JCI events are an amazing way to see the World and immerse you in different cultures.

In the small amount of free time that is not filled with JCI I enjoy getting fresh air in the Peak District, entertaining friends (and being entertained!) and switching off with a good book!

Quick fire Questions

What is your favourite TV show? Greys Anatomy & repeats of the Crystal Maze (for the 80's hair!), Sons of Anarchy.

What do you usually have for breakfast? Fruit or a cinnamon bagel

What food do you dislike? I like cheese but it dislikes me

What is your favourite CD at this moment? Any of the mix CD's the boy does for me

What characteristics do you despise? Dishonesty and bigotry

Favourite item of clothing? Jeans!

If you could go anywhere in the world on holiday, where would you go? Can I give you a list?

What was your most recent memorable birthday? 30th spent in Puglia, Italy

Favourite sport to watch? Downhill Skiing or Extreme Bull Riding

What did you want to be when you were little? A ballet dancing car mechanic

What is your favourite sweet/chocolate? White chocolate orange

What was the last thing you ate? A piece of sponge cake baked my next door neighbour, yum!

Favourite drink? Tea!

Favourite restaurant? Prezzo when we're out and about, Pinocchio's or Chilli when we're in Barnsley

What are you afraid of? Dolphins

How many years at your current job? 4 months

Favourite day of the week?Friday

How many cities/towns have you lived in? Six

Read more