Latest news with #MeetingNeeds
Travel Daily News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
New trio of trustees step up to fill Meeting Needs board positions
Meeting Needs charity welcomes new board members Bernice Heard, Dan Bardgett, and Mags Shaw, replacing four trustees after 20 years. Three fresh faces have been added to the board of trustees of event industry charity foundation Meeting Needs to replace four board members who have stepped down after serving Meeting Needs for a total of 20 years. Bernice Heard of Hyatt Hotels, Dan Bardgett of XSEM and Mags Shaw of Mags Worldwide have joined the board after the retirement of Shonali Rodrigues, Matt Curran, Karen Small and Hannah Kelly this year. Meeting Needs Chair Chris Parnham said: 'When I put out a call for new board members last month, I didn't dare to hope that we'd be able to welcome such a high calibre of industry personalities as Dan, Mags and Bernice. They are all very welcome, and I look forward to working with them over the coming months. We also need to thank our outgoing trustees, all of whom have made a magnificent contribution to Meeting Needs.' Mags has 25 years' experience in the international conference and incentive sector, representing some of the world's top destination management companies. She said: 'I've long admired Meeting Needs as a wonderful industry charity, I also like the fact it gives donations to small independent charities both UK and overseas.' Hyatt National Sales Director Bernice said: 'I have witnessed firsthand the incredible impact that organisations like Meeting Needs have in uniting us for a common, greater cause. I was thrilled when the opportunity arose to join this dynamic organisation.' Dan Bardgett is the Managing Director of XSEM, a leading brand engagement agency based in Leeds. For the past three years, he has supported Meeting Needs by participating in the Royal Parks Half Marathon and raising cash. He says: 'Each year I'm astounded by the fundraising efforts and the meaningful difference the proceeds make for the small charities the foundation supports. I'm excited to now contribute further and play a small part in supporting the foundation's continued growth by joining the board.' In recent months, Meeting Needs has agreed a sponsorship package with UK charity Community Grub Hub in Aldershot to feed around 80 UK families a week for the next 6 months. Community Grub Hub was introduced to Meeting Needs by Noella Milas, Director at Blue Line events, who volunteers at the charity. The food will be purchased from Fareshare, the charity that distributes food that is nearly out of date to those in need, at a cost of £186 per week. All Fareshare food would otherwise go to landfill so there are also huge environmental savings (circa 500kg of food a week). In addition Meeting Needs has also agreed to fund the completion of a vocational training classroom and workshop for Uphill Junior school in Uganda. The gift of £7,193 will complete the budgeted cost of £11,693 to provide training for schoolchildren and those who have completed education. The Uphill Trust is a volunteer-led small Scottish charity that operates on a zero overheads basis. The Trust is now planning to build a single large classroom/workshop in the school compound which will be used for vocational studies and storage of all the necessary equipment. It will have an outside area and veranda for extra working space. The initial focus will be for knitting, sewing/dressmaking and joinery.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Worcestershire firm take on Severn source to sea challenge
A team from a film and media company is to travel the length of the River Severn to raise funds for source to sea challenge will see the group from Bewdley-based DRPG kayak, run and cycle the 220-mile (354 km) route from the heights of Plynlimon to the Bristol chief executive Dale Parmenter, who is taking part, said he was inspired by BBC Children in Need and hoped to raise £20,000 for four charities."Like most great ideas this one started in the pub, I wanted to do something big for our 45th [anniversary] and that seemed like a great idea," he said. "The River Severn has played a big part in my life.""One of my first films I ever made was on the Severn. I used to row as well. My family came up from France on the troves about 300 years ago and I went to school by it, so I thought 'this is fitting let's do the whole thing'."DRPG supports companies with their internal and external communications and said it had worked with the likes of Tesco, Lloyds Bank and JLR, among set to benefit from the challenge are the River Severn Trust, award-making foundation Meeting Needs, the King's Trust, and Wheels for All, which champions inclusive Parmenter said the group had been training "a few times a week", practising a few of the disciplines. "There's a bit of an age difference between us so I think there's going to be a bit of competition," he joked. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
