Get motivated to take enthusiastic action that will help you turn that dream into reality. One step at a time and you will surely achieve anything.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Tourism Swansea Bay Awards




And The Winners Are...

Swansea Bay Tourism Awards 2012

Celebrating the excellence and innovation from across Swansea Bay’s tourism, leisure and hospitality industry… 
 

Last Thursday night the Winning & Highly Commended businesses of the 2012 Swansea Bay Tourism Awards were announced at a prestigious and glitzy awards ceremony and dinner at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea. 
 
The evening was well attended with over 430 people from the finest tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses in Swansea Bay, celebrating their success since the last awards in 2010; guests included Steve Webb, Director of Visit Wales, both the Mayors’ and Leaders’ of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, the Regional Tourism Partnership, ‘so many to mention!… 
 
Becoming a finalist and then becoming a WINNER or highly commended business is one of the proudest moments for any business – demonstrating commitment and dedication. 

A complete list of the Highly Commended and Winning business is below or can be found on the awards website
www.swanseabaytourismawards.co.uk.
 

Congratulations to all who took part!!
 

 Photos from the awards can be found on the Facebook page of All About The Image – click here. For those of you that don't have a Facebook account, photos will be on the Swansea Bay Tourism Awards Website later in the week - www.swanseabaytourismawards.co.uk.

If you would like to purchase photos please contact Graham Smith, All About The Image, on 07976 658572 or email

graham@allabouttheimage.co.uk





And of course SwanTV were there to capture the moment so watch out for the video coming up on our new website.

We are anxiously seeking university students to direct, be camera-men, edit and produce material. So if you want the experience just get in touch at ask@swantv.com


Sunday, November 11, 2012

Lies! Damn Lies!

 
 I've not talked about local business issues recently and so it's time to come back on track. What affects each individual also affects each business because as money gets tighter or more available then that will be reflected on how they spend. Now I do think that we should be positive and look forward to improvements but we should still be realistic.

I think it's time to talk about recent events that affect us all. Utility prices have gone up. Unemployment and inflation have come down. Comet has gone bust but in the main there have been far fewer bankruptcies than we were expecting and in fact I believe that they are down on last year.

Apart from utility prices rising and Comet going (although this has been on the cards for ages) this all good news. Or is it?

Inflation falling! Did you know that amongst other items that gas and electricity has been taken out of the equation. So when gas goes up it doesn't affect the inflation figures. Aren't utilities basic costs with which we can't live? Aren't more and more people having to decide between keeping warm and eating? And this isn't just lower earners. Mid earners still have rising costs to maintain their usual standard of living so they are hit too. I don't believe that inflation is falling. 

Unemployment is falling! What great news. But then we were told that the take-up has been in part-time jobs. And David Cameron then went on to say that this shows there is a change in what people want - they don't want full time jobs!! What a load of rubbish. Ask anyone who is working part-time if that suits them. Some will say "Yes!" but in the main these are folk with a specific agenda: they might be mums with young children who want to work when the kids are at school.; they might be parents who want to share their time with the children: they might be older folk who just need to earn an extra because they've taken early retirement and have a good pension. In my opinion unemployment is not falling morally. It is falling because folk are forced into job shares and part-time work.

And a word of caution. It now seems that the credit rating companies aare recording "Payday" loans separate to other loans and banks are using this indicator as another excuse to block a loan application. I personally believe that Credit Unions are a great way forward. In America they are common-place. In the UK they are relatively unknown. When managed well they are a boon. Look for your local Credit Union. Start saving and they you can borrow on a rainy day. They are restricted on the interest they charge and are run locally for local people.

And how about small businesses. We've had promises of the government cutting red tape but has that happened? I haven't seen any evidence. I don't believe the banks are lending still. And possibly the reason is now that they don't have the resources. They have been given until 2014 by when they must have 10% of their total assets available and after recent events (that they have brought on themselves with having to repay bank charges, mis-sold "everything" and huge director salaries and bonuses (although many of their clerks on on very low wages) their coffers are getting empty!! Doesn't that make you feel sorry for them.

Many small businesses are faced with high, unrealistic rents and rates, higher transport , utilities and supplies costs, and struggling to employ staff who have what it takes - often as basic as a few social skills and able to read, write and do simple sums.

But at then end of the day, with the relentless hassles and sleepless nights, who'd want to change and work for someone else.

You can increase sales in your business whatever the size by offering better customer care. My next post will be 25 ways to Improve Customer Service and increase the bottom line - PROFIT!!




Saturday, November 10, 2012

The Glittering Prize

SwanTV were pleased to contribute to the Dylan Thomas Literary Award ceremony by producing the video shown at the beginning of the evening and by following the finalist during the week as they were involved in different events including talking at local schools to inspire pupils.                       



Jamie Owen of BBC Wales hosted the event. We heard excepts read by each finalist from their book. 

Chibunda Onuzo read from The Spider King's Daughter. Born in Nigeria in 1991, she is the yongest of for children. She gradated fro King's College. London in 2012 with a first in History.  When not writing Chibunda can be found playing the piano or singing.

D W Wilson was born and raised in the small towns of the Kooteney Valley, British Columbia. He read from Once You Break a Knuckle. He is the recipient of the University of East Anglia;s inaugural an Booker Prize Scholarship - the most prestigious award available to students in the MA programme. His stories have appeared in literary magazines across Cananda, Ireland and the United Kingdom: and The Dead Roads won the BBC National Short Story Award in 2011. He lives in London.

Seating Arrangements was read by Maggie Shipstead. She graduated from Harvard in 2005 and earned an MFA at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Currently, she is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Seating Arrangements is her first novel.

Tom Benn read an except from The Doll Princess. Born in 1987, he grew up in Stockport. He is a graduate of the UEA Creative Wrtiting MA and was a recipient of the 2009 Malcolm Bradbury bursary.

The White Shadow was read by Andrea Eames who was born in 1985. She was brought up in Zimbabwe, where she attended a Jewish school for six years, a Hindu school for one, a Catholic convent school for two and a half, and then the American International School in Harare. Andrea's family moved to New Zealand in 2002. She worked as a bookseller and editor and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband. Her first novel, The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, was published in 2011.

It was no surprise to hear that the judges had a tough job selecting a winner, each book was a joy to listen to, and I would highly recommend reading all.


The winner was Maggie Shipstead and she was presented with a cheque for £30,000 by Hannah Ellis, grand-daughter of Dylan Thomas.

The evening celebrations were held at the Waterfront Museum, Swansea and this was a superb sumptuous setting for such a glittering prize.  
 

















This is a bi-annual event and will coincide with the century of the birth of Dylan Thomas.

The Glittering Prize

The very prestigious Dylan Thomas Literary Awards were held last evening.

SwanTV were pleased to contribute to the Dylan Thomas Literary Award ceremony by producing the video shown at the beginning of the evening and by following the finalist during the week as they were involved in different events including talking at local schools to inspire pupils.                       



Jamie Owen of BBC Wales hosted the event. We heard excepts read by each finalist from their book. 

Chibunda Onuzo read from The Spider King's Daughter. Born in Nigeria in 1991, she is the yongest of for children. She gradated fro King's College. London in 2012 with a first in History.  When not writing Chibunda can be found playing the piano or singing.

D W Wilson was born and raised in the small towns of the Kooteney Valley, British Columbia. He read from Once You Break a Knuckle. He is the recipient of the University of East Anglia;s inaugural an Booker Prize Scholarship - the most prestigious award available to students in the MA programme. His stories have appeared in literary magazines across Cananda, Ireland and the United Kingdom: and The Dead Roads won the BBC National Short Story Award in 2011. He lives in London.

Seating Arrangements was read by Maggie Shipstead. She graduated from Harvard in 2005 and earned an MFA at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Currently, she is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Seating Arrangements is her first novel.

Tom Benn read an except from The Doll Princess. Born in 1987, he grew up in Stockport. He is a graduate of the UEA Creative Wrtiting MA and was a recipient of the 2009 Malcolm Bradbury bursary.

The White Shadow was read by Andrea Eames who was born in 1985. She was brought up in Zimbabwe, where she attended a Jewish school for six years, a Hindu school for one, a Catholic convent school for two and a half, and then the American International School in Harare. Andrea's family moved to New Zealand in 2002. She worked as a bookseller and editor and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband. Her first novel, The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, was published in 2011.

It was no surprise to hear that the judges had a tough job selecting a winner, each book was a joy to listen to, and I would highly recommend reading all.
Andrea Eames, Chibundu Onuzo, D W Wilson, dylan thomas, Dylan Thomas Literary Award, Maggie Shipstead, swansea, swanseabay-tv, swantv, Tom Benn, Waterfront Museum Swansea,

The winner was Maggie Shipstead and she was presented with a cheque for £30,000 by Hannah Ellis, grand-daughter of Dylan Thomas.

The evening celebrations were held at the Waterfront Museum, Swansea and this was a superb sumptuous setting for such a glittering prize.  
 

















This is a bi-annual event and will coincide with the century of the birth of Dylan Thomas.

Friday, November 09, 2012

Dylan Thomas Festival Nigel Jenkins

Be successful with your Business.
 Last evening the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea hosted the launch of Nigel Jenkins new book Real Swansea Two, the sequel to Real Swansea One. .Bang up to date it covers both history and changes in and around Swansea.






Thursday, November 08, 2012

Be successful with your Business.
News From SwanTV and also local news 

Out and about at the end of October. I just couldn't believe my eyes to see Xmas decorations up already.

Driving near Cross Hands I had to stop and take a photo. I know celebrations start earlier each year but it's mainly shops that are after our custom. Do you think this is too early? Let me know. Drop a comment in at the bottom of the page.






Driving through the Hafod last week I just had to catch this shot of what could be scaffolding being erected to reach out to the silver lining.






 The Dylan Thomas Literary Award is here again. This most prestigious event celebrated young authors (under thirty years) from around the world.

We followed three of them this week from Mozart's where they read excepts from their short-listed books, across to Noah's in Swansea Uplands where they were interviewed by Peter Stead, who created the awards back in 2006. There is a glittering prize - of £30,000. A bonus to any author today: and particularly to a young author in this very competitive market. The readings were such a contrast and all held the packed room audience spell-bound.
 


Introduced by Hannah Ellis, grand-daughter of Dylan Thomas. This was a warm and inspiring event.












 Lighting was extremely poor at this location as was the sound but we have managed to capture the essence of the intimate atmosphere. Watch out for footage on SwanTV









Tuesday evening the  Dylan Thomas Literary Finalists went to the Swansea Print Workshop where there was a presentation on the Dylan Thomas Project run 10 years ago with both original and new artists. The work is very delicate and cotton gloves were the order of the day. Touching the paper may have a damaging effect.









As a memento of the occasion the Print Workshop had set each author's name in cold type and produced a simple poster for each to take away. They actually printed off their individual copies.  

There are some really interesting old printing presses at the Swansea Print Workshop that are still used today. 










Swantv on the go

Be successful with your Business.
SwanTV up and running. Not just running but racing to get the first programme up in the New Year. In fact as early as January.

Now with Mike Scott on board and partnering up we have both creative juices and technical genius to bring the best that Swansea Bay has to offer.

And we have covered a few events already so that we can put together a Showcase of what's to come.

Here we are at the Admiral 10k run where we spoke with the some of the front runners and winners. We caught a glimse of the mascots as they sped past us as if running through a sea of treacle.Well done guys!!






Then off to St Mary's Church where there was an Open Day. Whether a church goer or not this was an opportunity to see inside the church, pick up a coffee and look around, or climb the 129 steps to the top of the tower for some spectacular views.

We were given a tour and had an interview with the Treasurer on the battlement like top. You can see from these pictures that this is a great vantage point looking right across to the Brecon Beacons in the far distance.

I'm sure you'll be able to pick out the buildings around the city.

We looked in at the bells on the way up (thankfully appreciating the break).


With the changing face of the City with businesses closing down or re-locating it was good to see the new Polish Bakery and Cafe opening up in Cradock Street, city centre. The smell of fresh bread is compelling when you pass: the taste is yummy!

Art across the City continues. This is in Castle Square. The plaque will give other locations and dates. Well worth going on the tour and seeing what our local artists are doing.


 
And finally we are ramping up on posts now and getting some respectable number of views every day. Our new website is almost there and you can get your business out there. Ask about out peanut intro rates, no monkeying around!!