Next week four directors from Abbeycroft Leisure and Anglia Community Leisure will be using their business skills to compete against one another in an ‘Apprentice’ style contest for BBC Children in Need.
Chief Executive of the trusts Warren Smyth, Development Director Alison Blackwell, Operations Director Simon Ginders-Coxshall and Finance Director Lynda Pope will each work in an area of the leisure centres they run and raise funds for BBC Children In Need.
They will each be working on the frontline of the charitable leisure trust’s Centres in Haverhill, Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket as well as using business strategy to come up with a plan to make money for BBC Children in Need.
On Tuesday November 11 Alison Blackwell will be getting to grips with the coffee in Haverhill Leisure Centre’s cafe.
Warren Smyth will be using his customer skills working on the reception desk of Haverhill Leisure Centre and Finance Director Lynda Pope will be swapping numbers for telephone skills at the reception of Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre on Wednesday 12 November.
Then Simon Ginders-Coxshall will be rolling up his sleeves at Newmarket Leisure Centre’s Montage Cafe on Thursday November 13.
Warren Smyth said: “This is a great way to raise money for such a good cause as well as spend some time on the frontline of our business with our staff who do a fantastic job all year round.”
Abbeycroft’s Chairman and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Howard will be judging the contest on BBC Children in Need day on Friday (Nov 14) looking at three areas – how they performed in the area of the Centres they worked in, how they applied their business skills in their strategy for raising money and how much money they raised.
Simon Ginders-Coxshall said: “I am very much looking forward to this with both the ‘back to the floor’ opportunity to gain a better insight to the excellent work the catering staff do and learn new barista skills. Of course the gloves are off, I am after the Apprentice crown.”
Lynda Pope added: “I know manning a busy reception desk is challenging and I am looking forward to spending time alongside the staff who do this every day as well as raising money for a great cause.”
