We were delighted to debut at The Independent Hotel Show last week at Olympia London. It was a great experience for the team, who enjoyed meeting lots of new people and talking about products and fabrics that are perfect for the hotel market.

There was a great buzz in the hall, and it was very interesting to see and listen to other exhibitors who cater towards all aspects of the hotel market. There were over 350 quality suppliers to the hotel industry present, with categories covering everything from design and décor, housekeeping, audio equipment, beds and bedding, technology, business services and spa and wellness products.

In addition to this, there were 25 complimentary seminars and workshops. We attended a Social Media and Collaborations seminar which we found very interesting.

Over 6300 owners and operators from UK luxury, boutique and independent hotels were present. This gave us the opportunity to engage face to face with a targeted audience and showcase our products to key decision makers. We received some fantastic engagement and reaction to our products and are now well on the way to establishing ourselves as a key industry supplier.

Following our successful debut, we are delighted to announce that we will be returning to the Independent Hotel Show next year on a bigger and better stand!

We look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

Whitemeadow have once again sponsored eight local schools to take part in the Furniture Makers' Company's 'Young Furniture Makers Exhibition' 2019. The 'Young Furniture Makers' exhibition was set up 10 years ago for school children, students and university graduates to showcase thier work and meet potential employers and members of the industry.

Head of Group HR Karen Clarridge and Marketing Manager Zehra Gezer attended the exhibition at the Furniture Maker's Hall and the Dutch Church in the heart of the City of London last week. Both were really impressed with the talent on display and were delighted to spot some of the student's work from the local schools Whitemeadow had sponsored for the School Design Prize, including this amazing Rabbit Sculpture by Emily Roberts-Howes from Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Ashbourne.

And congratulations to Esme Short, a student at The Joseph Whitaker School in Rainworth, who exhibited her architectural model and received a commendation for her entry into the School Design Prize.

We look forward to sponsoring more local schools next year as part of our drive to inspire future generations in the art of furniture making!

Whitemeadow are delighted to have been accredited as an Investors in People organisation, having met the appropriate requirements of the Investors in People framework.

Investors in People is a standard for people management, offering accreditation to organisations that adhere to the Investors in People Standard. Until January 2017, Investors in People was owned by the UK Government, but as of February 2017 it transitioned into the Investors in People Community Interest Company.

Investors in People assessments are conducted locally and involve Practitioners being present for a number of days on site to observe management meetings and production processes. It also involves online surveys being conducted with each member of staff, face to face interviews with management and randomly selected members of staff, observation of activities and interactions between staff and managers and review of supporting documents.

The award is valid for 3 years and Whitemeadow will be re-assessed at yearly intervals.

Head of Group HR, Karen Clarridge, commented on the accreditation:

“After several years of hard work and following a rigorous assessment process, we are thrilled to receive this recognition. Recognised the world over, the Investors in People accreditation simply demonstrates a clear commitment to the people who make up our organisation, we quite rightly feel extremely proud of our achievement.”