With members now back in the UK after what is being seen as a hugely successful BGTW AGM and Convention on 6 February in the Isle of Man, it’s time to offer a few thanks for those who made it all happen.
Thanks must go to Visit Isle of Man. From the start, the tourism organisation, led by chief executive Deborah Heather, made it clear it wanted to give Guild members the opportunity to really discover the very many stories the island has to tell.
In the end, some 50 or so members travelled over, either on board the Isle of Man Steam Packet’s new ship, ‘Manxman’, or flying from regional airports. Specific thanks must go to Yvette Hollows and her colleagues from Visit Isle of Man.
The itinerary offered members the opportunity to drill down into stories and topics relevant to their own requirements. The final, detailed itineraries, including pick-up bus and minibus shuttles, hotel accommodation and other bespoke requirements, were handled with aplomb.
A key element of the event programme was the formal BGTW AGM. Moderated by Stuart Render, in one of his final activities before stepping back from front-line Guild duties, the AGM saw the handover from the ‘old’ BGTW Board to the ‘new’ Board.
At the time of writing, that new Board comprises Chair Chris Coe, together with director Renate Ruge, Mary-Anne Evans, Valery Collins and Sarah Rodrigues.
Some of the selected coverage from the Isle of Man includes:
- ISLE SAY! The British island with stunning sandy beaches, seals & Victorian heritage railways The Sun
- Chasing the UK’S Northern Lights Daily Mail
- Isle of Man travel guide: From TT races to railways and dark skies New Zealand Herald
- Hundreds of invaders have taken over the Isle of Man. They’re wallabies Adventure.com
- An island break in the Irish Sea The Irish Post
- The highlights of the fiercely independent Isle of Man The National
- ISLE BE BACK Magical island with incredible wildlife, folklore and thrilling ‘TT race’ just 3 hour ferry trip from Dublin The Sun IE
- The Isle of Man, a UNESCO Biosphere known for its sustainability Silver Travel Advisor
- Isle of Man: We visited ‘a paradise island in the middle of the Irish Sea’ Yorkshire Post Magazine
- Beau Monde Traveller (print)
- Coast Magazine (print)
- Motor Caravanner Magazine (print)
