2nd June 2010 BCT Monthly Newsletter - OUT NOW! Our June Edition of the Business Continuity Training monthly newsletter is now available. To sign up for our newsletter, click here In this month's edition you can read about: BCT Tutor of the month; Jim Burtles gives his thoughts on training courses, business continuity consulting, and scenarios where business continuity was key. Product of the month; An in-depth look at this month's featured product, the Business Continuity Basics course. Student InterviewPast student Jim Stephenson gives his thoughts on our BCI Licensed Training Course Business Continuity in Action; Our very own Head of Training, Charlie Maclean-Bristol, looks at the lessons to be learnt from the ongoing ash cloud incident.

23rd May 2010 Blackpool FC Reach Premier League Dreams Blackpool have defeated Cardiff 3-2 at Wembley Stadium in the Championship play-offs to earn a promotion to the Premier League! This will Blackpool's first appearance in the Premier League since the 1992 founding of the competition, and their appearance in English football's top flight in 39 years. Blackpool have now, uniquely, been promoted through all three tiers of the Football League via the play-off system. They have won all 9 of the games, which were each within the space of 9 years.

1st February 2010 BCT moves into larger more eco-friendly offices Our busy office in Lytham was bursting at the seams, so we have moved out into a purpose built office building in central Lytham.

Location was extremely important since we wished our staff to ditch their cars in favour of greener ways to commute. We are very proud of the fact that all our fulltime staff either walk, cycle or take the bus to work!

We are now fully setup at :

The Old Bakery
Green Street
Lytham FY8 5LG

Sunday 13th September 2009
Alex Morrad runs half marathon

Our Administrator Alex Morrad ran a half marathon, but she hasn't been put off as she's now training twice as hard for the Blackpool Marathon. She's not going it alone though, as Lauchlan Maclean-Bristol (Head of Training) and Charlotte Ward (Finance Manager) will be joining her.

Saturday 20th June 2009 BCT organise charity cricket tournament - raising £2000 for charity BCT and Totalize Media organised and ran a 6-a-side cricket tournament at Birkmyre Park in Kilmacolm on the 20th June. There was a bit of rain on the day, but the cricket continued regardless, and the sun did eventually appear from behind the clouds. Six teams including or own BCT team competed on the day.

The tournament was closely fought. The league in which BCT was playing there was 1 run between all three teams and so it came down to wickets lost to decide the final places. Unfortunately BCT lost more wickets and was in the play off for 5th and 6th place; We came a glorious last!

In the park there was a BBQ, cake stand, tombola, and a silent action which all added to the amount raised for the charities. The final match was closely fought but was won by the Birkmyre Bears; members and camp followers of the local rugby team Birkmyre RFC. The £2000 raised was split evenly between Inverclyde Downs Syndrome Group and Yorkhill Hospital. The day was a great success and there's a rumour that we might do it all again next year.

26th October 2008
BCT moves to new office

BCT HQ moved from the White Rose County to the Red Rose County in October. Not for any particular loyalty, but just for a bigger premises.

Sunday 8th September 2008
Jenny Walton organised charity fun day

Responsible for Marketing and PR, Jenny helped organise a charity fun day to raise money for Derian House Childrens Hospice; a local charity for termanilly ill children. It was Alice in Wonderland themed with everyone dressed as a character and there was the usual raffle and other fundraising activities.

Wednesday 20th February 2008
BCT enters and sponsors a team in Caledonian Challenge 2008

The RBS Caledonian Challenge is one of Scotland’s greatest and rewarding team fundraising challenge events and takes place on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June 2008.

Our BCT team walked 54 miles in 24 hours - non-stop! The trail covers the most scenic sections of the West Highland Way, starting in Fort William, continuing up the Devil\'s Staircase, crossing Rannoch Moor and finishing on the banks of Loch Lomond.

The Caledonian Challenge raises funds for the Scottish Community Foundation - a charity dedicated to strengthening communities by awarding grants that make a genuine difference to the lives of local people.

It is the toughest event of its kind in the UK but is achievable by anyone with the right training, preparation and a positive attitude and we are pleased to say, everyone achieved it!

Our team included Lauchlan Maclean-Bristol and Charlotte Ward. Other team members are Matthew Dillon and Ruth Walters - both friends of BCT. Julie Santos (Graphic Design) and Mark Hopkins (Director of Studies) assisted with training, while Abby Dillon drove the team bus.

'The Caledonian Challenge gives BCT the chance to put something back into our community in the UK - we are so quick to support our overseas concerns but often we forget about the problems on our own doorstep. We are, therefore, delighted to be raising funds for the Scottish Communities Foundation, so every penny helps. It also gives us a chance to partake in a team building exercise in some stunning settings and get fit!'
Charlotte Ward, Feb 2008

To find out more about Caledonian Challenge, please click here

BCT also donates to the charity Project Trust and Head of Training, Charlie Maclean-Bristol is on the board of directors. It is BCT's charity of choice.

Project Trust is an educational charity on the Hebridean Isle of Coll in North West Scotland. It sends about two hundred volunteers to twenty-five countries every year and is widely respected as one of the most experienced and professional gap year organisations in Britain. To find out more about Project Trust please click here