CEO UPDATE / LATEST NEWS / EMPLOYEE WELLBEING / & MUCH MORE
BIRCHWOOD PARK WINS SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
We are thrilled to share that Birchwood Park Golf & Country Club has been recognised with the Sustainability Project Award at the prestigious England Golf Awards 2025!
This award celebrates the club's commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable future for golf.
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Hello Everyone,
It is hard to believe that it is July already, and another quarter has passed since the last update. It has certainly been a very busy three months with lots happening across the business.
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CEO UPDATE - PG. 3
From Simon Thompson
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS - PG. 4-7
Community Event
BGL Challenge '25
Congratulations To...
Looking Forward To...
What's On / Coming Up
Fundraising & Community
Step-up to GM Programme Update
BGL Supplier Day 2025
New Careers Page
ED&I - PG. 7
Neurodiversity - Love On The Spectrum
GET TO KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES - PG. 8
Holly Sharman - General Manager, Mulligans Bristol
SUSTAINABILITY - PG. 8-10
Birchwood Park Wins Sustainability
Project Award
Woodland Management
Sustainability Officer - Abbey Hill GC
SPOTLIGHT - PG. 10
F&B Manager, Aldwickbury Park GC
WELLBEING - PG. 11
Physical Health and Wellbeing, Lifelong Learning Topic - Winner Announcement
General Manager - Ninja Warrior Milton Keynes
CAREER LADDER - PG. 12
Leyonce Sanderson - Ninja Warrior Sheffield
TECH TOP TIPS - PG. 12
Maximising Productivity using AI with Microsoft Copilot
SUCCESSES - PG. 13
Learning at Work Week
The Great Paper Tower Challenge
Learning In Access
RECOGNITIONS - PG. 14
Employee of the Quarter - Q2
Simon Thompson
Hello Everyone,
It is hard to believe that it is July already, and another quarter has passed since the last update. It has certainly been a very busy three months with lots happening across the business.
A key point of note over the last few months has been the UK weather. It has been an amazing Spring and start to the Summer with recordbreaking weather, seeing low rainfall and consistent sunshine. That, coupled with Rory McIlroy’s fantastic victory at The Masters, gave the Golf Division a fantastic boost and the best possible start to the season.
We’ve been busy so far this year. Record roundage and strong membership renewal patterns continue across all our golf clubs. Our golf retail and food & beverage businesses have performed strongly too. Golf is as popular as ever, and we do a great job of making it as accessible as ever, from adventure golf to driving ranges and all the different formats we offer. We have a unique position in the UK golf market, and it’s important we make the most of this to help people develop their golfing careers, join our communities and celebrate their successes in our venues.
That said, I’ve been here long
enough to know the weather always brings challenges - good or bad! This prolonged hot spell is putting a strain on the course infrastructure and needs careful management (we could do with a few days of rain). Thank you to everyone working hard to manage the day-to-day presentation of our courses. It highlights the benefit of the investment we’ve made in infrastructure and the continued impact it will have. It’s a great example of the strength of the group and reinforces why our commitment to net zero and efficient resource use is so important.
It was great for this effort to be recognised at the England Golf Awards, with Steve and the team at Birchwood winning an awardyou can read more about it in this edition.
It’s also been great to make the most of the better weather and longer days to get out and play some golf. A highlight was experiencing my first Burhill Challenge and meeting the club captains from all our clubs. The community aspect of golf club membership is crucial to the success of the club and the attraction to our current and future members. It’s brilliant to be able to say thank you for all the hard work that goes into making the club side of things happen from day to day.
The good weather, particularly over Easter and May half term, has put more pressure on the Adventure Leisure and Ninja Warrior divisions, and the whole sector has struggled as people have taken advantage of outdoor activities with their families and friends. Despite this, we’ve been working hard to drive performance, offering great value, innovation on activities and pricing, and making sure customer satisfaction scores are as high as possible. On-course sales have been a particular focus, and it’s been great to see the efforts and competition around the
leaderboard for this. One thing is certain, this weather won’t last, and the adventure leisure sector is here to stay, so we must continue to work hard to put ourselves in the best position. Both divisions have loyal customers who underpin their performance with regular visits, and in this heat, it’s great to have air-conditioned venues for them to enjoy!
By the time of the next edition, we will have opened the latest Mulligans in the centre of Guildford, which will be a fantastic addition to the brand. Stephen and the team have worked hard to deliver some innovative changes (I won’t spoil the surprises), but I think this will be our most successful Mulligans yet. It has already broken records for advance sales.
None of our activities come to life for our customers without the efforts of our colleagues across the business. It’s great to see in this issue more examples of the activities happening across the Group to support our colleagues in delivering a great experience every day. This quarter has seen a specific focus on wellness and Learning at Work Week. There are a huge number of resources available through the Access system to enable career development, so please do make use of them.
Over the next few months, we have a fantastic opportunity to have our most successful summer period ever. I look forward to seeing you on my travels around the business, and thanks in advance for all the hard work that goes into delivering an amazing experience for all our customers at this busy time of the year.
Best wishes,
Simon Thompson CEO
Ninja Warrior Milton Keynes held a community event with MK Dons football club, which acted as a great sales outreach for us.
The team got match day ticket holders, season ticket holders and any families that were visiting the MK Dons home game, dressed into Sumo Suits, and the winner of the fight got to spin the prize wheel.
The team at Burhill have sent a note to say 'Thank you' for allowing the club to host the BGL Challenge '25.
The BGL Challenge is a yearly interclub tournament across all our golf courses. The GMs invite their Club Captains or committee members. At BGL, we are very grateful for the huge amount of hard work and voluntary hours committees dedicate to making the golfing experience at our clubs what they are – competitive, fun and friendly.
Burhill GC was honoured to host this year on Saturday, 17th May. The BGL Challenge was followed by a BBQ and was a great occasion enjoyed by members from other clubs.
Thornbury were convincing winners on the day, with Burhill finishing in second place, followed by Redbourn.
Charlotte Rosser, a member of the Burhill Pro Shop team, who had baby Laylia, born on Monday, 5th May. Weighing in at 7lb 2oz. Mum and baby are doing great!
Ashley Watts (Management Accountant) and his fiancée Chloe are due to tie the knot on Saturday, 5th July. The team at Burhill is looking forward to hosting the Wedding Breakfast and Evening Celebration.
Colleagues are invited to spectate at the following events at Burhill!
1. Burhill are hosting - qualifying for the Seniors Open Championship that will take place on Monday 21st July (New Course), with the tournament taking place a few days later at Sunningdale. Spectators are welcome.
2. Burhill are hosting the English Men's Amateur Championship from 11th - 15th August on the Old Course.
Prostate Cancer is the second leading cause of cancerrelated deaths in the UK for men, behind only lung cancer. There is no national screening programme, and early diagnosis results in a 10-year survival rate. Late diagnosis significantly reduces survival rates.
In February, Burhill partnered with Ashford & St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey to hold a second PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) mass blood test event. At the end of April, club member James Aljoe (a Urologist at the hospital) held a charity golf day, which raised over £35,000 for the hospital charity, raising funds for groundbreaking 'Aquablation' treatment at the hospital.
In March, we launched our inaugural Step-Up to GM programme within Adventure Leisure and Ninja Leisure. Participants, Nic Karanicola (Bunkers Swansea), Martin Connor (Worcester) and Conner McGrath (Stevenage) have been busier than ever since then!
Here are some of the highlights from the first few months:
“I learned information about myself and my relationship with others, and it’s helped me to adapt my communication style to suit different individuals.” C.M.
“It has helped me to understand how to work with others, both those who are like me and different. It is a document I will reflect on regularly.” M.C.
“I learned many things about myself, some of which I now know I need to work on.” N.K.
“I learned how working in a team toward the same end goal, even though we each had different views, can result in something great.” C.M.
“The project is a very useful way of reviewing how we approach the team and share best practice on customer service. The most interesting part for me was designing different ways to interact with the team and communicate on different levels.” M.C.
“I learned how three different perceptions can all come together to make one greater product.” N.K.
“I am developing my management skills and learning new ways of thinking and understanding.” C.M.
“It is giving me time to step outside of my current role, and review my management style, enabling me to see other viewpoints and improve outcomes.” M.C.
“I am learning in great depth how to manage essential aspects of a successful business.” N.K.
This week, the team at Burhill Golf Club once again played host to one of the highlights of our annual events calendar - the BGL Supplier & Partner Golf Day.
Held on the Old Course at Burhill, the day welcomed over 80 guests from across our supplier network, partner agencies, and business collaborators. But more than just a great day of golf, this event continues to serve as an important opportunity to strengthen relationships, showcase our venues, and make a difference in the community.
Thanks to the generosity of our guests - and some sharp short-game skills during the chipping competition - we raised £1,800 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, supporting the incredible work they do for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
The day began with a welcome breakfast and address, followed by a Texas Scramble competition under clear skies. After play, guests enjoyed a BBQ feast on the clubhouse terrace, before the afternoon closed with a prize-giving ceremony for the top-performing teams and nearest-the-pin winners.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone across BGL who supported the delivery of this event, and especially to Nick
the professionalism, creativity and hospitality shown by our teams. It doesn’t go unnoticed.
Here’s to another successful year of partnerships!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Careers page and Recruitment dashboard in Access! Look at the Careers page here: BGL Careers
All vacancies across the Group are now being advertised on the new Careers page, and they will no longer be advertised on Staff Noticeboards unless we want to promote a specific role. Colleagues now have a Recruitment tab on their Employee Dashboard (in Access) where they can see all vacancies being advertised internally and externally. You can also view the Careers page (and apply for jobs) from your Employee Dashboard.
Our new Careers page is designed to provide an engaging and seamless experience for job seekers where people can explore our open positions, discover career opportunities, and learn about our company culture.
What’s New for Applicants?
• User-Friendly Design: Navigate through our vacancies with ease, enabling them to find the perfect role that matches their skills and aspirations.
• Insightful Content: Get to know more about BGL’s mission, values, and the amazing people who make up our team.
• Interactive Features: Engage with our content through videos, employee testimonials, and more.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the project team for making this happen! Link: https://careers.bglcompany.co.uk
Following last month’s lifelong learning session on neurodiversity hosted by the People Team, Love on the Spectrum on Netflix is a great way to continue building our understanding of each other’s differences.
This heartwarming series follows individuals on the autism spectrum as they navigate dating and relationships, offering an authentic and powerful reminder that love, connection, and inclusion matter to everyone.
It’s a simple, meaningful way to deepen our appreciation of neurodiversity in everyday life. I would highly recommend you add it to your watchlist—you’ll come away with new insights and a full heart. - Sophia Federico, Employee Relations Advisor.
1. How long have you been with the business? I started on April 2nd, 2025.
2. What is your favourite part of working for Adventure Leisure?
Having such a supportive network of people within my Bristol team and beyond!
3. What do you do outside of work (hobbies)?
Outside of work, I love a pub garden, getting tattoos and cooking new recipes.
4. What is your favourite book/movie/series?
My favourite series at the moment is American dad, I love the comedies - nothing too serious!
5. What is your favourite genre of music/artist?
My favourite genre of music at the moment is pop-rock, but the best artist is Elton John - I have been lucky enough to see him twice.
6. If you could go on holiday anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would love to go to Germany and experience Oktober Fest and really experience that culture.
7. What is one thing you couldn’t live without?
One thing I couldn't live without is my mascara. It brings out my eyes and makes me feel confident and ready to face the day.
BIRCHWOOD PARK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB WINS SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT AWARD AT ENGLAND GOLF AWARDS!
W
e are thrilled to share that Birchwood Park Golf & Country Club has been recognised with the Sustainability Project Award at the prestigious England Golf Awards 2025!
This award celebrates the club's commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable future for golf.
Click here to see England Golf Article
We’re committed to continuing our journey towards a more sustainable future for golf!
Continued on the next page.
Birchwood Park Golf & Country Club was named the winner of the Sustainability Project of the Year Award at the prestigious England Golf Awards 2025 hosted by Mark Chapman on 2nd April 2025. This award celebrates our commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable future for golf.
A GEO-certified club since 2013, Birchwood Park has consistently worked to reduce its environmental impact while championing innovative solutions that improve nature, resource efficiency, and its community.
Working with the Woodland Trust, we have restored 1.2 hectares of woodland within our grounds by planting a diverse mix of native trees. This project not only enhances the biodiversity of the club, but also provides critical habitats for local wildlife, supporting birds, insects, and small mammals.
By sequestering carbon, these trees actively help Birchwood Park offset our carbon footprint, aligning with the UK’s broader net-zero targets. Over time, this woodland area will mature into a thriving natural asset, enhancing the beauty and ecological value of our course for generations to come.
Resource efficiency is integral to our operations, and we have achieved zero waste to landfill, a significant milestone in our waste management strategy. By increasing recycling rates by 35%, we have embraced the principles of the circular economy. Our efforts include working closely with suppliers to improve packaging recyclability and educating staff and members on waste segregation. These actions ensure that materials are reused and recycled wherever possible, reducing environmental footprint and contributing to a cleaner planet.
Recognising the risks associated with water scarcity and pollution, Birchwood Park has developed an innovative water management system that redirects car park run-off into its irrigation infrastructure. This approach enables the club to irrigate turf using captured rainwater, significantly reducing reliance on abstracted or potable water supplies. Additionally, this system helps prevent pollutants from entering local waterways, protecting the integrity of the surrounding environment. This project exemplifies how golf clubs can adopt practical, scalable solutions to address critical environmental challenges.
A huge thank you to England Golf for this incredible
recognition and to our dedicated team, our members, and Burhill Golf and Leisure who support our mission.
The installation of solar panels marks another step in our sustainability journey for 2025, with more initiatives to come.
Kind Regards, Stephen Norton
Woodland Management is a vital aspect of maintaining a sustainable golf course, and it's not always about chopping down diseased trees or re-planting new saplings. Two years ago, Burhill used a technique called 'pollarding' to take weight off the tree canopy and in doing so, protect the trunk from splitting, so prolonging its life. The trees at the back of the 16th green on the Old Course have grown back in lollipop shape and are looking amazing!
Hi, I’m Katie. I’ve been working at Abbey Hill Golf Centre since February 2023 as an F&B Assistant and have recently taken on the role of Sustainability Officer, alongside this, where I will be supporting the team as we work towards our environmental goals.
I’ve just finished my second year at the University of Sussex, where I studied for a BSc in Geography, Sustainable Development and Climate Change. The course combines the science behind climate change with practical approaches to sustainability. It covers everything from environmental policy and land management to how businesses can become more sustainable.
At Abbey Hill, I will be involved in tracking our sustainability progress, working with different departments to explore greener ways of operating, and helping to communicate what we’re doing with golfers and visitors. This is all part of BGL’s wider commitment to reach Net Zero by 2026, and I’m proud to be contributing to that journey.
There’s still plenty more to come, and I’m excited to keep learning and help make a positive difference across the club.
We currently have a variety of exciting positions across BGL, which can be viewed and applied for through your employee dashboard.
One notable opportunity is for a Food & Beverage Manager at Aldwickbury Park Golf Club. The venue holds exciting events and functions from weddings to seasonal celebrations, as well as having a wonderful restaurant and bar area open seven days a week.
This role offers the successful candidate an opportunity to lead a dedicated and hard-working team while receiving support to grow and develop their career.
To see the full vacancy details and apply, visit: Food & Beverage Manager · Burhill Recruitment
Thank you to every single person, pair or team who took part in our lifelong learning on the topic of physical health and wellbeing.
Whether you were actively participating in The BGL's Wellness Challenge in May 2025 or taking tips from the social hub to view 31 approved ways to live longer using Vitality flashcards, well done!
A special shout-out to our challenge winner – Jaspal Singh, F&B Manager at Birchwood Park, with an awe-inspiring 2100 points for May, including a total of 423,000 steps! You are the prize winner; your Wellness Hamper will be with you soon.
In second place, with a great total of 1825 points for May, the Cheltenham team, who entered together as a site! Daily 10k steps, vision boards and wellness poems (see images).
Closely followed by Wayne Davies, General Manager at Ninja Leisure MK, who finished the month with an impressive score of 1070! Whose activities included 10k steps and lots of golf!
1. What small, positive actions can someone take daily to prioritise their mental wellbeing to avoid stress or burnout? Staying hydrated and setting boundaries with work hours is important. Starting the day with gratitude, writing down three things you're thankful for can shift your mindset positively.
2. What healthy ways would you recommend as a mental health first aider to ‘recharge’ and ‘self-care’? For me, playing a round of golf is really therapeutic. When I’m out on the course, I don’t think about personal or work troubles—it’s just me, the ball, and the course. It’s a great way to clear my mind, so my advice is to find an activity or hobby that gives you the same!
3. What’s one nice thing that someone can do to improve the wellbeing of a peer? A small gesture like asking, "How are you really doing?" and listening without judgment can mean a lot. Offering a genuine compliment or even inviting a colleague for a coffee or walk can provide much-needed connection and support.
Microsoft Copilot offers powerful features to streamline your tasks and boost productivity.
Here are some quick tips:
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Start date with the company: 13/12/21
Position when joined: Court Marshall
Current position: General Assistant multi-trained across the entire park.
Journey: Started as a Court Marshal back in 2021, then took training across the venue and am now multi-trained but enjoys the café most.
If you could go back and give advice to our younger self starting at BGL, what would it be? Keeping up to date with the online systems provides skills and knowledge. Also, look at other learning courses that are not specific to your role, as these can be useful too, not only for work but also for life skills.
A massive thank you to all those who took part in Learning at Work Week (L@WW) in May, and to those who helped to make it happen. We saw ‘Connection’ in action, which was what L@WW aimed to achieve this year!
Congratulations to the team at Cheltenham (AKA ‘The Roll Ups’) for their engineering ingenuity! Tower height? A whopping 215 cm!
Congratulations to Sophia Federico from the People Team, who chose to do a course in Access (that wasn’t compliance training!) to further her development!
Recordings were made of:
1. Stephen Brown, COO for Adventure Leisure and Ninja Leisure - giving a business update.
2. Oli and Gaby, Support Office Marketing Team –giving tips on how to make the most out of your LinkedIn profile.
3. Alan Rutter, Hospitality Industry Training – giving an overview of apprenticeships and the opportunities available.
4. Serina Young, Birchwood Park Golf and Country Club – giving a 10-minute guided body reset session.
You can view these in Access by going to: Learning>Finder>Learning at Work Week 2025.
I hope that, in line with the 2025 ‘Get Connected’ theme, we can keep the idea of ‘connection’ top-of-mind: Connection with the business that we are part of, with one another, and with your wellbeing.
Thank you for your support! (LinkedIn Post Below)
Employee of the quarter Q1
Location
Alastair Wells Basildon
Christian Readings Birmingham
Jack Burrows Bournemouth
Kyle Strange Bristol
Charlie Webb Cheltenham
Matthew Shaw Hemel
Harry Shepherd Milton Keynes
Alyssa Chaston Newcastle
William Jackson Norwich
Samantha Myers Romford
Chloe Nayler Sidcup
Connor Wilson Stevenage
Ibrahim Balogum Swansea
N/A Tonbridge
Rory Kobrin Worcester
Megan Moth Milton Keynes
Lauren Davies Sheffield
Martha Lifford Southampton
Rhys Stevens Swansea
Safyan Khan Manchester
Graham Lambert Abbey Hill
Miranda Abrahams Aldwickbury Park
Rebecca Bainbridge Birchwood Park
Robert Mitchell Burhill
Harry Yule Hoebridge
Aprille Wildgust Ramsdale Park
David Bryant Redbourn
Thomas Gadbury Thornbury
Mark Henley Wycombe Heights
Samantha Clarke Shropshire
