BLENHEIM PALACE LAUNCHES NEW PODCAST SERIES AND IS SHORTLISTED FOR TOP TOURISM AWARD Blenheim Palace has been shortlisted for the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence. The Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site is a finalist in the Access and Inclusive Tourism Award and the winner will be announced at a ceremony on the 25th of April. The Award recognises tourism businesses providing truly memorable visitor experiences for everyone, particularly those with accessibility requirements, and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business. In recent years, Blenheim Palace has introduced a series of initiatives designed to make its visitor experience more accessible. Examples include the creation of new touch tours for the visually impaired, sensory maps, accessible pathways and the introduction of Access Champions who work in visitor-facing roles on-site to promote accessibility and inclusiveness. A new Access Desk has also been introduced in the Palace’s main Visitor Centre where trained staff provide help and advice. During the lockdown, ticket sales moved entirely online. Blenheim’s Digital Team recognised the importance of creating a user-friendly interface for all visitors and built a website that achieved a 100% score on Google Lighthouse, which audits performance and accessibility. Head of operations Emily Spencer said, “We’re very pleased to have been shortlisted for this award as accessibility and inclusivity is something we take extremely seriously across the business. As a team, we still have a lot to learn and there are many areas where we can improve but it’s inspiring to see our efforts have been recognised by a panel of tourism experts.” Judging is carried out by an independent panel of past winners, industry leaders and experts in their field, selected for their impartiality, experience and suitability for each category. Overall winners will then be entered into the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which takes place in June. In other news at the venue, Blenheim Palace is launching a series of podcasts on Spotify. With topics ranging from hidden rooms inside Blenheim’s iconic grand bridge and the palace’s starring roles in a series of blockbuster movies to fashion and Winston Churchill, the 20-part series provides a fascinating insight into the Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hosted by Blenheim’s social historian Antonia Keaney, the series also features interviews with comedian and TV presenter Sue Perkins, writer and broadcaster Hugo Vickers and author Josh Ireland. As well as the stories about the palace’s rich heritage and the cast of famous historical characters, Antonia also talks to current members of the team including Blenheim archivist Alexa Frost, head of operations Heather Carter, who describes the challenges and rewards of running a great estate, and award-winning travel photographer Pete Seaward. “We began providing online talks and virtual tours during the lockdown as a way for us to stay in touch with people who couldn’t visit in person,” said Antonia. “I was surprised and delighted with the positive feedback and so we decided to expand our offering and produce a series of podcasts. It has been lovely for me to be able to talk to such a diverse group of fascinating people who each have their unique connection to Blenheim and I hope others will enjoy the fascinating insights and stories their interviews reveal.” The series also features British journalist and politician Rachel Trethewey talking about her books on the children of Winston Churchill, Blenheim’s most famous son, an interview with historic textiles conservator Emma Telford on her work with the palace’s priceless 300-year-old tapestries and an insight into what life was really like at a great estate. All of the podcasts are available to download on Spotify. To find out more and to book, visit www.blenheimpalace.com CONGRATULATIONS! To Sonning Flowers who recently won the prestigious Wedding Florist of the Year award at the 2022 Wedding Industry Awards. Turn to page 59 to read all about it and to find out more, visit www.sonningflowers.com EUTHYMIA CAKES BY EVA COCKRELL WINS AWARD Euthymia Cakes by Eva Cockrell of Buckinghamshire has been awarded Best Wedding Cakes in the Hitched Wedding Awards 2022. The awards recognise excellence offered by wedding businesses in the UK and signify a trusted seal of approval for couples planning their weddings. This year’s awards are based on nearly 8 million opinions from couples and more than 16,000 venues and suppliers participated. Euthymia Cakes by Eva Cockrell received several glowing reviews on Hitched, making them the winner of the award in their field. To book, visit https://euthymia.co.uk 14
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