Press Releases

May 21, 2013 11:54 BST Bury Council Members of Bury People First have been celebrating winning the Bronze award in the Mencap Active Project.

Adam has become one of Romford’s first disabled fitness instructors through pioneering charity programme

May 21, 2013 11:05 BST Aspire Adam Hollick has a spinal cord injury which has left him with reduced sensation and muscle strength but he is proving that this is no barrier to a successful career in the fitness industry. After completing a voluntary work placement, he is now a paid fitness instructor at the YMCA gym in Romford. Adam was offered free training through the InstructAbility programme.

Scandic Hotels turns 50 - Trendsetting hotel chain looks to the future

May 21, 2013 08:00 BST Scandic Hotels The year was 1963. On 20 May, the Esso Motor Hotell opened its doors in Laxå and welcomed its first guests. Fast-forward 50 years and the hotel chain has enjoyed strong growth, making its mark on both the Swedish and the international hotel industry along the way. In 1984, Esso Motor Hotell changed its name to Scandic Hotels, a chain that now has 155 hotels and around 30,000 rooms across Europe.

Scandic Hamburg Emporio wins the Top Hotel Opening Award 2012 in the First Class category

May 15, 2013 15:34 BST Scandic Hotels Scandic Hamburg Emporio was among the winners of the Top Hotel Opening Awards 2012, honouring the best hotel openings of the year in the Luxury, First Class, Budget and Exceptional categories. Partner to the award is the Stuttgart Trade Fair, with its fair Intergastra.

Raising money and awareness of dementia

May 14, 2013 10:49 BST Bury Council A wide range of activities has been organised in Bury to mark Dementia Awareness Week (20-25 May).

National Day shows that spinal cord injury needn’t stop you getting the most out of life.

May 10, 2013 14:52 BST Aspire On Friday 17th May, Spinal Injuries Together, a grouping of the UK’s five major spinal cord injury charities, will be raising awareness of the life-changing effects of spinal cord injury through national Spinal Cord Injuries Day. In the UK alone, someone is told they may never walk again Every Eight Hours.

Scandic stands its ground as the best hotel chain on sustainability

May 07, 2013 06:55 BST Scandic Hotels For the third year in a row, Scandic has been voted the most sustainable hotel chain by the 9,000 Swedish consumers who participated in Sustainable Brands*, the annual survey that ranks how companies work on environmental and social responsibility. In total across all sectors Scandic comes in 16th place out of 228.

Aspire Sports Quiz Dinner London 2013

May 03, 2013 11:52 BST Aspire The 14th annual Sports Quiz Dinner in London was marked by the warmest day of the year and a fantastic atmosphere at the long-favoured venue, Lord’s Cricket Ground. Over 650 guests enjoyed a drinks reception and sumptuous three course dinner whilst battling it out over the legendary Sports Quiz, hosted by Aspire President and renowned sports presenter, John Inverdale.

Gotland’s biggest hotel becomes a Scandic

May 02, 2013 07:00 BST Scandic Hotels On 14 June Gotland’s biggest hotel – Visby HamnHotell – will become Scandic’s first hotel on the popular Swedish island. The comprehensive refurbishment and extension of the hotel has been completed and it is now time for a name change. The new Scandic Visby will be offering this summer’s guests 214 rooms, many with sea views and a balcony or terrace.

Shortfalls in care system deny spinal cord injured people their independence

Apr 21, 2013 14:30 BST Aspire Nearly 40% of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) feel that their care needs are not being met by relevant UK authorities, according to a research report by the spinal cord injury charity, Aspire. Survey participants reported that only their very basic needs are fulfilled and that care packages do not allow people to live independently.