Alfa Travel nominated for Best Coach Operator at 2010 Globe Travel Awards

Alfa Travel has been shortlisted for a prize at the 2010 Globe Travel Awards.

The Chorley-based coach company is nominated for the Best Coach Operator award at the prestigious ceremony, to be held in January next year.

Alfa Travel is one of the UK’s fastest-growing coach holiday companies, providing trips to a host of popular destinations in Britain and Western Europe. It is the first time the company has received a nomination for a Globe Travel award.

Michaela Boardman, marketing manager at Alfa Travel, said: “We at Alfa Travel are especially proud to be nominated for the Globes given that the nominations are made by our valued travel trade partners. This has been a tough trading year for the industry, but together with support from hardworking agents out there on the front line, we've managed to buck the overall trend and see significant increases this year."

The Globe Travel Awards, run in conjunction with Travel Weekly magazine, recognises the very best of the travel industry. It is one of few awards ceremonies where the winners are voted for solely by travel agents.

There are over 40 categories in the Globe Travel Awards, from Best Cruise Company to Best Travel Website.

Martin Couzins, managing editor of Travel Weekly, said: “Winning a Globe award is a crucial badge of trust and confidence for the winning companies. Both travel agents and their customers have spoken, meaning winners of our Globe Travel Awards really can claim to be the best in their fields.”

A voting supplement will be included in the November issue of Travel Weekly, and agents will have until 11^thDecember to vote for their favourite shortlisted companies.

The winners will be announced at the Globe Travel Awards, held at Grosvenor House in London, on 19^th January 2010.

For more information on Alfa Travel, or to request a 2010 brochure, visit the Alfa Travel website.

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Who is wearing Musto performance clothing this week?

As the world’s leading provider of sailing clothing, it is no surprise that Musto is the number one choice for some of the biggest names in the sport. Here’s an update on just some of the competitors who are using Musto equipment this week;

Miranda Merron and Peter Harding are currently holding ninth place in the Solidaire du Chocloat on their new Class 40 boat 40 Degrees. The British pair are battling the elements in this race, and will be relying on their Musto clothing to protect them against the rough waves. Miranda said: "Naturally, we are yet again gently slamming into waves, upwind to the next low. The Musto drysuit remains in use for the forseeable future."

Also wearing Musto is the young Brit Ollie Bond, who came tenth in Leg 1 of the Mini Transat Series from La Rochelle to Madeira. Bond is currently en route to Brazil as Leg 2 of the race takes him across the testing waters of the Atlantic. Meanwhile in the Proto class, Matt Trautman is sailing in tenth place in his Musto gear.

Mike Slade and the crew of ICAP Leopard have just won line honours in the 2009 Rolex Middle Sea Race, completing the 600-mile course around Sicily in just over two days. Having already finished first in the Rolex Fastnet Race, she will now head to Australia in search of a classic sailing treble that concludes with the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race. Britain’s Alegre, also in Musto, was confirmed the overall winner of the race on handicap.

And finally, Musto has recently resigned as the Official Clothing Partner of the Portimao Global Ocean Race. Josh Hall, solo round the world sailor and Race Director of the Global Ocean Race 2011-12, has had a long relationship with the company. He said: “I wore Musto gear throughout my offshore sailing career and Musto were an enthusiastic partner of our first event, so we are extremely pleased to have them onboard for the second edition of what is truly shaping into a modern classic.”

The latest entry into the race, President of Class 40 Jacques Fournier, will be utilising a large selection of Musto equipment along with his co-skipper.

For more information about the Musto brand and its product range, visit the Musto website.

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East African Safari Classic set to increase tourism in Kenya

The world’s biggest car rally arrives in Kenya next month, providing a welcome boost for the country’s tourism industry.

Kenya’s tourist industry is set for a massive boost in the coming weeks with the arrival of the world’s biggest car rally.

The 2009 East African Safari Classic will begin from Mombasa at the end of next month, with 45 drivers scheduled to take part. The semi-annual rally was first raced in 2003, organised by an independent association after the Safari Rally was cut from the World Rally Championships in 2002.

The Kenyan Airways-sponsored event is widely regarded as one of the toughest rallies on the planet, spanning ten days and over 4500 kilometres. The route takes drivers through a wide variety of terrain in both Kenya and Tanzania, from the wild rough to the challenging gravel roads, interspersed with breathtaking scenery and exotic wildlife.

The rally will bring many spectators to Kenya, which can only be good news for the country’s economy as the tourists look to take advantage of the country’s hotels, bars and restaurants, and safari tours. The proposed tourism boom will be particularly beneficial to the coastal town of Mombasa, where the rally will begin and end, and its surrounding areas such as Shanzu Beach, where many of African Safari Club’s hotels are located.

Daniel Sykes, director or sales, marketing and business development for African Safari Club, said: “The Safari Rally in Kenya is very dear to our hearts. Roland Ruedin, the company owner’s son, competed in the 1979 Safari Rally and finished a credible 19^th. The Rally event is a great advertisement for Kenya, its scenery, wildlife and of course local people.”

The rally will leave Mombasa on 22^nd November, with the drivers arriving back on 1^st December. If you fancy getting a slice of the action, whilst also enjoying a relaxing safari break, then why not see what African Safari Club can offer you by visiting the African Safari Club website.

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Musto launches first ever mail order catalogue

Musto are launching their first ever mail order catalogue, showcasing the brand’s Autumn/Winter collections for 2009.

The 50-page catalogue features a selection of the Lifestyles range for both men and women, which utilises Musto’s background and expertise in sailing clothing to produce sportswear that is as stylish as it is functional.

From the outdoor clothing range including fleeces, waterproof jackets and walking boots, to the more casual everyday items such as jeans and jumpers, you’re sure to find the clothing you want at a price you can afford. The Lifestyles range also features a number of accessories, including hats, scarves, gloves, backpacks and luggage.

All of Musto’s clothing is made using the best technology that allows them to withstand whatever Mother Nature may throw at you. A number of jackets in the outdoor range are made from GORE-TEX and Windstopper material, making them water and wind-proof, as well as highly breathable. Fleece products are made using Polartec fabric, which keeps the body warm and dries quickly, while jackets with Primaloft use a patented microfiber structure to help the body retain warmth and conserve energy.

Musto are the world’s leading sailing clothing brand, and the official partners of the British Olympic sailing team Skandia Team GBR, so you can be assured that both Musto’s clothing and service is of the highest quality.

Orders can be placed by post, online, or over the phone, or alternatively you can visit one of the many Musto stores right across the country, including their brand new concession at Austin Reed on Regent Street in London.

You can browse through the complete Musto range by visiting the Musto website.

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Companies Act 2006 - Final Changes Effective 1 October 2009

On 1 October 2009 the final provisions of the Companies Act 2006 come into force. Trethowans Solicitors of Southampton and Salisbury have produced the following article setting out the key changes from 1 October 2009 and some considerations for existing companies.

 

Directors addresses

 

From 1 October 2009 Companies House will no longer place a director’s residential address on the public register. Instead, directors can provide a service address (which can be the company’s registered office) which will appear on the public register. All directors should be aware that this change is not retrospective, and therefore any residential addresses already showing on the public register will continue to do so. In addition, a company’s register of directors will no longer need to state the companies of which the director has been or is a director.

 

Memorandum of association

 

All companies incorporated after 1 October 2009 will have a short form memorandum of association which will detail its name, subscribers and the number of issued shares on the date of incorporation. The new style memorandum will act as a snap shot of the company on incorporation only and will not be capable of change. Therefore, the significance of the memorandum will be greatly reduced following 1 October 2009, after which time the main constitutional document of a company will be its articles of association.

 

All companies in existence on 1 October 2009 will retain the traditional long-form memorandum (including objects, statement of limited liability and statement of the authorised share capital (if applicable)), which will become part of the company’s articles. If a company wishes to change the content of its memorandum, for example to remove the restrictions in its objects clause, it can do so by passing a special resolution to amend the articles.

 

Objects of a company

 

Companies incorporated after 1 October 2009 (and therefore with a short form memorandum) will have unlimited objects, unless the objects of the company are expressly limited in the articles of association. For companies incorporated prior to 1 October 2009, however, the objects clause in the memorandum will remain effective until amended by special resolution.

 

Authorised share capital

 

Companies incorporated after 1 October 2009 will not have a statement of authorised share capital. This means that the directors of the company can allot any number of shares at their discretion (provided that the company only has one class of share) without the need for authorisation from the shareholders. Shareholder authorisation will still be required to waive pre-emption rights however.

 

For existing companies, the authorised share capital set out in its memorandum will remain a restriction on the number of shares which can be allotted. If a company would like to remove this restriction, it can do so by amending its articles by special resolution.

 

Existing articles of association

 

The articles of association of a company incorporated before 1 October 2009, will continue to be effective after 1 October 2009. However, all articles will be interpreted in line with the Companies Act 2006 and may no longer be accurate or consistent. In addition, the articles may impose unnecessary restrictions or unduly complicated procedures, which have been removed or simplified by the Companies Act 2006. As a result, now may be a good time to update your articles.

 

New articles of association

 

New model articles for private companies replace the existing Table A and C articles as the default articles for all companies incorporated on or after 1 October 2009. The new model articles are designed for small owner-managed businesses with only a small number of directors and shareholders and therefore, they may not be suitable for larger or more complex companies. In addition, the model articles do not duplicate provisions which are already in the Companies Act 2006 in order to keep them simple. This means that the articles are not a full statement of the rights and obligations of the shareholders and directors and reference must also be made to the Companies Act 2006 itself (which has 1,300 sections). This could lead to uncertainty and confusion.

 

Therefore all companies incorporated after 1 October 2009 should consider whether the model articles are suitable for their needs. If they are not, bespoke articles should be drafted and should be used in place of the default model articles.

 

What changes to your company’s constitutional documentation should you consider?

 

Since its implementation began on 1 October 2007, the Companies Act 2006 has made a great number of changes to company law. Now that the final changes are to be implemented on 1 October 2009, it may be a good time to consider whether amendments are required to your constitutional documentation, which could now be greatly out of date.

 

Companies incorporated prior to 1 October 2009 should consider the following in respect of their articles:

 

   1.      Do you still require the company’s objects to be restricted?

   2.      Do you wish for the authorised share capital of the company to be limited and for directors to require authority to allot shares?

   3.      Do you wish to have annual general meetings now that they are not required?

   4.      Do you wish to have a company secretary now that they are no longer required?

   5.      Do your articles provide for 14 days notice of a general meeting, the use of written resolutions and electronic communications with shareholders?

 

If the answer to any or all of the above is ‘no’, you may wish to consider updating your articles to bring them into line with the Companies Act 2006.

 

If you would like to discuss any of the matters raised in this article, or if you are interested in updating your company’s articles, please contact Catherine MacRae on 023 8082 0456 or Mike Watson on 023 8082 0546.

 

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