The 2023 Belgravia Leisure Get Connected conference has been deemed an absolute success.
This week over 200 Belgravia Leisure team members travelled from around Australia and New Zealand, coming together at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre for the first time in four years.
Participants embraced the conference themes of innovation, collaboration, connection and technology during the three-day event as they bonded, shared knowledge and ideas and learnt from one another with engaging and inspiring content.
On day one, after an early start for many, delegates were split into groups and hit the road on bus tours to various Victorian Leisure, Tourism and BPRO Venues. The tours were a unique blend of learning, exploration and leisure, with insightful discussions and interactive sessions with local industry and senior leaders along the way.
That evening, a welcome reception awaited as the groups united, with many team members catching up in person for the first time in years with others meeting each other for the first time.
Day two was off to a flying start with CEO Nick Cox’s year in review. As a part of Nick’s address, he reflected on all we have achieved in the past four years.
Following Nick, guests were treated to an update on the UK leisure market by esteemed industry expert John Oxley. Belgravia Leisure CMO Penny Evans and her team then shared her knowledge on all things guest centricity, followed by Mark Maybury who dared those in attendance to lead by embracing courageous leadership in uncertain times.
A dynamic panel discussion in the afternoon on partnering for success saw panellists dive into what makes an ideal collaborative relationship with a contract partner, and Mr Jim Cock then addressed the audience on embracing the future that is already here.
We are thrilled to share the highlights and memorable moments from the unforgettable 2023 Get Connected Belgravia Leisure Conference and Awards night! Dive in and relive the energy, camaraderie, and passion that made this three-day event truly special below.
Day two concluded with an inspiring address from Chairman and CEO of Belgravia Group Geoff Lord himself before the party got started for the official Belgravia Leisure Awards Night! The glamorous event-themed The New Mask Mandate was all about celebrating excellence and recognising achievements that have made a significant impact on the organisation. A huge congratulations to the winners who all celebrated in style on the night:
- Guest First Award – Lawnton Aquatic Centre
- WHS Award – Keilor East Leisure Centre
- Innovation of the Year Award – Swan Hill Leisure Centre
- Health Club of the Year Award – Whitlam Leisure Centre
- Swim School of the Year Award – Mill Park Leisure Centre
- Sustainability Award – Elliot Heads Caravan Park
- Community Program Award – Mill Park Leisure Centre
- Inclusive Project Program Award – Ascot Vale Leisure Centre and Keilor East Leisure Centre
- Belgravia Foundation Award – BL Vic Golf Courses (Geelong, Spring Park, Yarrambat and Keilor) (The FARM Shoutout)
- Tourism of the Year Award – First Sun Holiday Park
- Facility of the Year Award (SA) – Adelaide Hills Recreation Centre
- Facility of the Year Award (WA) – Carramar Golf course
- Facility of the Year Award (NZ) – Trust House Recreation Centre
- Facility of the Year Award (VIC/TAS) – Pelican Park Recreation Centre (Yawa Aquatic Centre shout out)
- Facility of the Year Award (QLD/NT) – Caboolture Pool and Fitness
- Facility of the Year Award (NSW) – Whitlam Leisure Centre (Gunyama PARC Shout out)
- Facility of the Year Award (Leisure) – Adelaide Hills Recreation Centre
Day three saw to it that everyone was feeling fresh and sprightly for a dynamic line-up of thought provoking speakers, interactive workshops and networking opportunities, all aimed at empowering guests with the knowledge and tools to thrive.
Lisa McInness-Smith kicked the day off with a fun-filled session on how to build resilience and raise performance, setting guests off on a pathway of continuous improvement. This inspiring session was followed by an exciting lineup of stream sessions whereby the guests broke into groups over five different timeslots to attend a choice of sessions based on three themes;
- People and how to lead your team to success
- Product/program and how to grow participation
- Processes and how to use tools and technology to be a more effective manager
CEO Nick Cox brought the conference to a close with a reminder for guests to stay connected and continue to collaborate whilst embracing innovation and technology. The conference was truly a chance to get connected, and those in attendance are looking forward to sharing their learnings and takeaways to all of their local team members across Australia and New Zealand upon return.
A huge well done and thank you to all who worked hard to bring the conference together – it was truly inspiring.
