The Metropole Hotel's News Feed

Keith Jansz at the Met

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Keith Jansz - a highly-regarded member of the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists - will be holding a 2 day exhibition at the Metropole Hotel on 24th and 25th September 2011, to showcase a number of works inspired by the unique light and landscape of the Padstow area.

Using a specially adapted easel and other customised equipment Keith has been able to paint ‘en plein air’ in Padstow itself and on surrounding beaches, including Constantine Bay and Watergate Bay. Paintings will be on sale as well as prints, books and cards by the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists. Keith will be donating 20% of all sales to the Padstow Lifeboat.

Keith says: "It is difficult to express the importance of painting in my life, because it affects everything I see, feel and do - I can’t escape it, and I have no desire to. Before 1995, when life forever more changed in a split second, I don’t think that I really saw the world around me. I had no time to appreciate the changes in nature - the nuances of light even on a dull day, the reflections in puddles after the rain, the recognisable shapes of distant figures walking towards me. Now I revel in these simple pleasurable sights but at the same time try to keep them in my memory until I can use them in my painting. I find it hard to look at a scene without thinking ‘How would I paint this? What colours would I use?’"

For further information about Keith please click HERE.

Laura's adventures with Rotary Youth

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The Metropole's Assistant Restaurant Manager, Laura Kendall, has just completed a week's training on Dartmoor, a key part of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). This challenging week is specially created in order for young people to develop the skills and knowledge required to become a true leader.

The course is run by Jack Russell and his team and includes special lectures, given throughout the week, to inspire, guide and motiviate all Rylarians through their week of challenges and obstacles. Further details about the awards can be found HERE or at Jack Russell's website HERE.

Laura - who has worked at Padstow's landmark hotel for 18 months and will shortly be promoted to Restaurant Manager - has been the fourth candidate from The Met to take part in the scheme, since the hotel and Padstow Rotary teamed up to allow a member of staff from the hotel to experience this life changing adventure.

Photo shows Laura in the gardens at The Met, overlooking the beautiful Camel Estuary.

10,000 new arrivals at National Lobster Hatchery

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

First there were 400 new baby lobsters at the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow - and today another 10,000 new babies hatched! These cute crustaceans are part of the vital breeding programme carried out by The National Lobster Hatchery each year - and if you come and stay at The Metropole Hotel, you'll be able to see them for yourself!

The National Lobstery Hatchery, which promotes sustainability in fisheries and aqua-culture, is just a stone's throw from The Met. Their main aim is to help maintain a healthy lobster population in Cornwall through conservation, education and research, supported by a fun visitor centre and the donations of their sponsors and Friends...and you can even adopt a lobster of your own!

For more details click HERE.

Padstow to Rock swim

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The annual Padstow to Rock swim will take place on Sunday 12th June, to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

This well-supported event will involve 2 groups of swimmers, with the first group consisting of those who can complete the swim in under 30 minutes. The finishing line is on the slipway at Rock, where there will also be a barbeque and drinks stand, run by the team at The Metropole and selling tasty bacon rolls, burgers and beverages.

Each swimmer will receive a T-shirt, sponsored and provided by The Met.

Met's "Artist in Residence" gives Masterclass

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Maurice Cockrill, one of the UK's leading artists, was 'Artist in Residence' at The Metropole this March.

During his residency, Maurice visited keen A Level art students at Wadebridge School and gave them a special Masterclass that focused on ientifying the four seasons through the use of colour and abstract forms. Maurice said: “I was very happy to spend time at the school, as it gave me a chance to work with younger students than I would normally teach. It was also great to meet young Cornish students who are clearly passionate about art, which was exciting as Cornwall has a wonderful artistic tradition.”

Terry Kitto (Year 12) said: “Maurice showed us how we could break away from traditional methods of painting shapes and focused how we could work with light and colour in an abstract way. I found it really interesting.”

Maurice Cockrill, RA, is currently Keeper of the Royal Academy of Arts and Head of Royal Academy Schools. He has exhibited since 1971, in Europe, USA and Australia and and has been teaching at art academies around the world since the 60s.

During his Residency at The Met, which ran for a week from 13th March, Maurice spent time on a new work and chatting to guests about his experience as a Royal Academy artist.

For more details about Maurice Cockrill and his work, visit www.cockrill.co.uk

Met sponsors Barclays charity cycle ride for Prince's Trust

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The Metropole has sponsored a charity cycle ride, organised by Barclays Wealth and Barclays Corporate, which aims to raise funds for the Prince's Trust.

Investing in the local community is a key part of Barclays Responsible Banking Strategy. As part of this strategy, a group of employees from Barclays Wealth and Barclays Corporate have set out on a fundraising mission to raise at least £10,000 in 2011 for The Prince’s Trust. Their headline event was the Barclays Bike Ride, where a team of 20 riders cycled from Queen Square in Bristol, at midday on Thursday 10th March, to Padstow in Cornwall, and back again - completed in 24 hours. The riders competed in teams, ranging from relay teams of 6, to riders who cycled the entire distance.

The Met, which has a long history of supporting community events, provided refreshments for the cyclists - to refuel them before they headed back to Bristol.

The Prince's Trust - founded by HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall in the 1970s - gives practical and financial support to young people, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. The Trust works with 14 to 30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. They have helped more than 600,000 young people since 1976 and support 100 more each working day. More than three in four young people the Trust helped last year moved into work, education or training.

Met holds Fun Day for Everest trek

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The Met is holding a family Fun Day on Easter Saturday, 23rd April, to help a local adventurer in her quest to trek to Mount Everest's Base Camp.

Hayley Bilney, a climbing enthusiast, is embarking on the challenge of a lifetime to trek to Everest Base Camp in order to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. She hopes that the trek, which will take 16 days in total, will raise £3,000. You can visit Hayley's blog HERE to keep up with her training and events.

The Fun Day will kick off at 10am and there will be a selection of stalls, games, a bouncy castle and a band. Entry is free. For more details call The Metropole on 01841 532486.

Photo shows Hayley on a recent trek to Ben Nevis.

Met Ladies Charity Football Match

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The all female football team from The Met (aka 'Metropole Ladies') recently took on local football team Padstow United at a charity match on 7th November. After a lively and well-supported match, the Metropole Ladies won the game on Penalities.

Team Captain, The Met's general manager, Janette Jansson ('Mrs J'), was delighted with the result and all the proceeds, amounting to £1,000 will go to Help for Heros. She said: "We all had great fun and Padstow United were fantastic hosts. We'd also like to thank all the supporterwho turned up and helped us to raise so much for Help for Heros."

Photo shows Metropole Ladies going for goal during the match.

Photo courtesy of the Cornish Guardian newspaper.

Precious Lives Charity Auction

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

A fantastic dinner and auction to raise funds for the charity Precious Lives, was held at The Metropole last Saturday, 6th November. Hosted by The Met's general manager, Janette Jansson (Mrs J), the event was attended by a number of local 'great and good'.

A selection of wonderful prizes, donated by several sponsors, attracted some very competitive bidding during the auction, which resulted £2,096.70 being raised for the charity.

Padstow Rotary Club's first lady member

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Padstow Rotary Club has admitted its very first lady member since the branch was founded - and that lady happens to be The Metropole's general manager, Janette Jansson ('Mrs J').

Mrs J is delighted to have been admitted and looks forward to continuing the excellent relationship that the hotel has with the organisation and its charitable events.

Photo: Cornish Guardian. Mrs J with Padstow Rotary Club members, together with Padstow Rotary Club President, Rob Webb and Rotary Club District Governor John Pearce and his wife, Janet.