UPCOMING EVENTS.....








PLEASE CONTACT THE EVENTS TEAM ON 01457 877 471 FOR MORE DETAILS.....

UPCOMING EVENTS....



CALL FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR TO BOOK TICKETS

EVENTFUL EVENTS

The last few months have been hectic. Since running our new events programme we have been inundated with enquiries for corporate and private functions and just before Easter ran an 18th Birthday Party, a Pre-Wedding Party and a Wedding back to back!

We’ve also extended the range of events we are now offering to meet the demand and the recent Fashion Show only supported these plans. It was sold out in 2 weeks!

A FASHIONABLE AFFAIR

Such was the demand for this years fashion evening, that tickets were sold out after the first week of being on sale! Dressed in something pink, the ladies of Saddleworth and beyond turned up to show their support for this great charity event in aid of Breast Cancer awareness.
 
The night started with a reception cocktail, and fashion browsing with The Hair Lounge and Bling Things Gift company run by Zena Hopkins.

Fashion company Fizz and Jazz organised the clothes featured in the fashion show which were from top high street brands including River Island, Top Shop and M&S. Clothes were available to purchase on the night with up to 40% off the retail price. All the outfits and accessories were from the Spring/Summer collection, so it was a perfect time to shop for holiday clothes!
 
Plenty of purchasing took place following the fashion show with proceeds going to charity. In total £705.00 was raised from fashion and ticket sales, so a big well done to all those involved.
 
Local singer Wayne Bently aka ‘Mr Loveboat’ then entertained all the guests in to the early hours with his renowned vocals. An enjoyable time was had by all. Emily Frank, Centre Manager of Talking Point commented ‘We were so pleased with how popular this event was and the amount that was raised for charity, we are now planning a similar event far later in the year’.
 
Thanks goes to Mr Paul Wright who supplied the starlit dancefloor, Jenny Wood at The Hair Lounge who cut, coloured and styled the models hair and Andrea Simpson who did the models make up. Hair Lounge & Bling Things also donated raffle prizes.
 
The winners were:
Rachel Oldham – Handbag Hook from Bling Things
Jane Thornton – Free Cut and Blow with a stylist from Hair Lounge
Jackie Wrigley - Free Cut and Blow with a stylist from Hair Lounge
Melissa Royales - £25.00 Voucher to spend on the fashion range from Fizz & Jazz
Angela Dronsfield – Bottle of Pink Champagne Courtesy of Talking Point

Due to popular demand, TP will be hosting another fashion show in aid of Breast Cancer Research on Friday 15th October. Tickets are priced at £15 or 2 for £25 again. Contact our Events Team, for more information on 01457 877471






SUMMER EVENTS

Since our last newsletter, not only have we scheduled in more events but we’ve also had to repeat a couple due to their success!

This summer we have now added more events with Whit Friday Fun Day, A Taste of India, An Evening with Morgan and a Summer Sizzler Event.

These look set to be as successful as previous events and we already have a number of bookings and enquiries for each of these events.

‘We decided earlier on this year to put on a range of events but we could never have anticipated how successful they were going to be. The latest event, the Ladies Fashion Evening was a phenomenal sell out and we’ve added another fashion event for Breast cancer in the autumn.’ Emily Frank, Centre Manager of Talking Point.

For further information on the events being run by Talking Point, please contact the Events Team on 01457 877471 or check out the website on www.thetalkingpoint.com



YOUR IDEAL PARTY VENUE!

Talking Point is open to everyone and can cater for couples, families and the corporate world at all budgets!
We are available for private parties, weddings, christenings and other functions. If you know someone who will shortly be celebrating a ‘big birthday’ why not surprise them with a party at TP? We can personalise your whole celebration, from showing videos and photos on our plasma TV’s to creating a drink in his/her honour and selling it on the bar.
We can even theme the event and the staff have lots of ideas and party planning experience. We can even source many of the supplies at a cheaper rate, including entertainment, table decorations, balloons, flowers, games and transport. TP can now offer an extended licence until 2am. Ask for more details!

UPCOMING EVENTS.....



NOW SOLD OUT....!!!

WEDDING WONDERFUL

‘Successful and well organised’ is how this March wedding fayre was described by one exhibitor. After months of rain and snow, the sun finally shone for our third wedding fayre. Although staff and exhibitors were worried about numbers, Talking Point saw 120 people through the door with many of them being serious leads.
This years’ wedding fayre had another selection of high quality suppliers. The exhibitors included photographers, chocolate fountain, 2 florists, magician, candy buffet, toastmaster, wedding cakes and many more.
There were two fashion shows that took place at 12.30pm and 2.30pm put together and run by Bridal Boutique Blush of Uppermill. The gowns were simply stunning and showcased a range from bridal, mother of the bride, bridesmaids and promwear. Prior to the fashion shows, Clarins were holding beauty demonstrations in The Forum.
The Talking Point Events team had arranged for all brides to receive a free goody bag and wedding booklet. This years wedding booklet was a huge success with all brides using it as a handbook for the day.
‘We were delighted with the success of our Spring/Summer Wedding Fayre. We’d heard stories about small numbers at recent wedding fayres, however, with the amount of advertising we have done and our reputation, we achieved a good number on such a nice day and we are confident the November one will be even more successful.’ Emily Frank, Centre Manager.
The day was another huge success and all the staff at Talking Point would like to thank both visitors and suppliers for such a successful day.





































































THANK YOU FROM TP

We would like to say a big thank you to a few people:
Alan Callow, the Toastmaster for doing a superb job of introducing the fashion shows and welcoming our visitors to the centre. He has done all 3 wedding fayres with us now and has been an asset to the days.
Harry Robson, Magician for keeping our visitors entertained and smiling!
We would also like to say a big thank you to all suppliers who have exhibited with us in previous wedding fayres, also to our new suppliers who have exhibited with us for the first time! Your business is greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with you again soon.

New Year, New Events

We’ve had a busy few months since the last edition of TP News, with the fitting and opening of the stylish new bar in Viewpoint, the success of the Christmas Market and Christmas Parties plus a wedding reception in between Christmas & New Year.

We have also introduced a brand new programme of events at Talking Point starting with our Valentines Dinner in February. For full details, check out the back page and get booking!

NEWS IN BRIEF

The autumn terms was a particularly successful time for TP with a Christmas Market which was a huge success plus a number of Christmas Parties. With the opening of the new bar in Viewpoint, the atmosphere was buzzing and the events proved that TP is the place to be!
Talking Point has now planned in a number of events over the forthcoming 12 months including 2 more wedding fayres, dinners and themed evenings plus tribute night. See inside for more information on this exciting programme of entertainment. Don't forget, Talking Point can also arrange your hotel accommodation as we have good rates with local hotels!
The number of weddings at TP has tripled this year compared with last year and we already have many weddings in the diary for 2011. This is fantastic news and just demonstrates Talking Points growing popularity for a unique wedding venue.



TALKING POINT OPENS NEW BAR

Compared with project managing the building of Talking Point, planning, designing and overseeing the bar at TP was a piece of cake!

After only a month, the TP bar was built and stocked ready for the first ever Christmas market and it was a roaring success!
The new bar is stylish, contemporary and, best of all, affordable!

The bar is neatly tucked away in a corner upstairs in Viewpoint Cafe Bar. It is subtle, sophisticated and very uber trendy! It stocks a popular range of drinks that are not overpriced and even offers specials on multiple purchases. ‘This is designed to make it even more affordable for a couple to come and have a drink at the bar, it has not been put in place to encourage binge drinking.’ says Claire Duggan, Operations Director.

Because we don't stock a huge amount of different drinks this enables us to be more flexible with couples using the venue for weddings and private parties. We can tailor our drinks menu to suit you and your friends and family. At a recent wedding reception, the couple had just got married in South Africa and the brides favourite drink was a Seabreeze. TP developed and promoted ‘Sandra’s Seabreeze’ at the bar and many of her family and friends ordered this drink, aswell as the bride!

This has given us another opportunity to show customers how flexible we can be.

The bar at Talking Point is now open. Why not come and see it? Talking Point can be hired for private parties, functions, weddings, christenings aswell as corporate meetings and dinners. To arrange a showround, call 01457 877471 or email events@thetalkingpoint.com



WEDDING FAYRE SUCCESS

Once again the November 2009 Wedding Fayre was a huge success. With more stands, more exhibitors and more visitors than ever!
The exhibitors included a stationary company, chocolate fountain, 2 florists, magician, candy buffet, toastmaster, wedding cakes and many more. Albion Farm Shop even exhibited outside near the entrance selling delicious Hog Roast Sandwiches which were very popular!
There were two fashion shows that took place at 12.30pm and 2.30pm and these were run by bridal company Brides of Rochdale. Both fashion shows were full and were highly entertaining with choreographed dancing. Prior to the fashion shows, Clarins were holding beauty demonstrations in The Forum.














The next wedding fayre is Sunday 7th March and the TP staff have set themselves a target to beat visitor numbers again!
For more information on the forthcoming wedding fayre visit www.thetalkingpoint.com or join the Talking Point group on Facebook.



CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS A HIT!

Christmas was a very successful time for Talking Point. The Christmas Market held at the end of November was hugely successful with over 200 visitors being attracted in total. Many of the stands sold out of their produce including The Old Bell and Albion Farm Shop.
Talking Point saw 20 children visit our Santa in his grotto and we sold 30 advent calendars during the fayre also. Hot Chocolate with Baileys and Mulled Wine were the speciality of the day at the new bar! Overall the day was a great success and another opportunity to get great exposure for the centre!
The Christmas Parties were also a great success! People from local companies aswell as private parties attended the night which included dinner and dancing to our resident DJ. TP also offered a budget busting price of £20 which was for the disco only. All Party goers enjoyed hot roast turkey and stuffing sandwiches at 10.30.
The evenings were a great success with many lovely comments sent in after such as this one:
‘I would like to thank everybody at the talking point for giving us such a great party on Saturday night, everybody had a superb meal and a great disco after. The room was made up really lovely for Christmas and I would recommend the venue to anybody.’
TP will be holding more Christmas Parties again at the end of the year, for enquiries about this or any other type of function at TP, please contact 01457 877471 or email events@thetalkingpoint.com












YOUR IDEAL PARTY VENUE!



Talking Point is open to everyone and can cater for couples, families and the corporate world at all budgets!
We are available for private parties, weddings, christenings and other functions. If you know someone who will shortly be celebrating a ‘big birthday’ why not surprise them with a party at TP? We can personalise your whole celebration, from showing video’s and photo’s on our plasma TV’s to creating a drink in his/her honour and selling it on the bar.
We can even theme the event and the staff have lots of ideas and party planning experience. We can even source many of the supplies at a cheaper rate, including entertainment, table decorations, balloons, flowers, games and transport.

To request a brochure or organise a showround (with no obligation to book), telephone our Events Team on 01457 877471 or email events@thetalkingpoint.com

Back to Business

Autumn and Winter are set to be busy months here at Talking Point, with the Forum being booked almost every day! Clients have to book further in advance now to ensure they have access to the room they require.

September kicks off with a Civil Ceremony and Evening Reception, November hosts our 2nd Wedding Fayre, and December has 6 exclusive Christmas Party dates to look forward to.

TALKING POINT WEDDING FAYRE

Following the success of the March Wedding Fayre, Talking Point will be holding regular wedding fayres in November and March annually.
The next Wedding Fayre will be Sunday 8th November and will feature over 20 exhibitors along with a bridal fashion show. You will also be able to see the room set up for weddings as well as meet the TP team who could be looking after your day.
More information will be available soon and will feature in the next newsletter and on the website. However, if you would like to pre-register for free entry to the fayre, please email events@thetalkingpoint.com or contact 01457 877471.





Wedding Fayre Exhibitors Confirmed So Far:

Style Wedding Cars
Marshall Thomas Photography
Alan Callow Toastmaster
Fancy Ideas Favours
Millers Florist
The Table Linen Design Company
Mark Gibbins Photography
My Tiara Shop
Diva Cakes
Arjento



ALSO, REMEMBER TO BOOK YOUR PLACE FOR CHRISTMAS.....

SUCCESS FOR SALES

2009 has been a great success for Talking Point so far. After being open only 18 months, this spring and summer have seen revenue and sales increase massively.

Sales have increased these last 6 months on average by 100%. This is fantastic news. What is really encouraging is that many of these sales are repeat business or new business that has been recommended by previous visitors to the centre.

Weddings and private events are also on the up and we are now recruiting for more staff to assist on the weekends as well as having a new addition to our team.

I hope you enjoy reading the summer edition of
TP News and I look forward to welcoming you to
the centre soon.


TP NEWS IN BRIEF

Talking Point now has card facilities. After many enquiries, Talking Point can now accept credit and debit cards. We now have a chip and pin machine useable for weddings, conferences and the bar during functions and events. There is no charge for this but there is a minimum spend of £10.

Talking Point is currently undergoing a spruce up – outside! You may have noticed that the grounds have been weeded and had stones put down, the fences around the building have been varnished and flowers have been planted in the borders along the footpath which leads to the front door. Future plans for the outside also include the spiral staircase door to the tower being sanded down and varnished and more plants and flowers around the grounds.

LADIES NIGHT EVENING SUCCESS

Talking Point held the long awaited Ladies Evening in May and as expected, it was a huge success. With a full house that evening, Ladies of all ages turned out to shop.
The evening started with Ladies receiving canapés and a complimentary bucks fizz on arrival. This kicked off the first of 2 fashion shows and Debenhams giving style advice.
The fashions were gorgeous and caused a stir. There was then enough time to browse the shopping stands, including The Shu Bar and Arjento Jewellery, and to get some hair and beauty advice from Saks Hair Stylists and Salsa Beauty Rooms. Then it was time to grab a drink and sing along to Morgan, who was fantastic and had everyone up dancing!
The evening was enjoyed by all and was such a success that TP are considering running it again next year. If you would like to email us your suggestions for the next one or even reserve your place, then please do so to events@thetalkingpoint.com


















CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS AT TALKING POINT

Although it is still 7 months away from Christmas, now is the time to be booking your Christmas Party. If you are in charge of organising your Christmas do and unsure where to go or what to do, then look no further than TP. Talking Point has selected 6 exclusive evenings to celebrate Christmas. You can book a number of places or if you are a large company then why not book out the whole evening at a specially reduced rate?

Christmas with Morgan £32.00 per person
Thursday 10th December or Thursday 16th December (7pm onwards)
Includes: Complimentary Glass of Bucks Fizz, Four Course Dinner including Coffee & Truffles followed by Live Singing & Dancing with Morgan in Viewpoint Bar
Complimentary Hot Roast Turkey & Stuffing Sandwiches at 10.30

Magical Dinner & Dance £35.00 per person
Friday Night: 11th or 17th December (7pm onwards)
Saturday Night: 12th or 18th December (7pm onwards)
Includes: Complimentary Glass of Sparkling Wine, Four Course Dinner including Coffee & Truffles. Magician performing table magic during the meal followed by Disco with resident DJ in Viewpoint Bar.
Complimentary Hot Roast Turkey & Stuffing Sandwiches at 10.30

Christmas Disco Only £20.00 per person
Available on 11,th, 12th, 17th & 18th December nights only
Want the disco without the dinner? For just £20 join the Festive Fun from 8pm and enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine followed by an evening of disco with resident DJ in Viewpoint Bar.
Enjoy Hot Roast Turkey & Stuffing Sandwiches at 10.30 on us.

For further information or to book your places, please telephone Events on 01457 877471 or email events@thetalkingpoint.com

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY

Talking Point is now 1 year old and I'm sure you’ll join me in celebrating its 1st Birthday.
This last year has been an exciting and very busy year and 2009 looks set to be even more hectic!
We already have some weddings in the diary plus a couple of Christenings and some private parties aswell as the usual conferences & meetings.
This issue focuses on the wedding fayre, and some of the things we have got planned for this year!

TP NEWS IN BRIEF

Talking Point now has a wedding website. You can access this by visiting the main site at www.thetalkingpoint.com. You can download a brochure, watch the DVD and view pictures of the venue set up for civil ceremonies. The venue was dressed for the first time by venue dressers, Eventures and they did a fantastic job. TP staff have now been trained in dressing the venue for further weddings and we are excited to offer this look as part of the standard package when couples book a wedding.


You may have noticed a new banner outside the entrance to Talking Point. This new banner is promoting the forthcoming wedding fayre, however, in the first week of it being there we had enquiries for 6 weddings, with one secure booking for September. This is fantastic news and shows how much it has been noticed.



FASHION & FUN ON LADIES NIGHT
Following the success of the recent Charity Fashion Show held by popular designer store Demolition, Talking Point will be holding a Ladies Fashion Evening in May.
Ladies will be invited from all over Oldham and Greater Manchester to attend this ticketed event which will involve a fantastic fashion show. Models will be dressed head to toe by designer dress shops, accessories and jewellery shop and shoe shop. Hair and Make up will be done by prominent local stylists.
These proprietors will then exhibit their collections and services within the Centre for Ladies to browse and purchase. There will be special offers available for one night only.
To top the evening off in style, catering will be provided by Clough Manor and Live entertainment by Morgan. TP has a fully licensed bar so leave your car at home and join us for a night of fashion and fun!
Tickets will be priced at £20 per person, however, you can purchase 2 tickets, for £35 (saving £5). Ticket prices include the Fashion Show, Live Entertainment, 2 Course Fork Buffet and a welcome glass of wine on arrival. There are limited places, so please book early.
To purchase tickets contact Adele in Events on 01457 877471.



TALKING POINT ON DVD

Talking Point now has a promotional DVD. You can watch this on the TP website at www.thetalkingpoint.com and link to this from the front page.
The DVD shows the centre as a training venue, with both large conferences and small meetings aswell as a wedding venue and also a venue ideal for private functions such as the recent fashion show we held.
Claire Duggan, Operations & Marketing said ‘It is perfect in depicting what a versatile venue we are. The rooms can change dramatically from a corporate professional conference room to a stunning and beautiful wedding venue’.
Check it out and email us your comments to events@thetalkingpoint.com

Autumn Update

Special Guest Author Day

We were pleased to welcome Lucy Daniel Raby to Talking Point on 15th October. Lucy is the author of Nickolai of the North and its sequel Nickolai’s Quest. These are two fantasy fiction books about the childhood of Santa Claus, the first of which is in the process of being made in to a film.
Lucy spent the day with children from local schools, talking about her journey in writing the books as well as giving readings and a signing session.
All involved had a fantastic day, adults and children alike!



























Raising money for Charity with Fashion Show

Local clothes shop Demolition held a charity event here at Talking Point on Thursday 13th November. All proceeds raised were donated at the charity Action Duchenne. The event involved a spectacular Fashion Show, entertainment from singer Morgan, prize draw and opportunities to purchase items of clothing and accessories from Demolition.









Seasons Greetings…
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very early seasons greeting. I very much look forward to welcoming you back to the conference and exhibition centre in the New Year.

Talking Point Website Goes Live. Check It Out...

The development of the Talking Point website has entered into it's final stages and will be going live very soon. Check out the website at http://www.thetalkingpoint.com/

Talking Point Brochure /Website Images

What better way to impress and show your meticulous planning skills than to book your next event at Talking Point Conference and Exhibition Centre. Synonymous for offering each visitor the warmest welcome from the moment they arrive; Talking Point is the perfect environment to inspire and motivate your delegates.

Innovative and inspirational, Talking Point Conference and Exhibition Centre (formally St. Paul’s Church, Oldham) is a unique training venue set within an idyllic country location.

Talking Point has 7 stunning and contemporary suites available to hire for business meetings, training events, exhibitions, conferences and fashion shows. The centre exudes a modern and contemporary feel whilst retaining some original features of the church.

When arranging your next conference or training event, do please contact me on 01457 877471 to check availability or arrange a tour of our superb facilities.

‘Fantastic venue, wonderful staff – couldn’t have asked for a more perfect place to hold our event…’ Environment Agency