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02 | the dmg lowdown - Issue 6, July 2012 Connecting People, Creating Communities, Facilitating Business

It has been another good start to the year with dmg :: events Middle East and as we move in to the summer I would like to thank you all for your continued hard work and creativity.

The year so far...

In March we saw the second edition of Big 5 Saudi, which had to build a tent the same size as the venue to deal with the tremendous demand for space. The show pretty much doubled in size from its first edition and demonstrated both the power of the Big 5 brand and the tremendous abilities of our Big 5 team.

In May the Hotel Show continued its year-on-year growth and has enjoyed consistent double digit-growth for the last two years. The sales campaign is in full swing now for Hotel Saudi Arabia and initial results from the team are very encouraging.

The Office Exhibition was once again a good looking high-end event this May and the move alongside INDEX for 2013 will be of tremendous benefit to both events.

INDEX Saudi Arabia (May) was a tremendous launch event, meeting all its targets. Sadly, visa and freight problems proved to be complicated, but the team dealt well with all issues and the show has enormous promise for the future.

BUSINESSUPDATE

from Geoff

MEDEXPO took dmg :: events Middle East into a totally new market sector and it was a very good launch event. Problems with visas were once again challenging, compounded by the death of the Saudi Crown Prince.

Despite being a very difficult show for the team, they produced a good event that already has the full support of the Ministry of Health for 2013.

A busy Big 5 KSA

The inaugural NDEX KSA

A successful MEDEXPO KSA

the dmg lowdown | 03

On July 3rd the ADIPEC team hosted a tremendous press conference in Abu Dhabi with two CEOs from ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company). Over 50 journalists from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and online media turned up to hear that ADNOC have pledged their full support to the annualisation of ADIPEC.

This is a tremendous result for dmg :: events Middle East as we move from a great event that fills all of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre every two years to a great event that now fills the centre every year.

We have continued to launch more shows with Big 5 Construct India scheduled for early September 2013 and Big 5 and INDEX scheduled for Kuwait end ofSeptember 2013. We will also be doing a new education event in Saudi Arabia and we have plans for two new events in Abu Dhabi.

In 2010 we operated eight exhibitions within the region and by end of 2012 I fully expect us to have over twenty exhibitions. This is some achievement and a credit to all of your hard work and creativity.

Certainly we were delighted to be awarded the “Employer of the Year” award earlier this year at the Middle East Event Awards. This award will help us to continue to attract the best staff talent in the region.

Pipeline magazine has had a good year and is developing well its presence online and our new online

community www.constructarabia.com is now getting over 20,000 monthly users and growing.

Conferences & Training are now looking at creating large high-level annual congresses for 2013 which gets us into a realm of exciting new opportunities.

Our database team continues to grow and really develop our data capabilities and I am looking forward to them moving to the JLT building later this year.

The finance team continues to develop our capabilities and their perfect on-time reporting and quality of information has been commended by the DMGT head office.

Once again we will have a busy end of year programme with INDEX in September, and with Big 5, Big 5 PMV, Middle East Concrete, FM Expo, ADIPEC, Oil Barons Ball and Hotel Saudi Arabia all in November.

By the time we get to the end of the year I know you will all be exhausted, so I do hope you are all getting some time this summer for a well deserved break. Wherever you may be going and whatever you are planning I would like to wish you a wonderful summer. Also as this is the last newsletter before Ramadan I would like to express my best wishes for all staff who will be celebrating the holy month with either family or friends or both.

Thank you for being such a wonderful team, have a great summer.

For more details on how and when to nominate and what you can win, goto Z:\HR\The President’s Awards


It has been a great start to the year with the company recognising the efforts of employees through both the President’s Awards and the People’s Choice Awards and of course with dmgbeing recognised at the Middle East Event Awards.

Launch of MydmgConnectAs you all know, MydmgConnect went live on 1st January 2012. It was the culmination of a project that HR & Finance have been working on since June last year with assistance from IT and it has led to the implementation of a HR & Payroll application for the business.

MydmgConnect allows you to apply for leave (annual and time in lieu), generate monthly payslips, request salary letters from HR, view internal ads, apply for internal vacancies, and view internal workshops.

We have faced several technical issues with the system over the last few months, but I would like to put these down to teething pains that are a part of every new system implementation. I thank you for your patience, cooperation and support throughout this process.

President’s Awards WinnersThe winners of our first ever President’s Awards were announced at our annual party in February:

Gold Award:Nathan Waugh, Event Manager, PMV & MEC; won 2 nights

HRUpdate

stay at Bab Al Shams plus 1 additional annual leave day for 2012.

Silver Award:Alden Guevarra, Graphic Designer, Reflex; won AED 2,000 Virgin Megastore gift vouchers.

Bronze Award:Julia Juettner, Marketing Manager INDEX; won AED 1,000 Paris Gallery gift vouchers.

People’s Choice AwardsIn addition to The President’s Awards, three People’s Choice Awards were also announced at the annual party.

First Place:Femi Itiola, Business Development Manager, C&T; won an i-Phone 4.

Runner Up:Nora Daclitan-Moujaes, Senior Exhibition Administrator, INDEX; won a Louis Vuitton handbag.

Gold Award Winner Nathan Waugh with Geoff


Honourable Mention:Cenil Roy, Senior IT Support Analyst, received Debenhams vouchers.

Family Fun DayAt the end of March, Sports & Social in collaboration with our CSR representatives organised dmg’s first Family Fun Day.

The employees and their families that participated in this fun-filled day of activities did not let the heat beat them and raised lots of cash for Dubai Autism (see page 11 for more details).

Be Heard! dmgi Employee Engagement SurveyI’m sure you all remember the endless reminders I sent out encouraging everyone to participate in dmgi’s Employee Engagement Survey in May.

We had the highest completion rate across dmgi at 94.74%, so thank you for taking time to respond to the survey and giving us your valuable opinions.

We have now received the results of this survey and over the next few weeks and months you will receive information on the results of the survey and the action plans we will put into place to increase our level of engagement with you.

Middle East Event Awards 2012 Employer of the YearIn May we were thrilled to win Employer of the Year, a newly-introduced category at the Middle East Event Awards. This award recognised our commitment to our employees in creating a stimulating and supportive workplace for all. We beat Action Impact, Harlequin Event Services and IIR/Informa Middle East to win this prestigious award.

A proud dmg :: events Middle East at the Middle East Event Awards 2012


Joiners &Leavers

Joiners:

Maude Aimee, 5 Dec 2011 (Digital Sales Manager):Prior to joining dmg Maude worked with Mecom Forums on events such as Future Build Middle East, Green Build Middle East, Civil Engineering Middle East & Fashion Expo Arabia to name a few.

Nour Souliman, 8 Jan 2012 (Marketing Executive, ADIPEC): Nour rejoined our business to work on ADIPEC based in Abu Dhabi in January this year. His prior experience includes the likes of IQPC and MEED.

Archie Gamallo, 1 Feb 2012 (Credit Controller): Archie is an experienced Credit Controller who came to us from IIR where she worked in a similar role for nearly 3 years.

Sonia Simons, 1 Feb 2012 (Marketing Executive, MEDEXPO and SETS): Sonia joined the business last year to help with marketing on FM EXPO. She became permanent this February as a marketing resource for our two new Saudi launches, MEDEXPO and SETS. Sonia previously worked as Marketing Executive at IIR on Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, World Yacht Racing Forum, Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium & International Superyacht Coatings Conference.

Jason Smith, 6 Feb 2012 (Group Marketing Manager, INDEX and Office): Jason spent several years at IIR working on Arab Health and its related events and conferences before moving on to roles with IQPC and Artaaj Events.

Tom O’Gorman, 19 Feb 2012 (Marketing Manager, Office, MEDEXPO and SETS): If the name O’Gorman sounds familiar that’s because Tom is Melissa’s brother. Tom comes to us having worked with the likes of IIR and Dubai World Trade Centre on events such as Arab Health, Dubai Motor Show, Gulf Food, etc. With Office now co-located with INDEX Tom will work on our new consumer launches.

Savitha Abreo, 23 Feb 2012 (Operations Executive):Savitha is an experienced hand at Operations having worked in a similar role for nearly 5 years with IIR.

Tea Vutmej, 11 Mar 2012 (Special Projects Manager, ADIPEC): Tea came to us from Dome Exhibitions where she worked as an Event Manager on conferences such as SOGAT, IDOC, Cyber Security Forum, etc. Prior to Dome, Tea worked with Reed Exhibitions.

Raed Kaedbey, 14 Mar 2012 (Sales Manager, Pipeline): Raed came to us from ITP where he was Sales Manager on

several of their utilities publications.

Rajendra (Raj) Salgonkar, 8 Apr 2012 (Project Manager, SETS): Raj’s experience ranges from delegate sales at IQPC to conference and exhibition sales at IIR. At IIR, Raj worked on digital printing events such as IPEX and SIM and a telecoms event called MECOM.

Yan Wang, 15 Apr 2012 (Project Manager, Kitchen & Bathroom, INDEX): Yan comes to us with a host of experience gained with Al Fajer, having worked on events such as Arabplast, WETEX and the International Autumn Trade Fair.

Beberly Verana, 1 May 2012 (Accounts Assistant): Beberly is the new face in the finance team who came to us from International Expo Consults where she worked as an accountant.

Annabel Clough, 1 May 2012 (Marketing Manager, FM Expo and Big 5 Kuwait): Prior to joining dmg Annabel worked as Marketing & PR Manager for Explorer Publishing.

Eleanor Head, 6 May 2012 (Senior Marketing Manager, C&T): Ellie as she prefers to be called has a raft of marketing experience having worked with the likes of Informa Life Sciences, IIR Middle East and IQPC in the past.

Antonio Salazar, 16 May 2012 (Digital Sales Executive): Antonio supports Maude in sales for Construct Arabia and previously worked as a sales executive with Toyota at Al Futtaim Motors.

Ashley Roberts, 1 June 2012 (Event Director, Consumer Launches): Ashley has recently joined us to work on our new consumer launches having worked at Ocean Media in the UK on consumer shows such as The National Wedding Show and The Luxury Wedding Show in London.

Teresa Magras, 10 June 2012 (Credit Control Manager): Teresa spent nearly 4 years with Trader Media Group Ltd (publishers of Auto Trader and other related brands) in the UK in various credit control roles. She has recently relocated to Dubai with her family.

Prudence Kolong, 13 June 2012 (Senior Conference Manager): Prudence comes to us with a host of experience in the conceptualisation, planning, production and implementation and execu-tion of conferences.

David Bishop, 17 June 2012 (Sponsorship Sales Manager, Energy): David joins us to sell sponsorship on ADIPEC and OBCB. Prior to joining us, David worked with Ocean Media as Group Advertising Sales Manager.

Meryem Haddadi, 20 June 2012 (Receptionist): Meryem is the new face at JLT reception. She worked in a similar capacity with Decision Makers TV in Dubai Media City for nearly three and a half years.

Syed Naved Jawed, 24 June 2012 (IT Support Analyst): Naved as he prefers to be called joined us to bolster the IT department. His last role was as a Senior Network Administrator with Multiforms LLC, an EMAAR Investment subsidiary.


Leavers:

Blossom Furtado, 13 Dec 2011 (Marketing Executive, INDEX): Blossom left us after nearly a year to return to her FMCG roots with Nikon.

Sarah Phillips, 27 Dec 2011 (Senior Conference Manager): Sarah left us after nearly a year to take up an opportunity based in India.

Paula Al Chami, 31 Dec 2011 (Event Director, INDEX):Paula left us after successfully relaunching INDEX in October 2011 to pursue challenging opportunities elsewhere.

Cecil Puthenvalil, 31 Jan 2012 (Marketing Executive, ADIPEC): Cecil worked with us on ADIPEC for nearly four years. He has now relocated back to India.

Julia Juettner, 29 Feb 2012 (Marketing Manager, INDEX): Julia was part of INDEX for nearly 3 years and originally left dmg to relocate back to Germany, although those plans have been put on temporary hold and she is currently pursuing other avenues in Dubai.

Cherylann D’Abreo, 1 Mar 2012 (Sales Manager, Pipeline): Cherylann was the bubbly personality around the Reflex office who has moved on to take up an exciting role with MEED Supplements.

Louise Fenney, 7 Mar 2012 (Head of HR): Louise surprised all of us with her resignation when she decided to relocate to Qatar with her family.

Angela Butler, 27 Mar 2012 (Marketing Manager, Office, MEDEXPO and SETS): Angela decided to leave us to return home to New Zealand to start her family. I am pleased to announce that she gave birth to a baby boy named Cody at the end of May.

Abu Bakar Ismail, 31 Mar 2012 (Sponsorship Sales Manager, ADIPEC): Abu left us after nearly 3 years of service to pursue an opportunity with Gulf Intelligence.

Jitesh Goradia, 10 Apr 2012 (IT Manager): Jitesh was with the dmg family for nearly 4 years and was instrumental in setting up our IT infrastructure. He decided that it was time professionally to move on to greener pastures.

Tanya Fleming, 18 Apr 2012 (Marketing Manager, C&T): Tanya was with us for only a brief period of time. She was approached with an interesting opportunity with MEED which she felt she could not turn down.

Chetan Kumar, 23 Apr 2012 (Sponsorship Sales Executive, C&T): Chetan was with us a short time when he was approached with a career opportunity elsewhere.

David Wilson, 28 Jun 2012 (Event Director, Office, MEDEXPO and SETS): Dave joined dmg back in January 2010 and has left to take up an exciting role with Reed Exhibitions to launch shows for them in Saudi.

Anna Canning, April 2012 (Event Manager, Hotel): Anna joined the Hotel Team as Sales Manager in August 2010. Congratulations Anna on this well deserved promotion.

Sangeeta Dhanak, April 2012 (Sales Manager, Hotel): Sangeeta joined the Hotel Show in September 2010 as Sales Executive. Her hard work and consistent performance is reflected in this promotion.

Tim Wilson, May 2012 (Event Manager, Hotel Saudi): Tim joined Office as Project Manager in August 2010. Best of luck Tim with this new role!

Patrick Gedeon, May 2012 (Project Manager, Big 5): Patrick joined the Big 5 in July 2009 as a Consultant before becoming permanent in April 2010. Patrick’s determination, hard work and ambition have led him to be promoted.

Muhammed Kazi, May 2012 (Project Manager, Big 5 India): Muhammed joined dmg back in 2008 as Sales Manager and during his time with us he has worked on InRetail, Office and INDEX prior to taking on this role with Big 5 India. He successfully launched the Kitchen & Bathroom sector on INDEX last year.

Rebecca Lockwood, May 2012 (Project Manager, Office): Rebecca joined dmg in February 2010 as Sales Manager and will now be responsible for Office.

Cenil Roy, June 2012 (Senior IT Support Analyst): Cenil joined dmg in July 2009 and his hard work and service with a smile can always be counted on. Well done Cenil!

Eliane Jadah, July 2012 (Exhibition Administrator, Big 5): Eliane has been the face at reception since January last year and her friendly personality at reception will be missed. Nonetheless, congratulations Eliane!

Moversand

Shakers


Ramadan at dmgThe Holy month of Ramadan is nearly upon us and is expected to begin around the 21st July. During this time, all our offices will operate reduced hours from 9am to 4pm with a one hour lunch break.

Furthermore, we wish to offer our Muslim employees flexibility with regards to their required 5.5 working hours per day. Please speak to your line manager at the earliest should you require this flexibility and we will try and accommodate you keeping in mind the business’ operational requirements.

During this time, employees are permitted to consume drinks at their desks, but in a discreet manner, mindful of their fasting colleagues and visiting guests. However, food may only be consumed in the pantry. During lunchtime, please ensure the pantry door is closed.

At JLT, roll-ups will be placed on the balcony facing Almas Tower shortly to provide cover for smokers. At ADNEC, we request employees who smoke to use the areas which ADNEC will specifcally designate for this purpose.

A few facts and tips for those of you who may be experiencing this important religious month for the first time since your arrival in the UAE:

Fasting is recognised by Muslims around the world as one of the five pillars of Islam, the others being faith, prayer, charity and pilgrimage. The month of fasting is in fact a time of giving, patience and tolerance.

For more than a billion Muslims, it is a time of devotion and self-restraint, when communal nightly prayers are conducted and the basic teachings of Islam are emphasized. As the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, Ramadan comes 11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar and its duration changes depending on which season the month falls in. The start and end of Ramadan is based on the sighting of the new moon.

Do not smoke, drink, chew gum or eat in public during the hours between sunrise and sunset. It’s offensive, and flagrant flaunting of the rules could also get you a warning from the police or even result in a fine or some jail time.

Most major night clubs will be shut, but many bars and pubs will be open after 7pm. A few may open before that time, but they will not serve alcohol until sundown. There will be no live music in bars and pubs but only background music.

Refrain from playing loud music at any time in your car, on the beach or even at home. If it’s audible to others it may offend.

Avoid wearing revealing or tight clothes in public, even when you’re heading out for a night on the town.

Do not use foul language or swear in public. Doing so is frowned upon at the best of times, of course, but during the whole month of Ramadan it’s particularly insulting.

Wishing all dmg’ers, especially our Muslim colleagues, Ramadan Kareem!


INTERVIEW

Firstly, welcome to dmg! You’ve been here for just over a month now, how are you settling into the company?

Really well, everyone has been both exceptionally friendly and helpful.

So, for those dmg’ers who haven’t had the opportunity to get to know you a bit more, tell us a bit about your recent career history prior to joining dmg...

I have worked in the events industry for some twelve years now with a pretty much even split between B2B and B2C events, from very high profile exhibitions to smaller boutique events.

I spent the last eight or so months working on a consultancy basis for a number of event organisers in the UK, helping with launch strategies and developing their existing products. Prior to that I was running the largest wedding consumer events in the UK along with a very high end wedding event staged at The Saatchi Gallery in London.

And what exactly is your role here?

My role is Event Director on the consumer launch events.

Can you give us any idea of what you’re currently working on?

The simple answer is everything! The first consumer event is in the later stages of the development process so we are starting to work on aspects such as the creative, short listing suppliers, budgets, etc.

What do you think will be your biggest challenge in the first 12 months?

The UAE consumer events market is not particularly a mature market and together with the fact that we shall be staging events in Abu Dhabi it is crucial to gain a firm understanding as to what will and won’t work, very early on in the event cycle.

Anyway, enough of the shop talk, what about Ashley the person? Can you tell everyone two interesting facts about yourself that will give a clearer picture of the kind of guy you are?

I am a massive car enthusiast, from old classics to the latest super cars. The UAE quite clearly is a great place to be if you have such an interest.

Before getting into events I used to be a DJ/promoter and was fortunate enough to play in some of UK’s best clubs, from MOS (Ministry of Sound) to Fabric.

We now know how you’re getting on at work, but how are you finding living in Dubai? Is it as you expected it to be or different?

That is an interesting question. I heard and researched so much on Dubai that I could not help but have preconceptions about this place. The one that certainly stands true is that estate agents are notoriously hard to deal with. I am sure there is a gap in the market for a good estate agent in Dubai.

Dubai is an impressive place and there is a lot to take in, I also like the fact that it is in a country with a lot of tradition and culture.

As I am from the UK I am quite clearly enjoying the weather. To be able to go home at the end of the day and go swimming in an outdoor pool would be unthinkable in the UK, although there are some Brits who do go to lidos in the winter...madness if you ask me!

Who do you admire the most? Either personally or professionally...

Without question Sir Richard Branson.

And what’s your favourite film of all time?

Donnie Darko, perhaps a bizarre choice but I just love it.

Name the last book you read...

I am not a massive fan of books. I would much rather read a newspaper or magazine.

Finally, what do you like to do in your spare time? What’s a typical Ashley weekend?

I am a very sociable person so I look to keep myself busy, whether that be out doing sports or socialising with my friends. When it does come to a bit of R&R then I like nothing more than a good takeaway and a great film.

INTRODUCING

Ashley RobertsEVENT DIRECTOR


I wanted to bring you up to date on the activities that the Sports & Social Club have organised for you so far, hopefully helping you to relieve some of your daily stresses and bring you closer to your colleagues.

First of all let me say a really big thank you to all those on the S&S Team for their hard work and dedication and for putting on some rocking events. We have had some changes to the team so let me introduce you to the current committee:

Femi Itolia, Salma Hosni, Maude Aimee, Faisel Jameel, Sonia Simons, Emily Goodhew, Supriya D’Souza, Eliane Jadah, Muhammed Kazi and Sangeeta Dhanak. Thanks guys, sterling job! Well done!!

Annual PartyThe first event for the year was the Annual Party, which was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre Tower. Yes, it was a little later than anticipated but well worth waiting for! Food, frolics, prizes and surprises! It was a fun-packed evening hosted by the lovely Lockwood and the big man Simon Mellor.

The party was a great opportunity for dmg’ers to kick back, hang out, brush up on their knowledge of the emirates and reflect on the past year’s achievements.

Howdy dmg’ers!

I’d like to say a special thanks to all of the management and Geoff for supporting the party and for once again keeping it free to attend. Also another thank you for all of the prizes that were specifically chosen by Mike and Geoff! The fantastic giveaways included a brand new iPhone, Beats by Dre headphones, a top of the range diving camera, plus many others.

Great food and great company at the Annual Party


Family Fun DayAfter continuous requests for having a proper family get together we held the very first ‘Family Fun Day’ in the gorgeous Zabeel Park. This initiative was brought to you in collaboration with CSR and S&S - all of the proceeds raised were donated to Dubai Autism Centre! We had plenty of entertainment for the kiddies and enough stuff to keep the adults occupied too, a choice of carnival games, children’s playground, relay games including sack races, egg and spoon, mini golf and tug of war. I am sure the kids and adults slept well after that.

The BBQ pits were ignited and tables erected to display the fantastic banquet of food that was bought with the cash donated, or home cooked food which was made for the occasion.

For those of you that didn’t attend you may have remembered the stock piles of cakes, drinks and food left in the kitchen for you to share, we had enough to feed an army - thanks for digging deep people and contributing...it made a huge difference on the day!

We will be looking to do this again early next year for those of you who want to join in for some good old fashioned family fun!

Thanks so much for all of the hard work put in by all those involved. There are too many names to mention but this was by far the toughest event to arrange as all of the logistics had to be managed by us.

Sports TeamsS&S is also contributing to the team sports for you sporting fanatics such as the dmg cricket team and the dmg football team.

Nathan has kindly provided us with an update about the cricket team’s achievements on the next page. Nathan, thanks so much for being the spearhead on this one! I know the guys really enjoy it! Good luck with the new tournament! If anyone wants to join the team, please email Nathan:[email protected]

The boys have managed to negotiate with the Trade Centre to get their pitch free for dmg football sessions. If anyone would like to play please contact Jaafar: [email protected]

Events to watch out for...Beginning of August - Company Football Tournament. If you haven’t already done so, please let me know if you would like to join us. I have already been gathering the numbers for the teams. The teams for the tournament will be mixed - guys and gals! Last year it was great fun! Please no broken bones or injuries!

The tournament will be during Ramadan and will start after Iftar to make sure that those who are fasting have time to get some food before joining us on the pitch. I will be looking for some Iftar venues to recommend near to the Trade Centre to make sure that you have a couple of viable options.

End of September we are looking to host another small event as it is a good opportunity to get everyone together after Ramadan. Open to suggestions but we are thinking along the lines of a talent contest, karaoke, buffet and so on.

Please email me at: [email protected] by 31st July with your ideas.

If you would like to contact the Sports & Social Team for anything else then please email:

[email protected]

Michaella BlackChairperson

Michaella

It wasn’t just the kids that seemed to be enjoying themselvesat the Family Fun Day!


SPORTS NEWS

Okay, so it didn’t happen exactly like that. It’s fair to say that the dmg :: events cricket team is a work in progress, but with two league tournaments now finished, we’re hoping to make it third time lucky with the next tournament.

Fours and Sixes,Catches and Wickets

“...and the vast crowd packed into Al Quoz Sports Centre cheered as the victorious dmg :: events team lifted the trophy...”

Driven forward by the superb batting and fielding of Jordan Samuel, who played every game, the team came up against some excellent opposition, many of whom had been regularly playing together (and some who even had branded kit!) - nevertheless we managed to give a good account of ourselves.

A regular core of players such as Jordan, Roger, Faisal, Juma, Nathan and Muhammed Kazi were enhanced by the likes of David Thompson, Raj Solankar and Edwin, as well as the occasional ‘guest star’, usually plucked from outside dmg at very short notice to fill in the gaps.

The game of Indoor Cricket is very different to regular cricket - played in a much smaller area with different rules - yet the dmg team picked it up quickly and by the last games were proving a real match for the teams they came up against.

So...we move forward to the next tournament brimming with confidence and optimism and, with the backing of dmg and the Sports and Social Committee, who very kindly sponsor the team, big things are expected.

And who knows, if we do well, maybe we’ll get our own branded kit!

Nathan Waugh.

PS - anyone who wants to play in the next tournament, drop me a mail:

[email protected]

Team dmg in full swing


The iconic charity ball, organised by dmg :: energy, raised more than one million dirhams of pledges and donations last November to help fund the initiatives of the Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP).

FOCP, a Dubai-based, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, was formed to support awareness, research and bolster morale and financial support to families of children struck by this dreadful illness.

For several years now OBCB has been a very close and loyal friend to the special cancer patients support group, being a major contributor and serving as a platform for awareness - not only for the oil and gas industry (where it started) but now for the mainstream community as well.

“The Oil Barons Charity Ball has had a subtle but important change in direction, it still recognises the outstanding lifetime achievements of one individual each year, the aptly named Oil Baron, but in addition we’ve worked to include the Baron in our charity fund raising and that aspect has been well received,” commented Simon Mellor, SVP Energy at dmg :: events Middle East.

“Last year’s event reached the dizzy heights of raising one million dirhams for the FOCP, more than twice better than the best previous year. Working with Alistair Davidson, the current Baron, helps us raise awareness for the work that OBCB does each year and for that we’re grateful for his time and energy. Credit goes also to Robyn, who has helped with the subtle changes in the Ball and still remains as dedicated and passionate about the event as she has always been,” he added.

A small gestureof hopeWhen the memorable evening of the Oil Barons Charity Ball (OBCB) received tremendous support from its generous patrons last year, it left a lasting impression of joy and engraved hope in the hearts of children with cancer.

Last month, OBCB spearheaded by Ball organiser Robyn Sokol, extended its unwavering hand of support by hosting a second hospital visit to the Dubai Children’s hospital in Dubai Hospital.

The 2011 Oil Baron, Alistair Davidson, in cooperation with FOCP and a team from dmg :: energy, took time out of his busy schedule to wear his Stetson of dedication. Alistair brought in the surprises for the little ones at the oncology ward and then spent a few hours playing with the children, encouraging parents and chatting with and learning from the nursing staff.

A cart full of toys, gifts and goody bags, along with some special treats, were distributed to more than a dozen children - as young as 12 months up to 14 years old - undergoing treatment from leukaemia, liver and bone cancers, as well as those recovering from heart operations.

Alistair, who was making his first hospital visit commented “I wasn’t sure what to expect before the visit, but when you see these little ones’ faces light up with joy it makes you appreciate the work that organisations like FOCP and the nursing staff fulfill.”

“It’s uplifting to see children who have been undergoing the difficult process of cancer treatment light up with joy,” said Robyn. “It’s enlightening to see them smiling and sharing laughter together.”

“It’s amazing to see the support from individuals,” added Robyn, who has ran the annual gala charity dinner since the Ball’s inception.

One of them is Keenan D’Abreo, a 14 year old volunteer, who kindly supported the initiative independently by taking time to consider how best to help and then working with school friends to raise 1,000 dirhams by selling his own pictures. Keenan, who is the son of former Reflex dmg :: energy staff member Cherylann D’Abreo, raised such a great sum of cash.

The OBCB is constantly in touch with FOCP all year round supporting hospital visits and fun days out with the children, such as the upcoming trip to Ski Dubai.

“We are looking forward to the continuous support from individuals who can share time, money and effort for the cancer patients,” said Robyn.

“Indeed, a small gesture goes a long way.”

Article supplied by David Manuel, Staff Writer, Pipeline Magazine.

CHARITY FOCUS

The 2011 Oil Baron Alistair Davidson meetsthe kids at the Dubai Children’s Hospital


EVENT IN FOCUS

On Tuesday 3rd July 2012, we hosted a press gathering in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre to announce the launch of ADIPEC 2013...nothing special in that...how-ever, when you consider that ADIPEC has until this past week been held once every two years and will in future be an annual show, it makes news!

In support of the launch were two of ADNOC’s (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) senior executives, testament to how far we have come in developing our relationship with a key client.

ADIPEC dominates the regional oil and gas market as a show. It is larger and better supported than any of the neighbouring events, perhaps even five times larger than the next best event.

But, it has since 1984 been an event that was held every two years. So moving into an annual frequency creates a great deal of opportunity.

To gauge the scale of that opportunity, imagine doubling Big 5 and you’ll have some idea...it’s a huge task and an exciting one.

Ali Al Jarwan, CEO ADMA OPCO and 2012 ADIPEC Chairmanaddresses the Abu Dhabi press

Mohammed Sahoo Al SuwaidiCEO Gasco and the ADIPEC2013 Chairman


The regional market for energy is under pressure to grow - dynamic regional economies are demanding more energy to continue to grow and fuel young expanding populations, be that here in the UAE, or within Saudi, Oman or the likes of Bahrain.

Oil production is only one source of energy, and not always the cleanest, so alternatives have been developing in recent years. Gas projects have been on the rise, as are alternatives like solar and even nuclear is being considered.

The move forward with ADIPEC is partly to help support the new energies like gas, as well as recognising that traditional ‘easy oil’ is waning and new, more advanced technologies are required to extract more challenging oil reserves.

ADIPEC, with its massive conference programme (over 4,500 delegates attended in 2010) provides the connection point for the Middle East oil and gas sector, as the energy market develops, ADIPEC responds to that need.

The ADIPEC team has been through a great deal of change in the past eighteen months with so many new staff members joining the division. The fact that they have settled into a new market and bonded as a team is a credit to them.

The 2012 event is a testament to them all, with sales metres looking very strong, including over 2,500 sqm of brand new outdoor sales, as well as sponsorship sales well ahead of previous years. In addition, the event will have many more features, such as gala nights, awards and will produce the first in-house event daily this November.

Over the past eighteen months the team has had to manage difficult client relations whilst learning a new market. To have accomplished that and arrived at a point that allows the event to expand into an annual frequency is a

wonderful effort.

With so much change and development it is impossible to highlight individuals for special attention so I’ll just conclude with how proud I am of each of the members of the team.

Their hard work, creative talents, understanding and dedication is what makes them a speical group of people to work with.

Simon Mellor, SVP, dmg :: events Middle East

Busy room with over 50 members of the press

Geoff addresses the gathering


EXHIBITION REVIEW

The Big 5 Saudi 2012 doubled in size from the previous year, with 518 exhibitors from 36 countries and 9,015 net square metres sold - well done Patrick, Hussein, Firas, Nathan and Mark!

To accommodate all the exhibitors, a temporary structure was built in the car park opposite the exhibition centre. The famous ‘marquee’ (as it was supposed to be called) soon became known as Samer’s Gazebo, reflecting the huge personal effort made by Sam to ensure it got built on time.

EVENT REVIEWS

The show was opened by the Mayor of Jeddah,His Excellency Dr. Hani Abu Ras.

Professional cushion holder and her glamorous assistant.

A bustling Big 5 Saudi registration area


Sam can be proud of this achievement, which required a large dose of determination and patience. The marquee was home to over 200 exhibitors and also hosted the Concrete Zone, dedicated to...yes, you guessed right - concrete-related products.

The show also introduced for the first time the Concrete Repair and LEED 201 workshops presented by world-class experts, providing valuable insights about the latest techniques and standards in concrete repair and sustainable building concepts. Both workshops were completely sold

out thanks to the hard work of Faye, Nathan and Juma.

Congratulations also go to Marcela and Emily, whose tremendous efforts were rewarded by an attendance of 9,922 visitors from 52 countries (92% from Saudi Arabia), a 9.2% increase on 2011 figures.

The preparations for 2013 are already under way and the whole team is working hard to deliver exceptional results once again.

Samer’s Gazebo under construction.


EXHIBITION REVIEW


A record result for the Hotel Show 2012 with more than 15,500 industry professionals in attendance.

The Hotel Show Dubai 2012 reaffirmed its position as the largest full-spectrum hospitality supplies event for the MENA region, with exhibitors reporting an increase in sales figures and record numbers of visitors during the three day event.

Participation this year of 450 leading suppliers and consultants from more than 45 countries and thirteen international pavilions highlighted the pivotal role that the show plays in facilitating trade between suppliers and buyers from every corner of the globe.

As the true platform for businesses in every sector of the hospitality industry, The Hotel Show delivered tangible business benefits for both exhibitors showcasing their products and services, and industry visitors sourcing the same.

The Hotel team is delighted with the results of this year’s show and are proud that the exhibition is continuing to foster growth in the Middle East market and play a key role in offering real opportunities for companies new to the region.

In addition to the strong business opportunities presented at The Hotel Show, the show also hosted the third edition of The Middle East Spa Awards, the region’s premier spa awards recognising the outstanding quality of services and amenities provided by spas across the region.

The show also saw the launch of the first Middle East Hotel Awards to recognise and reward design, product and service excellence in the region’s hospitality industry.

With plans already underway for The Hotel Show 2013, which will take place from 29th September to 1st October 2013, there has already been an excellent response from exhibitors confirming their participation in next year’s show.

A very busy Hotel Show 2012


EXHIBITION REVIEW

Enjoying its eleventh consecutive year as the MENA region’s must-attend office and commercial interiors exhibition, The Office Exhibition 2012 took place at the Dubai World Trade Centre 15-17 May.

The Office Exhibition 2012 hosted 100 companies from 20 countries across the globe, indicating that despite the continuing economic downturn in Europe and the US, many companies remain commited to investing in growth markets such as the Middle East & North Africa region.

The exhibition attracted a very healthy 4,461 unique visitors across the three day event, from more than 50 countries, confirming the Office Exhibition’s position as a global event with a strong regional focus.

Thanks to a number of key partners and the efforts of the Office Team, the event also delivered a fantastic, free-to-attend seminar and workshop programme on the exhibition floor. The three-day programme included sessions


presented by representatives from IIDA, the American University of Sharjah’s College of Architecture & Design, Summertown, Emirates Green Building Council, Pringle Brandon and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. Each session was very well attended and presented a great platform for discussion and debate.

As Knowledge Partner for the exhibition, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) organised The Office Exhibition Interior Design Competition. A flood of entries were received across the 9 competition categories and the winners were announced and featured onsite at the show.

Thanks to the efforts and ingenuity of the marketing team, the exhibition received a great deal of media interest, including the results of a YouGov survey, commissioned specially for The Office Exhibition, that quantified the average monetary loss in business a company suffers due to unsightly office interiors.

There are exciting times ahead as we look towards 2013 - the show will have a new sales and marketing team, an updated show profile, and will run alongside INDEX in May - so keep an eye out for several updates and announcements in the coming months; but for now, huge congratulations to all those involved in Office 2012!

Winners of The Office Exhibition Interior Design Awards 2012


LAUNCH EVENTS

LAUNCH EVENT REVIEW

INDEX KSA introduced to Saudi Arabia an impressive array of international design brands and manufacturers from around the world. Featuring over 220 exhibitors from 27 countries, this launch event received praise from exhibitors and visitors alike.

INDEX KSA was opened by the Secretary General of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry


The inaugural INDEX KSA Exhibition, held at the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events, represented the first geo-clone of the long-established INDEX International Design Exhibition brand. The event was held over three days and hosted more than 220 exhibitors, showcasing the latest international interior design products and brands.

Following a comprehensive marketing campaign, more than 5,000 visitors attended the event; which occupied 4,500 square metres of exhibition space. The exhibition was held under the patronage of Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, President of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and was opened by the Secretary General of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Problems with getting visas issued on time ... delays getting shipments cleared through customs ... fun and games with onsite contractors ... yes, after all, this was a Saudi event and was not immune to the challenges experienced by other shows, but thanks to the dogged determination of the Sales, Ops and Admin teams, the first INDEX KSA exhibition was a tremendous success.

A special mention must go to Larisa Kalmykova for an impressive marketing campaign for this launch event, which was also her first event in Saudi; and distinguished medals of honour to Jaafar Shubber for project managing his very first dmg event, and of course, to the General himself,Samer Al-yain, the King of Saudi operations!

After a very brief sigh of relief, the whole team are now looking positively towards INDEX KSA 2013, to be held once again in Jeddah.

More than 5,000 visitors attended the launch edition of INDEX KSA


LAUNCH EVENT REVIEW

The inaugural MEDEXPO Saudi Arabia exhibition, held under the patronage of the Saudi Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rabeeah, successfully concluded on June 20th at the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events.

MEDEXPO Saudi Arabia, dmg’s new launch into the healthcare sector got off to a successful start with support from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health, Saudi Food & Drug Authority, Council of Cooperative Health Insurance, National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and various Healthcare Associations.

For the inaugural event, MEDEXPO turned out well with stand sales of 1955 sqm, and 152 companies from 22 countries participating. With 6 country pavilions, the international exhibitors accounted for 58% of the total number of companies exhibiting.

Arranging visas for exhibitors and visitors to Saudi Arabia was not an easy task, and during build up the team was prepared for any last minute hiccups.

However the major hurdle which was not anticipated was the death of the Saudi Crown Prince on the 16th June. With the show scheduled to start the next day, for a few hours

Visitors to MEDEXPO Saudi Arabia learning about some of the innovative medical products on offer


after the announcement we were still unsure if the show would go on…

A message from MOH to proceed but without an official ribbon cutting, press blackout, and no spotlights outside the venue was the light at the end of a very long tunnel.

With the entire country in mourning, this did not help with the visitor numbers; however we managed to draw around 2000 unique visitors.

A partner Forum which was held alongside the exhibition, started on 18 June at the Park Hyatt with close to 200 participants. Positive comments about the programme from MOH to slate more healthcare conferences in Saudi sealed the success of the event.

MEDEXPO is currently the only medical event in KSA and for the first time ever, is the only event to bring all the various medical societies together in one venue.

The next edition of MEDEXPO Saudi Arabia is now set to take place from 2 to 4 April 2013, at the same venue, and is aiming for a larger share of local visitors and international exhibitors.


C&T UPDATE

In a period where there has been a number of changes and developments, C&T has seen the launches of: Delivering the Best Customer Experience, International Asset Integrity Management Forum, Oil & Gas Automation Forum, and MEDEXPO Forum Saudi Arabia.

Delivering the Best Customer Experience: A successful spin off of the InRetail Summit focused on the importance of customer experience in today’s competitive market. This well-received summit ran across two days and was attended by 80 delegates who came to listen to key insights from the Head of Customer Experience, Dnata, Customer Experience Strategy Director, Orange Group and Managing Director of Living Social, to name a few. With feedback including “a must-attend event for anyone who deals with anyone”, the event promises to return bigger and better in 2013.

International Asset Integrity Management Forum: This two-day forum launched in May with a solid sponsor and speaker line-up, which included the past President of NACE and (Acting) Vice President Integrity Assurance Division, GASCO. The forum provided an exciting platform for engineers and professionals to address the missing links in AIM to take the industry forward. With positive feedback, the foundations have been laid to grow this event.

Oil & Gas Automation Forum: This two-day forum and workshop brought together IT, Automation and Control experts from across upstream (onshore and offshore),

midstream and downstream operations to discuss best practices in streamlining business processes through control systems and information technology. The forum and workshop also showcased the latest innovations and cutting edge technologies aimed at minimising operating costs and driving organisational efficiency with the highlights being case studies from GASCO, ADCO, TASNEE and NDC.

MEDEXPO Forum Saudi Arabia: This forum ran alongside the MEDEXPO exhibition and provided a key platform for the Kingdom’s healthcare leaders to gather to discuss and debate the strategies needed to develop world-class medical services and infrastructure. The highlight of this premier two-day forum was the keynote panel: Partnering to Transform the Kingdom’s Healthcare Landscape, featuring Dr. Sultan Bahabri, Founder and Chairman, Ebram Investments and Dr. Mohammed Hasim Amin, President and Managing Director, Elaj Group and Elaj Medical Services.

We are now concentrating efforts on September events and beyond as we look to further expand our portfolio in a number of key sectors and build on the momentum of our successful launches.


dmg :: energy’s ‘Rig Day Out’

Article supplied by David Manuel, Staff Writer, Pipeline Magazine.

Team dmg :: energy, headed by Simon Mellor, synergised its partnership with Baker Hughes, one of the biggest oilfield service providers, for a basic understanding of this buzzing sector.

“This exercise has helped staff gain a valuable insight into the workings of this complex and multi-faceted oil and gas industry. Staff new to the industry need to gain a clear understanding of how the market works in order to sell, write and market events to delegates effectively,” said Simon.

“Thanks to Kimon for coordinating the access to the facilities by agreeing to support Baker Hughes with branding at the forthcoming ADIPEC event. A good example of how to stretch the training budget and gain real hands-on, valuable industry training for staff and colleagues,” added Simon.

Located on a 25-acre site at the TechnoPark in Jebel Ali, the Baker Hughes complex includes the Middle East Asia Pacific (MEAP) Region Headquarters and the Eastern Hemisphere Education Centre, as well as an operations building and a manufacturing plant.

More than 800 full-time employees work at the site, and the education centre has the capacity to train up to 300 Baker Hughes students simultaneously, covering exploration, production and HSEQ.

Ayman Maher, Eastern Hemisphere Education Centre Manager at Baker Hughes hosted the enthusiastic Team dmg :: energy for a morning full of intelligent interaction in a classroom setting.

During the classroom session, Ayman and his team of skilled instructors provided a very practical fundamental of how things work to non-technical oil and gas professionals. From

geology, reservoir management, exploration, drilling and downhole technologies...all manners of instruction.

The trained instructors were adept in delivering an interactive but casual discussion of the value of safety, why we need energy, the future of oil and gas, understanding the subsurface, and how to drill wells.

Ayman also oriented the team about Baker Hughes’ massive investment in education and training to develop the region’s budding talents. He gave an invaluable insight into the breadth of specialised industry training covered for local talents in a bid to bridge the gap of the ‘great crew change’.

“The oil industry is facing a talent crunch as old school oilmen retire without the succeeding line of new blood,” says Ayman. “Education is the key to unlocking new opportunities. This is our goal to help fill the gap through education.”

Later on, after an entertaining and educational hour of drilling 101 with one of the facility’s drilling experts, Anwar Al-Saleh, the enlightened Team dmg :: energy suited up in full battle overalls and safety gear as they were toured around the massive complex.

The workshop visit was an eye-opener on how multi-faceted, precise and interesting it is to work in this often-neglected field of expertise. A Baker Hughes rigman demonstrated downhole tools, wellhead equipment, and everything used to measure the reservoir.

Baker Hughes, which is known for its manufactured drill bits, showcased its drill bit arsenal in various shapes and forms to dig deep into the hydrocarbon-rich Middle East geology.

Last but not least, the team boarded one of the facility’s land drilling rigs in operation along with wireline and in-situ units. For some it was a surreal experience, while for others it was just another photo opportunity to wall off.

To cap a very stimulating morning, the team was treated to a nice cafeteria lunch hosted by Baker Hughes, digesting the positives vibes of a rich learning experience.

“It was extremely useful to see first hand the equipment and training facilities,” says Glenn Freeman, editor of Pipeline Magazine. “The onsite tour was also a great opportunity to personally meet the people who make the oil and gas industry progress forward through education and training.”

In June of this year, the energetic crews behind ADIPEC and Pipeline gained first-hand industry knowledge as they ventured out to where no dmg staff members have ever gone before - a working drilling rig and multi-million dollar oil and gas training facility.


COMPETITION TIME

PMV and MEC Challenge

AED1,000Mall of the Emirates Vouchers!

A part of our data building efforts on PMV live and Middle East Concret, it is vital that we capture the details of new contractors, engineers, machinery hire companies, etc, currently active in the area.

We would also like photgraphs of construction machinery, if they have the contractor’s name visible somewhere in the photograph, as shown below:

So...for the chance to WIN AED1,000 in Mall of the Emirates vouchers, the challenge is to submit as many of these photographs as you can.

The prize will be awarded to the person who submits the most photographs that fit the criteria.

THE RULES:

• Contact details on the board must be readable• No duplicates - photographs of the same board taken from three separate angles will NOT count three times• Likewise, photographs of more than one machine with the same contractor name will count only ONCE• Entries accepted until 5pm Thursday 16th August 2012

Good Luck, and Happy Snapping!

The MEC and PMV Live Team.

Every active construction site (and most inactive ones too) have boards like the one shown below, which place contact details of all the relevant contractors and engineers working on the project.

All competition entries to be sent via email to: [email protected]

JUST FOR FUN!


Why not give your brain a bit of a workout with these puzzles and brain teasers.

You will find all of the answers on page 33But no peeking until you’ve finished as you will only be cheating yourself!

SUDOKUHow to play: Each of the two 9x9 squares below contain nine smaller squares of 3x3. To complete the full grid you must place numbers in the blank squares, making sure that the numbers 1-9 appear only once in each 3x3 grid and that no number appears twice on any line, either horizontally or vertically in the overall 9x9 grid.

dmg WORD SEARCHCan you spot the following work-related words in the grid below?The words may appear horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

ADIPEC, ADNEC, CONFERENCE, DATABASE, EXHIBITION, FINANCE, HOTEL, INDEX, INSPIRE, IT, MARKETING, MEDEXPO, OFFICE, OPERATIONS, PIPELINE, PMV, REFLEX, SALES, SPONSORSHIP

BRAIN TEASERS

Teaser 1: Count the “f”s in the following passage:

FINISHED FILES ARE THERESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC

STUDY COMBINED WITH THEEXPERIENCE OF YEARS

Teaser 2: A man is trapped in a room with only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door, there is a room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing sun instantly fries anyone or anything that enters. Through the second door, there is a fire breathing dragon. How does the man escape?


RECIPES

Borscht is the most popular soup in Russia, Ukraine and other ex-Soviet Union republics.

It is a slightly sour dish but is great in the winter to get warm and very refreshing in the summer.

Ingredients:

1 lb beef (with or without bones)1 lb red beets (3 average-size ones)1/2 lb shredded cabbage4 small potatoes1 carrot1 onion3 tbsp tomato paste1 tsp vinegarSalt and pepperParsley, dill and spring onions

Preparation:

Preparing the broth: Put the beef into a large saucepan and cover with 3 litres of cold water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Remove the grease and froth from the broth surface with a spoon. Cook at low heat for 1-2 hours.

Simmering the red beets: Melt 1 tablespoon of margarine in a saucepan. Cut red beets into thin sticks and add them into the pan. Add tomato paste or sliced tomatoes. Simmer at low heat for 1 hour. If there is not enough liquid, add some broth. Add vinegar.

Pan-frying vegetables: Melt 1 tablespoon of margarine in a frying pan. Cut onions, carrots and red

beets into thin sticks, add into the frying pan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Bring broth to the boil. Cut the potatoes into bars and add to broth, along with the shredded cabbage. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the pan-fried vegetables.

Add salt and pepper to season to your taste ... if you like garlic, you can also add about 5g of grated garlic. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Borscht is served with sour cream, fresh cut parsley, dill and spring onions.

Larisa’s‘Beef-tastic Borscht ’

Enjoy!


This is a recipe from the BBC that I make about once a month and it is ruddy yummy. A lucky few of you have even sampled it in the kitchen when I have made way too much and brough it in.

It’s one of my favourite things to cook as it is extremely tasty, filling and not too much effort bar the chopping. Plus it is packed full of veggies so pretty healthy as well (except for the cheese). The original recipe uses goat’s cheese but I prefer it with Feta, obviously you can swap for any soft cheese.

Ingredients:

2 small butternut squashGarlic clove, crushed3 tbsp olive oilA pinch of dried chilli flakes (although I use more)1 tsp thyme, chopped1 courgette, cut into 2cm chunks1 red pepper, cut into 2cm chunks2 small red onions, cut into thin wedges200g cherry tomatoes50g pine nuts100g feta cheese, crumbled1 tbsp breadcrumbs1 tbsp parsley, chopped1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds then cut criss-cross patterns over the cut side of each one. Do this quite deep as it will soak up all of the goodness and make it extra scrummy. Mix together the garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, chilli and thyme and brush this mixture over the flesh of the squash. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the flesh is tender (I normally find this part takes more like 50-60 minutes).

2. To make the filling, chuck the courgette, pepper and onion in a roasting tin and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season. Roll up your sleeves and give it a good old mix, coating all of the veggies. Roast for about 20-25 minutes until tender and starting to brown at the edges. Add the cherry tomatoes and pine nuts and cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes burst.

3. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesan. I find the easiest way to do this is to chuck it all in a blender for a few seconds, it makes a nice even mixture. Arrange the roasted vegetables and feta cheese in the squash halves. They will spill over from the scooped section and cover the rest, which is fine. Cover with the breadcrumb mix and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

This is deceptively filling so you don’t need anything heavy to go with it and most of the time I eat it on its own, but should you be cooking for someone else, a suggestion would be to serve with a simple tomato salad.

Rebecca’sRoastedButternut Squash withFeta CheeseYummy!


Ingredients:

2 packets of digestive biscuits1/2 lb butter3 cans of condensed milk2-3 bananasWhipped cream

Preparation:

To make the toffee: Place the 3 cans of con-densed milk in a saucepan. Fill the pan with boiling water so that the tins are completely covered. Simmer lightly on a low heat for 2.5 hours. Be careful not to let them come to the boil

Melissa’s‘Brilliant Banoffee Pie’

and keep the water topped up. Turn the tims occasionally.

To make the pie base: Crush the biscuits by hand or use a potato masher or blender. Melt the butter in a saucepan and then fold in the crushed biscuits until all of the melted butter is absorbed.

Press the mixture into a shallow serving dish or cake tray then place in the fridge and allow the base to set.

Once the base is set, chop and arrange the bananas on top of the biscuit base.

Careffully remove the tins from your saucepan. Open the tins and pour the hot toffee over the base.

Smooth the toffee mixture over the base with a spatula.

Once the toffee has set, add whipped cream or decoration as required.

Tuck inand Enjoy!

PUZZLE ANSWERS


So, how well did you do?...

SUDOKU ANSWERS

BRAIN TEASERANSWERS

Teaser 1: Count the “f”s in the passage:

There are 6 “f”s in this passage. If you only counted 3, you’re not alone. Most people fail to count the “f”s in the word ‘of’. Why? When looking for “f”s your brain is actually scanning for the sound of the letter “f” - which usually makes the /f/sound, like in fox. In the word ‘of’, though, “f” makes the /v/sound. As a result, the brain overlooks the word ‘of’ as it scans for the sound of /f/.

Teaser 2: The man waited for nightlfall, and once it was dark, he exited the door to the room made of magnifying glass.

WORD SEARCH ANSWERS

test

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good year

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tremendous launch event

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