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Wacky races kick-start Colourfence Conference

16 March 2017

The Colourfence Conference, held again this year at the Celtic Manor Resort, began with some fun team building challenges for the weatherproof fencing brand’s 54 franchisees.

Split into seven teams, they worked to design, build and then race a go-kart around a short indoor track. The winning team, made up of franchisees from as far afield as Glasgow, Bristol and Harrow, won with a politically-charged kart named ‘Let’s Dump Trump.’

With a couple of hour’s relaxation time and, for some, a chance to enjoy the spa facilities, everyone then met up for a three-course meal and an awards ceremony. And, after celebrating individual achievements, there was a moving tribute to Colourfence Lincoln’s Chris Hann who sadly passed away a few weeks ago. A memorial award – which will be presented every year to the franchisee who demonstrates the same positive attitude that Chris did while battling cancer – was handed to Colourfence Cornwall’s Olly Daglish.

Says Colourfence Managing Director, Mark Stewart-Woods: “We want to recognise the person that Chris Hann was; someone who, despite receiving devastating news about his cancer, still displayed an unwavering positive attitude to business and life. He was a remarkable man and we could all learn a lot from his outlook. Olly has a similar mind-set, and so it is only fitting that he is the inaugural winner of the Chris Hann Memorial Award.”

Winners on the night were:

Ian McConnachie from Glasgow who, with sales of more than £200,000 and a 70 percent conversion rate, received the ‘Most Improved Franchisee’ award

Paul Gilmore from Bognor Regis who, after selling £194,000 in his first year, won ‘Best Newcomer’

Sharone Freed from Cambridge who excels in every area of his business and, with sales of £411,000, was voted ‘Franchisee of the Year’ for the second year running

But, despite posting some exceptional sales figures, Colourfence’s Finance Director, Iain Colling, is quick to point out that the awards aren’t just about turnover: “Everyone at head office has a say in who wins these awards,” he says. “And, while we take sales into account, we also look at call response, speed of payment, customer feedback and peer-to-peer support too. All our winners have been a credit to their franchise and to the Colourfence brand at large.”

Colourfence launched in the UK in 2004. Its weatherproof and virtually maintenance free fencing has proven incredibly popular with time-poor homeowners. Franchisees operate in an exclusive territory, supplying the products and employing labour for installations. Colourfence hosts regular Open Days for interested parties at its factory in South Wales.


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