The ICE (In Case of Emergency) scheme is not a virus or a hoax, but a very worthwhile idea to help the emergency services.

From the East Anglia Ambulance Service website quote:

However, if you receive an email about it and that email ends with a request that you forward it to your entire address book, please don't. This is how hoaxes get started in the first place.

So what started as a well intentioned but misguided attempt to get a useful message out using mass forwarding has mutated into an actual hoax.

There will be an Extraordinary General Meeting immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting to discuss the future organisational form of AWTE. Please make every effort to attend as only Active Members present at the meeting may vote on the proposal.

AGENDAS for both the EGM and the AGM and the BALLOT are now published in our MEMBERS' PAGES. Deadline for postal votes: Wednesday 13 April 2005.

You may nominate any Active AWTE member - including yourself ! - for a position on the Executive Committee, provided she has been a member for 12 months and you have her agreement. You are also very welcome to nominate yourself or others to work on any sub-committee, regardless of the length of membership in AWTE - we are actively looking for people to come and help ! And finally, please let us know if you want to propose any amendments to the Bye-Laws 2004.

Please forward your nominations for the Executive Committee 2005/2006, the sub-committees and any proposals for amendments to the Bye-laws 2004 to AWTE Secretary Tricia Handley by Friday 18 March 2005.

For the necessary forms please click on

• NOMINATIONS for the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2005/2006
• NOMINATIONS for SUB-COMMITTEES 2005/2006
• PROPOSALS for AMENDMENTS to the BYE-LAWS 2004

PUSHING FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS, 50 YEARS ON
by Stanley Slaughter

AWTE has made it into the national press with an article by Stanley Slaughter in the Business Travel section of THE TIMES on 25 Feb 05.

Click on www.timesonline.co.uk/article and you can read in full the feature that details the history of AWTE and quotes Vice Chairman Jacquie Steadman and membership secretary Julia Fuell talking about the function of AWTE today.

The first event of this year, the Members' Evening, took place on 23 February at the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel. In spite of the inclement weather some 30 members made it to a very lively and interesting evening. We were particularly happy to welcome some of the new members who have recently joined AWTE.

Julia Feuell, our Membership Chairman, had devised a novel way of getting everybody to speak to everybody else: speed networking. Wielding a brass ship's bell she allowed us two minutes to find somebody to talk to before she sounded the bell and everybody had to move on to the next person. A great idea because it got everybody talking to everybody else, not just the tried and trusted friends, and gave us all a chance to network with everybody.

The hotel provided us with a nice room and some great canapés which went down well with the wines sponsored by AWTE to mark the end of our Jubilee Year. A great evening and a super idea which we will no doubt pursue at other venues.

AWTE has announced an agreement with SHINE, the organisation formed to provide mentoring services to women working in the tourism industry.

It has been agreed that SHINE be appointed the professional development arm of AWTE, with the organisation being promoted to the AWTE membership though a range of mutually beneficial activities. The agreement, which is initially for one year, includes the following:

• AWTE will circulate news and promote events organised by SHINE with a preferential discounted rate for AWTE members.
• SHINE and AWTE will provide links to each other's websites.
• SHINE and AWTE will leverage their respective network for mutually beneficial aims, such as mentors, mentees, speakers etc.
• SHINE and AWTE will identify projects to work on in partnership and share rewards on a case by case basis as appropriate.

In addition, SHINE will undertake to run a training session for mentors, exclusively for AWTE members, entirely free of charge.

AWTE's chairwoman Teresa Brain said: " Both AWTE and SHINE share many common goals with the focus being the professional development of women in the tourism industry. Our co-operation has commenced with the SHINE masterclasses being promoted to AWTE members who can take advantage of these seminars at a discounted rate."

SHINE'S co-founder Alessandra Alonso said: 'SHINE is delighted by the opportunity to work closely with AWTE. Since its inception SHINE has taken a particular interest in women, who represent the majority of the workforce in the travel & tourism industry but are poorly represented at management level. AWTE members are amongst the most senior professionals in the industry and are very aware of the need to provide a more holistic development approach to their teams. We look forward to working with AWTE members in the area of continuing personal and professional development.'