Bright World Sponsors Prize for HKOSC Annual Dinner

Cici Chan, Manager of Hong Kong Overseas Studies Centre, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Overseas Studies Centre is one of Bright World's longest serving agencies and for the past 5 years has unfailingly won the place of top agent for Bright World Education and Bright World Guardianships. From day 1 of our existence, the team at HKOSC have always supported us so closely. We have placed hundreds of Hong Kong students successfully into UK boarding schools together over the years and have acted as UK guardian to many of them too, staying in touch and making sure that their entire stay in the UK is a positive one.

We were so delighted, therefore that one of our favourite member of staff, Cici Chan, who has been with the company for as long as we can remember, won our prize. Well done Cici. You deserve this as we love working with you and you are so professional always.

We were also delighted that the other prize was won by Winsome, the Manager of HKOSC's Macau office. Below is a picture of Winsome winning her prize.



We raise a glass to you all and here's to another successful year in 2010.

James' Sinclair C5 project

Back in 1985, an eccentric British engineer, Clive Sinclair, introduced to the public what he thought would revolutionise transportation. Already a multi-millionaire thanks to his digital calculator in the 70’s and hugely successful ZX Spectrum computer, which had made home computing accessible and affordable for the masses, he ploughed nearly £12 million of his own money into producing the Sinclair C5. After a disastrous launch - the one-seater, open-air trike was introduced to an unimpressed media audience during the depths of a wet winter - sales were predictably slow. There was also a glaring issue in that the C5 was too big for pavements and too small for the road; a passing lorry would often show up the inherent vulnerability of the vehicle and attracted the venom of safety campaigners. Sales soon tailed off and thousands of unsold C5’s were evidence enough for production to be abruptly stopped. After losing his investment, Clive Sinclair went back to computers, eventually selling the Sinclair brand to Alan Sugar’s AMSTRAD company.

Many of these C5’s ended up languishing at the back of garages or sheds as people lost interest in them. This is where Bright World Director, James Foster found one when he attended a friend’s garage sale. Covered in dust and electrically dead, it seemed like an interesting project to bring back to life for James, who is a secret engineering geek. To James’ surprise, a growing number of C5 enthusiasts were out there – one electronics expert and C5 wizard lived less than half an hour away and was able to recondition the C5’s electronic modules and motor very cheaply. Indeed he states, ‘I have always wanted to have a classic car - I suppose you might possibly class it as one - but do not have the garage space. At least I don’t have nightmares about restoration costs!’ James’ C5 is now fully operational and a familiar buzz can be heard around Hurstpierpoint as he commutes into work – weather permitting!

Happy New Year to all our friends

Lana Foster on her way to work! Walking across the fields was the only way to get to work.

What a start to the year! Who would have expected all that snow in the UK and how long it stayed around for. The first day was lovely and we all felt excited that there was snow and everything looked so wonderful. Then the arrival weekend for all our Bright World Guardianhips students loomed. Airports were closed, flights were delayed and cancelled. Often we were not aware if students were on flights or not. We had students arriving at airports and drivers unable to get to them on time. Then we had drivers waiting at airports for hours as students were so delayed.

Despite all the problems, we remained in control throughout. A special note of thanks is due to Fiona Walters, our Senior Programme Manager who held everything together as well as having the emergency phone 24/7. She managed the entire event with Carol and Jane in the office (or not in the office as some days they were snowed in and had to work from home). All students arrived safe and sound and everyone was fully aware of the situation throughout.

This is the key to a successful guardianship company and what makes Bright World Guardianships the leading one in the UK. We have excellent and experienced staff, host families and wonderful drivers who all have a genuine interest in the wellbeing of our students. A sensible and intelligent approach is necessary in these situations as well as a great network of contacts around the UK all pulling together to help out in a crisis.

Another special vote of thanks must go to Bruce Corbin and Jaro of Starfish Cars who did not let us down once and who literally went the extra mile for us in very adverse conditions.

Pre-Christmas Local Coordinators Meeting, South

from front clockwise: Fiona Walters, Jane Forester, Adele Thurlow Reed, Carol Gill, Sian Delaney, Linda Genge, Tracey Welding, Bridget Phillips and Martyn Pape

Yesterday, 26th November was the day for our first group meeting of our Local Coordinators in the South for the academic year 2009/10.

Martyn Pape Dorset, Somerset, Tracey Welding, London and East Surrey, Bridget Phillips, West Sussex, Sian Delaney, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxford who are all establised Bright World Buddies, along with the Head Office team all welcomed our new Local Coordinator for Devon, Linda Genge.

We see our group meetings as an excellent way of sharing information and talking about our service and students. We are always looking at ways of improving our service to our students and their parents as well as developing closer links with schools.

The picture shows us enjoying a slap up lunch after the meeting.

Bright World joins Facebook

We like to think we are forward thinking at Bright World Guardianships and realise that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming a way of life and are very useful ways of keeping in touch with a network of friends.

Last week we launched our new Facebook site and this can now be found via our website. We will inviting all our students, agents and parents to join our fanbase over the coming weeks.

In Memory of Jake

Lana and James are very sad to announce that Jake, their beloved Border Collie dog, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, 14th October. Jake had been diagnosed with cancer back in 2007 so he did very well to fight it for as long as he did.

Jake was very much a part of our Bright World office team as well, coming to the office every day and helping to guard us. He also welcomed visitors, always with a wagging tail and lots of kisses.

We will miss him terribly but we are sure he is up there watching down on us all and still guarding us and looking after us.

Congratulations to Sarah & Adam Forsyth on the birth of Molly Isla

Our guardianship students, families and clients in West Surrey area will all know and love Sarah. Sarah has been our Local Coordinator and Bright World Buddy to students at Priors Field School, King Edwards School, Witley and Royal School, Haslemere for two years now.

Sarah is currently at home with her new born baby, Molly Isla pictured here with Sarah, her husband, Adam and two sisters Ava and Isobelle. We love the picture so much we just had to share it.

Congratulations to you all.