Winning Awards & Shaking Hands – Clough Bottom is ‘Officially Beautiful’
w/c 22nd March
A compliment is nice, a few people admiring gives us a fluffy feeling, but a visit to London to see a Lord AND the chance to shake the hand of a man who is known to make a mean sticky toffee pudding – well – that’s a whole new level of good feeling! So, we’re on a bit of a high and so pleased to tell you that Clough Bottom, home of Focus Training has won Highly Commended for the North West in the Beautiful Farm Awards 2009/10.
We’ve long known that our 360 acre organic farm, the location of our experiential training, is more than a bit special, but it’s fantastic that Harry and Jane Backhouse’s hard work at Clough Bottom has been recognised. The farm creates the perfect atmosphere to facilitate learning, open up to creativity and focus on developing new skills in a safe environment. Please get in touch if you’d like to know more!
The Focus Team 
Well done Clough Bottom! Lancashire Evening Post’s Green Business of the Year!
w/c 14th December
Hello!
I’m sure that everyone is on countdown for the Xmas break, however Clough Bottom, the beautiful organic farm where Focus Training is based has reasons other than Christmas to celebrate!! We’re really pleased that Harry and Jane Backhouse’s committment to the environment and recycling has been recognised: The three 17th century converted luxury cottages have won the Lancashire Evening Post’s ‘Green business of the Year’ Award. Read more about the prestigious award, and if you want to know about how the Backhouses’s green ethos can benefit your company when choosing which training provide to use, read about our CSR policy.
Enjoy your last few days at work!
Thanks for helping us to have a successful taster day!
w/c 14th September
Afternoon All,
I have just been writing up the details from last Thursday’s successful Taster Day: How do we Maximise Employee Engagement? - It’s now on the news items on the home page and I have to say that the sound of the delicious lunch made by our on-site chef is making me feel hungry. Have a look to see what people think her food….
Off for a sandwich now, doesn’t quite have the same ring as spinach and feta stuffed chicken with new potatoes and salad followed by raspberry shortcake 
Swapping the Focus Training T-shirt for a white tunic and flat sensible shoes…..lovely!
w/c 31st August
As you’ll likely know, one of our Business Development Managers is leaving Focus. Shelly’s off to train as a mental health nurse at Preston UCLAN for the next three years. Over to you Shelly:
This photo was taken the evening before I left and before the tears started! Lynda & Lorraine took me out for a meal (and a couple of glasses of wine to calm the nerves!)
I am SO sad to leave Focus Training. I have been there over four years and I really loved it. I have a great relationship with the team (I say have because I will definitely be keeping in touch) and with my clients. The team and the trainers at Focus really believe in what they do, and Focus has been making a difference and delivering results for thousands of people since 1991. It was a great and positive place to be everyday.
If I hadn’t had a dream to go into nursing I would have been really happy as a business development manager at Focus Training long-term, and I was a little worried about the reaction but everyone has been great! After all, Focus was set up for personal development and to help people achieve their potential, so I couldn’t have been in a more supportive environment for choosing my new direction….once the shock wore off!
I’m still keeping my hand in and doing some web marketing for the company, which I’m really excited about as I want to stay involved in the success of Focus Training.
I also wanted to say thanks to all my clients for some lovely cards, e-mails and phone calls. I am really touched!
Have a great week and to all those attending on Thursday – enjoy the Taster Day!! Here’s the details again
Any comments on our blog or website would be gratefully received.
Best Wishes,
Shelly
PS) I’m getting lots of offers from people to sort out their ‘mental health’ issues!…No problem – I’ll come back to you in three years!
Hyper children and mixed weather from the BBC
w/c 24th August
Morning All!
We had a Saturday afternoon full of sugary donuts, 15 very wet children and a talking cactus holding a brolly.
So was this a new activity focusing on team building skills, aimed to get delegates to use their imagination and come up with creative solutions to experiential exercises? Not this time…….we were welcoming the CBBC crew on site to film the final scene of Ed & Oucho’s Excellent Inventions. The little girl whose design won was able to see her idea brought to life – a weather making machine, created by the ‘old tat’ found in the back of Ed & Oucho’s camper van.
On a sugar high, the children danced to Elvis tunes, enjoyed fog, rain and rainbows and lots of mud. Catch up with Ed & Oucho in the new year and see them take over Clough Bottom site. We’ll let you know the screening date.
Have a good week!
Clough Bottom, site of Focus Training to appear on the BBC!
w/c 10th August
Hello!
We’re really excited to announce that CBBC will be filming here later this month for children’s programme Ed and Oucho’s Excellent Inventions. The research team had been looking for a suitable location to design and build an invention based on an idea from a little girl from one of the local towns. They loved our 360 acre organic farm and agreed to work on location here in a few weeks.
So, we have our autograph pens ready….. I never quite imagined that we’d be accommodating a hairy cactus and his friend at Focus Training, but I suppose this is a great example of welcoming diversity!
Ed & Oucho's Excellent Inventions