Media Coverage

Thanks to the media for their visits to The Hatfield Centre and for allowing us to reproduce their articles here.

Liz Yorke

2002

Beach retreat offers four season luxury for corporate functions
The Record, Wednesday, October 16, 2002 (link to article)

Hatfield Centre Caters to Corporate Needs
The Oxford Journal, Wednesday, October 16, 2002 (link to article)

Marketing/Media Workshops coming up:
Hatfield Centre introduced at Open House

By Andrew Wagstaff

The Citizen, Saturday, October 26, 2002

Fox River – Nova Scotia’s business community was introduced to a unique seacoast setting for corporate events and its upcoming first workshops at an Open House here last week.

The Beach House - an executive level, four-star, secluded vacation rental property overlooking two beaches here at the end of Hatfield Road – was the setting for the introduction of The Hatfield Centre on Oct. 21. As described by owner Liz Yorke, The Hatfield Centre is not a room at the Beach House, but rather a virtual venue for the corporate community combining her property and other local resources.

“It’s an experience as well as a learning situation,” said Yorke, who took a minute away from greeting guests at the Open House to discuss the idea. “It’s also an opportunity for different people to work together.”

With The Hatfield Centre, she plans to make use of the local area and promote it as a corporate retreat destination, and much more.

The idea of appealing to out-of-province visitors is not a new one to Yorke, who splits her time between Nova Scotia and Toronto. She said she always knew the location would be perfect for such activities, but grappled with the idea of providing enough accommodations for large groups at the Beach House.

“I couldn’t figure out where everyone would stay,” she said. “But then I realized that I could get other area accommodations providers involved too. Then the people could just stay where they wanted to.”

Contact with local Bed and Breakfast operators such as Pat Biggar and Gayle Shaw, as well as cottage operators in Moose River and Advocate, soon found Yorke with a growing support system for The Hatfield Centre, that also included the FPW Fire Hall and Ladies Auxiliary, the local United Church women and other local businesses such as Kiss the Sky Kites in Parrsboro.

“We would still do most things here, and have the Beach House as headquarters,” she explained. “But some larger workshops could be held at the local community center, and the participants could lodge at different places.”

Yorke is a strong supporter of innovative community development activities and public-private partnerships and has provided consultative advice on these approaches to clients of Liz Yorke and Associates, her health and human services management consulting firm in Toronto.

The unique and beautiful setting provides a relaxing environment perfect for small retreats and planning sessions, meetings for boards of directors or Annual General Meetings for corporation, celebrations such as Christmas parties and also various workshops and seminars.

The first such workshops will take lace on the weekend of Dec 5-6, with Nova Scotia Business Inc. as the co-sponsor of the one-day sessions. Marketing to Win will be held on Dec 5, followed by Building Media Relationships on Dec. 6. Detailed information about these workshop[s is on www.hatfieldcentre.com.

Presenting these workshops will be Susan Sommers, owner of Susan Sommers and Associates since 1982,and author of a new book, Building Media Relations.

Marketing to Win and Building Media Relationships will be of interest and useful to individuals and organizations who want to improve their marketing strategies and relationships with the media, according to Yorke, who added that the workshops will be informative for business owners, employees responsible for marketing, public relations, and business development, entrepreneurs and organizations in the private, broader public and not-for-profit sectors.

Sommers is a dynamic workshop instructor and a trusted and effective marketing coach and mentor. Among the highlights of her current slate of activities are Marketing Coach for YMCA Markham Business Center in Ontario, where she provides on-on-one coaching for new business owners and develops and delivers workshops on market research, business plans, publicity, marketing and development of promotional materials. She also designs and presents half and full-day workshops at entrepreneurial centres in Southern Ontario, writes Media Interface, a monthly column for www.prcanada.ca, designs and presents workshops for Royal Bank of Canada, and teaches one and two-day workshops through Continuing Education, University of Toronto & Schulich School of Business at York University.

Additional information about The Hatfield Centre is available at www.hatfieldcentre.com; additional information about The Beach House on Hatfield Road is available at www.lizyorke.com.

Beach retreat offers four season luxury for corporate functions

The Record, Wednesday, October 16, 2002

FOX RIVER: It’s four season luxury, nestled in the heart of one of Cumberland County’s smallest coastal communities.

Picturesque Fox River has been home to The Beach House on Hatfield Road for just over three years, but owner Liz Yorke says the positive feedback she’s received has prompted her to extend her services to include corporate functions.

On Monday, Oct 21, Yorke will officially introduce The Hatfield Centre to Nova Scotia’s business community. Boasting its “unique seacoast setting for corporate events,” the Toronto Business woman hopes the secluded setting and spectacular scenery will prompt the corporate sector to hold meetings, workshops and seminars in Cumberland County.

“This is a four star, secluded vacation rental property - on two beaches - one on the beautiful Bay of Fundy and the other on a n exquisite salt water marsh, which opens and fills with the tide,” Yorke commented. “The Beach House, open all year, offers The Hatfield Centre as a brand new venue for the corporate community.”

Yorke, who splits her time between Toronto and Fox River, will be at the beach house between 3 p.m. and 7p.m. for the Open House. Located on Highway 209, near Port Greville, visitors can take the first left past the marsh in Fox River, and take Hatfield Road to the beach house.

“This was not an original idea, but I knew there was no conference center in the area, so I approached business people in the area and worked hand in hand with them,” Yorke said of her reasons for opening The Hatfield Centre. “The basis is to try to generate off-season use, I am always thinking of new ways to rent (area) properties.”

Although she’s traveled extensively, Yorke says her reasons for choosing this area to operate a beach house are simple. Both of her parents are originally from the area, and Yorke has many great memories of her childhood visits to Cumberland County.

As an adult, Yorke continued to visit regularly and enjoy her cabin in Fox River. She admits she’s always loved the piece of land where the beach house now sits, and jumped at the opportunity to purchase it a few years ago.

Economic development for the area has been the main focus of the beach house, and its success has benefited everyone from local bed and breakfasts, to stores and restaurants.

“It’s sad to see businesses doing nothing in the winter, when nature is wonderful all year.” The Beach House on Hatfield Road is promoted mainly through Yorke’s website www.lizyorke.com. But she also uses national papers to advertise the beach house and conference center.

“It’s an experience. It’s interesting and fun and much cheaper than going to a big hotel,” she said. “I’m pleased. The people who come love the area and I have a mixture of people – those who come back and those looking for a one-time experience.”

She says people who are from here sometimes take what they have for granted. Living in large urban center like Toronto makes you appreciate the scenery and privacy that her business venture offers.

“You couldn’t find a piece of land like this in Ontario. I’ve been all over the world and this is just as beautiful as any place else.”

The Hatfield Centre, in conjunction with Nova Scotia Business Inc., will be hosting a two-day workshop at The Hatfield Centre in December. A Marketing to Win workshop will be held Dec. 5, while Building Media Relationships will be the focus of the Dec 6 workshop.

Detailed information on the workshops is available at www.hatfieldcentre.com.

The beach house has attracted visitors from all over the world, including Texas, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Alberta, British Columbia, Minnesota and England.

Hatfield Centre Caters to Corporate Needs

Fox River (Staff) Nova Scotia’s business community is being invited to tour the Hatfield Centre at The Beach House on Hatfield Road to see what corporate services it has to offer.

Liz Yorke, of Liz Yorke and Associates, owns the Beach House and opened the center to meet corporate needs. The Hatfield Centre provides a unique coastal setting for corporate events such as small retreats and planning sessions, annual meetings, celebrations, workshops and seminars.

Ms. Yorke says the center offers meeting planners numerous options. “The Beach House can accommodate small working groups, while lodgings at local bed and breakfasts and rental cottages offer colleagues a change to work together during business hours, with personal privacy in off-hours,” she said. “Meetings and working sessions for up to 12 participants can be held in the Beach House dining room or in the upstairs sun room. The local community center is available for larger groups.” The Beach House on Hatfield Road provides out-of-province corporate visitors with comfortable accommodation, either for individuals or for clients and their families.

Ms. Yorke’s consulting firm provides services to the corporate, not-for-profit and broader public sectors. Her clients are throughout Ontario and she is now exploring opportunities in Atlantic Canada.

She developed the concept of integrating Beach House services and local community resources including Fox River, Port Greville Wards Brook fire hall, FRPGWB Ladies Auxiliary, United Church women and local businesses such as Kiss the Sky Kites in Parrsboro.

She is a strong supporter of innovative community development activities and public-private partnerships.