When we're not personalising photo gifts...

What do we do when we're not personalising your photo gift orders?

Well some of us (me) help out old friends with their website designs - like Alan at Compass Distribution in Sheffield.

We've been very fortunate to know Alan for a while now and enjoyed many family outings to watch his beloved Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockey team as his guests.

So when Alan planned a complete make-over of his website to include the new social mediums of Twitter, Blogging and Facebook, we were only to happy to help.

So head over to Alan's new website now and take a look. Then leave him a comment or follow him on Twitter.

He'll be very pleased to hear from you.

Oh and if you've got some direct marketing material - leaflets, brochures, flyers - even community magazines, then Compass Distribution are the people to call.

Please tell Alan Fabulous Photo Gifts sent you - we're not under any commissions etc - we'd just like to help a very worthy friend out where we can.

New website design for Compass Distribution brings back Ice Hockey memories...

Having just finished a new web design for my friend Alan Fenn at Compass Distribution, whilst updating the news page with a new Sheffield Steelers team picture (pictured with Alan and the ice hockey league cup), bought to mind a more recent visit as a guest of Alan to watch a Steeler's game.

The 'problem' had arisen during the run up to the first interval - Alan had promised to provide two 'guests' from his VIP box to take part in an organised hampster ball race across the ice.

Basically, you don gloves and protective pads and helmets, get zipped up in a man size plastic beach ball and have to roll yourself to the half way line and back.

Sounds easy except that you're on ice so you quickly fall over and realise that the only way to move is by a 'lolloping crawl'.

So there's much hilarity both outside and inside the ball as you quickly loose all sense of direction and where the opponent is in relation to you. Plus you soon start exerting yourself - misting up the ball etc and then comes the panic as you begin to run out of usable breathable air.

So as a guest, I felt almost duty bound to help Alan out and step in at the last minute as a contestant.

It was a great laugh, extremely tough and quite an experience. An heroic feat I've regaled family and friends with since - and now you.

If you ever get the chance to have a go then do.

Alan is a big fan of the Sheffield Steelers and as their long time trusted partner for delivering all their direct marketing leaflets etc, continues to support the team both on and off the ice.

Compass Distribution provide direct marketing, leaflet and magazine distribution and delivery services to companies and individuals in the UK. Based in Sheffield, they currently have distribution contracts in over 14 counties and the list of city, town and area names reads like the largest rock tour t-shirt you ever saw.

Alan and his distribution team can be contacted via their new website - http://www.compassdistribution.co.uk

Night out with the Sheffield Steelers

(l-r)Georgie, Max and Charlotte pictured with No12 - Randy Dagenais of the Sheffield Steelers


We had another little office outing last Saturday with the kids and went to watch the Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockey team play at their home stadium courtesy of our good friend Alan at Compass Distribution and our new friends at the Sheffield Steelers.

Arriving early, we were invited on the 'behind the scenes' tour which took in the changing area, players lounge, the bench where you really get a sense of the speed at which these guys skate as we watched their warm up before being led onto the ice for photographs.

Too much excitement? The evening was far from over as we were invited to watch the game against the Cardiff Devils from the lofty heights of a VIP box.

A thrilling game ensued with the Steelers winning 2-0 before we were escorted down to the VIP marque to hear the post match interviews with some of the players and the kids had a chance to grab some autographs.

The Steelers media manager spotted my son - Max - and asked him if he'd got all the teams autographs to which he replied "wellll - I'm missing a few". The manager winked at Max and took him down to the dressing rooms where he got the whole teams signatures.

I was also presented with a signed shirt by their number 11 player by Alan during the game - now I have something to wear at the next game as we're all totally addicted to the sport now.

If you've never taken a game of Ice Hockey in before, then we can highly recommend it as a very safe environment for families. Lots of fun and lots of excitement.

Thank you again Alan and Steelers' media manager Dave Simms for a great evening. Our best wishes for the rest of the season.

Pucker Up!

Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to Sheffield.... to watch the Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockey Team play Nottingham Panthers at the Hallam FM Arena last weekend.

We were very lucky to be invited as guests of Alan who runs Compass Distribution - a Sheffield based leaflet and direct marketing distribution company which is currently operating in 11 counties across the UK.

Alan not only handles all the leaflet distribution for the Steelers, but is also one of their most ardent supporters.

We were invited as part of the celebrations of his new website launch, which was designed by our own webmaster and technical partner - Jonathan.

The Compass Distribution website has information about the company, where they currently deliver, as well as testimonials and corporate news, plus visitors can join in the fun by submitting their own photography for inclusion on the website or join Compass Distribution in a flutter at the races or other sporting event with their own winnings going to the PDSA (who Alan actually distributes for).

So we headed north to Sheffield, myself and 3 of the children and had a marvelous time and the Steeler's won 3-1 too.

Do pay Alan's new website a visit and join in the fun of the Tipster'.