NEWS ROUND-UP IN THE PICTURE: Cook’s cook


Thomas Cook Airlines pilot and aspiring cook David Chrichton came within touching distance of being crowned Masterchef champion last week. The pilot went head to head in the final with Nawamin


Pinpathomrat and Kenny Tutt, with the latter edging it to be named overall winner of the BBC cooking show. Chrichton, who has been with Thomas Cook Airlines


since 2000, said: “I entered as I’ve watched the show for the last 13 years and always wanted to take part. “I thought I’d need more time off work, but managed


to make it fit. I was actually changing aircraft types at the same time as the first few rounds!” Crichton said he had been writing a food blog,


FineDining at Home, for several years and wanted to see “if I was any good” at cooking. “I guess it turned out quite well in the end,” he added.


MOVERS & SHAKERS


› Jackie Willis has been appointed chief executive of Specialist Journeys. Willis previously worked at Titan Travel including as managing director from 2005-15, and at Scott Dunn from 2015-16.


› Tui has appointed Belinda Vazquez as retail director for the UK and Ireland. Vazquez will head the company’s retail division and team across its 600 stores and report into cruise and distribution director Helen Caron. She replaces Mark Bather who has left the company for personal reasons.


› Simon Owen (right) has been appointed head of sales at Travel 2’s Glasgow contact centre and Adrian James as head of sales at Gold Medal’s contact centre in Preston. Felice Bretman, who has worked at Travel 2 for 14 years, is now head of customer experience for dnata. She was previously business manager for world- wide reservations at Travel 2.


‘Outstanding’ Tui staff to be Explorer’s godmothers


Harry Kemble harry.kemble@travelweekly.co.uk


Marella Cruises has named Tui agent Mandy Galloway and Sue Stewart, the line’s hotel operations manager, as godmothers of its new ship.


Galloway and Stewart will attend the launch of Marella Explorer next month in Palma, Majorca. Their appointments follow a Tui


tradition of naming crew members and employees as ship godmothers in recognition of their work. Galloway, who is nicknamed


Marella Mandy by colleagues due to her love of the line, sold Marella cruises to 80 people in January and February alone this year. Tui UK cruise and distribution


director Helen Caron called Galloway to tell her the news. Speaking from the Tui shop in


Edinburgh’s Gyle Shopping Centre, Galloway said: “[Being named godmother] is the ultimate reward for all the hard work I have put in.


8 travelweekly.co.uk 19 April 2018 MARELLA GODMOTHERS: Tui’s Mandy Galloway (left) and Sue Stewart “Cruise has been a big part of my


35 years in travel; this is going to be my career highlight.” Stewart said it was “a complete surprise” to be named godmother. She has worked for Tui for 14 years both on board ships and at the Wigmore House head office in Luton. The 1,924-passenger ship will


be the largest in the line’s fleet and feature a Champneys spa, 10 dining venues and an adult- only sunbathing area. It will sail


Mediterranean itineraries during the summer season. Chris Hackney, Marella


Cruises managing director, said Stewart and Galloway were “two outstanding employees”. “Both Sue and Mandy have contributed greatly to Tui and significantly our cruise business over the years,” he said. “Their drive and passion is


invaluable and we couldn’t be more pleased to have them as the godmothers of our newest ship.”


PICTURE: BBC / ENDEMOL SHINE


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