With Christmas fast approaching The Coppid Beech and The Swan at Streatley have planned some very special entertainment for the festive period. Page 3 tells you how you can enjoy an evening filled with fine foods, music and enjoyment.

The ski holiday season is upon us so why not get into that Après-ski mood at our ski centres following a ski tone-up or lesson on the slopes.You can also enjoy fondue and oompah evenings where you can party the evening away with your friends.

All our centres are planning to entertain you with an array of special festivities during the Christmas period so make a date with us now.All enquires to your local centre – see back page for details.

For our ski centres the future is PERMA-SNOW™ ski carpeting. PERMASNOW ™ is the ultimate dry ski slope surface that provides a continuous skiing carpet that is soft to feel, cushioned and safe.The experts say that it feels like snow, looks like snow and skis like snow.The product will be featured at the Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard Show for the very first time and is the future for dry ski slopes internationally.Why not visit our stand when
there and let us have your own views? The ski carpet is manufactured by our own subsidiary,Techmat 2000 Ltd, and will be available to order after its launch on the Bracknell ski slope in late November 2003. It is set to revolutionise the dry ski slope industry throughout the world.

Not only will our ski centres feature on our stand at the Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard Show, they will also feature in our Children in Need Appeal. Octagon Toyota will be visiting each of the John Nike Leisuresport ski centres as the Toyota Prius travels from one centre to another to raise funds for Children in Need.You will find more details on page 5 about the Nike Group’s involvement in this campaign – please give generously to this worthy cause.

N-ice one! That is what the opinion is of the Bracknell Bees ice hockey supporters as they follow the team in their new league.The Bees have started well and there is great entertainment for our fans this season, not only for ice hockey followers but for the Tigers basketball followers as well. The teams have new players and have to find their way but, on early indications, I have high hopes for both squads and wish them well.

I am sure you will find some interesting features in this issue of Connections – all our companies look forward to welcoming you this winter as a customer. We can entertain you, provide for you or simply serve you – anything from a can of coke to a car – why not visit us?

May I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

John Nike OBE Chairman