Spring Away Day
Monday 22 March 23, in lieu of a Club meeting, members, partners and family members had a most enjoyable experience at the Coca Cola plant in Knockmore, Lisburn hosted by Customer Sustainability Partnership Manager Gillian Shields. We were also delighted to welcome visitor Heather Shiell and 4 members of the Lisburn Club.
Opening the visit President Steven thanked Coca Cola HBC for their hospitality hosting the visit. Eric Rainey highlighted the Club's close relationship with Coca Cola and, in particular, Gillian with YouthAction NI's GetSet programme and complimented her on Coca Cola's work with YouthAction NI.
In their Robinson Heritage Theatre, having been refreshed with soft drinks in iconic shaped mini bottles, Gillian played a short video introducing their history and how they came to NI. This history is particularly notable as the company was founded and subsequently run by a former member of the Club - Terrance Robinson. Her very informative and interesting presentation also highlighted the company's environment and sustainability policies and social investment.
Following this presentation, which was very well received with many interested questions, the party enjoyed a delicious light lunch of sandwiches, hot bites and traybakes with tea/coffee before walking along the production floor gallery seeing bottles being made then flying along the rails cooling before being filled and the closed environment of the Deep RiverRock water bottling where even the caps were closed in; but perhaps the most intriguing element was the lack of obvious people on the floor!