Greg Clark, Tunbridge Wells MP, recently swapped politics for pastries as he took on the role of head judge at Presence & Co.’s annual mince pie competition. This event marked not only the festive season but also the beginning of a new era for the company, which will officially rebrand as Presence & Co. on 15th January 2024.
Presence & Co., formerly known as Integra Property Management, decided to spice things up for 2023 by offering employees a chance to win a day in a Hospitality Box at Chelsea Football Club, Stamford Bridge. The competition, began in 2019 by Head of Landscaping Neil Underhill, started as a small internal contest but has grown into a company-wide tradition.
Neil Underhill, the mastermind behind the mince pie competition, expressed his delight in the growth: “We started the mince pie competition as a small but competitive contest with just the landscaping team. The prize was a DIY spray-painted gold pinecone. I’m chuffed how far it has come, and that the whole company is getting involved.”
This year’s contest took place at Salomons Estate on 15th December, attracting participants from various departments within the company. Entry fees of £5 per participant were donated to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, with Presence & Co. generously matching the £65 raised from entries, totaling £130.
The competition had local MP Greg Clark and Sheree Dawton, Managing Director, taking on the crucial task of selecting the winners. Greg Clark praised the effort, stating, “It was a close competition; all the mince pies were so delicious and creative that three winners had to be awarded.”
Third place was Kat Saunders, Receptionist at Presence & Co.’s managed offices, who was pleasantly surprised by the win: “The whole competition was great fun. I didn’t expect it; my mince pies were vegan and quite biscuit-like.”
In second place was Alex Marchant, an Electrician who couldn’t attend the contest in person but submitted the mouth-watering entries through a colleague.
The first place went to none other than Neil Underhill himself: “This is the first time I’ve ever won the competition in the four years it has been running. I’ve come second place and have had critiques from past judges over the years. I am thrilled to have won finally!”
Greg Clark commended Presence & Co. for injecting a festive spirit into their business: “It’s brilliant to see hard-working local businesses in Tunbridge Wells team building and bonding whilst raising money for a great charity.”
As the company congratulates the 2023 mince pie competition finalists, it also looks forward to sharing more information on its rebrand in the New Year.
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