ExcElsior’s

WHISPERVOLUME 2 - ISSUE 8NOVEMBER - MARCH

Hillary clinton at the GHE

staff Party

sports & social Activities

christmas Activities

chinese New Year

contEntS

committee AdministrationThe Committee is made up of the following team members. The Administrative roles were established in February:

Chairperson- Nicholas Saliba

Vice Chairperson- Alfred Incorvaia

Treasurer-Albert Xiberras

Secretary- Cheryl Ann Aqulina (assisted by Michela Grixti)

Public Relations Official- Roderick Sciberras

Members- Peter Pisani, Sharon Del Bene, Evan Azzopardi, Emanuel Fenech, Evan Mangion, Farrah Borg, Raymonda Borg, Eugenio Sciortino, Amanda Galea, Doreen Piscopo and Giuseppe Ordinato.

Upcoming EventsAid the Community Activities

Sports Events

Picnic

Birthday Ceremonies

See the notice board on level 3 and level 4 for more information on team members’ activities.

P.3 Note from our GM

Mr. Grixti at the MHRA

P.4-5 Christmas Activities

P.6-7 Staff Party

P. 8 Health and Safety Page

P.9 Training and Development

P.10-11 Sports and Social Activities

P.12 15 Things You Didn’t Know About...

Weddings and New Arrivals

P.13 Success at the Kulinarja Competition

P.14 Hillary Clinton at the Grand Hotel Excelsior

P.15 Celebrities at the Grand Hotel Excelsior

P.16 Chinese New Year

Editorial board - Norbert Grixti and Nicholas Saliba

Text by Michela Grixti

Design by Scott Dear

statuteThe Social and Welfare Club Statute was distributed to all team members in January. The booklet explains the regulations of the Sports and Social Club and outlines the procedures taken when providing financial assistance to team members in need. The benefits are available to all team members, full-time and part-time, who contribute €1 per month to the Welfare Fund. For more information, contact the HR Office.

News from the sports and social committee

a SHoRt notE fRom ouR

General ManagerNorbert Grixti

We love Christmas at the Excelsior! Our Christmas and New Year’s activities proved to be a success with our local clientele, and we hosted several staff parties

and functions. This Christmas Season, various initiatives were taken to raise money for the less fortunate. Our lobby was transformed into a Charity Forest, and I would like to thank all those who donated for their generosity. I would also like to thank those who participated in charity initiatives such as the President’s Fun Run and the Santas’ Swim. In October we had the pleasure of hosting the U.S Secretary

of State, Hillary Clinton. Madame Secretary is one of our most prestigious clients to date, and the fact that she chose to stay

Mr. Grixti Elected to the MHrA Executive committee

Congratulations to Mr. Grixti, our General Manager, who has been elected to sit on the Executive Committee of the MHRA (Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association). Mr. Grixti chairs the Product and Environment Committee within the MHRA.

at the Excelsior is testament to the excellent product that we offer. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Neal

and Rita on their new appointments as Assistant Director of Operations and Acting Housekeeper respectively. After organising several successful events last year, the Sports

and Social Committee has compiled a calendar of events for 2012. I encourage team members to participate in these activities, as they allow for integration and team building outside the working environment.

christmas Activities

President’s Fun RunOver 40 team members and their families and friends participated in the President’s Fun Run on the 4th December, raising a total of €420 in aid of the Community Chest Fund.

Taking the Plunge for charity

As part of its Christmas activities, the Grand Hotel Excelsior organised a Santas’ Swim in aid of Puttinu Cares. A group of over 50, comprised of team members, family and friends took the plunge, braving the cold December weather.A festive ambiance was set by the Anici Band Club from Qormi who played popular Christmas tunes. Various people came to support the swimmers, including Mr. Nigel Holland, Mayor of Floriana, the hotel owners, management, team members and guests. Despite the cold, the swimmers were all smiles after the swim, maintaining that it was a positive experience. One of the oldest participants was Leli Fenech, an Excelsior team member and our resident Santa. Leli was proud to participate in the event, and was not deterred by the cold or his age:“I felt that it was a good opportunity to help those who are less fortunate. My age didn’t affect my willingness to participate. I would do it again if God’s will permits.”

The Kitchen and Pastry team prepared a gingerbread castle which was proudly displayed in the level 5 foyer.

Justin with his little elves

Mr. Sidney Elliott with Santa

charity ForestThe Grand Hotel Excelsior is committed towards promoting a culture of aiding those in need. This festive season, a Charity Forest was launched in the hotel lobby in the presence of the Mayor of Floriana, Mr. Nigel Holland. The Forest is comprised of trees set up by various companies- Sarah Young, Azzopardi Fisheries, Atlas Group, MSV, Energy World, W&J Coppini, Delicata, Vodafone, Camilleri Wines, Mafimex Ltd, Alistair and St. Angela’s Nursery all of who have given a donation to a charity of their choice. Another tree, consisting of pictures of the Excelsior team members, family and friends, was set up to thank the individuals who have contributed to the hotel’s charity fund. A total of €689 was raised by our team members in aid of the Community Chest Fund.

Company Director Ms. Catubay,(second from left) with team members Nadine, Michela and Severine

The Grand Team Members’Party

The Annual Team Members’ Party took place on the 4th January in the Ballroom. What struck you immediately was the massive turn-out for the Party.

Those who attended enjoyed a delicious buffet consisting of pizza, curries and oriental snacks, prepared by Roger Friggieri and his team, and a full open bar serviced by external staff. Entertainment was provided by Raymond Bonnici from the Kitchen and Gino Sciortino from Maintenance. A raffle was organised and the following prizes were drawn- A flight ticket courtesy of Air Malta; two catamaran tickets to Sicily courtesy of Virtu Ferries; and four hampers of Excelsior products. The Human Resources team would like to thank all those who attended and contributed towards the success of the party.

Fun times at the Party

MANuAl hANdliNg

heAlth + SAfety CorNer

In this edition of the Health and Safety Corner our Security and Health and Safety Manager, Sam Attard, advises us on safe manual handling.

One of the most common hazards at the workplace is poor manual handling. Injuries occurring from inadequate manual handling may result in injuries which are long-term, costly and potentially disabling.

Manual handling on the workplace involves using muscular force to lift, move, push, pull, carry, hold or restrain an object. The most common injuries resulting from carrying heavy or awkward loads occur in the back, neck, shoulders, hands, arms and feet. Many of the injuries incurred are due to repetitive manual handling activity, such as repetitive work or carrying heavy loads. The injuries resulting from poor manual handling tend to be more serious if the worker is more advanced in age.

Identifying the risks:

The following actions lead to an increased risk in injuring oneself when carrying out manual work:

· Bending

· Stretching

· Over-reaching, particularly if there are obstructions

· Working or reaching above shoulder height

· Handling objects which are too heavy

· Carrying out repeated activity e.g. typing, wrapping, sorting etc.

· Working in an area that is slippery, uneven or restricted

· Jerking

When lifting heavy loads, the following steps must be adhered to:

· Standing with feet apart and bent knees

· Lifting in stages

· Keeping the back straight

· Keep the load close to your body

· Keep shoulders firm

· Keep a firm grip on the object

· Put the load down before adjusting your posture

References:

Safe Work SA- http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/uploaded_files/mh_booklet.pdf

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/HumanResources/OccupationalHealthandSafety/FileStore/Filetouploads

Training & Development

Grand Hotel Excelsior Celebrates the Achievement of the FHRD Employee Engagement AwardIn their tenth year, the Foundation for Human Resources Development celebrated the Malta People Awards 2011 on the 9th of December. The Grand Hotel Excelsior was awarded the FHRD Employee Engagement Award on the basis of its continuous staff development; encouragement and reward of employee engagement; and participation within all levels of the organisation. The Human Resources department is pivotal in disseminating this corporate culture and is continuously working to achieve higher levels of staff motivation and commitment. Mr. Grixti thanked the Human Resources Department for spearheading the company’s winning culture, enabling the hotel to achieve high levels of guest satisfaction.

The award winners with Mr. Elliott, Mr. Grixti and Ms. Catubey.

Management Training and Team-Building Activity The Management organised a team-building weekend in Gozo between the 17th and 18th November. This consisted of various training sessions and team-building activities, and provided the attendees with the opportunity to integrate outside the workplace.

Awards Ceremony On the 30th December the Hon. Dr. Mario De Marco visited the Grand Hotel Excelsior. Dr. De Marco distributed service awards to our Kitchen team members who obtained a gold medal in the Kulinarja Competition and to our HR team to commemorate their acquisition of an FHRD award in Employee Engagement. Three awards were given to Roderick Sciberras, Sharon Del Bene and Grace Attard for the excellent standard of their work in the year 2011. The owners, management and press attended the ceremony.

Mrs. Elliott with the Hon. Dr. De Marco

Halloween Party 2011 - Scary colleagues from Front Office.

Happy Birthday GeorgeOn the 5th December a celebration took place in the staff canteen to celebrate George Wayte’s birthday. Mr. Grixti, Mr. Carabott, Mr. Seguna, the HR team and the Projects team were present to wish George all the best on his 61st birthday. Despite being of retirement age, George has opted to keep on working at the Excelsior.

January - From L-R- Desale, Alex, Alfred, Ivan, Keith, Trevor, Jackie, Severine, Antoine and Edward

October - From L-R: Nicky, Antoinette, Josette, Nancy, Trevor, Raymond Zammit, Martin, Raymond Borg and Joseph.

November - From L-R: Michela, Doris, Albert, Anthony and Andrew

December - From L-R: Doris, Marion, Cheryl Ann, Raymond Borg, Raymond Camilleri, Helen, Edward, Mauro, Roderick, Josette, Steve and the ever-present Trevor.

sports and social Activities

Creating a spooky look for the party

staff Members children’s christmas Party A Christmas Party was held on the 13th December for the children of employees. The children were entertained by Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and received presents from Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves.

Excelsior Team Participates in inspire Tournament A group of team members participated in a Knock-Out tournament in aid of Inspire, on the 16th October. The tournament consisted of a variety of fun games and challenges.

Following the tournament, Andrew grew a little taller.

Halloween PartyIn order to raise funds for the Malta Community Chest Fund, the Sports and Social Committee organised a Halloween Party for the second consecutive year. A total of €1135 was raised from ticket sales. Those who attended were served pizza, beer, wine and soft-drinks. Spirits were available at a charge and €232 was raised from the sale of tokens. This will be used to fund future Sports and Social activities. DJ Jean Pierre Mifsud was once again asked to entertain the crowd. The Human Resources team would like to thank the Sports and Social Committee for their hard work and commitment in ensuring that the activity was a success.

Some team members with the YMCA staff and some residents

Aid the community Visit to the YMcA

At the Grand Hotel Excelsior we aim to distinguish ourselves not only through quality of service and guest experience, but also through our active involvement in assisting those who are in need.In order to spread Christmas cheer, a group of team members visited the YMCA for an afternoon tea.

Creating a spooky look for the party

15 Things You Didn’t Know About....In this issue of the Whisper, we will get to know our Head Gardener, Celestino Zammit.

Celestino got married to Marthese on the 15th August, 2009. The ceremony took place at the Baħrija Church and the reception was at Cottage Gardens in Zurrieq.

He recently became a father- His son, Denzel, was born on the 27th October, 2011.

He was brought up in Ħal Għaxaq, and still lives there now.

Celestino was one of the first employees at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, and has been working here for over eight years.

He has been working in gardening and farming for as long as he can remember.

In his free time, Celestino enjoys horse-racing at Marsa. Although gardening is his job, it is something he also enjoys as a hobby. He also loves every aspect of farming.

Celestino is not a keen football fan but supports the Italian team during the World Cup.

Although he does not keep any pets at home, Celestino owns a farm and cares for several animals- sheep, dogs, a hen and a kid.

Celestino has only left the Island once, when he visited the Black Forest. He says that he would love to go on a cruise.

His favourite food is fried rabbit with chips.

Celestino does not have a favourite song, but listens to all types of modern music.

His favourite sport is shooting.

His favourite time of year is November and December, as the weather will be cool and ideal for working outdoors.

In his opinion, the most beautiful flowers are Birds of Paradise.

Celestino enjoys working on Level 1 best, as there are many trees and lots of greenery.

Celest’s favourite flower- the Bird of Paradise.

New Arrivals!Congratulations to our Head Gardener, Celestino Zammit, and his wife Marthese on the birth of their first child, Denzel.

Joseph Galdes one of our chauffeurs recently welcomed his third child, a beautiful daughter called Luana.

Congratulations to Farrah Vella from Front Office on her marriage to Dionne on the 2nd October, 2011. Farrah is pictured here with various colleagues.

Baby Denzel

congratulations

our chefs at the Kulinarja

Giuseppe, our Senior Sous Chef, plating his dish.

Two of our youngest competitors, Duncan and Carlos.

congratulations The Kulinarja, one of Malta’s most prominent Culinary Competitions, took place between the 6th and 13th

November, 2011 at the Millennium Stand. Our Kitchen team consisted of 16 team members- Roger Friggieri, Giuseppe Ordinato, David Pulis, Noel Azzopardi, Melvin Sammut, Andre Grima, Michael Paul Zacharia, David Tanti,Clint Cuschieri, Veli Koruk, Peter Pisani, Duncan Camilleri, Carlos Buttigieg, Clayton Mifsud, Gordon Bonello and Michelle Curmi, who participated in 29 categories. The team obtained exceptional results, taking home three out of the four top honours:

Practical Team Competition (Junior): Noel Azzopardi, David Tanti and Michelle Curmi;

Practical Team Competition (Senior): Roger Friggieri, David Pulis and Noel Azzopardi;

Noel Azzopardi was named Chef of the Year

Other than these Awards, the Team won the following medals:Gold Best in Class- 4Gold- 1Silver Best in Class- 3Silver- 11Bronze- 14Merit- 3

Well done to all!

Our Pastry Chef, David Pulis, during the Grand Prix event.

Hillary clinton at the Grand Hotel ExcelsiorThe Grand Hotel Excelsior was honoured to host one of its most prestigious guests to date in October- the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.During her short stay in Malta, Madam Secretary met Dr. Lawrence Gonzi and thanked Malta for the humanitarian support offered to victims of the Arab Spring. The Management would like to thank all team members for providing an exceptional service during Madam Secretary’s visit. The Management would like to thank the Sales and Marketing team for carefully coordinating and planning her stay at the Excelsior.

Madame Secretary at the Grand Hotel Excelsior

Firas and Sascha with Madame Secretary.

Mrs. Elliott and the Management were delighted to meet Madame Secretary.

Gold-Medallists at the ExcelsiorIn December we hosted three Italian Olympic Gold Medal-lists. Yuri Chechi is a gymnast who won the Olympics title in the rings at Atlanta 1996 and was third at Athens 2004; An-tonio Rossi is an Italian canoeist who won three gold medals in 1996; and Pietro Mennea is an athletic sprinter, who was the 1980 Moscow Olympic 200m Champion, and also held the 200m world record for 17 years. The athletes were with us for the MOC (Malta Olympic Committee) Awards.

Chechi, Mennea and Rossi with Mr. Grixti, Mr. Attard and Mr. Bartolo.

Billy ocean at the Grand Hotel Excelsior In November we hosted Billy Ocean, who was a special guest at the Malta Music Awards. The Grammy Award winning star had a string of rhythm and blues international pop hits in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the most popular British-based R&B singer / songwriter of the early to mid-1980s.

Torino Fc team at the Grand Hotel Excelsior

The popular Italian football team Torino FC was hosted at the Hotel between 27th December and 3rd January. The footballers were in Malta during their Winter Break.

celebrities at the GHE

COMPETITIONWin a dinner for 2 at one of our outlets by identifying how many times Trevor appears in this issue of the Whisper.Submit your answers by the 30th of April at the HR office or by contacting Michela at michela.grixti@excelsior.com.mt

The Dragon checks-in at the Grand Hotel Excelsior

Monday 23rd January marked the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Dragon. On the occasion of

Chinese New Year, The Grand Hotel Excelsior organised an Asian Themed Buffet Dinner. We were honoured to host H.E. the Ambassador of China in Malta, Zhang Keyuan and his wife for dinner. The guests were treated to a spectacular fireworks show in honour of the event. An 8 metre Chinese dragon was proudly displayed in our Lobby, wishing our guests and team members a year full of prosperity. Chinese New Year, is known as the Spring Festival in China, and is a time to welcome longevity, wealth and prosperity and to eliminate any negative events from the past.In Chinese tradition, each year is dedicated to a specific animal. The Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Rat, Boar, Rabbit, Dog, Rooster, Ox, Tiger, Snake, and Ram are the twelve animals that are part of this tradition. Each of these animals are thought to bestow their characteristics to the people born in their year. In 2012, the Dragon is welcomed back after the 2011 year of the Rabbit. People born in the Year of the Dragon have a natural charisma and are certainly gifted with power and luck. Some famous personalities who were born in the Year of the Dragon are Michael Douglas, John Lennon, Al Pacino, Cliff Richard, Shirley Temple, Placido Domingo and Ringo Starr.Chinese people may celebrate this feast in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same; they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during the New Year.

H.E Ambassador Zhang Keyuan and his wife with the dragon.

Norbert and Sascha with XiYing in a traditional Chinese dress

Our projects team in traditional Chinese costumes with the majestic dragon.

The spectacular dragon in the Hotel lobby.