Lady Cobham calls on Bill Oddie and Wallace and Gromit
What have Wallace and Gromit, Bill Oddie, Lady Cobham and a Yeoman Warder from the Tower of London all got in common?
No idea?
Well, apparently they’ve all been enlisted to help select the winners of VisitEngland’s ‘101 Things to do before you go abroad’ campaign.
The tourist office launched a campaign to find the best 101 things to do in England and has been overwhelmed by the response.
"With so many incredible and unique experiences in England, it was always going to be a challenge to choose a mere 101, so we’re thrilled to be working with such a knowledgeable panel," said VisitEngland chairman Lady Cobham.
"Between us, we will be able to choose the ultimate list of must-dos and must-sees which will inspire the nation to get out and explore this wonderful country of ours."
Judging will take place on 1 March and until then suggestions are still welcome.
Visit www.101thingstodoinengland.co.uk or see VisitEngland on Facebook for details. All entrants will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a weekend break.
An excerpt of the shortlist will be announced during English Tourism Week (16-24 March) and list will be revealed in full on St George’s Day (23 April).
The full list of judges, chosen for their particular expertise, is as follows:
* Wildlife & Nature – Bill Oddie: Actor, bird-watcher and former presenter of BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch
* Health & Fitness – Sonali Shah: Host of World Triathlon series, Crufts reporter and part of the presentation team for the London 2012 Olympics, Sonali has also reported on Wimbledon, the Boat Race, the London Marathon, the Epsom Derby and the 2011 Cricket World Cup
* Arts & Culture – Clemency Burton-Hill: Regular face on BBC2’s Culture Show and The BBC Proms and a professional novelist, violinist and actress
* Food & Drink – Skye Gyngell: Michelin-starred chef, formerly of the Petersham Nurseries in Richmond and now culinary director at the soon-to-open country house hotel, Heckfield Place
* History & Heritage – Barney Chandler: a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London and guardian of the country’s culture and traditions
* Because it’s awesome – Wallace & Gromit: last but no means least, national treasures and the world’s favourite inventors, Wallace & Gromit will be selecting one overall winner from the "Because it’s awesome category". Their qualification? Their general all-round awesomeness, of course!
The panel will be completed by Rough Guide publishing director Clare Currie, to ensure the shortlist is a mix of the best and most quintessentially English experiences.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt