Celebrating 10 years with community commitment

From launching as a team of two back in 2014, BeaconHouse Events has now delivered over 1000 events over its decade in business, and today we employs a talented team of experts to bring events to live for a high-profile client portfolio which stretches across the UK.

Despite the global pandemic delivering a major blow to the global events sector, we are grateful to be thriving; reporting a 25% increase in turnover in 2023/24 through a mix of in-person, digital, and hybrid events for their national client portfolio. Our co-founders Catherine and Sarah are keen to invest the success of the agency back into the local community by supporting initiatives that contribute to creating a thriving North East economy for the people who live and work right here in the region.

BeaconHouse Events was established in 2014 to design environments and experiences that bring people and ideas together; creating space for conversations that could change the world. After careers in media, linguistics, HR services and events, Catherine and Sarah joined forces to create an organisation that delivered brilliant events through clever thinking, sustainable solutions, and exceptional customer service – and BeaconHouse Events was born!

We have been reflecting on the past ten years and while there have been some major achievements, including national award wins and our largest capacity event which welcomed over 24,000 attendees, there have been some turbulent times to navigate too. In 2020 the future of events looked bleak, but with the support and dedication of our incredible team, we were able to pivot the business and invest in technology solutions that still allowed people to connect when they needed it most. Since then, we have continued to evolve the experiences that we create to better suit today’s working patterns and global teams, but our vision remains to drive lasting, positive impact with every event that we deliver, whether it be a conference, exhibition, membership, awards ceremony, celebration, virtual, hybrid, outdoor event, or festival.

It feels like only yesterday that we decided to embark on this journey together. We wanted to take the learnings from our individual career experiences and use them to create something better than what the sector was doing already; something that had a positive impact on the people working to deliver the events, that offered a great experience to clients and that fitted with our joint and individual ambitions for the future. One major driver was being able to partner with clients who were delivering great work that we believed in to allow us to have a positive impact on our team and the communities around us.

While our client portfolio has taken us around the world over the past 10 years, we are proud to call the North East home. Events are ultimately about people, and we would like to mark this milestone year by partnering with charities and community groups who are working hard to raise aspirations and create opportunities for people who live and work in our region. This forms a key part of our ESG strategy which aims to position us as a leading voice when it comes to driving positive change across the event sector. It includes a considered and consistent commitment to support projects focused on health and wellbeing, quality education, and climate action in the North East.

Our ESG strategy is based on key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, which look to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Our strategy particularly focuses on Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, Quality Education, and Good Health and Wellbeing; all areas where we can have an authentic and lasting impact both in the North East and across the events sector as a whole. We have already partnered with The Children’s Foundation, Groundwork NE & Cumbria, and a grassroots football team and we are working with our team to identify local initiatives that they are passionate to support.

Financial resilience has formed an important part of our strategy over the past ten years. Without a robust business model, you simply don’t have the capacity, skills, or resources to invest back into the wider community. Everything that we have planned works in tandem with our growth plans for the coming years and allows us to support our clients to achieve both their business ambitions while supporting them to reach their own ESG goals too.

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us and believed in the power of events over the last ten years. We have some big plans for the next decade so watch this space!

To speak to the team at BeaconHouse Events about your event ambitions email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk.

TechNExt Festival to take over the North East in June 2024

TechNExt is a collaboration between Sunderland Software City, Dynamo, and the team here at BeaconHouse Events, and this year we’re going even bigger! 2023 saw over 3,000 attendees take part in a line-up of 52 community-led fringe experiences alongside its flagship events programme. TechNExt 2024 promises to build on that momentum, with four flagship events – the mainstage conference, industry dinner, Tech Talent Live, and the festival party – set to return alongside a new programme of over 75 fringe events taking place across the region.

New for 2024 is a schools’ challenge that sees the festival join forces with regional schools to inspire students about technology and showcase the fantastic opportunities technology offers them. TechNExt 2024 will also have a renewed focus on the Good Festival Ambition, developed and pioneered by BeaconHouse Events, which promotes sustainable, diverse, and inclusive event practices.

TechNExt is a festival that epitomises the vibrancy and diversity of the North East’s tech sector. Through both its curated and community-led events, TechNExt offers a unique space for tech experts, startups, students, and the wider business community. Speakers for the Main Stage conference of TechNExt24 include Avril Chester and David Grey alongside some of the most exciting voices in the global tech sector.

David Dunn, CEO of Sunderland Software City, said: “TechNExt 2023 set a new benchmark for tech events in our region. It has been instrumental in showcasing the North East as a hub of technology innovation and talent.

“The overwhelming response to last year’s TechNExt just shows what a vibrant tech community we have in the North East. Its return in 2024 is a testament to our thriving business ecosystem.”

Sarah Thackray, co-founder of BeaconHouse Events and director of Dynamo said: “As we prepare for TechNExt 2024, we’re excited to build on this momentum, bringing together the brightest minds in technology and business.

“TechNExt is not just a celebration of technology but also a platform for promoting sustainable and inclusive practices. Our Good Festival Ambition is at the heart of this vision, setting out our commitment to an even more inclusive, diverse, and sustainable event.”

TechNExt is a festival that epitomises the vibrancy and diversity of the North East’s tech sector. Through both its curated and community-led events, TechNExt offers a unique space for tech experts, startups, students, and the wider business c

The festival already has the support of key partners and sponsors, including 2024 headline sponsors Leighton, Opencast, and Sage.

To see the full programme of events and book your tickets please visit https://technext.co.uk/programme/