But here are the most important ones – the BeaconHouse organised events! Five hotly-anticipated events, essential for your diary are listed below, and we’ll be announcing some more top secret projects we have been working on in the coming months…
The Chronicle Sunshine Fund Glass Slipper Awards
22 February
BIM Show Live & BIM Awards
26-28 February
STEAMD Symposium
13 March
Dynamo Dinner
14 March
Build IT Right
4 April
Guests bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh never suffer FOMO. From a country-house festive staycation to a boozy dinner party, whatever the occasion, showing thanks with a well thought out gift will keep the invites coming.
Never-ending shopping list? Feeling a little like the Grinch? No bother, we relish the challenge. Use the BeaconHouse gift guide to decide what to bring to your over-worked event host.
IT’S THE MOST WINE-DERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
There’s that unwritten rule with dinner parties. Bring. A. Bottle. Otherwise you might as well forever relegate yourself to social purgatory drinking Sharon’s vaguely warm Chilean Chardonnay all evening long. Go for broke with a larger bottle if you want to impress, Chocolate Block Magnum, South African, Red Wine.
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
You could always deviate from the traditional bottle of white or red with something stronger instead. We love the idea of taking ingredients to whip up rounds of Bloody Marys to a festive brunch. Daylesford Mary Gift Set
GET LIT
As the event looms closer throw some £££ at the situation with a premium candle set. Tom Dixon Eclectic Candle Giftset.
A TREE-MENDOUS TREAT
Send flowers before the event and the host could then use them as part of the décor. You’ll be a little angel, and your glass will never go dry all evening! Send a little Christmas with a ‘Tiny Tree’ from Bloom & Wild – Our Favourite is the ‘Twinkle Tree’.
PEARLS OF WISDOM
Stop pounding the pavements, get out of cyberspace, this diary will have your host swooning into 2019. Customised and gratifyingly me-me-me, make this Christmas all about your host with a personalised Papier Mother of Pearl 2019 Diary
GO LUXE
Bring the exceptional Soho House Home for your well-to-do companions. Make them smile and be very merry with the Barwell Martini Glass and Martini Cocktail Set
PAMPER THEM
As John Lewis and Elton John reminded us this year, sometimes a gift is more than just a gift. Show you’ve put some thought into their weary head after hosting a hootenanny. Baies Treat Cone, Diptyque
PERFECT TIMING
Going to show up empty handed? Do you dare?! Whisper to your host about an elusive delivery that should be arriving in the morning. Get online tout suite and order next day delivery biscuits to remind the host the following day you are actually a nice person! Biscuiteers Nutcracker Biscuit Tin.
PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS
Planning on having an effortless Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and until the pantry stops producing delectable leftovers at the expense of your host? A hamper is the ONLY way. No-expense-spared, plump for the ultimate Grosvenor Hamper, Claridges
Everyone loves a party, particularly during the festive season. Get in touch if you want us to plan a flawless celebration and make a memorable evening come to life.
Yours sincerely your ‘hostesses with the mostesses’.
But we really went green last month in London with The Planet Mark when delivering their inaugural awards.. and now there is no turning back.
The Planet Mark have green blood. Every single decision they make is thought through carefully and the impact on our environment considered. If it doesn’t fit their ethos, values and purpose, they don’t do it.We have learnt many valuable lessons over the past few months, and here are just a few of them:
I could go on.
The resounding message that Sir Tim Smit shared with us through his inspiring keynote, was that we are simply custodians of our children’s future. We must nurture it and protect it for them. It’s our duty.
Steve Malkin, the CEO and founder of The Planet Mark gave a rousing account of his own early recognition of the need to make a difference in his time on the planet. The certification they award to their holders, backed by the quite renowned Eden Project, is meaningful and not easy to obtain and retain.
The Planet Mark provide a detailed certification process for businesses to aim for. No stone is left unturned. They are even turning to social value measurement to ensure the certified holders do good for society, not just for the planet.
The green and sustainable movement is here to stay, and is growing in strength and impact. It’s not just a few environmentalists who are adopting this way to live, work and do business as it may have been a mere 20 years before, it is now a movement of many. The few there at the start of this revolution are leading the way and inspiring others to come with them.
We are certainly inspired and we will continue to ensure that our events do good. It’s our children’s future we are all responsible for after all.
To find out more about The Planet Mark certification programme visit their website.
From scavenger hunts and mulled wine to a Harry Potter themed do, if you’re looking for something different we’ve put together eight cracking party ideas to ensure your end of year celebrations amaze and show your appreciation for colleagues and guests…(and steer Sandra from Accounts away from ordering that vodka ice-luge in the shape of a teeny Gino D’Acampo).
Scavenger Hunt:
Whether you’re planning your own adventure, or buying an affordable pre-planned guide from Treasure Trails scavenger hunts are a surprisingly fun way to spend an afternoon – especially when they finish at the pub. We’d recommend they start at a pub too, and maybe visit one and/or a Greggs for a festive bake in the middle.
Ugly Sweater Party:
Celebrate the awful with an annual turkey curry buffet and horrific sweaters! Everyone is instructed to wear their ugly sweater – prizes for the most impressive. If you’ve got a Scrooge in the office you might want to procure some back up hideous sweaters and other embarrassing props for good measure. The Chronicle Sunshine Fund are in the middle of their Christmas appeal which aims to raise much needed funds to buy specialist equipment for children in the North East – we’ll be supporting on 14th December. Make like Mark Darcy and pull out that seasonal sweater with the office team for a good cause. Text ‘KNIT18 £2’ to 70070 to donate.
Apres Ski:
Winter is the season to be jolly (tra la la la la), but it isn’t easy to keep jolly when there’s a gale battering your every whim. Perhaps a cosy mountain retreat would provide welcome respite, how handy that there is one on Swan House roundabout. Antler the Alpine haven promises mulled wine, a hearty menu of schnitzel and currywursts. Treat your colleagues to Alpine luxury in the heart of Newcastle, think traditional ski lifts in the heated outdoor garden, wintry ferns and hot chocolate. A winter wonderland and a magical dining experience for those who have embarked on the mountainous excursion of 2018.
Let’s Get Mulled:
Not one to mull over…a mulled party! Mulled wine, mulled cider…what else can you mull? Shortlist have handily mulled every kind of alcohol and can recommend Jagerbombs, Guinness, prosecco and strangely WKD Blue.
Harry Potter:
Everyone loves the schoolboy wizard, right? Let the excitement build as your guests receive their ‘letter from Hogwarts’ inviting them to the Banquet in the Grand Hall. The ‘Grand Hall’ can be full of props, the Sorting Hat, relevant house ties, cauldrons, and owls (if you dare to work with live animals)! You can provide cloaks for your muggle colleagues to be Yule Ball ready. Your guests will thank you after delicious roast beef, buttery mashed potato, topped off with treacle tart. Round the night off with coffees and chocolate frogs. Accio butterbeer…NOW!
Food Truck Rodeo:
The North East is full of insane food specialists so if you’ve got a big audience to please, why not have a food truck rally. Work out a coupon system and get trucks that cater for even the fussiest of pots. Some of our favourites are Scream for Pizza, Chuchos, Meat:Stack, Acropolis, Little Fishy, Simply Cheesecake and Fizzy Tap (yep, drinks too)! Book a band and you’ve got a festiv(e)al vibe with none of the wellies and rancid portaloos.
Christmas around the World:
Apart from playing Féliz Navidad on repeat there are some lovely traditions around the world you could incorporate into your party. Assign each staff member a country to research and they can bring in a Christmas treat from the country. Bagsie ‘Bûche de Noël’, what a centrepiece! Or in Japan fried chicken is THE meal to eat at Christmas. Oh I feel a Christmas quiz coming on! The slightly stranger tradition we’d like to see in action is the Catalan tradition of caga tió or “defecating log”, a grinning creature is carved out of a small log and placed on the dining table, you feed the log fruit, nuts, and sweets, you then beat the log until it excretes goodies…
Craftstavaganza:
A personal favourite of ours, we rang in Christmas 2017 with an enchanting wreath making class with Bels Flowers. Beautiful bows, sumptuous greens – Instagram perfection! But there are so many options for a real crafty time – a #GBBO Gingerbread decorating competition, get in teams to decorate Gingerbread homes or blow-your-own glass bauble at the National Glass Centre.
Consider us your BeaconHouse elves, working hard behind the scenes, under the big guy’s shadow (HI SANTA!), talk to us about your dream Christmas party. We can either help you plan or just give you an outlet for festive excitement….call the party hotline anytime!
Well let us tell you…it’s time for a conference. When arranging meetings, you create memorable experiences, there is nothing that can be compared. With a unique atmosphere, a crowd passionate about the same subject, you learn, meet old friends and make new pals. Delegates leave conferences feeling energised and full of new ideas, with a new tote, t-shirt and stickers for the laptop in tow.
So we were thrilled to be asked by experts in the field, Opencast Software, to bring together like-minded talented specialists in the software industry to deliver the first ‘Build IT Right’.
Build IT Right Conference 2019 aims to showcase the very best that the industry has to offer, highlight trends, expand knowledge and inspire delegates.
Here at BeaconHouse Events we have a proven track record delivering a wide range of events regionally and across the UK, including the Northern Powerhouse Business Summit, BIM Show Live and Dynamo North East events, so we are well placed to create an interesting and informative event for professionals in specialist fields.
What is in store?
Who’s going to be there?
Built IT Right welcomes delegates who speak HTML, CSS, SQL, Java, Bash/Shell, Python, C#, PHP and Klingon. The audience will be made up of Software Developers, Software Testers, UX Design, Agile Practitioners, Solutions Architects, Software Development Manager / Team Leaders / Development Head, plus aspiring software development professionals.
When attending conferences, you sacrifice money and time, so you need to know it’s right for you. If you have an opinion on How to ‘Build IT Right’, this cool-sounding event has cool people going, that you’ll definitely want to meet.
Are you ready to Build IT Right in Newcastle?
Build IT Right
Crowne Plaza, Stephenson Quarter, Newcastle upon Tyne
Thursday 4th April, 2019.
This year, with a summer of long nights, an unexpected heatwave, extended stays in the local beer garden and a string of World Cup successes September has arrived with a jolt. Back to routine it is. The lure of the beer garden diminished, desire to exercise outdoors evaporated, we have the ‘new academic year, new me’ mentality. Swathed in knitwear, armed with a fresh set of stationery (naturally), it’s a new term. As the leaves fall and the slow-cooked Sunday roasts beckon we are re-doing the A-Z the Event Managers way…
A is for AV. Technically, your best friends on-site. Making the lights brighter, the sound clearer and your set look fantastic. NOTE: They can normally be bribed with sweet goods.
B is for BeaconHouse Events. The go to event management agency.
C is for Canapés. Big ones, small ones, fishy ones and vol au vents. They’re our tasty, bite sized fuel source.
D is for ‘Day Delegate Rate’. A package to include all your room hire, food, refreshments and AV (we prefer the DDR with continuous coffee and Fox’s mints).
E is for ETA. We live for schedules with accurately estimated arrival times. Cue hilarity when we also had a conference that was shortened to ETA. What is the ETA of ETA…ETA? ETA? What?!
F is for Festive Soirées. The Christmas Party beckons, you’re sick of trying to please everyone “no, Sharon we can’t have an ice-luge and free-flow Grey Goose”. Remove the stress, let us put the HO HO HO in your holiday season.
G is for Green. Events can produce a lot of waste, we constantly work to reduce ‘one use’ products and seek green alternates as part of our environmental promise to our clients.
H is for Hospitality. Trust us to ensure your guests are wowed and welcomed. We know the best locations, food, drink and entertainment on the market and we always deliver the information with a smile.
I is for Initiative. We have it in spades. Why not have Amazon Alexa’s on hand to give delegates key information, directions to conference rooms and other FAQ’s.
J is for Joy. We go above and beyond to make all the “I’s” are dotted and all the “t’s” are crossed, delegates, sponsors, guests and clients all leave our events with a smile on their face and a ticket for next year.
K is for Keynote. The experts everyone wants to see and hear. We’ve had the pleasure of working with inspirational names such as, Bank of England’s Mark Carney, the infamous Wayne Hemmingway, Tim Smit from The Eden Project, Julian Leighton of Orangebus, Dame Stephanie Shirley, Sir John Thompson, and Snapchat’s Nick Bell to name a few.
L is for Lanyards. They adorn our necks, they become collectors items, colourful, recyclable, sponsorable…they’re great. But, keeping 1,000 lanyards from getting in a knot – that mystery is yet to be solved.
M is for MC. A master of ceremonies, a voice of God, an emcee or compere. Some of the best have an extensive Rolodex of jokes and of source are on our speed dial.
N is for Name Badges. We are exploring some inventive badging solutions at BHE HQ currently. Expect high quality, eco friendly badges at an event near you soon.
O is for Open Bar. A rare species, not often spotted in the wild and close to becoming extinct. Note to self: Plan fundraiser for dwindling open bar numbers, perhaps with an event with an open bar…
P is for Poseur Table. A tall table exclusively for posing on. However, we’re extremely flexible and always allow chatting and drinks resting. We are nice like that.
Q is for Queue. Well versed in queues and crowds, we manage 24,000 guests through the Great North Pasta Party queue annually. Helping the Great North Runners carb load for over 12 years.
R is for Risk Assessment. It’s not always sexy (although we do look good in hard hats), but we are dedicated to Health & Safety across our portfolio.
S is for Solving. Solving problems clients didn’t know they had. It’s one of our superpowers.
T is for Tall Boys, a cost-effective type of banner used at events to maximise branding. It’s cheaper than a pop up banner and more effective. You are welcome.
U is for Umbrellas. Branded umbrellas are a great idea for a multi site or outdoor event. You’ll probably see us in a poncho though, got to have them hands free for the clipboard.
V is for VIPs. We’ve hosted so many we’d love to tell the tales, but then we’d have to kill you.
W is for White Tie. The attire you’d wear to the Embassy and then exclaim, ‘Ambassador with these Rocher you are really spoiling us!’
X is for X-traordinary. We specialise in creating an event experience that is absolutely extraordinary for our clients. We call it ‘standard’.
Y is for YES! We make it happen. Can find a flying pig for your festival? Yes. Can we jump in to help deliver the event in a week? Yes.
Z is for Zoo. A potential venue for your event. Plenary with the platypuses, break out session with the baboons and cocktails with the camels. A perfect day.
We’ll see you soon for your next lesson…
When did that happen? Well, since ‘The Meetings Show’ identified BeaconHouse Events as an organiser of meetings, events, conferences or incentives based in the UK or Europe.
We didn’t think that made us particularly special, but as soon as they confirmed that we met their strict qualification criteria we were quickly whisked into a world of VIP and given access to a premium attendance option to ensure we got all there was to offer at the show.
‘The Meetings Show’ is the premier event for the inbound and outbound meetings and event industry in the UK, taking place on 27-28 June 2018 at Olympia London.
Since its launch in 2012, The Meetings Show (TMS) has become a must-attend exhibition for event, meeting, conference and incentive planners from the UK and Europe. We’re still quite a young company, only four years in operation and going through a period of ‘scaling up’ TMS was the perfect opportunity to focus on future developments for our ever-growing portfolio (100+ events annually).
NewcastleGateshead Initiative had previously encouraged us to attend through our partnership with them. This year we took the plunge to connect with thousands of industry professionals, to source new suppliers, discover the latest innovations and build new networks.
This is my take on what it meant to my business and myself to be a hosted buyer. Hoping that this post might go some way to influencing you to attend that next “will I – won’t I? “ event.
I live my life by targets, and with having two and half days out of the office I set myself a substantial ‘tick list’ to make the most of my time at the show.
Some of the perks of being a hosted buyer included:
I hopped off the train at Kings Cross, jumped on the tube and arrived in good time at my hotel. Enough time to freshen up then make way to the ‘Hosted Buyers Reception’ at the Science Museum.
Welcomed by smiling staff and the sultry sounds of a saxophonist we were ushered through a very efficient bag search and registration service. My never-ending glass of prosecco joined me as I explored the history of space travel with Buzz Aldrin and the rest of the hosted buyers. Dubai Business Events, sponsors of TMS made sure no one got peckish with tasty canapés circulating throughout the networking drinks reception. The smart casual crowd were in good spirits as we were whisked upwards to take advantage of some exclusive viewings at the Museum. All whilst enjoying yet more food and drink with a very creative and well-staged ‘street food’ style dining experience. By the time the generous cocktails stopped and the last lobster tail was swept away, I was suitably content and well networked – ready to hop on my chauffeured coach with new friends, back to my temporary London pad next to Hammersmith.
Part of being a hosted buyer means you have an obligation to meet at least 16 exhibitors at the event for a series of 20 minute meetings. This is by no means a small feat – with over 700 of the destinations, hotels, venues, DMC’s and technology providers from the UK and around the world showcasing, you need to choose wisely!
So, up early, quick gym sesh to clear the fuzz from the night before (must’ve been something I ate….). This may not be ‘mention worthy’ to many readers, but my hotel room had two hair dryers, I mean that just NEVER happens, both of which were located…Next. To. Mirrors. I’d been in London for 14 hours and I was already starting to feel like I might move here – I was in some kind of wine me, dine me, hair drying paradise.
Bacon sandwich to-go from the too-much-to-choose-from breakfast buffet, back on my carriage and straight to my oh-so-VIP hosted buyers entrance, again very efficient bag search and registration (is the coach needed? I like walking, gives me a chance to explore and up my step count, my hotel was an 8minute walk from the venue and very easy to navigate).
Thought I was clever and efficient booking all my meetings in the morning – giving me the afternoon to explore sessions and outstanding exhibitors. WRONG. TMS is large. It’s not easy to navigate upon initial arrival (and I did my Duke of Edinburgh…GOLD Award), 15 minutes to get what you need from a meeting and 5 minutes to get to your next appointment is not easy, it’s possible, but by lunch time your mouth is cotton and you’re glazing over giving your elevator pitch. Regardless, this blog post is written retrospectively so (spoiler alert) I survived. Pros, I did indeed have the afternoon to network in the endless opportunities to meet and greet, bask in the balmy VIP aura of the Hosted Buyers Lounge and enjoy a delicious lunch whilst reflecting on what I’d learned that morning.
Part of my tick list was to discover ‘alternate’ venues across the UK and identify new trends in technology to help future proof our event planning. These aims stem from what our clients want, why they stick with us and why we retain our position as event creators and leaders. Exploration, discovery and adoption.
Meeting highlights, starting with a nautical theme…interesting and contender hotels and venue spaces, Liverpool’s ‘Rum Warehouse and Titanic Hotel’ and event space and hotel ‘Titanic Belfast’ – I’m bias being home-grown, but Belfast has LOADS to offer these days, hotels galore and some impressive event space to boot. Watch this space for a Belfast focused post soon…
Learning more about badges, smart wearables and printing tech than I ever thought possible in a few hours, I felt like I’d done a crash course and come out an expert. Thanks to a focused morning I already felt like I had new solutions to offer clients, better systems to introduce to our teams and a great new lease of life on how we can modernise and reduce waste on our events. I felt like Richard Ayoade and Captain Planet at the same time. To pre-emptively celebrate my ecological learning I joined the Titanic Belfast team again for a G&T tipple on their stand advertising favourite street scenes from the Big Smoke (Belfast).
Exhibitors are at TMS to impress. There are so many networking events and hosted dinners that you’re never going to feel at a loose end! Choose wisely and try and get in with a host that you’ll learn something from (new destination, hotel group etc) or forge a meaningful long-term relationship with (national and international DMCs, PCOs, etc).
A full English on day two set me up for more chauffeuring and more meetings. Lots of people seem to only attend one day at TMS but I have no idea how they manage to get everything they want from it in only eight hours. I had another full morning of meetings and was transported from the wonders of Leeds with ‘Conference Leeds’ to the hidden gems of Manchester with ‘Marketing Manager’ planning with their helpful teams on how we could expand many of our events into their impressive city offerings. More badge-making tech and a fantastic chat with our faves at ‘Eventbrite’ set the scene for more back office developments to be established when back in the Toon.
Grabbed a quick lunch in the Hosted Buyers Lounge, took advantage of the chilled out furnishings to catch up on some emails then off to learn about ‘the Death of Traditional Conferences’ at just one of the stages at TMS. Then the end of the show, I couldn’t leave without a friendly catch up with NewcastleGateshead Initiative hosting the giant yellow stand with Sage Gateshead and Hilton NewcastleGateshead – nor am I sure could anyone who attended TMS! I strolled to collect my luggage from the Buyers Lounge (free of charge cloakroom of course), jumped on my coach to St Pancreas with ample time to catch my scheduled train back to Newcastle.
After 50,000 steps and 28 degree heat I feel like I haven’t touched on even half of the experience that was my first hosted buyer adventure. What I can honestly say was that I had a great time, felt well looked after, learned A LOT and definitely mean to return. Really do your research next time you’re off to an event like TMS; you can’t get the most out of an event unless you read all the information available. Ask questions and take the time to soak up the experience. I’m writing this blog on the way back from the event, sitting in my sun drenched carriage I feel fulfilled and excited about the developments that attending TMS has introduced to BeaconHouse Events.
Thanks TMS!
This month marks the 4th Birthday, we are done being a three-nager, and looking forward to getting into our stride with the feisty four’s.
Make a brew, and join us as we look back at the events and experiences that shaped four extraordinary years, with each team members highlights… (it’s worth it just to see the picture of us in high-vis at the end!)
Sarah Thackray, Director
Dynamo North East was one of our first client events. Dynamo started as a two man volunteer committee with an idea to find out who worked in the IT & tech sector in the NE. From the seed idea, we now deliver an annual events programme for the network including a conference for over 300, an awards ceremony for over 350, a senior leaders dinner and monthly networking and panel events. We also led the development of a membership model for the network and we now manage, administer and oversee this, as well as advising on the financial strategy for the CIC. A brilliant example of growing with one of our clients!
We started the company with only two event contracts. Today we deliver over 100 events and services annually and work with many regional, national and international clients including The Planet Mark, an environmental standard mark; The European Thyroid Association; The Great Run Company; Dynamo North East; Space Group architects; the University Technical College and many others. Perhaps the pinnacle of our growth to date has been the sheer pride we felt when our small team were selected in a competitive tender process to deliver the design and production for the upcoming Great Exhibition of the North’s Business Summit in July 2018. This contract should propel us into the limelight across the North, not just the North East, bringing us more possibility and opportunities in the future.
We are proud to support the event delivery for such a brilliant North East charity as the Chronicle’s Sunshine Fund. Funding essential equipment for some of the North East’s disabled children is such an amazing cause and one that we are delighted to be able to support. Simply put, our team has become an extension of the charity’s own team. We have adopted their values, mission and culture and continue to support the growth of the charity through the delivery of an exceptional annual events programme.
The future is bright…the future is BeaconHouse Events orange. We have great hopes, and solid plans, to firmly root the company into the fabric of the North East business community. And we are proud that we are already becoming a key part of the region’s ecosystem. We are excited about what is possible, and the organisations – that we are yet to meet – who we can help through the delivery of exceptional events. Our vision has no ceiling, but as we are planners at heart we make sure that our excitement has realistic plans behind it to make sure that our growth will happen.
Catherine Coulter, Director
FOUR YEARS! Wow, well it definitely wouldn’t be the same place to work if a year didn’t go by without us putting the party in pasta as part of the Great North Run weekend. It’s just so amazing for us to be part of an event that brings so much regional pride.
We get to work in the most fantastic venues across the nation but when a client comes to you with a challenge such as converting a modern office block into an exclusive club come cocktail bar come secret garden, well that’s the kind of challenge we thrive upon! Working with Arch Group Northumberland to convert Blyth Workspace for the Tall Ships event in 2016 was just incredible – we absolutely got the opportunity to shake our creative tail feathers and work with some of the most inspiring suppliers across the North East.
Employing staff meant upgrading from our home office and what a learning curve that was! A day spent in IKEA saw us purchase floral cushions and window seating solutions, an awkward office meeting with a tall chap, no place to set a cup of tea and knees up around our ear lobes quickly taught us that an office space needs to be fit for purpose and not an extension of your ‘House and Home’ subscription. Hoults Yard offers us the perfect balance – a cool, trendy establishment that strokes our creative ebb and a collaborative, professional community and suits our scale-up flow. Our first orange wall will always hold a personal point of pride in my heart.
People often ask us how we set up the company, it’s not a story full of drama and big dreams…Sarah and I set the company up because we loved managing events and we’d had feedback that we weren’t bad at doing it. Enter, ‘BeaconHouse Events’ – we stick to that mantra today, we still love managing events and we employ people that feel the same way, you’ll only ever be great at this job if you love it and we only tolerate greatness! We delivered our first couple of events and quickly got a couple more, soon our work continued to grow at pace and we had the confirmation that we were doing something right – the cherry on the cake was winning ‘New Business of the Year’ at the Newcastle Business Awards, recognising our achievements in our first year of business.
Clare Nicholson, Event Coordinator
I take great pride in our continued relationship with Dynamo and its members. It’s a great feeling to know I’ve played a part in growing their events from the Dynamites, to just a casual Monday trip to the House of Lords!
My two-year work anniversary was a real highlight, celebrating 730 glorious days as part of the BeaconHouse team. Excuse the cliché but time really does fly when you are having fun!
It’s a common misconception that event management is all tasting canapes and arranging flowers, and although it doesn’t make up the majority of my time, I’ve been privileged enough to be assisting with some pretty special events for clients including big birthdays and weddings that included lovely flowers and tasty samples. It’s such a pleasure to build a strong personal relationship with the client and there is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you have played a part in helping their vision for a special celebration, come to life.
The awesome BeaconHouse crew continues to grow, and while these are four of my highlights, it was also fantastic to be able to welcome Bex, Sophie, Katie and Helen to the team, and of course teach them the ropes, i.e. try and incorporate orange in everything you do. #WeHeartOrange #TeamworkMakesTheDreamwork
Sophie Flanagan, Event and Marketing Manager
Start a new job, start working on an International Film Festival, get to meet mega talented film professionals (and the one and only Jools Holland!!), watch up and coming films, handling Box Office and tickets for over 200 events, manage six screening venues, award the Geordie ‘Oscars’ to the deserving filmmakers. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick and triple tick. Yep organising the first year of Newcastle International Film Festival was exhausting, but extremely rewarding!
My first event onsite with BHE was The Chronicle Sunshine Fund’s Sunflower Ball. Helping to deliver an unforgettable ‘Arabian Nights’ themed evening, providing unique experiences to guests and creating lasting impressions all whilst smashing the fundraising target was such a fantastic feeling.
As event professionals, we want everything to be beautiful. So the introduction of BHE Snap of the Month competition is a once-a-month highlight, I did win the first month, but I am yet to regain my crown, here’s hoping for May. *Quickly scrolls Beyonce’s feed for insta inspo*. Check us out
Putting my marketing geek hat on, a personal highlight has been tackling the beast that is GDPR. Data audits, opt in forms and cleansing data, oh my! It’s like a digital spring clean and it feels so good.
Katie Whitehouse, Event Coordinator
My first ever event with team BHE was the North East Futures UTC open evening held at the BOILER SHOP and hosted by Ubisoft. Over 200 people attended to learn more about this fantastic new school, there were great speeches, great food and lots of fun had by all on the Ubisoft live gaming stands. A perfect first milestone. I only wish I could give out Ubisoft games at every event – we didn’t have a single no-show on our attendance list!
One of our charity clients is The Chronicle Sunshine Fund, we produce an event called ‘The Glass Slipper Awards’ celebrating inspirational women across the North East. Wonderful lunch and delicious cupcakes were had by all but most importantly, we helped the charity raise a brilliant sum in 2018 which will change the lives of children with disabilities in the North East. Go team!!
Decamping to London for the Digital Agenda Impact Awards, held at the unique Oval Space, meant I got to assist delivering my first event outside of the toon! The awards celebrate all digital innovations that improve people’s lives and the world around us, and they certainly made an impact on me!
Newcastle International Film Festival brought cinema across the city, needing over 100 volunteers. No small task, but I recruited, trained and managed and kept 120 volunteers hydrated over the Easter weekend (hint: never under-estimate how much water you need onsite for an event of that scale!). It was fantastic to see the event run smoothly with their assistance, and a pleasure getting to know all the talented individuals.
Helen Barthorpe, Event Manager
BIM Show Live 2018 was the first large scale event I worked on at BHE. At the end of four busy, high energy, long, snow-filled days we got to the end of the conference. The client was so happy with the event that he personally thanked and hugged us all! We all then proceeded to the pub…well deserved beer always tastes better!
I’ve loved working on Wild at Kielder Festival. It’s been great to help pull together a full and exiting programme of activities. It was funny when my boyfriend asked me “How has your day been?” I said “Brilliant! The Alpaca walks are nearly sold out!” to which he replied “That’s a sentence I never thought you’d say..”
Being a part of the GEOTN pitch was a fantastic experience. Preparing the pitch with Cat, Sarah and Wayne Hemingway was exciting and bursting with ideas. The pitch itself was very serious and nerve wracking. We left the pitch feeling good but unsure who we’d be up against. To win the bid was a fantastic feeling!
Our first BHE team building evening is definitely one of my highlights. The Escape Room was a great way to see everyone’s true personalities. We all came together and succeeded as a great (and very competitive) team! Afterwards, we proceeded to eat all of the tapas and drink most of the drinks in Newcastle.
Proof of our victory at the escape room:
Here are BHE HQ we are looking forward to another year of highlights, thanks to all our clients and supporters, we couldn’t have done it without you. We will see you for (orange) jelly and ice cream on the 5th Birthday!
The invites for Windsor Castle have a strict code ‘Dress: uniform, morning coat or lounge suit / day dress with hat’ but what do those options actually mean?
UNIFORM
Heavily decorated and in the military? Polish those medals and you’re good to go.
MORNING COAT
Standard for most formal British weddings. Morning coats with tails are always a dapper option for gents.
LOUNGE SUIT
Don’t get too comfortable, lounge does not mean casual, but dark business suit according to the authority on etiquette, Debrett’s. A full cashmere tracksuit or god forbid, a velour Juicy Couture number would have her Majesty banishing you from the Palace.
DAY DRESS WITH HAT
If you don’t have a hat, you are not getting in. Go big or go home, fascinators need not apply. I’d take inspiration from Princess Eugenie and Beatrice, as they’ve proved at previous occasions, they have a keen eye for striking design.
And for all your non-royal invites…
BLACK TIE
Perhaps the most popular dress code for formal events in the social calendar. For men, a tuxedo, complete with bow tie. For women, it is slightly more vague. A full-length dress is normally preferred over a short cocktail dress although generally speaking any respectable, formal dress will do in these modern times. And we are all for the tailored jumpsuit option à la Bianca Jagger.
COCKTAIL
Cocktail dresses are usually more vivid in colour and have a more ‘interesting’ design for the ladies, and gents are stuck with a dark suit and tie again. There are some jazzy ties out there…
WHITE TIE
When the Ambassador invites you to a reception this means full evening dress. The most formal evening dress code with women expected to wear a floor length dress and gloves for shaking hands and dancing only removed for eating, and Tiaras (yes, really) are only acceptable for married women. After all that effort let’s hope you get a chance to exclaim ‘Ambassador, with these Rocher you are really spoiling us!’
BUSINESS FORMAL
Arguably most common for formal day time events, such as conferences. These occasions are often more work than social and therefore you are representing yourself and your business. Suit and tie is normal for men, and for women, a tailored dress, skirt or trousers and blazer are perfect.
BUSINESS CASUAL/SMART CASUAL
For a more relaxed event, some organisers will opt for a business casual dress code. For ladies no jeans or trainers – simple as, or if you must, balance out denim with a tailored jacket. For males this could be trousers and collared shirt, but you can leave your tie at home (saves you from tying it on your head later if there are too many complimentary beverages).
FANCY DRESS
This is not what it says on the tin, unless of course your fancy dress is mimicking Little Bo Peep or Marie Antoinette. Fancy dress can always be amusing. However, if you have to hire something we advise you learn from Prince Harry’s mistakes and avoid the Nazi uniform and ALWAYS opt for the head of the panto horse.
It is 100 years since women (over 30 and ‘of property’) were given the right to vote in the UK, and a little more since suffragette Emily Wilding Davison threw herself in front of the King’s horse to fight for this right, we celebrate the current trailblazers making a difference in our world.
Sherry Coutu CBE
Sherry has been instrumental in the exceptional growth of the digital economy in the North of England and Scotland. A serial investor, entrepreneur and non-executive director, she also chairs Founders4Schools, a project which brings female founders into schools, an initiative we are very passionate about, and thrilled to be involved with.
Irene Dorner & Jayne Anne Gadhia
Virgin Money has become the only FTSE 350-listed company with women in top two positions, making waves for gender equality in leading roles, with Jayne passionate about harnessing the talents of women in finance. Two women at the helm…we might be bias, but we’d say it’s a winning combination.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
As a Paralympic athlete she won medals at five successive Paralympic Games but currently her work as a patron for numerous charities lands her on our list.
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne is a multi-award winning broadcaster. Alongside her work on BBC Radio Laverne is also co-founder of women’s online magazine The Pool, producing ‘interesting, inspiring and original content for busy women.’ Currently curating Great Northern Soundtrack gigs at Sage Gateshead for #getnorth2018, we can’t wait to see what she is working on next.
Rose McGowan
As one of the first women to speak out about Harvey Weinstein, she has helped to ignite a revolution in Hollywood, which is being felt across the globe with the #MeToo campaign.
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman is an Oscar winning actress and Harvard graduate who tirelessly campaigns for women’s and girl’s rights to education, along with being an Ambassador of Hope for FINCA International. It’s not hard to see why she is an inspiration.
Giselle Stewart OBE
Giselle is blazing a trail in a traditionally male dominated industry, with her role at Ubisoft. Passionate about the links between education and industry, she is a trustee of North East Futures, the UTC college, dedicated to the creative, digital, IT, and health sciences sectors, opening this September in the Stephenson Quarter.
Serena Williams
At just 35 years old, Serena Williams has achieved phenomenal success winning 39 grand slam titles during her career. A remarkable athlete who has spoke out about the gender pay gap. In Porter Magazine she wrote ‘I would never want my daughter to be paid less than my son for the same work. Nor would you’.
Celebrate women in style, at the Ladies Who Mean Business Lunch on the 28th March at the Assembly Rooms as Newcastle International Film Festival host a lunch celebrating the incredible women who have helped shape history and inspire millions over the past century. The luncheon will host a panel discussion with influential women from all industries discussing a series of topics. The event will feature a Wonder Woman Wall, highlighting 100 inspiring women, 100 years on, for information on sponsoring a woman on the wall or tickets for the event please contact sophie@newcastlefestival.co.uk. There are limited women left to sponsor and we’ve just nabbed Natalie Portman and Serena Williams!
What’s that? You just heard about this great new series to watch…here’s why you should give up your time instead…
1.ENHANCE YOUR CV
Your employment prospects will immediately improve, FACT.
Who do you think is getting an interview for that job? Elmo with a one page CV, no experience but ‘likes socialising’ or Anita with volunteering experience at three high profile events including the UK’s LARGEST Pasta Party?
“Oh hello Anita, what’s that? Strong with two sugars…no problem” *Anita settling into her new job.
2. LEARN NEW SKILLS
You will learn new skills working on events. If you like filing that’s fine, but you could be honing your customer service skills on registration, greeting international speakers with a winning smile, making a dent in your 10,000 steps doing stage management, access to restricted events, learning how backstage events operate or gaining knowledge from inspirational industry speakers…for free.
3. BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE
Trying something new by taking on an event volunteer role will expand your horizons, give you a sense of pride and identity, and leave you beaming, glowing or perhaps perspiring after a shift with a great event team.
4. YOU’LL MEET PEOPLE AND MAKE FRIENDS
We hire friendly. We are a friendly bunch and so are the rest of our recruits it’s a prerequisite. You’ll meet likeminded people and bond over shared experiences. Unless your middle name is ‘Lazy’, we know you’ll fit in.
5. IT’S FUN
We event hard and party (eat left over conference buffet) harder.
6. IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH
No, seriously! Research has found that volunteering can boost your immune system and help you sleep better (not just from exhaustion)!
It can be hard to know where to begin if you’ve never volunteered for an event.
Fortunately, we can steer you in the right direction. We offer opportunities to work on a wide range of events from glittering VIP dinners, conferences, exhibitions, festivals (film to wildlife!) and everything in between. We’ll be able to match you with an event that suits your availability and interest area. Volunteering doesn’t have to be a full-time commitment; the odd shift when you are available really makes a difference.
Sign up to hear about our opportunities here:
At BeaconHouse Events we take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to administer your account for volunteering opportunities. Your details will not be shared for marketing purposes.