Our strategy aims to deliver considered, achievable actions, help us to reach responsible carbon neutrality and drive sector-wide change from inside our organisation.

This strategy is incredibly important to us as a business and is the product of over a year of research, team consultation and expert guidance. It outlines our key commitments to the environment, people, governance and financial resilience. These plans include steps to reduce our carbon emissions by 5% year on year, with the aim to be a carbon neutral business by the end of 2027, alongside supply chain engagement, research into sustainably sourcing materials, digital solutions to limit single-use print and staff training to upskill the team on the future of events both in-person and online. Alongside this we have a commitment to educate and empower the next generation of North East talent, supporting local charities and initiatives and giving our talented team opportunities to sign-up to support education initiatives, including Girls Network and founders4schools as well as supporting individual young people to thrive in the sector through mentoring schemes.

This launch of our strategy also coincides with the exciting news that we have been awarded the Standard Good Work Pledge by North of Tyne Combined Authority. This award recognises our efforts to be fair employer, our commitment to staff health and wellbeing and our demonstration of social responsibility in the region.

Explaining why we have launched our strategy now, and what it means for the business and the sector, our co-founder and director Sarah Thackray said, “Since forming in 2014 our vision has always been to drive positive, lasting impact with every event we do, whether that be a conference, exhibition, awards ceremony or festival, and now is the right time to also focus those efforts internally and look at how we can make lasting change from within the business.

“We recognise that the event industry has a major impact on our planet and by doing our part we can lead the way in making sustainable change in the sector. It is our job as a responsible employer and business to forge the path of what is possible and to collaborate with other organisations to learn from, and inspire, each other. We don’t want to make grand statements and big promises, we are committed to working with our team, our suppliers and our clients to make consistent, considered changes which will move us closer towards our goal of being carbon neutral within the next five years. We are proud to be early adopters of TRACE, a digital carbon measurement platform to help the event industry reach Net Zero. TRACE helps us to gather data on our carbon impact at each event, which in turn gives us the ability to work with clients to benchmark and track success alongside their ESG strategy.

“The inclusion of financial resilience was important to us as a team, without a robust business model you simply don’t have the capacity, skills or resource 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.”

Over the past year we have been working closely with innovation sustainability manager Katrina Appleyard to develop an ESG strategy which will form a key pillar of both our internal and external delivery from 2023-2027.

Discussing our work together Katrina, innovation manager for sustainability at Dynamo North East said, “BeaconHouse Events are taking responsibility for their own organisational impact before they are under any legislative pressure to do so which is incredibly refreshing to see. As part of our work together I carried out a lot of research into how the events sector is approaching sustainability globally, and while there are a lot of organisations looking at how they can produce green events, there is nothing being said about what it means to look internally and be a responsible events company from the inside out. While BeaconHouse were already behaving in a way that was socially conscious, this strategy has helped them to pin down what this looks like and make it much more explicit when it comes to achievable actions.

“The fact that BeaconHouse Events are even considering what they can control, and how they can make positive change from within the business, automatically makes them leaders in their field. The events industry is in a unique position in that they are built to bring people together and address societal issues, however that often has a direct impact on the environment when you consider things like travel or single-use materials, so there is a lot of learning to do within the sector on how to address this juxtaposition.

“This won’t be a linear journey for any organisation and there will be a lot of learning along the way. A big part of this process will be trying different approaches to see what works, and educating both clients and peers within the industry along the way, collaboration really is at the heart of it. What is inspiring to me about the work this commitment from BeaconHouse is that they are striving for social change and business habit change which is much bigger than simply looking at the impact of their events in silo.”

Sarah continued, “We have worked closely with Katrina on this strategy and her comprehensive guidance and expertise has been invaluable as we shaped our vision and goals.”

Our ESG strategy is based around 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. We particularly wanted to focus the strategy on areas where we could make meaningful change as a team, including Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, Quality Education and Good Health and Wellbeing; all areas where we can strive to have an authentic and last impact both in the North East and across the events sector as a whole.

To find out more about how we can help you to work towards your sustainability goals or to understand more about how we are making changes as a business contact info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk

Stress is a major problem for our sector, and knowing how to manage it can improve mental and physical well-being as well as minimise health-related issues brought on by life in what can be a stressful sector. Here at BeaconHouse Events we’re committed to giving our team the knowledge to understand what stress looks like in our colleagues, as well as the space and tools to preempt a situation or tackle it head on.

This Stress Awareness Month we sat down with the team to learn their top tips coping under pressure and how they juggle busy client portfolios while keeping themselves healthy and effective…

 

Go outdoors Build time into your diary to get outside and into the fresh hair – it really can blow away the cobwebs and help you approach a problem from another point of view. This can be anything from a walk around the block between meetings, eating lunch outside on a sunny day or something more extreme like sea-swimming or planning a hike on a weekend. It’s not just a nice thing to do either, studies show that being in nature lowers your stress-hormone cortisol and decreases your heart rate!

 

It’s good to talk Make time to spend time with your direct reports or team leaders for a weekly check-in to plan tasks and prioritise workload. These sessions are great for getting another point of view on a problem or to ask for support if you need it. Spending time discussing a problem one-on-one can help to manage expectations and allow you to plan your workload accordingly. Find the people that energise you, both in and outside of work, and if something is on your mind make sure you share it with a colleague, friend or family member, a problem shared really is a problem halved!

 

Get enough ZZZs Sleep can be elusive when you’re counting tasks instead of sheep, but a good night’s sleep is one of the best ways to avoid feelings of stress. Research has even shown that people who sleep better feel less negative emotions and are able to be more resilient in the face of a stressful event, and recover faster. If you’re struggling to get to sleep, try to keep to a regular nighttime pattern, keep your bedroom cool and quiet and avoid working, looking at your phone or watching TV right before you fall asleep.

 

Take time out to do something you enjoy Plan in time to do things that you enjoy and stick to it, that can be anything from reading a good book to watching your favourite TV show and spending time with friends. Taking moments to allow your brain to turn off will let you approach your task-list feeling refreshed and with renewed vigor. Try a ‘self-care’ day once a month where you totally switch off.

 

Fail to plan, plan to fail Build in a point at the end of the day to clear your inbox or at least make a note of the bigger tasks you need to tackle the next day or after the weekend. Ending the day with a good plan of what you need to achieve next means that you can end the day feeling confident that nothing has been missed and leaves you able to fully switch off. Be intentional about planning your time, or try time blocking in your diary, and be present in the task you are doing with no distractions to make the most of the time you have put aside for it. If there is a job that you are worried about, try to get it out of the way early so it is not hanging over you for the whole day.

 

Be present At BeaconHouse Events everyone has each other’s back, including our clients. Really be aware of the people around you and offer support if you see someone is struggling or not acting like themselves. Take time out to ask a colleague if they want a coffee or to take a walk, it can really turn someone’s day around! Knowing that you have a support system around you and a culture of trust is a huge benefit when there is a curveball to content with.

 

Look after your health Looking after your physical health can have an enormous impact on your mental wellbeing. The BeaconHouse team do a whole range of things to keep our bodies and minds in top condition, including gym memberships, midweek football, running, long dog walks, netball, zen-days and outdoor swimming!

 

Find your groove Get your favourite song on in the car, in the shower, on your headphones – anywhere at all – and sing along as loud as you can. We love everything from noughties indie rock to 90s trance in the team but it’s less about what you listen to and more about how it makes you feel!

If you are interested in joining the team, we would love to hear from you. Visit https://www.beaconhouse-events.co.uk/join-us/ to view our current vacancies.

*World Scholarship Vault

After considering a career in law, Sophie met BeaconHouse Events co-founders Sarah and Catherine during her university year in industry, where she really got a taste for events and realised that this was the sector where her skills and passion lay. She joined the team 2017 and is a now a Senior Events Manager using her experience and people engagement skills to lead large, high-impact events for clients across a wide range of sectors.

We grabbed a coffee and sat down with Sophie to talk about what she does why she loves working in corporate events, what a typical week looks like for her and the virtues of cold water swimming…

What made you first consider a career in event management?

When I first started looking for university placements, I was looking at the different aspects of marketing and engagement and while a lot of those looked really interesting, I started to think about what I enjoy doing outside of work – and naturally I’m a planner! In my friendship group I’ve always been the one that enjoys organising the trips or the birthday parties – I’m pretty detail oriented and love an agenda or organised fun, so it was a fairly natural fit once I understood what would be involved if I did this full-time as a career.

 

Did you know a lot about the industry before you started in the industry?

Not at all. My first role was at another events agency, ‘Benchmark Communications’ whilst I was studying and the kinds of events that we were working on there were big scale, with thousands of attendees from sectors like academia and healthcare. It was a total crash course – new vocabulary including ‘delegates’ and ‘plenary’, it was all totally new and I enjoyed soaking up every minute.

 

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I always wanted to be a barrister, even throughout secondary school that was always the path I was going to take. I was even part of a mock-law team where we would debate cases and observe real trials in court – I loved it. Then, when I was looking at options for university there was a lot of talk in the media about there being too many people applying for law school and speculation about what the job prospects looked like for people coming out of a law degree with so much competition. My favourite topics at A Level were Business Studies and Economics, so after that I started to look at other avenues where I could continue learning about those subjects and potentially do law conversion later which is how I ended up gaining my degree in Marketing and Business Studies and never looked back.

 

What skills do you think attracted you to law, that you now bring to event management?

Definitely that eye for detail is important but I think more than that, it is about being a critical listener with clients, and the rest of your team; to really understand what problem they are trying to solve and what they are trying to achieve. Having a cool head under pressure is definitely a bonus too, you have to be pretty unflappable to work in the events industry!

 

What does a typical week look like for you?

A lot of my clients are tech focused which is a really interesting and fast moving sector to be part of. Currently I’m working on the DIBI Conference up in Edinburgh which is a gathering of UX professionals and tech creatives, as well as working with Opencast on their internal events programme which is a large, ongoing project. My week is usually split between client work, strategy meetings and 1-2-1s with the team on their development; it usually comes as a surprise to people that 90% of our time is spent at a desk. It’s  the 10% that you spend onsite delivering an event that is usually the most seen, but most of our role is about strategy, research and planning, all before we ever set foot in an event space.

I tend to work with clients who are all pretty different from each other, and the types of events we are planning with them are diverse, but what keeps it really interesting is that they are all at a different part of their lifecycle. That means in a single week I can be working with clients on initial scoping for a project, while other clients are in that middle development stage or in full delivery and evaluation mode.

 

How do you like to work with clients?

I like to think of us an extension of our client’s team, we really get to know their business and work with everyone from people and experience teams through to internal communications leads to do everything logistics wise, but also being a sounding board for ideas and sparking creativity about what is possible. We take on a really collaborative approach, it’s a great feeling to be welcomed into so many fantastic teams in the region and across the wider UK to understand the amazing work they are doing.

 

What do you enjoy about mentoring the next generation of talent in the industry?

It is incredibly rewarding to see the next cohort of talent come into BeaconHouse Events and into the industry. As a team we have a real spread of experience – we have always found that there are people with such great talent out there with perfectly transferable skills for events, seeing that talent and drive come out is incredibly rewarding. Events is a great career to learn on the job and it is so fulfilling to see people as they grow in confidence and thrive.

 

What do you think surprises people about your role? 

I spent seven years with ASM Global – the company behind the new Sage complex, Utilita Arena and Playhouse Whitley Bay – whilst there I very much worked on those conventional experiences that people tend think of when you talk about event planning, things like Disney on Ice or a major ballet production. The corporate side of things does tend to get forgotten a little bit.

What is surprising to people is how much cross-over there is between those big consumer events and what we deliver for our current clients. By looking at how we design events to learn from those consumer experiences, we can help people to connect in a more authentic way, to adopt new innovative ways of learning and to make memories that they want to talk about and share. We want people to be engaged with the content we are producing and are always looking to learn and adapt the format of events to make them really enjoyable for the people attending. With the emergence of digital and hybrid events making the competition much higher for people’s attention, there needs to be a real pull to get delegates to attend your event over another.

 

What has been your career highlight so far?

I can’t choose one event to be my favourite, because I like them all for different reasons, but when I look at the range of events that I’ve been lucky enough to work on that makes me feel very proud. We’ve had everyone from a Prime Minister at an event to Deborah Meadon from Dragon’s Den and I’ve delivered experiences for tens of thousands of people. When you look back at the accumulation of all of those together it is pretty amazing.

 

Outside of work what can we find you doing?

Other than enjoying the Newcastle’s foodie venues, I love being outdoors and making the most of the North East coastline. Last summer myself and Katie, another event manager here, took up sea swimming so we try and go once a week now, even in the winter! Sometimes we do ten minutes…sometimes longer, depending on how cold it is but it is completely addictive and I really miss it when we have to skip it for whatever reason. We go on a Monday lunch-time and it totally sets you up for the week – you end up with endorphins for the whole day afterwards.

 

And finally, what would your dream event be to work on?

I’m obsessed with skincare (my one piece of advice would be to wear SPF every day and no-one is listening to me in the office!) so it would have to be a huge expo type event with expert speakers, what is new in active ingredients, little villages of people exhibiting the latest products, French pharmacy style pop-ups, the works.

If you are interested in joining Sophie in a career in events, we would love to hear from you. Visit https://www.beaconhouse-events.co.uk/join-us/ to view our current vacancies.

The event, which will be held on Tuesday 23 May at INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle, will bring together North of Tyne and wider North East businesses community to discuss how growth can be fueled by doing good and share best practice, linked to the Good Work Pledge project which already has almost 100 businesses signed up to be part of the scheme (including ourselves).

Good to Grow is a free, face-to-face, offline seminar which will see over 150 delegates from the North East business community coming together to discuss the importance of sustainable, ‘good’ growth and the challenges and opportunities that it gives businesses in the region. Guests will be joined by keynote speaker, writer, film-maker and doer Big Ian Donaghy, alongside an address from North of Tyne Combined Authority and speakers from regional businesses discussing the impact they have achieved and how they have approached good work practices.

Driving the growth and resilience of North East business is a topic that is close to our hearts here at BeaconHouse Events and we are working towards our application to be a Good Work Place Employer, so were honoured to be selected to support the team at the NECA to bring this event to life.

We spoke to Caroline Preston, who leads the Good Work Pledge project for the North of Tyne Combined Authority, on why this event is so important to the North East in 2023 and how working with BeaconHouse Events has taken it to the next level.

Caroline said: “The work place has changed and sustainable growth now needs to be a top agenda item. This event is a way for businesses to discuss how we can pull together as a community and encourage good practice as a means to grow, retain staff and attract the next generation of talent to our North East businesses.

“The North East currently has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK at 38% and 75% of families that fall within that figure have at least one person working. We need to act now as a business community to make work better for everyone. We have an amazing spirit here in the North East and many businesses are working hard to make sure their employees are happy, healthy, and well rewarded but we need to do more. Poor employment can have a really detrimental effect on our communities, these jobs are low paid, often unreliable  and offer zero or minimal additional benefits. Worse still these low paid jobs are often done by the very people who keep us supplied with food, who look after our loved ones and keep us moving.

“While there are many factors that affect this, businesses do have a part to play when to comes to offering opportunities to progress, flexible working so families can juggle childcare or other responsibilities, promoting health and wellbeing and proving security for their people wherever possible.

“A lot of our sectors are still suffering from a skills shortage, and this is a proactive and actionable way of addressing this as a region. Research shows that when businesses invest in their people, employees are more loyal and perform better in their roles, giving you space and resource to grow your business in a sustainable way.

“It’s customers too that are looking for something more these days, as are the next generation that are entering the workforce. They actively want to support companies who are supporting the people who live and work in the region and businesses can no longer ignore this. There are already businesses doing amazing things here in the North East and this event will be a catalyst for new conversations and connections to help everyone learn from each other in a really practical and inspirational way. We’ve always come together as a region in the past, and it is time to do it again, let’s aim a little higher, harness the skills in our network and get this moving.”

“We wanted this event to inspire and motivate people to make change within their organisations, and we chose to work with BeaconHouse Events to really make sure that the event had the right balance and impact that it deserved. It was important to us that the speakers were inclusive, diverse and had a new and interesting perspective on the problem and the team at BeaconHouse have gone above and beyond to ensure that they are representative of the wide range of businesses that will be in attendance.”

Choosing a keynote speaker who encapsulated the vision and the values behind the event was really important to us as we strategised how the event would look and feel on the day. We finally found the perfect choice, Big Ian Donaghy. Ian works tirelessly to raise dementia awareness and combat loneliness, always focusing on the individual drawing on his experience of 20 years teaching young people with learning difficulties, and nearly 10 years in the world of care. Ian will be discussing his book ‘A Pocketful of Kindness’ which discusses the power of kindness and the idea that nobody ever changed anything by doing nothing.

Caroline continued, “Alongside the managing the speakers, Sarah, Katie and the team have been hugely helpful when it comes to logistics, planning, venue and have brought their years of expertise to the fore with advice and guidance in making this event really flow. While I have worked on large scale events in the past, they have used their industry knowledge to become critical friends through the whole process and to support me with additional resource and advice.

“There is a reason they are so successful as an organisaton, their attention to detail and knowledge of the corporate events space is second to none. The team have experience in event management in a wide range of sectors and I really valued that insight into what works, trends and themes in the industry and how to create an event that people will still talk about after they leave.

“I can’t wait to have BeaconHouse Events as a member of the Good Work Pledge and want to say thank you for making the event planning process so smooth and pain-free. See you on the 23^rd!”

The Good Work Pledge scheme was launched in 2021 to make poor employment a thing of the past, and Good Work the norm. As part of the scheme businesses are awarded a level of the pledge, helping to build a ‘community of good work’, where members will have access to learning, networking opportunities and support in the pursuit of good work and sustainability. The pledge includes five pillars of best practice; promoting health and well-being, developing a balanced workforce, valuing and rewarding your workforce, effective communication and representation and demonstrating a social responsibility.

Tickets to the event are free, register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/good-to-grow-tickets-559593488187

As a business we are committed to ensuring sustainability is a key component of any event planning we do. We endeavour to reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever we can. Over the years we have made small changes that have big impact at scale, from re-fill water stations to only printing the essentials, but we continue to strive to be better and challenge the whole supply chain of our events, keeping waste to the absolute minimum.

Here we share our top 3 suppliers who are supporting our sustainable journey, driving positive change and offering innovative zero waste alternatives.

Sustainable Event Power

What are events without the sound and lights, well…INGRAM AV, is an audio-visual equipment supplier on a mission to make event power more sustainable. INGRAM have designed and built in-house a portable power station. The power station can generate its own energy using built-in solar panels. This piece of kit helps to keep emissions down to an absolute minimum. Every detail is considered with Ingram, even down to the electric vehicles used to bring equipment onsite!

Earth Friendly Paper

With smartphones and event apps a paperless event is now a reality, however if some print is needed, we look to seed paper or other biodegradable alternatives. Little Green Paper Shop, based in Cheshire have a large selection of eco-friendly paper alternatives. They have every SWAG item you need for your event; name tags, coasters, stickers, bookmarks, wristbands and pens, all biodegradable, made from seed paper. When the product has reached its end use after an event, instead of going to landfill, its purpose is to give back to the earth, to be planted and grow beautiful flowers. Their newest Eco Cotton range is made from waste from the textile industry – from old t-shirts, socks, dresses and jeans. We are seeing more and more eco-friendly paper alternatives popping up and these new exciting materials will be a great addition and marketing story for any event.

Feed a Friend

We are extremely waste-conscious when it comes to food at our events, we work with our clients to limit the amount of food waste, however, sometimes we find ourselves with some spare lunches. A charity close to our hearts is People’s Kitchen, they support homeless and vulnerable people in the Newcastle area, providing them with a sustaining meal for free. If you would like to get involved, you can donate to their Feed a Friend for a Fiver campaign.

BeaconHouse Events are proud to be taking charge and making events sustainable and we’re always on the lookout for sustainable suppliers, charities and initiatives within the UK to work with. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch via info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.

Neurodivergence has nothing to do with intelligence levels and while it can bring specific challenges in certain environments it also brings unique and valuable strengths to business. Approximately 25% of CEOs are dyslexic in the UK, with creativity and big picture thinking being likely key factors in the extraordinary link between dyslexia and entrepreneurship. Yet still the working world is created for neurotypical employees by default.

So, what does neurodiversity mean? The most typically occurring conditions are:

• Dyslexia (a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words)
• Dyspraxia (a disorder which affects movement and coordination)
• Autism or Asperger’s syndrome (which generally involves social or communication difficulties and often presents in repetitive behaviours)
• ADHD (can involve difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour)

Taking steps to create a neuro-inclusive event means that every voice in the room has the opportunity to contribute, leading to more meaningful interactions, better conversations and increased engagement both inside and outside of your organisation. In-person events by nature aren’t always accessible for everyone, but by being mindful of different needs from the outset, your experience can be as open as possible.

 

1 Have conversations

Over 15% of the UK is neurodivergent so you don’t need to guess at how to make your events more inclusive, just ask! Speak to people who live with neurodiversity and understand where adjustments can be made to create more inclusive spaces and increase the number of people who feel happy and confident to attend your event. Take the approach of ‘not about us, without us’ and have honest conversations with people with lived experience to ensure that your efforts are really what they need and want, rather than just ticking a box.

 

2 Communicate clearly

Sending out comms on what to expect when onsite, routes of travel, food and catering information and schedules well in advance can help people plan and prepare, making it much more likely that they will sign up and attend. Likewise, if you’re taking specific measures to make neurodivergent people feel comfortable, talk about it ahead of time – your guests might not be comfortable being open about their needs or asking for adjustments but knowing in advance that you have considered different options can break down barriers to attendance, as well as raising awareness and understanding to other attendees.

 

3 Be detail orientated

Create a plainly-worded pack of information that can be picked up at reception or downloaded answering frequently asked questions to ease anxiety. Alongside the general information that all guests would find helpful, answer things like – if and how you can ask questions during the day, clear floorplans and information about the venue with maps / pictures and how to speak to staff if you have an issue.

Make sure your onsite team are trained to fully understand the needs of people onsite and are aware of any questions. Communicate with guests that you are there to support them in a non-judgemental and positive way.

 

4 Curate your environment

Think about the environment as a whole and what it will be like to spend time in that environment. Avoid smelly food (which can cause overstimulation), turn down or remove bright lights and create a pleasant temperature which doesn’t fluctuate between hot and cold. If guests have to move between locations, especially between inside and outside, remember to communicate any clothing or footwear requirements so everyone can plan accordingly.

 

5 Create quiet spaces

The hustle and bustle of busy events can be overwhelming but by creating a quiet space, and clearly communicating the purpose of that space, you can carve out a safe space to escape. This space should be for everyone to make the most of, but take steps to help guests understand that it is a sanctuary away from the event activities and not a place for meetings or phone calls. Curate your space to have low or dim lighting, no noise or distractions, lots of space to spread out and place it away from catering so there are no strong smells.

 

6 Inclusive giveaways

When you are planning your branded event goodie bags and giveaways, consider gifts that will be helpful to neurodivergent guests on the day. This could be noise-cancelling earplugs to combat background noise and loud areas, fidget toys to reduce anxiety or sunglasses to dull bright, overpowering lighting. Badges could also be given away when guests arrive to show whether they are open to social interactions, like handshakes, or not.

 

7 Use technology

Hybrid experiences are a fantastic way of engaging with a wide range of audiences who are not able to physically be there in person. However, if a fully hybrid option isn’t possible, consider a breakout space with pods and headphones where guests can listen to keynote speakers without having to sit in a busy conference hall where there often isn’t a lot of personal space.

 

8 Ask for feedback

Always follow up after the event to learn what worked and understand any other ways that you could adjust for future events. Give people the opportunity to feed back on the day and get in touch with an anonymous questionnaire afterwards to hear thoughts from attendees.

 

For more information on making space for neurodiversity at your events or to speak to the team about your 2023 goals email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.

 

 

That’s not just our opinion according to new research in the industry. Pre-pandemic, hybrid or virtual gatherings made up only 19% of events world-wide but now 60% of event planners and businesses say they will continue to host events in this way in 2023 and beyond. So, why are hybrid experiences sticking around?

Technology and internet connectivity means that it is easier than ever to have meaningful conversations with people from across the country, and even the globe, without the need for costly, carbon emitting travel. When it comes to inclusivity, hybrid events also mean you can have more voices in the room. Attendees with additional needs or people who are neurodivergent now have more options to get involved, increasing the opportunity for diverse and varied thinking and connection in your business.

While a hybrid event opens the doors for more people to take part, there are some important points to consider before you decide to jump head first into hybrid event planning…

1 In person vs online experiences are different – and that’s ok.

Taking part in an experience online or in-person both have their pros and cons, but it’s important to remember that they are very different at their core. Trying to create a ‘one size fits most’ solution will leave all attendees feeling a little underwhelmed, so play to the strengths of each option to make sure everyone gets the best value from taking part. Try to align how you would like people to think, feel and react; just like you’d choose different venues for different audiences and event types, the platform and tech you use must be a good fit for what you are trying to achieve.

 

2 Get people talking

Try not to keep your in-person and online attendees separate. Build in points where they can interact with each other and the speakers. Consider whether you would like this to be in real time and if your on and off-line audiences can mingle in the allocated networking slots. Make sure you brief your speakers so they keep virtual audiences in mind and make them feel included; online polls and Q&As give both in-person and virtual attendees the same opportunity to interact with speakers and contribute.

 

3 Deliver the goods

A special delivery to remote delegates shows that you’re still thinking about them on the day and adds a little ‘extra’ to the experience. This could be a parcel of the merchandise they would have been gifted at the offline event, tasty snacks to enjoy during the event or even a voucher for a coffee. Not only does it show that you’ve considered the needs of your online attendees, you’re also increasing the chances of social media interaction from your guests as people share snaps of their special delivery.

 

4 Balance the budget

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that holding a hybrid event is the cheaper option. Make sure you budget accordingly to avoid any nasty surprises. Having less attendees on site doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll save money, any budget which may have been spent on catering or venue hire will be replaced by the cost of high quality video capture and streaming platforms to ensure online guests get a quality experience.

 

5 www…(Welcome, Welcome, Welcome)

A warm welcome is one of the most memorable parts of an attendee’s event experience and this can often be overlooked if you’re joining online. Allocate a team of ‘online community managers’ to warmly welcome your online attendees and deal with any customer service queries during the event. This way, both sets of guests come away feeling looked after, happy and understood.

 

6 Test life is the best life

You might have the best speakers and content in the business, but if your tech fails then your remote audiences are going to be left twiddling their thumbs (and you’ll definitely hear about it). Make sure you test, test and test again when it comes to joining experiences, sound, break-out spaces and video sharing. Speak to the venue well-in advance about their connectivity speeds on-site and have a contingency plan in place for potential last minute signal, software or hardware issues.

 

7 Consider your sponsors

In-person and online experiences can offer different opportunities for event sponsors and it’s good to have these conversations early to manage expectations. Particular points of interest include, the number of attendees that will be there in person and what that means for your sponsors’ marketing materials and investment. Alongside opportunities at the venue, you could also consider sponsorship of digital backdrops behind the speakers, logos that can be seen on screen (for example, ‘lower thirds’ graphics, animations and coffee mugs) or include sponsor details in digital information packs.

For more information on hybrid events or to speak to the team about your 2023 hybrid goals email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.

Not the case.

The team at BeaconHouse Events have decades of experience in creating meaningful corporate events. From sustainability to accessibility, the power of tech and getting people talking. Here’s a compilation of the top things to focus on to make sure your event delivers real value in 2023 (and there isn’t a beige buffet in sight).

1 Understand what your audience (and you) actually want

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to events and it’s important to take a step back before leaping into decision making. Consider what you are really trying to achieve by bringing people together – are you looking to inspire your team, create new ideas or connect like-minded people? This all affects the look and feel of the experience and how your event plays out. Likewise, if your audience are looking to network and re-connect, make sure you build in time for great conversation rather than having speakers back to back. Do your research in advance and everyone should come away feeling like they have had the space to get what they need from the experience.

 

2 Treat your guests like VIPs before they walk through the door

Your event starts long before the delegates arrive on-site. Spend time creating an enjoyable user experience from the moment they visit the website through to the booking system, welcome emails and how to find the venue meaning your guests will arrive in a much more relaxed and positive frame of mind. Remember, delegates don’t evaporate once the event is over either, make sure you have a solid plan to follow up and keep them engaged in the experience once the event has ended.

 

3 A warm welcome

Make sure everyone has a warm, friendly welcome on arrival and be prepared to listen and solve any problems or questions that might rear their head. Arm yourself and your team with answers to FAQs (Do I have to pay for parking? What time does the keynote start? Is there a gluten free option?) as well as local information such as local cafes with wifi, restaurants or amenities. The welcome station is a great time to mention future events and give key sponsors a shout-out too!

 

4 Creative talking points

Beat the awkward small talk by creating little surprises to get people talking as they navigate the venue. At BeaconHouse Events we’ve employed everything from Geordie signage to jukebox requests performed by a live pianist and photo opportunities to make people smile. By giving your guests little moments of wonder, it will give them things to chat about with other delegates, tell their colleagues back at the office and maybe even share on their social channels.

 

5 Work with suppliers you trust

Find caterers, AV suppliers, room dressers and corporate events experts who are the best in the business and who you trust will deliver on their promises. Working with the right partners will allow you to focus on the content of the event and frees you up to manage the other parts of your role that don’t just disappear when there is an event on the horizon. Don’t be sucked in by a low price, look at who will deliver quality services that your guests will remember.

 

6 Innovative or themed catering

At BeaconHouse Events we’re on a mission to ban beige buffets! It’s difficult to be creative and retain information with a rumbling stomach or over a soggy egg sandwich. Treating your guests to an interesting, tasty menu can create more energy, better engagement and higher retention of information. Plus, guests will talk about the food if it is good, but they’ll talk about it much more if it is poor.

 

7 Get tech to do the hard work

Investing in great tech can make your event as easy as possible, giving you more headspace to concentrate on real human connection. Look into digital registration so there are no queues on arrival, get your website or event app up to date with all of the relevant information guests will need beforehand, set up a what3words location for your event space and a # for any networking groups or for delegates to share thoughts and content from the main event on social media.

You’re here live, you’re not a cat! We all remember the tech fails of the pandemic so whether your event is IRL, digital or hybrid – make sure you test, test and test again so everyone is comfortable with how the platforms work. The best events can be knocked off course by shaky tech and everyone will feel much more comfortable on the day. Bring in a great tech team who really know their stuff; it all adds to smooth and professional delivery.

 

8 Obvious and actionable sustainability choices

Sustainability must be at the heart of your event strategy in 2023 and it becomes pretty obvious when it is an afterthought.

Make sure your guests are aware of the ways that you are contributing to low-carbon goals with clear signage and notifications on the lead up to the event, even little details can make all the difference to how people perceive the event. Try printing your lanyards on material that can be recycled (not JUST from sustainable stock), use digital rather than single use signage, encourage delegates to bring reusable bottles, gamify recycling onsite, advertise walking routes and e-transport options to and at the event and work with catering teams and venues to implement details like vegetarian food choices and sustainably sourced, recyclable tableware. Start engaging with audiences from the start of their journey with you so they are totally on board pre and post-event.

 

9 Prioritise accessibility

Accessibility isn’t just a buzzword and you will get much more value from an event if everyone is comfortable and able to make their voice heard. As well as ensuring that your chosen venue is accessible for anyone with mobility issues, you could create a quiet breakout space for anyone who needs it, digital brochures for anyone with sight or hearing impairments or pronoun badges to make everyone feel welcome and safe.

For more information on BeaconHouse Events or to speak to the team about your 2023 goals visit www.beaconhouse-events.co.uk or give us a call on 0191 691 3456.

Lots of events rely on enthusiastic volunteers to make the event run smoothly and be the positive presence on the front line, read on to find out more, and why you should volunteer.

What is it?

As part of a major Active Travel campaign, Transport North East are delivering a series of seven week-long roadshow events and interactive workshops this summer, to be held across the seven local authority areas of Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Northumberland, County Durham and Gateshead. The ease of lockdown restrictions provides us with a unique opportunity to deliver a major push to change travel habits for the better. These exciting events across the region will encourage the public to walk and cycle more – for leisure and to commute. The roadshows will help families who would benefit from support in teaching their children to ride a bike, it will also help adults who wish to boost their cycling confidence/ability or are unable to ride a bike and wish to learn.

The campaign will show people that it is enjoyable to travel around the region on foot or by bike, which could encourage a shift away from car travel, reducing carbon. The aim of the roadshow is to encourage individuals and families to learn how to cycle and provide new skills to encourage more people to travel sustainably for leisure or work. The roadshows will be held as follows:

Willowburn Leisure Centre Alnwick, NE66 2JH            19-21 July

Ponteland Leisure Centre NE20 9EG                               22-25 July

Exhibition Park Newcastle                                                  26 July-1 August

Chester le Street Riverside Park                                        2-4 August

Hardwick Country Park Sedgefield                                  5-8 August

Herrington Country Park Sunderland                             9-15 August

Richardson Dees Park Wallsend                                       16-22 August

Saltwell Park Gateshead                                                      23-29 August

South Marine Park South Shields                                     30 August-5 September

What do we need?

We are looking for 2 to 3 volunteers to help us check people’s booking details (sessions are free but can be booked online via Eventbrite and we will also take walk up bookings from park users), direct people to sessions and help with customer surveys using iPads. We’d like volunteers on site for 09.30 to receive a briefing from the event team. This will explain what to do, and what to do in the event of anything going wrong. We have a first aider with us every day during the sessions, specialist cycle instructors, and security. We value your time, and appreciate that you may not always be able to be there for the full period, so if you can’t make a full session just let us know and we will try to work around that.

What do you get?

You will get an event t-shirt, branded facemask, water bottle and we will pay £20 per person per day which can be paid to you or whichever organisation, community group or charity you represent.

Volunteering is a great way to enhance your CV, learn new skills, boost your confidence, meet people and have fun!

What will be happening?

We’ll have a mix of learn to ride and bike maintenance sessions for all ages, with everything from balance bikes to tandems so people can have a go on different bikes and see what might work best for them. A sample weekly programme is shown below. Each day the sessions will take place between 10.00 & 15.00 each day, with around 30 people per session so there will never be huge numbers on site to give enough room for social distancing. All activity will be in the open air, the bike team will wipe down all equipment between users, and the event will be Covid safe.

How do you sign up?

For more details please complete this online form. 

You can also contact the event team at info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk for more information.

Hybrid events combine both in-person and virtual experiences ensuring that both audiences are catered for and meet their objectives in attending. One event, two unique but comparable experiences. Sounds like it would take more resource I hear you cry! So why exactly should you be embracing the ‘Year of the Hybrid’?

Increased attendance

Ever had potential customers, employees or your audience feign travel or availability as their barrier to attending. Well, no more, you can bring the content to them, wherever they choose, and if timings don’t work, or the thrice rescheduled trip to a remote hut in Mongolia comes with zero Wi-Fi, you’ll be ready with ‘EventFlix’ replay so attendees can log in at their leisure (just one more episode, promise!). A potentially new online audience you have not reached before.

With reduced numbers IRL (in real life), you’ll be able to provide enhanced customer service, a more exclusive experience amongst other perks; your attendees that have taken a plane, train or automobile will feel rewarded. Similarly incentivising those online communities with exclusive content ensures these audiences feel valued and included. A healthy dose of FOMO from each of your audiences will help attendees decide which style of attendance serves them better with individual benefits.

Engagement

Previously, it would seem highly unlikely that you would dream of heckling commentary directly to the esteemed keynote on stage in front of hundreds if not thousands of peers, but when participating online, tagging the speaker in a comment and them deeming you worthy of a reply in real-time is commonplace. As you create synergy with live reaction content beamed to your in-person guests, you’ll probably encourage them to be a little bolder with their engagement right from their seat.

Brenda from accounts also learned how to use emoji’s in lockdown, so she will be able to use ‘clapping’ and the celebratory ‘two raised hands’ in the comments with wild abandon when she logs on from home. She is normally such a shrinking violet!

Sponsorship

Larger audiences of course provide opportunity in terms of sponsorship revenues; more seeing eyes for all that digital branding. That, along with the wealth of recorded content post-event, the legacy of the event creates notably higher impact for organisers and sponsors alike. Real, extensive and measurable data available at the touch of a button as the event draws to a close, real-time testimonials from delegates, more cost-effective and quantifiable generation leads for sponsors…Brenda would post the ‘Ka-ching!’ emoji here.

Lower Carbon Footprint

Yes, we have ‘saved’ a lot of airmiles in 2020, and beyond, but we can do MORE. If you choose to beam in via a live link, and you’d have missed the social engagements due to awkward flight times anyway, there are huge benefits to saving up those miles for another trip all whilst still retaining the same learning and networking benefits – without the jetlag. Also, your trusty little pooch won’t be faced with abandonment issues when you leave, although if you have a cat, let’s be clear they need you out of their space and would prefer it if you gave them a break for a couple of days. OK.

Whilst COVID-19 is being committed to the history books (along with the Zoom gaffes), our collective change in behaviours will not. So, make sure your events adapt, become greener hybrid versions that respect the work-life balance of your audience and cater to them both at home and away. Let’s face it, in-person will never go out of style, but hybrid will ensure your event survives the next apocalypse.

Out of offices have always been an opportunity to share a little personality alongside the essential dates and a forwarding address. As a company we were rather fond of geo-tagging our sentiments…

I’m out of office in Tokyo, sampling sushi and sipping sake. I’ll be back once the cherry blossom stops blooming.

We offer up our A-team’s contact details, and Mr. T will dutifully tap those gold encrusted digits and reply with speed. Furloughed staff brought the option to create something a little more artful for the longer duration, props to Astley…

Thank you for your email.
Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you, Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
I’m also never gonna reply to your message until hopefully sometime soon as I’m on furlough leave. However you can forward your email …

So, in the era of constant and instant communication where does the OOO now stand? And as holidays have not all gone as planned this year, are we ‘out-of-kitchen island come office’ instead? We propose it’s time to transition to OME (off my emails).

Colleagues,
I am on a short trip to Barnard Castle to frolic in the bluebells. I will not be checking my email during this time.
Looking forward to catching up on my return.

Reader, I will realistically still be checking my emails, just as soon as I can get an eye test.

 

*Too graphic to post here.