Tag: Newcastle

What I learned from a week placement at BeaconHouse Events

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

Work experience has the potential to be dull. Usually, the excitement of the real world of work is quickly diminished by the seemingly endless photocopying and tea-making experience most end up with. But luckily for me, my work experience week at BeaconHouse was far from that.

From the second I stepped into the office that Monday morning I felt welcomed. Instead of the tightly strung, high-pressure atmosphere I expected, I was greeting by a team of friendly yet hardworking individuals. The approachable staff meant I wasn’t hesitant to ask for help or guidance in my set tasks, allowing me to take much more enjoyment in what I was doing. Once I was settled, I was given the chance to listen in on a conference call about an upcoming event. It gave me a unique insight into the process of organising an event and the steps taken to create the perfect finished product. Now I’m even more appreciative when I’m scoffing down nibbles at a function!

The rest of the day included learning about how employees manage their workloads on a day-to-day basis and the software applications they use. Additionally, I was given the task of researching venue options for a future event. Being able to collaborate and assist on real life projects gave me a realistic, hands-on experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The next day I was given the chance to spectate a meeting on establishing company ideals, characteristics and values. This helped me to learn the importance of attitude and mindset in both a work and school environment and the skills needed to thrive and flourish in those environments. Needless to say, it fascinated me much more than the Pythagorean theorem in school.

One evening, I was even asked to attend a company event where I assisted with checking employees in using the ticketing software, among other jobs. This was very new to me, but that meant it was a new possibility for learning and growth. The event was interesting to spectate; I certainly learnt a lot onsite!

During my time at BeaconHouse I have partaken in and contributed to many different projects, helping me explore both the industry and the ways in which I tackle tasks. I’ll admit, I was nervous coming in and unsure of what to expect but I have been warmly welcomed and encouraged to work to the best of my ability; the week was everything I hoped it would be.

Overall, my time at BeaconHouse Events has shown me the resilience, responsibility and trust needed in order to thrive in a working environment. It was a very enjoyable yet realistic insight into the industry and I have definitely gained in confidence. Thank you to the whole Beacon House Team for a great week!

Directors Blog: The Business of Events

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

I have been working in the events industry now for almost 15 years. I have delivered complex events in the North East of England (where I am based), UK wide, and Qatar in the Middle East.

From small workshops and dinners to enormous international petroleum congresses in Qatar and complex national Government events in the UK, I have delivered most types of B2B event in my career.

When people ask me what I love most about events, it often surprises them. It’s not actually the event itself – although that does gives me an enormous sense of achievement – it’s the business behind an event.

Strategy is key to any business, and the same goes for an event. An event without thought, planning or direction, will more than likely fail to deliver impact. Strategy is crucial. I absolutely love turning profits and surpluses for clients. A carefully planned and well thought through event, taking the aims and objectives from the client, creating something that delivers and exceeds expectations, is a must.

Anyone (sensible!) can take a budget, spend it on food, drinks and a room and get people there to listen to someone speaking. The key is finding how that event will deliver results for the client – whether that be buy in from staff, customer acquisition, income generation or something else entirely. How will the event be sustainable and become an annual fixture? How do you make sure your content is relevant? How do you make sure people want to attend? How do you make sure there is sponsor engagement? The answer is always – through being strategic and respecting your audience.

An engaged audience is surely what we are all aiming for. Otherwise what’s the point?

At BeaconHouse Events we have worked on many seed event ideas with our clients. Some literally start at zero. Nada. Nothing. No budget, no speakers, no location and no audience. Just an idea. I love the challenge of creating something from nothing. And making the event cover its costs and generate a surplus. It’s all in the strength of the idea, the contacts, the network and the knowledge of what the audience will want to hear – why will they come, what do they want to learn, do, see, hear and feel at an event?

All too often, the value of the audience’s time is underestimated; “it’s free to attend so people will come along, right?” Not right, not always. In fact, not charging people to attend an event often results in the audience not putting as high a value on the experience. With a price tag attached, your audience has to make a conscious decision to invest not only their time, but their money. People value their time perhaps even more than the money it costs them. If they won’t achieve what they personally want to from attending – learning, making new connections, sharing knowledge – they won’t come. Even if they have paid, even if you do put on a glass or two of wine. No-show rates for the events industry can be up to 40% for free of charge events, but still up to 25% for paid for ones. The more reason you give your audience to attend, the more likely they are to show up so the journey shouldn’t stop with them booking their ticket.

Money is of course critical to many businesses, events and clients. Events don’t necessarily need to make money, in fact for many of our clients it’s not about that. However, often, events do need to cover their own costs. Working out how an event can be monetised, and in turn deliver value to the sponsor, partner, attendee is really what makes me tick and in fact what keeps us in business! Here at BeaconHouse HQ, I proudly sport the ‘finance queen’ badge. I love number crunching, but without strategy, without understanding the business of your event you may as well give up before you’ve started.

Making BeaconHouse Events a little greener…

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

There are plenty of small, simple things you do to conserve energy and run a greener office. From eco-friendly cleaning products to turning down the thermostat, we’ve been taking our top hacks for reducing our office carbon footprint and trying to improve our impact across the venues we host events at. Work continues within the team to find more sustainable solutions across the board, so we’ll be adding to our measures throughout 2019 and beyond.

Sustainability swaps we are taking are

Standby to OFF

We are all aware that standby isn’t great for the environment, but it’s also not the best for our wallets either – each year, UK households waste £227 million from appliances left on standby. So, we turn off all our appliances at the plug when not in use.

Single Use to Reusable

The lure of single-use plastic for quick food service is common but we’ve been asking venues to either ensure our delegates are served with crockery, or if required recyclable trays. We also ensure our pre-event delegate communications encourage bringing reusable cups/water bottles that can be filled up (and rinsed) at stations around the event

Meat to Veggie

Meat-free meals have a far smaller carbon footprint than meat, and the desire to eat closer to a plant-based diet is growing, so the venues we’ve worked with have been providing some exceptional veggie and vegan menus. When there is an expectation of a meat/fish course, we’ve been turning to game, wild fish, and poultry for feasts with a lower carbon footprint.

National to Local

We are spoilt in Newcastle for choice of suppliers, from eco-friendly printers Northern Print to a wealth of local food suppliers championing great produce (Hexhamshire Organics, Belly of the Beast), we don’t have to stretch out of the region and transport cargo across the world.

Taxis to Tours

Our events often include multi-site usage, and we’ve been championing informative and fun (we promise) walking tours to get delegates across cities to other venues. We can’t always promise the weather will be fine, but it’s a great extra networking and social activity for delegates visiting the city.

Programmes to Apps

Where possible, we’ve been reducing the production of any print, and moving programmes online with interactive apps, where delegates can organise the sessions they will attend, chat with delegates pre-event and keep up to date on the latest information.

Commercial Bins to a SINGLE Bin Bag

With our client Space Group, we’ve made a big (or rather small) commitment. To take a two-day conference with exhibition and awards ceremony, BIM Show Live, and reduce the waste from filling commercial bins to fill one, single, standard, the type you’d have at home, black, bin bag. Which means we are looking at every element of the event, ensuring we are reducing at every step from launch to delivery.

We’ll keep you updated on progress!

Five Years, Five Defining Events…

Posted on by Sophie_Admin
  1. And so the adventure began when we delivered our first event with BeaconHouse Boss caps on… The 2014 Family Law Bar Association National Conference and celebratory dinner in the iconic Sage Gateshead. After glowing client feedback, the first step on this orange-hued journey began.
  2. Entertaining 24,000 Great North Run enthusiasts and serving over 1 tonne of carb-a-licious pasta all on a car park between Sage Gateshead and Baltic, seems impossible but we’ve done it every year since our inception! With the likes of Mo Farrah and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall in attendance, it’s the hottest place for runners (and those exhausted from watching the runners) to grab a bowl of nourishment the day before the big run.
  3. A real highlight in 2018 was our first collaboration with Wayne Hemingway MBE and HemingwayDesign, working to deliver the Northern Powerhouse Business Summit as part of the Great Exhibition of the North. With sessions from Mark Carney, Bank of England, and innovative customer UX design, the event welcomed 1,000 delegates from across the North East. There was an incident with an errant pigeon, but as cool, calm collected swans we made sure not a drop of faeces made it onto the esteemed shoulders of our speakers.
  4. We produced an award-winning award ceremony. Yes, you read that right, the Dynamites 18 event won Bronze at the Awards Awards earlier this month. Championing the IT community in the North East has always been important to us, working with Dynamo, but to be recognised nationally for an event that is a pleasure to organise, its winners all round, literally.
  5. The promotion of sustainability a key goal for us. We are thrilled to now work with The Planet Mark, producing their events across London. We are not naive about the effect of events on the environment, so learning from the team at The Planet Mark, we are able to take steps across our portfolio to minimise the negative impact and promote a sustainable vision for the years to come.

Here at BHE HQ we are looking forward to another five years of highlights, thanks to all our clients and supporters, we couldn’t have done it without you.

 

5 Reasons you should NOT host an event

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

You want to keep people apart

Events bring people together for a common purpose. Choosing to host an event will see you running the high risk of facilitating lasting relationships through networking. You and your team will be forced to build partnerships, meet prospects, and sell more products or services.

Inviting clients and prospects to an event they would genuinely be interested in; means they’ll be lured in by your non ‘salesy’ approach and unfortunately likely to accept your offerings. You’ll lumber yourself with a lot more work.

You’ll have to spend money and time

Champagne reception for your nearest and dearest clients, makes Joan in Accounts shudder. When you have an important message to communicate to a large audience of clients, employees or stakeholders, a simple email that they may, or more likely not read will probably suffice. Perhaps send it with the high importance exclamation mark, that might extend the attention span from the average eight seconds.

It will put your brand centre stage

Events command attention. If you’d rather your business was far from the limelight, it is essential to avoid this sort of commotion. An event will only encourage delegates to become company advocates and become further engaged in your brand. Sounds a bit clingy, better to keep them at an arm’s length.

People will be at risk of having fun

Keep morale at a consistent level by avoiding a yearly award show for employees or customers – winners are likely to have an unhealthy ‘spike’ in motivation and encourage others to aim to win in future years.

Make sure to put a stop to any staff conferences or seminars. Beautiful and alternate locations encourage inspirational and out-of-the-box thinking, no point causing an unnecessary distraction. Employees can meet colleagues in the break room and learn about innovations in their own time – engaging in refresher training is unnecessary.

Removing teams from the comfort of the office will encourage ‘over relaxation’ and cohesive working – consider the operational complexities of this before instigating, you will risk attracting new staff and regrettably retaining qualified staff for years and years.

Focus will be removed from your core business

Events require focus and expertise – you’re too busy being an expert in your own industry. Working with a national award winning event agency will just highlight a lot of hard work required to make your event a success. You’ll be forced to work with another team of experts, learn things you didn’t know, extend the reach of your expertise and showcase your skill. We get it, you were happy just cracking on, no point shouting about it – the day to day won’t do itself.

Be an event avoider – avoid the ocean of event opportunity, it is vast, deep and full of risk – best to stay safe, grounded and risk-free.

Lean Green Event Machine

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

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:

  • We carefully selected a venue with a robust environmental policy- step forward – Sadler’s Wells 
  • We banned single-use plastic at the event, before it was named 2018 word of the year!
  • Printing was kept to a minimum and was only produced on fully recycled stock
  • We didn’t produce any one use branding items instead sponsors brought the banners they already owned
  • All catering was vegetarian and vegan (did you know that the way most animals are reared for meat consumption isn’t sustainable?)
  • The trophies were made from sustainably sourced wood shipped to the UK from carefully managed forests in the US by boat.
  • Essential taxis for a few VIPs were booked with Green Tomato cars…
  • Our team even walked 30mins from our train station arrival point to the theatre. No taxis for us.. not even the green tomato variety.

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.

8 Christmas Party Ideas

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

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!

Our Top 13 Haunting Locations for an Event

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

 

  1. Castle Keep, Newcastle
    Reports of ghostly chanting of unseen monks and disembodied screams heard coming from the gallery are enough to set the scene.
  2. Lumley Castle, Durham
    Famously haunted by the ghost of Lily of Lumley. Reportedly her lifeless body was thrown down the well, it’s said she comes up out of the well each night to walk the castle. Fantastic restaurant too…could murder one of their suppers.
  3. Town Moor, Newcastle
    Once the site of Newcastle’s gallows, all you need is the weather to play ball and blanket the moor in a ghostly mist and you might hear the bloodcurdling screams.
  4. Crook Hall, Durham
    One of Durham’s best-known ghosts, the White Lady of Crook Hall will surely RSVP if you invite her to a ball at her own manor. What a VVIP.
  5. Marsden Grotto, South Shields
    Your event can occur in the pub carved into the cliffs but if that isn’t enough Marsden Bay itself has its very own sea monster – Shoney.
  6. Holy Island, Lindisfarne
    What is spookier than being cut off from the mainland, especially when the causeway is ravaged by ferocious tides.
  7. Tyne Theatre, Newcastle
    The ghost of Bob Crowther a stagehand, sadly killed by a stage prop travelling at high velocity. Bob reportedly pushes past patrons. Make sure you don’t sit in his favourite seat in the stalls.
  8. Hancock Museum, Newcastle
    Apparently a mummy wanders the exhibits at night. And it’s not the comforting mother type…
  9. Lit and Phil Society, Newcastle
    Recent video footage showed a fire door opening on its own accord now some will say this is all hot air…or just a blast of air, but it’s a beautiful venue of its own accord so makes the list.
  10. Tynemouth Priory, Tynemouth
    Expect phantom monks praying at a stone in the graveyard. Towards the cliffs this location also offers extremely vintage air raid shelters, double fright for you to get your fangs into.
  11. Victoria Tunnel, Newcastle
    The picture says it all. Let’s hope your guests don’t suffer with claustrophobia.
  12. Newcastle Cathedral, Newcastle
    With not one but two ghosts, you’ll have enough entertainment for guests.
  13. The Mining Institute, Newcastle
    All dark wood and moody lighting, this is one mysterious venue currently closed for refurbishment. Sure the odd ghoul could float through the walls mind.

Decoding The Dress Code

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

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.

Women Who Inspire Us

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

 

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!

 

6 Great Reasons to Volunteer in 2018

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

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

via GIPHY

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

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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

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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

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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

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We event hard and party (eat left over conference buffet) harder.

6. IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

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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:

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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.

The BeaconHouse Guide to Making Newcastle Your (event) Home…

Posted on by Sophie_Admin

We love organising events in and around this beautiful city but if you are contemplating Newcastle as a location for your conference, meeting, AGM or event our city guide has everything you need to know to affirm the ‘toon’ is the perfect backdrop for your event. Let us guide you…

Seven bridges connect Newcastle and neighbouring Gateshead, offering people a great place to live, work and visit. The birthplace of Byker Grove and Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (whom non-Geordies may know better as Sting) to the world-famous Greggs pasties, you simply can’t say no to the welcoming native accent. Along with a rich heritage of industry and innovation all whilst being passionate about the future, it is obvious why so many want to ‘gan yem’ to the toon.

With the likes of Sage Gateshead, The Boiler Shop, an array of hotels and other unique venues there are plenty of options to choose from. The fantastic transport links by road, rail and air allows easy access into the city so we are ready to welcome everyone flocking up the A1. You’ll see, it ‘aint grim up North.

Victoria Tunnel
Central Arcade
Angel of the north
Jesmond Dene

NEWCASTLE CASTLE is a must see steeped in 800 years of history (don’t forget to exit via the gift shop).

If you fancy donning a hard hat and travelling beneath the city, book THE VICTORIA TUNNEL tour, a mineshaft-cum air raid shelter is truly extraordinary, but not for the faint of heart.

GRAINGER MARKET covers all your shopping needs, butchers, bakers, a Marks & Spencer Penny Bazaar, patisseries, florists, delicatessens and street food galore.

If you have a thing for tile floors the CENTRAL ARCADE is an Instagram worthy stop off.

WYLAM BREWERY or its full title The Palace of Arts, is a microbrewery hosting gigs, food fests and tours, don’t miss.

The reet canny TYNESIDE CINEMA is unique in the UK, with free Newsreel screenings every day at 11:15 and delicious popcorn to boot.

THE LIT AND PHIL is the perfect spot to take a moment and settle into a book, be inspired by their collection of over 150,000 works of literature in beautifully historic surroundings.

No trip to the North East would be complete without a photo at THE ANGEL OF THE NORTH, spread your wings and #Selfie.

Take a route straight through what is known as parklife…or JESMOND DENE, Lord William Armstrong a Victorian manufacturer kindly diverted a river through the valley and planted the gardens, so we could have a place of outstanding natural beauty in the city.

Grey's Monument
Dish
Pizza
Gin

We love stotties and Broon Ale, but we have so much more to offer in terms of bait. At the COOK HOUSE, you can have lunch in a shipping container which comes with the seal of approval from Michel Roux Jr. Or if you fancy dining in the banqueting hall where Edward III received John Balliol in 1334 then BLACKFRIARS is perfect for locally sourced fare. We have a Michelin starred restaurant (yeah you heard Manchester!), the fantastic HOUSE OF TIDES serves delectable tasting menus on the quayside. PEACE & LOAF gets a mention thanks to the plethora of snacks served along with your meal, mini loaves, amuse bouche, canapés, and palate cleansers, this is fine dining just a little bit cooler and chilled out. And for views we can’t miss out SIX, see the Tyne in its full glory from the sixth floor of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art. We have the best burgers at MEAT:STACK, sensational Chinese at HEI HEI and authentic Neapolitan pizzas at CAL’S OWN. Pack your stretchy trousers.

Radio 4 listeners applaud our beautiful Georgian GREY STREET as the most beautiful in the UK crowned at the top with Grey’s Monument. It is full of restaurants and bars, most notably you can become a gin connoisseur with a visit to DECANTUS and PLEASED TO MEET YOU just off Grey Street, two bars dedicated to the distilled tipple and a great start to any neet out on the toon.

Dates for your Diary

Rolling out the red carpet NEWCASTLE FILM FESTIVAL is set to be a blockbuster of an event this Easter 29 March – 1 April.

If you fancy a day trip, or want to have a wild weekend travel further afield and get WILD AT KIELDER 6 – 7 May

With just a few tit bits having been released, we can’t wait for the full programme of GREAT EXHIBITION OF THE NORTH, 22 June – 9 September.

Start training now and get your place in the world famous GREAT NORTH RUN, Sunday 9 September.

Need to know

Climate: Cold* with a warm welcome
Currency: Pund
Religion: Majority worship at the Church of Shearer
Language: Geordie
When to visit: Any day of the year, we are always open!

*A coat is never required and will culturally be better accepted.