Corporate Events Plus

Historically we are quieter in the summer months so it is a good time to catch up on training to keep our skills sharp. Passing the City and Guilds MIG welding course at Bury St Edmunds earlier in the year saw the certificate arrive this week and I renewed my Emergency First Aid at Work.

Interesting that the CPR technique is different now due to possible Covid transfer of mouth to mouth resusitation. More detailed Defibrillator training too now these are becoming more widespread across the country. There is a 75`% increase in survival if a defibrillator can be used at the time of the incident. Worth making a note of the nearest unit when working at venues.

In short – no,

I think the uncertainty of ‘will the event – won’t the event’ be cancelled due to Covid has gone away but the events industry is not as turn key as it used to be.

Crew can be difficult to find, availability of materials for construction of stagesets and graphics are still limited and items need to be ordered in advance.

Those suppliers who are still trading are very busy and now being selective about what work they do commit to.

Working in London last week on a tech retail launch you could see the vapour trails of passing aircraft over the city – yes people are in the sky – people are travelling again but work in Europe for us is limited or none existent at the moment. Work is returning but it is not at the levels we are used to seeing.

Great to work in London at a very different venue this month, the summer break is coming so there is some training on the horizon to keep our skills up to date.

What next? – indoor or outdoor events – the Summer is coming so there could be some outdoor work on the horizon. For now there is plenty to do to catch up after the last busy 3 months so we are booking training while we can to keep our skills sharp and current.

What a difference afew weeks make – from 4 events cancelled in December to 3 projects being confirmed in the new year the culmination of our efforts is now complete. Working on Bett 2022 at ExCel in London saw us managing the delivery of a set of business centre offices for client meetings in The Platinum Suite and an interesting ‘forest’ booth in the main halls.

Another retail customer in another part of the country soon followed in sunny Bognor Regis with a main plenary for 500, a gala dinner including a kabuki drop effect with dancers and acrobats and an exhibition set out for 55 exhibiting contractors.

Step count at a peak of 23,456 – that is alot of walking with events across 3 different areas building simultaneously. Our feet will be glad of the rest over the next week while we recover.

What is next? – that is the great thing about live events, you do not always know what the next project is going to involve but now we are back working on live events I am looking forward to what ever shape it takes the form of.

looking ahead to March we are heading towards a couple of projects which are starting to take shape slowly, materials are a consideration, availability of product from Europe, availability of crew – book early to avoid disappointment – a phrase ringing in my ears.

February has been flat out with government work, I think I am beginning to suffer the zoom / teams fatigue that so many other people in business are feeling. Face to face meetings booked in for next week with clients and suppliers – now that is something to look forward to.

Can you help on this project – it has started but unfortunately one of the project managers has had to leave the project?

For 3 weeks I have been flat out Project Managing the fit out of the elements at 8 sites across the UK for the procuring and installation of floor coverings, walls, ceilings and curtain rails on NHS Stepdown Facilities. Field hospitals attached to existing Hospitals built in structures.

An amazing project to be working on for ESG. So many professional faces on the team across all of the sites. Long days but amazing to see what is achieved when the events industry meets the construction industry to turn a reactive need to Covid into a reality to support the country and community.

Other work for March is slowly coming back – We are ready for round 2 of a restart to the live event , Conference and Exhibition industry’s, fingers crossed this is the restart of our industry. As an industry I think we need to re-invest in technology and labour – some skilled labour has left the industry over the last 2 years. But until we see events returning I think companies will be reluctant to invest. Chicken and egg as they say.

I don’t think I have worked on so many projects that have been cancelled in such a short space of time, 4 events cancelled or dates moved which means they are cancelled due to date clashes – this Covid is not helping the recovery of our industry. I am a pretty positive person but even I am struggling to see the benefit of working in the live events industry at this point after 2 years of constant knockbacks. I did enjoy the recce’s to Butlins in Bognor Regis though – face to face meetings, you can’t beat them. Fingers crossed we get back to them pretty soon.

How long are we going to need to Dodge this virus?

Enquiries have turned into live projects, Conferencing, Live audiences and audiences joining virtually – ‘Hybrid’ the new buzz word in live events which is effectively 2 events happening at the same time – The live audience in the venue in person and the virtual audience joining the event from their own home or remote office location.

Great to see crew on site again unloading the trucks

Next up a project for an exhibition booth build and an expo, gala dinner and conference for a leading DIY retailer.

One thing I don’t remember is how heavy the suitcases used to be when being green and travelling by train – note to self – buy a new case with wheels.

The world it seems is relaxing, companies are looking at face to face meetings again, what a relief for our industry. It is not without it’s challenges though.

Some ‘go to’ suppliers are no longer trading, those that are trading are running on skeleton staff with the support of freelance crew for hire.

Crew are at a premium, equipment needs to be booked in advance to help with logistics – moving equipment is another difficulty and longer deadlines are needed for print production and the purchase of materials.

We are not out of the woods yet, but there is a joy in having face to face production meetings again with those who have weathered the storm

17 months, that was a struggle for sure, not only keeping motivated and up to date with changes in event communication with Hybrid, Virtual and Live events it has also been a struggle adapting to new sets of suppliers – how they work – respond to requests for information and trying to catch the gaps they leave in their quoting.

I was able to do a day of recce’s in London for an event in November and a last minute cover on site for someone on holiday where a backdrop, stage and wet weather contingency area needed to be constructed to assist socially distancing delegates. And the rain on the day arrived to confirm the requirement.

What a pleasure to be back on site.