Soaring Worldwide - Powering Reputations

Swindon based communications and PR agency, Soaring Worldwide (www.soaringww.com), celebrates its fifth birthday in August 2011 with two significant new business wins.

* LSO St Luke’s (managed by the London Symphony Orchestra), who were previously undergoing a trial period with Soaring Worldwide have signed up for a six month project to improve awareness amongst event organisers. * Harrogate International Centre (one of the UKs largest venues), already a well established client of Soaring Worldwide, has re-signed with the agency, committing to at least twelve more months of work on their reputation and communications across both UK and international trade publications.

Adam Baggs, managing director of Soaring Worldwide said: “It has been a wonderful five years. The company has doubled in size year on year since it was established in 2006, and has become a dominant player in PR for the global events industry.  Over the last few years, we have and continue to represent great clients such as London’s world famous Barbican, Wembley Stadium and the city of Kyoto, Japan. We take pride in delivering great results across the media, and our work has not only helped us retain old clients but also win new ones. It is a very exciting period for us and we look forward to an equally successful future.”

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The Barbican, known for its green credentials and innovative sustainability measures has joined the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC).  To ensure maximum benefit, individual memberships have been provided to members of staff from all areas of the business.

The GMIC is the premier global community solely dedicated to sustainability in the meetings and events industry, not only through education but also by spearheading research, policy and standards.

Anthony Hyde, head of corporate sales, said:  “It is great to be a part of GMIC on a global level and we are particularly looking forward to the launch of their UK chapter. It is a non profit professional meetings association with member representation in over 20 countries. The GMIC is 100% focused on advancing sustainability in the meetings industry by helping individuals and leaders of all levels.   As a venue committed to green credentials, it will provide a wonderful opportunity for us to share  ideas with other organisations within the events industry.   Above all, to ensure the entire Barbican becomes engaged with and involved in the GMIC, we have provided individual membership to a range of influential people across the organisation, including the head of event management, our head chef and facilities manager.”

The Barbican has extensive and progressive environmental policies and schemes in place. Its environmental sustainability working party is dedicated to a vision of sustainable energy and resource use and it has won the prestigious Chairman’s Cup in 2011 for sustainability initiatives.

As one of the UK’s leading event venues, the Barbican has made direct investment in recycling facilities for the public, and implemented new recycling initiatives like a comprehensive food waste composting programme involving both of their catering partners. This initiative will allow the venue to compost 100% of their food waste.

The centre has also been promoting environmental awareness among their contractors, clients and visitors and communicates their sustainable policies to contractors through contract specifications. The Barbican also promotes its green/recycling credentials through colourful plasma screen displays across the foyers.

Two London event campuses, the Barbican and the Guildhall School have demonstrated their commitment to the use of green energy by achieving a reduction of -4% and -15% in absolute year on year terms for their energy usage.

The Barbican has continually won a number of accolades for their commitment to sustainable energy practices. Earlier in the year, the Barbican was awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Cup for outstanding practices in waste management and recycling. The award was given to the Barbican for setting the best example of a ‘medium’ size business out of the 1,704 applicants from across London. It is also a regular winner of Platinum Clean City Award.

Anthony Hyde, head of corporate sales at Barbican said: “This is another milestone for us in our sustainability efforts.  We work with to the most up-to-date vision of energy and resource use, in order to minimise the impact on the environment and to promote sustainability and environmental awareness.”

The Barbican also introduced a comprehensive food waste composting programme involving their catering partners, which allows them to compost 100% of their food waste.

The Barbican has been awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Cup for outstanding practices in waste management and recycling. The award has been given to the Barbican for setting the best example of a ‘medium’ size business out of the 1640 applicants from across London.

Anthony Hyde, head of corporate sales, said: “We are thrilled to receive this award.  We continually focus on the implementation and improvement of our sustainability projects, something that is only possible due to the dedicated efforts of our  sustainability management team.  Over the last few years we have been a regular winner of the Platinum Clean City Award – recognition of our efforts through something as dramatic as the Chairman’s Cup is a true accolade and another feather in our cap.”

Several of the reasons for selecting the Barbican for the award are illustrated below by one of the judges.

“As one of the UK’s leading event centres, the Barbican’s commitment to improving it’s waste management practices was demonstrated through direct investment in  recycling facilities for the public and the implementation of new recycling initiatives. Mindful of the millions of visitors received yearly and the amount of waste generated as a result, they have introduced recycling bins on their public foyers to encourage members of the public to recycle their waste. They have also introduced a comprehensive food waste composting programme involving both of their catering partners, which allows them to compost 100% of their food waste.”

“To further minimise their waste, last year saw the  expansion of their bin-the-bin policy to their level 6 offices, resulting in the removal of desk side bins and the provision of central recycling stations inside the office. They promote environmental awareness among their contractors, clients and visitors and communicate their sustainable policies to contractors through contract specifications. The Barbican also promotes its green/recycling credentials through colourful plasma screen displays across the foyers.”

Anthony concludes: “Our dedicated Environmental Sustainability Working Party as well as our management team are working to the most up-to-date vision of energy and resource use, in order to minimise the impact on the environment and to promote sustainability and environmental awareness.”

The MPI UK and Ireland Chapter, under the leadership of current president, Fiona Pelham, has announced full details of its 2010 winter event calendar along with other plans for the association.

MPI UK and Ireland president and managing director of Sustainable Events, Fiona Pelham: “Education and new business opportunities through networking are two of the greatest benefits of MPI membership but there is plenty more on offer, which is why we are starting the season with an event focused purely on our members.  This will be followed by in depth educational looking at the two most important subjects facing our industry at the moment – the 2012 Olympics and Sustainability.”

The winter events calendar is detailed below:

New board and advisory panel

Pelham has also announced MPI’s creation of an advisory panel, in place to support the development of the UK Chapter, led by two past presidents – Paul Kennedy and Carole McKellar.  These industry leaders will work closely with Pelham’s new board to ensure the chapter is meeting the needs of all members.

The 2010 / 2011 board includes:

• President – Fiona Pelham (Sustainable Events Ltd)
• President Elect – Samme Allen (Barbican Centre)
• Immediate Past President – Anthony Hyde (Barbican Centre)
• VP Knowledge/Education – Liz Rice (Metro Broadcast)
• VP Marketing – Miguel Neves (SYNAXIS Meetings & Events)
• VP Membership – Mandy Torrens (RTE)
• VP Regional – Mike Lyon (Write-Style)
• VP Sponsorship – Nathalie Jean (Lychee3 Solutions)
• VP CSR – Charles Perkins (CIRIA)
• VP Events – Rob Eveleigh (Independent Meeting Planner)
• VP International/Student Relations – Paul Cook (Clarity Event Insurance)

Pelham continues: “As the structure of this year’s board and calendar has developed we have included a variety of plans to suit all tastes and benefit all members, whilst remaining close to our desire to educate and ensure the growth of the industry.  Venues and sponsors have been identified for a number of the events but details will be confirmed in due course for those later on in the calendar.”

Winter Events Calendar

Thursday 30th September: 6pm-9pm – QEII Conference Centre Being a more well informed event professional.  What MPI can do for you…. An insight into the benefits of MPI membership and how it has helped existing members.

Monday 11th October: 6pm-9pm – Dexter House Olympic update: The London Impact City Operations will discuss the London Experience and how you can prepare. Speakers: Kevin Austin, City Operations GLA – The London Experience; Mark Howell – Visit London

Thursday 14th October: Agency planner Forum – 12pm-3pm Olympic Update: Planner Insights How to prepare for your events in 2012 Speaker: Zyg Racowisz – City Operations GLA

Friday 15th October: Corporate Planner Forum – 12pm-3pm Olympic Update: Planner Insights How to prepare for your events in 2012 Speakers: Zyg Racowisz – City Operations GLA

Monday 15th November: 5pm – 9pm The Teambuilding Challenge: Can your team come tops in our teambuilding taster? Event organiser: Ben Parkinson – Bluehat UK

Monday 4th December: MIStletoe – Joint Industry Association Christmas Party

Thursday 9th December: Corporate planner Forum – 2pm-5pm Sustainability Update: COP 16 and the events industry Speaker: Fiona Pelham

Friday 10th December: Agency Planner Forum – 2pm-5pm Sustainability Update: COP 16 and the events industry Speaker: Fiona Pelham January 10th, 2011: MPI Half Day Conference – 1pm-5pm Event Planning Insights: Creativity on a budget Speakers: tba

As the upturn continues to improve business the Barbican is investing further in people by recruiting Oliver Hargreaves to join its Corporate Sales team.

The Barbican’s Head of Corporate Sales, Anthony Hyde says “This appointment shows that despite the recession the Barbican is continuing to invest in its staff in order to strengthen our position as Europe’s leading combined conference and arts centre.  We are looking at the future positively and Oliver Hargreaves will bring additional energy to the team.”

Oliver Hargreaves will focus on working with new and existing clients specialising in the conference suites, cinemas and any meetings with fewer than 300 attendees.

Oliver joins the Barbican with a degree in Events Management with Marketing Management from the University of Gloucestershire. He has also spent a year working with the Cotswold Conference Centre.  Oliver says “I am looking forward to working with such an experienced team and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

ABPCO – the UK organisation for professional conference and event organisers welcomes its first corporate member this month – the Barbican.

Barbican, head of corporate sales, Anthony Hyde: “ABPCO offers experts within the UK conferencing industry the perfect forum to unite, share ideas and improve through education and networking.  Venues are more than just suppliers to the industry, they are partners and this alliance demonstrates our desire to continually move closer to organisers and create long term relationships.  Associations provide nexus points for our industry, they bring together professionals, educate, measure success and reward achievement.”

ABPCO membership has previously been limited to individual professional conference and event organisers who have undergone stringent profiling and assessment by their peers. Corporate membership allows supplier organisations within the industry to become a part of the Association, sharing ideas and growing ABPCO for the benefit of all involved.

ABPCO, treasurer, Michael Foreman: “We are delighted to have the Barbican on board as one of the 1st new corporate members of ABPCO. Our venues in the UK rival the best in the world and we feel that bringing these and other partner suppliers on board into our membership will not only cement existing relationships but offer new and exciting opportunities to work together.  We are confident that most major venues and convention bureaus will follow the Barbican’s lead in joining this programme and look forward to the positive impact that this will have moving forward.”

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www.planetplanit.biz, the event planners oracle, has launched a series of TV channels, providing web based educational video content.  This new venture and content has the support and backing of the Barbican.

The first videos went live yesterday – 27 October , 2009

Planet Planit and Clarity Event Insurance managing director, Paul Cook: “The addition of video content is a great leap forward for Planet Planit.  Our regular users, although satisfied with the content we were already providing, want to access the content in a variety of accessible formats.  Video content was the obvious next step.  Contributions and topics will continue to cover a wide spectrum  of industry issues meeting the needs of event planners and suppliers.”

Barbican’s Anthony Hyde: “As head of corporate sales at the Barbican and President, MPI UK  and Ireland, I am a believer in the power of education and our industry’s need to grow through professional development and shared knowledge.  Planet Planit already provides the tools to learn, the addition of the video content will simply take it to the next level.”

Barbican head of corporate sales, Anthony Hyde has recruited Samme Allen  to his team in the role of Business Development Manager.  This new appointment coincides with the arrival of Inga Kamantauskaite as sales & marketing manager within Searcy, the Barbican’s on-site catering supplier.   Samme Allen will focus on corporate accounts, associations, event organisers and proactive sales within the conference and event markets.  She will also be heavily involved in the Barbican’s Olympic sales strategy whilst overseeing the Centre’s leadership of the EC Collective.  Samme will work closely with the Searcy sales team including Inga, in her new role.   Samme Allen joins the Barbican  from Real Recruitment; she is also MPI UK and Ireland’s vice president of partnerships and business opportunities.  She brings a wealth of industry contacts and in-depth knowledge of the industry to the Barbican corporate sales team.   Head of corporate sales, Anthony Hyde : “Throughout the financial downturn, the Barbican has remained positive and forward thinking in our attitude to sales.  Where competitors have discounted rates, decreased marketing spend and reduced head count we have held steady.  This longer term approach has ensured a strong order book, excellent sales and a full diary.  Samme will be instrumental in our continuing growth, bringing a unique set of skills and experience to the team.”