What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 23 November 2015

Welcome to another week and even though we are counting down to Christmas and some much needed rest and relaxation, 2016 is looking rather close and our diaries are already filling up fast! 

But back to the here and now, and this week Janet returns from IBTM in Barcelona and then a fam to Seville with our friends at Moulden Marketing - next week we're handing over to her so she can tell us all about it!

We're all systems go on some of our project work including St Mary's in the Lace Market Nottingham which we're pleased to be working on helping getting the marketing off the ground. No, we are not moving from being agents to representing venues, its just that this is a fantastic opportunity to work with the team at the church and help it realise its full potential as a great venue for events.

St Mary's really has spectacular potential for events such as gala dinners for 200 or concerts/conferences for up to 500 guests. Whilst most 'dry hire' venues offer a blank canvas for you to style and enhance, the backdrop at St Mary's is stunning in itself.

The team at St Mary’s and Cloud 9 are committed to ensuring you have the best possible service and information available in order to have an event that exceeds your expectations, so whether you need audio visual support, caterers, hotels, table dressers or taxis, we can help with our excellent working partners and suppliers.

All of our recommended suppliers, each of whom is equally committed to delivering excellence in events at St Mary’s, are guaranteed to provide first class service for your next event.

As St Mary's is first and foremost an active church with commitments to its community and congregation, we do have a few points for you to bear in mind when using St Mary's as a venue, but we are committed to working with you to ensure the best possible events are welcomed to this spectacular venue.

 As part of our marketing activities we are planning to attend the CHS Show in Leeds in April and not just as hosted buyers this time, but also as exhibitors to showcase St Mary's so we look forward to seeing you there, if not before!

Whilst we are on the subject of the CHSGroup its timely to mention the Character Awards which we are running on conjunction with them. Irrespective of whether you exhibit at the Conference and Hospitality Show, these awards offer a fantastic opportunity for any venue outside of the M25 to shout about their facilities, and although we’ll be announcing the shortlist live at the show, we’ll also be using social media #Character16 and making a really big splash about all of the finalists in the industry at large!

We could do with some additional judges from the industry for the awards so if you are an agent, at manager level or higher, then we'd love to hear from you please - and you never know, a few hours of your time in the New Year to help us assess the entries could mean a great night as we will be able to invite you to the awards themselves in Manchester next May. Check out the website for more details or email Janet in the office.

On other news this week, Paula is off to Birmingham this Thursday to be a guest at the Civic Reception of the Lord Mayor of Birmingham to help celebrate the Birmingham Press Club's 150th Anniversary - so she will be watching her P's & Q's possibly learning how to courtesy but who knows!

We have lots more news to share but no time to share it as Cloud 9 Towers remains super busy - so please make sure you follow our news and updates on our social media feeds, and as ever, have a great week - see you soon!

 

 

 
 

 

What's Floating Around this Week? 7 September 2015

Welcome to another week and it's a busy one here at Cloud 9 Towers! Our first order of business is to welcome Janet to the team who joins us from HRG in Leicester and will be overseeing various projects here as well as streamlining our venue finding systems for clients.

We're then off to the Crowne Plaza in Chester to attend the National Acute Pain Symposium which we're taking over as a project for 2016. As with all events, it's important to get a feel for the delegates and stakeholders and see what works, what doesn't and what we can do to  add a little magic to an existing but respected event to really give it a boost.

From there it's Aston Villa calling as it's the Midlands Media Awards which we run for the Birmingham Press Club. It's a special year for the organisation as they are celebrating their 150th Anniversary this year so we need to make sure the event is extra special this year - and we have a few surprises up our sleeves for the guests! 

We're also using the awards to launch the MMA Student Awards which proved incredibly popular earlier this year and are set for just after Easter next year.

And, whilst we are talking about launches, we've also just launched the next CHS Awards which we run in conjunction with the CHS Group, the lovely people behind the Conference & Hospitality Show.

As the inaugural event was so well supported, we've decided to take the event up a level next time round and therefore, we've increased categories, added some new ones, changed how we approach judging and we're also getting more agents on board to make sure its a really well balanced event. 

Designed to give all venues, irrespective of their status, a chance to be well and truly recognised for aspects of their service or facilities, this a great project and we're excited to be taking it to the next level.

Whilst we are on the subject of venues, we're also delighted to be part of the team developing the wonderful St. Mary's Church in the Lace Market, Nottingham. Although it is occasionally hired out for events, there is a real potential to make it one of the best venues in the City for corporate events and therefore, we are going to be looking after the venue in terms of agent enquiries and coordination so it will be nice to be the other side of the fence for once!

So, lots going on and lots to do, but one thing is for sure, there's never a dull moment and we wouldn't have it any other way! Have a great week...

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 23 March 2015

Welcome to another week and it's all things purple at Cloud 9 this week as we approach Purple Day 2015 on Thursday 26! 

Purple Day is the international day for epilepsy awareness. To celebrate this year, Epilepsy Action will quite literally be turning purple – and they want you to join them by turning your world purple! You can do anything – just make sure its PURPLE!

Holding a Purple Day fundraising event really is simple! Whether you paint yourself purple, organise a purple bake off or host a purple tea party you can hold your Purple Day event anywhere and invite anybody along to share in the fun. 

They have had Purple Day events all over the UK and further a field, in schools, homes and workplaces, so here are just a few event ideas you can do to support the cause...

Purple Day Bake Sale

Bake up some purple-coloured sweets and have a bake sale at your school or office! Raise awareness and fundraise with tasty treats everyone can enjoy.

School or Work Contest

Organize a contest to get your colleagues involved in Purple Day. Host a poster colouring contest at school or a purple costume contest at your work place. The most purple wins!

Silent Auction

Plan a silent auction to raise epilepsy awareness and help your local epilepsy organization. Don't have a local organization? Help our global Purple Day sponsors - The Anita Kaufmann Foundation in the USA and Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia in Canada.

Sponsored Sporting Event

Are you a sports fan? Why not send a request to your favourite major or minor league sports team to host a Purple Day game!

Coffee House / Concert

Organize a Purple Day benefit concert. Invite your friends and family, classmates or coworkers and the public at large to a night of music, tasty appetizers (ask your local restaurant or pub to donate the food) and plenty of PURPLE.

Gala

Plan an evening out at a local hall to raise awareness about epilepsy and raise funds for your local epilepsy organization or global Purple Day sponsor (The Anita Kaufmann Foundation in the USA and Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia in Canada).

Last year saw venues across the UK including London King’s Cross mainline station, The Blackpool Tower and Leeds’ First Direct arena, all lit-up purple on 26 March to raise awareness of epilepsy. However, they are looking forward to seeing the Niagara Falls lit up in Purple this year to support Purple Day, we're sure it will look stunning!

Although they do still want to build on their previous purple success. They want even more venues to turn purple in 2015, to get people talking about epilepsy. We know there are plenty of venues out there who can participate in this, so why don't you get involved! 

Moving on now as we've got on to the subject about venues, this week we are also supporting the Conference and Hospitality Show taking place in Leeds. 

The Conference & Hospitality Show is a FREE to attend event which connects meeting and event organisers with a fantastic range of venues and an exciting variety of suppliers.  CHS15 offers inspiration with innovative and creative event ideas along with an informative and motivational educational programme.  If you work in the events industry or ever have to organise a meeting or conference then don’t miss the opportunity to secure your complimentary ticket to attend CHS15. There are plenty of showcases and exhibitions for our industry, but we have to say this is one of our favourite, so don't miss out! 

Also, for the first time at the event this year, they are announcing the shortlist for the inaugural CHS Awards! The Awards provide hotels and venues with a unique opportunity to showcase their facilities and compete in each of the 12 carefully chosen categories; Best Afternoon Tea, Best Anticipated Launch, Best Bar, Best Boardroom/Small Meeting Room, Best Bedroom (Classical), Best Bedroom (Funky), Best DDR, Best Outside Space, Best Reception, Best Spa, Best Unusual Event Space and Best Large Conference/Exhibition Space. So good luck to all of the entrants! 

That's it for this week folks, have a good one!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 26 January 2015

Welcome to another week at Cloud 9 and we'd like to start of by thanking Moulden Marketing for hosting Paula at Conventa, despite the nightmare flight and luggage logistics, she has had an interesting time away!

There's a lot of travelling within the MICE industry and no matter how long you have been in the business, you always come across new experiences and as mentioned above, travelling terrors! Which brings us on to the topic of top tips for surviving a long haul flight, we'd like to share with you...

If you are travelling long haul this year, check out these top tips for ensuring a stress-free journey:


1. Book a Decent Seat 
Most airlines that fly long haul allow you to select your seat in advance of the flight via their website or app, although some do charge for the privilege so keep your eyes peeled!

2. Pick the Best Airline
The top airlines have improved things for long haul passengers over the last few years including seats with more space in front of your knee; 'wings' on the headrests to support your head; and on-demand seat-back entertainment.

3. Avoid Peak-Time Flights
You will have more space, more air, more personal service and arguably a nicer experience all round on a half-empty flight. You may also pay less for it as fares vary due to demand.

4. Wear Layers
You've got to contend with airports at each end, and different levels of air-conditioning on the plane, so layers are best.


5. Drink Water
At least one litre every five hours is the recommendation from researchers at St John's University in Taipei. Dehydration on flights happens because passengers don't drink enough water, drink too much alcohol and the cabin microclimate increases the rate of dehydration.

6. Break the Journey
For any flight more than 12 hours, you are likely to have to change planes during the journey or disembark while the aircraft refuels. Use this break to get some sleep, freshen up or stretch your legs while enjoying some sightseeing.

7. Beat Jet Lag
Set your watch to the destination time as soon as you board to help you adjust to the time difference. Flights east generally cause worse symptoms than those westbound.

8. Stay at the Airport
Having to leave home in the middle of the night to catch an early morning flight is not likely to help with the long haul journey. Start off with a full night's sleep by booking an airport hotel the night before departure.

One other tip, Cloud 9 would like to add is, always pack essentials i.e. straightners, make-up, travelling documents, the correct currency etc. in your hand luggage!

This week at Cloud 9 Towers is yet again another eventful week, as we celebrate the birthday of our Event Executive, Shannon Jenkins, some of the team are attending Moulden Marketing Destination Showcase and the deadline of the CHS Awards approaches!

The CHS Awards provide hotels and venues with a unique opportunity to showcase their facilities, compete in each of the 13 carefully chosen categories and be nominated for the Award Ceremony taking place on Thursday 30 April 2015 at The Queens Hotel, Leeds.

With guaranteed exposure to a receptive audience of hosted buyers, an industry seal of approval for a job well done, a great platform for promotional marketing and first rate networking, the Awards are open to any hotel or venue outside of the M25.

Judged in two key stages by leading industry professionals and then by agency decision makers, the Awards, which will be fun, fair and credible, will also offer the perfect environment for entertaining clients and customers alike in a relaxed setting.

The nominees will be announced on 24 March 2015, the day of the Conference and Hospitality Show 2015, giving you something great to shout about on the day! Increase your brand exposure, have a real platform for PR as part of this exciting and innovative programme. www.chs-awards.com

Thanks for reading and we hope you all have a fantastic week - enjoy!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 7 April 2014

Welcome to another week and boy oh boy, its a busy one! What with sorting entries now that the deadline has passed for the Midlands Media Awards, boosting the Bristol Media Brand You entries, tying up the speaker schedule for the CIPR Northern Conference and making sure the launch of Fresh 2014 all goes to plan, the team here at Cloud 9 Event Management could all do with squeezing every little drop of time possible into the week ahead.

Additionally, Paula, Shannon & Rubina are off to enjoy the delights of the Conference & Hospitality Show North in Leeds on Tuesday which is being held at Elland Road, the home of Leeds United Football Club. 

The Conference & Hospitality Show is a free to attend event which connects meeting and event organisers with a fantastic range of venues and an exciting variety of suppliers.  CHS14 offers inspiration with innovative and creative event ideas along with an informative and motivational educational programme. 

We are big on education here at Cloud 9 and we believe that you never stop learning, no matter your sector, so we are looking forward to enjoying some of the sessions and especially Dr Alexandra Kenyon who has a national and international reputation in the field of experiential marketing, emotions and social media and was one of the Leeds Metropolitan University teams conducting research into future trends within the events industry.  Alexandra has engaged in an ERASMUS funded project, COBERN (Consumer Behaviour Erasmus Network) with 30 European Universities to investigate ‘Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Consumption Patterns across Europe’ using new methodologies such as picture-based questioning.  She has worked with Adragh Group; known for packaging the World’s biggest brands to investigate the consumer’s sensory journey.

Also speaking is Gill Quirke from the MOD and Catherine Butler of Westminster Abbey talk about their careers and how they came together to play a part in the Royal Wedding, one of the world's most iconic events.

Neil MacLaurin, Managing Director of Keith Prowse will give us an insight into the customer journey and how we can learn from one of the Industries leading Corporate Hospitality providers famous for their sporting and cultural events and there are a host of other speakers also providing sessions.

We are big fans of the CHS Show as its always great to connect with our existing hotels and venues and discover potentially new properties.

After a brief trip back to base, Paula is then off to enjoy the hospitality of the Hungarian Convention Bureau who are organising an international MICE Study Tour in Budapest which includes meeting planners from France, Germany, the UK and the USA .

The primary aim of the study tour is to introduce the conference, meeting facilities and unique venues of Budapest as a possible destination for future international events and includes some stunning looking hotels including The Aquincum Hotel, The Hilton, The Sofitel, The Intercontinental, The Bascolo, The Corinthia, Le Meridien and the Marriott.

Hungary is a not a place we know well here so with the impending trip, we thought it wise to do a little research. Although Hungary is not an unknown place on the globe, it is a new destination yet to be discovered for many. And who would deny that in order to attract delegates to a congress, selecting a location they have not known before is crucial...
 
The cost-to-value ratio is extremely favourable in Hungary. In general the quality of services is excellent and prices are still lower than in most European countries.
 Budapest is a magical place, rendered enchanting by the river Danube which divides the city into two. Hills, mountains in Buda, the line of hotels and the commercial district on the Pest side... an air of history, the pleasant climate, festivals and cultural events prove that the city is indeed the Pearl of the Danube. Several convention centres up to 2,000 located in pleasant environment, and 5.000 first class and luxury hotel rooms are at the guests’ disposal.

Living memories of the past, major historical monuments of Budapest may be special venues for banqueting events and social programmes. The fairy-tale Vajdahunyad Castle, the Museum of Fine Arts or even the Parliament can be rented for special occasions.
 

With unique programmes to choose from for groups seeking sport challenges, cultural heritage or gastronomy tours. One of the highlights of your event might be a fantastic evening cruise down the Danube, a magic day on the Hungarian Great Plain with authentic horse shows, and folklore programmes including delicious traditional meals and drinks.

Budapest is a city of baths, it is also called the Spa Capital of the world. A party spiced with a water ballet performance in the marvellous Gellért bath will surely result in a truly memorable evening. The marching of hussar companies in the Buda Castle; a Renaissance themed evening in a medieval castle; an exciting rally across the country with old-fashioned cars called Trabants: there is plenty to do to enrich your programme.


So there you have it, a busy week indeed. Enjoy or as they in Hungary élvez!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 18 November 2013

Welcome to another week and its all about EIBTM this week - where the global meetings and events industry connects - so we are off to Barcelona!

EIBTM is the leading global event for the meetings, incentives, conferences, events and business travel industry, taking place in the award winning business and tourism destination of Barcelona. The event gathers over 15,000 MICE industry professionals for three days of focused access to a dynamic business environment with over 3,100 exhibitors, thought provoking professional education and business networking to drive your business into the future.

The event runs from 19-21 November 2013 for another must attend exhibition and on the 18 November for the EIBTM Forum, is a  thought provoking conference, open to all EIBTM participants.

We lucky to be going as guests of Accor but its not a complete jolly as we have a very very early start and a packed schedule of meetings throughout the event. However, even the busiest schedule allows a moment to enjoy the view from the Pullman Barcelona Skipper hotel, which is where we are staying. Barceloneta Beach is temptingly close. Multiply that temptation by two - for the two swimming pools - then factor in the tasty tapas in the Blend Restaurant and you have all in all a rather lovely hotel!

We are well versed in attending events as Hosted Buyers but this will be our first time at EIBTM so we are perhaps a little more excited than usual -  and on asking around about tips to make the most out of the event, the overwhelming advice seems to be - wear flat shoes! 

This reminded us about our trip to the Meetings Show back in the Summer when Paula did have a rather unfortunate shoe mishap and had to cancel a couple of pre-scheduled appointments to make a timely dash to Kensington High Street in search of a shoe shop! 

We are also already making sure we are signed up for the other leading event shows next year so we can ensure a Cloud 9 presence at all of the leading industry events.

Some of the team are off the the BNC Global Event Show in February at the Brewery in London. The BNC Global Event Show is an exciting exhibition based in the heart of the City of London. The Show is designed to bring top event planners together with leading UK and international event suppliers in a refreshingly relaxed environment.

The also have leading experts from the events and meetings industry to present interesting seminars and discussions. Stay at the cutting edge with talks on a range of topics such as marketing, event creation, food and drink and much more. Past guests in include Michael Douglas from Genie Mobile on the possibilities for mobile technology, Kate Conway from Tesco on harnessing the power of digital, William Thomson from Gallus Events on organising experiences, and Sam Bompas from Bompas & Parr on the exciting uses for jelly for events! 

One of our favourite shows returns next year and that is the Conference & Hospitality Show in Leeds in April which is the only exhibition outside of London for the meetings industry so make sure you register and keep checking their site for updates and news.

Of course one of the bigger shows within the Industry was always Confex which seemed to have lost some of its sparkle over the last few years, but with new owners in place, and a thankful return to Olympia (we do like Excel but its a pain to get to for us!) we are hoping for a better event. 

International Confex is established as the UK’s leading exhibition and has been supporting the meetings and events industry for 30 years.

 

In this diverse and vibrant industry, International Confex's role is to provide the annual meeting place for the events world and to connect event professionals such as yourself with the best venues, destinations, finishing touches, technology and event support services the industry has to offer.  With the help of our fantastic exhibitors and event experts, International Confex is the place to be to do business and seek advice and inspirational ideas for your events and it's a great opportunity to get that all important face time that can be so difficult today.

 

International Confex takes place over two days in March in London’s Olympia and hosts over 900 exhibitors covering four areas - UK Venues & Destinations: Discover tourist attractions, unique or traditional venues, sporting venues, castles or country manors. The best thing about it is you only need to travel to one place, Olympia London.

 

International Venues & Destinations: Travel the world (no need to book a flight it's all in Olympia) and discover inspiring destinations, venues, resorts and incentive travel ideas and get amazing ideas for your next events outside of the UK.

 

Something Special: Something Special does exactly what it says on the tin and connects you with market leading suppliers who can provide those vital finishing touches for your events that will leave your guests and clients speechless with sudden urges to tweet about how fabulous you are.

Logistics: Whether you're seeking the latest audio visual, graphics, security, or lighting, our exhibitors can ensure that your events run smoothly and efficiently providing you with some jaw-dropping and cost effective  technology.

 

Over 7,000 visitors from leading agencies, associations and corporate organisations come through the doors to meet new and existing suppliers, attend high-level seminars, see new show features and most importantly, network with fellow event professionals.

 

So a bit of a Trade Show Special this week, enjoy or maybe in the spirit of EIBTM our sign off this week should be olé

What's Floating Around Cloud 9 this Week? 29 April 2013

Welcome to another week and it’s another busy one!

We start with a rather lovely trip to Leeds as its the Northern Conference &Hospitality Show which takes place at Leeds United tomorrow.

We're lucky enough though to have been invited to attend as VIP's this year so our invitation extends to a rather nice preview of the event which starts this afternoon with a drinks reception at The Queens Hotel, followed by a tour of the new Leeds Arena, the UK’s first purpose built fan-shape arena before it opens to the General Public later this year. 

Then its on the recently opened Trinity Shopping Centre, with a little time to shop, before we make our way to Oulton Hall to dinner and an overnight stay.

Tuesday is the actual show itself and if it is anything like last year, its a great event with an impressive list of venues, new innovations in the event industry and some truly fascinating seminars, all of which we found really beneficial last year.

Whilst we feel a little guilty for taking the time away, events like this enable the team here at Cloud 9 to ensure that we know about all of the best venues and the advances in the industry which we can there share with clients - well, that's our excuse and we are sticking to it! 

We've also got to ensure we get all of the entries out to the first stage judges for the PRCA DARE Awards which officially closed last Friday - although we have been kind enough to allow some of the last minute entries early this week!

With any new awards programme you never know just how well supported the programme will be, but we have been pleasantly surprised by both the entry numbers and the diverse range of entrants so the entire DARE programme should be an exciting experience.

 

Judging is also on the cards this week for the Midlands Media Awards 2013. We've had all of the results in from our first stage judges and the short listed entries are all ready for Thursday when our prestigious panel assemble in Birmingham to make the final decisions.

Chaired by Peter Lowe from Sky News, it’s an impressive jury and one we feel will no doubt be extremely vigorous in their assessment of the entries that have made it to the second stage of judging.

Whilst the nominations for the programme will not be announced until 13th May, a month before the awards ceremony itself, we are already getting ticket bookings so if you don’t want to be sat at the back of the room, you'd better book yours quickly!

Finally this week, we are delighted to announce the launch of the new Brand You Awards which we are running in association with Bristol Media.  The awards are now open for entries and we look forward to seeing some great work from individuals, hence the title, Brand You.

We’re in an industry surrounded by opportunities to win awards and be recognised for campaigns and projects across a variety of genres, but there are few programmes around that focus on the individual - the actual people who make a real difference and whose contribution is sometimes overlooked as part of the bigger picture.

The Awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday 1st October in the Auditorium at The Arnolfini Gallery from 7pm and the full details will be announced nearer the time.

So that's it for this week people, have a good one and we'll see you after the Bank Holiday!