Family canoeing day in Ross-on-Wye

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Last weekend we produced a fun family day out, where colleagues & clients of OWA Ceilings were invited to walk or canoe their way around the stunning scenery of Ross-on-Wye, whilst raising money for Alzheimer’s Society.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather (slightly cooler than the recent heatwave!) to welcome groups of friends and families to the Hostelrie at Goodrich. After a quick bite to eat the groups set off on the days activities looking rather smart in their one-off event t-shirts!

Everyone was welcomed back with an array of fun entertainments for the children: they jumped in to the circus ring to test their juggling skills, sat patiently for face-painting and made friends with balloon animals (oh and had few balloon sword fights too).

The day went on with a delicious local BBQ and wonderful live music from our two-piece band, we even pitched tents for some weary participants to stay over in a beautiful nearby campsite.

A wonderful day and a wonderful cause. Here’s to the next one!

Photographer: David Vincent

Annual Drinks Presentation

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This week we’ve been immersed in the world of spirit brands – working with First Drinks Brands Ltd. on their annual Market Report.

This event gathers together top on-trade press for the presentation of FDB’s round-up of trends & statistics for the spirits industry. A truly exceptional venue was needed to provide the backdrop for this, as well as the ensuing cocktail tasting …

The Violin Factory near Waterloo is just such a venue: a renovated old building once featured on Grand Designs that is now the home of it’s ambitious architect creator. Bathed in natural daylight with a spacious kitchen adjoining the central space; which was perfect for our ‘Chef’s Table’.

Our experienced mixologists worked on show-stopping cocktails (Whistling shop’s dry ice & hip flask serve plus balloons that burst to release a complimentary scent before you sipped your cocktail), guests could also pop into the ‘Whisky Den’ to sample an enticing variety of Glenfiddich, Balvenie & Grant’s aged whiskys.

The centre piece of the night was our ‘Chef’s table’: a sumptuous array of potential ingredients accompanied by Brand Ambassadors from Mount Gay Rum, Hendrick’s Gin, Remy Martin cognac & Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum, where our industry guests were invited to create drinks based on their favourite ingredients – then mixed to perfection by our team.

A fabulous kick-off for the market report and a delightful evening of drinks enjoyed by one and all. Special thank you to the Violin Factory for allowing us to use this wonderful venue.

International Client Conference – Banking Perspectives

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Utilising London’s largest hotel, last week the Effective Events team worked with the world’s largest global provider dedicated to banking and payments technologies: FIS, to produce their annual International Client Conference.

FIS’ Global Banking Perspectives 2013 brought together over 300 of the banking sectors most influential people for an engaging three day conference. In order to provide the perfect blend of educational and networking opportunities (as FIS offers it’s attendees each year) we recommended London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel – providing spectacular views along with high-spec conference technology and flexible meeting space, it’s the ideal hotel for tourists and business guests alike.

Day one saw the first of many successful user groups take place on the flexible Plaza suite level, where rooms can be divided or expanded to fit the exact needs of each meeting.

As important as finding the right venue is, it’s also essential to ensure guests are entertained in the evenings of multiple-day events. On arrival night we put on light refreshments in the Exhibition area to officially open the event and allow guests to undertake a little informal networking.

Night two needed a change of scene to keep delegates energised so we took everyone on a scenic river cruise aboard the stunning Silver Sturgeon. Guests mingled with welcome drinks (and beautiful sunshine!) on the top deck  before heading inside to enjoy a delicious dinner & soulful sounds of our live band.

Our knowledgeable UK based team also provided additional services such as group dinner reservations and airport transfer services to ensure delegates arrived relaxed and ready for productive conference days. Have a look at our other DMC services here.

Hospitality at Wimbledon – Men’s Finals

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No doubt most of the country is still celebrating Andy Murray’s historic victory at Wimbledon yesterday; the first British Men’s champion in 77 years!

None more so than our corporate clients who experienced wonderful hospitality at the Wimbledon Club before taking their seats on centre court. Their international guests were delighted to attend the much-loved British championships and soak up the fantastic atmosphere, as thousands of fans cheered Murray through his hard-fought win over world number one Novak Djokovic.

A wonderful memorable experience, whilst also providing a valuable opportunity for informal networking and business relationship building.

We provide corporate hospitality at all major sporting events (both UK & International), so get in touch for 2014 event availability now!

Imbibe Live at Olympia

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The Effective Event Solutions team includes experienced show stand designers & builders. For the 2013 Imbibe show we worked with First Drinks Brands Ltd to produce enticing and engaging exhibition stands in line with individual brand values.

For Reyka Vodka we designed an Icelandic shack complete with weathered metal walls and window ‘views’ across the stunning landscape that this lava-filtered spirit hails from.

For Tia Maria we created a dark and sumptuous cocktail bar, which served espresso martinis and other classics in keeping with the brand’s ‘When the sun goes down ..’ tag line.

We also brought to life the idea of a ‘Masterclass zone’ which featured lively presentations from Brand Ambassadors for the likes of Hendricks, DeKuiper, Mount Gay rum and Glenfiddich. This took the form of a versatile cube with interchangeable wall hangings and a mixologist providing samples throughout the day – we took the concept one step further for Sailor Jerry’s rum by bringing in cinema seating & low lighting to create an entirely new atmosphere for their short films.

Imbibe Live is the intelligent, annual exhibition for anyone who sources, buys or serves drinks in the licensed on-trade and is keen to improve their offering and knowledge.

The event attracts over 8,000 drinks professionals across two days and a strong presence to engage with each and every attendee is vital – we were delighted to work with these brands in producing visually exciting stands which did just that.

If you’re looking for a stand that will grab (& hold) the attention of your target audience for future shows, get in touch with us now!