When Lou volunteered at The Big Chill

Lou volunteered at last weekend’s Big Chill Festival in Herefordshire with the purpose of seeing a major outdoor public event from the inside.

 Lou said “I wanted to volunteer at the Big Chill for various reasons, the main being to get out of my comfort zone in producing typically smaller, indoor events.

On arrival to the festival I received a brief from the organising team and I was delighted to be nominated as a CAT Team Leader for the five days.. (Camping Assistant Team).

Shift activities include a range of tasks from supporting customers on arrival to the festival with moving equipment and setting up tents to providing information on arena times. Unbelievable how much collateral petite under 18 girls need for a weekend!

The overnight shift was brilliant with constant situations to resolve as the festival goers returned from the arena to their tented homes.. J some were just funny and some, more serious.

Being on radio comms taught me a few pointers on anticipating and reacting to situations on such as huge site and remembering to report minor issues rather than typically sorting it yourself as most event managers would instinctively do. Awesome acts I did see were the Chemical Brothers, Nenah Cherry (Buffalo..What..!) and Calvin Harris.

Being on “the other side” has many pros and only a few cons. I didn’t love my two man tent which although was a convenient pop up style, developing a system to get dressed without touching the roof of the tent  which was usually damp was like rhythmic gymnastics at stupid o’clock each night, bore off. The drop box toilets..lets move on.  

I love the whole experience and even patrolling fields usually led to something to sort out. The range of types of people who volunteered led to a great mix and team vibe.  

In closing, I am converted. CAT Team Leader OUT.”

 

holland alexander. Events Management, Marketing and PR. Leicester and London Studios

Jenna’s first two weeks

Well I’ve just officially completed my first two weeks as an Apprentice Events Executive within the HA team and have had nothing but great experiences so far!

Not only have I been warmly welcomed within the HA office, (along with plentiful treats and teas!) i have been fully briefed and caught up to date with all the exciting events and projects happening along the pipeline!

 I’ve joined the team at a busy time, and not only have i been given a lot of responsibility with my own tasks and duties on a daily basis, but I’ve also been given the opportunity and have started work on planning and running my first event from start to finish along with colleague Claire!.. i can’t wait to get stuck in and learn all about the different skills and aspects required!

 Two weeks down, several client meetings, events and team talks completed – what will the next few months bring?!……

 

holland alexander. Event Management, Marketing and PR Company. Leicester and London

Four Winds Festival rehearsal days

Event marketing Four Winds Festival

Holland Alexander event marketing for Four Winds Festival and The Way the Winds Blow

Holland Alexander’s client the Four Winds Festival are getting ready for their festival and performances this week. The tents went up earlier this week. Don’t they look magnificiant? The festival is on the 25th & 26th June. More information is available on www.fourwindsfestival.co.uk

REM Nottinghamshire Museums at Night

press release

11.05.10

For Immediate release

Late night tours by a villainous Sheriff and spooky walks across Nottinghamshire this weekend

Night owls can look forward to a weekend of nocturnal adventures as museums and galleries alike inspire fresh discovery by opening their doors to late night visitors as part of Museums at Night 2010 – the annual after-hours celebration.

Museums and galleries across the country are uniting to open up their collections to the public, with late opening hours and a huge range of activities for all and the East Midlands boasting a great range of events this weekend.

Museums at Night is organised by Culture24 and will take place from 14 -16 May to coincide with the Europe wide campaign La Nuit de Musées.

Renaissance East Midlands is supporting the family friendly events and museum openings happening at night across the East Midlands. In Nottinghamshire this includes a guided tour with the Villainous Sheriff of Nottingham on a guided tour of the old county gaol at the Galleries of Justice Museum or take part in the Moth Watch in the grounds of Wollaton Hall and Park.

Nottinghamshire Archives

Strange Deaths and Ghostly Occurrences!

Friday 14 May 8pm – 10pm

Cost: £6.50

0115 950 4524

Book early for this spooky evening! The fun starts at 8pm with a talk on ‘Strange Deaths and Ghostly Occurrences followed by ‘mysterious and spooky’ tales from the Storytellers of Nottingham.

Continued

Galleries of Justice Museum

Villainous Sheriff of Nottingham tour

Friday 14 May 4:00pm to 7:00 pm

£6.75 – pre  booking is essential

0115 952 0555

A fun, interactive performance, meet the Villainous Sheriff of Nottingham while he takes you on a guided tour of the old county gaol. With a gruesome emphasis on his attendance at executions. You may even see him be put on trial! The tour ends with an object handling session with Crime and punishment objects never seen by the general public.

Wollaton Hall and Park

Sunset tour around Wollaton Hall

Friday 14 May 2010 8pm to 10pm

FREE

0115 915 3911

Take a chance to take a peek behind the scenes of Nottingham’s most spectacular Tudor building with a special evening tour, which will include a chance to view the sunset from the Prospect Room plus wine and cheese refreshments.

Wollaton Hall and Park

Night Owls / Moth Watch family event

Saturday 15th May 2010 6pm to 10pm

Tours to Admiral’s Bath and caves £2 bookable on the night
Moth watch £1 donation bookable on the night

0115 915 3911

Come along to our Night Owls family event. Our curator Dr Sheila Wright will be on hand to give info on some of our natural history specimens some of which will come out of the stores for the night including owls, moths, bats and other night creatures.

As it is also National Moth and Bat Night, we shall be doing a ‘moth watch’ in the courtyard (weather permitting), so join us to see which of the 330 different species of moth present at Wollaton you can spot! Dr Wright will also be hosting a bat walk (bookable) around the lake. Warm clothing and good shoes needed plus a small torch. Tours will also be available to the Admirals Bath and caves.

Mr Straw’s House, Worksop

Mr Straw’s Guided Tour at Night

Friday 14th May 7pm to 8.15pm

£6.30 adult tickets

01909 482380

Step back in time to the 1920s and find out how a grocer’s family lived in this market town. This ordinary semi-detached house, with original interior decorations from 1923, was the home of the Straw family. For 60 years the family threw little away and chose to live without many of the modern comforts we take for granted. Photographs, letters, Victorian furniture and household objects spanning 100 years can still be seen exactly where their owners left them.

Don’t miss

  • Introductory video introduces the Straw family.
  • Explore three floors of Edwardian house with informative guides.
  • See annual exhibition of items not usually on display.

This is a rare opportunity to visit your local museum during the evening and the exciting activities should appeal to regular museum goers and new customers, adults and children.

For the latest information and to find out what’s happening near you visit www.culture24.org.uk/museumsatnight

ENDS –

For further information, interview requests and pictures contact:

Mandy Dearsley

E: mandy@hollandalexander.com

T: 0116 261 6867

or Louise Holland

E: louise@hollandalexander.com

T: 0116 261 6868

Notes to Editors:

  1. Museums at Night is organised by Culture24 and is funded by MLA. For further information visit www.culture24.org.uk
  2. Museums at Night Weekend will take place over the weekend Friday 14 – Sunday 16 May. The Europe-wide celebration will be on Saturday 15 May.
  3. Culture24 is a registered charity and not-for-profit online publisher, working across the arts, heritage, education, and tourism sectors.
  4. Renaissance is the MLA’s ground-breaking programme to transform England’s regional museums. Renaissance East Midlands leads and delivers the programme across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire for further details visit www.renaissanceeastmidlands.org.uk
  5. La Nuit De Musée was introduced by the French Culture Department to succeed Printemps de Musées and takes place on the Saturday nearest to International Museums Day (May 18).  It is now supported by the Council of Europe. In 2009, over 2,500 museums in 41 European countries took part. For more information visit www.nuitdesmusees.culture.fr
  6. MLA is the government agency for museums, libraries and archives. Leading strategically, MLA promotes best practice to inspire innovative, integrated and sustainable services for all. Visit www.mla.gov.uk

Holland Alexander. Be Inspired. Events, Marketing & PR Agency. London & Leicester.


University of Leicester Press Release Enterprising Project Finale Hosted by Dragon

  Enterprising project finale hosted by Dragon 

15.03.10 

 This enterprise focused project spearheaded by The University of Leicester which offered enterprise opportunities to students from further education colleges and members of the community across Leicestershire concludes on Thursday.

The Leicestershire’s Got Enterprising Business Talent 2009/2010 Grand Finale will be held at the City Rooms. YO! Sushi Founder and former panel member of Dragons Den, Simon Woodroffe OBE will oversee the proceedings.  There will be a final winner with a prize of £1,250. 

The Colleges-University of Leicester Network (CULN) received over £170,000 funding from the sub-regional partnership under the newly established ‘Leicester and Leicestershire Leadership Board’ . This sub-regional funding was distributed amongst colleges and community organisations throughout Leicestershire to implement enterprise initiatives.   Mike Dalzell, Head of the Sub-regional Support Unit said, “This is the type of project that will inspire and have an impact on young people especially, as it provides an unique opportunity for young people to think through and try out a potential business idea  and at the same time learn enterprise skills and capability to succeed. It promotes enterprise culture and attaches value to this type of learning”.

 The funding for the project, now in its second year, was used to enable people across Leicestershire to learn about business and entrepreneurship, as well as set up their own enterprise projects.  Each enterprise idea was pitched to a Dragon’s Den type panel with the third to first placed winning projects to be announced at Thursday’s Gala Dinner.

 This enterprise competition has created enormous interest from the people involved. 11 Further Education colleges and community organisations from far and wide across the county put together exciting programmes including a focus on topics such as Hair and Beauty, Art and Crafts and Low Carbon Energy.

 Katie Morris, The Colleges-University of Leicester Development Officer commented:

 “This project has shown the entrepreneurial capabilities of a wide range of people across Leicestershire. We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of everyone involved in the project, from the project organisers in each institution, through to the students /parents and clients taking part in the competition. The standard of the entries has been exceptionally high and the project has really highlighted the enterprising talent of Leicestershire residents.”

 The Grand Finale will feature a dynamic presentation on innovation and entrepreneurship by Simon Woodroffe, who was a Rutland resident for seven years.

 The project concludes with the gala dinner for 200 guests which includes members of all finalist teams.

It is certainly an occasion to be celebrated. Our thanks goes to the Sub-Regional Leadership Board and emda for supporting the enterprise activity programme this year.   

 Notes to Editors:

 The participating colleges and community organisations and their enterprising ideas are listed below:

 Regent College 

 Product Name:          TrackNav 2.0

 This product is a pet tracker for pet owners constantly worrying about their pet’s whereabouts. Another added element to the product is a performance tracking application which enables the owner to monitor the pet’s performance and health. The product works by attaching a chip to the pet’s collar. Whilst the technology already exists, this product is unique to the market.

 Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College

 Product Name:          Let’s Cook

 The idea behind this product is to promote healthy eating to young people through an interactive cook book. The touch screen will allow children to access recipes as well as improve technical skills. The recipes can be adjusted to suit the needs of the child and different age levels will be addressed. The cook book will also include in depth nutritional advice and offer guidance about presenting food in an exciting way. There are already cook books out there for children but this product stands out from the rest because of its educational purpose, its interactive features and finally, its fun fairy cake design.

North Warwickshire & Hinckley College

 Product Name:          Companion Coffins

 This business manufactures coffins for pets and animals whose owners would like to give them a respectful burial. Many people have pets that have become a large part of their life and when it comes to parting with them, they would like to do it in a dignified fashion. Companion Coffins design bespoke coffins according to customer needs. These coffins are unique because they are customised and more widely available than other animal coffins on the market.

 Stephenson College

 Business Name:          Aim Higher

 Our business aims to inspire underachieving salons to attract more business through innovative and exciting new styles and approaches. We want to help other businesses to raise their profiles via our creative talent. We are unique because our approach is adventurous, exciting and fun. We create styles to shock and rock this world!

 Leicester College Project 1

 Product Name:          PULSE

 PULSE is a 7th generation interactive gaming accessory consisting of a wireless body simulator which sends waves of vibration to various parts of the human body via rumble motors. It is constructed through five 3cm thick straps which are attached to the chest, right arm, left arm, right leg and left leg. The product operates wirelessly to create a thrilling and exhilarating gaming experience. This product is a unique accessory that is simple and easy to use. It draws upon already existing technology to immerse the gamer in a full sensory adventure.

 Leicester College Project 2

 Product Name:          Universal Winder X1

 The Universal Winder X1 is a multi functional charger that operates without the need for a power source. The product uses already existing wind up technology to create a small amount of energy to power day to day appliances such as mobile phones, straighteners etc. The product is unique because it works with any type of plug and it also offers an USB port. In short, this product can be used all over the world and could become a life saving resource in disaster scenarios. This is an eco friendly device that can be used by anyone who uses powered technology.

 YouThink

 Company: Take Action

 Take Action is an events management project which aims to bring together all of the community organisations across Leicestershire under one roof. It will launch with a one day exhibition that will showcase what each organisation can offer. Take Action will engage with corporate sponsors, celebrity entertainers and local businesses to attract the general public and potential funders to attend and, ultimately, to become involved with community work. This is one of those rare events that will not only maximise profit but also maximise social benefit. Looking to the future, Take Action plans to run the event annually as well as to expand into other areas across the UK.

 Gateway College

 Company: Bugs Away

 Bugs Away is a simple product that captures insects without killing them. It works through the use of pressurised air that creates a vacuum to draw the insects into a detachable chamber. Bugs Away is unique because of its eco-friendly properties; it does not require any power source and can be used by all ages. This product would be a success because it offers a humane solution to an everyday problem. Use Bugs Away to keep the bugs away!

Hand in Hand

 Company: Kibble Arts

 Kibble Arts can reproduce those special moments in either watercolour, oils or cross-stitch. Unique to the market, this service will capture those precious moments forever. Sally will work from a photograph to create your masterpiece. This is a truly bespoke service which will rekindle your memories and deliver a piece of artwork to treasure.

 Tomorrow Together

 Alison Benner

 Business name: Six Little Ducks

 Six Little Ducks is a craft education business. From the starting point of designing and producing cards, Six Little Ducks has developed and expanded into an educational resource. The business can provide craft workshops, craft kits and bespoke designs for a number of different audiences. Six Little Ducks brings the excitement back into crafting.

 Brooksby Melton College

 Company : (Mini) Mayhem Theatre

 (Mini) Mayhem Theatre is a youth theatre company aimed at inspiring creativity in young people aged 9-18 across Melton Mowbray. It is not about grooming the young stars of tomorrow but about encouraging development, confidence building, creativity and ownership amongst the young people. Their voice is always respected, listened to and heard throughout the entire process of each production. This is a community based, inclusive project that benefits all involved. As the Mayhemers say, we’re ‘dreamin’ it real’.

For more information about the Grand Finale event and ‘Leicestershire’s Got Enterprising Business Talent’ please contact:

 Katie Morris on 0116 252 5920, or via email kmm11@le.ac.uk

 PR and Press for the event

Contact Louise Holland, on 0116 261 6868 or via email louise@hollandalexander.com

 There will be opportunities for interviews with Simon Woodroffe and the finalist teams and photographs can be taken – which need to be organised in advance.