Using audio visual equipment on your corporate event can ensure that you are seen and heard by all attending. When delivering a key message successfully is vital to your business, consider how best you might do this, and whether or not one of our conference packages could help create the right effect.

Ranging from a simple fast fold screen to a twin screen conference set with technical support, we’ve got it covered. All of our audio visual equipment is up to date and well maintained, which guarantees you a smooth trouble-free event from start to finish.

We have 5 easy packages in total, including everything you should need:

Conference AV Package Basic:

Classic fast-fold screen, with everything you need – even a stylish lectern. Ideal for small events with short set-up & de-rig times.

Conference AV Package Small:

Stylish set with LED lighting, stage block and lectern. Great starter package suitable for almost all small to medium sized conference events.

Conference AV Package Medium:

Tasteful set with LED lighting, full stage, lectern. Best suited to larger rooms, with small to medium sized audiences.

Conference AV Package Large:

Twin screen set with LED lighting, full stage, lectern, two LCD projectors, full stage lighting (spotlights etc). Ideal for large single or multi day conferences, with big audiences. Crucially allows two screens to be used simultaneously, for different purposes.

Awards Ceremony AV Package:

Our awards ceremony package uses the same equipment as our large package, but replaces the set with a star cloth backdrop. Designed to wow your guests, this awards set can add a little glamour to your event.

With any of our packages you could add; plasma screens, Gobos (projected logos), live video feeds, additional lecterns, catwalk style staging, logo signage and star cloth backdrops. We can supply AV Technicians throughout, to ensure a well-managed conference, show or awards ceremony. Bespoke sets also available.

For more infortion or pricing on any of the above packages, please call 01948 661603 or e-mail info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

Medtronic were looking to hold a team building event that would reinforce the key themes from their morning conference. They requested a combination of an apprentice style event with a chocolate making workshop, with a strong focus on team building and working effectively together to achieve the best results.

Stage One: Teams were challenged to make, decorate and package their own unique luxury chocolates, with guidance and demonstrations from our professional chocolatier. Working against the clock, they also had to come up with branding, marketing ideas, and a sales pitch that they would later present to the whole group.

Stage Two: Teams had to produce a TV advert for their luxury chocolate product. With limited time, each group appointed scriptwriters, a director, a wardrobe manager and actors, and used our stock of props to create their chocolate advert. Each team had a strict 15 minute time slot for filming with our videographer and the films were professionally edited ready for the evening screening and launch.

The event concluded with each team’s pitch and advert played on the big screen and a bit of a grilling from the panel of judges before they announced the winning team!

Event Outline:

• Date:                8^th February 2012
• Duration:          14:00 – 22:00
• Venue:              Brunel’s ss Great Britain
• Format:            Team Building
• Guests:            30

Client Objectives:

• Motivate the team & get them working together
• Create a buzz within the team & have some fun
• Focus on what it is to be the best & how targets can become more achievable
• Create an ongoing environment for success

Outcomes:

The challenge was very much embraced by all the guests, with all teams working efficiently together to complete the various tasks successfully. Absolutely everyone played an important role within their teams, with some extremely creative ideas coming to the fore. The event reinforced the themes and objectives discussed in the morning meeting, but also had many comedy moments throughout, which we hope have made a lasting impression on the guests!

Feedback:

“The feedback from my colleagues about this event has been very, very positive and everyone enjoyed it. From a management point of view it was exactly what we were looking for to finish the day off. If we do a similar event in the future then I will make sure we come to you first. Please pass our thanks onto all of your team and let them all know how happy we were with the service we encountered.”

For the venue Hawkstone Park was the ideal choice, with plenty of outdoor space and a stunning backdrop. The event began with a tasty barbeque lunch, served from a marquee in the grounds of the park, and then it was time for the competition to begin, with a great mix of clay pigeon shooting and hovercrafts.

Event Outline:

• Dates: July 2011
• Duration: 12:00 – 16:00
• Venue: Hawkstone Park, Shropshire
• Format: Team Building
• Guests: 18

Client Objectives:

• To thank staff for their hard work
• To encourage team building
• To provide contrasting activities, so there would be something for everyone
• To find a venue suited to these activities, and one which would create a lasting impression on the guests

Outcomes:

The guests seemed very impressed with the venue and its unique surrounds, and the contrasting activities seemed to be just the right blend for the group. Individuals all embraced the competitive spirit and there were some great activity scores on the day. The weather was extremely kind to us, which is certainly a bonus. RSM Partners are already planning the next event for summer 2012.

Feedback:

“I just want to thank you from all of us for the fantastic day we had on Saturday! Everyone fully enjoyed it and they are already asking what the plan is for next time. Will you thank all the instructors for us as they were great and very patient, and the team that sorted the barbeque and drinks out, the chef did a fabulous job with the food!

We couldn’t have wished for a more stunning venue and fantastic weather. Thank you for such a great memorable day – look forward to dealing with you again.”

So here are our five steps to family fun:

1. Decide what you’d like to achieve and what works best for your guests

Do you intend to bring people together who rarely meet through their work? What is the age demographic and how will this influence the choice of activities? It is crucial to estimate how many people will attend – a great way to do this is simply by asking employees to register an interest on-line. Numbers more or less dictate everything from now on. Your Great Escape can offer on-line pre-event registration, so no matter if you have thousands of potential guests, they can all be accounted for.

2. Short-list suitable family fun day venues

Over the years we’ve run family fun days at a variety of venues, so we know what works best. Consider whether you are looking for a single venue, or a series of events across a number of locations if staff are from different areas of the country.

Always check the following:

• Distance to travel for guests, sufficient parking or public transport
• Do you require generators and water supply
• Is the event in a contained area – essential for creating an atmosphere, and beneficial in keeping the event private
• Ensure there is ample space for a large marquee or close access to an indoor area
• Look for stunning venues which create an impressive backdrop

If you are not sure what might be the ideal venue for your corporate fun day, Your Great Escape offer a free venue finding service. We conduct site visits on behalf of clients, producing a site plan and risk assessment for your chosen venue.

3. Infrastructure

By this we mean, marquees, gazebos, picket fencing, bunting, site power/generators, water supply and luxury toilet units. As each of these intertwine during set-up and de-rig, the benefits of using an event management company to coordinate all of the above ensures the smooth running of the event.

We produce site plans as part of our event management package, detailing “full site” and “temporary structures”, which aids suppliers and venues throughout set-up – and also illustrates how your event will look on the day.

4. Activities and Events

By carefully considering who you are looking to entertain and why, you should be able to choose between activities which involve adults and children taking part simultaneously, or have a go activities such as inflatables, craft stalls, target games and live displays, to name just a few.

Consider activities such as It’s a Knockout, Formula Fun Build a Kart or a School Sports Day, where adults and children can take part together. For those less energetic, they can enjoy the spectacle and support from the side lines, treat themselves to a beauty treatment, or enjoy some of the other family fun activities on offer.

5. Health and Safety

Ensuring your event is safe is priority number one. Your Great Escape produce risk assessments for the site and all activities and equipment in use on the day. Event management companies are now required to meet several British standards especially when dealing with services such as generators and power supply. Where third parties are involved, risk assessments and details of insurance should always be kept on file.

So whether it is establishing site power, providing medical cover, ensuring suppliers are creditworthy to supply services, or simply providing the best family fun day activities available, Your Great Escape are here to help you organise a first class company fun day.

To read more about activities and what’s included in our event management package please click here.

Alternatively, if you’re planning your own corporate fun day and would like to discuss how we could help please call 01948 661603 or e-mail info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

Fairpoint contacted Your Great Escape to discuss a preliminary idea for a gameshow, which was based on a popular TV programme. In principal the event required all participants to vote on one of two outcomes, with the winners of each round going through to the next and coming one step closer to winning the grand prize. Your Great Escape helped to refine the concept before turning it into a reality. By producing and screening a dramatic introduction video, as well as music & video stings throughout, an authentic TV studio atmosphere was created. Our very own Colin Moody presented the show alongside two directors from Fairpoint, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats in suspense.

Event Outline:

• Dates: December 2011
• Duration: 18:30 – 22:00
• Venue: Kilhey Court Hotel, Wigan
• Format: Evening game show
• Guests: Approx 300 guests

Client Objectives:

• To create a besoke elimination style gameshow
• Event should be based on luck, therefore not favouring those more physically able
• To involve everybody in the game
• To create an entertaining show, even for those knocked out of the game
• To make this the best Fairpoint Christmas party yet

Outcomes:

The event seemed to excite Fairpoint’s guests, with plenty of enthusiastic interaction and continual cheering throughout. With company directors going head to head, a comical and light hearted mood was maintained throughout. Challenges involved kangaroo boxing, batak pro, Hawaien limbo and gold cup horse racing. As the number of remaining participants reduced they had the opportunity to take part in some games themselves in the final rounds. The last contestant standing placed a bet on the final game which was based on chance alone – only to be beaten by a wildcard drawn from a hat at the last minute, which meant that with a little luck, anyone could come back into the game and win (as was the case)!

Feedback:

“I just really want to thank you and the team for turning my vision of what I thought the night could be into a reality. I have received so many great comments on how they thought that the night was the best Christmas Party yet at Fairpoint, which is brilliant. Thank you for working with us with our weird ways and always changing things. Please thank Colin as he made the evening come together!”

BSI Meetings and Events contracted Your Great Escape for a third year running, to deliver a series of nineteen family fun days to take place over five consecutive weekends. Stretching from the south coast of England to the east coast of Scotland, two events were held each Saturday and two each Sunday, wherever possible keeping travel distances and carbon footprint to a minimum between each.

The client was looking to develop upon a previous series of six family fun days which Your Great Escape delivered in previous years, with the principal changes being more venues with smaller groups at each. The desired results were venues closer to employees’ homes, and more intimate and involving events.

Working closely in partnership, Your Great Escape provided activities and event management services, while BSI organised the venues, website and registration and steered the overall direction of the contract.

It was important that each of the events were delivered to the same specification, ensuring guests at any venue experienced the same high standard of activities and entertainment.

Event Outline:

• Dates: July/August 2011
• Duration: 11:00 – 16:00
• Venues: x19 events nationwide
• Format: Have a go activities, entertainments and formula fun team building
• Guests: Approx 200 supply chain staff and families at each event

Client Objectives:

• Extend a thank you and reward staff for their hard work and loyalty
• Create a sense of community amongst workers who only meet briefly each week
• Entertain and excite adults and children of all ages
• Make the event accessible to staff which work in all areas of the UK
• Develop an activity suitable for  all adults and children attending to take part in simultaneously

Outcomes:

Arriving mid morning employees and their families could take part in activities such as segways, a bungee run, archery, an inflatable assault course and climbing wall. Following a well earned BBQ lunch, guests were organised into teams ready to take part in Formula Fun. Formula Fun was designed specifically for the client, and is therefore a great alternative to traditional family fun day activities. It involves building and decorating a pedal go kart, before taking part in races, all hosted by a professional compère. For those less energetic, they could enjoy the spectacle or take part in other activities such as craft stalls, beauty treatments, bouncy castles and face painting.

Feedback:

The client was pleased with the outcome and intends to run the events for a fourth year running, following the new format. The challenge is to refine venues and locations, whilst creating a new fully inclusive afternoon activity which adults and children can take part in together.

So what does that boil down to? Well frankly it means more events to choose from, in more permutations than ever before. This means you can choose any event, and we’ll endeavour to get to know your business before recommending how we can make it bespoke to you, tying in with current themes/topics important to your team.

A great recent example of this is an event we’re currently putting together for a pharmaceuticals client due to take place in Bristol this February. Ideally they wanted an event based on the apprentice – but somehow shoehorning a chocolate workshop and movie making exercise into the mix.

The result is three events in one. Teams will be challenged to create and brand a new chocolate product whilst considering their core business values. This will involve an expert chocolatier to teach them the process of luxury chocolate making, before they create their own unique chocolates. They are then challenged to brand it and produce a 30 second TV advertisement all within just one day! The event includes our own Sir Aly, a professional chocolatier, professional videographer, event team and props for the movie making element. It will culminate with a live screening of the TV advertisements after dinner, and the all important results!

This is just one example of how we can take a brief, and work hard to bring great concepts together to provide exactly what you’re looking for.

So here is our resolution – a willingness to take on exciting briefs, pulling together the best of what’s on offer, to deliver you the most exciting and effective team building events on the market!

To see the case study for this event please click here.

Whilst some of our newer, complex events take several months of planning, here we have given an example of what goes on at Your Great Escape, just a day or so before a typical team build event.

A couple of days pre-event, we contact our clients to confirm any last minute changes such as timings and participant numbers. This allows us to check instructor:participant ratios, and ensure that we have enough equipment. Once this is completed, the information is handed over to an event manager, who will start to get all the equipment together ready to be loaded onto transport. Generally speaking this includes checking out uniform for staff, an event manager (EM) “rescue box” which includes a megaphone, pens/paper, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, prizes/medals, accident/incident reports forms, risk assessments and insurance certificates. The EM’s rescue box is designed to include everything he/she might need on the day.

In addition to the above, there’s the inclusion of event gazebos, chairs, tables, poles and bunting, all of which create a comfortable and safe environment where participants can shelter from any inclement weather. We also include complimentary bottled water and sweets.

On the day, once on-site, our event manager will usually touch base with the venue and the client if they’re available before set-up. Then it’s a case of erecting gazebos and bunting before laying out the activity equipment itself. Set-up usually takes a couple of hours, and we always work to being set and ready one hour before the start time. This allows us to carry our pre-event checks, and run through any scoring methodologies with instructors before the group arrives.

Once the event has ended, it is paramount that all equipment is packed away correctly. As this is done, we carry out visual maintenance checks to identify if anything has sustained damage which needs to be repaired prior to the kit going out again. This is usually a fairly quick process, and more often than not we’re packed away within 1-2 hours. When the equipment returns to the office, we unload, the EM either undergoes a debrief, or completes an EM’s report form, so we can follow up with our client post event. Finally, we always request event feedback from our clients in order to improve wherever possible and maintain the best possible standards.

So there you have it… in a nutshell!