Posts in category: News

For those that follow me on social media, you will see that I recently had some new brand shots taken by the wonderful Yolande de Vries. I am not a fan of getting my photograph taken, but I do understand the power of brand and how, as my business is me and my name, the importance of people feeling they can relate to me.

I am super happy with the results, and it is a testament to Yolande with her skills of putting me at ease and subsequently getting some great shots that really do reflect me, my personality and my brand.

This got me thinking about the power of brand, especially as someone whose name is above the door, as it were, like me. My clients invest in me, my knowledge and expertise and even though I work with many trusted suppliers, the buck always stops with me.

For others in the same position, you will understand that this can come with quite a lot of pressure which can manifest in various ways (hello, hospital visit last year), so this year this is something I am very mindful of. I am constantly checking-in with myself about my workload and making sure I don’t take too much on, which can be hard.

I must be strict with myself and know my limitations and say no when needed, which as a business owner can be a difficult word to say, but probably the most important one. And, touch wood, it’s going well! March was exceptionally busy getting plans in place, but I gave myself an end goal of a week off to rest and recharge. This is something I would have probably not done before and just ploughed on through, so I already feel that I am working at a different pace. And I know that my work will be better for it.

Returning to my photos, they are casual and real and that is what I want to perceive. Yes, I am very professional and deliver events to an exceptionally high standard, but I am also approachable, love a natter and a cuppa and get stuff done – which is what my pictures reflect.

Often, when we start out, we have an idea of how we should look for our clients and try and mold ourselves to that, but as we evolve, we realise that being ourselves and letting the work speak for itself is everything.

Maybe it’s an age thing, but I feel very happy in my own skin, and I am super happy with how my business is going. It is busier than ever, and the events are incredible, but I am strict with my balance and ensuring I am in the best place to deliver these events. It feels good! I still don’t like my picture being taken very much, but instead of stressing, I understand it’s all part of the process and at the end of the day, people buy from people and I need to be my most authentic self.

As a destination for events, it’s hard to top Oxford. Now, I may be a little bias as it’s on my doorstep, but this city really does have it all!

Oxford’s biggest draw of course is the fact that it’s steeped in history and is beautiful with its cobbled streets, riverbanks and some of the UK’s oldest buildings. It has a magical air about it, which adds to the experience when hosting events here.

However, it’s not all olde world. Alongside the historical landscape, Oxford is a world leader in university education and has an array of venues to suit all sorts of events together with several new venues, hotels and restaurants all offering incredible variety and options.

As an event planning professional, having the opportunity to mix both the new and old is a wonderful option to have, as many of the colleges are perfect for hosting a variety of events and accommodating guests. They also add that air of nostalgia and exclusivity.

Oxford’s newest hotel opening is the long-awaited 5-star Store Hotel boasting 101 bedrooms, a rooftop bar, a spa and several event spaces. Opening in May in what used to be Boswells of Oxford, the city’s oldest department store which dated from 1738 and closed in 2020, this new luxury lifestyle hotel will provide guests with a wonderful base for their stay in Oxford. The Store combines with The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels, an elegant and historic Oxford landmark, to complement the 5-star offering in Oxford. There are also a handful of small boutique hotels all with individual touches and interesting event spaces with the Malmaison Oxford, on the site of the old jail, offering a quirky yet luxurious option.

Activity-wise, there is something for everyone. You can sit back and relax while punting along the beautiful River Thames and Cherwell or cycle along the cobbled streets and riverside paths or allow your creativity to flow and paint the stunning buildings of Oxford perched on the riverbanks. Recently I assisted with a music meditation experience at the Holywell Music Room, the oldest custom-built concert hall in Europe which can be hired for conferences, weddings and lectures. This was an amazing experience for all, and my first.

The beauty of Oxford is that you can walk everywhere! One summer, I organised a company offsite for 450 Norwegians in Oxford. It was an amazing event to be a part of. Guests stayed at three colleges – Pembroke, Queen’s and St Anne’s – and participated in a variety of activities both in and out of Oxford. We hosted a wonderful Edwardian Ball at the Oxford University Museum of National History and a finale event at Oxford Town Hall, which was fabulous. The guests loved how quintessentially English Oxford is and loved being able to walk the cobbled streets to each destination or activity.

Recently I freelanced on the Skoll World Forum hosted by the Skoll Foundation who are dedicated to building a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all. For the last 20 years they have hosted this global forum in Oxford, pretty much taking over the whole city – over 1,700 delegates attended this year! My role as Evening Events Assistant was varied and took me to a wonderful range of venues – 25 in total – across the city providing dinners and experiential events in restaurants and colleges.

In September, I am working with an American company on their CEO Forum for 55 people in Oxford. They will be staying for two nights at the Malmaison Oxford with the Forum taking place each day at Christ Church College, just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, and a dinner in the semi-private area of the Cosy Club. Once again, their mode of transport will be their own two feet, and I’m really looking forward to seeing their reaction to Oxford and hearing their thoughts!

As well as the city itself, Oxford is the gateway to the Cotswolds, has Blenheim Palace and Waddesdon Manor within easy distance, and is one of the best places in the UK to live and work.

Do let me know if you have visited! It will be great to share some experiences

There have been some fabulous new venues open recently including Raffles London at the OWO, The Peninsula, The BoTree and The Broadwick Soho in London, The Post Barn near Newbury in Berkshire and Port Lympne’s stunning new Orangery. It is so exciting visiting these new venues and seeing the potential of their event spaces – it certainly gets the creative juices flowing with possibilities….

There are also more on the horizon for 2024! Here are a few I am really excited about!

The Other House, Covent Garden

This new luxury hotel is going to feature a pool, gym, wellness studios and a rooftop terrace, together with some amazing dining venues such as The Other Kitchen Cafe and the Owl & Monkey Cocktail Bar. Consisting of seven separate historic buildings, including a former rectory, with plans to include a four-storey internal glazed atrium and an additional three-floor extension, this new hotel is going to be a definite must see for me!

The Zetter, Bloomsbury

The Zetter Bloomsbury will be the first new property from the Zetter Hotels group in 10 years. Fusing together six 300-year-old townhouses to create the hotel, it will be located just steps away from the British Museum. With plans for a gym, alfresco garden restaurant and terrace, and 71 guestrooms, there will be a Georgian aesthetic for the interiors with antique furniture and restored original detailing.

The Orangery at Blenheim Palace

In 2024, the doors to Blenheim Palace’s revitalised Orangery are opening for private gatherings. It will be the ideal setting for private parties and celebrations, a variety of corporate events and more. The Orangery, restored to its former glory, now embraces a captivating bar area and seating arrangement for up to 120 guests. The designers have successfully merged contemporary chic with timeless charm, which has amplified the allure of this stunning historic venue, creating a unique and memorable exclusive event destination. It’s just on my doorstep and I can’t wait to explore!

Kin House, Wiltshire

Nestled in the pretty village of Kington Langley in north Wiltshire, Kin House is a Grade II listed manor house set among walled gardens and private woodland. Available for exclusive hire, this stunning house will be able to host everything from woodland lunches and workshops to team retreats, launch events, photoshoots and beautiful celebrations for up to 200 people.

Jacuzzi, London

A place with a definite wow factor is new restaurant, Jacuzzi in west London. Spread over four floors and with 170 seats, this stunning space is crammed with Italian treasures from Roman statues to Murano glass! It is definitely an amazing option for very special events, and don’t even get me started on the food – it looks and sounds divine!

In the wonderful world of events, we are not very often in the here and now as we are planning future events, which is definitely the case for me as I’m busily organising summer conferences, retreats as well as Christmas parties.

Yes, you read that right. I have a good few Christmas party emails in my inbox that I am working on. This early planning seems to be indicative of the year ahead.

Last year, many people said events were back, but for me it feels very much like 2024 is the year when they are fully back, especially in the corporate world. Budgets are getting approved and signed off early doors and action is happening whereas there still was some hesitancy this time last year.

As you can appreciate, this is music to my ears, but it also a reminder to be cautious and manage my mental and physical health. The main thing that 2023 taught me is that I need to get the balance right as I occasionally took on too much, which then effected my overall health as a result.

I am in a very good position that, on the whole, I don’t have to go out tendering for work – the work comes to me through previous clients and recommendations. This is fabulous and something I am truly grateful for, and together, with all the years of work and networking this has paid off.  But I have learnt to say no, manage expectations and know what my limits are.

I was recently on a forum with other event professionals and mentioned that I organised and planned 35 events last year – a combination of venue finding only projects and event management – and the reaction was shock that it was so many! For me, it felt fine and normal, but this year I am going to limit myself to 30 as I know I can fully commit and give each event my best work and, make sure I am healthy.

I have also decided to give myself more pats on the back this year, which I never used to do. Before Covid I always used to gravitate towards the negative and concentrate on the things I didn’t do! Over the last few years, I haven’t been doing this and am so much happier and confident in myself! Yes that’s right – you heard it here!

As for trends for next year, interaction is so important. No one is doing bog-standard power point presentations anymore (thankfully!), and events now have a feature to make them memorable and interesting. This can be an activity, a play on branding or a giveaway for example.

There will be a big focus on AI too in terms of supporting event management. A lot of the large events already use apps to aid the user experience so this is something I will be learning about and reaching out to my network for support and education.

I think with the advancement of tech in events, it is all about getting the balance right and making sure events still remain personal but use the tech to ease experience and make them slick.

So, for now I am very happy planning a number of events, and love the variety on my books (conferences, awards, retreats, international events, Christmas parties and more!) I am not at my 30 capacity yet, mind, so if you need a helping hand, do get in touch!

There are some clear trends emerging for 2024 that all event professionals will be thinking hard about. I will be consistently speaking to friends and colleagues in the industry to ensure I am abreast of all expectations and demands from people who attend events to make sure I am putting on the best events I possibly can. The events world is ever evolving, which is why it is so exciting, and there are always emerging trends and demands coming about. Below, I’m going to talk about my top trends for next year and their impact on our industry:

Sustainability, accessibility, inclusion and diversity are non-negotiable

These four pillars are the crux of any event! For me, I will only work with suppliers, venues, entertainment and staff who uphold the same values in this space as me. There is simply no excuse not to be relevant in these areas and to make sure your offer is as sustainable, accessible, inclusive and diverse as possible.

Personal attendee experience

There is a growing trend for individuals to have a more bespoke experience at events, which I believe comes down to a personal touch. This could be something as simple as a hand-written note waiting for you in your hotel room (something I have experienced and is quite lovely!) to a dedicated agenda in line with your needs and interests. Making someone feel valued as an individual compared to a blanket approach can work wonders for engagement and overall experience so it’s always something to be considered.

The importance of mental wellbeing

For 2024, there is a huge focus on promoting emotional wellbeing for all attendees and making sure their needs are understood and met. This may include spaces at events for neurodiverse attendees or having sessions covering mindfulness and providing wellbeing and wellness activities, such as yoga and wild swimming. I have seen a significant rise in retreats, which is hugely appealing to a lot of people as it allows teams to relax and recharge as well as work in often stunning locations.

Local is key!

A very important thing for me is supporting and promoting local businesses and I am proud to have always done that in my business. This ethos is also shared with a lot of people hosting events. In both the private and corporate worlds, there is a great want to use local suppliers and support businesses in their area. This is a fantastic thing to see as it allows these often-small businesses to be seen and elevated and allows the event host to be able to talk about their desire to support their local area.

The rise of ROX

If you haven’t heard this term, it means Return on Experience. When clients hire me to organise and plan their event, they are looking for a return on their investment as well as a return on the experience! they are also looking for this. They want their guests to have a memorable experience, to make connections and to feel positive during and after the event. It is all about emotions and feeling and if you can curate that magic, you have cracked it!

If you need a helping hand planning an event for next year, do get in touch as I would love to have a chat about your plans and discuss ideas with you

Quite a few of my clients have never used an event professional before and are dipping their toe into the events world, so it is my job to make the experience as clear and enjoyable as possible.

Over the years, I have honed how I work with clients and I am astute to their personality types quite early. I have people who give me a top line brief and just want me to go and get on with it, and then others who want to be involved in every single detail along the way – and both are totally fine, as long as I prepare for that.

When a new client approaches to work with me, the first thing I will do is arrange a call or a Zoom, or if local to me a catch up over a coffee, to check we are aligned. Being trusted to run someone’s event is a very personal thing and, as much as I want to check I can work with them, they need to make sure they want to work with me, as often we’ll be in each other’s pockets for the weeks and months leading up to the event.

As in life, sometimes the energy is off and that’s fine. It’s nothing personal from each side, but I always trust my instincts and if I feel it’s not the right partnership, I will politely decline. This hardly happens at all I have to say!

Once we have the kick-off meet, we both get to ask questions and get a feel for the event. It is here I ask about the objectives of the event, why it is happening, what outcomes they want, and what are their priorities. Of course, this ranges considerably for corporate and private events, but the big things that don’t change are feelings and how people want their attendees to feel during the event.

Often, the client can be a little overwhelmed as there are so many moving parts and it is my job to calmly go through each element, address any watchouts or things that can’t be achieved, so we get a realistic plan on both sides. Once we are both happy with the brief and timescales, I get to work!

This is when I start dipping into my list of venues, suppliers and contacts. Part of my role is to be on top of venues, know of new openings and refurbishments. Clients love taking people to a new venue, so I always make sure I am as up to date as I can and spend a lot of time visiting venues to potentially work with. Often, during the kick-off session, I have several venues and suppliers in mind, and I start doing a mind map of the event and who could be involved.

This is great as I can call on tried and trusted suppliers, and venues, that I know will deliver to a premium standard in line with my values. I start making the calls and enquiries and provisionally booking in the important things first: venue, suppliers and any headline act.

Once the venue and suppliers are booked, I can then dive into the detail, which I love. This is where the little touches happen and the things that guests remember and comment on. Of course, all is budget-dependant, but there are definitely a few tricks of the trade I can bring to the party!

An important thing is to keep talking to the client every step of the way, so they feel they have got full visibility on what is going on. This makes them feel at ease, involves them in all decision making and together, we see the event come to life.

The last few years have been a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least with 2021 a real struggle in the events industry due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, so last year was spent catching up and delivering events at full pelt to make up for lost time and revenue!

This, however, does have an impact, and so I know I don’t want 2023 to leave me feeling as frazzled. Hopefully I have now got myself back on an even keel from the pandemic. So, when the invite to my friend’s wedding in Australia arrived for early January this year, I took it as a sign of starting the year in the best possible way. And I was not wrong.

Me of old would have thought it too risky or I would be un-committed to take a few weeks out at the beginning of a new year, but this year, I knew my business was in a good shape, plans were well underway for events and for me to go into the year in the best possible way, I needed to take this amazing opportunity. And, luckily, I could combine it with some work as there were some venues I wanted to visit for research purposes. Win/win.

I can’t express how valuable that time was for me. To have the sun on my face and be with my precious friend during her most magical time was wonderful and I am so glad I didn’t miss it. Being in Adelaide and visiting the surrounding countryside, vineyards and beaches afforded me time to regroup, think and get really excited about the year ahead. I have to say, I have come back full of vigour and I am raring to go.

The wedding was stunning – a beautiful Bridgerton themed event – and being by my friend’s side was priceless.

And my mental health and business are all the better for it.

This is a big learning for me to make sure I start each year well. I would utterly love to start every year in Australia (you never know!), but I know I now need to ease in as much as possible. Especially as the years are busy. I need to start the year as I mean to go on and setting intentions is paramount for success, I feel.

2023 has already kicked off with a fabulous clients’ networking event in the beautiful Conservatory at The Barbican, which was wonderful. I have also received numerous venue finding and event enquiries already, so 2023 is looking bright and positive!

Do you set intentions? How does it work for you?

2023 kicked off in superb style for me as I was lucky enough to be named as one of the 100 female entrepreneurs in f:Entrepreneur’s #ialso100 2023 campaign!

This campaign celebrates female business owners from all over the UK and recognises and celebrates the plate spinning and many elements that female business owners juggle on a daily basis. I really love this, as I feel the one-portfolio career has somewhat diminished over the years, and a lot of women are wearing a few hats in their professional and personal life, and that needs to be applauded.

Even though ‘on the tin’ as it were, I manage events. When you dig deeper, there are so many facets to that including venue finding, budget management, commercial negotiation and staff handling. These are all skills I have acquired over the years and brought together under the Lucy Claire Events arm in order to offer a professional and diligent events service.

Alongside that, as those who follow me know, I am heavily invested in working my dogs and training them and spend a lot of time in this community. For me, this is something I have always loved and a perfect day for me is spent on beautiful heather moorland somewhere in the north of England or Scotland with my dogs. This is the best antidote to the busy events world I am in most of the time and has saved my sanity on more than one occasion!

Having balance, I have learnt, is key, and it is interesting speaking to fellow female business owners at the same stage in their journey as me, who also acknowledge that this is of growing importance. You can still be incredibly successful and manage your mental and physical health at the same time. And you should. It is so imperative to have balance and forget the gung-ho attitude that a lot of us had in our youth in terms of working constantly.

I am genuinely so excited to meet my fellow 99 f:Entrepreneurs that made the #ialso100 2023 list! Having read about them, I am in awe of their stories and achievements and I am so excited we will be lucky enough to go for afternoon tea at the House of Lords on International Women’s Day to raise a glass to this incredible achievement.

It is not lost on me that women start their own businesses for many reasons, and so many of those reasons are not positive: the lack of childcare support, the lack of flexibility given by employers to women returning to work after having children, accessibility needs not being met, lack of support for mental and physical health needs. I could go on. These are all the catalysts for women to start their own business and to be in charge of their own time and needs.

To do this takes enormous guts and I feel there is no one more powerful than a woman on a mission to succeed. So, I salute all of the incredible female business owners out there and I am so very proud to be among you.

As the year draws to a close and I’ve managed to get all my events and associated tasks done for the year, I finally have time to reflect on what has been a great year for Lucy Claire Events.

This time last year, I was reflecting on a really tough 2021 and, in all honestly, I didn’t know how 2022 was going to go. It was an uncertain and nerve-wracking time, but I am so thrilled that 2022 has exceeded my expectations and next year looks to be even better.

What has been so wonderful for me this year is being able to curate and witness incredibly magical, in-person moments. Whether that’s a boss being able to treat their team and thank them for all their hard work, a family getting together to celebrate missed celebrations or friends and colleagues just loving being together again.

Each event is incredibly special, and it is not lost on me how lucky I am to organise such a diverse range of events that are so personal and special to so many people.

This year has been hectic, no doubt, but there have been some real stand-out events and moments. Here are a few of my top ones below and a huge thank you to everyone that has worked with me this year – I am extremely grateful.

A Founders Retreat at Wasing Park

Back in May, I worked with an American venture capital client to organise a retreat for 55 founders of start-up companies from all over the world at the beautiful Wasing Park near Newbury. To supplement the wonderful accommodation on site, we set up a glamping area with lovely green field views. Guests were given little touches such as hot water bottles, storm lanterns and eco-friendly bath products, and also experienced an African drumming session, a moonlit walk, wild swimming and a sauna each morning followed by yoga.

Safe to say, everyone had an amazing time – let’s hope we can do something again next year. Watch this space!

Natural History Museum

As far as venues go, it doesn’t get much better than the Natural History Museum. It was an honour to organise two events for two different clients in the same week in the Earth Halls. The first was an Appreciation Evening for my client’s clients with a private viewing of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition as well as music from a lovely string trio. Then, I was back for an evening with Ben Fogle with another client, which was definitely one of my highlights of the year. What an inspiring man!

San Sebastián

A massive treat this year was working with the fab Sammy Daniels from Connect Ventures on a trip for the team and their other halves to the stunning San Sebastián. They ate, drank, surfed, hiked, drank and ate some more (including a 15-course tasting menu!) and had an incredible time. Definitely on my list to visit next year!

Stockholm

In August, I headed to Sweden for the first time and utterly loved it! I was there freelancing for another events company with a group of 19 people and I loved how easy Stockholm is to get around. The food, drink, speed boating around the islands and ice sculpting were amazing!! Everyone had a fabulous time.

Awards Dinner at Four Seasons

In October, we organised our client’s European Women In Finance Awards at Four Seasons London Ten Trinity for 120 guests. The ceremony was held in the stunning Merchants Hall with guests enjoying a drinks reception and delicious dinner. I’m very happy to say we received some fabulous feedback!

Dinner at The Courtauld

This was a magical event, and I loved every minute of it! It started with a drink reception accompanied by music from the Southbank Sinfonia, followed by a delicious dinner courtesy of Bubble Food. The venue was just incredible with its six galleries showcasing some of the greatest and most-loved works from The Courtauld’s collection from the Renaissance to the 18^th Century. Very memorable indeed.

Are you a glamper? The rise in popularity of glamping has been incredible, and it is definitely not limited to those wanting a bit of luxury at a festival anymore. Glamping is a viable option to add space, capacity and a fantastic dimension to an event.

A recent corporate retreat I organised at Wasing Park proved how invaluable glamping is. It not only offered guests a great experience and luxury but as an events planner, crucially, allowed for more bedroom space!! This can be a real game changer for venues to offer higher capacity events.

Glamping is a treat and offers people the excitement of camping and the fun that goes with that, but includes those luxuries that are super appreciated in a field: a bed, mirror, duvet, table! Gone are the days of crouching in a tent with a shoddy compact trying to put your mascara on!

The glamping industry is booming (the global glamping market size was valued at USD 2.35 billion in 2021!) and alongside the home-from-home luxuries, glamping companies are seeing the potential as an incredible add on to existing venues – especially ones with grounds! Gone are the days where capacity is just how many bedrooms a place has, there is now the opportunity for glamping companies to swoop in and accommodate a lot more people, meaning venues are able to attract larger audiences, and therefore larger ticket prices. A win / win.

Glamping is definitely feeling more the norm with many people opting for it over traditional camping, especially in the over 30s where there is more disposable income. People are wanting that added comfort in the great outdoors and who can blame them.

Getting your gang together for a glamping holiday can be incredible and with companies now offering add-ons such as classes and lessons (eg yoga, axe throwing, foraging etc), it can be a fabulous experience for all. In the corporate world, leaders are seeing the benefits of glamping for retreats and away days, much like at Wasing Park, where they could sauna and swim in the lake and head back to their glamping site!

It would have arguably been a step too far to suggest a corporate away day in a traditional camping field with the shared loo and shower, but with glamping taking the edge off, people are definitely exploring it more.

Do let me know your experiences – are you a glamper? Or just glamping curious?