This session will focus on all things events! Since the pandemic started, hundreds of mass participation events across Scotland and the UK have either been cancelled, postponed or converted to a virtual setting.

We are pleased to welcome a selection of speakers from UK events companies to give their opinion, top tips and ideas for events going forward - watch this space!

Confirmed speakers:

Nicky Homes - Commercial Director for The Great Run Company

The Great Run Company own and operate some of the largest mass participation sports events in the UK, including the Great North Run and the Great Scottish Run. The running series accommodates over 200,000 participants ever year and helps to raise over £25m for charities. 2020 has been a huge challenge, with all events cancelled, but The GRC have had some success with a virtual running offer. To date almost 60,000 people have signed up to the Great Run Solo virtual challenges. Nicky and her team are now focussing on how they continue to provide inspiration to those who have taken up running over the last 6 months and how they ensure their programme returns bigger and better when it is safe to do so.

Karen Sterling - Head Trainer for Blaze The Firewalking Experts

Karen Sterling is the Head Trainer at Blaze, and has been firewalking for 27 years and has almost 2500 firewalks under her belt. A registered nurse for 22 years, 11 of them as a sister in an intensive care unit, she transitioned to managing Blaze full time when her husband, the founder of Blaze, Martin was diagnosed with a GBM brain tumour in 2008.

Until the Covid pandemic lockdown, Blaze were providing an average of 100 fundraising firewalks throughout the UK and Ireland, helping thousands of amazing charity supporters raise funds for causes that are close to their hearts. Hear Karen talk about how Covid impacted their 2020 events and how your charity can get involved with Blaze in 2021.

Antonia Ward - Partnership Director, GSi Event Ltd

Antonia has been Partnership Director at GSi for the best part of 11 years and is a member of the senior management team. She has a background in corporate sales, national account management, sponsorships and partnerships, having previously worked for Mars UK in London.

GSi Events Ltd manage and deliver 12 running event brands around the UK including Edinburgh Marathon Festival, their flagship event which attracts over 35,000 entrants every year. Their other running events brands include Run Bournemouth, Scottish Half Marathon, Scottish 10K and the Supernova series to name a few.

GSi Events Ltd work with over 500 affiliate charities and since 2014 their events have raised £20 million via the JustGiving platform alone. Working with charities continues to be a significant focus of their long term business strategy, constantly improving and innovating their charity entry platform 'justrunning.com' in order to maximise charity fundraising income via their events.

Antonia will talk about the impact of Covid-19 on their events, how they adapted, learnings from virtual events and plans for next year.

In her own time, Antonia lifts weights, plays ladies hockey (represents the more mature ladies on the team!) and can't wait until mass participation events can resume in all their former glory once again.

Paul Cooney, CEO, The Kiltwalk

Paul Cooney joined Kiltwalk in 2015 as CEO to help drive the re-launch of Kiltwalk which had been rescued by philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation.

Every penny raised by fundraisers goes to the charity chosen by each individual walker – with a crucial twist. Sir Tom added a 40% bonus to all fundraising between 2017 and 2019 and he announced that would increase to 50% at the start of this year. In fact The Hunter Foundation doubled all fundraising to 100% during this pandemic and we will hear how nothing stops the Kiltwalk.

Paul is an award winning radio & TV broadcaster and former Managing Director in the key Scottish market for the UK’s two biggest radio groups Global and Bauer. But he says working with the totally dedicated team at Kiltwalk, The amazing Hunter Foundation and thousands of inspiring Scottish charities gives him the biggest buzz of all.

This session was planned to take place in person, venue TBC, however due to the coronavirus crisis, this session will be virtual.

This session is FREE for everyone during the current climate. For access to great benefits and the Community SIG sessions for free, why not sign up to be a member of the IoF for just £85 per annum?

Please send any questions about the event or membership options to: scottishcommunity@institute-of-fundraising.org.uk