Apologies in advance.....I have had a few drafts sat here doing nothing, so I thought I would publish them anyway.........this was supposed to be dated November 2013....whoops!!
Oh I do love a good
Awards ceremony, and there are so many to choose from, the question is which
ones do you enter?
Since 2010 when I entered and received ‘Highly Commended’ award at the UK Events Award
ceremony, I knew it was a great way to let people know what you and your
business are about. So once I joined Cuffe & Taylor in the same year, I
wanted to enter the most relevant ones that would gain the most exposure and credibility
within the industry.
As the business grew, I was a complete menace for photos – I
would shove poor Daniel into as many photos as possible to ensure that we displayed
a united front, when it came to the founding directors. He would curse me up and
down, but I smiled it off knowing that it would give me plenty of material to
share when filling out the forms and questionnaires. Now Peter on the other
hand was extremely compliant, and was in no way shape or form camera shy –
which helped me to bully Daniel…sorry Daniel
Another tip to ensuring the awards entries stood a good
chance was to obtain testimonials
Here are a few that I got back;
We have had the pleasure of working with Susan since
2012, her attention to detail both during and pre-event really does make a massive
difference to not only to the success of an event but to delivering a safe site
for staff, contractors and ultimately all in attendance. Susan remains calm
under pressure and always looks upon everything with a level impartial head
making the right decisions in a timely manner which is a quality only the best
of event managers possess. I believe Susan will excel in whatever role she is
set and is an asset to any company.
“From the moment we arrived on site we felt in professional
hands. Albeit from the main contractor perspective, comprehensive pre-planning
was obvious and our load in proved trouble free. A nice balance of efficient
yet practical safety management certainly assisted us with our schedule. As was
the story of the 2012 summer, an atrocious weather forecast for the show
weekend made for very challenging conditions for everybody concerned. Yet
despite being relatively small, the Cuffe and Taylor team expertly handled each
demand placed upon them. From my regular visits to the specialized mobile event
control unit, Susan’s [Burns] calm demeanor and precise communication was
clearly evident, and she commanded the safety of three events with an unbridled
fortitude not seen since Margaret Thatcher took on and crushed the trade unions
during the 80’s. Susan and the rest of the Cuffe and Taylor team displayed a
refreshing approach to event safety management and long may that continue.”
Gavin Scott (Star Events Group
Ltd).
“G4S were contracted to work on all of Cuffe
& Taylor’s outdoor events in the summer of 2012. From our initial meetings
we knew they were a company that put the Health and Safety of the general
public first on the list of priorities. Their attention to detail prior to the
events meant that on the event days, things ran like a military operation.
Susan Burns, Head of Operation for Cuffe and Taylor is Event Control at all
events, her ability to communicate effectively, clearly and calmly ensures that
all relevant information is received and acted upon.
Throughout the summer, there were many
challenges faced, not due to lack of planning, but due to adverse weather
conditions, on each of the challenges Susan ensured that all areas of the arena
were aware and constantly updated of what the situation was – this enabled any
situation to be dealt with little, or no disruption to the general public.
I would recommend the Event Control services of
Susan Burns and Cuffe & Taylor to anyone who cares about holding a safe and
secure outdoor event. I look forward to working with them again on their summer
2013 events”
Ray Critchley - Freelance Health & Safety Advisor IOSH
tech NEBOSH
“A multi-skilled professional, Susan is an asset to any
production or event as her communication skills combined with an attention to
detail ensure that Susan's leadership is non ambiguous and gets the best from
fellow colleagues and crew. Coupled with a personable character Susan develops good
working relationships with clients and organisers and adds that
"reassurance" element that is vital for a client to experience during
their production. I'd have no hesitation in recommending Susan to head up
operations on any event, a true professional less
February 14, 2014, Ray was with another company when working
with Susan at Cuffe & Taylor Event Management Limited
Vivien wood – LINKEDIN - Tourism Officer at Fylde Borough
Council
“I have worked with Susan since 2010 in connection with the
Lytham Proms Festival in her role as Operations Manager. She is a charming
person, she is personable, courteous and very efficient. I would have no
hesitation in recommending Susan for employment within any events organisation.
Susan attended our local authority meetings with regard to the H&S aspects
of the Lytham Proms, she was an asset to Cuffe & Taylor and gained a great
deal of respect from her colleagues and business acquaintances.
Susan has a smile for everyone and is ready to roll her
sleeves up and get stuck in to achieve results.
January 24, 2014, vivien was Susan's client
The Awards that I entered the company in was
UK Events Award 2011 – Best Small Event for Lytham Proms
Festival Weekend 2011
Red Rose Awards
UK Festival Awards – online campaign for Blackpool Tower
Festival Headland 2012
The Green Awards – LEP – Lytham Proms Festival Weekend 2013
Event Production Awards
Lancashire Tourism Awards 2011, 2012 & 2013
Best Business Awards
BIBAS – Winners of The Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 and
Finalist for Best Small Business Award 2013
So as you can see the amount of exposure that is gained from
entering Awards, can be endless! My only caveat would be to enter the right
ones that match your business Strategy or Mission Statement.
Good Luck!
