Events Handbook. Tips for running successful NWR events. 23 Vulcan House Vulcan Road North Norwich, NR6 6AQ

Transcription

1 National Women s Register Events Handbook Tips for running successful NWR events 23 Vulcan House Vulcan Road North Norwich, NR6 6AQ office@nwr.org.uk / / twitter.com/nwruk Company Limited by Guarantee Registered Charity No

2 Day Conference, Discussion Lunch and Workshop Handbook TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction... 1 Getting started... 1 a. Your theme... 1 b. Your committee... 1 c. The speaker(s)... 1 d. The venue... 2 Finance... 2 a. Budget... 2 b. Insurance... 3 c. Donations/Freebies/Samples... 3 d. Catering... 3 Planning the day... 3 Applications... 4 Publicising your event... 4 On the day... 5 After the event... 5 Events checklist... 6 After the closing date... 6 After the event... 6 Area Event Registration Form... 7 Event Budget Form... 8

3 Introduction This Handbook offers general guidelines for planning and running your event and highlights some areas that you may not have considered. If there are aspects on which you would like more information, or if at any time you would like to discuss some detail of your Event, please do not hesitate to consult the Office, the National Organiser or any other Event organisers. Getting started Check the proposed date of your event with the Office to ensure you do not clash with other events in your Region. Also, avoid half terms, school holidays, public holidays and the National Conference weekend. Find a good speaker from personal experience or recommendation. A good speaker is the catalyst of a good event. Build the event around the topic or decide on a theme and then choose a speaker. You should quote the NWR charity number in any correspondence, cheques or publicity. Please use current stationery and information leaflets, available from the Office. a. Your theme In order to obtain maximum interest, you need.. A title which will catch the imagination. The title is very important. A topic which can be approached from different angles and stimulate discussion Stimulating, thought-provoking or even controversial speakers A more active session after lunch. Workshops could be planned for this time. b. Your committee The responsibilities which need to be covered are: Chair/Co-ordinator Speaker Liaison Treasurer Catering Secretary Centre/Venue Liaison Publicity Sponsorship You do not necessarily need one person for each job; some people can take on dual responsibilities or job-share. c. The speaker(s) Two good speakers with time for questions and discussion works well. Three speakers should be the maximum. Obtain written agreement of any commitment to attend. Agree fees and expenses for travel or accommodation. Brief speakers well in advance about NWR itself and the Conference theme. Define their specific area so that they don t overlap with other speakers. Check whether any specific equipment is required. Check whether the speakers will be coming for lunch. Always make contingency plans in case one of your speakers doesn t turn up. Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 1

4 d. The venue Some of the options are conference centres, universities and colleges, leisure and civic centres, hotels, schools, church halls. Get quotes, agreed price and arrangements in writing. Check what is included in the price, e.g. equipment like laptops, screens, heating, lighting, staff, car parking and VAT. Considerations Easy access by road, rail and public transport. Parking facilities. Facilities for the disabled. Space for maximum numbers, registration, stalls and displays, areas for discussion groups and workshops. Comfortable seating. Sufficient cloakroom facilities. Check no other event is being held which could create a disturbing noise or severely limit your time with regard to setting up and clearing up. Visit the venue with all the organising members. Familiarise yourself with the layout, location of lighting, heating or air-conditioning controls, telephones and toilets. (NB consider the number of toilets there are and the number of people you are expecting. Allow adequate time in your programme for people to use the toilets during tea, coffee and lunch breaks.) Find out what penalties you would incur if you had to cancel the event. Finance a. Budget Any budget is just a set of figures, put together as a guestimate of costs to be incurred. Bear in mind that NWR funding of up to 100 is available to cover venue hire and/or speaker costs. A form is available from the NWR Office. Agree a realistic budget with the National Organiser and set a conference fee. Use a member who has financial skills to help you.. In setting a fee, consider your fixed and variable costs and also investigate the going rate, bearing in mind what members are willing to pay and the cost of other events within NWR. Choose a realistic break-even point to cover all the basic costs. If possible, budget to refund your committee members their Conference fee or a percentage thereof - agree this beforehand. When your budget is approved, a start-up loan may be available from NWR which should be repaid as soon as you have received sufficient conference fees. On your invitations, state what you are including in the price. Members should have priority but you may invite non-members and they will be covered by NWR s insurance. Open a bank account Anytown NWR Lunch remembering to quote our Registered Charity number If you are going to set up a separate bank account do it as early as possible. Get all the signatories from the same group. Cheques should have NWR s charity number. Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 2

5 Keep clear, accurate accounts. Two people out of a designated three or four should sign cheques. Keep photocopied records of invoices and payments as details of your accounts will need to go to the Finance Manager and may need to be examined by our auditors. b. Insurance NWR has a Public Liability Policy which should provide adequate coverage for members taking part in day events. Full details can be obtained from the Office. If you feel you need to take out additional cover, e.g. for cancellation fees, you should investigate this. Non-members will also be covered by the NWR insurance. c. Donations/Freebies/Samples You may be able to obtain small donations of goods for goodie bags from local firms or from Boots, WH Smith and High Street Banks. If not, arrange a raffle. Refer possible donors to NWR s website. d. Catering It is amazing how refreshments and lunch arrangements can make or break the day. People have long memories when it comes to lengthy queues or poor food. Most events are now organised with catering included. You may consider undertaking the catering, but it does mean more work for your committee. If you want to keep costs down, consider asking your members to bring along a dish for a buffet lunch. Contract caterers can be expensive. Use recommended firms. Considerations Do the facilities offer what you need? Is there enough equipment for your use or do you need to arrange extras, e.g urns, crockery, and cutlery? Check the caterer s requirements and their menus and find out if tea and coffee and VAT is included. If offering bar facilities, do you need to provide a licence? Planning the day Plan the day as a whole. Aim for a good start and a memorable end with reasonable pace and variety between to maintain audience interest. Do not try to fit too much into the programme. You will have many ideas you wish to include in the day. Here are a few tips from the experiences of others: Decide whether you need internal signs (laminating is available from the Office). Confirm provision of staff and equipment by the venue you may need to discuss details with a technician or caretaker. Assign a member(s) as contact for the speaker(s) to arrange their transport, refreshments and introductions to other people. Plan where discussion groups are going to be held. Allow time for questions and answers. Allow time for everyone to use the toilets during breaks for coffee, lunch and tea Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 3

6 For many regular conference goers the opportunity for discussion is the most enjoyable part of the day. This can take two formats: discussion groups and open forum. Discussion Groups need careful planning. Assign group members in advance and label their name badges clearly. Make sure everyone knows the topic for discussion and where their group is. Try to brief each group leader in advance. An Open Forum needs a firm Chair who will keep discussion to the point and control dominant speakers and questioners. Displays and information relevant to the subject can enhance an event. Information from other NWR groups, bookstalls and crafts are all popular. Applications Information needed from the Application Form Name, address, telephone number and mobile phone number address NWR group Menu choice Workshop choice Special needs (disabled needs, dietary requirements) Information to give on the Application Form The full cost of the day Whom to make the cheque payable to Whom to send the form and payment to The closing date for applications The policy on refunds or cancellations The size of sae for conference information Conference information should include The menu The programme of events for the day Personalia for speakers A booklist Map and directions to the venue Information on car parking and public transport Check the viability of the event as you go along. If you run into difficulties, contact the Membership Coordinator. Think of organising a raffle to provide extra income. One of the staff or a trustee will hopefully be able to attend the event. Publicising your event The Website and Publicity Coordinator will arrange for details of your event to appear on the website and in NWR Magazine. (NB copy dates for NWR Magazine are 15 February and 15 September.) You may design and send a brief advert if you wish. Send information out to local Groups; ask the Office to provide contact details. Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 4

7 Send brief press releases to local newspapers, radio and TV stations. Send them a report of the event afterwards. Try to obtain good quality photographs of the event. These will be accepted by newspapers and can be used by NWR in the magazine and for display material. NWR has display boards, pop-up banners and publicity resources which are freely available and it is also a good idea to have a supply of resources for visiting Groups to take away. On the day Try to work to a written timetable which includes everyone s duties. Divide responsibilities evenly so that everyone has a chance to enjoy the day Make sure someone arrives early some members are bound to do so! Remember that first impressions count, and keep the registration/reception desk manned with friendly, helpful faces. Time-keeping is extremely important. Work out strategies which keep everyone to the timetable, signalling to the chair if necessary. Check small details, such as water for speakers, internal signs. Have fees ready in a card for paid speakers and gifts for those giving their services free. Provide a feedback form this is useful for future reference. After the event Write thank you letters to the speakers. Settle all bills promptly and obtain receipts. Please send a copy of your accounts to the National Organiser accounts. If there is a significant surplus when all expenses have been paid, please send half the money as a donation to NWR and keep the rest to fund your next event. Please send two copies of your programme, copies of any press coverage and any photographs to the Office for inclusion in our national archive. Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 5

8 Events checklist Decide on a date after first checking with the Office that it doesn t clash with anything else on the NWR calendar in your area Decide on a topic / approach possible speakers Decide on the programme for the day (it is usually best to have a speaker in the morning and workshops in the afternoon) Book the venue (check facilities for the disabled and kitchen facilities) Book speakers (check cancellation fees) / workshop organisers Arrange catering Decide on a closing date for entries Fill in Event and Budget forms and send to the Office (see pages 10 and 11) Design an entry form, poster/flyer, and contact the Office and the Membership Coordinator who can advise on distribution. (The Registered Charity No should appear on all documents.) Send details of the event to Groups (contact details available from the Office) Send speakers/workshop organisers up-to-date information on NWR and maybe a copy of the latest Magazine (available from the Office). After the closing date: If you do not get the anticipated number of entries, telephone Group LOs, invite Groups from further afield, encourage members to invite non-members. You can also include a raffle. Provide the Office with a list of those attending so that they can provide badges for you. Also ask the Office for display and publicity resources. Notify the local press After the event: Thank the speakers Pay the bills. Send a copy of the accounts, with all the receipts, to the National Organiser via the NWR Office. If you have a surplus, she will advise you on how much to donate to NWR the Website and Publicity Coordinator a report and photos of your event Send two copies of your programme, copies of any press coverage and photos to the Office for the archives Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 6

9 Area Event Registration Form (available from NWR website and NWR Office) Please fill in this form and return it to the National Organiser (c/o NWR Office) as soon as possible so that your event is covered under NWR s Public Liability Insurance. Please provide a draft budget with this form and send final accounts after the event. Funding of up to 100 is available towards venue hire and/or speaker costs. Please contact the NWR Office for further information. Also, non-members may be invited to events and will be covered by NWR's Public Liability Insurance. We will include details of your event in the next issue of the magazine if you provide the copy in time (copy dates mid-february and mid-september), and we will arrange to put information on our website. Area Organiser/Organising group Type of Event (Day Conference/Discussion Lunch/Quiz/Workshop) Topic/Title Speaker(s).. Venue.. Maximum number Date of event. Cost to members.. Details from: Name:.. Address:. Tel: address:.. Closing date for applications... Please return to: - NWR National Office, 23 Vulcan House, Vulcan Road North, Norwich NR6 6AQ office@nwr.org.uk Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 7

10 Event Budget Form (available from NWR website and NWR Office) EXPENDITURE Hire of hall Hire of equipment Lunch Teas and coffees Soft drinks Wine Flowers Speakers fees Printing Publicity Postage Telephone calls Travel Expenses Gifts First Aid attendee Miscellaneous PROPOSED Expenditure Income Total expenditure: INCOME * Price per member Price per non-member Donations Sponsorship Raffle/Tombola Miscellaneous Total income: *You should total your estimated outgoings, adding an extra amount for unforeseen circumstances, and divide them by the anticipated number of attendees to obtain your price per person. We aim to break even, not to make a surplus. Regrettably, Conferences can only be underwritten in exceptional circumstances. Registered Charity No Events Handbook (Revised 2015) 8