Connection Crew

26/06/2024

It is hot work, setting-up amazing events for amazing clients up-and-down London and the UK at the height of the - to all our teams on site, we salute you! Wear sunscreen, drink plenty of water and if you need to cool off, imagine you are crewing in the North Pole like last month ❄️

20/06/2024

The stage is going up and the sun is shining down today in Trafalgar Square. Shout-out to all the crew supporting the build for an epic celebration of London’s most loved musicals this weekend ☀️

30/04/2024

🏃‍♂️ What an electrifying weekend it was at the London Marathon the weekend before last! 🏃‍♀️

With 118 of our crew members on site, we delivered a whopping 360 shifts.

From supporting the set up and build, to the derig and returning the streets of London to normal, our crew worked around the clock to help make the London Marathon an unforgettable experience for everyone involved!

A gigantic shoutout to the event production incredible team at Massive for their exceptional work managing the London Marathon. Working alongside them is always a joy, and they continuously pull off mind-blowing events, including the marathon year after year.

Here's to all the organisers, the runners, the family and friends cheering them on, the people behind the scenes, the early risers, and the late shifters. 🏅👏

26/04/2024

Yesterday, we were shouting about a Social Enterprise. Today, we're the ones being shouted about!

Thanks to Matt Grey at eventdecision ®, who took some time to talk about Connection Crew and the social and environmental impact we provide our clients, when he sat down with Broadsword this week.

If you don't know, Connection Crew is part of event:decision's amazing tool which signposts companies towards making their events more sustainable across all aspects of environmental impact, social impact, and governance.

You can check that out here: https://lnkd.in/eWxHCSUn.

If there's a chance to shout about good practice and making events more sustainable, Matt will be there, flying the flag for the good work of so many s and companies focused on doing great things in the industry.

Yesterday, he was at Delegate Wranglers On The Road at the National Theatre, talking about event legacy.

Thank you for sharing, Matt!

https://youtu.be/iGk4q-ZRsyA?t=1613

As we dive into the future of events, it's time to think beyond green. Matt Grey, Founder of event:decision, sat down with Broadsword to discuss sustainabili...

19/04/2024

We've been running our first Academy of the year this week.

In case you don't know, our Academy is a 3-day training course for people affected by homelessness who want to build skills + confidence before starting work, where they learn all about events crewing and get hands-on to learn technical skills.

Every graduate of the Academy is guaranteed an interview to join Connection Crew.

How do we do this?

We work with referral partners who connect us to people who are facing barriers to work. We run outreach sessions, training programmes, and a mentoring scheme to help people thrive in our crew.

12 people graduated from our Academy yesterday, and we've offered 8 of them a job with us!

Congratulations to every one of our Academy graduates!

22/02/2024

When our clients say we're the best kept secret in crewing 😎📣

In a recent testimonial, James Alexander - the Venue Project Manager across all London venues for Encore - EMEA said:

"Connection Crew are quite simply the best crew company in London, with 20 years in the industry I have know many companies. Connection are effortlessly my go-to. The best kept secret in the industry, they shine brightly on every call."

Working with James and Encore is always an absolute pleasure! Thank you for your amazing endorsement.

13/02/2024

Mary's out here collecting her crown as the Queen of Pancake Day!

With Charlie lending a hand for some flips, she served up the most AMAZING pancakes for the office this afternoon.

Aren't these like something out of a magazine? If you weren't there, you definitely missed out!

It's official: the Operations team is the home of heroes!

Thanks Mary!

01/02/2024

"It's alll good!"

Sometimes means, I need a chat.

"It's not toooo bad..."

Sometimes means, I'm not doing so great.

We've had these posters around the office for a few days now, and we're going to leave them up for a long time.

Because...

Sometimes we need a reminder that we can say the "other" bit of the sentence out loud.

Sometimes we need a reminder that we can have a chat.

Sometimes we need a reminder that other people might be feeling the way that we are.

Sometimes we need a reminder that someone will listen.

Sometimes we need a reminder that whenever you're in need is the right time to talk.

And sometimes we all need a reminder that "Not toooo bad..." sometimes means something else.

Today is Time to Talk Day.

It's a reminder, not a one-day-a-year event.

24/01/2024

News just in: We've been shortlisted!!

Thank you to Access All Areas and MashMedia for shortlisting us for Best Crew Provider at the Event Production Awards 2024!

Congratulations to the other nominees. We can't wait for the awards!

What a way to round out the first month of 2024.

22/01/2024

The days are getting longer, and we're getting a taste of warmer weather (at least, a glimpse of it!).

It's got us thinking of summer ☀️

So what else to share but a throwback to Glasto 2023?!

We worked with the incredible team at 808 Create on the BBC Glastonbury stage. To say it was an epic time would be an understatement!

If you're looking for an amazing crew to take you through those epic builds, get in touch now! 😎

[email protected]

17/01/2024

We're devastated to hear the news that Soho's The House of St Barnabas is closing its doors after 10 years.

Over the past decade, it played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of over 300 individuals affected by homelessness. Through innovative programs, it helped equip them with invaluable skills, fostering resilience and opening doors to brighter futures.

Its impact extended beyond its doors, enriching the landscape of social enterprises and charities in the UK and continually energising the mission to end homelessness and provide opportunities for people who find themselves furthest from the job market.

Fighting for social justice, it was a force of good with unwavering commitment to create meaningful employment for anyone who faced barriers to work.

The loss of such a stalwart will be felt across the Social Enterprise UK and Charity communities, and to us at Connection Crew as we acknowledge the invaluable contribution they made to our shared mission of ending homelessness.

Before the curtain closes, we’d like to salute the House of St Barnabas and their remarkable team for their outstanding achievements and express our deepest gratitude to the members, supporters, and everyone involved.

A void will be left.

15/01/2024

Meet Charlie!

You'll recognise her voice from many of your calls (and her name from your emails!).

She looks after all your needs throughout the booking process - from initial contact through to project close and beyond.

Charlie has been with us since 2021, starting as a crew member, moving on to senior crew, crew chief, duty manager, all before she joined our Client Services on a full-time contract in 2023.

Now, she's taken on a permanent position handling our front-end here at Connection Crew!

Congratulations Charlie!

21/12/2023

As we head towards the end of the year, we wanted to let you know that our main office will be taking a break from 1pm on December 22nd until 9am on January 2nd.

Our fantastic Duty Managers will be on call throughout the festive period to handle any bookings or assist with your needs.

If you have an enquiry or need to get in touch, please call 020 7231 8117 and press "2".

The main office team will jump straight back in in the new year, ready to kick off 2024 on a high note.

Wishing you all a warm and wonderful holiday, surrounded by family and friends.

07/12/2023

When Mary makes a roast, it's gonna be good!

Thank you for making Thursday so much more exciting with an absolutely delicious lunch to keep us going in the office!

A "Mary" Christmas to all.

05/12/2023

We're looking for an Accounts Administrator to join the Finance team, based at our South Bermondsey HQ.

If you're:

- organised
- love working in a lively and informal environment
- looking for an office based role
- looking to grow and build skills
- and want to make a difference in the world while you do...

This is the job for you!

Apply today and be a part of our mission to tackle homelessness. 🚀

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3775612509/

30/11/2023

T-minus 6 hours and counting until the Social Enterprise UK Awards!

We're so proud to join other finalists tonight to celebrate the impact of social enterprises in businesses - making a positive difference in people's lives and doing good business at the same time!

We're a finalist in the 'Education, Training and Jobs' category, raising the lid on the 200,000+ hours worth of work generated for people affected by homelessness since we first launched 18 years ago.

Good luck to all finalists and shout out to those in our category Cockpit Mental Health First Aid England Upturn Enterprise, The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN), and The Women's Work Lab 🎉

And here's to our clients who are fundamental to helping us support more people who face social disadvantage!

Wates Group, BBC, KCD, Johnson & Johnson , Underbelly, We Are Massive, CBRE, Production Bureau Ltd, The Luna Cinema LarMac LIVE and Projects, Media 10 Ltd, BFI, BAFTA and our whole client community!

29/11/2023

Thank you, Adam Parry, Leanne Griffiths, and their panel chair, Alistair Turner for taking our very own Camilla's question at Event Sustainability Live.

They didn't stop there!

Asking Camilla tell them more about what we do (and why we do it!).

You'll find it at 24m30.

Discussions like these are so important, because they raise things that people might not have thought of, and give a platform for people making a huge difference in the industry.

Thanks, Adam, for the invite to speak next year about being a social enterprise in the event space and how things are changing in the industry 😉

We'll see you there!

With Alistair Turner, Eight PR; Adam Parry, Event Industry News & Event Sustainability Live and Leanne Griffiths from GES.Video produced by our friends at Fi...

16/11/2023

Happy Social Enterprise Day from the Connection Crew team! 🎉

Today, we're not just celebrating - we're shouting from the rooftops about the incredible change social enterprises bring!

Choosing businesses that give back makes a real difference in the world.

Case and point: Last year, s in the UK reinvested £1bn over to help people and planet.

In 2025, we'll be celebrating 20 years of being a Community Interest Company (CIC), committed to helping people who have been affected by homelessness.

On , and every day, we’re proud to be part of this growing strength in British business.

Join us today in celebrating the community!

31/10/2023

👹🕸️ When our client services team gets into the Halloween spirit, expect a BOO-tiful response to your inquiries!

Don't be spooked by our disguises, claws, and spells!

They're still here to provide fang-tastic support.

Give Charlie and Stacey a 'ghoul', and they'll 'haunt' down your queries in no time. 👻

25/10/2023

How do you know you've got an amazing event in the making?

In two words: Connection Crew!

From set up to tear down, we're often the unsung heroes of events (even if we do say so ourselves 😉).

We're the boots on the ground, come rain or shine, concrete or mud, doing what we do best so that our clients' events can lift off without a hitch.
..And come down in time for the next one!

From the London Marathon, to the Coronation, to the rest of the 18,000+ events we've crewed over the past 18+ years.

That's us. It's what we do. And what we love.

So, if you're thinking of how to make your event the best...

You know where to come.

23/10/2023

How often does an event make positive social impact?

For us... It's every single day.

We’re a social enterprise that's employed everyone from baristas to doctors to rocket scientists.

But at the heart of it, our mission is about changing the lives of people affected by homelessness.

We do that by giving people life-changing opportunities, no matter their background.

Out here making positive social impact every day.

21/09/2023

Honoured and Humbled! 🌟

We're so proud to share this incredible testimonial from one of the Social Enterprise Award judges at the EN Supplier Awards.

"Connection Crew have defined what a social enterprise should look like, few and far between within the events and exhibition industry.

With an admirable mission, impressive numbers and a seeming knack for identifying those who can fall through the gaps & how they can add value to our industry and to society, I commend not only your efforts but also your results.

Well done!!"

🙌

It's an honour to be recognised for our commitment to making a difference to people's lives.

Don't forget to follow us as we continue pushing boundaries, creating impact, and building bridges across industries and society.

Thank you for your support! 🤗💪

11/09/2023

We're hiring!

Are you an ACCA accredited Finance Manager with 5+ years of accounting and 2+ years of payroll experience?

Looking for your next challenge?

Join our award-winning Social Enterprise and make a difference in people's lives!

Learn more and apply now 👇

https://ow.ly/2WcO50PK28P

06/09/2023

Another normal day out on site...

It was for Thang and the rest of our stage crew at London Pride back in June!

Colour us jealous! They met Rita Ora and even got some signatures - both for the hi-vis and our headhunting campaign! Thanks TBWA\London for the amazing design!

Coolest hi-vis at Connection Crew, we think! 🙌

04/09/2023

The news is out...Connection Crew is a finalist at the Social Enterprise UK awards!

We're so proud to be joining fellow trail-blazing social enterprises making big impact for people and planet (and delivering big for clients too!)

We're up for the 'Education, Training and Jobs' award and on a countdown to 30 November when the winners will be revealed...

Wish us luck, and we're rooting for all our social enterprise friends and colleagues recognised for driving positive social outcomes and environmental impact!

Check out the full story here: https://ow.ly/i22250PHvvU

01/09/2023

Shoutout to our incredible crew, who helped build and deliver Junction 2 Festival 2023 in July! 🙌

Summer = Festival Season 🥳

And this one was EPIC!!

31/08/2023

Massive shoutout to the dream team from Allianz – Claire Tyler, Ben Truesler and Kyran Spalding - who've been working with us to unpack how we can maximise data to make our processes (even) better!

We've dived deep into systems thinking, decision trees, process mapping and spent a whole lot of time getting to know and love , too!

Super-boosting what we offer clients and how we can take them from *zero crew* to *hero crew* in less time than it takes to make a cuppa ☕

And not forgetting who made the connection possible 👏

We've loved learning with you guys - thank you!

30/08/2023

We're building extraordinary events, making meaningful impact, and winning awards along the way! 🌟

As *the* social enterprise crewing events and exhibitions, we're more than your expert pair of hands.

From the Coronation to the Jurassic World Exhibition and MAD Fest, we create the biggest and most creative experiences.

But that's only part of our story.

We're driving positive change by supporting people who have experiences of, or are who are at risk of, homelessness, providing access to training, mentoring, and jobs.

In 2023, we're taking our award-winning achievements to new heights.

Have a look at this: https://connectioncrew.co.uk/2023/08/29/connection-crew-wins-the-social-enterprise-award-at-the-exhibition-news-supplier-awards-2023/

And stay tuned for more amazing things to come from Connection Crew.

🚀

22/08/2023

So this happened...! 🤩

We couldn't be more proud of our crew and team who work tirelessly to support people who've had experiences - or been at risk - of homelessness to access training, become work ready, and join as crew.

Massive thanks to Exhibition News and the judges for this award!

And huge congrats to all the finalists and winners, championing the value and dedication of suppliers that make the big events happen 👏

17/08/2023

T-minus 17 hours and counting until the Exhibition News EN Supplier Awards!

We're so proud to be nominated for the Award, and we can't wait to join folk from across events and exhibitions industries to celebrate the best suppliers going!

The ones lifting, shifting, imagining, creating and pulling together the big numbers.

And a special shout-out to our fellow nominee EventWell who together with Connection Crew are also driving positive social impact into exhibitions 🎉

Wish us luck!