Keystone Conference & Event Management

05/06/2024

It’s been a busy couple of months here at Keystone and what a fantastic couple of months it’s been! The Scope Disability Awards took place at the end of April, followed by the Amnesty International UK Media Awards in May. And we were delighted to speak at Affinity Futures Courageous Conversations 3 conference to share our learnings on creating accessible events.

Being a small team means we do really integrate with our clients and so it always feels especially important to us that the events we deliver are everything, and more, that they’ve been hoping and planning for.

We’re now focusing on SPVSCongress 2025 which will launch in July and looking for new projects to work on so we’d love to hear from you if you have an event you’re looking for help with.

https://keystone-group.co.uk/

02/06/2023

We’re so proud to work with Amnesty International on their annual Media Awards.

We’re so proud to work with Amnesty on their annual Media Awards. Hosted by BBC’s Maryam Moshiri, Amnesty Media Awards 2023 were held in April at Amnesty International’s UK headquarters and simultaneously live streamed. Celebrating the best human rights journalism published and broadcast over ...

17/02/2023

We had a fantastic time at SPVS (Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons) Congress 23. After a busy 9 months of planning, arranging and co-ordinating, from 26th to 28th of January we could be found at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole managing 5 streams of non-clinical lectures and workshops, an exhibition of 58 sponsors and exhibitors, and a fun-packed social programme including a virtual horse racing network event and 1930’s themed gala dinner.

Here’s just some of the great feedback from the 500+ delegates:
https://keystone-group.co.uk/spvs-congress-23-we-love-you/

We had a fantastic time at SPVS (Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons) Congress 23. After a busy 9 months of planning, arranging and co-ordinating, from 26th to 28th of January we could be found at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole managing 5 streams of non-clinical lectures and workshops, an exh...

24/12/2022

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas from all of us at Keystone.

01/12/2022

We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all the wonderful acts who performed at Saturday's Cirencester Advent Concert. You were amazing!

A Splash of Red
Just Katy - Singer & Entertainer
Sundial Theatre
Lost Luggage
Young Performers: Dance & Musical Theatre Classes
Stagecoach Performing Arts Cirencester
Megan Strachan-Soprano

And our fantastic host Vernon Harwood.

Cirencester Town Council

26/11/2022

Great day managing Cirencester Advent Concert. And yes we are wearing Christmas jumpers and santa hats in November! Cirencester Town Council Cirencester Parish Church

19/08/2022

We’re loving this sunny weather and what could be better than taking your event outdoors!

Outdoor events can offer greater flexibility, creativity and fun, but there are extra details to consider which can make outdoor events more complex than indoor.

Here’s a few tips to help you plan the perfect outdoor event...

https://keystone-group.co.uk/the-great-outdoors/

We’re loving this sunny weather and what could be better than taking your event outdoors! Outdoor events can offer greater flexibility, creativity and fun, but there are extra details to consider which can make outdoor events more complex than indoor. Here’s some points to consider: 1. Does your...

26/07/2022

We absolutely loved managing the 2022 Cirencester Business and Community Awards, in conjunction with Cirencester Chamber of Commerce and Cirencester Town Council.

The evening commenced with a drink’s reception at Whitewall Galleries, followed by the awards dinner hosted by Vernon Harwood at the beautiful Parish Church of St John Baptist and brought to life by Barn Theatre, where over 200 guests enjoyed the finest local food and drink from The Cotswold Platter Co, Corinium Ales and Talking Wines.

As you can see even Charlotte got in the on the act!

https://keystone-group.co.uk/portfolio/cirencester-business-and-community-awards/

Cirencester Parish Church Church of St. John the Baptist, Cirencester
Kay Ransom Photography

27/06/2022

Although we’ve never been called shrinking violets here at Keystone, we generally don’t like to shout about our work. However, we were so pleased with the feedback from May’s SPVS VMG Leadership and Management Conference, we couldn’t help but share….

https://keystone-group.co.uk/say-it-loud/

27/05/2022

Nothing beats the anticipation of an event that’s just about to start – all the months (and sometimes years!) of planning are finally coming to fruition.

https://keystone-group.co.uk/the-anticipation/

Nothing beats the anticipation of an event that’s just about to start – all the months (and sometimes years!) of planning are finally coming to fruition. The Keystone team have had varied pre-event management lives that sometimes – dare we say it – involved projects and deadlines that slippe...

22/04/2022

With 3 very different events coming up in the next 3 weeks, we could easily fall into the trap of jumping from task to task with the aim of getting as much done as quickly as possible.

However, although multitasking might seem like a great way to get a lot done, some research suggests it can negatively impact your effectiveness in the workplace.

So we’ve taken the advice offered in the following article that reminds us that we perform much better when we focus fully on one thing at a time:

https://www.verywellmind.com/multitasking-2795003

It’s a busy time of year, but we can’t wait for the next few weeks, to remind us why we love event management so much.

Find out more about our recent work at https://keystone-group.co.uk/ or contact Jeanette at [email protected] to chat about how we can help you with your next event.

08/04/2022

The past couple of years has seen the appearance of legions of platforms offering the ability to run events online. As event managers it’s been incredibly important to assess what each one can offer to ensure we match the right platform to the right event.

Functionality and ease of use often wins out over whizzy, yet inadequate visuals. We’ve found that sometimes there’s no need to overcomplicate matters and the use of Zoom or Teams can create a successful events for 10 to 10,000. When you need that bit more – such as streaming multiple live sessions concurrently, connecting delegates with sponsors and exhibitors, and managing registration – we’ve found systems such as Eventsforce and Whova to be excellent replacements for face-to-face events.

Now that we’re heading back into live events, it’s great to also use these platforms to enable hybrid events for those that can’t attend in person, and also incorporate additional technology such as event apps and hands free check-in to make the most of events whilst there.

Find out more about our recent work at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

01/04/2022

Accrington Stanley? Who are they?

Exactly! Accrington Stanley are just one of over 30 football clubs calling for a change in football in the UK through the Fair Game movement.

Keystone were delighted to work with Fair Game on their manifesto launch at AFC Wimbledon and live via YouTube. Charlotte was particularly happy to don an Accrington Stanley shirt for the occasion!

Find out more about our work with Fair Game at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

17/03/2022

In the third in our series on Keystone pets, here’s a lovely photo of our Senior Event Manager Duschanka with her gorgeous pup ‘Billy’.

Billy is the most chilled of pups, which is we are sure because of Duschanka’s calm disposition

Duschanka’s personable approach and can-do attitude mean that clients, delegates, sponsors and exhibitors can rest easy in the knowledge they are in the safest of hands before and during any event.

Find out more about our work with SPVS & VMG at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

09/03/2022

When managing awards, it can be tricky to get the judging panels together – particularly when the panellists are as busy and high profile as some of those judging the 2022 Amnesty Media Awards, such as BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg and Nihal Arthanayake, Channel 4’s Seyi Rhodes and Times Radio’s Matt Chorley.

By running the judging sessions remotely, less time is required of the judges, and it also enables us to involve judges from all over the world – like Smita Sharma, last year’s 2021 Amnesty Media Awards Photojournalism winner joining us here from Delhi.

Although the Awards were able to be judged remotely, we’re very much looking forward to our judges and finalists joining us for the ceremony at the Amnesty Human Rights Action Centre in London. We’ll also live stream the ceremony via the awards website, enabling us to celebrate the winners and their stories with a much wider audience.

Find out more about our work with Amnesty at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

02/03/2022

After last year’s online Congress, we are excited to be returning to a live event with the SPVS VMG Congress 22 in May, and for the first time at the fantastic state of the art ICCWales

We’ve had the privilege of managing this 2-day leadership and management veterinary conference for the past 9 years. With 6 lecture streams plus workshops, fun social events and outdoor activities and a lively exhibition hall with 60+ sponsors and exhibitors – there’s plenty to organise!

However, we will still manage to let our hair down (a little) at the Friday night party.

Find out more at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

And don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

SPVSVMG - Veterinary Management Group

24/02/2022

In the second of our series on Keystone pets, here’s Director Charlotte with puppy Ziggy. There’s nothing they enjoy more than getting out for some fresh country air and catching up with fellow walkers.

In work as in life, as much as we’ve loved being able to connect people via online events over the past two years, we can’t wait to get back to face-to-face events.

Having overseen the entry process and judging, May will see us managing this year’s Amnesty Media Awards ceremony. By holding this as a live event at the Amnesty Human Rights Action Centre in London, we’ll be able to connect the awards finalists, judges, and those who help enable Amnesty carry out their vital work around the world. We’ll also live stream the ceremony via the awards website, enabling us to celebrate the winners and their stories with a much wider audience.

Find out more about our work with Amnesty at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

And don't forget to like and follow us on social media.

16/02/2022

We’ve been so lucky to work with some fantastic charities including Amnesty International, Mind, and Citizens UK, some of which have stayed with us for many years.

Here's just a few useful tips we’ve picked up along the way.

https://keystone-group.co.uk/four-tips-for-successful-charity-event-planning/

10/02/2022

We are great animal lovers here at Keystone, and although it may not be true that all pets look like their owners (although you might think differently), we certainly think they have similar characteristics.

Here’s a picture of our Senior Event Manager Jeanette with her loyal pooch Rosie. Both share a sunny personality and equal enthusiasm for the biscuit tin!

Our fondness for animals is one of the reasons we love working with The Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) and the Veterinary Management Group (VMG formerly VPMA), managing their annual CPD training programme including their 2-day annual conference for the past 9 years and counting!

Find out more at https://keystone-group.co.uk/

And don’t forget to like and follow us on social media.

02/02/2022

What makes an amazing event?

After 2 years of virtual events and remote networking (wow has it been that long!), we are all desperate to meet, learn and network face to face again.

As we begin to step out from behind our desks the need to create meaningful, memorable events is more important than ever.

And with Covid still very much part of our lives we also need to feel safe.

But how do we achieve this?

Whether it’s the venue, speakers, entertainment or hopefully all of these, the event needs to be exciting to make people want to be there.

Now more than ever, people want to genuinely connect with others. There needs to be the right mix of business with social, so everyone can relax and enjoy themselves.

People want to feel special – from an event managers point of view this means a warm greeting where nothing is too much trouble, but can also mean carefully thought through personal invitations or seating plans.

Safety in mind:

People, on the whole continue to feel safer at live events where all attendees have been checked for proof of vaccination or tested on the day of arrival, in line with Covid protocols.

Although it is very much down to personal responsibility, we can also encourage mask-wearing from all attendees.

It’s important to consider the amount of space and ventilation available when choosing a venue, along with how they address hand sanitisation and cleaning.

Ultimately, there will always be some people who will not feel safe to return to live events, so we can set-up a virtual alongside the live event or offering recorded content after the event.

Find out more at https://keystone-group.co.uk/. We'd love to speak to you.

06/07/2021

We’ve been so busy planning next years SPVS & VMG - Veterinary Management Group - Veterinary Management Group Congress that we forgot to tell you about this year!

We were absolutely chuffed to bits with the 600+ visitors who joined us for the 2 day event on 13-14 May, where they could…

* Attend over 37 sessions across 5 lecture streams along with Friday afternoon workshops.

* Explore innovative products and services from over 30 sponsors and exhibitors in our virtual exhibition hall.

* Network and meet with fellow delegates, exhibitors and speakers using our chat forums, in-platform social media stream, messaging and video conferencing.

* Visit our wellbeing hub dedicated to mental and physical wellbeing – watch pre-recorded tai chi and yoga sessions along with information, links and podcasts from organisations including The Wildlife Trusts and Vetlife.

All managed by yours truly – including event marketing; delegate and exhibitor registration and management; programme development, speaker management and lecture live-streaming; along with commissioning, building and managing the virtual platform through Eventsforce.

We are SO looking forward to returning to a live attended event in January 2022 at the state-of-the-art Conference Centre ICCWales. Watch this space for further details…

12/01/2021

We’re really pleased to be kicking off the year by addressing the incredibly relevant and vital subject of sustainability.

Working with our clients SPVS and
VMG - Veterinary Management Group along with Vet Sustain we are holding a 1-day live webinar 'Sustainability in Veterinary Practice'.

We’ve pulled together a diverse range of leading sustainability speakers from the veterinary practice world and beyond including, Rosie Brandreth-Poynter, Vet and Great British Bake-Off Semi-finalist; April Sotomayor, Investors in the Environment (iiE) and Professor the Lord Trees, previous member of the House of Lords EU Select Committee and the EU Subcommittee for Energy and Environment and current Co- chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare.

We look forward to hosting the above along with the 15 other speakers on the 27th of January for a day of live and interactive lectures, all of which will be recorded and made available for viewing after the event.

Well that’s January sorted!

Find out more about our virtual event expertise at https://keystone-group.co.uk/portfolio/virtual-events/

05/10/2020

We have had the privilege of working with the fantastic Amnesty International UK team on all aspects of their prestigious media awards ceremony since 2015.

From handling the initial call for entries and the development of the awards website to taking online entries and managing the judging process. We are also responsible for creating the ceremony showreel, drafting the script and overseeing production on the night.

Of course, this year’s been a little different – traditionally held in front of a live audience, we needed to create an engaging online ceremony in its place!

On the evening of Wednesday 30th September, guests were invited to attend the event via an online platform, with the 2020 awards virtually presented by a number of high profile journalists who were also judges of the awards, including BBC News’s Tina Daheley, Channel 4 Unreported World presenter Seyi Rhodes, VICE UK’s Zing Tsjeng and BBC News’s Clive Myrie.
https://amnesty-media-awards.org.uk/

09/07/2020

We're really looking forward to our virtual meeting with Dan at Eventsforce this afternoon to discuss how their software can help us provide even better virtual events.

30/06/2020

Well the last couple of weeks have been a bit of blur with the lead up to our first virtual conference – SPVS VMG Focus on our Digital Future Virtual Summit, on the 23rd of June.

Using the fantastic Whova virtual conference platform we created an incredibly interactive day with over 250 attendees, 45 different community board chats, a virtual exhibition with 13 sponsors and exhibitors, 11 live lectures delivered across 2 lecture streams, all topped and tailed with 2 hours of yoga!

https://keystone-group.co.uk/virtual-events-r-us/

SPVS-VMG CPD Events

30/03/2020

Not that we like to refer to ourselves as old dogs, but we’ve certainly had to learn a few new tricks in this new landscape.

We’re now a dab hand at video conferencing using platforms such as Zoom to replace face to face client meetings. More importantly these platforms are enabling us to produce remote courses through live Webinar and pre-recorded downloads. We’re even keeping our delegates informed and hopefully even a little entertained through speaker podcasts!

https://keystone-group.co.uk/who-said-you-cant-teach-an-old-dog-new-tricks/

11/03/2020

Protection the environment is one of the most important issues facing us today and at Keystone we are always trying to improve the sustainability of our events… here’s just a few things we’ve incorporated…

• Requesting delegates to provide their own re-usable coffee holders and water bottles
• Providing delegate information in a digital format only
• Rewarding delegates for using public transport or lift sharing
• Work with venues to provide recycle facilities

We’re also really proud to have introduced a whole ‘Sustainability in Practice’ lecture stream at this year’s SPVS VMG Veterinary Conference along with ‘Greening up the Vet Profession’ regional CPD – with leading environmental speakers from both within and outside the veterinary profession.

And of course, we like to walk the talk…here’s just a small selection of the re-usable cups to be found in our office.

14/02/2020

SPVS VMG Congress 2020...

1 world class resort hotel Celtic Manor
2 nights
3 days
3 Wellbeing award winners
5 lecture streams
22 networking dinner quiz teams
54 speakers (including Clare Balding)
72 sponsors and exhibitors
380 New York banquet guests
500 delegates

Phew...and we loved every moment of it.

Congress 2021...bring it on!

13/02/2020

13/02/2020