Blog
Experience Abu Dhabi – Review
One of our Project Managers, Craig Charles was recently invited to experience some of what Abu Dhabi has to offer from dazzling luxuriant hotels and restaurants to some awesome activities. Here’s how he found the capital of the United Arab Emirates…
Black History Month
To celebrate Black History Month this year, we tell the stories of pioneering black figures who have had a significant impact on the history of travel and transport.
Experience is Everything – Episode 5 – Erin Davey-Barrow
In the latest episode of our podcast we say hello to our (relatively) new Director of Events, Erin Davey-Barrow and find out lots more about her. She tells us about her childhood ambition to be an athlete, working on the 2012 London Olympics, setting up recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios and some of the challenges she’s faced in running events in the past, some of which include man’s best friend!
Sustainability in Events
With an ever-increasing amount of scrutiny over carbon footprints, running a successful event while remaining “green” might seem like a difficult feat. Thankfully we’re here to help, with some top tips to consider when planning a sustainable event.
Christmas Party Planning
You’d be forgiven for thinking it may be too early to think about the Christmas season, but for many businesses the festivities have already been planned and the company party has been confirmed. If you haven’t even thought about your Christmas event now could be the perfect time.
Schools In – the latest trends to look out for in corporate events
The corporate event landscape is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging all the time. As we head back into school season, here are some of the latest trends to be educating yourself on for the (academic!) year ahead…
Building bonds through events
Meetings and events are a great way to build relationships. Well-planned and executed meetings and events can provide a unique opportunity to connect with people on a personal level, learn more about them and their businesses, and build trust. And who knows, you might make some friends along the way!
Tracking Events ROI
B2B events can be a great way to generate leads, build relationships, and increase brand awareness. However, without the right approach from the start, it can be difficult to really monitor a return on investment. Here’s some tips to get you started!
Going offsite
As businesses continue to look for ways to improve their productivity and creativity, going offsite has become even more appealing. With this in mind, here’s our top four reasons to consider taking your next meeting out of the office
Experience is Everything – Episode 4 – Craig Charles
In the fourth episode of the Experience is Everything Podcast, we chat with Project Manager, Craig Charles (not that Craig Charles, our Craig Charles) about his childhood dream of becoming a pilot after a trip on Concorde, his work at a cruise company that would later inspire his career in events, Lego sets, Marvel movies and (nearly) wearing his wife’s trousers to the biggest event that Gray Dawes Events has ever put on.
Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
On Saturday 10th June, an intrepid group from Gray Dawes travelled to the north of England to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for mental health charity Mind – enduring a gruelling hike up the Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough mountains.
Business Travel Awards 2023
We’re delighted to announce that Gray Dawes has been shortlisted for not one, not two, but THREE Business Travel Awards.
The Future of Meetings and Events
The meetings and events industry is constantly evolving. Here at Gray Dawes Events, we keep a close eye on the trends that are shaping the industry and the world at large.
Event budgeting – a beginners guide
Keeping track of your event budget can be a challenge. If not carefully (and we mean carefully) controlled, it’s very easy for event budgets to spiral out of control as factors you may not have thought of pop up. Thankfully, we’re here to help!
Experience is Everything – Episode 3 – Elle-Mae Martin
In this episode, we chat with Event Exec Elle-Mae Martin about her childhood dreams of life becoming a dance movie, helping put together the G7 summit and how her own career is already pretty movie-worthy. Plus she shares what it was like putting together our largest ever event.
4 Reasons to Run Incentive Trips
Incentive trips are a great way to reward employees for their hard work and dedication. Plus, offering your team the chance to go on a fantastic trip is a great way to motivate employees to achieve their goals and objectives. Check out some of our top reasons to run incentive trips.
The Office Management Show
We’re delighted to be exhibiting at the Office Management Show on April 27. The event is taking place at the The Thistle, Marble Arch and we’d love to see you there.
Venue Spotlight: Pavilions of Harrogate
The Gray Dawes Event team recently ran our largest ever event at the Pavilions of Harrogate, and this stunning venue did not disappoint.
Experience is Everything – Episode 2 – Saffron Mattu
In the second episode of the Experience is Everything Podcast, we chat with Saffron Mattu to get a glimpse into a week in the life of an Events Executive. We find out all about Saffron’s dreams of fame that led her to advertising Dell laptops, her pathway into a career in events, casually rubbing shoulders with Gallagher brothers and Spice Girls, and much, much more.
Let them eat cake (or maybe not)
Feeding your attendees for success. Don’t be as misguided and out of touch as Marie Antoinette. Carefully consider what food you serve up for your meeting or event attendees, with both dietary requirements and nutritional benefit in mind, and you’ll be on the right track to event success… and avoid a metaphorical beheading from your attendees!
Experience is Everything – Episode 1 – Katie Whitby
In this first episode of the Experience is Everything Podcast, we caught up with Katie Whitby about her childhood dreams of riding into the danger zone like Maverick, tearing up the streets on scrambler motorbikes, sharing cars with Wimbledon legends (though never getting an invite!) and extreme multitasking at ultra-fancy weddings.
Questions for your next event
Our team has a wealth of experience in managing events, so we know the things you need to ask (yourself and others) to make them a success. Thankfully for you, dear reader, we’ve distilled our years of experience down into a handy cheat sheet that you can use as a starting point when planning your next event.
On Demand Webinar: How to Create a Seamless Event in 2023
No matter what size your organisation is, planning a corporate meeting or event is no easy feat. Having the voice of experience in your corner can make all the difference. Join our upcoming webinar for some top tips and tricks for making the most of your event experience.
The Rise of Gen Z
Gen Z have a different set of values and communication preferences to older audiences. Given they’re expected to account for 27% of the workforce by 2025, it’s important to consider how you can create a corporate event experience that resonates with these delegates. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking.
Planning Ahead
Event planning is a complicated process. Even when putting together something as simple as team building events, it can get complicated quickly – figuring out the logistics alone is a difficult task. How much time should you give yourself to plan an event? What should you think about first? Read our top 5 things to consider.
Event Planning Tips
As life begins to get back to a new kind of normal, we have to accept that Covid-19 has changed things… and that includes how you manage meetings, incentive trips and conferences for your business. Here are our Top 5 Tips for planning a corporate event post-pandemic.
Top 5 MICE Destinations
With international travel now firmly back on the agenda, here are our top 5 destinations you should consider for your next corporate event… and one or two suggestions may surprise you!
Client Spotlight: Super Incentive In Dubai
Client Spotlight: Super Incentive Dubai Here at Gray Dawes Events we love what we do. So when one of our clients, a large multinational, approached us looking to run a super incentive for their staff, we couldn't wait to get started. After many organisational...
Spotlight: Danielle Grubb
Next up in our series of articles focussing on the incredible breadth of experience our team has to offer, we put the spotlight on Danielle Grubb, Events Team Leader at the Gray Dawes Group. With nearly 15 years experience at Gray Dawes Group, Danielle has worked in a number of different departments and has even worked overseas in the hotel industry.
A Quick Guide to Group Travel
When booking flights for large groups, juggling passengers, seats, luggage and check-in, things can quickly become a headache! Utilising a group travel expert like Gray Dawes can relieve the stress and make life a whole lot easier. Let us show you how with this quick guide.
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If you're looking to make your next event the next big thing, no matter how big or small, we'd love to hear from you.
Start a conversation with us by using the contact form on the right, or give us a call.
