Well, we don’t know about you, but this last 12 months feels like it has flown by in a whirlwind! How is it December again already? We’ve blinked and almost missed 2023!
This is probably due to the sheer volume of events and delegates that we’ve welcomed to the campus this year. We’ve hardly had time to catch our breath so now’s the time to reflect on the last 12 months and celebrate everything that our wee team has achieved. Not only have we welcomed back a number of clients such as the MASTS Annual Science Meeting 2023, ENABLE AGM 2023, Host City, SP3A Conference 2023, Mardi Gla and CMAC Open Days 2023, who made full use of our Conference Management Service, we’ve also been delighted to welcome new events to the campus including the European Political Science Association 2023, two Candlelight Concerts, the Wind Energy Science Conference 2023, the Joint Social Work and Social Policy Annual UK Conference, the 5th International Sexuality and Social Work Conference, the 41st International Labour Process Conference and Huntington’s Disease Youth Organisation (HDYO).
We were also thrilled to be chosen as one of the UCI Media Centres for the first UCI Cycling World Championships in August which transformed our venue into a hubbub of media activity with space for 360 journalists. With a front row seat to the action just outside our window, we thoroughly enjoyed the excitement of seeing the elite athletes tackle the ‘Mur De Montrose’ and watched in awe as they made it up the hill in one go, not just once, but 10 times! We struggle to walk up the hill each day never mind cycle up it repeatedly at top speed!
We’ve been incredibly lucky to have been shortlisted for some amazing awards this year including the West of Scotland Climate Action Award at the Scottish Thistle Awards in September, Excellence in Environmental Sustainability at the Academic Venue Solutions awards in December and the Best Scottish Venue and Events Team at the E Awards 2023 which we were delighted to win back in April of this year. It’s always lovely for the team’s hard work and dedication in helping our clients produce memorable events to be recognised, particularly when there are so many amazing venues and events professionals in Scotland! We’re thrilled to have one such events professional in our midst; our very own Head of Conferencing and Events, Gordon Hodge, who received a Professional Services Award at this year’s Proud Scotland Awards in June recognising his contribution to Mardi Gla 2022.
It was great to see our focus on sustainability being acknowledged at these awards ceremonies with Lesley Turan and the team keeping our green credentials at the forefront of the experience we provide in the Technology and Innovation Centre. The C&E Sustainability Team has been busy collaborating with our colleagues at Strathclyde Sport to offer health and wellbeing initiatives to conference delegates visiting Strathclyde as well as participating in Climate Fresk workshops and taking part in the University’s JUMP programme and both the Spring and Autumn Paths for All Step Count Challenge. Next year will see the introduction of our new carbon calculator which allows us to identify total carbon emissions per event and per person attending, giving us the opportunity to recommend how a client can offset these.
Lesley was also delighted to join the Academic Venue Solutions team and our colleagues from Keele University at the recent Sustainable Events Show in London in November where we were in great company with several other sustainable businesses, sharing best practice and meeting new clients.
The year has gone just as quickly for our Corporate Events team who, as well as delivering numerous graduation ceremonies in both June and November, have supported a plethora of events including University Dinner in September where we hosted almost 250 distinguished guests, the official opening of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland in June, the opening of the Jackie Kay Plaza in our Learning and Teaching Building and Strathclyde’s annual Medals Ceremony where our very own AV technician, Jose Hachuel, received a medal for Outstanding Colleague.
2023 has also brought about a few changes to our merry band of events professionals. We said a very fond farewell to our Conference Operations Co-ordinator, Wendy Brown, who had been with us since 2016. Fortunately, we still get to see her smiling face every day as she’s moved upstairs to work with our colleagues in CMAC; lucky ducks! Our other Conference Operations Co-ordinator, Fiona Dunn, is enjoying plenty cuddles with her beautiful bouncing baby boy which has meant a move for our Conference Host, Alison Connell who has taken on Fiona’s role whilst she’s on maternity leave. We said hello and goodbye to the lovely Maggie Cargill who stepped into Alison’s Conference Host role temporarily and wish her the very best of luck in her new job which she begins in January. Our Corporate Events team has also welcomed Sophie Stewart, our new Events and Marketing Assistant, who will be helping us plan some very exciting events to celebrate the University’s Diamond Jubilee next year!
With 2024 already jampacked with some fantastic events including Celtic Connections, Political Studies Association 2024, Photovoltaics Science, Applications and Technology Conference 2024, Spring Scix 2024 and the International Paediatric Sleep Association (IPSA) 2024, next year looks like it will pass by as quickly as 2023! All that’s left to say is a massive thank you to our clients, colleagues and friends who continue to come along to TIC each year; it’s a privilege to work with you all, allowing us to play our small part in making your events a success and supporting Team Glasgow in the process! Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2024!