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Chantelle Dietz

London’s floral design school, The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers, will provide the table arrangements for a Diamond Jubilee lunch at St Mark’s Academy in Mitcham later today (15 May).

The event will be attended by Her Majesty The Queen, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Mayors of the 13 boroughs in south London, as part of the official Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Students on the course took their inspiration from Merton’s Lavender Fields to create the displays.

A special bouquet has been created for the Queen using Queen Elizabeth roses and a selection of lilac, pink and white flowers. 

Gillian Wheeler, the academy’s principal, said: “A royal luncheon needs to be a feast for the eyes as well as the taste-buds. Her Majesty will have seen flower arrangements from all over the world and from some of the best designers. Our arrangements need to excite the senses, have relevance to the occasion and demonstrate the best design originality.”

 This event news story was originally published at http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/bulletintest2/article/1131801/?DCMP=EMC-CONEventnewsbulletin.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Chantelle Dietz

Caterer Cooks & Partners has made it on to the preferred supplier list at the Museum of London, The Louise Blouin Foundation and the William Morris Gallery.

The company now supplies to more than 50 event spaces across London and the South East, several of which are exclusive to them.

Both the Museum of London and the Louise Blouin Foundation have recently been refurbished to the tune of around £20m each, while the William Morris Gallery in Lloyd Park in Walthamstow is currently undergoing major redevelopment, opening in time for the Olympic Games.

Simon Goggin, owner of Cooks & Partners said: “We are thrilled to have been chosen as an approved caterer by three serious cultural heavyweights. The venues are all dramatic in their own unique way and we anticipate a lot of interest, particularly from our art and media clients. I look forward to collaborating with the venues to create some of the year’s most talked about events.”

This event news story was originally published at http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/bulletintest2/article/1131811/?DCMP=EMC-CONEventnewsbulletin.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Louise Ridley

Chef Jamie Oliver joined champion cyclist Victoria Pendleton yesterday (14 May) to launch a Samsung event encouraging people to take part a virtual Olympic Torch Relay for charity.

Participants can sign up to run a mile in the Samsung Hope Relay by downloading an app on their phone and filling in their details. The app tracks their run using GPS technology, with Samsung donating £1 to charity for every mile completed. Friends and family can use Facebook to record a cheer to support those taking part.

At the launch near London’s City Hall, Oliver and Pendleton unveiled a ‘Samsung Wall of Hope’ filled with hundreds of pairs of trainers that participants could put on to complete their mile straight away on a specially-laid track. The stars also completed their own a mile round the track.

Oliver said: “The Olympic Games and the Olympic Torch Relay have really captured everyone’s imaginations, and now the Samsung Hope Relay is a great chance for all of us to take part and raise funds for some really inspirational charities in the process. I’ve done my mile and would love everyone to download the app, get out there and do the same.”

20 countries around the world will take part and the relay will support charities including Kids Company and International Inspiration – London 2012′s international sports legacy programme.

This event news story was originally published at http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/bulletintest2/article/1131741/?DCMP=EMC-CONEventnewsbulletin.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Louise Ridley

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has reopened the bidding process for Olympic Stadium tenancy, saying issues with tender documents may have “deterred” potential bidders.

The Stadium is public property and will be leased out to a tenant after this summer’s Olympic Games. The deadline to bid closed on 23 March but bids can now be submitted for eight weeks from this week, in a new time window.

The LLDC said it extended the deadline to address issues in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) which “may have deterred interested parties from bidding”, such as details of governing body approvals, technical improvements to the stadium and the opportunity to bid for the right to exploit the Stadium naming rights. It has since made a number of changes to the ITT which remove barriers that may have prevented some parties from bidding.

As previously reported in Event, the final bidders for the Stadium include the University of East London and West Ham United Football Club, which had hoped to buy the Stadium outright before its deal collapsed last October.

Andrew Altman, chief executive of the LLDC, said: “We are determined to run a process that is fair to all and delivers the best possible legacy for the Olympic Stadium. We have been very encouraged by the quality of the bids so far. However, a number of issues have arisen during the process and we believe it is sensible to give everyone more time so they can be addressed.

“We want to make the process as competitive as possible and extending the competition period will allow all parties that registered an initial interest in the Stadium another chance to bid.

“This is a significant public asset and a 99 year lease, and it is right that we take the time now to get the best possible outcome for the Stadium.”

He confirmed the LLDC was still planning to sign contracts for the Stadium in October and to re-open it with a tenant in place in 2014.

The LLDC took over responsibility for the post-Games Olympic Park from the Olympic Park Legacy Company in April.

 This event news story was originally published at http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/bulletintest2/article/1131732/?DCMP=EMC-CONEventnewsbulletin.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Louise Ridley

Welsh singing legend Tom Jones will perform the first free concert at the BT London Live sites during the Olympics, Boris Johnson announced this morning (15 May).

The Mayor of London revealed the news at the BT Tower at the launch of the BT London Live sites, which will host free entertainment, sports activities and Olympic screenings in three outdoor spaces in the capital this summer.They are organised by Live Nation and are a joint venture between the Mayor of London, The Royal Parks and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Jones will play on the main stage at Hyde Park on 28 July, the first day after the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

At the launch, Johnson said: “The atmosphere will be incredible – it’s going to be the place to be in London this summer. There will be entertainments of all kinds, kicking off with a fantastic concert by Tom Jones. All for free.”

Entry to the sites at Hyde Park and Victoria Park during the Olympics, and Trafalgar Square during the Paralympics, will be free. Guaranteed entry tickets for Hyde Park and Victoria Park can be reserved online from tomorrow (16 May).

More details were also revealed about activities that will take place at the sites. Hyde Park from 28 July – 11 August will host a music stage presented by Absolute Radio and Magic 105.4, four giant screens and al fresco sports bars, while from 27 July – 12 August, Victoria Park will offer multi-purpose sports courts, zorbing, a BT observation wheel and bungee trampolining.

London Live is also holding two ticketed celebration concerts to coincide with the opening and closing Olympic ceremonies. Duran Duran and Stereophonics are on the bill for the opening concert on 27 July while Blur will headline the closing celebration on 12 August.

 This event news story was originally published at http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/bulletintest2/article/1131819/?DCMP=EMC-CONEventnewsbulletin.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

By Duncan Mackay

May 6 – A series of changes that could signifcantly shape the future of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) are due to be discussed tomorrow when the organisation’s ruling Executive Council meets in Lausanne.

It will be their first meeting since Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah (pictured) was controversially elected as the new President at the General Assembly in Moscow last month.

He replaced Mario Vázquez Raña, who had resigned complaining that he had been the victim of a conspiracy, ending the Mexican billionaire’s 37-year reign. 

The Council, which is made up of representatives from all five continental Olympic Committees, will hear more details of Sheikh Ahmad’s vision, which he sketched out in Moscow, including making ANOC a more transparent organisation.

“It will be a new ANOC,” said Gunilla Lindberg, the secretary general of ANOC, the members of the European Olympic Committees at its seminar in Budapest recently.

“There are lots of fresh ideas.

“We [ANOC] will be much more active and cooperation with the international federations will be much more professional.”

Urgent items to be addressed, she promised, would include finding new offices and upgrading ANOC’s website. 

A questionnaire is also set to be sent to all 204 members of ANOC to see what they want from the organisation, said Lindberg.

She said: “It is so we can have an ANOC that is working for all the NOCs (National Olympic Committees).”

 This event news story was originally published at http://www.insidethegames.biz/latest/16855-future-of-anoc-set-to-begin-to-take-shape-at-lausanne-meeting.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

By Duncan Mackay

May 6 – Windsurfing has been controversially axed from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and replaced by kiteboarding, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has announced at its mid-year meeting in Stresa, Italy.

Kiteboarding has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport and has been chosen to make its debut at Rio following the report of an evaluation group appointed by the ISAF.

The decision to include it in Rio at the expense of windsurfing took most experts by surprise, including Britain’s Nick Dempsey, the 2004 Athens Olympic bronze medallist.

He wrote on his Facebook page: “Wow, unexpected.

“That was a big decision and a very sad day for windsurfing.

“My heart goes out to all the aspiring champions and kids with dreams of windsurfing at the Olympics.”

It means that windsurfing’s last appearance in the Olympics for the foreseeable future will be at Weymouth and Portland, the venue for the sailing events at this year’s Olympics.

“These announcements mark a new era for sailing and we welcome the new classes into the ISAF family,” said Göran Petersson, the President of the ISAF.

“The equipment selections have fulfilled the criteria set out by the Evaluation Panel and we look forward to seeing the boats not only at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but the ISAF Sailing World Cup and ISAF Sailing World Championships.”

Windsurfing had been part of the Olympic programme since making its debut at Los Angeles in 1984, with its most successful athletes having included New Zealand’s Barbara Kendall (pictured), who won a gold medal at Barcelona in 1992, silver at Atlanta in 1996 and bronze in Sydney 2000.

Kiteboarding claims to have its roots in 19th century England when a teacher called George Pocock invented the Charvolant”, which was used to propel carts on land and ships on the water.

But its modern incarnation is traced to Germany’s Dieter Strasilla, who in the late 1970s developed parachute-skiing and later perfected a kiteskiing system using self made paragliders and a ball-socket swivel allowing the pilot to kitesail upwind and uphill but also to take off into the air at will.

Germany’s Kristin Boese, a nine-time world kiteboarding champion, led the celebrations.

She wrote on her Facebook page: “KITEBOARDING IS FREAKING IN!!!! RIO OLYMPICS 2016 HERE WE COME!!!! oh my gosh… we can not believe it yet… so much amazing work the IKA has done over the past 2.5 years… thanks so much for everyone that has supported us along the way!!!”

The ISAF’s Council took some other significant decisions, including restoring a catamaran class for 2016, adding the Nacra 17.

It has also replaced women’s match racing event with a women’s high performance skiff event, choosing the 49erFX.

The events to be contested at the 2016 Olympics have been confirmed as:

Men’s kiteboarding; women’s kiteboarding; men’s one-person Dinghy – laser; women’s one-person dinghy – laser radial; men’s one-person dinghy (heavy) – Finn; men’s two-person dinghy – 470; women’s two-person dinghy – 470; men’s skiff – 49er; women’s skiff – 49er FX; mixed two-person multihull – Nacra 17

 This event news story was originally published at http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/summer/sailing/16849-kiteboarding-to-replace-windsurfing-at-rio-2016-olympics.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

By Duncan Mackay

May 6 – Mark Stockwell has been sacked as the chairman of the Gold Coast 2018 Organising Committee despite being the driving force behind the city’s successful bid for the Commonwealth Games.

The new Liberal National Party (LNP) State Government, who won the election six weeks ago, confirmed the new Board would not include Stockwell, a former swimmer who won three medals at the 1984 Los Angeles, two silver and a bronze.

The 48-year-old Stockwell is now a successful property developer but he has reportedly clashed with the new Government over where to build the Athletes’ Village for the Games.

He wanted to locate it Parklands, an area of the city that includes pavilions, showgrounds and function areas.

But there was opposition to the plan from the Gold Coast Harness Racing Club, the Gold Coast Show Society and Big Day Out organisers, who wanted the Village relocated. 

New Commonwealth Games Minister Jann Stuckey now appears to have backed their concerns.

Announcing that Stockwell will be replaced she said it was time to “transition to a Board that has the confidence of the Government, the [Australia] Commonwealth Games Association, and the public”.

Stuckey added: ”To ensure that these Games are delivered on time, and importantly on budget, the LNP Newman Government needs to put in place a Board that will quickly get on with the major infrastructure planning and delivery of this billion-dollar event.

“What is needed now for the Gold Coast Games are well-credentialed people who have qualifications in law, finance, development, and the commercial sector along with prominent sporting people who can make a significant contribution in the building and operations of the Games.

“The composition of Commonwealth Games Board is crucial and the Government is working hard to strike the right balance.”

There are widespread suspicions that Stockwell has been sacked because he was appointed by Labour’s former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh (pictured in red with Stockwell), who has now been replaced by Campbell Newman.

The decision will alarm senior executives at the Commonwealth Games Federation and the new set-up will now be top of the agenda when President Prince Tunku Imran and chief executive Mike Hooper visit the Gold Coast next month for a progress update. 

It means that none of the key members of the team that delivered the Gold Coast 2018 bid are involved in organising the Games with the city’s Mayor Ron Clarke having stepped down to be replaced last month by Tom Tate, a local millionaire businessman 

Stockwell refused to hit out at the decision to replace him.

“I respect people can change their views,” he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“We have taken the Gold Coast around the world,” he said.

“I am grateful to have had that opportunity.

“I am standing by to help in any way I can from here.

“This event can change people’s lives and it can change cities.”

This event news story was originally published at http://www.insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2018/16848-gold-coast-2018-chairman-sacked-in-row-over-athletes-village.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Adam Parry

A Cambridge College is unveiling a major drive to demonstrate its commitment to meeting the needs of its clients in the current economic climate.

Robinson College is launching Service+, a package of different products tailored to suit its client portfolio and their specific requirements.

Included under the Service+ umbrella, is College+ which has been introduced to offer clients nearby accommodation at branded hotels during term-time when College rooms are occupied. Arrangements can be made for three to four star standard en suite hotel accommodation located within a short distance of the College, with transportation for delegates included. This allows for greater flexibility for clients choosing when to hold their event.

For organisations requiring help with promoting their event, Robinson has created Delegate+, an electronic tool to help manage delegates from invitation through to the day of the event. It provides a professional image which can be included with an organisation’s own branding to help market their event.

There are also services specifically geared to Groups, Associations and Agents.

Rose McDonald, Head of Sales at Robinson College said: “We are delighted to launch our Service+ portfolio which highlights our commitment to going the extra mile to meet the needs of our clients. In the current challenging economic climate, companies and organisations need all the help they can get to ensure their events are a success, both in terms of client feedback and return on investment. This package of products has been tailored to help meet these needs”.

Robinson College was purpose-built with conferences in mind to bring in revenue and regularly hosts residential and day conferences for over 250 delegates and drinks and canapé receptions for up to 700.  State-of-the-art wi-fi (300mbps) is provided in all bedrooms, available to delegates free of charge. Registered as a charity, it offers modern buildings, traditional values and year-round conference facilities, including residential events during term-time by partnering with local hotels. Robinson has purpose-built theatres with state-of-the-art audio visual technology supported by trained technicians, award-winning cuisine and a location that allows excellent access from major road links and yet only a short walk from the historical centre. Robinson College has been awarded official Fairtrade College Status and holds AIM Silver and 4* Campus accreditations.

 This event news story was originally published at http://eventindustrynews.co.uk/2012/05/14/training-recruitment-news/going-the-extra-mile-robinson-college-launches-new-customer-service-initiative/.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Adam Parry

Catch the Moment, the leading provider of experiential marketing and photo activation services in the United Statessince 1998, has just released a video case study documenting a recent RFID (radio frequency identification) program conducted during a marketing tour that visited various division I college football games around the United Statesduring the college football season. This sponsorship activation tracked customer engagements while integrating social media to deliver remarkable performance metrics for two highly respected brands. Fans were wowed with the real-time Facebook integration of custom-branded photos and messaging as they took part in various sponsor activities.

Combining in-action footage from the on-site consumer engagement with social media screenshots to illustrate the real-time viral impact, the case study offers valuable insight about successfully conducting an RFID activation. The narration follows the program from its conceptual stages, through the development of a custom engagement solution, to its execution, and results.

“With the growing demand for integrated marketing solutions that allow brands to engage consumers, drive lead generation, and amplify social media marketing, photo activation remains the easiest and most cost-effective means for experiential marketing agencies to achieve an all in one solution,” says Mike Kramer, Catch the Moment’s National Marketing Director. “Pairing those event photography capabilities, such as green screen, with tracking tools like RFID bracelets, QR codes, and bar codes result in cutting edge experiences for consumers and impactful results for brands.”

Please visit the following link to view this experiential marketing case study by Catch the Moment (registration required):

With field operations throughout theUnited States, and the ability to lease equipment for activations in theU.S.or overseas, Catch the Moment offers custom marketing solutions to experiential agencies and brands that are looking to enhance consumer experiences in public event settings of all kinds including sporting events, festivals, trade shows, and concerts. The company has activated events for brands including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Maxim, AT&T, MTV, Yahoo!, and many others.

 This event news story was originally published at http://eventindustrynews.co.uk/2012/05/14/event-industry-news/experiential-marketing-services-company-catch-the-moment-releases-rfid-video-case-study/.  Got your own event story – get in touch into eventsecrets.com – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.