Simply put, my name reveals my product offering - I provide Event management assistance. But there is much more to me than just a four letter word – Emma.
There’s another key reason why I am Emma and not Jeff…or any other male name for that matter.
I support a sector (fundraising and events) that is driven by incredibly creative, talented and successful women and I wanted to do my bit to recognise the empowerment and diversity in our industry.
When the global pandemic brought our events and fundraising industry to a standstill, you all swiftly pivoted to offering successful digital engagement opportunities for your fundraising teams and supporters, often with no prior experience of the format. At the same time, I got to work to provide the industry with a product that will set all event organisers up for the future – whatever it may hold. Aimed at making every aspect of your event easier to manage, as well as provide your guests with a better experience, it is designed to save you time and money in 2021 and beyond.
As many charities have had to make tough decisions furloughing and letting go of staff, particularly events teams, I’m designed to provide the assistance that you might now lack, supporting you to deliver the ambitious results expected of you.
Whilst we enjoy a diverse industry, or more diverse than others out there, alarmingly, the recent UN Women report showed that the coronavirus pandemic could wipe out 25 years of increasing gender equality. For this reason, I simply had to be Emma, not Jeff. Whilst I am not one for bright lights and awards (I prefer to blend into your team and keep my head down), I wanted to stand up and do my bit for championing our incredible female community.
With this in mind, and it being International Women’s Day, now is a great time to acknowledge and celebrate all of you and what you’ve been able to achieve in this challenging year (cue round of applause). We’re shining a light on just a few incredible women who represent the breadth of talent in our industry:
- Helen Moon - Founder of EventWell that seeks to improve the Mental Health and Wellbeing of the Event Industry through empathy, culture and self-Care.
- Lynn Stanier MBE - Founder and driving force behind the charity Their Future Today, Lynn received her MBE for her community services in Sri Lanka.
- Rebecca Elcome - What Rebecca doesn’t know about events simply isn’t worth knowing. Previous Head of Events at Ark and Chair of the Special Events Forum, Rebecca also runs her own events company – Coveted Events.
- Crista Cullen MBE - An Olympic Gold Medal winning English field hockey player Crista is also the Founder of Tofauti - a charity designed to build resilience not reliance among Africa’s communities and wildlife. Crista also established a successful fundraising gala event, the Conservation Ball, in 2017.
Happy International Women’s Day to you and all the wonderful women out there!
So there you have it, Emma is not simply an acronym. It is me doing my bit for progressing towards an equal working environment and inspiring the next generation to succeed. Join me on my journey and I will be with you, together for every event.
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