A recipe for event success!

Comm Comm’s events manager Natasha Hodges shares her secrets for organising public consultation events. 

Consultation events are all about giving the public the chance to understand and input into what our clients are planning. If the event is to be successful, the public need to want to speak to us! When booking venues, we need to think about our audience and find local community spaces – and, where we can, link up with local events. As a result, we will host an event slap bang in the middle of the community - which could be a marquee in a park next to a popular fish’n’chip van or in a shopping galleria!  

It is nice to do something a little extra to show our appreciation for residents stopping by and giving us five minutes of their time. Hot chocolate is always a winner and so are fancy biscuits (some seem to have a lot to say, or maybe I just make a great cup of tea!). We also help people navigate the information on display, introduce them to the project team or help them fill in feedback forms.  

The least glamorous part of my job (although probably the most essential) is gathering materials and equipment (the local printer and stationer know me well) and setting up impressive visual aids at the venue. This takes time, organisation, lots of lists and trips to our storage unit. At times I’m sure I carry more than a sherpa leaving Everest base camp! 

The best part of my job is meeting an incredibly diverse spectrum of people and hearing what’s going on: their stories, their views and even their gripes. I get a big kick out of my day when I turn a frown upside down.  

What makes me good at this job? Well, my colleagues will tell you I can talk, really talk - but I am also a champion listener who is always able to empathise with my audience. When it comes to preparation the devil is in the detail, so I must have a lot of devil in me!