The CIPR Excellence Awards celebrate creativity and achievement in the public relations industry, they are rigorously judged, and the best of the best are recognised in the business. This was the first year that City Central at The HAC has been involved in this ceremony and looked forward to hosting this prestigious event.

Over 650 public relations professionals, from over 120 agencies and organisations, attended the 33rd CIPR Excellence Awards on Tuesday 6th June. The evening began with a welcome drinks reception with gin, elderflower, apple and lime cocktails. In between the rain showers, guests explored the exclusive fun fair in the private gardens at The HAC, rides included dodgems, carousel, Ferris wheel and five side stalls.

Guests were called to dinner where Jason MacKenzie, Found.Chart.PR, FCIPR, CIPR president welcomed everyone to the Excellence Awards. Create provided catering and served a picnic style hamper for starters comprising mini gala pie, coronation chicken frittata, smoked salmon rillettes with pickled asparagus and curd. Sous vide duck breast, smoked potato puree, artichoke cream, wild garlic and sorrel leaves with pickled carrots and tardviso followed as the main. BBC’s Mock the Week comedian, Andy Parsons, entertained guests during their citrus lemon tart desserts.

29 awards were given out from 171 finalists, including the renowned M&C Saatchi PRDynamoiseepr, and VisitScotland. After the ceremony guests enjoyed the celebrations with a photo booth, casino tables, DJ and dance floor.

 

On Monday 5th June, Ultimate Experience worked with Essentially Group to host the Virat Kohli Charity Ball at City Central at The HAC, to raise money for the charity Justice and Care.

Virat Kohli, India’s cricketing legend, founded the Virat Kohli Foundation in 2013 to support children across India. The foundation runs charity sporting events and raises awareness and money to provide education for underprivileged children. Justice and Care support victims of human trafficking, providing safety, rehabilitation, counselling, medical care and schooling for those rescued from slavery. Virat Kohli Foundation and the Indian cricket team supported Justice and Care at this event to raise money and awareness.

Guests were welcomed to the charity ball with Goan Summer cocktails specially crafted by Create and were invited to take part in the silent auction. Former English country cricketer Alan Wilkins opened the evening and guests enjoyed a performance from Bollywood troupe, Sapnay School of Dance, who were semi-finalists in Britain’s Got Talent.

A delicious three course meal was served to guests with a picnic style hamper for starters comprising mini gala pie, coronation chicken frittata, smoked salmon rillettes with pickled asparagus and curd. After guests had finished their first course, they had the opportunity to join the Q&A session with Virat Kohli.

The main course followed with pot roasted Keralan spiced guinea fowl, salsify puree, charred tenderstem broccoli, confit salsify, Madeira and tarragon. The second round of Q&As was held with the Indian cricket team whilst guests enjoyed their summer berry trifle, Pedro ximenez cream with pistachio brittle desserts.

Radio and TV presenter Jonny Gould kicked off the auction, with all money raised going to Justice and Care. Bids were made for a box at Lords for England v India Test Match, a private dinner with Virat Kohli, an original one-off-piece of art by Sacha Jafri, a Tissot watch engraved with Virat Kohli’s signature, an all-expenses paid five star trip to India to spend time with the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli’s favourite cricket bat, and other signed cricket memorabilia.

The charity ball raised £400,000 for Justice and Care, which will make a huge difference to their charity plans and how they support victims. The event gained international coverage and awareness for two incredibly important charities.

 

If you would like more information on hosting your charity event, or any other event at City Central at The HAC, do no hesitate to get in touch.

Catering from our partner, Create, can offer your guests a truly remarkable dining experience that other catering companies simply cannot deliver. No event is complete without the right caterer so you should hire only the best of the best.

Create has been delivering exceptional catering for years, and has taken it to the next level by re-imagining traditional canapés and cocktails using the best of British, seasonal ingredients. What sets Create apart from other catering companies is the attention to detail that goes into everything that comes out of the kitchen. Create has built a reputation for being one of London’s premier catering companies because of their use of bold flavors, fresh ingredients and the creative presentation of their dishes.

 

A New Philosophy on Food

You can place your trust in Create to handle all of your needs for your summer party catering. The Create team will work with you to produce a unique and one-of-a-kind menu only to be offered at your event. Whether you are looking for something modern, elegant, fusion, comforting or cutting edge – the design experts can customise your menu based on your taste preferences, while sourcing the highest quality ingredients. They will be with you every step of the way even on the day of your event from greeting your guests with sparkling beverages, to offering tasty appetisers to serving a seated dinner your guests will love.

 

Bespoke Food and Drink Menus

Create has successfully catered at City Central at The HAC on a number of occasions and provided countless guests with an exquisite dining experience. Whether you’d like to host a summer BBQ, a lavish banquet dinner at or a simple al fresco reception, there isn’t a theme or concept Create Food cannot work with.

Create can offer a variety of catering options such as canapés, bowl food, dinner party dishes, food stalls and even BBQ catering. Canapés are perfect for making an excellent first impression on your guests as soon as they walk in through the entrance.

Bowl food has become an increasingly popular choice at parties and is somewhere in the middle of canapés and sit down meals. Dinner party catering offers three course formal menus that can range from high-end and luxurious to casual, relaxed dining. Food stalls are a more informal option and offer your guests versatility. The stalls can be a combination of canapés, bowl food and mini plates. Create’s BBQ catering will gives your guests a true feast to enjoy. The summer time is the best time to host an outdoor BBQ with gourmet burgers, hot dogs and kebabs.

 

To find out more about what Create can do your next event at City Central, get in contact.

Cosmopolitan guests were invited to City Central at The HAC for a day of summer celebrations sponsored by Surf – with plenty of basking in the sunshine!

Guests enjoyed the sun in the private outside space in the middle of the City. They indulged in Gancia Prosecco, Zubrowka cocktails, Emmi CHOCO LAIT milk, Wheyhey ice-cream and Hotbox BBQ food, whilst getting beauty tips from industry experts and watched amazing fashion shows.

Rimmel was on hand to apply shimmer tans and make sure guests nails were looking perfect, Lee Stafford did guests’ hair, brows were taken care of thanks to Suman Brows and Freya Lingerie supplied guests with great goody bags.

Every moment was captured in the photo booth, which came complete with a topless Surf model, and once guests had finished striking a pose they headed to the stage to hear some summer beauty tips from Fleur De Force, followed by a fashion show styled by Cosmo’s Fashion Editor (with makeup from Mii Cosmetics).

summer entertainment

The stage-section of the day ended with an inspiring talk from Dalton Wong and Kate Faithfull-Williams, who spoke about their book The Feelgood Plan. Then it was time to slap on some foil tattoos from Seekers of The Sun and party the rest of the afternoon away to a flawless set from Neev – conveniently located near the Gandys stall for some new summer flip flops.

Guests took breaks throughout the dancing to grab candy floss and take more pictures in the ever popular photo booth.

To book your summer party at City Central, get in touch today.

It’s hard to find excitement in throwing or attending a party when it’s snowing outside and the thermometer is bordering the minus digits. Equally, we know it seems a little out of place organising your Christmas party when summer is just around the corner. But, all of that negativity falls away when it comes to Christmas parties. Traditionally, these end-of-year bashes are easily the highlight of the year, which puts a lot of pressure to impress every year. There are a few things to consider when choosing your Christmas party venue, it’s easy to choose a stellar venue to really wow your guests upon arrival, but it’s actually the smaller details that can make or break an event.

Size

If you’re expecting 500 people at your Christmas party don’t select a venue that caters for 1000+. The Artillery Garden is split into two rooms, one suitable for smaller party sizes and the other for much larger groups.  Did you know City Central also does shared party nights, perfect for groups of 10 or more.

Décor

Whether it’s a modest Christmas party, or pulling out all the stops, keeping within your budget is key. City Central at The HAC offers full decor, theming and ambient lighting, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. Not even Christmas crackers!

On-Site Services

Dealing with a multitude of outside services can get confusing when it comes to coordinating, receiving and paying invoices, delivery times on the day, and of course, the possibility of forgetting something. City Central has a complete party package, so all you and your guests need to do is turn up and celebrate.

Accessibility

More than likely your guests will be utilising public transport, so you want to ensure that your venue is within walking distance of bus or train services. City Central is situated in the heart of London, in close proximity from Liverpool Street, Old Street and Moorgate stations. There are also several accommodation options in this area, meaning that guests that travel from afar can book themselves a room, a short distance from the party.

Efficient Staff

Having a venue manager can not only ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day, but can also be imperative in the planning aspect of things. As they live and breathe the venue, they know what does and doesn’t work and can help turn your vision for your event into a reality. The Artillery Garden offers full, on-site event management before, during and after the event. We also pride ourselves on working with Create Food and Party Design – award winning caterers and their excellent waiting staff.

This year at City Central we are reigniting the 70s with our disco themed party Boogie Wonder Nights! Expect big hair, silk shirts, flairs and lots and lots of gold! You’ll be transported back to the magical era of lava lamps, glitter balls and Studio 54. You’re in for a groovy night!

Raising money for charity can often be quite difficult, but when executed properly it can be a tremendous success. We’ve found that charity event ideas are best if it’s a mix of innovative and different, as well as the traditional silent auction. Contributors like to feel that they’re getting their money’s worth when donating and you also want them to feel that their donation is appreciated. There are always good staples in terms of charity events, such as raffles of prize donations, but if you want to make your fundraiser stand out, it’s important to think outside the box. Here are four charity event ideas that are customisable to your event space and can be great fun for everyone:

Record Breaking Attempt

The Guinness Book of Records is always looking for new records. By browsing through their website, you can choose a category that relates to your fundraiser. Once you have approval, you simply host a ‘pay to participate’ event, which will also generate interest from sponsors too who want to get in on the action.

Competitions within a Fundraiser  

Family and school orientated events go hand-in-hand. Why not arrange for the schools in your district to battle it out in the name of charity? Families can then purchase tickets to either participate or being a spectator with a picnic. You can even call upon local celebrities or prominent members of the community to get involved and judge the event.

Audience Participation

Events in which people pay to participate is an excellent platform that can be integrated into your fundraiser. For instance; cooking shows are increasing in popularity and aspiring chefs and foodies are just itching to get their creativity noticed. You could organise an event where people purchase a stall or stand space to showcase their food, then guests can attend and pay to taste a variety of dishes.

Experience Events

An event where people can do something, or watch something, out of the ordinary is an ideal way to encourage ticket sales. Consider a murder mystery party format, team building golf days, obstacle courses or even something like intensive training sessions with seasoned athletes. The importance here is to ensure that it’s an experience that they won’t find elsewhere, but easy to execute.

On top of a one-of-a-kind idea for fundraising, it’s very important to ensure that your basics are covered. Social media is everywhere, so ensure that you have a catchy title for your event, an effective digital presence before, during and after, as well as a platform where people can donate online as well. Most importantly, having an impressive event space is key to the experience for you as an event coordinator and for your guests. As the saying goes; location, location, location.