Redwood Event Solutions delivers event safety for Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024

Cornbury House Horse Trials took place in the parklands of one of the Cotswolds’ most prestigious estates, Cornbury House with some of the finest horses and riders in the country coming together to compete in dressage, cross country and show jumping and welcomed over 10,000 visitors, competitors and owners to the grounds for the event.

Working alongside the in-house team at Cornbury House Horse Trials, Redwood Event Solutions were brought in to deliver the health and safety services required across the planning and delivery of the event and provided ongoing consultation and guidance on site across the show. Redwood’s remit covered the safety management of the public and hospitality areas at the event, working alongside the equestrian H&S team.

The Redwood team supported the organisers across licensing applications, safety documentation, ongoing consultation and support – as well as onsite safety management, all whilst ensuring the event achieved its overall ambition for this year and the stunning surroundings of Cornbury House was maintained and respected.

Jeremy Hartley, Event Co-Ordinator of Cornbury House Horse Trials, commented:

“With a vision to create a unique eventing experience, we want Cornbury House Horse Trials to be a fun, stylish and thrilling experience for competitors and spectators, working with selected experts within the events industry to help bring this to life.

“Redwood was the first choice for event safety for this event, the team’s experience in working in country estates was extremely useful for maintaining Cornbury House’s grounds and the team on site worked seamlessly with the organising team.”

Jim Davey, MD at Redwood said:

“This was a really exciting and interesting project for us, working in the grounds of such a prestigious venue and with an event that is growing both in size and reputation year on year. We look forward to working with the fantastic team at Cornbury House Horse Trials for next year’s event!”

Welcome to Team Redwood Christine!

I met Lisa and Jim for the first time at The London Classic Car Show in 2023 where they were clipboard-clad and ready for action, heading up the operations team. After some hard work and a few laughs over the course of the show, I was thrilled to accept their offer to fulfil my outstanding placement with them. Working at Redwood has offered me an abundance of insight. Particularly as somebody who is a lover of variety, I have had the pleasure of assisting with both Jim and Lisa’s work spanning from event safety and operations to marketing and communications. My favourite type of tasks are the ones I can channel my creativity into (writing this blog for example) which I am lucky enough to do a lot of at Redwood.

My path to securing a full-time role was a bit crazy as I love so many industries, I was stuck for choice when thinking about the career I wanted to pursue. Hence the enrolment onto the ‘Arts Management’ course at Bath Spa (I needed something that covered a lot of areas in the hope I would be spiritually guided!). I originally studied English Literature and Film in Manchester and actually did a few weeks on a Film Production master's programme before transferring back down south to be closer to my family. I would eventually like to do a PhD – mainly so I can go by the name ‘Dr Wendels’.

Before beginning my MA at Bath Spa, I loved living in Manchester as I saw it grow into the nightlife heavyweight it is today, regularly attending concerts and events like Warehouse Project. I had some great short-term jobs there like working for BBC Sport which was fun, but I had to put my sensible cap on and decide what direction I seriously wanted to take my career in, and I am extremely happy with where I am now. 

💬 What series are you watching?

After hearing my mates bang on about it and seeing it plastered over socials on the back of the ‘mob wife’ fashion trend, I have started getting my teeth into The Sopranos. I understand why it’s so talked about - scandalous drama and iconic soundtrack.

💬 What is a dream of yours?

This is a reach in the current economic climate, but I would die happy if I managed/owned a venue as culturally influential as The Hacienda or Studio 54. I have recently learned the process of applying for a premises license thanks to Redwood, so I am on the right track!

💬 Any holidays planned this year?

My family and I are all flying over to Las Vegas in a few months to attend my younger sister’s wedding. I’ve never been to Vegas but I’m imagining the holiday will be a cross between The Hangover and Meet the Fockers.

💬 Is there a side quest you are pursuing at the moment?

I was teaching myself to mix music on some DJ decks which I have put on the back burner recently, but I would like to get back into it. Also, I really enjoy oil painting - portraits especially. I am manifesting a side hustle selling them once I have finished my MA. Aside from that I have been playing a lot of pool and chess recently.

💬 Who are your icons?

One of my 2024 icons is Julia Fox whose book I read recently. Some parts gave me a minor anxiety attack, but I love her organic attitude. With a uni module in ‘fashion marketing’ coming up, she is somebody I will definitely be gathering inspiration from.

💬 What is your 2023 event highlight?

I loved working at Boardmasters – great venue and group of people to work with. Working there restored my faith in coming-of-age festivals and I’m looking forward to returning in 2024. Outside of work, I visited the Drumsheds in London to see Skepta, and I thought it was a beautifully laid out venue - giving other commercial warehouse events a run for their money!

💬 What song have you got on repeat at the moment?

I’m loving a bit of George Benson – Give Me the Night, recently. It just reminds me of driving around on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which I think is a funny game. Looking forward to the new one coming out.

Five Lessons I learnt at Boardmasters

This summer, I was part of the Redwood on site safety team to help deliver Boardmasters Festival. Redwood has spent months preparing and planning health and safety and crowd management requirements for this event, and then our core team was on site to deliver these plans. 

Fistral Beach Bar

It was my first experience working alongside the safety team live at an event, I was brought along to manage the safety office, triage the radio calls, and provide support for the event liaison team. It was an incredible experience but definitely not without the hard work! As my first experience working within that role at an event, I really did learn a lot as well as making some incredible memories - the sunsets really are magical in Cornwall! 

Here's what I learnt from my first on site event experience and 8 days in the Boardmasters field: 

• Pack for all weathers

When attending or working at festivals it really is important to cover all bases, across the week we went from extreme heat to lightings storms and risk of flash flooding in the break! And it goes without saying, bring appropriate footwear…

• Everyone is there to support each other and work as a team

This was something I really noticed; the team spirit felt around the site. Everyone on a festival site is there to work towards one collective goal, putting on a safe and successful event. Each member of the crew really is there to support each other, don’t be afraid to muck in, ask for help or offer your own! You never know when you might need a favour from someone. 

• Getting your rest and looking after yourself is crucial

Another very important lesson, is that as much as you want to, you can’t burn the candle at both ends. Working long hours in high paced environments really does require you to be responsible and look after yourself. Get your rest, drink lots of water and remember to eat!

If you’re lucky you might just be able to sneak in a few acts & beers along the way, I was lucky enough to catch IDLES, Disclosure & Kings of Leon over the course of the weekend! 

• Be friendly and put yourself out there

Festivals are great places to meet people and network, you can make amazing relationships in the field, and you never know what opportunities might come from them.

• Humour goes a long way

When you’re in a stressful situation, it is crucial to keep a calm and level head. When all hope is lost you would be surprised with how a little bit of humour can raise the camaraderie and spirits in the team. We chose to pre-emptively keep the teams’ spirits high and express this through our fantastic safety office decor - think live, laugh, love….

Safety Team at Boardmasters 2022

The Redwood team is growing!

We have exciting news, we’ve recently welcomed another new member to the Redwood team, meet Julie Syer!

Julie joins us as an Event Manager and will be helping the team in the busy run up to the event season, luckily for us she’ll be coming in with an impressive 20 years of experience in the events industry. Julie will involved with safety documentation, licensing and event planning.  

We asked Julie a few questions about her time in the industry and we hope you’ll enjoy reading them. Welcome to the team Julie! 

Could you tell us a bit about your career history?

I started my events career working within corporate events in London before securing a licensing role at Glastonbury meaning I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the best in the industry, since then I have performed a variety of roles at festivals around the country.

How did you get into the events industry?

Whilst completing my degree I happened to be in the one of the lecturer’s offices when the Head of Press from the City of London Corporation called to see if anyone wanted to go and do a paid three-month internship in their press office...I went to meet him got the job and when the internship finished I was offered a permanent position in the press office. After a while I moved to a role in the events team where over several years I worked my way up to Senior Events Officer, so I got into events really by being in the right place at the right time!

What’s your favourite event? 

Reading Festival! It’s where I first started Festival work and where I learnt the ropes from some amazing people who have been involved with the festival for years, giving it a fantastic supportive family feel. I also love the fact that for a lot of young adults it is their first experience of a music festival, so the feeling of excitement and anticipation is so tangible I find it spine tingling!

What’s your most bizarre event story? 

There's a lot of random moments when working at festivals but I do enjoy an unexpected call over the radio system…I’ve had heard a few in my time…

What shall I do with this chinchilla?

I think I've found half a shark, but I can't find the other half..

Favourite recommendation in Bristol?

Either talking a walk around Arnos Vale Cemetery or grabbing some food and a drink at The Star & Garter in Montpelier - the music is always good!

What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

Seeing the events industry come back with a vengeance!

My experience working at Bristol Light Festival

By Lucy Gore

Just over a month ago I had the absolute pleasure of joining the team here at Redwood as an event coordinator. Having recently graduated university and coming from an events & marketing background, I was excited to join such an established company with an impressive portfolio - I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. 

Luckily enough for me, the second Bristol Light Festival was kicking off in just over two weeks after joining. Commissioned by Bristol City Centre BID, the festival brought 14 playful and colourful light installations to the city across 1st-6th March 2022. The festival aimed to light up the city in an otherwise cold and quiet time of year, with the hope of people rediscovering their city, stopping off, and grabbing some food or a drink at some fantastic local business along the way. The event successfully attracted over 170,000 attendees across the duration, boosting sales across local business and helping to rebuild the economy after a rough few years. 

Swing Song by Tired Industries

In the run up to the event I assisted with the PR of the festival and in the duration, I was based on-site and at the event control office. There I met the amazing teams behind Bristol Light Festival and Bristol City Centre BID and got some first-hand experience of event logistics and management. Attending interviews and press tours, responding to incidents across the site, managing the Redwood socials and ensuring the smooth running of the festival. It was invaluable experience witnessing the behind the scenes of a multi-day event and I had a fantastic time. As our first event of the year and my first at Redwood, the atmosphere was ecstatic. The industry has had a tough few years, and as event professionals everybody was so happy to get back to what they do best - putting on amazing events. 

Neighbours by Various Artists

It’s been a busy first month here at Redwood and I couldn’t have wished for anything more. As we move into spring and closer towards the core event season, we are working behind the scenes to deliver the best season possible, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. 

(Photo credit: Andre Pattenden)

Five questions to ask about a new event site

Quite often when it comes to new events or the growth of more established ones, our clients look to us to guide and advise on the choice of site or how their current site can be expanded and developed to grow their event.      

A feasibility examination of the site is an extremely useful tool, we conduct these and crowd modelling plans regularly and have done so for the likes of Pub in the Park and RunFestRun, an exciting new running event at Bowood House to ensure that there are no unexpected ‘surprises’ once we move onto event planning. 

 Through a full feasibility study, we assess everything from the drainage, soil type, existing services and the all-important hard standing / road networks through to larger commercial concerns like local demographic and travel logistics. This in-depth analysis means that we can give clients a clear and practical assessment of the proposed site – offering solutions to any issues that the report uncovers.  At this initial stage we can clearly outline the site’s strengths, weaknesses and challenges. In short if it will work or not.

 When considering an unfamiliar site, here’s a five questions to ask….

How does the land lie? 

What is the drainage like on the land and what soil type is it – are you likely to have flooded areas and can you avoid them if possible. By drilling down and looking at the suitability of land and site specifically for the type of event you’re planning, will highlight specific requirements that you’ll need to plan for - this could be being prepared for excessive water logging in particular areas of the site due to clay soil. This pre-analysis could help budgeting and site design to avoid unwanted issues. 

Will the show fit?

How will you work around existing buildings, land laws and licenses?Any existing facilities, infrastructure or services available on site could make life a lot easier in the long run. If there are any hard standing and road networks, incorporate them into your site to make it more easily accessible.

What might the event look like? 

Initial site design at this stage will help inform your final decision to move or grow the site. 

What are the challenges? 

Identify challenges of your potential site early to create operational plans that factor in these challenges and make them work for your event. 

Can you make an informed decision?

Once all this information is pulled together, it makes the decision process of re-location, expansion or a brand-new site for your event as easier one and will offer some peace of mind that the new site is the right one.

We're working on the first RunFestRun!

Exciting times - we’ve been awarded the contract to deliver operations and safety for the inaugural RunFestRun event taking place this summer. 

We’re working with Wireless Events to help shape the first RunFestRun which will offer running challenges alongside a music stage and family entertainment at Bowood House at the end of May. 

 For this contract, we were brought on board at the initial concept of the event and we conducted a feasibility report for the proposed event site which considered various elements and gave a clear picture of any potential issues that the new event site could hold.

As part of the contract, we’ll be delivering all safety requirements pre-event and on site, which have to consider more than the typical festival elements due to the unique addition of the running challenges that will be taking place across the weekend. 

 From family fun runs to half marathons, those visiting the festival will be able to enter different running challenges over the weekend, and we’ll be working closely with the race management team to ensure the routes are carefully planned and will offer safe and fun challenges for the event. 

As part of the operations role, we’re also managing and delivering all procurement, all production schedules, work with the external partners and Bowood House team to create the blueprint for this inaugural event. 

Here’s what our client has to say…..

Wireless Events, Operations Director, Neil Levene commented, “When it comes to developing new events, Redwood is integral from an operations and safety point of view. The team’s experience in helping to create events and previous experience at Bowood House has been invaluable.” 

(Photo credit: Everyday Adventure)

Lesson of 2018’s event season: Expecting the unexpected

Now we’re firmly in Autumn, it feels like the perfect time to take stock on what has been a very busy, eventful summer, and consider the lessons learnt from this year’s abundance of events….

One of the summer’s resounding memories for everyone will be the endless hot weather and sunshine we were lucky enough to enjoy – from an event attendees’ point of view, going to your favourite festival in the sun is somewhat more pleasant that the muddy, wet weather we’ve come to expect at festivals in the UK. And actually, from an organiser’s point of view, I’d rather have the dry and warm weather over rain and mud any day of the week – but the warm weather does bring its own challenges and this summer’s hot weather has certainly had an impact on the way outdoor festivals and events have been planned and managed by organisers and safety teams. 

The record temperatures and continuously dry weather we’ve experienced has brought a whole new set of challenges to event planning. For the first time in my 16-year career, I’ve written dry weather contingency plans to deal with the extreme dry ground and grass conditions, talking to colleagues in Australia to understand how they deal with such high temperatures and the fire loads / risks that dry grounds present.

We’ve had to consider the possibility of grass fires and monitor the fire severity rating on site, we’ve also co-ordinated specific fire induction for the crew members, introducing a ‘hot works’ permit for any works onsite generating heat and over combustible grounds / areas.

 It’s not just the heat and dry ground conditions that have had an impact on this summer’s events. Perhaps linked to the ‘heatwave’ or just another weather anomaly, SQUALL like weather conditions have also been an added challenge at Team Redwood’s events. We’ve had two particular instances in the last couple of months when sudden, intense and often unpredictable weather arrives onsite with little time for the team to react.

SQUALL weather conditions can seriously disrupt an event with high level wind, rain and lightning seemingly coming from nowhere. Whilst we continuously monitor the weather conditions when on site, every now and again an unexpected weather system can arrive unannounced. At Pub in the Park in Tunbridge Wells, we had 18mm of rain in 10 mins – that’s a month’s worth of rainfall! Combined with 35 constant and 45mph gusting winds. The system popped up to the south of site and then hit us within two minutes. At that point, you have to make very quick decisions to preserve the site and ensure everyone on it knows how to deal with it.

So, for me, the resounding lesson from 2018’s summer season is to expect the unexpected. We did not anticipate the endless warm weather which led to a change in practice from years gone by. And there is no way you can predict SQUALL weather conditions which in their very nature have no rhyme or reason and appear unannounced. But it’s our job to ensure these unexpected challenges have as little impact on the show as possible, because as they say, the show must go on….

(Photo credit: Will Bailey)

It’s that time of year again…festival season is upon us!

The summer’s event season is fully underway, and Team Redwood is already five events deep in to what is set to be a busy and exciting year. When you’ve got a back to back calendar of events running one weekend after the other, the beginning of the summer can feel like you’re at the starting line of a marathon, and like all endurance tests, planning and timing is key to success. 

At the beginning of the summer, like at the beginning of a race, everyone is full of energy, anticipation and positivity – but keeping that momentum is what’s important and most difficult. Here’s some thoughts from the Redwood HQ to surviving the hectic summer months and the long days on event sites and getting past the finish line with your sanity and health in check. 

Eat, sleep, work, repeat

There is no need and really no excuse for a 24/7 work ethic, especially on an event site.  While we all expect to pull in longer shifts onsite (usually somewhere around the 16-hour mark) - it is more important than ever when you’re walking tens of miles every day and having to be ‘on alert’ for long periods of time, to make sure that you look after yourself. You need to be as close to fighting fit as you can be when you’re being expected to make important decisions. Eat regularly, sleep as much as you can and try to take breaks, we all know you’re not you when you’re ‘hangry’, tired or broken – don’t get to that point. 

Fail to plan, plan to fail

It’s that age old but very true point that planning is key to success. 

By going to site with the plan means that everyone knows what to expect, there’s a system to everything and everything is happening for a reason. Avoid wasting yours and others time and energy (when both are already stretched to their limits) with processes that have been devised and explained before even stepping on site – have you and your team seen the shift rota, do they know who to report to, what the H&S policy is on site and what to do in case of an emergency? If not, these are all things that can be dealt with before arrival to avoid questions and delays further down the line. We like to think it’s 80% planning and 20% execution. 

Tip top team

Behind every great event is a great team – there’s each company team working together to create their element of the show, but on a bigger scale, each supplier team is part of the overall event team all working together to deliver the best event possible. 

Picking the right suppliers and them in turn picking the best individuals to deliver their services makes for an overall great team. You need to be surrounded by people that you can trust and that you have confidence in to perform to a high standard and often under pressure. Not everyone is cut out for the events industry which is why those that are, need to be looked after to ensure they keep doing what they do.  

It’s in the bag

There’s nothing worse than being on site and needing something you didn’t bring….which is why we have our Redwood event box that (literally) gets wheeled onto every event site we work on. It’s teeming with all the event must haves that we’ve gleaned from over 30 years in the industry – here’s what we pack for every event: 

1. Redwoods reporting, auditing and operations systems Weather Station

2. The trusty iPad

3. The best boots you can get (and dry socks, lots)

4. A multi tool (leatherman or gerber)

5. Sun cream

6. Excellent wet weather gear - coat and trousers

7. Coffee machine!

8. Multiple phone chargers

In closing, look after yourself and each other - we are all firmly in the business of creating incredible and beautiful events that people visit and attach moments of their lives too. That’s a pretty special vocation. 

(Photo credit: Will Bailey)