17 Going beyond heavily neglected when it comes to hosting events , in particular within student recruitment where most awards and events celebrating students and employers take place in the capital . I ’ ve often felt that some event organisers are distracted by the perceived prestige of hosting their event in the capital – I understand having lived there for 14 years that it is a wonderful city , but it isn ’ t the only place in the UK that can and should be hosting events . You can choose a different focal point and still host a memorable event for your guests .
I chose Manchester to bring the event to life away from Zoom , once Covid restrictions
were lifted because it ’ s the nearest city to where I ‘ m currently based in the Lake District . That made it much easier for me to visit potential venues and to host on the day . However , I also chose Manchester because it has a rich history of support for the LGBTQ + community and a large vibrant scene on Canal Street . Since first hosting there in 2022 , the results of the latest UK census which collected information on sexuality and gender identity for the first time have been shared , clearly showing the extent to which the LGBTQ + community is present across the UK . With that in mind from this point forward I ’ ve decided to host the awards in a different city each year so that we can collaborate with
local LGBTQ + communities to ensure we are representing Queer people on a national scale .
London has some fantastic venues but , in all honesty , the ones that I have visited in Manchester and Birmingham over the last couple of years have had a lot more personality and wow factor .
In my experience , a lot of awards hosted in London end up in the same hotels and it can get incredibly repetitive . You go along knowing what to expect ( or not expect ) every time – who wants their event to be predictable or to serve up yet another dry chicken breast wrapped in bacon ?
By choosing a different city and venue each year for the QSAs I plan to make the event something exciting in the student recruitment calendar that students , employers and educators look forward to because they never quite know what to expect . CN
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