Looking back over 2023
The last 12 months have been very busy for us! We’ve hosted all manner of events from private dinners to large-scale conferences and in between. We’ve also had some awesome new team members join and done a lot of work towards our goal of reaching 2023 Net Zero. Here are a few of the many highlights we’ve experienced over the year.
A Year of Exceptional Events
Our event calendar has been studded with highlights. Here are just a few of them:
Spring sprang into action when we hosted an event for International Women’s Day on March 8th – with a wonderful keynote speaker: Tiwa King.
Held in our Harvey Goodwin suite, it was a transformative experience.
Uplifting and inspirational: championing female empowerment, and authenticity in and out of the workplace – we couldn’t have asked for a better speaker, our guests had a brilliant day.
King Charles III Coronation – Reception for Foreign Dignitaries
On 6th May, we held a reception for foreign dignitaries to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III.
We were honoured to be chosen to host and plan this historic event – our team prepared for months to make sure that the event went seamlessly.
We liaised with many different organisations and were also involved in the overall coordination of the Coronation and other accompanying events.
During the busy summer months, we hosted this superb awards ceremony.
It was a hugely successful night, founded to reward the people and organisations who carry out exceptional work in their communities.
300 guests were in attendance, celebrating these inspirational individuals who go above and beyond to provide support to those who need it most.
Female Invest – Information Is Power
On October 4th, Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen hosted the event ‘Information is Power’ in our Assembly Hall.
Anna is the Founder of Female Invest: a financial education and community platform dedicated to empowering women to achieve financial success and helping close the gender pay gap.
All the guests enjoyed the programme, which included subjects such as ‘how to build confidence and run a large business’.
Celebrating Church Houses’ 2023 Achievements
Our team work really hard behind (and in front!) of the scenes to make sure our events go to plan, and that our venue is maintained to a high standard at all times – so it means a lot to us when this is recognized by our industry peers.
In October, we were nominated as Hospitality Business of the Year at the Westminster Business Council Awards .
This event recognises and celebrates the excellence of businesses in the Westminster locality across various industries. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of every single person in our team.
In November, we were also delighted to win the silver award in the category of ‘Sustainable Venue of the Year’ at the London Venue and Catering Awards.
We’ve worked exceptionally hard to make Church House an eco-friendly venue and this award recognises our achievements.
We have also been nominated for not one, but FOUR Prestigious Star Awards – you can vote for us to win here.
Our Talented Team
We set aside some time to feature just a few of the people who help make all our events possible in our #MeetTheTeam series of interviews.
In July, we sat down to chat with one of our stellar events coordinators Baharak Malekian. She told us how privileged she felt to work on two of the most important events at Church House in recent memory – the Late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral reception, and a reception for foreign dignitaries attending the Coronation of King Charles III.
We also took time to talk to our General Catering Manager for Searcy’s, Trevor Childs. Trevor spoke about the outstanding synergy between the values and goals of Church House and Searcys, saying:
“I think there is an excellent synergy between the values and goals of Church House and Searcys. Church House have a great ambition for how we can operate in a fully sustainable way, and this is also at the core of what Searcys strive to achieve”
Our Audio Visual Team is core to making any event look and sound fabulous. We caught up with our talented Production Technician Callum Hutchison, who has almost a decade of experience in live events.
When asked what motivates him, he replied:
“Working with such a knowledgeable team, we are always learning from each other. We take pride in our work and are all very keen to make sure the events run as smoothly and professionally as possible”.
Make 2024 a Big Event hit with Church House
If you’re looking for a beautiful and well-located venue, with a team that are highly invested in bringing your ideas to life – let us know.
We are looking forward to working with you in 2024. Get in touch via our contact form, or call us on 020 7390 1590.
