Arley Hall Evaluation

Reflective Evaluation

Positives

When putting on the Arley Hall Event there where many positives and there where also negatives. We managed to raise over 1000 pounds, which is an achievement in itself, and it all goes to a good cause.  On the night of the event everything ran smoothly and everyone pulled it together and worked closely as a team. Once the event had finished there where many compliments from the audience members about how friendly the crew where and they thought that car parking was a good idea and all the audience members felt happy from the moment they arrived at the event.  As the FOH manager I knew that it was my job to make sure that all the crew where friendly to all members of the audience and that everything was organised on the night and ran in an order. I felt that everyone that was there to help out from the first years had a clear understanding of what their roles where on the night and they knew how to do the job on the night. One reason how I knew this was I ask one of the crew from the first years and she said that she knew what she was doing start to finish. Another positive point was the food cost; this meant that by the end of the night nearly all of the food had gone which meant that the planning process of the refreshments went well.  As part of an agreement we had to Arley Staff to help us and they feed back they gave me and the FOH team was brilliant, they said that where were better than most FOH teams that come and Arley Hall. This positive feedback really made the FOH team very happy and proud of  what we achieved on the night and the Arley Hall staff are professionals. Two days after the event the Deputy manager from Arley Hall emailed and said how pleased she was with the team.

Negatives

Even-though there where many positives there were also negatives. There were mostly negatives leading up to the event. Organisational skills weren’t our strongest point; even though we had ‘To do list’ they weren’t in enough detail, if they were in enough detail maybe the planning process would have been a lot better. Me as a manger should have offered more responsibility to the FOH team instead of leaving most jobs up to me. Deadlines where a problem throughout all teams, not all deadlines were met, this included the cakes, there should have been no excuse about finding last minute cakes, in the industry this would not be acceptable. When we had our evaluation meeting it was brought to my attention that all team did not inform each other of what they were doing outside of class, this meant on the day of the event even though it ran great not every group knew what the other groups where doing. Another problem that we faced was that when the tickets where being sold the system really wasn’t working, this was because the information wasn’t being written down properly and as the events management team where working on that side of things when it came to the night Lucy didn’t really understand why we had that system in the first place. I can understand why the system was put there as it gave a professional look to the event as you had too ring the college, but having this system in college didn’t work as the cash office didn’t really have the time to be taking all the information down on the phone in such a small time. Another negative point about tickets sales was that the posters and flyers hadn’t been put out on time so they only had to weeks exposure time, this put pressure on us students to sell more tickets even thought we had a college of 2 thousand students and we only needed to sell over 100 tickets. One reason how we over come this was by the events manager Ashleigh went into teacher briefing and informed them about the event, which helped ticket sales.

When is came to packing for the event the checklist wasn’t in that much detail which meant that we missed equipment off the list, if it wasn’t for the fact there was a second mini bus coming back to Arley we wouldn’t have been give the opportunity to get the rest of the equipment. One way we could overcome this would be by making sure that we take the checklist more seriously and spend more time on the equipment list. The Raffle was important to the FOH but because there were only three of us we gave the responsibility the events management team. Communication wasn’t all that good in the planning process as the teams really didn’t speak to each other and when a team had a problem no one let the events management team know.

Future Improvements

Communication is key through all groups

To do list in more detail

Checklist in more detail

Budget Control

Insure all deadlines are meet

All teams have a full understanding of all roles

Don’t delegate roles as a manager

Liase with all teams

Double check with all roles

Reflective Diary- Arley Hall

We are putting on a christmas show called 'A classical Serenade' We are putting this event on to raise money for the charity. We need to raise £3000 so we can travel to Moldova and help the children.

The role I was given was the Front of House Manager (FOH) This role includes organising my team who are John and Lucy. I also need to make sure that we have 'Things To Do List' I also need to voice my Idea's at the meeting. Planning is so important before the event. On the day and night of the event I am in charge of the whole event from greeting the audience to assisting the choir, Car Parking, Raffle and Ticket sales to selling tickets.


4th November


This is the first Meeting we had after the client brief. The group decided on deadlines and ashleigh said she would like everything to be ready for the 2nd of December from all groups. The marking team needed to start the campaign straight away due to the fact the posters need to be put around college, this would be achievable by making a list to keep them organised and to keep the group up to date. Me as front of house manager said that the Car Parking might be a problem one reason why I know this I have done past events at this venue. In this meeting I was told that by the 29th of Nov I had to have a list of what staff I am needed for the event for Car Parking, FOH serving refreshments and taking tickets and greeting the audience as they arrive. The way I came around this was by asking the first years, once I found out I then told Ashleigh (Events Manager).

I also got ask by the marketing team what signs I need for car parking. The reason why we need this is because there is generic car parking signs and the car parking isn't the right sign.




5th November


When the meeting started I got told off Ashleigh that the room that we are aloud to use is the staircase which is next to the gallery. Arley Hall staff will also be provided which is an added bonus. Another point which was needed is that we need to source the mince pies but they must be for free as we are working to a small budget. I gave this role to john as part of my Managerial role I have to deligate roles within my group. 

 8th November

In this meeting we first saw the intial idea for a poster, the poster looked good but the font I thought didn't stand out and didn'tfit within the theme. I suggested that maybe to tone down the font and make the font stand out. Also within the meeting I ask if john could drive the front of house team round to get refeshments and items of the table. We started to talk about car parking again and I said that disable parking can be an issue so I decided that at the front of Arley Hall we are going to make our own signs to put at the front of Arley. Front Of House have said that we want 5 people to help with car Parking and I told Ashleigh (Events Manager) that we need that ammount. The reason why I need 5 is because its on a country road and I dont want anyone on there own in the Dark. Also with Car Parking comes health and Safety, so in place ALL car parking staff will have torches and Hi-viz jackets.

12th November

Within this meeting I was pretty annoyed due to the fact John who I deligated the role of getting mince pies/cakes didn't ask anyone about them, so in replace of this I took it upon myself too ask any memebrs of the Production class to see if they could ask anyone to make cakes/Mince pies. Jordans suggested that his dad could maybe donate either a raffle prize of maybe refresments. The tickets prices where dissuced I said that the price should be quite high for a college event becuase of the quailty of the Chior and were the event is being held. The price I said should be £10.00 which should include refreshments and mulled wine or juice.

15th November

In this meeting I put forward that it is crutial that I have addictional staff for Car Parking and to help with selling tickets at the door and refreashments. This would help the event run smoothly instead of limiting the staff to be doing all of the roles on the night. As the Front Of House Manager I want to make sure that there are managers of the individual roles so I have chosen John to be the head of car parking and Lucy to be head of tickets and refreshments and on the night I am just going to be overseeing everything on the night.

19th November

In this meeting I put forward that maybe the marketing team should have scrolls instead of full programmes, one reason for this is it save cost of printing. when I put my point across they didn't really like the idea as they said it would include the 'Thank yous', to over come this I said that we should have boards around Arley Hall saying that. This problem was easily resolved and we decided to go with scrolls.


22nd November

Front of house meeting only'
In this meeting we looked at the best price for refreshments, to help this process I ask Lucy and John to look at websites and then referee back to each other. Also in this meeting we looked at how we where going to dress the table and what we could use to fit in with the running theme. One way we could visualise this is by drawing out a plan which we could then give to the creative team, helping us and them to make sure that we could fit in within the codes and conventions.


26th November

In this meeting me, John and Lucy reported back about the refreshments, it was clearer to all of us that Iceland would be good for the mulled wine as it is 3 pound per bottle (70cl) this would mean that for 17  bottle which cost 25.50 would cater for 90 guests. overall We will need to cater for 120 guest including the choir. I came to the conclusion that not everyone will want mulled wine so juice would also be on the menu for refreshment, the juice was 3 pound for 2 litres which would cater for over 80 guest. When we first talked about having mince pies, we found it hard to find over 100 for cheap price, so Lucy (who on the night will be in charge refreshments) is going to ask Sophie from college to see if she can make mince pies.

3rd December

In this meeting Lucy ask Sophie from college to see if she can make mince and she said yeah, the only problem is that she can't make the amount we ask for as we didn't give her enough notice and she can only make 20 and they have to be cup cakes but christmas style to still fit in with the theme. This just shows from a managers point of view is that I need to lead my team better and that I need to ask members of the public earlier. Luckily whilst the meeting was happening a member of the class said that they can make 30 mince pies. So in total at the moment we have 45 cakes. In total we need over 120 cakes or mince pies.

10th December

This meeting didn't take place as me and my FOH team went out and sourced all of the mulled Wine and Juice from Asda and Iceland whilst we where in Asda we realised that we needed napkins for the cakes and picked them up. As a Manager I should have had a list of what I needed to take. when we got back from sourcing all of the refreshments Mark our college teacher said that one of his family members would make 70 mince pies, this meant that would that there would be over 115 cakes and mince pies which is more that enough.

13th December

This was the last meeting,
In this meeting I spoke with the events manager Ashleigh and gave her my list of what is needed to be taken on the Van and what times the cakes would be arriving to college to take the venue. One reason why it is important that we need check lists is take make sure that all equipment used would be brought back from the venue. I had the list written down so that I could make sure even if me and my FOH crew were there anyone could get the equipment and put them in the van.