Summer Graduation 2024
Our Brighter team took their A-game for the third year in a row to the University of Southampton to ensure nearly 4,500 graduates had their day to remember.
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The team of 20 headed south for a fortnight where they would prep for 18 graduation ceremonies in total and be on hand to ensure they all ran smoothly.
The O2 Guildhall was the base for the events with the venue’s outside space utilised as the graduate village – which hosted more than 10,000 guests during the event.
Part of the task was to build the set which included sourcing and setting up all the audio visual equipment – sound and lighting, LED screens and live streaming to YouTube were just some of the tasks we carried out.
Accessibility requirements were also catered for including live British Sign Language teams and live captions on screen for guest and graduates to see.
Our specialist health and safety experts carried out a fully documented risk assessment pre-event, bottles of water were provided, and we had medical teams on hand to deal with emergencies.
Another huge task for the event was building the graduate village with the centrepiece being a tent which was themed throughout.
We supplied all the furniture and set up various sections inside with a photobooth, a professional photograph stall and a bar.
Food vendors were also sourced who set up outside the maintent.
All the team got stuck in to ensure all the graduates wanted for nothing.
They showed them where to get their gowns, organised the platform party, helped with crowd control, supported university staff –basically doing anything to ensure the event was a success.
Joanna Lake, Operations Manager of Special Projects & Events, said:
“It was a momentous effort by the team who pulled together through two long weeks to help bring the event to life. Months of planning, each and every single detail paid off to deliver a memorable graduation experience for each and every single guest.”