People and partnership - inside the AIEA Summer Event
The Alliance of Independent Events Agencies (AIEA) held its annual summer event this year at Eastwood Hall in Nottingham, part of The Venues Collection – and it proved to be a perfect setting for a day of connection, collaboration and celebration.
Photos by JT@AniseedPhoto
Split into three distinct parts, the AIEA summer event is more than just a meeting; it’s a cornerstone of the organisation’s calendar.
“This is our annual summer event, which comes in two halves – well, three actually!” explained Sabine Edwards, chairperson of the AIEA and MD of Pendleton Events. “The morning is our members’ meeting – a chance for the board to update everyone and for our members to get actively involved. The afternoon is all about supplier networking – building those all-important connections. And the evening? That’s when we all let our hair down and focus on relationship building in a more relaxed, social setting.”
Sabine Edwards, AIEA chairperson
Sabine Edwards, AIEA chairperson
The AIEA represents more than 119 small to medium-sized independent event agencies across the UK. “We’re for agencies with fewer than 20 staff who’ve been in business at least two years,” said Edwards. “It’s about giving a voice to the kind of agencies that are so often overlooked in favour of the big boys – but who deliver just as much value to suppliers and the wider industry. We’re spread across the UK – including Scotland and Northern Ireland – so we move our events around the country to share the load and make them accessible.”
This year, Eastwood Hall stood out during the venue selection process. “We put the brief out to several venues, and Eastwood really impressed us,” Edwards explained. “I visited the venue, met Lizzie and the team, and they just got what we were trying to achieve. They started from a place of ‘yes’, only saying no when something truly wasn’t possible. That’s rare – and incredibly valuable when you’re planning an event with a lot of moving parts.”
The support from the Eastwood Hall team was a recurring highlight. “From the serving staff to the bar manager, to the events team – everyone was just lovely. It felt like old-fashioned helpfulness. Nothing was too much trouble. And when a challenge with an external supplier cropped up, the team kept me calm, brought solutions, and handled it brilliantly.”
The layout of the venue and its surroundings also added to the success. “There was plenty of space, but we never felt lost – and the grounds were ideal. We got so lucky with the weather, and it was just perfect for a summer party.”
Food – always a hot topic in the events industry – was another area where Eastwood Hall shone. “The food was brilliant. From the daytime catering to the evening food tents – pizzas, burgers, gyros – it went down a storm. The bottomless tea and coffee stations were a huge hit too!”
The feedback from attendees spoke volumes. “I’ve been inundated with messages – everyone had a fabulous time. The networking was meaningful, the setting was perfect, and everyone commented on how brilliantly the Eastwood Hall team performed. It was all just… positive, positive, positive.”
The event was more than a success – it was a testament to what can be achieved when a passionate, independent community partners with a venue that understands and supports its mission.
As Edwards put it: “It’s really about connection and relationship building – and Eastwood Hall helped us do exactly that.”
“It’s really about connection and relationship building – and Eastwood Hall helped us do exactly that.”
