The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) held its annual general meeting (AGM) at Dunchurch Park Hotel, Rugby, at 1pm on Thursday July 8, 2021, and welcomed almost 90 member representatives to the first face-to-face ESSA event since December 2019.

New elections to the ESSA board were announced, with electronic voting having taken place in the run up to the AGM. The following members were elected to the board: Hayley Ashenden, founder & ops director, Expose Designs Ltd.; Rob Brackstone, MD, ESM Ltd.; Mark Clayton, MD, InEvexco Ltd.; Alexandra Bailey, MD & co-founder, Creative8 Ltd.; Martin Cairns MD, Beechwood Events; John Robson, MD, Aztec Event Services.

The AGM included presentations from ESSA director Andrew Harrison and ESSA Chair Lou Kiwanuka, and the treasurer’s report, delivered by company secreatry Margery Youngs. An ESSA Town Hall session followed the official business of the AGM, and delegates were able to quiz the newly elected board members on strategy and ESSA’s post-covid future.

ESSA director Andrew Harrison also took a minute on stage to thank Christine Cottrell, ESSA events & marketing manager, who retired on 9th July. In recognition of her many years of service to ESSA and its members she was presented with various gifts from the secretariat and ESSA Board. 

With the AGM and town hall meeting concluded, guests were invited to a barbecue lunch in the marquee and on the terrace at Dunchurch Park Hotel.

Harrison was pleased to see so many delegates in attendance, saying, "We wanted to bring members together in person again, after so many virtual meetings. I am genuinely delighted that so many members made the journey to join us. The secluded and verdant setting of Dunchurch Park proved to be the perfect location for us to reacquaint ourselves with sections of the membership face to face, present our pragmatic and optimistic strategy for the association, and discuss our aspirations for the industry and our sector in particular."