Bringing an ambitious concept to life in support of NHS Charities Together

That vision became reality in September 2021, when ERP Today hosted its inaugural ERP Today Awards & Fundraiser at Ascot Racecourse, not only marking the start of a multi-year partnership with, but also bringing together more than 1000 members of the ERP community – and raising a whopping £100,000 for the independent national charity partner of the NHS, NHS Charities Together from ticket sales and donations. 

100 NHS frontline staff and leadership shared the day, taking part in competitive events, fun activities and entertainment, including laser clay shooting, penalty shoot-out, tug of war, archery, and human table football. 

The ERP Awards and Fundraiser was supported by 20 of the world’s leading technology companies: Accenture, Acumatica, Advanced, Automation Anywhere, Capgemini, Deloitte, Embridge Consulting, Epicor, EY, IFS, Infor, Oracle, QAD, Sage, Salesforce, SAP, SUSE, Syniti, Unit4, and Workday.   

The action-packed day was a chance to show support and appreciation for those who have been on the frontline during the pandemic, as well as recognise excellence across the industry in another first – the ERP Today Awards, with a ceremony that formed part of the one-day outdoor event.  

Event management in uncertain times

Having worked with ERP Today on various projects, we were keen to get involved in bringing this bold idea to life. Our discussions took place before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which scuppered initial plans for an indoor, black-tie event. An audacious and ambitious plan was later devised to host a large scale, outdoor event where the tech industry could come together after a difficult 18 months. We had to think creatively – it was a bold project and something that would take courage to deliver in a COVID-secure way.   

V Formation provided support with all aspects of the event planning, management, and delivery, playing a key role as project managers throughout the planning process as well as providing on-the- ground, practical support on-site on the day of the event, which included media, VIP, guest and supplier liaison, and live social media management.  

We also led the structure of the awards element of the event, including sponsor liaison with some of the biggest names in the tech industry, drawing on our extensive experience of planning, managing, and delivering awards ceremonies. Commenting on working with V Formation, Paul Esherwood, founder and editor of ERP Today, said:

“About 18 months ago, we had an idea for a completely different kind of corporate event for the ERP community. It was a bold plan, to bring the thousands of tech execs together, along with 150 NHS staff for a day of fun, awards and fundraising at Ascot Racecourse – to say that it took a lot of organising would be an understatement!

“We engaged with Hilary and the team at V Formation to project manage the event from start to finish, and quite frankly, without their input, we would never have achieved what we did. Their attention to detail from the very start of the project was first rate and their ability to work with all our partners and customers to make sure we delivered an excellent experience for all of them was absolutely superb. I look forward to working with V Formation again next year at Ascot on the 22^nd of September.”

Bringing festival vibes to Ascot   

When it came to choosing the venue, we opted for Ascot Racecourse, largely due to its strong relationships with local suppliers, its dedicated in-house event team and the profile and prestige of the location and its beautiful grounds.  

V Formation Director Hilary Campton explains:

“With the support and expertise of some outstanding suppliers and ERP Today’s design director Ceci Perriard, we transformed The Furlong Club and the grounds at Ascot into a ‘mini festival.’ It was a privilege to be involved in organising such a unique event which felt like a breath of fresh air after 18 months of virtual get-togethers. It was thanks to the efforts of the wonderful team of creatives and suppliers that helped make the event feel so special, from the Ascot Racecourse team’s utter attention to detail and RTA Publicity’s delivery of our desired ‘festival feel,’ to Stunning Tents’ beautiful tipis enjoyed by our VIP guests and sponsors, and GOTO Events’ skilful management of all the non-stop activities indoors and out.”

Plans for 2022

The V Formation team is delighted that we have helped to take the ERP Today Awards & Fundraiser from a seed of an idea to an established, annual fixture and that it will continue to support the incredible work of NHS Charities Together. We’re looking forward to returning to Ascot with an even bigger and better event next year. 

Paul Esherwood said:

“It was a great privilege that we have been able to bring the ERP community together to support the NHS and I am very grateful to all our sponsors and partners. This event marked the start of a multi-year partnership between ERP Today and NHS Charities Together and we look forward to supporting the NHS and the charity for many years to come with this unique awards event format. The event has been a huge success with more than 1000 people in attendance enjoying a day of fun, awards and fundraising.”  

Next year’s ERP Awards and Fundraiser returns to Ascot Racecourse on 22 September 2022. 

If you’d like our help to bring your idea for an event to life, or transform an existing fixture in your events calendar, please contact V Formation’s marketing experts on 0115 667 0131 or drop us a line here.