NatWest Women’s Networking Event

(Pic Credits:  Chaines Dance Company and RAV Photography)

Poor Morgan of Morgan Gleave Art & Design was left behind working on his latest rebranding project whilst Linda went to the NatWest Women’s Networking Event at The Big Shed Conference Centre in Leicester on the 27 November.

NatWest Bank

Nobody at Morgan Gleave Art & Design knew anything about these Women’s networking events until Linda met very pleasant woman named Nutan Vadera at a corporate dinner recently and received an invitation.  Nutan works for NatWest Bank and is one of the organizers of these events – and a jolly good job the organisers did too!   

The Stalls

Morgan Gleave Art & Design was not eligible to have a stall at the venue because they were reserved for startups and young businesses.  They did not qualify because it has been astounding the East Midlands and as far afield as the US, Japan and New Zealand with original art and design for over eleven years.  (It’s best not to remind either Morgan or Linda about that; they both think they are still youngsters.  Giggle.) 

Linda felt that it was her duty to visit every stall and look at a lot of lovely products.  There was original silver jewelry, lingerie made of the most beautiful fabrics, cups and furniture, and a lot of makeup and skin care products.  Linda bought a couple of things, including some chocolate (as if she could resist chocolate!), and had a manicure.

There were serious – but by no means boring – activities such as talks, advice, inspirational stories, organised networking and a raffle.  Linda won a raffle prize, whoohoo!  

Touch of Las Vegas Glitz

No, not Elvis Presley restored to life or a tacky Elvis impersonator.

The Vegas Showgirls from Chains Dance Company suddenly appeared and amazed everyone with their costumes and their legs.  Those legs…not only did they go on forever, they did some wonderful high kicks.  Obviously there was a lot more to it than that and they were highly entertaining.  

Later Linda, who was still recovering from a back injury she sustained at the gym, stood in the office and did a few ‘high’ kicks of her own. 

Morgan’s response?  A puzzled,  “Are you being a dancing girl?  Are you trying to attract me?”  It was jolly fortunate that she was doing no such thing… 

Did you go to the event?   What did you get out of it?

(Pic Credits:  Chaines Dance Company and RAV Photography)

A Question of Brains: Steps Fundraising at Leicester Tigers

The Kipper’s Knickers and The Bee’s Knees

What did you do last night?  Watch television? Knit?  Indulged in a little Pooktre tree shaping or noodling?  Well, no relaxing hobbies for Linda and Morgan of Morgan Gleave Art & Design, oh no, they were out working really, really hard.

The ‘Working evening’ in question started with Morgan donning his dicky bow and Linda her posh frock, her designer heels and industrial strength underwear (that Gok Wan has a lot to answer for!). 

A Question of Brains

Of course the Morgan Gleave Art and Design partners did not dress up to take their invisible dogs for a walk, in fact they forced themselves to go to ‘A Question of Brains’, a corporate dinner at Leicester Tigers in aid of Steps.  

Steps

No, silly, of course it was nothing to do with the bubble gum pop group with the ‘interesting’ dances.  This Steps is a Leicestershire based charity working with children with cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and other motor disorders to enable them to become more physically able and independent.

Stepscentre.org.uk.

A subtle hint to click on Steps’ website?  Morgan Gleave Art & Design trying to promote something?  Goodness, no!  How can you think such a thing? 

Oh, How Hard They Worked…

The Morgan Gleave Art & Design partners beavered away all evening.  Their perseverance and ability to endure hardship has to be admired.

They suffered the Champagne reception, the sumptuously dressed room and the lovely people.  They put up with the live music of Nick Wallbank of ‘W1’ and Morgan did not spend ages admiring Mr Wallbank’s musical equipment.

Both Morgan Gleave Art & Design partners won tombola prizes including a digital skipping rope.  Although keen to keep fit, both Linda and Morgan have duff knees so no skipping for them.  Poor old sausages.

As for the three-course meal with wine, coffee and chocolate, they both managed to force it down somehow. 

Clearly Linda and Morgan were on the best table with the nicest people.  Meeting lovely new people and having interesting conversations did ease the burden somewhat.  Such heroics…

Beautiful Dresses and a Pilchard

Linda admits to ‘quite liking’ a few of the dresses.  Actually, the truth is closer to thoroughly enjoying admiring them all.

There were long dresses and short dresses.  Glitter, sequins, colours and classy black. 

One person had an exceptionally beautiful dress.  Linda pointed the dress out to Morgan as the woman turned.  Linda complimented her on her dress whilst looking at her face blankly.  Linda felt sure that she recognised her from somewhere.  A former work colleague?  Someone from a networking event?  A shelf stacker in the village Co-op?  Linda meets so many people it takes quite some time to check her internal face index.

Then the penny dropped.  It was Rosemary Conley CBE, patron of Steps.  No wonder Linda was not rescued from her quandary by a, ‘Hello Linda, how are you?’ followed by a vital clue.

Even Linda should have learnt by now that just because she can see someone on television, it does not mean that that person can see her back and that they actually know each other. 

Giggle.  Linda thinks she can run a business.  Giggle. Giggle.

The Celebs

Warning!  Show extreme vigilance!  Imminent name dropping activity in this vicinity!

In addition to Rosemary Conley (bang!) attending in her capacity as Steps’ patron, television presenter Ann Davies (bump!), footballer Alan Birchenall (crash!), cricketer and broadcaster Jonathan Agnew (bump bounce bang), rugby union player and Chief executive of Leicester Tigers Peter Wheeler (Crash – goodness, that was a close one!) and comedian/juggler Michael Goudeau (thud!) contributed to the evening’s fundraising activities.

Fundraising

The purpose of this event was to raise funds, and funds were definitely raised.  Every single penny from the event goes to the Steps charity thanks to business sponsors such as Leicester Tigers, Next PLC, Charles Street Buildings Group, Lionel Heap, Eventologists (great name!) and The Waterford House Partnership among others.

Exactly how much was raised is not clear yet although an interim figure of £64,000 was mentioned and that was way before all the activities had been completed. 

Peter Jones Enterprise Academy

Business students from Leicester College’s Peter Jones Enterprise Academy were busy bees.  They were everywhere keeping things going, selling tombola and raffle tickets, handing out drinks, answering questions and much more. 

The students were wonderful, so polite, helpful and pleasant.  They offered help with a smile and managed to get the right balance between being business-like but still friendly and approachable.  They were kind too.  Even when Linda launched a vicious attack with clawed fingernails on a young man quietly going about his business selling tombola tickets, he was pleasant and helpful.  (Actually she scratched him accidentally on his arm but it probably hurt him.)

…and Oh, Oh, Oh The Men!

Well the dresses have been mentioned.  What about the men? Black tie.  Dinner Jackets.   Well, perhaps Morgan did not notice them, but Linda certainly did.  A whole room full of James Bond’s.  Sooooo sexy… 

Morgan, with his silk dicky bow nonchalantly left undone, was complimented for his cool ‘man about town’ look.  Actually he had tried to tie it properly umpteen times but after saying something to the effect of ‘oh dear this is too much bother’ he gave up.

Finally

Did you attend the ‘A Questions of Brains’ event 2015?  What did you think?  Which was your favourite part?