Join Event Relief 2022 to Support Three Industry Causes Devoted to Mental Health and Well-Being

November 17, 2022
Event Relief 2022

While the events industry is bouncing back, the residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing challenges event professionals are facing continue to take a toll on their mental health and well-being. To lend a helping hand to those in need, Event Relief 2022, an 11-hour virtual event, will take place on Nov. 29 to raise essential funds for three event industry charities: EventWell, Make It Blue and Meeting Needs.

Founded and led by event professional Dan Assor, creator of The Dan Assor Podcast, the event aims to address one of the biggest obstacles event professionals are struggling with nowadays.

“Mental health-related illness affects one in three event professionals every year,” Assor said. “Mental health services are seeing unprecedented demand, and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis is wide-reaching—many people are having to decide whether to heat their homes or buy food, and many are increasingly uncertain whether they will be able to pay their mortgage or rent, which can all have a devastating effect on mental health and well-being.”

Every donation from Event Relief 2022 will go toward helping event professionals who are experiencing personal and financial hardship.

“This event will make a real difference to real people—our event people,” Assor said. 

Event Relief will run from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. GMT, with event industry companies and individuals participating in a combination of fun and informative sessions on the hour, every hour, to raise awareness and donations through creative and imaginative approaches.

Among the participating individuals and companies are Lizzie Williamson, “The Excuse Buster from Down Under,” and Doug Emslie, CEO of Tarsus Group (TSNN’s parent company), who will lead the 8 a.m. Good Morning Booster.

The session will focus on ways to reduce stress, anxiety, overwhelm and other strong emotions through body movement, which produces serotonin (the feel-good hormone) and helps counteract cortisol (the stress hormone). Through mood-uplifting music, participants will be encouraged to stretch, move and dance to start their day.  

Other sessions throughout the event will include:

  • "Set Your Mind at Ease With New Event Ideas,” with by Merijn Van Buuren of Event Mender and Vanessa Lovatt of Notified
     
  • “Sustainability for the Soul," with Kate Vandenburg of the Business Design Centre and Kyle Soo of B Lab UK
     
  • "The Problem, The Founder's Journey,” with Adam Jones of FFAIR, Tamar Beck of Gleanin and Joe Atkinson of Lineup Ninja
     
  • "The Great Big Event Industry Quiz," with Clear Path Analysis
     
  • "Pilates For Beginners," with Shocklogic featuring Karen Perea
     
  • "Why Working With Influencers Can Drive Awareness and Registrations for Your Event," with Gordon Glenister
     
  • "The events industry through the eyes of future event profs," with University of East London
     
  • "Finding Calm Amongst the Chaos: An Introduction to Mindfulness,” with Lucy Woods of Presence of Mind
     
  • "Would I Lie to You?" with Easyfairs
     
  • “Expo Stars Unplugged,” with Lee Ali of Expo Stars, featuring music from Lea Volpe
     
  • “Yoga With Nineteen Group,” with Becca Brown of Nature’s Healing
     
  • Chats with representatives of EventWell, Make It Blue and Meeting Needs
     

About the Organizations

EventWell is a charitable social enterprise dedicated to cultivating mental health awareness, with the aim of campaigning, educating and supporting better mental health and well-being in the event industry. Pledge by EventWell offers grant giving and financial support to any event professional experiencing personal struggles or hardship.

Make it Blue, a community interest company started by the U.K. events and entertainment industry, aims to support colleagues and others in need, and promote mental health awareness through arts, culture and entertainment projects. The company generates funds to support selected charities and creative engagement projects that have a specific focus on mental health and well-being. 

Meeting Needs is a registered charity founded by leading figures in the U.K. conference and events industry. The objective of Meeting Needs is to raise funds for worthy causes relevant to the events industry. 

Event Relief 2022 will be streamed live here and on Assor’s YouTubeFacebook, and LinkedIn pages. To donate, click here.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.