Having observed many of the same questions repeatedly being raised in chat groups and through online forums, we suggested a conversation to talk through some of the challenges faced by events managers working in the non-profit sector. We hadn’t quite anticipated that over 100 people would join us for our first #CovetedCuppa and a vibrant discussion about how we’re handling these extraordinary times.

So what were our key learnings from this initial discussion?

Much of our conversation was focused on the postponement of events. Certainly at Coveted, we’re encouraging our clients to consider postponing rather than cancelling altogether, allowing them to continue to engage their donors and encourage face-to-face opportunities that will be all the more precious in the months to come. We ran some quick online polls to identify some of the key trends affecting the sector. You can see the rest of our findings here but it’s clear that the current thinking is firmly on postponing events at this stage, rather than cancelling altogether.

The question still remains as to when to postpone to and to understand when is appropriate to start promoting events activity. Our recent poll demonstrated that there are still some yet to move or cancel their events pre-summer, however it’s very likely that these will be postponed in the coming weeks.

September is proving to be one of the most controversial months. Many events are currently scheduled (either longstanding events or postponed) for this time but there’s still a lot of concern around this period; whether international travel will be permitted; whether sales targets will be reached; whether guests/delegates will have been financially impacted.

As the week's progress it’s clear that the situation is changing on a daily basis and organisations are facing tough decisions to ensure that they can respond to changing climate.

Finally, we talked through how we were feeling. As events managers, we’re so used to being able to plan, to being in control, to working through a Gantt chart in order to meet deadlines. Without a calendar of events, there’s a sense of discombobulation as we try to navigate the challenges, staying focused and motivated.

We’re sending our thoughts and best wishes to all of those impacted by Covid-19, particularly those who have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or suffered significant income loss in recent weeks.

What’s your experience of Coronavirus? How is it affecting your day-to-day working life? Have you personally been involved with an event or project cancelled as a result of the virus? Get in touch to share your experiences or join our next #CovetedCuppa for the charity sector on 17 April at 12PM BST.