This time last year, our team had the opportunity to host a Marketing Derby bondholder event in collaboration with Morley Hayes. As well as a delicious breakfast, we served a presentation about our UNMATCHED services whilst our co-host announced its new digital driving range.
We were lucky enough to have many fellow bondholders attend, making it a great morning for conversation and connecting. Which is what Marketing Derby is all about! A year on, we’re reflecting on our favourite bondholder events (aside from our own, of course). Here is what the team said:
Simon Kinnear
This is an easy one for me. Most Marketing Derby events tend to follow a similar format – food & drink, followed by some kind of presentation. But one morning in (I think) 2017, I donned helmet and cycling shoes when Derby Arena kindly invited Bondholders to take a turn on the Velodrome.
You’ll have seen Jason and Laura Kenny make it look easy on TV – but nothing prepares you for how stomach-churningly exhilarating it is! Your feet are locked onto the pedals and there are no brakes. You have to keep pedalling, or the wheels stop turning, which isn’t a good idea when you’re zooming around on a 42% incline. Speaking of which, how steep?! It’s only speed and momentum that keeps you glued to the track. Think too much about it, and you’ll wobble to your doom.
I loved it so much I went back a year later, inviting my Dad along for a taster session. Alas, he wasn’t quite as confident as me; after a couple of laps, he had to stop and watch me still whizzing around! But it proves the value of these events. By generously sharing what they do, and giving bondholders a taste of what’s available, Derby Arena generated some new business from me. Mission accomplished.
Rory
My favourite Marketing Derby Bondholder event was the breakfast at Derby County Football Club. It was a great experience to have an in-depth look behind the scenes at the team I have supported all my life.
I learnt about the club’s fantastic community trust and how they help the wider city of Derby. We heard from the head of the trust, Simon Carnall, who told us about the work he does.
We also had the opportunity to have a guided tour of the VIP matchday experience which includes their many suites and private boxes. It was a real eye-opener to see how well developed the club’s facilities are at Pride Park Stadium.
However, my favourite part of the event was hearing from Head Coach, Paul Warne, as he was interviewed on stage by Rams TV presenter Owen Bradley. Paul had an in-depth conversation about what life is like at Derby County and the challenges of the highly competitive league one campaign at the time of the event. Paul Warne also emphasised how great the community of Derby is and how he was shocked at how much the club gives back to the community.
Overall, it was a great event and I enjoyed it very much. I also had the fanciest bacon roll I have ever eaten.
Bob
They do say schooldays are the best days of our lives – and my visit to the Marketing Derby Repton School event reminded me of what a great start I had in life.
It was very interesting to hear about the many initiatives the school is continuing to introduce to maintain its high levels of education and remain relevant in a changing world.
As with most children, I didn’t recognise my good fortune at the time, so I’m glad I had the opportunity eventually to thank my parents for the investment they made in my education and – thanks in no small part to Repton – to be able to do the same for my son.
Molly
I absolutely adore coffee. If I had one wish, it would be to make every drink taste like coffee. So, it’s no surprise that my favourite Marketing Derby event was at Bear.
Now, I might be biased toward Bear, as the owner very kindly sent me some free samples a few years ago after I wrote a blog about my love of coffee. However, this bondholder event was brilliant for many reasons.
We were greeted with coffee at the door, served delicious tater tots throughout, engaged in great conversation with a variety of attendees and watched a truly interesting presentation from Matthew Montague Architects.
Everyone was also given a free voucher to use at Bear in the months after the event, so I was happy!
Wendy
My favourite Marketing Derby event was at Treetop Hospice in Risley, Derbyshire, when the team invited us to see their new children’s counselling and therapy centre – thanks to BBC’s Children in Need.
It was wonderful to see the new space and how it will help children, their parents, and carers with its bespoke rooms for counselling and complementary therapy.
We heard how the BBC’s DIY SOS team worked round the clock to complete the Big Build project in just 10 days and how the village of Risley and all its residents rallied round to support Treetops.
Simon Wildash
Being a member of Marketing Derby means we have had the privilege to attend so many different events – as well as host one of our own of course.
Picking one out as a favourite is difficult as each has its own strengths and perspective on Derby businesses. Having said that the one that stood out for me recently was the opening of The Pepperpot which is part of the Wavensmere Homes development of the Nightingale Quarter on the old DRI site. For me it expresses the changes we are seeing in our city. The development itself is bringing people back to the city centre, with greater demand for restaurants, bars, shops and leisure outlets.
The Pepperpot is a perfect example of this and brings fine dining to a beautiful and iconic building. It was also a great event, tempted by the food and enjoying the company of fellow bondholders, all while having a good nosey round. What more could you ask for!
Rhiannon
Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s Bondholder Breakfast was definitely a standout in my book among all the Marketing Derby gatherings. With good food and company in one of Derbyshire’s best venues, it was a morning well spent.
But the real highlight? Winning hospitality tickets to the women’s England v Pakistan game in a heads v tails match!
Ryan
When I think about all the Marketing Derby events I’ve attended so far during my time at Nielsen McAllister, it’s hard to pinpoint a favourite really. I’ve come away from each one with more insight on a certain sector, such as Nelson’s hosting and presentation on employment law, and made more connections than before I walked into the building.
However, simply because it felt like slipping on an old pair of slippers, I’d say Derby County’s bondholder event was probably my favourite. Seeing some old faces, and many, many new ones – it was by far the best attended event I’ve been to – it was amazing to zip around the room with an air of familiarity. handing out business cards at a faster rate than EFL referees hand out yellow cards, I felt a true sense of networking.
It was all topped off with a nice talk from Derby manager Paul Warne – who seems lovely. I can’t have many, if any, complaints.
Hannah
My favourite Marketing Derby Bondholder event has to be the Sinfonia Viva concert hosted at the Derby Council House in November 2022. I had only been working at NM for about three months when I attended, making it one of my first BH events – and it still sticks in my mind as my favourite to this day.
The event was held in the perfect location, with the orchestra performing amazing classical pieces right in the middle of a grand staircase. The whole atmosphere of the evening was great – complete with delicious canapés and a nice glass of prosecco, which made it even better!
We also learned about Sinfonia Viva’s incredible work in the community and how they are making a difference through music with local schools and businesses.
A standout moment was when Jack got to try out the cello with help from one of Sinfonia Viva’s long-standing artists, Deidre Bencsik!
