Laying the groundwork for a star studded charity event… literally!
Red and yellow and pink and… Framboise? Not the most common carpet colour request we have ever received here at Europa International, but what the client wants the client gets. And WHAT a client it is.
Now we’ve kitted out some star studded events before, but the Centrepoint fundraiser on November 10th 2016 has to be one of the most memorable; with the youth homelessness charity’s patron HRH The Duke of Cambridge in attendance, and host Jonathan Ross introducing the acts and entertaining the crowd.
And whilst you could be forgiven for thinking that our MD Steve was scheduled to perform alongside the fabulous line up - including singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding and Craig David - whilst wearing one of his many (in) famous outfits, our role on the day was a little more grounded. Literally.
Let me explain.
It was a mild spring morning when we received the call from Centrepoint – a charity that provides accommodation for homeless young people aged between 16 and 25.
They were in the midst of planning for one of their legendary fund raising events with ambitious plans to raise a staggering £1.5m, and they needed our help.
‘We need carpet’, they said. ‘We’ve got plenty’, we replied. ‘It needs to be Framboise’, they said. ‘Oh’, we replied.
Following a speedy google search to check exactly what Framboise was (it’s a colour akin to raspberry, for the record) we set about doing what we do best – delivering!
In addition to 1946 Sq metres of carpet that would be used to kit out the many marquees, event space and orangery, they were also after hundreds of ropes and posts. Not a problem for our team of event furniture hire experts… oh no!
With less than 12hrs to go before the guests were due to arrive we loaded up several of our Europa vans and set off from our London warehouse to the venue. It was big, it was beautiful, IT WAS IN A PALACE!!! (Kensington, to be precise).
Seamlessly moving from room to room with only two tea breaks and a mere handful of Jammie Dodgers, our dedicated customer service-focused team stayed on-site until everything was in place - ironing out any issues and offering a bit of moral support to the organisers and other suppliers (which never goes amiss when everything is coming together).
The end result was beyond stunning, with the valiant efforts of the whole event team coming together to create a magical atmosphere which resulted in Centrepoint being well on the way to reaching its fundraising target for a very worthwhile cause.
Sponsored by the Reuben Foundation whose goal is making essential contributions in three core areas: education, healthcare and the community, both in the UK and worldwide; the Centrepoint Kensington Fundraiser welcomed in excess of 400 guests on the night.
It also played host to the second annual Centrepoint Awards which recognises the success of remarkable young people who have experienced homelessness and turned their lives around with the charity’s help.
Commenting on the event Europa MD, Steve Murphy, said: “Whilst I was somewhat disappointed not to receive the call to duet with Ellie Goulding, the whole team was extremely proud and privileged to have the opportunity to work with such an incredible charity which does amazing work with homeless young people across the country.
“Many congratulations to everyone involved in the organisation of such a wonderful event. No doubt it will be talked about for many years to come.”
