A Reflection of G7
Secure, focused, collaborative.
Three things that flood you with a head rush of excitement, the moment you step foot on the production site at G7 in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. Overwhelming, yes; standing there, you realise the copious amount of intense work and effort your colleagues have committed to for the past 12 weeks, will soon come into full fruition and be over in a matter of days…
But let us rewind for a moment.
As part of the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework, Identity took part in a competitive tender process which resulted in the successful awarding of the event delivery of G7, to be produced on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
The Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit is a three-day event housing powerful discussions and decisions made by world leaders, which contributes towards the shifting direction of global economic growth to create a greener, more prosperous future.
As many agencies on the CCS framework will know, a response to a tender of this level takes time – you round up your biggest hard hitters, collaborate with your team and tear the tender apart, war room optional.
Witnessing tired eyes, driven minds and constant persistence, the highly coveted Identity team rallied together to form a cohesive response to this tender, encompassing intricate and expansive detail that met strict, mandatory requests from the client. Tender response submitted.
Waiting approximately six weeks to hear the outcome, Identity remained confident and continued business as usual, with hope sitting eagerly in the back of many minds.
On 16th March at 4:00pm, Identity was granted the green light and officially awarded the G7 contract. Staff were soon notified and work on the event was kicked into gear, ensuring that all cogs were moving in the right places. At this moment in time, relief, enthusiasm and commitment were at the forefront of our working force, supporting us to assertively springboard into the delivery phase of the largest multilateral summit that the UK will host since its departure from the EU and US President, Joe Biden’s, first international event and face-to-face meeting with UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
Fast-forward just over 12 weeks and you are now standing on the production site of G7, in Cornwall. In addition to the undulating waves of Carbis Bay, thousands of police and Royal Navy officers secure the site and surrounding area with strict security measures, logistics and keen eyes, all situated in place for event protection and for the arrival of VVIP’s – seven heads of government (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States), guest countries and representatives of the European Union.
Looking around, various Identity personnel and local contractors are focused on the task at hand, observantly driven and ambitious to achieve completion within their area of responsibility. Walking through the site, sustainable materials are being used everywhere you look, florae and foliage are being planted and overlapping ripples of project conversation consistently hum in the background.
Everyone is active. Everyone is dedicated. Everyone has a collaborative role to play, collectively pushing to produce one outcome.
Being on-site of such a large-scale event your agency is in the process of delivering, is incredible. Standing there and absorbing the opportunity that presents itself to you, offers an immense feeling of pride and respect – for your colleagues; for the project; and for the knowledge of Identity’s capability and belief that when united as a team, you can tackle any challenge with gusto, determination and punch, to deliver a professional and high-profile event with flair and positive client feedback.
“The G7 Leaders’ Summit was a typically professional and elegant operation from Identity. The way in which your team redesigned spaces was a testament to their flair and innovative thinking. Their attention to detail was apparent throughout the sites.” – Jon Geddes, Deputy Director Protocol/SRO Major Events, FCDO.
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