From keeping conference speakers, venues and delegate details on track to making an emergency dash for tent pegs when the weather has other ideas – no two days look quite the same for Helen, Project Coordinator here at BeaconHouse Events.
After a career spanning hospitality and project management, Helen joined the BeaconHouse team in January 2026 and was onsite at her first event just a week later.
We caught up with her to talk about the work that goes on behind the scenes of a brilliant event, why seeing months of planning come together is so rewarding, and what helps her switch off when she’s not in the office…
Tell me about your role at BeaconHouse Events – are you all settled in?
I joined BeaconHouse in January 2026 as a Project Coordinator and definitely feel settled in now! I started at a slightly quieter point in the year, which gave me a chance to understand how everything worked – although I was actually onsite at my first event within a week. Since then, things have really ramped up though!
My role can involve everything from booking venues to liaising with speakers, clients and delegates, researching delegate or speaker gifts and helping event managers with any of the details that need to come together before an event.
There’s more office-based work involved than people imagine. You’re not onsite every day and there’s a huge amount happening behind the scenes first, but it’s definitely not boring admin. Everything you’re doing is contributing towards creating that final experience.
Then you get to go onsite and see everything you’ve been working on come together, which is such a good feeling.
What did you do before joining BeaconHouse Events?
I’ve worked a lot in hospitality, including in a pub and at Mokka cafe and bakery on Chillingham Road, and I also spent two years working in project management. Those two backgrounds have actually come together really well for events.
Project management taught me a lot about organisation, prioritisation and time management, while hospitality gave me the people-facing skills and customer service experience that are so important when you’re onsite.
When you’re working at an event, you’re representing BeaconHouse but you’re also representing the client and you need to be able to work with lots of different people and make sure they have a brilliant experience.
How did your background take you into a career in events?
I’d always liked the idea of working in events, but when I was younger I didn’t really know how you actually got into it, and I couldn’t see a clear route from there to making it a career.
Looking back, though, my experience gave me a lot of the skills you need. Project management is obviously a huge part of delivering events, while hospitality taught me how to think on my feet, deal with different people and focus on the experience someone is having. It all ended up coming together and bringing me here!
I’m also Newcastle born and raised, so it’s really nice to be able to build a career in events here. I think sometimes people assume you need to move to somewhere like London or Manchester to work on major events, but at BeaconHouse we’re delivering some really exciting projects across the UK from right here in the North East.
What would you tell people looking to pursue a career in the sector?
If you’re someone who loves seeing a result at the end of everything you’ve worked on, events can be incredibly rewarding.
You do have to enjoy the work that happens before the event itself, though. People see the finished event, but there’s months of planning behind it. You also need to be able to solve problems and adapt quickly because something will inevitably change!
Hospitality is a brilliant background for events because it teaches you how to work under pressure, deal with lots of different people and find solutions quickly.
If you’re organised, enjoy working with people, like variety and get satisfaction from seeing something you’ve worked really hard on finally happen, it’s a great career.
Did you have any misconceptions about working in events before you arrived at BeaconHouse? Has anything surprised you?
I think the biggest misconception is probably that it’s all the glamorous side people see at the end.
You might hear that someone has been working at an awards evening, or something like the Great North Run VIP hospitality or a high profile event and think it all sounds very glamorous – but you don’t see everything that has happened beforehand!
Sometimes it’s very practical. At one outdoor event this summer we were dealing with really strong winds and suddenly there I was trying to find somewhere nearby that sold marquee pegs and mallets to make sure our marquee stayed exactly where it was supposed to. You have to be willing to get stuck in and solve whatever comes your way.
Finding that solution to a challenge is also what makes it so rewarding. One of my favourite events so far has been working with The Light Dragoons. There were definitely challenges during the day, but seeing everything come together, watching the parade and then looking after guests afterwards was brilliant.
By the end of it I just wanted to do the whole thing again.
Outside of the office what can we find you doing?
Probably acting or crocheting!
I go to an acting class every Saturday and we’ve got a showcase coming up, so at the moment there’s lots of rehearsing going on. We perform a series of short scenes in front of casting directors, directors and agents, so it’s almost like lots of mini acting job interviews rolled into one.
I also crochet and I’ve made things like a little sunglasses holder and a top for myself, but I have absolutely no plans to turn it into a business! Both are also a really good way to switch off after work, which can be busy and hectic, and spend some time away from a screen.
And finally, who would be your dream client?
I don’t think I could choose one specific person, but it would definitely be something connected to the acting, film or entertainment world.
I love getting the chance to talk about acting, so working with a client in that industry would be amazing. There’s lots of events within that industry that happen here in the North East that a lot of people don’t know about, but if we’re dreaming really big… the Oscars, the Emmys or the Met Gala.
They know where we are!
To find out more about how BeaconHouse Events can support your organisation to deliver memorable events with purpose, email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk