Our Team

Beginning his career in Events Management organising events for the UK’s largest conservation charity, after which he returned to education to study for a BA (Hons.) in Events Management at the University of Derby and also later completed the University of Derby Level 5 Diploma in Event Safety Management. This has offered him fantastic opportunities, working across the industry in various roles including running event control rooms and site managing large scale outdoor events. Ian now runs his own company, Event Site Services, helping event organisers with creative site solutions from total site management, to infrastructure specification and delivery as well as a host of other services, Ian is also a NOEA Council Member, growing and building relationships between students and industry through the UK’s leading outdoor events trade association.

Chris first became involved with events at Glastonbury Festival in 1979, whilst working as a GP in Somerset. He has been with FMS since its beginning over forty years ago, occupying a variety of roles. The organisation, which covers Glastonbury, Reading, WOMAD and several other events, is unusual in being a not-for-profit charity, staffed by volunteers and making grants to medical and humanitarian projects around the world. It was recently honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. In addition to event cover, FMS is a training provider and has been heavily involved in the NHS Covid vaccination programme in the West Country. Recently it has partnered with World Extreme Medicine to produce and ship bespoke boxes of trauma equipment to medical colleagues in Ukraine. Chris has considerable experience of providing medical input into SAGs and event working groups.

SRD Group Ltd The Studio, Dry Hill Farm, Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge, Kent. TN10 3D Tel: 01732 372920 Fax:01732 373921 As a specialist in event technical services I have for several years supported NOEA annual conventions by providing knowledge and equipment where necessary. For future events I would happily do the same, but as a council member will be more involved with the planning.

9 Poole Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 5QR Tel: 01202 755980 Solicitors and Planning Consultants specialising in the provision of Legal Advice for Outdoor Events and to all Leisure Businesses

Alistair Turner is Managing Director of EIGHT PR & Marketing, a specialist creative agency servicing the events industry. Alistair has over 20 years experience in the PR industry, working across some of the biggest brands in FMCG, tourism and most recently the international events industry. Over the course of his career, Al has worked with stellar brands, cutting his teeth with Haagen Daaz, Tropicana and Muller, he was also once described as ‘Bertie Bassett’s right-hand man’ when he was leading the Trebor Bassett account. He was also involved in the re-launch of Bill & Ben the Flowerpot Men when working with BBC Worldwide. Since entering the global events marketplace, Al has worked across the full range of events, from business conferences and exhibitions, through brand activations and into the sporting and festival industries. As well as influencing media and representing the events industry, he has also been involved in the influence and communication with the UK government; he was secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events, and project managed the groups’ Enquiry into the international competitiveness of the UK events industry in 2013. He has also been a government advisor on the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Finally, he has been involved in ministerial briefings on the events industry at Secretary of State level and below. He was heavily involved with No.10 on its development of the ‘Britain is GREAT’ initiative, and the ‘Events are GREAT’ implementation of that campaign. He is a regular speaker on events and PR at a number of universities including Hertfordshire, MMU, Westminster, University of East London, Greenwich, Hertfordshire, and St Margret’s. He is also a regular contributor to The Events Academy educational programmes.

I hope to give the council my input from the capacity of an event organiser with the added perspective of my experience as a licensing lawyer, and assist in the  general running of the Association including engagement with upcoming events, and coming to informed decisions in relation to issues which impact on the industry as a whole.

With more than thirty years event and sports safety management experience, Richard Bate is the Chief Safety & Sustainability Officer at the E Bike Grand Prix Series and Vice President of the Royal Chartered Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH). Richard’s early career as a Paramedic in the UK NHS was diverse, including emergency response, helicopter aircrew, training, and management. While working for the NHS he built a portfolio of skills, which via a circuitous route, including incurable volunteering, brought him into Occupational Safety & Health as a full-time profession. Richard holds a BSc in OSHEM, a Post Graduate Diploma in Events Safety Management and holds Chartered Member of IOSH, Fellowship of IIRSM and is a Professional Member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.