When Tom Clements took on the role of President of NOEA in November 2019, none of us anticipated that the outdoor events sector was about to face the greatest disruption in its history. Within months, the COVID-19 pandemic had brought our industry to a standstill. For NOEA, and for the wider sector, the question quickly became not only how we would survive, but how we would rebuild in a way that was resilient, credible and sustainable.
Six years later, as Tom steps down from the presidency, it is clear that the decisions taken during that period have fundamentally reshaped both NOEA and its role within the industry.
One of the defining decisions was a focus on skills, people and workforce development. At a time when it would have been easy to concentrate solely on short-term commercial recovery, Tom acknowledged that the long-term health of the sector would depend on talent retention, professional development and diversity. That thinking became the foundation of NOEA’s Build Back Better campaign, which positioned skills and people at the centre of post-pandemic recovery.
Build Back Better did more than provide messaging. It shaped practical programmes, influenced how members approached recruitment and training, and helped position NOEA as a credible voice in national conversations about workforce recovery across live events. Its successor, Better Back Bold, extended that thinking into the next phase of growth, encouraging ambition, innovation and confidence as the sector returned to full operation.
Alongside this strategic focus on people, Tom’s presidency also saw a significant expansion of NOEA’s profile, partnerships and advocacy activity. During a period when government engagement was critical, NOEA strengthened its position as the representative body for outdoor events, ensuring the sector’s challenges and priorities were consistently heard at national level.
That advocacy has continued beyond the pandemic years and is now embedded as a core function of the association.
The result is that, today, NOEA is demonstrably stronger, more visible and more influential than at any point in its 45-year history. Membership engagement is higher, partnerships are broader, and the association is regularly involved in shaping conversations that affect the future of outdoor events nationally.
In November, at NOEA’s Convention and Awards, we took the opportunity to formally mark Tom’s departure as President. It was an appropriate setting, bringing together operators, suppliers, partners and industry leaders, to recognise the scale of change that has taken place during his tenure, and the legacy it leaves behind.
As an organisation, we now move into our next chapter with solid foundations in place. Bev Osborne, founder of Training 4 Resilience, takes on the presidency at a time when skills, wellbeing and professional development remain central to the future of our sector. That continuity of focus is one of the most important legacies of Tom’s leadership.
From my perspective as CEO, Tom leaves NOEA in a stronger shape than when he took on the presidency in 2019. The association’s voice is clearer, its reach is wider, and its strategic priorities, particularly around people, professionalism and long-term resilience, are firmly established.
Those outcomes will continue to shape NOEA’s work for years to come. And that, ultimately, is the most meaningful measure of the contribution made during his presidency.