Big Xmas Party 2019 – supporting young people with life-threatening conditions

20 November 2019 by massimo
This year’s festive networking event will be raising funds for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices currently care for 366 children and young people as well as 370 family members providing care for those with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk and support for their families.

EACH support services are offered free of charge to those in need and are available throughout the year. The support they offer can include:

  • Daycare and overnight breaks, including accommodation for families (if they wish)
  • Specialist symptom management support and advice
  • Emotional and wellbeing support for children & young people (including siblings) and parents and grandparents (including counselling, art and music therapy)
  • Occupational and physiotherapy (including hydrotherapy)
  • Specialist play
  • Family events
  • Support groups
  • Spiritual care
  • Family information service – www.each.org.uk/informationservice. This includes a section on specialist holidays for families and grant-making organisations providing special trips and financial help.

“EACH are really excited to be the chosen charity for the Big Xmas Social 2019. We hope to chat to lots of people there, enjoy a great evening – and raise lots of money to help fund vital care for local life-threatened children.”

Lottie Driver, EACH Corporate Fundraiser (Cambs & West Essex)

The Big Xmas Party 2019 is returning for its 20th event and to celebrate, we will be coming together at The Pitt Club on Friday 6th December for a festive networking opportunity like no other!

Make sure to take part in the prize raffle because ALL the money it raises will be donated to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices…and you can win something extra special to take home with you too – it’ll be like Christmas has come early!

Need something to tickle your taste buds? Take a look at the Christmas Buffet menu:

Get Your Tickets Now Before It’s Too Late!

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by commenting below for all to hear – Let us know if you’re coming!

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BIG Summer BBQ 2019, a great success for Creating Cambridge, against all odds

24 July 2019 by massimo
Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti

On Friday 19th July we ran the 10th (!) BIG Summer BBQ and the 19th event for Creating Cambridge.  I would like to thank the people who attended, the various groups which promoted the event and Conference Direct, our main sponsor, who once more believed in us and our cause.  A big thank you also to the whole CHS Group – Railway House team who provided 6 lovely people to help us run the event and partnered with us in fundraising for their charity.

I am so glad this event was as successful as it was despite a number of pitfalls which we could not have imagined when we planned it.  We decided to give CB2 a chance this year after a couple of near misses with Fort St.George in 2017 and 2018.  Joseph the (ex) manager at CB2 is a friend for over 20 years who has been very good with Pitch and Mix since 2016.  Unfortunately CB2 has been taken over by a new owner who decided to close the place for refurbishment less than  two weeks before the BIG Summer BBQ.  When I found out that I might not have a venue for the event I felt like the whole event was falling apart so about 8 days before the BBQ I had to pull all of my lucky cards and hope for the best.  Luckily the new owner recognised my continued contribution to CB2 over the years in terms of bringing in lots of business dinners, networking events and so on.  I was very happy and surprised when he offered for me to use the venue for free for the BBQ.  I still had a little problem: who is going to provide food and drinks?  Once more I was lucky in having friends at the Box Cafè who offered to step in and run the whole catering and bar for us, helped by Joseph and Maria, the ex managers at CB2 who were pivotal to our success.  I can just say that  Ozi and his amazing team provided a great selection of good quality food as well a good selection of drinks with amazing service: THANK YOU!!! One final thank you to Rossana Leonetti who was the official photographer for the event.

Watch this space for the next event, the BIG Xmas Party 2019 which is already booked for the 6th of December.

You can see some pictures from the BIG Summer BBQ 2019 here below, more to come:

  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti
  • Copyright 2019 and courtesy of Rossana Leonetti

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BIG Summer BBQ 2019 – supporting young people at risk of homelessness

27 June 2019 by massimo
CHS Group – Raise the Roof Campaign #raisetheroof

This year’s networking event will be raising funds to help vulnerable young people at Railway House, Cambridge.

Railway House in Cambridge works to provides support and accommodation for young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness. Their work helps every young person to reach their full potential in an empowering environment.

Railway House can provide:

  • help to further their education with stationary and laptop loan
  • funds for transport so they can rebuild relationships with family
  • 1-2-1 specialist support of group counselling
  • help with college/job interviews
  • medical and dental treatment
  • & much more!

Unfortunately, local government funding has been cut by £15,000 which makes it harder for Railway House to provide everything that young people need.

“Around 103,000 young people asked for help with homelessness last year”

– Centrepoint, UK

On 2nd December, CHS employees and friends battled the cold and slept out in the centre of Cambridge for the Raise the Roof cause. They managed to raise a whopping, £8305.39 thanks to their efforts and their 109 supporters.

Now it’s our turn. The Big Summer BBQ 2019 is in its 10th year and to celebrate, we will be coming together at CB2 Bistro on Friday 19th July with a networking opportunity like no other.

Make sure to take part in the prize raffle because ALL the money it raises will be donated to Railway House…and you can win something extra special to take home with you.

Need something to tickle your taste buds? Take a look at the BBQ menu:

“CHS Group are delighted that Massimo and his team at BiQ have chosen our young people’s service Railway House in Cambridge as their charity for this year’s Networking Summer BBQ.  Any money donated will go a long way to support our residents who are 16-25 years old and who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness.”

– Kristina Cairns, CHS Group spokesperson

Let us know if you’re coming in the comments below!
Register Now
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Announcing the BIG Summer BBQ 2019

24 May 2019 by massimo

We are pleased to announce today the BIG Summer BBQ 2019.  If you are interested in technology, creative ideas, bio-tech and friendly networking then come and join us on Friday 19 July at CB2 Bistro.

The previous 18 events were great successes: many of the people who attended asked us to keep organising these events so here we are. As usual we are promoting the BIG Summer BBQ 2018 together with a range of selected local networking groups. We are sure you will have the opportunity of meeting many new people, but also of catching up with many colleagues and friends.

They menu for the day will be (to be confirmed):
Mains:

  • Hand Pressed Burgers With Balsamic Fried Red Onions
  • Seasoned Chicken Breast
  • Black Bean & Jalapeno Burgers

Side dishes & Salads:

  • Mixed Leaf Salad
  • New Potato & Chive Salad
  • Hand Made Fennel Salad

Book now!

We are looking for sponsors for the event and we have a range of different packages available. If you wish to be a sponsor please contact:
Massimo Gaetani [bookings, tickets, marketing and media contact]
Rich Wainwright [sponsors contact]

Here below the list (to be confirmed) of Groups and Networks that are helping us to promote the BBQ and raise money for charity.

  • Cambridge Network
  • Cambridge Space
  • CamCreative
  • IoD
  • JCI
  • Pitch and Mix
  • PIC
  • Cambridge AWiSE

PLEASE NOTE:

  • Unfortunately we will not be able to cater for special dietary needs.
  • CB2 Bistro is located on the corner between Norfolk Street and East Road.  It can be reached on foot/bicycle in minutes from most central areas of Cambridge.  Parking in the area is scarce but Queen Anne Terrace and Grafton Centre car parks are a few metres away.
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Announcing the BIG Xmas Party 2018

09 October 2018 by massimo

If you are interested in technology, creativity ideas, bio-tech and friendly networking then come and join us, Creating Cambridge, on Friday 7 December for the 9th BIG Xmas Party that, like last year, will be held at the Pitt Club.

We have been running 2 events per year since 2010 and we always manage to attract a lovely crowd of newbies as well as regular attendees.

We are promoting this event together with a range of selected local meetups and networking groups. We are sure you will have the opportunity of meeting many new people, but also of catching up with many colleagues and friends.

Here below the list (to be confirmed) of Groups and Networks that are helping us to promote the party and raise money for charity.

  • Cambridge AWiSE
  • CamCreative
  • Pitch and Mix
  • Cambridge Network
  • Creative Front
  • Cambridge WordPress meetup

Please hurry to buy your ticket(s); this is going to be another great event. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Book now by clicking here!

If you would like to get involved with the event or wish to be a sponsor please contact:

PLEASE NOTICE:

  • Unfortunately we will not be able to cater for special dietary needs
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BIG Summer BBQ 2018, another great success for Creating Cambridge

23 July 2018 by massimo

How can you tell a great success for an outdoor networking party/event?

  • good weather, check
  • a large group of great people, check
  • lots of people who did not know each other having enjoyable conversations, check
  • lots of people stopping me and pointing out how good the event is, check
  • lots of people still around when the pub was closing down, check

On Friday 20th July we run the 9th BIG Summer BBQ and the 17th event for Creating Cambridge.  Once more I would like to thank the people who attended, the groups which promoted the event REGUS, our main sponsor, who once more believed in us.  Watch this space for the next event, the BIG Xmas Party 2017 which is already booked for the 7th of December.

You can see some pictures from the BIG Summer BBQ 2018 here:

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Announcing the BIG Summer BBQ 2018

23 April 2018 by massimo

We are pleased to announce today the BIG Summer BBQ 2018.  If you are interested in technology, creative ideas, bio-tech and friendly networking then come and join us on Friday 20 July at The Fort St. George (by the river, on Midsummer Common).

The previous 16 events were great successes: many of the people who attended asked us to keep organising these events so here we are. As usual we are promoting the BIG Summer BBQ 2018 together with a range of selected local networking groups. We are sure you will have the opportunity of meeting many new people, but also of catching up with many colleagues and friends.

We are also pleased to announce that Regus will be the main sponsor for this event, straight from its launch.  Regus is A GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT FOR BUSINESSES – They have built an unparalleled network of office, co-working and meeting spaces for companies to use in practically every city in the world, an infrastructure to support every business opportunity.

They menu for the day will be (to be confirmed):
Mains:

  • Hand Pressed Burgers With Balsamic Fried Red Onions
  • Seasoned Chicken Breast
  • Black Bean & Jalapeno Burgers

Side dishes & Salads:

  • Mixed Leaf Salad
  • New Potato & Chive Salad
  • Hand Made Fennel Salad

Book now!

We are looking for sponsors for the event and we have a range of different packages available. If you wish to be a sponsor please contact:
Massimo Gaetani [bookings, tickets, marketing and media contact]
Rich Wainwright [sponsors contact]

Here below the list (to be confirmed) of Groups and Networks that are helping us to promote the BBQ and raise money for charity.

  • Cambridge Network
  • Cambridge Space
  • CamCreative
  • IoD
  • JCI
  • Pitch and Mix
  • PIC
  • Cambridge AWiSE

PLEASE NOTE:

  • Unfortunately we will not be able to cater for special dietary needs
  • The Fort St. George is very central and there is no parking nearby. If you are driving to the BBQ please park at the Grafton Centre car park on Newmarket Road and walk. It’s about 10 minutes away.
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Art of Float at The BIG Xmas Party 2017

28 November 2017 by massimo

We’re delighted to announce Art of Float as one of our great sponsors at the Creating Cambridge BIG Xmas Party 2017.

They offer super relaxation and performance enhancing recovery for mind and body. The perfect tool for those to self improve, heal and repair.

Creating Cambridge are proud to partner with Art of Float and will give the opportunity for one of the lucky attendees to win a floating experience as one of the prizes for the charity raffle. You can also visit their website for more information.

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Anna’s Hope is the partner charity for the BIG Xmas Party 2017

27 November 2017 by massimo

annas-hope-10th-anniversary-logo-jpegWe are very pleased to announce that Anna’s Hope is the partner charity  for the BIG Xmas Party 2017.  Anna’s Hope celebrated its 10th Anniversary last year. It was set up by Carole and Rob Hughes whose daughter Anna Olivia tragically lost her life to a brain tumour aged only 3 years and 8 months in 2006. You may be surprised to learn that Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and young people and for those who survive their lives can be significantly compromised.  Whilst sharing Anna’s journey through treatment Carole and Rob soon realised there was very little support for Anna and children like her.  The charity is run by a few hard working volunteers and Every Penny goes to supporting children with brain tumours.

Once more we will contribute 15% of all tickets sold via groups plus all funds raised from the usual raffle; please come along and help us raise money for Anna’s Hope.

Carole Hughes, founder of Anna’s Hope commented:

“After 11 years, Anna would be so proud at what has been achieved. Now children diagnosed with a brain tumour in the region can receive help from the Anna’s Hope Specialist Nurse who supports the child and parents through the gruelling treatment. They can receive dedicated neuro-rehabilitation support during and after treatment  at Addenbrookes Hospital through a pioneering service the charity co-founded and are the major funder of Brainbow. This service is the first of its kind in the UK and is supported by the Anna’s Hope Therapy Team. The charity also funds Special Days to remember and Parent Groups.”

For more information about Anna’s Hope please visit www.annashope.co.uk

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3 Venice Wines at The BIG Xmas Party 2017

25 November 2017 by massimo

We’re delighted to announce 3 Venice Wines as one of our great sponsors at the Creating Cambridge BIG Xmas Party 2017.

They are distributors of great wines from the North East regions of Italy called 3 Venice (tre Venezie).  They spend time and energy selecting fine wines from good producers to bring us the best of Italian wine making tradition.

Creating Cambridge are proud to partner with 3 Venice Wines and you will have the opportunity of drinking some of their wines at the BIG Xmas Party 2017. You can also visit their website for more information.

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