Ourea Events founder Shane Ohly was recently interviewed by ITV Border news about businesses that have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic but have received minimal support from the government. In this update we will share excerpts from that interview and explore the challenges faced by the event sector in more detail. 

Vision:2025 has the headline goal of reducing annual outdoor festival related greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2025 in the UK. Measuring waste, sharing good practice, a ruthless focus on waste reduction and shifting power generation to renewable sources are the headlines of the Vision:2025 pledge.

Today, Ourea Events is excited to launch an official sustainability strategy. We believe that we all have a responsibility to do what we can to reduce our impact on the environment. 

This week we have had to make some very difficult decisions and cancel the SILVA Great Lakeland 3Day, the Cape Wrath Ultra, and the Scottish Mountain Marathon that were all due to take place in May and June 2020.

Salomon Skyline Scotland® 2018 has won ‘Best Sporting Event’ at the 2019/20 Scottish Thistle Awards National Final. The National Final took place on March 5th 2020 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, where 470 people gathered to see 18 individuals, businesses and events honoured for their contribution to the tourism sector.

Today Ourea Events confirmed that 2020 will be the final year they organise Marmot Dark Mountains™, the Scottish Mountain Marathon™, and the ROC Mountain Marathon™.

Salomon Skyline Scotland® has been nominated in the Best Sporting Event category at the 2020 Scottish Thistle Awards. Other nominated events include Melrose Sevens and the Aberlour Highland Games.

Ourea Events has recently signed the Respect Charter, part of a new campaign launched by The National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) to encourage better treatment of staff, volunteers and attendees of events. The aim is for events businesses to demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach to harassment of any kind while at an event.

Both the Cape Wrath Ultra® and the Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race® will take place annually from 2021. Until now both events occurred biennially in May, with the Cape Wrath Ultra® in 2016 and 2018 (and 2020), and the Berghaus Dragon’s Back Race® in 2017 and 2019.

THE SHORTLIST FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL OUTDOOR EVENTS ASSOCIATION AWARDS 2019 HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED.

THE BERGHAUS DRAGON’S BACK RACE® FROM OUREA EVENTS, HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE SPORTING EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD.

The John Muir Trust, Fix the Fells and Woodland Trust have all received donations from Ourea Events as part of their 2018 annual 1% For The Planet contribution.

At the last 10Peaks™ event organised by Ourea Events in the Brecon Beacons, a series of events led to untreated water being supplied to some of the participants at one of the aid stations. As the Race Director, this has caused me to do some serious reflecting on our standard operating procedures, and in the interests of transparency and with a strong desire to share some learning points, I am now writing this article.

We are delighted to confirm that Kong Adventure will be taking over the organisation of 10Peaks™ The Lakes and 10Peaks™ Brecon Beacons with immediate effect.

The John Muir Trust, Fix the Fells and The National Trust for Scotland have all received donations from Ourea Events as part of their 2016 annual 1% For The Planet contribution.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUR EVENTS IS ESTIMATED TO BE IN EXCESS OF £900,000 IN 2016. HERE WE EXPLAIN WHERE THAT FIGURE HAS COME FROM AND WHY WE ARE PUBLISHING IT.