The buzz at our lunch reminded us what we’ve all been missing

IF YOU’D have told me even a year ago that in March 2022, we would be able to have 900 people back in the same room for a fundraising event, I would have been quite sceptical. Maybe 200 at most, but as so many of our in-person events have been on hold for the last two years, I do consider it nothing short of a miracle that we were able to have so many people back together, in person, to support Jewish Care.

So, what’s changed? On the face of it, apart from additional hand sanitiser, a few people (not many) wearing masks, and bit less of the old “kiss on the cheek” between guests, you’d almost think we were back to normal.

Behind the scenes, it’s very different. We had asked all guests to take a lateral flow test before attending, went through rigorous checks with our suppliers that they were Covid-cautious and regulation compliant, and there was a huge amount of effort to ensure that this event was going to be as Covidsecure as possible. We also knew that with more than 900 people in one room, that was going to be tough.

Of course, we were nervous. What if the event does turn out to be a superspreader and lots of our wonderful supporters catch Covid? What does that mean for our next attempt at a large event? What does that mean for other communal charities re-starting their in-person fundraising? As we look after some of the most vulnerable people in society, we also had to make sure that we continued to give confidence that we can keep them as safe from Covid as possible. There was a lot of pressure on us to get this right, show it can be done safely, and that it was worth the risk.

In early February, we also held our largest-ever Young Patrons Dinner, with 450 people in attendance. This was our first big in-person event since the pandemic and there was an energy and buzz in that room that I haven’t seen in years. We managed then to show that we could do this; that we could have hundreds gathered together safely if everyone plays their part and is responsible about staying at home if they are feeling unwell. One could argue that we should all have been asking this of our guests before the pandemic anyway.

Usually with events, one also finds that there is a certain amount of pressure to make sure that there is an interesting speaker. Jewish Care’s Life President, Lord Levy, convinced Andrew Neil to be the guest speaker at our Topland Group Business Lunch. Andrew certainly hit the mark in terms of piquing interest with his unmistakable candour. Whether or not our guests agreed with everything in his speech, I believe that having a good speaker alongside our truly deserving and moving award winners was key to getting people back in the room. We all get distracted listening to people on Zoom and on conference calls; having someone who is as engaging as Andrew certainly helped us to make sure this event would be one worth attending.

What was obvious this week more than anything is that we have missed each other. We have missed the opportunity to warmly interact with others. Even with the best of intentions, there are some emotions you just cannot see over a Zoom call, and we saw that emotion on our guests’ faces and in their generosity.

If you are planning a large event and trying to return to normal, of course, there are precautions you must take, risks you must assess, decisions you must weigh; but there is nothing like an in-person event. If you can do it, it is certainly worth it, not just for the benefit and support it can bring back to your organisation, but for the benefit and joy it gives those who attend and want to be back in the room once again.

The event’s speaker Andrew Neil hit the mark in terms of piquing interest