In this latest Agency Member Spotlight, we caught up with Ellie Cashmore, Marketing & Sustainability Manager at Blackberry Events, to explore how purpose, collaboration and sustainability are shaping both her role and the wider events industry.

1. Blackberry Events has recently become a member of beam, what made you want to join?

Having previously been a part of the ESG Action Group, when I joined Blackberry Events I knew I had to sign us up right away, as the benefits of being a member of this community and association are vital to doing business well in our industry.

2. In your view, what role does beam play in shaping the future of our industry?

In my opinion, beam play a key role in our industry in more ways than one. To me they are the collective voice for change, whether it’s when lobbying the UK Government or encouraging the industry to protect people and planet. I also consider them a safe space, as they hold members accountable for the way they do business.

3. What made you decide to become a member of the ESG Action Group?

Joining the ESG Action Group was something I wanted to do as I feel it’s one thing to drive change within your organisation but if you can help in anyway spread that beyond the four walls you work in and help others in the same industry then it’s a no brainer. Not to mention it has provided me with a support network of colleagues who have helped me enhance Blackberry Events ESG initiatives.

4. Congratulations on your recent beam award for Collaboration of the Year, what does this mean for you and the team?

It means the world to our fast-growing team, this award in particular is quite special to the longer-standing members of the team like our Director Georgie Butler and Head of Events Jess Ford, who between them have been involved in the partnership with NAHT and the running of Inspiring Leadership Conference for over a decade.

We believe in the purpose of the event so much that we took it over from the Department for Education (DfE) back in 2013, so it means a great deal for our passion to be recognised. Blackberry prides Itself on long-standing partnerships, other examples include,15 years working with the DfE with the ‘Get Into Teaching’ roadshows and 5 years working with the Teaching Awards Trust on the ‘National Teaching Awards.

5. If you could describe the agency in three words, what would they be — and why?

People, passion and purpose – not only because they are our core company values but because we actually live and breathe them as cheesy as it sounds and I think anyone who works with us or knows us can vouch for that.

People

We believe that the greatest asset of a company is its people. That’s why people are at the heart of Blackberry – our team, our clients, our suppliers. We are committed to being an agency made up of people that are truly representative of the world that we live in.

Passion

We believe that you should love what you do. That’s why our team, our suppliers and our clients all share one common theme: passion. A passion for engaging audiences, sharing knowledge and changing behaviours. But above all, a passion for events, a passion for purpose and a passion for people.

Purpose

In this purpose-driven era, we recognise the importance of event goals and objectives. We pride ourselves on being able to immerse ourselves in the client’s why, help them define the how and deliver the what – ultimately bringing their event to life, with purpose at its core.

6. What’s next for Blackberry Events?

Where to begin! In March, following further growth, we welcomed a new berry to the bunch. Event Sales Executive Jess Hicklin, we are super excited about her appointment – watch this space! Our Director Georgie held a strategy day for the berries in January and discussed her vision for the agency and this year you can expect to see us offer more event formats and services within the corporate sector.

Following on from our years of experience in handling large-scale public sector events. Speaking of, we recently launched our official venue finding service. We’re also proud to have recently won some exciting new partnerships, including being the new event partner for the Visit England Awards for Excellence 2026.

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