British Canoeing Delivery Partner Conference 2022 Delivers Excellent Event, Using vFairs As Its Technology Provider

Quick Takeaways

• The conference brought together the paddle sport community to explore learning opportunities and network with like-minded organizations.
• Delivery Partners, including sole traders, activity centers, hire providers, and small and large organizations, were the significant audience.
• The photo booth was the most loved feature as it allowed delegates to interact and enjoy!
• There were around 830 total booth visits, and 586 webinar views, showing how interested the audience was in the event’s offerings. 
• Presentations were watched 1,968 times, and delegates filled their swag bags with over 500 items.
• Feedback gathered at the event revealed that there was a 100% satisfaction rate, with 94% of people surveyed appreciated the event’s ease of use, while 97% were happy with the content presented.

What is the British Canoeing Delivery Partner Scheme?

British Canoeing is the National Governing Body for paddlesport. They have been around since 1936 as the British Canoe Union. They encourage everyone, regardless of age, background, or skill, to enjoy and develop their paddlesport potential.

British Canoeing has various functions including supporting the Olympic and Paralympic teams, providing qualifications and awards, running a Clear Access Clear Waters Campaign, and supporting everyone who wants to enjoy paddling. 

The Delivery Partner Scheme was implemented in April 2021. It applies to any business that provides paddlesport activities as part of its service. This comprises sole traders, activity centers, hire providers, small and large organizations, etc., in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, as well as overseas. The scheme helps businesses develop their paddlesport activity, share success, and find new customers.

Goals for Delivery Partner Conference 2022

The main aim of the Delivery Partner Conference 2022 was to bring together the community to engage, discuss and reflect on the learning opportunities, as well as network with like-minded businesses for any support needed. This virtual conference meant there was no travel time or expenditure, particularly important for overseas partners. 

Why vFairs?

The British Canoeing Delivery Partner team found vFairs through Google Search. They loved their initial meeting with the vFairs team. Moreover, having the support of developers to build the platform, combined with the functionality available made vFairs an easy choice for their first virtual conference. 

Their main purpose was to conduct an online event for easy accessibility. vFairs provided them the opportunity to catch up for 30 days, which enabled their partners who were busy during the live event, to catch up at a convenient time. 

In The Spotlight: Photo Booth

According to Darryll Shaw, Head of Coaching and Partnership, the photo booth was a great additional feature. All delegates particularly loved this feature as it allowed them to interact and have fun. Usually, virtual events are less engaging as you can’t see other attendees. However, vFairs made the virtual conference no less than an in-person event. The delegates loved seeing people’s faces in the photo booth. 

Event Features

Workshops

The British Canoeing Delivery Partner Conference 2022 included topical workshops for attendees. They had 15 speakers for the event, who were all experts in their topics. The workshops included everything from exclusive announcements/offers, as well as specific topics such as ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Paddlesports’ and ‘Building a nurturing network’ to ‘Protecting the places they paddle’. 

Chat/Video Call

The chat/video call feature was another exciting tool that helped the audience connect. There was a “Chat” option to join a group discussion or attendees could click on a user name for an individual chat or to schedule a video meeting. This created a brilliant opportunity for them to network with like-minded businesses.

Going Forward

According to Darryll Shaw and Natasha Devonshire, the product exceeded their expectations. They were expecting a glorified Zoom account, but this was like attending a physical event. After this excellent experience, they are willing to host their next virtual Delivery Partner Conference on the 26th of January, 2023.