Balancing Corporate & Compassionate Work

No Limits: Balancing Corporate & Compassionate Client Work

Stacey Karlsson - Managing Director @ Goho Marketing & Events

I started my business, Goho, in April this year after leaving the Guardian shortly before. It was just me, and a MacBook Air. There are now 6 of us, and we're based in London's creative hub; Shoreditch. We've grown so quickly, in a short space of time, but I genuinely believe that's because of me, and my teams authenticity, empathy, hard work and care. We all genuinely give a shit about what we do.

Working at the Guardian for 12 years certainly makes an impact on you, let me tell you. It's made me look at not only my life, but my work through a different lens. And it’s this emotional attachment to what we do that makes us different. Very early on in Goho's life, I received a brief from a lady called Devika. Her daughter, 28 year old Bea was born with severe Cerebral Palsy, learning and communication needs. I'd decided quite early on that Goho would work on just corporate events, PR and marketing. But this project really stood out for me. Bea had been attending a project run by a lady (more like a modern day Saint if you ask me), Arlene Dearlove. She had converted her home into a place where young people with additional needs could go and benefit from time in a sensory room, cooking, art and music therapy, gardening, and she even provided respite services so that young people, and their families could get some periods of rest and relief. The project was called Learn2Live.

During Bea's time at Learn2Live Bea had created tens of artworks, from huge canvasses made by wheeling her wheelchair through paint and onto the canvas, to a beautiful blossoming tree where each leaf is one of Bea's finger prints. A couple of works could easily have been created by Jackson Pollock himself. The work was breathtaking. But Devika's home was now full to bursting with these works of art, she had no more room and wanted to celebrate Bea and her amazing achievements.

My niece has CP. She was born prematurely, and weighed just 900 grams. She is unable to walk, and despite being non verbal has recently started trying to say some words, and can hum along to both twinkle twinkle little star, and Let it Go from Frozen.

It's because of Bea and Devika's story, my little niece Faye, and the amazing project that was Learn2Live - I knew that Goho had to take on this project. We would deliver the PR, and event production for Bea's Art Show on Saturday 23rd November 2019, a few days before Bea's 28th birthday.

We started by mindmapping to find a name for the show. It came to us pretty quickly after seeing a quote from Stephen Hawking - "However difficult life may seem, there is something you can do, and succeed at". The show would be called No Limits.

Beatrice Lambert - No Limits was held at Highfield Hall in Carshalton on Saturday 23rd November 2019. We worked with Cosmic Audio to create a 'set', this consisted of frames, easels, 'walls' and lighting to display the art in creative ways. The show was open to the public from 11am-4pm and we saw many people through the doors, including families with young children who were just passing, and even the local Lib Dem MP. We asked guests to write down messages for Bea on luggage tags and hang them on the trees, we also accepted donations and some people purchased the art works. All the money was donated to Learn2Live.

The evening was a private view, where Bea's family, VIPs and the Mayor of Sutton attended to celebrate Bea and her work. The guests were serenaded by a live jazz trio, and fed with a grazing spread from Goho's catering arm - GoGraze.

Everyone loved the event, especially Bea and Devika, and the feedback was outstanding from all. Listening to the speeches at the Private View, I really felt we'd achieved something. I wasn't only proud of the event we'd produced and delivered, but it was so heart warming and rewarding working with someone so inspiring. Working for businesses on their corporate events certainly pays well. But nothing can compare to working on such an important event, where the benefactor was so deserving. It's something we're going to do a lot more of at Goho. I want to give back to the community, to use our expertise and experience to help others, to give those without a voice the support and amplification they need. Watch this space.

Donate here - https://www.gofundme.com/f/no-limits-art-exhibition

Image credits: Laura Henry Photography - http://laurahenry.xyz/