Techniquest appoints partners for new events offering

Cardiff Bay-based educational charity Techniquest has appointed two new partners in a bid to accelerate the growth of its events and conferencing business.

In early 2017, the science discovery centre launched an events offering in a bid to boost revenue. Now it’s completed the search for two contractors to lead the department.

After a successful tender process, the organisation has hired Welsh events specialist Orchard Media. It’ll support Techniquest by providing technical and AV support.

Techniquest has worked with the company in the past, having teamed up together to bring virtual reality experiences to the After Hours events. The latter are aimed adults.

As well as this, the organisation has chosen Cleverchefs as its catering partner. The company will provide food and beverages for in-house events.

The charity is looking to “continue its mission to diversify revenue streams, following funding cuts last year”. It’s offering firms access to 130 hands-on exhibits and a 360° planetarium.

The venue is suitable for an array of events, including conferences, networking events, team building days, award dinners and galas, Christmas parties and wedding receptions.

Lesley Kirkpatrick, CEO at Techniquest, said: “We are thrilled to introduce Orchard and Cleverchefs as our brand-new partners, with both organisations showing a great range of expertise in the industry.

“Having worked with both for our After Hours events, we’re looking forward to continuing the relationships on a long-term basis.

“We’ve been on quite a journey this year, as we continue to reposition the charity to ensure that it remains sustainable. Developing the relationships with our new partners is a great way to end 2017, and we’re looking forward to enhancing our offering with them in the New Year.”

Nick Collins, managing director of Cleverchefs, said: “Cleverchefs are delighted to be awarded the prestigious contract to be Techniquest’s in-house caterer. It has a fantastic vision for the future to be one of the leading event venues in the capital and we are so excited to be part of it.”

Tim Powell, director of Orchard, added: “Techniquest is such a fantastic resource and a terrific venue for events, so we’re only too happy to partner up and help them offer invaluable new income generation. We can’t wait to get started.”