The year was 2005. It was a funny year because as the summer approached I was just rounding off a project called the Somerset Variety Performance and had plans on running a similar project but on a bigger scale. My original plan was to go as far as including a few more counties and renaming it the SWVP (South West Variety Performance). Being me I decided to make some major leaps and went with a national variety show. This move made me one of the youngest Managing Directors of a national organisation in the country. The National Variety Performance ended up being a range of projects instead of one main show and part of which was an awards project that we planned to role out across different counties. The original awards project was named the Somerset Charity Awards. We were planning on seeking out those in our communities that had raised money for various local and national charities but we broadened things out more than planned and in the end went with the Somerset County Awards. This way we could award the “pride” of the community not just fundraisers.

The Somerset County Awards

Our first award ceremony was very different to the ones we run today. It was completely new territory to me and the team. At the time of the launch of this project the National Variety was going through some changes. I was saying goodbye to some staff and saying hello to some new faces. The transition from old to new came with its problems but at the same time solved a few too. I had huge visions for the National variety Performance and it was only right to let go of the ones that were holding the organisation back.

Nowadays for most projects we ask the public to nominate people for awards but back in the early days it was me, the team and enough newspapers to open a recycling plant. We visited community centers, workshops, schools and many other public places trying to find our award winners. I contacted people i had worked with on variety shows in the past and called in a few performers for the event. The awards were very traditional. Something you would expect at any award ceremony. To be honest the award ceremony was very traditional too but it didn’t really matter because it was a complete success.

After great feedback from the community we started work on a ceremony for the following year. 2007 was an extremely busy year for the National Variety Performance so the ceremony that year was non-existent. We just couldn’t fit it in. Instead we surprised people with their awards at unexpected times. Some people we visited at home and at work and others half way through their own events. We called it the ‘Winter Edition’. It was a shame that we didn’t have time for a full blown ceremony but i was committed to the NVP and other commitments to uphold. Over the next two years i was back and forth from Weymouth and London working on projects for the NVP and the awards was purely a sideline but we kept it up as best as we could.

The Pride of Central Somerset

Towards the end of 2008 the Somerset County awards had not seen a ceremony in a while so i wanted to think how we could improve what we already had. I wanted to make the project bigger and better. By this time the National Variety Performance was just a fond memory. It had been very successful that it became something bigger than i could have ever imagined but i am kind of restricted by an NDA so I’ll leave it at that. In November 2008 i contacted Mid Somerset News and Media and started to build a partnership with them. It makes sense to work with the people who distribute directly to the people you want at the ceremony. Now that we had a lot more access to press coverage in the local area we opened up nominations to the public and asked people to nominate those special individuals in their lives.

The Pride of Central Somerset was a turning point for me. The project had really evolved from its earlier counterpart. The planning was much more precise and the ceremony was grand and refreshing. I knew that after i finished this project i was heading to Canada for what could be the best part of a few years and i was worried that the project may not continue so some of the 2009 team are already on standby for this years awards project which will really kick in after nominations close in the summer.

This video is a clip that was taken at the ceremony during the interval.

We presented more awards in 2009 than any other year. It was the first year we introduced a category which normally goes against our rules but we felt that sporting achievements were being left in the dark hence the introduction of the sports category.

A few days after the ceremony i packed by bags and headed back to Nova Scotia.

The Haliwards

The Haliwards was never planned. I had no intentions on branching out in Canada until i knew where me and Tara were going to settle on a permanent basis but as time passed by i got rather bored. During the summer of 2009 i had worked with the Blue Nose Marathon and was preparing to work with the Tall Ships. This is when i met Haligonia. Haligonia is a small media group focusing on news and events across HRM. I agreed to do a video interview with them for their website about my previous work and why I was in Nova Scotia. A few weeks before I met with Haligonia I started to do some research on running an event in Halifax and I was thinking about running an event similar to the Pride of Central Somerset. I was slightly worried that I wouldn’t be able to get enough exposure so I discussed my ideas with the guys at Haligonia.

What most people don’t know is in the early project plan it was a joint project between me and the Haligonia group. As the Tall Ships approached Haligonia were very busy with the event as they were the New Media Sponsor so we went our separate ways. I had no plans on dropping the project so I tweaked the project plan and submitted it to City Hall.

After nearly a 6 month wait we finally got word from City Hall who rejected the plan until further notice as they were working on a new volunteer strategy.  I really believe they just didn’t look at the plan properly or maybe not even at all. After taking a knock back from City Hall I ploughed on and we received hundreds of nominations.  We are now only weeks away from the ceremony with barely a ticket left and a set of amazing award winners. What can i say.. i know what works!

What’s Next

The Haliwards is in full swing so it’s only a matter of time before we know how successful it will  be but what was meant to be a low key pilot project is turning into quite an event. No complaints though! The Pride of Central Somerset 2010 is already in production and i am working with some members of last years team to put together the first steps.  We are currently taking nominations.

Click here for Part Two

This article is part of a series of posts that will be published during the month of March to celebrate 5 years of award ceremonies directed by Alex Maine. Stay tuned for the next post

On this months edition of “Behind the Name” we are looking at the incredible achievements of Alex Maine local entrepreneur who has left Somerset for Nova Scotia, Canada. Obviously I wasn’t able to catch up with Alex in person but after several hours on the phone I am happy to say we have a great interview to share with you.

So for those of us who don’t know much about you, tell us a little bit about you?
Well it’s hard to no where to begin. I am 21, I was born in Yeovil in Somerset and grew up in Glastonbury. I attended school at Crispin in Street and then went on to Strode College. I started to pull away from my college work and did lots of work in the events industry since then.

How did you get into the events industry?
Well during my final year at school i decided to take part in Young Enterprise, its basically an opportunity to earn extra credit and to be placed within what is technically a real company. Acting as a business and trying to create a product that creates profit. Well in this case we were looking to fund our school prom and selling necklaces or painted pots was not going to pay for things that the girls had in mind! So i suggested we run an event at the local theatre Strode. Crispin School is connected to Strode College and Strode theatre (literally) so it meant that we were able to get the venue for free. It seemed like a great opportunity. So we ran a battle of the bands competition called Night of the Bands. To cut a long story short i fell out with many of the board members and things got difficult. By the end many of them had daggers for me… I guess they didn’t like my style. Personally i think i was too good. They certainly couldn’t argue with the outcome. It turned over thousands which paid for a manor house for the Prom in the little village of Shapwick. We also won a Young enterprise award for the event which was followed up in our local press.

So what was your first event that you did single handedly?
That would be the Somerset Variety Performance 2004. It took place in Glastonbury and it was about 6 months after the Night of the Bands. I didn’t have a penny to run the event so it was very difficult to do anything extravagant but still i prevailed and the event broke even. Not bad for a first shot i don’t think. The show was made up of performers from across mid somerset. Things like magicians and dancers. I even played piano. I have played piano at many of my events but recently i haven’t been because i have not had time to practice.

Whats the most embarrassing moment you have ever had at an event?
I didn’t ever want to think about this moment again. I guessed it would come back to haunt me at some point.It was during the Somerset County Awards. I was controlling the sound levels via the bluetooth connection in my phone. During a speech i  wanted control of the sound on the off chance people could not hear me clearly over the backing track. (Idea worked well) Though i made a grave mistake. Following my speech and award presentation. I sat at the piano to perform and placed the phone on top of the up right piano. During my performance the phone, due the vibrations made its way across the piano and dropped onto the keys and made a hell of a racket.. i remember pausing for about 2  or 3 seconds and it was pure silence. I believe i muttered the F bomb. I then looked up to the audience and said. “I beg your pardon”.. awful!

Any favourite moments?
To many to name. I guess off the top of my head i enjoyed most aspects of the National Variety Performance. The auditions were always fun. Nothing better than listening to someone who really thinks they can sing but really they are awful in every way. The award ceremonies are always great. I have had to hold in some tears on stage sometime because some of the stories are real tearjerkers. All part and parcel of my job.

How is Canada treating you?
So far its been treating me rather well. The visa is a stressful application but all other aspects are good. I have lots of things planned for Nova Scotia. Everyone will know my name when i am finished. Lets hope its for all the right reasons. Though thats not to say i will abandon the UK. I am still doing my best to keep up with all my annual projects too. Though i could always use a few more hands so if anyone in Somerset has some spare time then drop me an email.

How do you think you will portray to our readers?
Wow what a question! Well ummm.. they will probably think i am arrogant and a control freak. Well they wouldn’t be far wrong. Though thats what makes me.. me. I don’t do failure and i don’t do good I push myself as hard as i can because i want perfection in my work. I will never get perfection but i will keep trying for it. I am always aiming to better myself and my events. That’s what has made me successful but it has also made me many a rival. I’m certainly not a “Everyone loves Raymond” character, but if everyone loved me then what would be the point of getting up in the morning. I respect those who respect me. I work on a Ill scratch my back you scratch mine basis.