Event staffing firm Alpha Crew has partnered up with events logistics provider Conference Haul International to form Project Bluebird, a working group aimed at supporting strained industries such as the NHS, essential delivery services and local authorities through the Covid-19 pandemic.

With hundreds of crew out of work and a large fleet of transportation vehicles suddenly not in use, the owners of the respective businesses decided to join forces and looked to recruit other leading figures in the events industry to support the cause.

The trio of directors that originally conceived Project Bluebird comprised of Alpha Crew managing director George Saladze, Alpha Crew operations director Besarion Gaprindashvili, and Terry Goodwin, the managing director of Conference Haul International.

Unable to set about fulfilling their normal functions of supplying crew and transportation for the world’s largest events in the entertainment industry, including MIPCOM, Cannes Lions and Glastonbury Festival, the directors decided that the only way to approach the events sector shutdown was with an outlook of positivity, optimism and professionalism.

Alpha Crew MD George Saladze said: “Of course, the Covid-19 outbreak is devastating for the events industry and my thoughts are with all the businesses, families and individuals who will struggle as a result. But given the circumstances, those of us who can, must be grateful for our health.

“We can’t dwell on the situation and as a business we must adapt to the new environment, which unfortunately for us means there are no events. What hasn’t changed is that we have hundreds of very capable, skilled men and women who are keen to work. We still have resources and now there’s an incredibly deserving cause that needs supporting.

“So why not focus all our efforts on supporting the NHS staff keeping us all safe, the council workers making sure the homeless are looked after and the delivery services making sure we have food and essentials to live?”

The brainchild of the three directors, Project Bluebird, uses a closed group on social networking site Facebook to share information information and updates regarding their team’s outreach to relevant councils and government procurement personnel. Between them, they share leads and ideas, supporting each other in reaching their shared goal.

To date, the group’s most promising work has been in collaboration with Ealing Council, for which the project is hoping to assist by delivering food for rough sleepers, and also in tandem with the Crown Commercial Service which has now added multiple businesses to its database of suppliers for emergency contracts during the pandemic.

Reaching out to more organisations each day, the directors hope that Project Bluebird will not only be able to assist in providing key services that are in unprecedented demand, but may also help many large businesses within the events industry to survive through this unprecedented time.

Anybody interested in joining Project Bluebird is advised to email Besarion Gaprindashvili, Operations Director of Alpha Crew, via: Bess@alphacrew.co.uk.

SOURCE: The Parliamentary Review

As a venue sourcing agent who works with so many venues and event organisers, we know how stressful it is for the whole industry, especially for freelancers, zero hour contracts and small private companies supplying event services and goods, so it’s great to see that at least a small part of the industry have adapted their skills to help key services in this national disaster.