Spotlight on our Fun Day compere

With companies already planning their summer Company Fun Days, we kick off a series of related articles by catching up with our compere, Dougie Robertson, to get his thoughts on what makes a Fun Day successful.

Dougie Robertson first got involved with< Maximillion 10 years ago when we invested in our own Its a Knockout equipment. He started out as a sound op getting to know the games and format before leading the way as our favourite and much loved compere.

There are many guises that Dougie comes under: Mr Monopoly,Quiz Master, Ring Master for Circus Skills and the one most people would recognise him for – It’s a Knockout and Fun Daycompere par excellence.

What has been your favourite Fun Day?
It would have to be Aviagen’s Wild West Fun Day held at Dalmeny Estate. I carried out the role of compere in a cowboy kilt with an American accent, and one guest from Texas asked me where abouts in the States I was from!!  Everything was themed from the entrance gate to the side stalls to the Line Dancing Troupe not forgetting to mention the staff outfits which ranged from Saloon Girls to Native Americans. We’ve run Aviagen’s fun day for ten years now and it’s always great to see what new ideas Maximillion comes up with.

I also really enjoyed a Fun Day we ran on the Outer Hebridean island of Benbecula. It was a tricky site to work with as it was split and in the middle of nowhere but the activities chosen really kept the atmosphere alive and everyone had a great day!

What do you consider to be the essentials for a Fun Day?
Having a headline act that people can either watch or participate in. The best I have seen is “It’s a Knockout”.  Others I really like are “Pole Position” and “Donkey Derby”. Having lots for kids and adults alike to take part in and definitely having more face painters than you think you need!  A wet weather contingency wouldn’t go amiss and using an event management company is essential as they can take care of all the planning and preparation before and on the day to ensure that you and your guests have a great, hassle free day. And, of course, “the voice” to keep everyone on track for the day!

Why should you have a compere on the day?
I think that the compere plays a vital part in your event by keeping people informed and involved as well as maintaining the momentum for the duration of the event. Have you ever tried four hours of high energy talking?!!  I would say that we also have a more serious role when making H&S announcements so guests know exactly what to do should the unexpected happen.

Why should companies use Maximillion?
Maximillion uses a real team approach when running their events which is one of the things that I really enjoy and I believe that this leads to a much more successful event.

Below are some comments from previous Fun Day clients:

“Everyone made our guests feel welcome and special but it would be wrong not to mention Dougie. How he remembers people’s names is terrific. Jonathan managed the day very very well.”

“We were delighted with Maximillion‘s professional, friendly and flexible service. Nothing was too much trouble, despite everything being very complicated and drawn out, and they were also able to anticipate our needs which was much appreciated. The day itself ran very smoothly, with the client’s aims and objectives being fully met”.

“We have been working with Maximillion on our family day for the last three years, and are already working on the programme for 2012.  We have always found them to be professional and efficient in the organisation of our events, and their staff know exactly how to “stage manage” the day and flex the programme to ensure that we have a family day to remember. We hope to continue using Maximillion for many years to come and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.”

“First and foremost a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that work hard on the day and made this event the special day that it most certainly is.  We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves…To sum up, a FANTASTIC day, we loved every minute.” …. “Thank you all for your help and support over the past few weeks and especially today. I enjoyed working with you all and thought we made a great team.”
Maximillion organises corporate fun days in Edinburgh, Scotland and across the UK for groups of all sizes. We can organise the whole event for you, from venue finding and catering to activities and entertainers, or we are happy to simply support you where required.

If you would like any further information on our corporate fun days or team building events, please contact Sarah on 0131 333 0066 or make an enquiry.

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