Comms Unplugged might just be the best new industry event of 2017. Course, I’m biased so don’t take my word for it – see what you think…

by Darren Caveney

72.

Why is this number significant? Read on and I'll tell you.

Someone asked me the other day if I missed being part of a big team. It was a great question, and one I really hadn't thought about.

I checked and this year I have worked with 20 comms teams around the UK. I always enjoy it, I feel at home in a comms team. I was in one or led one for the best part of 20 years.

So far this year I’ve facilitated a team away day for 60 people, sat with a team of three for a creative thinking session, helped a team of 20 develop a digital comms plan and everything in between.

I love it.

So when the chance to work on a brilliant new project – Comms Unplugged - with the ‘Kelly's Heroes’ of the comms world I jumped at the chance.

If you’ve not seen the film Kelly’s Heroes tells the true story of a renegade group of US soldiers pulled together to perform a daring bank raid deep behind enemy lines with the odds stacked against them in stealing a huge stash of German-held gold.

They said it couldn’t be done. But done it was.

So that’s us – about to pull off the near impossible. Our renegade band began with a couple and has grown to seven. Soon we'll have a whole crack unit.

So back to 72. Why is this number important?

Because that's how many days we have given ourselves from launch day to live day to create and deliver something a little bit special - more an experience than an event.

Could we do with longer? To quote Ed Miliband "Hell, yes"

But the beauty of a great team is that everything is possible - ideas, enthusiasm and hands-on support are overflowing.

And if you want something done, ask a good comms person, I say (I should get T-shirts with that line emblazoned across the front)

So, actually, for a brilliant team, 72 days is more than long enough to deliver something we’re all really excited about.

What is Comms Unplugged?

Comms UnPlugged might just be the best new industry event of the year.

A public sector comms person's retreat and opportunity to connect and develop in a unique setting. Chat, listen and learn away from email, Wi-Fi and tech. With live music, great local food and an overnighter in a beautiful campsite - the amazing Burnbake site in a secluded woodland location on the Jurassic Coast of Dorset.