Conducted a strategic review of Aye Write and Wee Write Festivals with fellow consultants Purple Moon

Management of corporate communications for MIH Major Events including project updates, partnership announcements and web content.

Provide IT and systems support for team and projects including IT system set-up and migration, Sharepoint, project support, IT issue resolution and data management.

Research project to provide a body of evidence and supporting information towards a Major Events Strategy for Liverpool City Region, with group of consultants led by Purple Moon.

Public Sector Grant Funding

Managing the application and grant funding processes for the Borders Book Festival. Including to the Year of Stories, EventScotland Scottish Event Recovery Fund and the Scottish Borders Council Strategic Events and Festivals Support Grant Scheme. Providing pre-event and at-event operational support in the delivery of one of the UK’s friendliest book festivals.

2025 sees Glasgow celebrate its 850th birthday. Working with MIH Major Events to support the Glasgow 850 team on business engagement as the year’s programme begins to take shape.

Throughout 2025 Glasgow will mark its 850th birthday by delivering, with partners, a, citywide programme that celebrates and reflects on the city’s recent past, present and future.

Systems and strategic development support to The Hoebridge, a Michelin Guide listed restaurant based in the Scottish Borders. Supported this independent restaurant that prides itself on offering outstanding food and drink in a stunning location, in strategic planning and sourcing and installing new digital systems.

Supporting host city and mega events experts MIH Major Events at SportAccord 2024 in IT system set-up and migration, Sharepoint, project support, data management and system support.

Working with Glasgow Life as an Associate with m.i.h Major Events Ltd to lead on the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships partnership programme integration at venues across the city.

Researching Valuable Skills and Work Seasonal Opportunities

Delivering a project to research, collate and present information about the different work opportunities available across the seasonal festival delivery periods of Festivals Edinburgh’s member festivals.

Events Strategy Workshops

Working with Scottish Borders Council to support the development of a series of industry workshops for the events industry in the region. Developing content and speakers to bring the industry together and support the achievement of the vision and aim of the recently launched Scottish Borders Events Strategy.

Including Environmental Sustainability at Events Workshop.

Digital Marketing Review

Conducted a review of Digital Marketing use by the Borders Art Fair, the Scottish Borders’ biggest and best visual art event. Provided strategic and operational advice on social media channel use with a particular focus on video production, editing and sharing.

Events Strategy Review

Conducted a refresh of the Scottish Borders Event Strategy Plan with fellow event consultants Purple Moon. Consulting with event organisers, venues, public bodies and event supply chain on the current Scottish Borders Event Strategy Plan and providing recommendations to Scottish Borders Council regarding the future strategy.

Visitor Attraction Development Plan 2023-2033

Creation of a development plan for Scottish Borders based attraction Old Melrose to create an eco-tourism destination. Worked with Old Melrose to review potential plans and ideas and work into a formal, phased development plan for the next decade. A site and situation with amazing potential and an exciting future.

IT and systems support to Carruthers Associates, a textile design led consultancy with wide long standing international experience. Provided expertise across systems including Sharepoint and macOS as well as data cleansing and storage.

Development Manager – Events Industry Homecoming Scotland 2014
Year of Food and Drink 2015

As the Development Manager – Events Industry Stephen was responsible for supporting the development of the Scottish events industry in line with the refreshed national events strategy. Stephen led on identifying industry trends and issues and communicating best practice information to the events and festivals industry.

Stephen chaired the Year of Food and Drink 2015 Working Group which included representatives from across the tourism, events and food & drink industries.

Responsible for the development of the Homecoming Scotland Events Programme, a series of unmissable events throughout 2014 across Scotland. Stephen developed a programme of over 1000 events, over 130 of which received direct Homecoming funding.

Stephen has brought his wealth of knowledge and experience gathered at VisitScotland, EventScotland and in previous roles directly into the events and festivals we now work with.

Operations Manager

Stephen brings a broad base of Tourism Industry knowledge. As Operations Manager at Mellerstain House & Gardens, one of the finest stately homes in the UK, Stephen was responsible for managing the strategic and day-to-day operations across the business.

Provided an in-depth review of the Live Borders events strategy, presenting recommendations on event development and delivery. This piece of work preceded Stephen joining Live Borders as Marketing and Communications Manager where he was for leading the successful delivery and development of all marketing and communications activity for all services delivered by Live Borders.