Another j2 event experience

Background

Year 2013 marked this event's 22nd year, with the event attracting just 80 riders in 1991. The MS Brissie to Bay bike ride is MS Queensland's largest annual fundraising event. Each rider is committed to fundraising a minimum of $200 for people living with MS.

In 2005, j2 commenced a long-term event partnership with MS Queensland, becoming responsible for the overall management of the event including logistics coordination, stakeholder liaison, vendor management, allocation of volunteers and risk management.

J2 Services and Solutions

Event management

Course development

Management of on-course-logistics

Production and stage management and oversight of event from bump in through bump out

Develop and manage event running order

Event management of celebration at finish site, including entertainment program creation, liaison with vendors and sponsor sites

Source and coordinate home base logistics eg toilets, waste removal, marquees, hire equipment, generators, cold rooms, communications, lighting, first aid and all park permits and access

Forecast and manage logistics budget / expenditure

Work with on-course logistics specialists to continue to develop the courses and provide relevant maps to MS

Coordinate logistics for Wynnum, Bulimba and Wellington Point rest stops and gain permission to use designated sites

Source food for rest stops and home base (in conjunction with MS)

Meet with police, traffic controllers and emergency services (in conjunction with sub-contracted specialists)

Coordinate placement of public notices in newspapers

Briefing of all personnel and volunteers

Work with MS to coordinate sponsor signage on and off course

Risk mitigation and management

Level of Complexity

Enerflex MS Brissie to the Bay is now the largest charity bike ride in Queensland. It is a major logistical undertaking involving a significant range of stakeholders. Both the on-course component and event at the finish site draw on a large number of staff, contractors and volunteer resources to be managed.

Key Achievements

Since 2008 j2 has helped take the event's fundraising achievement to more than $500,000 annually. In 2012, more than $889,000 was raised from the event and in 2013 MS Queensland's fundraising target of $1.2 million was exceeded (almost $1.25 million was donated).

Enerflex MS Brissie to the Bay was named Winner of the Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA) National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising 2012 – Special Events. These awards recognise the outstanding initiatives and innovative efforts of fundraisers, volunteers and organisations, encouraging the highest standard of professional practice and promote the role of fundraisers in making our society a better place to work and live.

Annually, the event has been a fun-filled and safe day for participants and a successful fundraiser for MS Queensland, an essential not-for-profit organisation in this State.

Stakeholder Feedback

"We won the state* FIA Fundraising award for Brissie to the Bay! The National awards will be announced at the FIA conference in February. Fingers Crossed. We're absolutely thrilled, as you can imagine. Just had to share, as we couldn't have achieved this without the support of j2 in putting on the event. Thank you!"

Julia Senior (nee Faul) – Manager, Fundraising and Events, MS Queensland

* MS Brissie to Bay went on to win National Award for Excellence in Fundraising 2012 – Special Events.

"A huge thanks for a very successful event on Sunday! (2011 Enerflex MS Brissie to the Bay held Sunday, 26 June). We have been inundated with positive feedback about the course, the marshals, police, the safe feel, the team and the professionalism of the whole event. …our CEO Trevor received some very positive feedback saying it was the best event in Brisbane. So as you can imagine Trevor is thrilled that his dream of the 100km course had come true. Most importantly it's looking very positive that we will reach our $500,000 goal."

Julia Senior (nee Faul) – Manager, Fundraising and Events, MS Queensland

"It was a real pleasure to work with j2 ideas & events as they organised the logistics around our 2008 Brissie to the Bay Bike Ride. The team is fantastic to work with, very creative and very thorough in all their dealings. Thanks to their excellent coordination, this 2008 event was the most successful yet. We look forward to working with Annette, Joanna & the team with our 2009 event, which we hope will be an even greater success."

Mairead O'Higgins – (former) Director of Marketing, MS Queensland