Ella Haynes: Event Staffing Manager at The Occasional Group, BSc (Hons) Events Management Graduate, and Access All Areas 30 Under 30 Winner.

Ella Haynes, Event Staffing Manager at The Occasional Group and a BSc (Hons) Events Management graduate, has been recognised as a winner of the Access All Areas Magazine 30 Under 30 for her contributions to the UK’s live outdoor events industry.

Since graduating from the University of Lincoln in 2022 with first-class honours, Ella has built a strong career in event staffing. She began her role as an Event Staffing Assistant at The Occasional Group in 2022, immediately after completing her degree. Demonstrating rapid progression, she was promoted to a management position in September 2024.

Ella’s work in 2024 showcased her growing influence in the events industry, earning recognition for both her leadership and hands-on contributions. For example, she played a key role in delivering staffing solutions for major events, ensuring seamless operations at high-profile occasions such as the UEFA Champions League and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Her ability to manage teams effectively and contribute to the success of large-scale events was widely acknowledged.

That year, she also received industry recognition through several accolades and achievements, including:

– Winning the ESSA (Event Supplier and Services Association) Young Person Award 2024.
– Being nominated for the Access All Areas Magazine Rising Star Award 2024.
– Joining the Network of Women in Events (NOWIE).
– Being featured in StandOut Magazine as Event Professional of the Week.
– Working on major events, including Black Deer Festival, TOTFest, Warwick Castle Concerts, Brighton Pride, Boardmasters, Reading Festival, and Sundown Festival.

Ella’s contributions to these events, combined with her industry recognition, reinforce her growing reputation as a skilled and influential professional in the live events sector.

Tom Kitchen, Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Events Management, writes, “It is always such a pleasure to see our graduates achieve in the events industry. When Josh Heyburn, Managing Director of The Occasional Group, told me that they had taken on Ella, I was beyond happy for her. I knew that this was the perfect place for Ella to develop into the respected professional that she now is. All of us in the Tourism, Events, Sports Business, and Hospitality (TESH) subject group, LIBS, and the wider University would like to extend our congratulations to Ella and wish her further success in her career.”

Story submitted by Tom Kitchen
tkitchen@lincoln.ac.uk