PA Life talked to Mike Malan who joined Mothersโ Union event and conference team in September 2016. He is responsible for securing bookings and facilitating meetings and events, as well as looking after tenants who have offices at Mary Sumner House. His events career has included another charity too, a radio station, and working on a large event at Wembley Stadium facilitating multiple artists, musicians, backing vocalists, orchestra, choir and brass band for international worship artist, Noel Robinson, that saw some 33,500 people in attendance…
What is Mary Sumner House offering to PAs and other event bookers thatโs unique?
When you choose to host an event at Mary Sumner House, youโre not just securing an affordable, high-quality venue, youโre making a real difference!
Mary Sumner House is home to Mothersโ Union, an international charity with a rich heritage dating back to 1876. The venue is a Grade-II listed venue, situated in the Heart of Westminster, with its elegant period features and modern amenities offers flexible catering options, and bespoke room set-ups at affordable rates.
We are committed to womenโs rights and equality, this is demonstrated through our rooms having been named after female pioneers who have changed the course of history around the world!
What does Mothers’ Union charity do?
Mothersโ Union is a global membership charity that is focused on ending poverty, violence and social injustice in communities across the UK and the world. Active for nearly 150 years, with over 4 million members across 84 countries, we are part of the communities we work with – transforming lives, strengthening families and advocating for change.
From the local to the global, we unite to raise awareness of injustice and advocate for change, making sure that the worldโs most vulnerable people are given a voice, in particular representing those who struggle with abuse and inequality.
We work to create a better tomorrow, where everyone can thrive.
What type and size of events do you host most?
Over the years, Mary Sumner House has hosted:
- Senior leadership team away days
- Policy discussions
- Strategic planning sessions
- Workshops
- Training
- Media briefings
- Mediation and conflict resolution
- AGMs
- Stakeholder engagements
- Senior management meetings
- Interviews
We can accommodate anything from just a fee people for interviews for up to 120 people for larger meetings.
Do you have a typical client, or do you appeal to all types of corporate bookers?
Mary Sumner House is a unique venue with great facilities, centrally located in Westminster and appeals to all types of corporate bookers.
Can you tell us about your event spaces and facilities available for event hire?
Mary Sumner House offers a range of meeting rooms and a Conference Hall for hire, catering to various event sizes and styles. With eight meeting rooms and a Conference Hall, the venue can accommodate groups from as small as six in a Boardroom Layout to as large as 120 in a Theatre-style Layout.
Conference Hall: The Largest Space
Located on the lower level, the Conference Hall is the largest space available, accommodating up to 120 people in a Theatre-style Layout. It can also be arranged to host 60 in a Cabaret Layout or 48 in a Boardroom Layout. The hire fee includes the use of a projector and screen, a top table for up to six people, and a lectern. Additionally, we offer a lectern microphone, up to four hand-held microphones, and video conferencing capabilities compatible with most software for hire.
First Floor Meeting Rooms
- Mary Sumner Room: A period room featuring stained glass windows and glass chandeliers, accommodating up to 24 in a Boardroom Layout or 36 in a Theatre-style Layout.
- Sarojini Naidu Room: Accommodates up to 14 in a Boardroom Layout or 25 in a Theatre-style Layout.
- Malala Room: A dedicated Boardroom Layout for up to six people.
Second Floor Meeting Rooms
- Rosa Parks Room: Accommodates up to 24 in a Boardroom Layout or 36 in a Theatre-style Layout.
- Wangari Maathai Room: Accommodates up to 20 in a Boardroom Layout or 30 in a Theatre-style Layout.
- Maya Angelou Room: Accommodates up to 16 in a Boardroom Layout or 24 in a Theatre-style Layout.
- Queen Elizabeth II Room: Another period room with a dedicated boardroom table for up to 16 people.
- Mary Slessor Room: Accommodates up to 12 in a Boardroom Layout or 15 in a Theatre-style Layout.
Each room is equipped with a wall-mounted display screen and sound bar, connected via an HDMI cable, which is included in the hire fee. Additionally, two portable Logitech video conferencing systems are available for hire, compatible with MS Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, WebEx, Cisco, and other software providers.
Mary Sumner House offers flexible room setups to meet client requirements, making it an ideal venue for a variety of events
Who takes care of the catering for you? Is it an in-house team or a venue partner?
Weย provide complimentary refreshments, including tea, coffee, biscuits, and water, in the smaller meeting rooms on the first and second floors. For catering in these rooms and for both catering and refreshments in the Conference Hall, a list of preferred caterers is available. However, clients areย welcome to use any caterers of their choosing to suit their specific needs.
What can a PA expect from your event team when they book Mary Sumner House?
The dedicated team at Mary Sumner House ensures that every detail is meticulously handled, providing peace of mind and allowing you to focus on the success of your event.
Once you have submitted an enquiry, either by phone or via our website, we will encourage you to visit Mary Sumner House to view the room you are seeking to use to ensure that it is the right fit for you, while discussing your meeting requirements in detail with you to ensure that the room set-up is exactly what you want it to be.
On the day of your booking, we will provide you with assistance in connecting to the display screens in the meeting rooms on the 1st and 2nd Floors, or to the projector in the Conference Hall.
We will be available to assist with any potential issues, ensuring you have as little disruption as possible.
information about Mary Sumner House venue hire options.
For more of our interviews with industry professionals please see here.
