Steering Group Members

Freshwater was appointed as the overall event manager, working alongside the steering group to develop the programme and deliver the event. The steering group was made up of individuals from:

• Arup
• Cardiff Capital Region
• Capital Law
• Cardiff and Vale College
• Cardiff University
• Freshwater
• Mott MacDonald
• M&G Barry Consulting
• Transport for Wales

 

Brief

The objective of Metro & Us was to demonstrate that the South Wales Metro is far more than a transport project. To maximise its impact, it must be recognised as a transformative regional initiative that unlocks economic development, drives physical and social regeneration, supports housing growth, creates opportunities for young people, enhances educational outcomes, and enables Transit-Oriented Development.

The one-day conference, exhibition, and evening drinks reception required comprehensive event management – from marketing and delegate communications to sponsorship, exhibition, logistics, and programme delivery – ensuring a seamless experience for over 260 attendees.

Delivery

Freshwater provided end-to-end event management whilst working closely with the steering group to deliver Metro & Us. The Freshwater team developed a variety of sponsorship and exhibition packages to sell to industry specialists. Working collaboratively with the venue, suppliers, sponsors and exhibitors, Freshwater coordinated logistics and managed communications to ensure the event ran smoothly from start to finish. This included an evening drinks reception, which featured live music from local performer, Melda Lois. The reception provided delegates with an opportunity to continue conversations and build relationships, whilst also showcasing local talent.

Freshwater developed a bespoke, bi-lingual event microsite and registration platform that hosted event information and resources. There was an integrated marketing campaign that combined digital promotion, media relations and targeted industry engagement, alongside a tailored stakeholder toolkit with downloadable tailored event assets for steering group members, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and attendees.

The conference programme brought together 29 speakers across 5 sessions, including a keynote address from the new Welsh transport minister, Mark Hooper MS, with renowned broadcaster Jason Mohammad hosting proceedings throughout the day. Freshwater managed speaker and programme development, working closely with the steering group to curate an engaging programme that could prompt further conversations. Giving each session lead ownership of their own content was important to the event’s success and enabled members to play to and contribute their specialist knowledge.

 

Student Engagement

Recognising that students and young people represent a significant proportion of South Wales Metro users, we placed a strong emphasis on student engagement throughout the event. Complimentary student passes were offered to improve accessibility and encourage participation from those who may otherwise have been unable to attend.

The event also featured an academic poster competition, which invited students from local universities to showcase research aligned to the conference themes, with a £350 prize awarded to the winning entry. The boards displaying the shortlisted posters were located centrally within the exhibition, making them a core feature of the conference, sparking conversations between the student authors, academics, policymakers and professionals.

Student voices were further amplified through a dedicated panel discussion featuring students from Cardiff University, Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) and Coleg y Cymoedd (CYC), alongside the Principals from CAVC and CYC. The session explored the students  perspectives on how the South Wales Metro could shape opportunities for future generations. Together, these initiatives ensured that emerging talent and future generations of Metro users were actively involved in conversations about the region’s long-term development.

International Perspectives

To broaden the conversation and provide international perspective, the conference featured contributions from leading experts around the world. Attendees watched a recorded presentation from Sydney-based ‘Head of Cities’ architect, Dr Tim Williams recorded specifically for the event. Additionally, one of the afternoon sessions featured  a live virtual contribution with a representative from the Basque Government. Freshwater was responsible for coordinating the technical production and AV requirements to ensure the seamless delivery of these speakers.

Live Graphic Illustration

A unique feature of the conference was the commissioning of a live illustrator Laura Sorvala, who transformed the conference content into a visual representation of the day, capturing key discussions, themes and ideas throughout. The illustration provided both a creative focal point during the event and a lasting legacy piece.

Results

Metro & Us was a reflection of the event team’s expertise in bringing a complex, multi-stakeholder event to life. Through strong collaboration, careful planning and a focus on creating meaningful experiences for delegates, exhibitors and sponsors, the team delivered a conference that supported important and ongoing conversations around the South Wales Metro now and into the future, leading discussions on its role in shaping the region’s growth.

The event received positive feedback onsite, on social media and through the post event survey from the steering group, exhibitors, speakers and delegates, who recognised the team’s ability to deliver a well-organised, engaging and impactful experience.