If this is my mid-life crisis… bring it on
It was about 5pm on the final full day of Comms Unplugged that the bombshell gently landed.
Don’t ask how we got onto the topic. But then again, in the famous Vent Tent - a forum for letting off steam in a safe place - (just about) anything goes. And so it was that the optimum age for a mid-life crisis was revealed as 45. It’s a number I know all too well.
However, far from feeling fed-up or an urgent need to buy a Harley Davidson, I took this news in my stride. If this whole wonderful thing - an ‘off-grid’ camping Comms conference with a wellbeing focus, set in beautiful Dorset, frequented by great people - marked the start of my mid-life wobble… well, bring it on.
When I first booked onto Comms Unplugged 2022 in a fit of giddy excitement in the Spring, I said to co-organiser Georgia that it looked ideal for me; the type of comms event I’d been searching for ages for. In reality, it was even better than I’d imagined or hoped. I wrote on LinkedIn on the Monday after that I was glowing. I meant it.
First things first. Comms Unplugged won’t appeal to everyone. Sleeping in a tent, trudging to portaloos. But this isn’t Glastonbury and if you are deterred by the thought of slugs in your sneakers or the aroma of chemical toilets, it’s worth asking what’s the worst that could really happen; sometimes you have to take a bit of a risk to reap the rewards.
Spare sleeping bags and blankets (and possibly fluffy dogs - yes, they come too, in abundance) can be borrowed to keep you warm, and there are great showers and conventional loos just a short walk away on the main site. If you sleep badly or stay up too late socialising (it can happen), you can always nap in the afternoon (guilty), Time for that sort of thing is built in. Plus there is always great coffee and tea on tap.
Emails, laptops and phones are, if not banned outright, strongly discouraged (and there’s no wifi and patchy reception anyway), and even the presenters have to adhere to this, which means no Powerpoints and a need to ditch the digital stuff and get creative and immersive.
Attending events solo can be a nerve-wracking experience. So much so that in the past I’ve deliberately arrived at the last minute to avoid lurking in a corner, phone/shoe staring, or the stilted conversations. Not a bit of that at Comms Unplugged.
From the minute I arrived in bright sunshine, the pressure was off (along with my laptop). Smiles abounded, with greetings like I was an old friend. The green space is massive, so you can hang out solo if you want to, without feeling remotely awkward - and indeed solo downtime is encouraged, if you need it.
The mantra of CU is ‘if you’re not well, you can’t work’ and the sessions were a carefully curated mix of inspirational keynotes (Dr Youmna Mouhamad), tools and tips for taking control of work and being happy (Chris Croft) and a varied and eclectic mix of topics to support personal and professional development.
It was great to be asked to run a workshop exploring how using data mining can be used to sharpen up communications. The session saw participants - mainly working in public and third sector communications roles - donning ‘I love data’ badges and getting busy with highlighters, tally charts and A2 spreadsheets to find hidden trends and new insights from the web site content of a local council. We had a lot of fun.
There were also plenty of wellbeing sessions to enjoy like dancefit, bushcraft, cyanotype, mindfulness walks and qigong, that all made the most of our stunning outdoor venue. I had a lot of laughs with the latter, even though my creaky body and legendary lack of subtlety and finesse make me very bad at this type of thing
Comms Unplugged has that effect I think, putting you at ease in situations that you’d normally find uncomfortable or where you’d feel quite vulnerable. So much so that at one stage I found myself wandering around the sun-kissed venue barefooted - the type of conference behaviour that’d normally guarantee you a wide-berth, concerned looks and perhaps even a word from security.
After the formal daily programme ends, there’s then downtime to recharge back at your tent, or hang out with new friends. Dinner is a thoroughly social affair in the main tent, and on Friday there’s an acoustic set from the talented Tom Clements. There’s also a campfire, providing a chance to chat and tell tales, and even star gaze under deep dark skies, lying next to the glowing embers. Nursing a spiced rum in the early hours (courtesy of John-Paul Danon from CAN Digital, I think), contemplating life, I was lucky enough to see three shooting stars. You don’t get that at a Novotel on the outskirts of Birmingham.
The ticket price of £195 for 2 days, with some lovely meals included, really was the bargain of the century, reflecting the fact that Darren, Sally and Georgia run CU as a not-for-profit venture.
Communications and PR is not a profession that brims with diversity. With the rural setting and the location away from the public transport potentially creating additional challenges, achieving a diverse mix of speakers and attendees will have to be a constant focus for the organisers as CU develops.
But they know this and are committed to actions to make the event accessible and open to all. Attendees and supporters also have a role to play here, and a scholarship scheme - funded through donations - gives those who might face difficulties in attending the chance to experience something truly unique and special.
As the nights draw in, and the sun’s warmth starts to fade like embers of those Dorset campfires, warm and vivid memories of a conference like no other still burn brightly. Midlife crisis or not, I’ll be back, that’s for sure.
Comms Unplugged will return from 7-9 September 2023. To stay informed about tickets and line-up, visit the Comms Unplugged web site.
