With multiple centres across the UK, Smart Works is a national women’s employment charity helping unemployed women to get the coaching, clothing and confidence they need to change the trajectory of their lives.
Smart Works Greater Manchester have been supporting communities across Manchester since 2015, with 69% of women securing a job within one month of their first appointment.
In June 2025, this transformational charity chose to host its 10 year anniversary celebration and awards evening at Victoria Warehouse.
The client: Smart Works Greater Manchester
The event space: The Bays
The concept
The aim of the event was to celebrate 10 years of Smart Works Greater Manchester and to thank the main sponsors the charity has worked with during this time. Smart Works Greater Manchester wanted to make a big noise about the amazing work they do and the more than 5,500 women they’ve supported over the years.
The brief
Smart Works Greater Manchester didn’t want the standard, ’stuffy’ awards dinner format. They instead opted for a fun event format with personality, making Victoria Warehouse the perfect venue choice.
Opting for the atmospheric setting of The Bays, with its industrial architecture and colour changing pillars, Smart Works Greater Manchester’s décor included grand candelabra table centrepieces and branded blue lighting.
As well as being a big celebration for 160 supporters, partners, client champions and ambassadors to enjoy, the event also served the purpose of fundraising and raising awareness of Smart Works Greater Manchester.
The experience
This celebratory event started at 6pm with welcome drinks, accompanied by beautiful music by cellist Pru Carter.
This was then followed by a welcome speech by Smart Works Greater Manchester and a short awards ceremony that thanked corporate partners N Brown, Nadine Merabi and AJ Bell.
Casual dining served up a delicious choice of street-style food, with choices including potato gnocchi, Korean fried chicken, mini meatballs and blackened salmon. Dining was accompanied by live music from singer Alicia Herhenteris.
There were also a variety of fundraising opportunities throughout the evening, including a raffle and silent auction, before the event wrapped up at 11:30pm. Over 20 raffle prizes were up for grabs, including beauty treatments, vouchers for clothing and beauty products, Mixology gin and tonic glasses, gym passes and more. The silent auction provided the opportunity to win event prizes including VIP tickets for McFly vs BUSTED at Co-op Live, a Porsche driving experience at Silverstone and a corporate package to see Manchester City vs Everton. If that wasn’t enough, there was also a special ‘lucky key’ raffle, whereby guests could buy a key for a door, the winning one of which unlocked a variety of prizes including an overnight stay with breakfast at The Radisson Hotel. There were also other prize draws throughout the evening and special winning tickets under selected chairs.
Why Victoria Warehouse?
As Smart Works Greater Manchester were keen to inject some personality into their awards evening and charity fundraising event, it was important for them to pick a venue that would be able to help create a fun celebration. Smart Works Greater Manchester were keen to celebrate Manchester as a city, making Victoria Warehouse’s unique, industrial charm ideal.
Victoria Warehouse’s events team helped Smart Works Greater Manchester from initial enquiry and site visits to on-the-day event management. The team were highly attentive, ensuring the brief was not only met but exceeded. Victoria Warehouse even donated a raffle prize.
The Verdict?
“Victoria Warehouse were absolutely fantastic in supporting us with our Smart Works Greater Manchester 10th birthday fundraiser. Freya and the team went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly, offering us an incredible venue and support throughout the planning process. Their generosity and professionalism played a huge part in making the event such a success, and we’re incredibly grateful for their partnership.
The venue provided a truly unique and memorable setting that made the event feel extra special, offering a refreshing alternative to traditional event spaces, perfectly capturing our celebration and the Smart Works community. Thank you so much!”
– Corina Herhenteris, Events and Communications Lead at Smart Works Greater Manchester
Photography: @manc_wanderer
