From Anniversary Party to Lifelong Learning: The Elevate '10' Prop Finds A New Purpose.

The events industry came together to celebrate a decade of mentorship as Elevate, the world’s largest free personal development community for professionals, marked its 10th anniversary at Protein Studios in London. For the celebration, Bearded Kitten designed and built a striking, large-scale number '10' centerpiece, with expert production management by The Production Department.

Managing the production of large, one-off decorative elements, like these 5ft tall structures, painted and finished with vinyl, presents a common challenge: what happens to the asset once the party is over? With Elevate’s mission centered on building skills and supporting people, the organisers were determined that the celebratory symbol should continue to serve a community purpose.

From Celebration to Education

Event Cycle was brought on board to find the perfect recipient: Thomley Activity Centre in Buckinghamshire. Thomley provides lifelong learning and leisure activities for people with disabilities, catering to over 40,000 annual visits. Crucially, they needed creative, robust assets for their year-round fundraising events and activity programming.

The large '10' was donated to Thomley who plans to use it for: 

• Fundraising Support: The numbers are used as a visual centerpiece for community events, including their Christmas "live" advent windows and a 10K charity run support base.

• An Accessible Christmas Walk: The '10' is planned for the Accessible Christmas Light Walk to represent "10 lords a-leaping."

• An Activity Aid: The numbers serve as a prompt for themed activities for visitors, such as physical challenges ("10 sit to stands," "10 throws") or themed mental health displays ("10 mental health support strategies").

“We do a variety of fundraising events including an accessible festival, ball, and community events, as well as all the activities we run day to day, so I am sure there will be more uses for the 10 that come up! Thank you to the donors and Event Cycle, we really do appreciate this.”

Alice Good, Thomley Activity Centre

A Legacy of Inclusion

Elevate’s mission is to inspire, inform, and empower professionals. Through the foresight of the whole team as well as Bearded Kitten and The Production Department, that commitment extended directly to Thomley's unique mission of setting the standard for inclusion.

By diverting the custom-built sculptures, the partners ensured a high-quality, durable asset avoided disposal. Instead, it was transformed from a temporary anniversary display into a flexible, multi-purpose tool that actively supports Thomley’s visitors, many of whom have Autistic Spectrum Disorder, in building skills, socialising, and experiencing genuine inclusion year-round.

Action Point for the Events Industry

Sustainability doesn't have to be a logistical compromise; it’s an opportunity for brand-aligned community investment. If your next activation involves large, custom assets, start the conversation about social legacy at the design stage. Don’t let creative assets become waste; instead, deploy them as functional resources for causes that matter.

Want to make your next event more sustainable and leave a social legacy? 

Get in touch: Hello@eventcycle.org