If you’ve been following our social channels, you’ll know that we’ve been celebrating 40 years in business this year. Like the old saying goes, “life begins at 40” and we don’t do half-measures when it comes to parties! On 15 July, we welcomed clients old and new to our new offices in Hessle, East Yorkshire, for an event like no other.    

An event that delivered on every level

Over 100 guests came throughout the day to help us celebrate, enjoying eclectic music from two members of the Dyr Sister. Their mix of harp and violin performances set the right tone and was the perfect soundtrack.  

Elsewhere, Tamar and Jo looked the business as they took guests into our immersive time warp movie experience – taking them back four decades through our history to where it all began. 

We were overwhelmed by the reactions to our 40th anniversary vid as there were big smiles as well as tears… we’ve clearly made a lot of friends since 1982! There was plenty to whet the appetite too, including special Sowdens Souvlakis courtesy of The Greek, our neighbours from the Weir.  

And over at our in-house bar – Club Tropicana – we brought some incredible cocktail flavours to life…with a Sowdens twist. Anyone for an ‘Alter Ego’ or a ‘Sowdens Signature’? 

Surprises around every corner 

We wanted to ensure the event showcased our passion for creativity, so our team worked tirelessly to finesse every detail. After weeks of meticulous planning, we’d made sure there were surprises around every corner for guests to enjoy.  

Upon arrival, people were invited to take a journey down memory lane in our time tunnel, where specially designed posters showed the biggest events from our 40-year history, while inside, we’d curated our best and boldest work in a pop-up gallery.   

Thanks to the efforts of our amazing team, the event went off without a hitch, and all guests were free to dance, catch up and make new friendships. And not forgetting our eye-catching ‘balloon gate’… we don’t know how many selfies have been taken in front of it and it’s still the talk of the town.  

What a year 

Alongside the party, it’s been a fantastic 2022 for everyone here at Sowdens – our 40th anniversary celebrations come at a time when we’re welcoming new business from various sectors. Alongside our regional clients in education, technology, healthcare and sustainability, we’ve attracted several international clients over the past year. 

These include a global green energy giant (who recently launched the world’s biggest offshore wind farm), the UK division of Japanese tech brand NEC, as well as other international partners and suppliers. We were also delighted that one of clients – VUBA – was recognised as one of 2022’s FEBE high-growth companies.  

Looking back, looking ahead  

We’ve come a long way since the early 1980s and we’ve been privileged to work in dozens of different markets and support hundreds (maybe even thousands) of companies over the years – from start-ups to multinational conglomerates. 

From everyone at Sowdens, a heart-felt thank you to all those who’ve given us their business over the years. And the same to everyone who helped us celebrate in style!

Want to be part of the next chapter? Discover careers at Sowdens: https://www.sowden-sowden.co.uk/careers/