“Shine Connect is the best thing that’s happened to me since my diagnosis”
– 2024 attendee
We are thrilled to have been named Cvent Partner of the Year at the 2025 Cvent Excellence Awards Europe, a recognition that means so much to our entire team.
This award not only celebrates our successful long-term partnership with Cvent, but the extraordinary journey we’ve shared with the remarkable charity Shine Cancer Support, to deliver its flagship conference Shine Connect, over an amazing 10 years.
The Magic of Shine Connect
Shine is truly unique as the UK’s only charity dedicated to supporting young adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s with cancer.
Shine Connect is as distinctive as the charity itself, created in partnership with TTA a decade ago as a vibrant, life-affirming community event where members can meet in person, share engaging and educational content, and find hope and connection. It is uplifting and inspiring, despite the serious subject matter, and filled with compelling sessions, honest conversations, laughter, and even the joy of therapy dog cuddles!
The conference has been pivotal to Shine’s annual calendar, even during the pandemic. Our collaboration with Cvent has supported us along every step, helping to power and grow incredible live connection on a limited budget, as well as bringing to life virtual and hybrid experiences vital for the Shine Community when they needed to shield.
Where our Story began
A chance meeting back in 2015 between the charity’s visionary co-founder, Ceinwen Giles and TTA’s Marketing Director, started a conversation that inspired the creation of the first Shine Connect event. Ten years later the event is still thriving and TTA maintains a strong relationship with Shine that holds a deep significance for our team.
Both Ceinwen and joint co-founder Emma Willis, were diagnosed with cancer as young adults. And while there’s never a good time to face cancer, they found the experience especially isolating and wanted to improve support, community, and access to information for others in similar circumstances.
From the very start, it was clear that Shine was a small charity with a huge task ahead. As a values-driven agency with many young people in our own team, we immediately saw how we could help: by doing what we do best – bringing to life an authentic experience that could connect, inspire and resonate personally with members of the Shine community and beyond.
Since then, over 2,000 people per year – including loved ones and health professionals – have been reached through Shine Connect and supported through live connection with the many challenges they face like work, dating, fertility, and parenting.
Thank you from TTA
This exciting Cvent award is a true celebration of community, connection and the power of partnership to create meaningful impact.
Cvent technology has been central to the continued success and growth of Shine Connect and we are so grateful for this recognition. Enormous thanks go to Shine, in addition, for their inspirational partnership, and to our fabulous team for their dedication, professionalism, and creativity in helping to bring Shine Connect to life each year.
A final word from Kelley Walker, our Event Innovation Lead and Shine Connect Champion:
“We are an agency that leads from the heart, and our partnership with Shine means so much to us. We are proud to dedicate our time to enhancing the Shine Connect experience, working closely with partners like Cvent to innovate with a forward-thinking approach. Bringing communities together is at the core of what we do at TTA, and we can’t wait to do it again in 2026.”
Support for Shine:
As well as delivering Shine Connect, the whole TTA team past and present have rallied together for fundraising efforts, including an epic 3 Peaks Challenge, to support Shine’s vital work. These shared experiences bring us closer as a team and deepen our commitment to making a real difference. Please reach out for more information about this amazing charity and how you can support them here: Shine website