Font Size:

home > regional groups > want to start a regional group?

Guides to Running Regional Conferences

            

 Checklist for the Conference

 

1.                  Book venue- use agency Key Locations on info@key-locations.net

 

2.                  Particulars of the venues required: -

 

Location - Central London, near main line rail station

 

Room enough of 95 delegates, although contract for 50.

 

Class -room style

 

No breakout rooms required.

 

Audio Visual:

 

·        Lapel mic and lectern

 

·        Mic for top table (Chair)

 

·        Roving mic for questions

 

·        Staging for one table to seat three

 

·        Table to seat three

 

·        Delegate pads and pens

 

·        OHP and screen

 

·        Projector for power point (depending on speakers needs) To include mixing desk, amplifier and speakers as well as cabling.

 

·        Rate for lunch, teas and coffees each delegate £55. (Buffet preferred)

 

·        No formal table plan for seated lunch.

 

·        Notice Board in foyer “ Solicitors for the Elderly National conference”.

 

·        4 Tables required for Sponsors (inside the lecture room if possible)

 

·        Drinks at conference and at lunch- iced tap water only. No soft drinks or wine.

 

·        Registration desk in the Foyer

 

·        Loop system for hearing impaired

 

 

 

3.                  Conference programme to be prepared and agreed by the conference committee. Including the conference sales pitch for programme.

 

4.                  Budget agreed between the conference committee and the treasurer.

 

5.                  Speakers to be approached by the conference committee and secured.

 

6.                  Once all speakers secured, the Administrator to write (wherever possible by email) to each speaker sending standard letter “ Conference 1”, confirming details, and requesting short biography for marketing material.

 

7.                  Sponsors to be approached and agreed to sponsor.

 

8.                  Letter to be sent by the Administrator to Sponsors confirming the following:

 

·        The date and location of conference.

 

·        The amount sponsored with thanks.

 

·        What they will get so far as a pitch and what they will be expected to bring with them. Some literature can be sent directly to the venue just before the conference.

 

·        The number of representatives must be limited to 2 as it takes up a delegate place and we have a limit on numbers.

 

·        They will be invoiced by SFE after the conference for the sponsorship fee.

 

 

9.                  Once biographies have been received, the conference programme can go to print. 1500 to be printed on A4  -double side/gloss/2 colours only.

 

10.             Conference programme to be checked by the Chair of the conference committee, prior to final printing.

 

11.             Once printed the programme is to be sent to membership and included in ECA. (1000 to ECA and the rest to members)

 

12.             At the same time members should be emailed with the conference programme.

 

13.             The contract should be sent to the Chair of the conference committee, who should sign on behalf of SFE, once it has been checked it is in line with the budget. The appropriate fee should be paid once agreed by the Treasurer in line with the budget.

 

14.             Any extra expenses not covered in the budget must be checked with the Treasurer before agreed to spend.

 

15.             One month before the conference date the following should be undertaken:

 

·        Write to speakers to give them update on numbers and confirm their Audio requirements and remind them they have a week to get the final notes to administrator.

 

·        Confirm with sponsors location and who will be representing their organisation. It should be limited to 2 representatives per sponsor.

 

·        Liase with venue over the menu required.

 

·        Book any accommodation for speakers as required. (This should be for speakers who are unable to travel down on the day in time for their lecture).

 

·        Email members again with reminder about conference.

 

·        Send receipts to those who have paid and confirm location- refer them to MapQuest.com for map.

 

·        Chase any outstanding payments.

 

16.             Three weeks before the conference:

 

·        Collate the conference pack and send to printers to be bound.

 

·        Any outstanding items contact speakers for time scale. If not received in 2 days over then they will have to arrange to print and bring to conference with them. SFE will reimburse cost where receipt provided.

 

·        Book the audio equipment required for the conference in line with the budget. Any extras equipment approval of Treasurer and the Chair of Conference committee.

 

·        Send receipts to those who have paid (since previous week) and confirm location- refer them to MapQuest.com for map.

 

·        Chase any outstanding payments.

 

17               Two weeks before the conference

·        Send receipts to those who have paid (since previous week) and confirm location- refer them to MapQuest.com for map.

·        Chase any outstanding payments.

·        Email members again with reminder about conference.

18               The final week

·        Send receipts to those who have paid (since previous week) and confirm location- refer them to MapQuest.com for map.

·        Chase any outstanding payments.

·        Email members again with reminder about conference.

·        Notify venue with final numbers.

·        Confirm the menu.

·        Ensure the delegate packs are sent to the venue.

·        Confirm with speakers their audio equipment, the location and time they are to arrive at the venue. (Some of this will not be required if already provided).

·        Arrange badges (sticky labels are suitable) and delegate list

·        Print appraisal form for conference.

19            Conference day

·        Set up signs and ensure board is up for delegates to find venue.

·        Find the conference packs at venue.

·        Check seating layout

·        Check heating/ AC

·        Check audio equipment

·        Check pens/ pads and tap water out.

·        Cloakrooms and coat racks location.

·        Check where each sponsor is to be placed.

·        Set out registration desk with delegates’ packs and registration forms and labels.

·        Meet and great speakers and ensure they are familiar with the audio equipment.

·        Deal with any enquiries of delegates.

·        Hold the roving mic at each question time.

·        Direct delegates to lunch

·        Ensure the evaluation forms are completed and collected.

·        Any problems regarding the contract need to be resolved at the venue. The Chair(s) or Chair of Conference committee should deal with these.

·        Loop system in place and working

20               After the conference

·        Invoice sponsors and ensure collection.

·        Thank sponsors and speakers and remind them to send their expenses to administrator.

·        Evaluate the delegate response forms and send the forms and the conclusions to the Chair and the Chair(s) of the Conference Committee.

·        Pay the speakers fees, via the Treasurer. (if in line with the budget then it can be sent direct- any unexpected items to be verified with the Chair of the conference committee).

·        Pay final sum owed to venue in line with the budget, via the Treasurer.

·        Chase any outstanding payments.

                                                             Solicitors for the Elderly Conference

                                                                      Speakers Guidance Notes

The Conference package includes the provision of comprehensive papers bound in the form of a booklet as these papers form a point of future reference for delegates. We therefore ask that full detailed text rather than copies of slides or headings and prompts should be forwarded to the Administrator by the date advised.

                                                                                            PRESENTATION AND CONTENT

Delegates receive the delegate pack on the morning of the conference and will therefore have a copy of whatever notes you have provided to us.  Please therefore do not simply read your notes, but instead, use these as a basis for your presentation incorporating, if possible, visual aids to retain the delegates' attention.

Please ensure that you allow some time for questions at the end of your presentation.  Conference programmes are usually prepared with this in mind, talks generally being about 45 minutes and speakers should aim for about 35 minutes of substantive presentation, allowing 10 minutes for questions and overrun.  Resist the temptation to go over time to cover your material, this is rarely appreciated and remember delegates will have recourse to your notes, which they can digest at their leisure.                                                      

It is also important to stick to the general outline of the talk as described in the conference brochure upon which delegates rely when deciding to attend.  It is fairly common to depart from the content of individual bullet points, especially as conferences are marketed months in advance but a brief explanation is best when this is the case.

If you are using audio-visual, especially if it- is I.T. based, you should ensure you have familiarised yourself with its operation and ensure we have compatible equipment at the venue.  Experience has shown, for example, that many of the problems associated with Power point arise from user error.  Be careful not to swamp your presentation with effects and any visual material should complement rather than replace substantive content.  When using Power point it is prudent to have a low tech substitute such a slides or overheads. 

                                                                                        DOCUMENTATION

We ask that you prepared your notes in a uniform style. The final document will include a contents page and be paginated as one bound book and handed to delegates in attendance at the conference.

Please follow the style below when creating materials

Main Notes

·           Ariel Font

·           Size 12 pitch

·           Single and half line spacing

·           All main headings, bold, uppercase, centred, in a double line shaded box 1 0%

·           Side headings - bold, lower case

·           Margins 1”

·           All case references in bold, italics

·           Bullet points are used

                                                                                 FORWARDING DOCUMENTATION

Please forward your documentation by any of the following:

By Post - Hard copy and floppy disk - we work in Word for Windows

Please do not send you material by fax.

                         TIMING AND ATTENDANCE

All speakers are welcome to stay for the whole day and to have lunch with delegates.  Speakers should contact the Administrator the day before the conference to ensure they are aware of changes to the running order. Where running orders do change we would ask you to be as flexible as possible, to ensure that the event goes smoothly and we greatly value the efforts of speakers who can fill the breaches, which may occur from time to time.  It is advisable to arrive at least 30 minutes before your talk or ideally if you are using audiovisual equipment, please arrive during the break prior to your session as this will enable you to run through your Power point presentation.

                                                    SPEAKER CONFIRMATION TEMPLATE

 

Dear

Re: Solicitors for the Elderly National Conference – Friday 9 June 2006

The Executive are delighted that you have agreed to provide a lecture on “……………..” at the National Conference on Friday 9 June 2006.  The Conference is entitled “…………………” and is to held at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, London.  I will send a map and directions to you in due course.

The Committee have agreed to pay a fee of £……. plus any travel expenses that you incur (at standard rail class or mileage allowance).

I would be most grateful if you could please provide a brief biography for inclusion in the Conference marketing material and notes.  I would be grateful if this could be provided to me in electronic format by (date).  My direct e-mail address is admin@solicitorsfortheelderly.com.

Delegate notes will need to be submitted to the administration office no later than three weeks prior to the Conference date, i.e. 19 May.  In order to assist you with the preferred presentation of any notes to be included in the course material, I have enclosed a copy of the Solicitors for the Elderly Conference Speaker Guidance Notes.

I have also enclosed a draft programme for your information and will keep you updated with any further details as they become available.  If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me.

I

Copyright ©2001-2008 Solicitors for the Elderly. All rights reserved.
 Web Design by Chameleon Studios