VINCE Steering Group
Minutes of Conference Sub-Committee Teleconference MeetingWednesday 24 March 2010
Attendees:
Mike Brace
Sue Dale
Sue Brittain
Gaynor Tromans
Sandra Mendonça-Bancroft
Apologies:
Dennis Lewis
Amanda Hawkins
Minutes:
Gaynor ran through the details of the proposed venue The Beeches, Bournville.
There are two options to travel to the venue:
Train into New StreetBirmingham, and then a taxi to Bournville;
Train into New StreetBirmingham, and then changing onto train into Bournville (approx. £15) and either take a taxi (£3 to £4) or a 15 minute walk to the venue.
The Beeches is a hotel as well, so delegates could stay overnight. Single room including breakfast £60.
Delegate rate is £43.50.
Delegate rate plus VAT £51
The venue offers a 12% discount to charities. Therefore this would amount to £45 per delegate with the VAT and discount factored in.
The room holds 275 people theatre style. The room can be split down the middle.
Light and airy room, with lovely views.
Included in the cost:
Buffet lunch
Limitless fair-trade tea and coffee
Homemade afternoon cake
Flipchart, pens, sweets.
On site technician
Date projector free of charge
We would just need to take along our laptop.
Breakout rooms - would be an additional £100 per room.
The venue has three other good sized conference rooms which would seat 20-30 comfortably.
It was agreed that we would book one additional room as a breakout room.
Mike mentioned that travel expenses for speakers need to be factored in etc. Therefore it was felt that the delegate fee could be rounded up to £50.
There was a discussion about Birmingham as a location, and the possibility of having the conference in London. It was felt that on this occasion we can have the 2011 conference in Birmingham and think about a different location for the next conference.
Gaynor highlighted that if the location of the conference was in London it would make it difficult for her and Sue B to be so involved in conference arrangements.
Sue B added that The Beeches is a lovely venue, and the staff are very warm and friendly, and the food is good too.
The cost implications of running a conference in London was also discussed, and that Mike added that in the absence of a sponsor and the costing, we should go for the Birmingham venue for the 2011 conference.
Therefore it was agreed that Gaynor and Sue B would contact The Beeches and confirm the booking for 24March 2011.
The aim would be to have 200 delegates at a cost of £50 per head, with a view to charging £30 to the delegate.
Therefore we would then need to find £4000. Mike confirmed that the total assets of VINCE is currently £1200.
It was agreed that we would need a sponsor in place before the summer holidays before we can advertise the conference.
Mike suggested that the conference could be raised as "a date for your diary" to potential delegates, which we would then open for actual booking etc from September onwards, and possibly offer an early bird booking fee.
Mike said that on our approach to a sponsor we would need to brief them on:
Delegate costing
Discount details i.e. the 12% discount with the VAT already costed in
Extra room costing
Mike will liaise with Dennis about the confirmation of the booking.
Mike mentioned that he could approach Guide Dogs in terms of sponsorship, as they are currently looking at Emotional Support.
Date for next teleconference meeting:
Wednesday 28 April 2010 10am