Society Annual Conference 2006 (UK)

I know the Society has worked very hard this year to make the Conference as accessible as possible. They have cut the delegate price to attract more Podiatrists to the Educational session. They have streamlined the Tracks to make the sessions more relevant. They have also realised that they need to create a buzz to drag people back to attend the conference and exhibition.

The Foot Health Trade Association is also supporting the Society for this event and has even put money into sponsor the exhibition to help allow free access to the Exhibition for all.

There has been a lot of talk about big conferences. The Society have worked hard on this one and have listened to complaints (mine included). Brighton sounds like a breath of fresh air - lets hope it has the support it deserves.

Jamie

 

I hope this conference goes well....

Embarassingly I had to pull the plug on speaking at it due to 2 very pressing things here, so I apologise publically to the organisers for pulling out.

 

What a shame Craig!

I think many UK pod-arena fans (me included) had booked and were looking forward to your presentation on 'prescribing foot orthoses'.

Do you know who will replace you and are Dr Karl Landorf and Dr Hylton Menz still attending?

Caroline

 

Karl and Hylton will still be there.

The reason I have had to pull out will be very obvious soon .... it was not supposed to happen until mid-dec, but things have been brought forward

Hopefully I can make it up in the future....

 

I am reliably informed the Conference is a sell out, so congratulations to all.

Bob

 

I can confirm that the Conference is a sell-out with 1080 delegates attending.

For those disappointed there is still FREE Exhibition entry to the Trade Show and I believe there are 70 Trade Exhibitors.

The organisers have been trying hard to generate a BUZZ about the event and so far they have succeeded. Good work by the SCP and by Profile Productions. They deserve a pat on the back

Jamie

 

I believe Drs Landorf and Mentz are still ok for Brighton, they will also be at the Irish Conference on the Monday, which has been organised around their availability, which I hope they realise.

Craig's replacement will hopefully be announced at the Conference meeting on Wednesday.....It Might be one of Podiatry Arena's own contributors.

Evidently there are 400 people signed up for Craig's 2 workshop/lecture. Lets hope he can make it next year for Harrogate

Cheers

Jamie

 

...now you making me feel guilty ...

 

I think there are a couple of valid reasons for not attending this year Craig.

More people wanted to see you at a special Biomechanics workshop this year than attended the whole conference a couple of years ago.

Next year at Harrogate needs to have the same BUZZ and it is good to hear the SCP are planning well ahead....

Jamie

 

"Bright young thing"

Mr Simon Dickinson (Dikoson on Pod Arena) has agreed to take over from Craig Payne at the Society Conference.

Simon is one of the most Dynamic and forward thinking Orthotists in the UK and I believe was by far the best best speaker at the BAPO conference this year. He is a regular visitor of PFOLA and a ground level collaborator with Podiatrists.

Big shoes to fill but great that the SCP have looked outside the box.

Jamie

 

Thats a shame I had booked mysef onto your section to hear your views and prespectives in person.

Yep Its going to be good with that many people in attendance - on the premise there are enough seats etc to go around - I do not fancy forking out for a conference and having to stand up for who knows how long, rumour has it some people will be (stood?) in the foyer listening and watching their speaker via a sound/vision link (if this is true they can hardly be offered a pat on the back IMO) we shall see though afterall rumour is a vicous beast.

At least all is not lost

 

Donnchadhjh,

From where we came from after Glasgow, which was a good clinical conference but poorly attended (350ish delegates and 15 exhibitors) and London, which was in a crap venue - Brighton looks to be pretty good. With the bookings stopped at 1080 and 75 Exhibitors. There is a good clinical programme and the price for delegates is 1/3rd of 2 years ago.

It is my understanding that there will be nobody sitting or standing in the "foyer". Because of the tracking of the conference there will be 2 main fully seated theatres, when neccessary, there will be a video link between the 2 theatres with a chairman in each theatre.

The Trade have worked closely with the SCP and Profile who have cut their cloth to offer a cheaper delegate rate with a good programme and no linked AGM, boring dinner etc. SCP have tried to create a BUZZ about the conference this year and hopefully up to now it has worked.

If it is a good conference this year and 1000+ (and more) delegates can be expected for next year then bigger venues can be utilised. Harrogate has a theatre big enough to take 2000. Feedback will be asked from delegates on how to make it better for next year. I hope you will fill it in.

Cheers

Jamie

 

Hi Donnchadhjh,

I am the Communications Manager at the Society and can confirm that for the Keynote Speaker sessions that will attract 800-900 delegates we will be installing a video link to an adjacent room. In that room there will be a two-way link to the main lecture room. A senior member of the podiatry profession will chair each session in that satellite room. Delegates will be able to converse with the Key Note Speaker at question time regardless of what room they are in.

As soon as we found out that that the conference was going to be sell-out we put these plans into operation to ensure that all delegates can go to the sessions that they want to.

Best regards

Adam - SCP Communications Manager

 

I know you guys will love Simon's talk. He is the best the Orthotist profession have to offer and if you get the chance to ask him a question at the bar...sit back and take notes.

I wish I was going to be there but Im going to see if I can get to the Aussie lads in Ireland on the Sunday and Monday.

Have a great time.

 

godfather

Dave (aka LCBL) and Jamie,

thanks for the posts. Am looking forward to it....

For those of you who have not met me Dave(LCBL) is not only a colleague but also godfather to my daughter and my best mate...

Look forward to meeting you at Brighton

Simon

 

Thanks guys,

Never been to the Brighton Centre before so not entirley sure what its facilities are... good to hear a rumour is just that.

All I can say is - see you all there - 2 weeks and counting

 

I'm still waiting for the "All-Simon Conference" to travel here to the States featuring Simon(s) Bartold, Dickinson and Spooner. Still can't believe I had them all sitting at a table with me last year....almost too many Simons for anyone to handle!

 

I seem to remember the simon's ganging up on you with your ligaments contract wind up with your belgian friends. Or was that the red wine talking......

 

Just seen the Conference program and it looks good. No surprise there with so many Australians making their contribution. Aussie Conferences are well attended and have always had much to offer delegates and contributors alike. So a gig with 1k delegates should be a breeze. Something I am always impressed by at Pod Conferences is the the trades exhibitions which seems to get bigger and better with each conference. I used to always be wary of colleagues who swore the trades exhibition was more useful and informative than the lectures, now, I think I have come to share some of that sentiment.

As an observer I have never failed to be amused at some of the extra curricular activities at pod conferences. I have witnessed a delegate being frog marched out of a conference for being an undesirable. Not myself I hasten to add, but I did vacate soon after in protest. I have also heard delegates boo a keynote for describing a technique which was clearly not popular. I have also been a speaker at an Italian Conference where there was no spontaneous translation. Each speaker had to read a sentence in English which was then translated into Italian. Needless to say the program ran long over time My humble presentation was on the third day and due to an eye infection I was unable to read my talk. Against the better wishes of the organisers my lecture was read by the Italian translater much to the joy of the audience. I am sure the standing ovation which followed was due to the relief of not having to hear it twice and little to do with what I said.

All the very best for the Conference

Cameron
Hey. what do I know?

 

Thank You

Many thanks for being made to feel so welcome at your conference.

Fantastically organised event. Was an honour to attend and speak.

I hope i get the chance to attend/contribute again

Simon

 

Hi all...

Just thought I'd drop in to start the round-up on this post.

Mon 27/11/06, 1/2 way through morning clinic.

I am still quite tired through the lack of sleep, and I still have ear ache (from stupidly not taking a hat to the conference - the wind caused havvoc!), but after the previous week bits and pieces keep filtering into and out of my brain. Thoughts, feelings and applications of what the speakers at the conference said.

Hylton & Karl,
Just wanted to say many thanks for making the effort to come and talk to us in dreary Britain. I found your talks comprehensive, and thought provoking. They both encouraged and reitterated the need for good solid research in many fields of podiatry.

Simon,
You are the first orthotist I have ever had the pleasure of listening to in a conference/meeting situation, and I was very impressed with your enthusiasm and attitude towards your topic.

The Society,
Many thanks for a (largely) well organised conference (not going to mention the microphone failure between hall 1 + 2 ... much ) everybody I have spoken to agrees that this was the best conference they had attended for a long time (if not ever).

Looking forward to the program for next year being released (before I register for next years conference)

In all two things came through most of the speakers at the conference:
(I hope everybody who attended agrees)

1) ENTHUSIASM! - For the field in which they work, the work that they do and Podiatry as a profession.
2) HOPE! - That the people around them appreciate what they are doing, their work and its benefits are passed on, and that more people will race to pick up the batton and run with it.

 

The Brighton Conference was GREAT. Over a Thousand people and there was a real BUZZ the first at a Mainline Podiatry Conference for a long time. I believe over 300 potential delegates were turned away because of oversubscription. The only problem I had was not being able to speak to everybody because there wasn't enough time.

Next years is in Harrogate in October. There will be space for 1500 delegates so could be even better.

I know the SCP is planning for Harrogate if there are any sensible suggestions post them here .

Cheers

Jamie

 

Dear all,

Having just returned from the UK, I'd like to sincerely thank Mike Potter and the conference organising committee of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists for their hard work in putting together such an excellent conference. The venue, content, social program and hospitality were fantastic.

Kind regards,

Hylton