International Confex, the UK’s biggest event for people organising events worldwide, has announced that the Advice Centre will be doubling in size for 2006, hosting new advisors and launching several new initiatives.

The Advice Centre was launched in 2004 under the watchful eye of Mike Lyon from Write Style Communications: “The Advice Centre, housed within the Corporate Hospitality sector, is more than just a centre of excellence.”

“It offers event organisers a chance to learn more about the industry, achieve higher standards in terms of how to organise an event, as well as providing personal development skills. Last year the centre hosted almost 500 visitors during the course of the three days but with more space and more advisors we will be able to substantially increase that number.”

The Centre has been given a more central location and will be staffed by more than a dozen industry experts. These new advisors bring to the team a wealth of knowledge and experience on all aspects of conferences and events, and include representatives from agencies, large corporations and conference bureaux.

Advisors confirmed for the 2006 Advice Centre:

• Mike Lyon, Destination Research Consultant and Trainer - Write Style Communications
• Glenn Bowdin, Principal Lecturer in Events Planning – Leeds Metropolitan University
• Julia Tum, Senior Lecturer in Events Management – Leeds Metropolitan University
• Grania Sweeting, Personnel and HR Expert – Grapevine HR
• Richard Tierney, Internal communications and video production - Reachout
• Rob Davidson, Lecturer in Event Management - Westminster University
• Alan Summers, Corporate Entertainer - Trade Press
• Richard John, Exhibitions and PR consultant – RJA Associates
• Joanna Aspin, Venues & Destinations Consultant and Trainer – Joanna Aspin Consultancy
• Adam Coole, Conference Organiser - Coole Event Management
• Rob Haworth, Event Management & Production – Affinity Events
• Jacqui Kavanagh, Conference Organiser – Jigsaw Conferences

Education is the driving force behind the Centre. Not only will the experts be able to offer advice and guidance on courses, diplomas and training but they can also answer questions on topical issues facing conference organisers through a series of question and answer initiatives.

Visitors will be able to submit questions on-line as well as reserving an appointment with the appropriate consultant on the day for a face to face discussion.

Some of the topics the advisors will be focusing on include:

• Health and Safety
• Risk Management
• Disability Discrimination
• Negotiation
• Technology in the meetings industry
• How to recruit more delegates to your conference
• How to plan a conference
• Venue finding, destination research, fam trips, site inspections

Also housed within the Centre will be the CV clinic, offering a free ‘healthcheck’ to anyone looking to improve their working lifestyle. Manned by a one of the industry’s leading recruitment agencies, ESP Recruitment, the clinic offers a free CV checking service to anyone needing their CV freshened up.

Appointments can be booked in advance or visitors can simply turn up on the day.

The Centre will be a comprehensive source of information and free guides, covering subjects such as new technologies in the meetings industry, Disability Discrimination Act, Risk Assessment, Venue Directories and numerous checklists and fact sheets.

Also available will be a list of the 20 key internet sites to help event organisers, together with guidebooks and checklists, prospectus’ for the latest event management courses as well as exhibition tips.

There will also be a wide range of books covering all aspect of conferencing and events for visitors to review and order at discounted rates, including the possibility of several book launches at the show. 

The Centre will, for the first time, have a dedicated PC linked to the Internet to allow visitors to see and try out the key websites mentioned.

These include venue searching, accessing downloadable documents, technology innovations such as web conferencing, forums to join, on-line newsletters and much more.

The Centre will be open for business before and during the show and visitors can book appointments on-line with an expert of their choosing. Alternatively they can simply walk in at any time of the show to either browse the library or talk informally to an expert. A special room has been also set aside for one-to-one detailed discussions.