Behçet’s UK 2024 Conference & AGM

Saturday 19 October 2024
Holiday Inn City Centre Liverpool

After the success of our first two hybrid conferences in 2022 and 2023 we are pleased to confirm that our 2024 Conference and AGM will also be hybrid. So, please join us in-person in Liverpool and the professionals from Aston Media will be assisting us to live stream the conference via Zoom Webinar for those who will be joining online.

Attend online

Registration to attend online opens week commencing 23 September 2024 but you can register your interest now and we will send you a reminder email inviting you to register for the webinar sessions when registration opens.

Registration to attend online will remain open until the end of the conference.

Frequently asked questions

General Questions

What is the Behçet’s UK Conference and AGM?
Where is the Behçet’s UK Conference and AGM?
When is the Behçet’s UK 2024 Conference & AGM?
What is the programme for the day?
Who will be speaking?
What is a hybrid conference?
What about COVID-19?
What is the cost?

Attending the conference in person

How do I book my place to attend in person?
Do I need to print my ticket(s)?
Can I just turn up on the day?
What if I need to cancel?
I use a wheelchair/ scooter or have mobility issues: do I need to let you know?
Where can I take a break?
What food and/or refreshments will there be?
Can I bring my children?
How can I get there?
I’d like to book overnight accommodation, where can I stay?
Where can I park?
Filming and photography

Attending the conference online

How do I book my place to watch online?
How can I watch the conference online?
Can other people see me watching online?

We’ve tried to pre-empt many of the questions you may have but please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by phone 0345 130 7328 or email info@behcetsuk.org if you have any further questions.

What is the Behçet’s UK Conference and AGM?

As a registered charity we are legally required to hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM), however, this takes up only a short part of the day so we use this as an opportunity to invite members of Behçet’s UK and their family/friends to:

• find out a bit more about the society and what we have done in the past year and what our plans are for the next;
• attend interesting talks from medical professionals who specialise in Behçet’s;
• hear about other Behçet’s patient’s journeys and from Behçet’s support teams;
• meet the trustees and staff from Behçet’s UK and Behçet’s Patient Centres;
• attend a medical panel Q&A session and
• make new friends and meet other families affected by Behçet’s (for those attending in person only).

We always receive lots of positive feedback about our Conference. In 2023 88% agreed that they found the conference relevant and 94% agreed they found the conference informative.

Where is the Behçet’s UK Conference and AGM?

2024 will be our third hybrid conference which means you can attend in-person or watch online by Zoom Webinar.

For those attending in person, it will be held at Holiday Inn Liverpool City Centre, Lime Street, Liverpool, L1 1NQ.
Please note this is NOT the Holiday Inn Express

For those watching online – pick your favourite spot and log in.

When is the Behçet’s UK 2024 Conference & AGM?

Saturday 19 October 2024
In-person: 09:30 – 16:30
Online: 10:30 – 16:30

What is the programme for the day/Who will be speaking?

The programme will be published closer to the date.

What is a hybrid conference?

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, we held online conferences. Online conferences were welcomed by many as they allowed us to reach more people affected by Behçet’s, however, we still received feedback that in-person conferences were still valued, as meeting others with or affected by Behçet’s was an equally important part of our annual conference.

Holding a hybrid conference offers the best of both worlds; join us in person if you wish or watch online if you prefer.

What about COVID-19?

We appreciate and fully understand how COVID-19 will continue to concern members, which is why we are hosting this as a hybrid event, as this will give everyone the option to attend the way they feel most comfortable.

The event will follow government guidelines at the time.

Please ensure that any pre-booked travel or accommodation is fully refundable. If Behçet’s UK has to cancel the event, for any reason, Behçet’s UK accepts no responsibility for covering travel, hotel or other costs incurred by delegates and guests.

What is the cost?

Places are FREE to Behçet’s UK members, medical professionals or anyone affected by or interested in Behçet’s.

Attending the conference in person

How do I book my place to attend in person?

Registration is now open so click on the link below. Alternatively you can speak to our admin team on 0345 130 7328

Do I need to print my ticket(s)?

No, you do not need to print your tickets. We will have all your details at the registration desk on the day.

Can I just turn up on the day?

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate anyone who hasn’t reserved a place.

What if I need to cancel?

If you need to cancel your reservation, we would appreciate it if you could let us know as soon as possible as this will allow us to cancel your place(s) and make them available to other members.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you or any of your group need to cancel your place(s) as this will allow us to cancel your place(s) and make them available to other people.

Although free to attend Behçet’s UK still has to pay for every place reserved at the venue.  We are sure that you would agree that spending vital funds on no-shows and last-minute cancellations (that could be avoided) would be better spent elsewhere – so please keep us informed.

Contact us by phone 0345 130 7328 or email us at info@behcetsuk.org

I use a wheelchair/ scooter or have mobility issues: do I need to let you know?

The venue is fully accessible however we request that you let us know if you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter so we can inform the venue for setting up the room.

If you have any concerns, require additional help or feel there is anything else we should be made aware of please get in touch with us by phone 0345 130 7328 or email info@behcetsuk.org, so we can consult with the venue to make your visit more enjoyable.

Where can I take a break?

Breaks will be scheduled in the programme however we have a breakout space adjoining the conference room so you can take a break whenever you like.

What food and/or refreshments will there be?

Teas, coffee and water are available throughout the day.

A cold buffet ads with dessert will be served during the lunch break.

Pastries are served on arrival and snacks will be served during the afternoon break.

Please let us know of any dietary requirements or allergies when reserving your place(s).

All food and drinks are complimentary however we are always very grateful for any donations on the day towards the cost.

Can I bring my children?

The Conference & AGM is targeted at adults and older teenagers.  The programme may not be appropriate for, or interest younger children and sadly we are unable to provide a crèche or play area.

We suggest attending the conference online would be more appropriate if childcare is an issue.

How do I get there?

Please ensure that any pre-booked travel or accommodation is fully refundable. If Behçet’s UK has to cancel the event, for any reason, Behçet’s UK accepts no responsibility for covering travel, hotel or other costs incurred by delegates and guests.

By road
Google/Apple Maps: search for “Holiday Inn Liverpool City Centre”
Sat Nav postcode: L1 1NQ
What3words: ///panels.outer.vines
See ‘Where can I park‘ for details of parking available.

By rail
The hotel is across the road from Liverpool Lime Street Station

By air
The hotel is approximately 30 minutes by taxi from Liverpool John Lennon Airport

I’d like to book overnight accommodation, where can I stay?

There are plenty of hotels, and self-catering accommodation available in Liverpool City Centre including budget chains.

Please ensure that any pre-booked travel or accommodation is fully refundable. If Behçet’s UK has to cancel the event, for any reason, Behçet’s UK accepts no responsibility for covering travel, hotel or other costs incurred by delegates and guests.

Where can I park?

Parking is available at St John’s Shopping Centre Car Park, adjacent to the hotel. Postcode L1 1NQ.

A discounted rate of £6 per 24 hours is available – you will need to validate your discounted parking with the hotel reception and pay at the car park directly.

A walkway is available from the car park to the hotel lobby which is mostly undercover except a small flight of stairs.

If you use a wheelchair, mobility scooter or have mobility issues and are unable to climb stairs please let us know so we can make alternative arrangements with the hotel.

Filming and photography

The conference will be filmed and streamed live by Aston Media and there will be photography.

Aston Media will not intentionally film the audience however please consider the position of the cameras, especially if you think you may need to move around the room during the presentations. The cameras will not be filming during breaks. Please speak to Gemma Darlow or Aston Media on the day if you would like guidance on where to sit.

We will be taking photographs throughout the event and by attending you are consenting for your image to be used by Behçet’s UK to promote our future work and events in printed or electronic form (for example website and social media). 

If you or any member of your group do not wish to have your photograph taken and/or used, please inform phone us on 0345 130 7328 or email us at info@behcetsuk.org. Alternatively, you can inform Gemma Darlow on the day.

We will not include the personal details of any person in a photograph whether in printed or electronic form without gaining specific consent.

We will store photographs securely for up to 5 years.  Your consent will automatically expire after this period which means we will no longer create new promotional material, whether in printed or electronic form without obtaining your consent again.  Any promotional material created within the consensual period will remain in circulation until the end of its promotional life unless deemed inappropriate to do so.

Please note that websites can be seen worldwide and not just in the UK where UK law applies.

You are entitled to withdraw your consent at any time in writing or by emailing info@behcetsuk.org. Upon receiving your withdrawal of consent, your image will not be used in future publications and removed from our website and social media accounts however your image may continue to appear in materials (printed and electronic) already in circulation.

Attending the conference online

How do I book my place to watch online?

Registration to attend online will open week commencing 23 September 2024 and will remain open until the end of the conference.

You can use the link below to register your interest and we will send you an email inviting you to register when regsieterstion opens.

How can I watch the conference online?

You must register to watch online, registration opens in September.

The online conference will be split into two sessions, Morning and Afternoon and you will need to register for both sessions if you want to attend all day.

Once you register you will receive a unique joining link for each session. If you register in advance of the event you will receive reminder emails 7 days, 24 hours and one hour before the session starts.

Please check your spam/junk folder if you haven’t received our email and contact us if there are any issues.

You can watch using any device with internet access. We do recommend using stable WiFi or a wired internet connection with a good bandwidth rather than mobile data to stream the event.

Can other people see me watching online?

No, no one will see you watching online so feel free to join however and wherever you wish.

Can other people see my questions?

Yes, any questions submitted through the Q&A function will be visible to anyone who has joined the webinar. You can ask questions anonymously but please ensure that all questions asked are general without excessive personalisation. Do not name individuals/clinicians/specific health practices etc