An interesting mix of association, public sector, trade union, charity and special interest consumer events will be coming to Bournemouth International Centre for 2016. Together, they will generate millions of pounds for the local economy and enable thousands more delegates and visitors to experience Bournemouth’s unique brand of hospitality.
Major town centre hotel, retail and entertainment developments, along with a thriving creative and digital industry, are making Bournemouth a must-do destination in event organisers’ rosters. Venue operator BH Live has reported another growth year for 2015/2016, and is forecasting similar performance for 2016/2017.
“Over half a million people attended business, industry, sport and entertainment events at Bournemouth International Centre and Pavilion during the financial year to March 2016, and we are on track to do as well, if not better this year,”
says BH Live Director of Venues, Pat Coyne.
“Many come to attend conferences, exhibitions, gala dinners and special interest consumer shows. They represent a very broad range of professions and interests, from doctors, nurses and engineers to comic fans, technology gurus and cheerleaders – testimony to the versatility of our venues and Bournemouth’s growing appeal as an event destination.
What’s coming up?
Conferences and exhibitions
Rotary International GB & Ireland (RIBI). The 91st RIBI conference on 1-3 April 2016 will welcome 1,800 rotarians for three days of fun, friendship and inspiring speaker presentations. People from across the isles will hear about supported projects and gain a better understanding of this incredible charity organisation, with many hundreds of notable achievements, not least the raising of more than £20 million to support its pledge to complete eradicate the threat of polio throughout the world. Guest speakers include actress Jenny Agutter, ex-Communards drummer Rev. Richard Coles, broadcaster John Humphrys, and Orpheus Trust founder Sir Richard Stilgoe.
UK Serials Group. A major three-day event in the scholarly communications calendar, the UKSG conference at Bournemouth International Centre 11-13 April 2016 is always a welcome sight, with its famed All the Fun of the Fair entertainment programme, complete with rides, candy floss and dodgems. The event attracts around 900 delegates each year from around the world and combines high-quality plenary presentations, lightning talks and breakout sessions with entertaining social events and a major trade exhibition. UKSG is the only organisation spanning the wide range of interests and activities across the scholarly information community of librarians, publishers, intermediaries and technology vendors.
Bournemouth International Centre has always been popular with public sector organisations and professional associations, and 2016 is no exception.
Communication Workers Union. The biggest union for the communications industry in the UK, will be back for 24-28 April 2016, using the event to highlight and debate issues relevant to the union as a whole, as well as to specific industry sectors and job roles.
Prospect. Prospect’s 2016 National Conference will take place at Bournemouth International Centre from 10-12 May 2016. Prospect is a professional union representing more than 113,000 engineers, scientists, managers and specialists in agriculture, defence, education and children’s services, energy, environment, heritage, shipbuilding, telecoms and transport.
GMB Union. After a gap of more than 25 years, Bournemouth has been chosen as the venue for the 99th GMB Congress for 5-9 June 2016. This is the first time the Congress has come to Bournemouth since 1991. Their event is estimated to contribute £1.5 million to the local economy through business tourism and will be a major draw for over 700 delegates, exhibitors and visitors from across the UK.
Newcomers
Country Range. The 20-year old foodservice business widely recognised by professional caterers as a trusted and reliable brand delivering consistent quality. Country Range will welcome around 400 delegates from the UK wholesale catering industry to its annual conference, exhibition and gala dinner on 14-15 June 2016.
British Dermatological Nursing Group (BDMG). Established in 1989 to offer an independent speciality group of nurses and healthcare professionals with an interest in dermatology. Its annual conference on 21-23 June will include an AGM, workshops, an exhibition and a plenary covering the spectrum of topical dermatological issues.
Royal College of Emergency Medicine. Hosting its Annual Scientific Conference on 20-22 September 2016. The college has been working since 2008 to ensure high quality care by setting and monitoring standards of care, and providing expert guidance and advice on policy to relevant bodies on matters relating to Emergency Medicine. The college now numbers over 5,000 fellows and members registered internationally.
Association of Stoma Care Nurses. This is a new national organisation in the UK, a charitable trust founded 2013, providing an expert clinical resource for both new and experienced stoma specialist nurses. The ASCN will hold its conference in Bournemouth for the first time on 27-29 September 2016. Event content will be dictated by the membership who have been invited to submit abstracts for presentations on topics such as setting up, running and developing nurse clinics, patient safety and quality of ways of working to improve the quality of care.
Trade Shows
Hotel & Catering Show. Taking place 8-9 March 2016 March at Bournemouth International Centre, this busy show brings the South’s hospitality community together to see and try new and innovative products, attend hundreds of delicious food and drink product tastings and catch up on latest trends. Delegates will see celebrity chefs cooking up their favourite signature dishes in the show kitchen, watch mixologists in action in the Liquid hall and sample the very best local produce from our artisan producers.
Skipper Expo Int. Bournemouth. After a second successful Bournemouth show in October 2015, Skipper Expo Int. Bournemouth will be back for 26-31 October 2016. Organiser Mara Media says that exhibitors are already signing up to attend. The event is sponsored by the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) and aimed at the Welsh and English commercial fleet. Its exhibitors include a wide range of equipment and service supply companies covering marine electronics, deck machinery, engine suppliers, safety equipment, netting, creels and chandlery. The show’s ever popular boat displays will again provide a star attraction for visitors.
Consumer shows
Bournemouth Film & Comic Con. TV, film and comic celebrities, and thousands of enthusiasts will be turning up again for Bournemouth Film and Comic Con on 12-13 March 2016, the first of two shows booked at Bournemouth International Centre this year. Look out for stormtroopers, aliens and superheroes, and a few celebrity guests posing with visitors for photo shoots and sign autographs. There’ll also be hundreds of stalls, full of TV and film memorabilia. Attendance is expected to top 10,000 over the two days. A second event is being held on 3-4 September 2016.
Ultra White Collar Boxing. Four calendar slots this year – 19 March, 11 June, 10 September and 26 November – have been reserved for this blockbuster charity event, with novice boxers entering the ring after just 8 weeks of intensive training. Ultra White Collar Boxing runs events all around the UK and is Cancer Research’s biggest fundraiser in the UK, raising over £2 million alone in 2015.
Bournemouth Vegan Fair. Bournemouth Vegan Fair will be back this summer bigger and better than ever. The fair is moving from its previous home at the Pavilion Ballroom to a huge arena space at Bournemouth International Centre for the whole weekend, 25-26 June 2016, ready to welcome an expected 5,000 or more visitors.
British Chess Championships. Back after a break of 80 years, featuring the sport’s masters alongside schoolchildren and keen amateurs. The two-week event will be running at Bournemouth Pavilion 23 July-6 August 2016, with players from far and wide coming to pit their wits in this ancient game of strategy.
BFX Festival. The programme for this cutting edge, visual effects event has yet to be announced. Last year it was Pixar, Iloura and Disney sharing the stage with award-winning VFX students from Bournemouth University, with private screenings, pro and amateur workshops, and more. Expect something at least as spectacular when the event returns to Bournemouth International Centre 10-16 October 2016.
Graduation ceremonies
Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). AUB’s 2016 Graduation Ceremonies will take place on Thursday 30 June and Friday 1 July at Bournemouth’s Pavilion, presenting around around 3,500 new graduates with their degrees. AUB is a nationally-recognised centre of excellence for the creative industries. In 2014, AUB won seven awards for Gravity, including Best Visual Effects, after ten graduates from animation and film production worked on campus with Framestore.
Bournemouth University (BU). BU is the only Centre for Excellence in Media Practice in the UK and BU alumni are frequently making news for their stellar VFX work on award-winning, blockbuster films, such as Interstellar and Mad Mad: Fury Road. Occupying the entire venue, more than 12,000 graduands will come to Bournemouth International on 8-11 November 2016 to graduate and celebrate with their friends and families.
Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC). Established in 1965, AECC is the first college in Europe to specialise in a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in musculoskeletal healthcare. More than 800 new graduates will be created this year, stepping up to receive their degrees at a ceremony at Bournemouth Pavilion on 25 November 2016.
To find out more about events at Bournemouth International Centre visit bic.co.uk
Ends
For more information, please contact:
Elizabeth Symmons, BH Live PR & Corporate Communications Executive
E: elizabeth.symmons@bhlive.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
About Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) Bournemouth International Centre is managed and operated by BH Live in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council. It is the South Coast’s largest and most versatile event venue and has a licensed capacity for 10,000 delegates. The centre attracts major players in the public and private sector, bringing millions of pounds into the local economy through employment, business tourism and partner organisations. For more visit bic.co.uk
About Bournemouth Pavilion Bournemouth Pavilion is managed and operated by BH Live in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council. This Grade II listed, Art Deco venue has a 1500-seat theatre and full-sized ballroom, hosting musicals, opera, ballet, pantomime, comedy, gala dinners, banquets, receptions, fairs, dances, fashion shows and small-scale conferences and exhibitions. For more visit bournemouthpavilion.co.uk
About BH Live BH Live is the South Coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues – a social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives. With nearly three million visits a year and £35 million turnover, the organisation is changing lives – and is at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.
In 2014/15, BH Live hosted 400 shows, sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment tickets, clocked up 2.2 million leisure centre visits and welcomed 93,000 conference and exhibition delegates which contributed an estimated £37 million to the local economy. For more visit bhlive.org.uk