Annual Conference 2025: meeting your needs

06 February 2025

At Annual Conference 2025 we want to create an environment which is as welcoming and inclusive as possible for all of our delegates.

Accessibility across the venue

Level access routes and toilets are clearly signposted throughout the venue and there are dedicated spaces for wheelchair users to sit in the main auditorium. However, if you would prefer to self-transfer to an auditorium seat, please ask a member of staff who will be happy to assist. Induction loops are available in rooms 1A, 1B, 1C, 3, 4, 11 and 12 as standard and can be provided in other rooms. 

All accessible toilets are also signposted as gender neutral and available for anyone requiring gender neutral facilities to use.  We collect pronoun information during registration and all name badges either have pronouns printed on them, or a space to add these, should you wish to. Please do respect other delegates personal pronouns.

This year, for the first time, we will have sunflower lanyards available for attendees with hidden disabilities. If you would like one of these lanyards, please ask at the registration desk at any time during the Conference. Stocks will be limited, so please only request one if you consider yourself to have a hidden disability.

There will be seating dotted around the venue should you need to rest, however this can be limited during busy times. If you need support finding seating, please don’t hesitate to ask a member of Society or venue staff.

Please ensure you include your accessibility requirements during registration so that we can provide you with further details if applicable.

Crèche 

Dedicated spaces

We have dedicated areas to accommodate our delegates who may require a quiet space, prayer room or nursing room – these will be signposted in-venue but please ask us if you can’t find what you are looking for. This year, the prayer room is a little walk from the toilets, so please bear this in mind if you need to conduct ablutions before using the room.

We appreciate that with Eid ul-Fitr due to take place on the first day of Conference, delegates celebrating may need to leave sessions early or more frequently than usual. 

Dietary requirements

We work very closely with all our venue catering teams to ensure all dietary requirements can be provided for. Please ensure you include your dietary requirements during registration and please don’t hesitate to let us know, or speak to the venue catering staff, if you can’t see your requirement signposted during the event.

We recently took the decision to remove alcohol from all scientific sessions, including poster sessions, to ensure everyone can participate fully. However, a drinks reception will take place on the evening of Monday 31 March and alcohol will also be available at some social events.

New to Conference?

Networking and social opportunities

This year, we also have members organising a drop-in with the Black Microbiologists Association and a session about setting up a Microbiologist Women’s Network which you can find details of via our online programme.

If you have any requirements that have not been covered above, or you need clarification on the information provided, please email us via [email protected]. Last year, member Becky Thomas did just that, and you can find out more about her experience at Conference by reading her Global Accessibility Awareness Day blog.