Assert’s Biennial National Conference
Every other year we run a national conference which enables families and carers as well as professionals the chance to meet together. The conference is a mix of social time, sharing experiences with each other, enjoying some fun relaxing time where Angelman Syndrome is totally accepted as well as some more formal presentations and workshops. The kids, both those with AS and siblings, have fun days out at local theme parks so that they don’t have to endure the “boredom” of the talking.
2012 Conference Dates and Venue
We are pleased to be able to announce the dates and venue for our next conference, which will be 31st August – 2nd September 2012 at the Coventry Hilton. We have continued with our policy of choosing a central location which is easily accessible from most parts of the country, so the Hilton at Coventry is ideally located just south of Birmingham, Junction 2 of the M6, close to main rail links and Birmingham International Airport http://www.hilton.co.uk/coventry. We felt that it was time for a change of venue due to a number of issues which we kept hitting at Loughborough, although they served us very well over the years we met there.
As for the conference programme, we are aiming that it will be a good mix of old and new. We are inviting back a number of old friends to share with us, as well as looking at getting some new faces in who will be able to share their knowledge and experiences in the many facets that make up the Angelman Syndrome world. It is also an invaluable time to meet up with other families to share experiences, and generally enjoy each others company. If previous conferences are anything to go by it should be a very enjoyable and valuable time.
As well as the more standard sessions that we run, including sessions on genetics, behaviour, neurology and communication, we are also endeavouring to cover some topics that either we have not covered before, or we have not covered in any great detail. Particularly this year we are expecting to have a number of sessions on transition and life beyond 18, looking at the options and support that is available. We are also looking to provide more for siblings as well, both young and old, so that they can share experiences and support each other. We are also hoping to have a plethora of experts on hand for you to talk to and discuss any issues that you may be encountering.
We strongly encourage you to reserve these dates in your diary so that you can join us in September 2012. Booking forms and more details will be sent out to all members early in the new year.
Regional Meetings
Regional meetings are a chance to get together with others from your local area to help support each other, share experiences, discuss local issues etc. They vary from more social type events, such as visiting a theme park to more formal sessions with speakers. Details of regional meetings will appear here when they are scheduled so please do check back often.
