Conference Cambridge
Academic Venues = Added Value!
In these uncertain times we recognise that many of you are planning events around very strict budgets and we like to think that here at Conference Cambridge we can save you both time and hopefully money by finding you the perfect setting for your event in one of our academic venues, all of which come with added value as standard!
Where can we add value?
Our venues offer you flexibility; we've got a vast range of different room options flexible layouts - rooms that can be sub divided or expanded easily may mean that you don't need those extra syndicates. If you need accommodation for your guests we can offer a complete range of room types during the University’s vacation period from standard rooms to executive suites giving you the opportunity to offer your delegates options according to their budget.
Catering is always handled in house and this means that organisers have the opportunity to choose catering options from a wide range of menus, so whether you're planning a one day meeting, or a week-long conference our conference and catering departments will be happy to discuss the options with you.
Technology moves at a fast pace and you can be assured that academic venues are always ahead of the game - the students demand it! This is good news for event organisers, as our venues can usually supply you with all of your AV requirements on site, either inclusive or for a nominal fee, saving you the time and the cost of hiring equipment in. We can also provide videoconferencing facilities to allow delegates who can't travel to the event the opportunity to participate.
In city centre locations outside space is often at a premium, but thankfully not so in Cambridge where our venues are blessed with beautiful surroundings, fantastic sports facilities and carefully tended gardens - perfect for team building and social events. Having such facilities on site will save having to transport your delegates about and many of our venues would be only to happy to give guests a private tour of the Colleges adding a unique and attractive dimension to your social programme.
The majority of our venues are within walking distance of the various attractions of the City centre, so delegates can also experience the City itself - great for overseas visitors who may wish to extend their stay and combine work with pleasure.
We're easy to find too, only 45 minutes from London Kings Cross, 30 minutes from London Stansted and minutes from the major motorway network, perfect for guests from anywhere in the UK, or overseas.
Conference Cambridge represents 36 venues including 28 Cambridge colleges, as well as University sites, Faculty buildings, Cambridge University Press and The Møller Centre. A total of 550 function rooms and 6500 bedrooms are available. To check availability just contact us by phone or via our website and we'll take care of the rest!
Conference Cambridge Welcomes New Team Member
 We're pleased to announce that Anita Macdonald has just joined our small team as Events Administrator. Anita has over 17 years experience in admin and marketing, gained in a range of industries ranging from science and technology to psychotherapy.
My Venues Competition Winner
 We're pleased to announce that Lucy Oxley, Events Manager at the Geographical Association was the lucky winner of our VIP Cambridge in Spring Visit Competition, which we held in conjunction with www.myvenues.co.uk. Lucy and her colleague enjoyed a VIP weekend in the City; overnight accommodation at The Møller Centre, as well as a luxury picnic and punt tour and Evensong at King's College Chapel. Thankfully the sun also put in an appearance!
Lucy said: 'Thank you so much for organising such a lovely weekend in Cambridge. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Møller Centre, and also the punt and picnic you kindly organised. The weather was great and this added to the experience.'
Lucy is pictured here in the Møller Centre's Tower Lounge Bar with Andy Cornell, Duty Manager.
The 800th Enquiry Winner
 If you live or work in Cambridge then you'll already know that the University is celebrating its 800th Anniversary this year. Staying with the 800 theme we decided to award a surprise gift to the person who made the 800th enquiry through our service and the unsuspecting winner was Mr Penrice from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
Mr Penrice approached Conference Cambridge to find a venue for a special dinner for guests at the Society's next symposium, which will see 150 members converge in Cambridge in 2010. We'll be presenting him with a special hamper packed full of College memorabilia to mark this unique year.
Venues
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St John's College
 The catering and conference teams at St John's College are celebrating after recently being awarded Food for the Brain Accreditation after achieving an audit score of 85%, which included a score of 95% for meal balance and nutritional value. In conjunction with the Russell Partnership, the Food for the Brain initiative helps universities, conference centres and other institutions to deliver the key principles of nutrition, in a commercial market. The audit team declared St John's College 'the best university food in the UK' and they now use the College as a role model in their workshops!
The teams at St John's are always looking for ways to improve their conference and catering function and training is an integral part of that process. The chefs recently attended a Chinese Cookery Course organised by The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) at University College Birmingham. Here chefs from around the UK were given the opportunity to prepare and cook some exciting dishes and watch a presentation on Dim Sum cooking by Dorian Chan, Vice Chair of Wing Wan who introduced two chefs flown in specially from Hong Kong and Southern China to demonstrate the art of Dim Sum cookery.
Good food should always be accompanied with excellent wine and guests at St John's College can be assured that their wines have been chosen by experts. Indeed, Bill Brogan Conference and Catering Manager at St John's, is a qualified taster and has sat on the panel of judges at the International Wine Challenge for the past 6 years. Last month he had the 'arduous' task of tasting 100 of the 10,0000 entries in the Challenge in just one day!
Magdalene College
 Magdalene College are delighted to announce the results of their on-going client feedback programme. In the past year, an amazing 100% of clients agreed that 'overall, the College was good value for money', which is fantastic news in the current economic climate and 100% agreed that 'they would use the College again'!
Clients are asked to feedback on a variety of criteria and other results revealed that 93% of clients thought the food quality to be 'good or excellent' and a further 98% said they thought the service was 'good or excellent'.
The feedback programme is a useful tool and can only help to ensure that clients have a first rate experience whether having a dinner for 20 or holding a conference for 100. This positive feedback really reflects the commitment of the Conference & Events team at Magdalene and the attention to detail applied to every event taking place at the College.
Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall is pleased to announce it is now a registered civil wedding venue and, alongside the opening of its new Aula Bar, is now able to offer a full wedding package within the idyllic setting of this historical college.
Trinity Hall, is known as the 'Hidden Hall' and beyond the modest entrance you are welcomed by the impressive symmetry of Front Court which leads to the beautiful setting of Latham Lawn, once described by Henry James as 'the prettiest corner of the world'.
With a variety of rooms available for civil ceremonies of up to 65 people and stunning dining rooms, each filled with their own unique charm for groups from 8 to 110, the College caters for a range of different needs.
Latham Lawn provides an ideal setting to begin the celebrations; overlooking the River Cam it provides a picture perfect backdrop for drinks receptions and those all important group photographs.
The stunning Dining Hall, which seats groups from 50 to 110 guests, is ideal for the Wedding Breakfast, or for smaller numbers there's a range of dining rooms on offer.
Guests can then end the day in style in the new Aula Bar and Crescent Room. With a capacity of 150 it is ideal for a disco or live music with plenty of space for catering.
The Pitt Building
The Pitt Building on Trumpington Street has just been awarded membership of Conference Centres of Excellence, the UK's most exclusive consortium of specialist meetings providers.
Conference Centres of Excellence represents the very best in top quality, dedicated conference and training centres. Venues applying to join have to meet some very stringent quality standards across all aspects of their customer service, support and facilities - with just 38 members across the whole of the UK, the Pitt Building is now part of a very exclusive group indeed.
Built in 1833, the Pitt Building is owned by Cambridge University Press and for more than 100 years it housed their printing and publishing offices. In 2004 the building was carefully transformed into a modern, yet distinctive, conference and training location. Up to 250 guests can be accommodated in a choice of six fully equipped meeting rooms; all boast natural daylight, excellent AV facilities and it's all in the very centre of the City.
A versatile and flexible setting, The Pitt Building is suitable for a range of events, from meetings and conferences to training days, interviews and receptions. Facilities include the striking Oriel Room, a dramatic Gothic setting lit by a stunning Oriel window on the front façade of the building. The room is still used today by the Press Syndicate, a group of senior members of the University who oversee the Press' business and approve all titles published under its imprint.
Catering packages include working breakfasts and lunches, hot evening buffets or cocktail canapés. Guests of the Pitt Building benefit from the services of expert event managers who will oversee every detail, meaning you can relax safe in the knowledge that everything will be taken care of.
Kate Wain, Sales Development Manager at The Pitt Building said, 'We are delighted to have achieved the standards that underpin membership of CCE, it has taken a period of progressive enhancement of our standards and services, and it is an accolade, which puts us in the top echelon of providers.'
For more information about holding an event at the Pitt Building please contact the Events team on 01223 330807 or email pittbuilding@cambridge.org
Lucy Cavendish College
 Lucy Cavendish College has transformed its conference rooms in Strathaird, an elegant Victorian House, which forms part of the College, situated in Lady Margaret Road. A regal purple and grey colour scheme runs throughout the rooms, complementing the colourful gardens, which can be seen from the rooms. The College is delighted with the transformation and everyone who has viewed or used the rooms has loved the fresh modern look. The furniture is very flexible and easy to configure into different layouts - boardroom, cabaret or theatre style.
Strathaird rooms also benefit from lots of natural light in a peaceful, tranquil setting. This recent 'make-over' completes a programme of upgrading; all of the meeting rooms at Lucy Cavendish College now offer a very high standard of accommodation and coupled with the excellent dining facilties of the beautiful and unique Warburton Hall, the recently re-furbished en suite bedrooms and the fantastic customer service it's a perfect setting for events of all kinds!
Lucy Cavendish College has some last minute availability for the following dates for groups of up to 50 guests requiring accommodation and meeting facilities:
24-31 July 2009, 13-18 September 2009 and 22-25 September 2009
In June 2009, Lucy Cavendish College is hosting the first Women's Word festival. Offering an exciting programme of events over a period of two weeks, the organisers are making full use of the fantastic facilities at the College with rooms being used for workshops, talks, evening entertainment and drinks receptions. The festival has attracted big names from the literary world including Carol Ann Duffy, the new Poet Laureate. A programme and an online booking facility for the event can be found here:
http://www.lucy-cav.cam.ac.uk/pages/the-college/womens-word.php
Downing College
 The restoration of the Downing Hall is now complete. It reflects the intent of the College's first architect, William Wilkins (1778-1839), and his return to the spirit of the Greek revival period. The College is extremely grateful to the architects, Caruso St John, for their skill and dedication to this project. Their design is both bold and striking, while based firmly on Wilkins' original colours and patterns, which investigative works uncovered at the beginning of the project. Whilst the design remains true to Wilkins' original vision, it has also created a modern and flexible facility that boasts a new limestone floor, under-floor heating, acoustic ceiling and panelling, newly-designed chandeliers - inspired by the shape of classical Greek bowls - which can be dimmed to create a wide range of 'lighting scenes', and an integrated system for voice amplification and background music. The dining furniture is a bespoke design in oak to complement the atmosphere and scale of the architecture. Some 756 donors sponsored carved limestone floor tiles or engraved bronze plaques on the dining chairs and tables, helping raise over £1m towards this project.
Seating up to 168 guests, the Hall is a stunning setting for events of all kinds; catering services range from cafeteria-style meals, finger and fork buffets, to gala dinners with candelabra and weddings; the adjacent College lawns and the stunning Fellows' garden offer excellent settings for pre-dinner canapés and drinks receptions.
The Howard Theatre project is progressing well and completion is now due for late 2009. The Topping Out Ceremony was held on Monday 16 March 2009, the 80th Birthday of Dr Alan Howard who has so generously funded the project. Most of the exterior works are now complete and the focus is on the interior, which, when complete, will provide an environmentally-sustainable building offering the following features:
- Ground-source heating and cooling throughout the building, partly located under the neighbouring sunken garden
- Solar panels fitted to the Welsh Slate Roof to provide an additional environmental heating source for the building's domestic hot water
- An exterior structure made from Ketton Stone, giving both grace and thermal efficiency to the building
- Rain water harvesting for flushing the toilets and maintaining the allied landscaping.
Inside the theatre, the decorative ceiling evokes the spirit of Georgian theatre and has been designed by Francis Terry of Quinlan and Francis Terry LLP, the architects for the Theatre, while the front-of-house curtain has been designed as a Grecian street scene, depicting the College among images of classical Greek architecture. The base for the tiered flooring is now complete and ready for the installation of the 120 auditorium seats that have been crafted from the finest Italian leather. Upright seating will be placed along the side galleries on the first and second floor providing seating for a total audience of 160. At ground floor level, the Grace Howard Room offers an area of 160 m², which will be ideal for exhibitions and refreshment breaks. It will also be suitable for a number of different catering options, ranging from formal dining for 80 guests, to a drinks reception for up to 200. All floors will be fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Murray Edwards College
The conference team at Murray Edwards College are conducting a survey to add further value to their service. The survey is designed specifically with regards to added value; an important factor at the forefront of many conference organisers' minds during this difficult economic period.
Murray Edwards College already provides a high quality service, demonstrated by the results of their client questionnaires from 2007-2008 (http://www.conferencecambridge.com/venews/11_2008.htm), they are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve and to consistently achieve service excellence.
The conference office remarked, 'At any time, the client's satisfaction is top priority but this is simply magnified during a recession and we want to know how our prospective and existing clients feel we could add value. The survey isn't long but will certainly help us develop our service in conjunction with client's expectations.'
If you're a client of the College a five-minute survey could be on its way to your inbox soon! If you have the time, be sure you fill it in, as you could win a bottle of Chateau Moutard Champagne and that's bound to cheer up anyone's day!!
St Catharine's College
 St Catharine's College is pleased to announce that they have just completed another phase of bedroom refurbishment, 21 former standard rooms now have en suite facilities and 4 are now double en suite rooms bringing the total number of en suite room to 117. This is part of an ongoing programme of refurbishment in the College and has been received well by students and vistors alike - the bedrooms are all available to guests on a B&B basis during the vacation periods.
The College has also released its Christmas party menu and bookings are going well. St Catharine's boasts one of the few Dining Halls in Cambridge that is large enough to accommodate both a dancefloor and bar facilties in the one room, making it the perfect venue for large groups. St Catharine's are also able to offer a menu for groups that allows for individual choices, taking the headache out of choosing one meal to suit everyone! For more information click here.
The Møller Centre
The Møller Centre has recently re-launched their website, www.mollercentre.co.uk. The new site has detailed room plans and technical information, which is invaluable to anyone looking for conference space in the Cambridge area. There is an online enquiry form for conferences and accommodation booking, making it even easier for clients and delegates.
PRESTIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE AWARD FOR THE MØLLER CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE
 RIBA announced last week that The Study Centre at The Møller Centre in Cambridge was a regional winner of the prestigious annual RIBA architecture awards. The Study Centre was opened in 2007 and designed by the architects DSDHA. Winners of the Regional and European Awards are put forward for the Stirling Prize for Architecture, which is announced in October.
The Study Centre and Music Recital Room at The Møller Centre was developed as a collaborative learning environment, a flexible space that can be used in a variety of ways and quickly adjusted from one format to another. A group could have a formal presentation, followed by small breakout work groups, followed by working around the space using graphic artists,
role-play or theatre for experiential learning or to develop new business ideas, models or strategies.
To ensure that the new space supported the needs of end-users, there was extensive consultation with existing clients to determine their requirements for conference, meeting and training space over the next ten years, taking into account future changes in technology and the demand for highly flexible space that can be adjusted throughout the course of a day as a programme develops.
For the architects, the challenge was to create a building that answered these needs but would also sit alongside an existing meeting facility and in between the 1960s Churchill College and the Hans Larsen designed Møller Centre. DSDHA created a design of formal simplicity, with a glazed exterior which complements the adjacent buildings, reflects the exceptional landscaping of Churchill College, and filters views into the interior. Internally, timber linings soften the sharp geometry and bring the exterior landscape inside.
Gillian Holdom, Director of the Møller Centre said 'We are delighted to win this award. Since the new development opened two years ago, the space has been very popular with clients and has been used in many different and exciting ways. It is a tribute to the vision of our clients, our staff here and to the architects who translated our ideas into reality.'
Queens' College
 Looking for somewhere to hold your conference or meeting in 2010? Planning your annual conference or team away day for 2010?
Queens' College is currently offering a special promotion for day meetings and conferences booked for 2010. Book your 2010 event before 30 September 2009 and pay 2009 prices.
Queens' College offers a versatile range of conference facilities, from a lecture theatre to small informal meeting rooms offering multiple layouts suitable for corporate seminars, lectures, group sessions and discussions for delegate numbers from 20 to 245.
The 2009 8 Hour Day Delegate Rate per person is £40.00 + VAT and includes:
- Main meeting room hire
- Tea & Coffee on arrival
- Mid Morning Tea, Coffee & Biscuits
- Buffet Luncheon
- Afternoon Tea, Coffee & Biscuits
- Standard A/V Equipment for the main meeting room (to include data projector, screen, flipchart and OHP)
- Pads, pencils and water
- Service
This offer is available for new bookings only, cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and does not include alcoholic beverages. To take advantage of this offer please contact the catering and Conference Office and quote '2010 offer' when making your booking.
Tel: 01223 335592 or email: info@queensconferences.com
Girton College
Girton College, set in almost 50 acres of grassland and trees, is a wonderful setting for events of all kinds. The Victorian buildings, that have dominated the site for 150 years, house modern facilities for both day and residential meetings as well as special functions.
The main lecture hall sits up to 150 and there are a range of smaller meeting rooms, as well as the Hall, which can seat up to 250 diners.
Just minutes from the major road networks of the M11 and the A14, Girton College is situated on the Northern edge of the City. Guests can make use of the extensive grounds for leisure and the College boasts tennis courts, squash courts and an indoor swimming pool.
Girton College has some availability during July and August 2009 that would be particularly suited to visiting summer schools, for more information contact the College direct on 01223 338967 or email conferences@girton.cam.ac.uk
Robinson College
 April 2009 was a bumper month for quality approval at Robinson College. Although conference delegates have been using the great facilities at the College for nearly 30 years, in this day and age of such wide choice, it's reassuring for organisers to have an independent view of the quality and facilities provided by venues. You can be even more confident about the quality there now that the College has been awarded the AIM Silver Level award and the VisitBritain 4 star campus accreditation.
The AIM higher scheme, provided by the Meetings Industry Association, is the only independent meetings industry accreditation scheme. At entry level, the scheme assess minimum requirements of ethical business practices, legal compliance and meetings facilities. Robinson has been accredited at entry level for over two years.
 AIM Higher goes much further by assessing a venue's quality of customer service through achievements in 50 criteria set by the Best Practice Forum. Robinson performs very well in deployment of systems, procedures and policies and as such, scored highly enough to gain the Silver award. The entire team were involved in the preparation for the assessment and on the day itself - quite a gruelling test of what they do to ensure that you, the customer, receive the level of service you expect. So, there was a great feeling of achievement when the AIM Silver award was presented to domestic bursar Peter Milloy by Jane Evans, Chief Executive of MIA.
Comments from delegates about the study bedrooms at the College are favourable by over 3 to 1. Nevertheless, the value of an independent assessment is plain to see. VisitBritain's Quality in Tourism scheme accredits accommodation providers over the range of differing styles, including camp sites, B&B's, hotels and university campuses. Ratings range from 'listed' through 1 up to 5 stars. Robinson accommodation for B&B service was awarded 4 Stars Campus. Again a huge sense of pride is felt amongst the team.
You can check availability now for all of our venues - just complete our online enquiry form or give us a call, it's our aim to find the perfect setting for your event!
www.conferencecambridge.com or 01223 768740
Partners
The Conference Cambridge Theatre Club
 As a friend of Conference Cambridge we're pleased to be able to tell you that you can benefit from some great deals on theatre shows and lots more. If you're planning a trip to the Capital, or your delegates would like to take advantage of the offers just click on the link and find yourself a bargain!
www.westendtheatre.com/conferencecambridge
Live The City Guide to Cambridge
 The perfect gift for conference guests - The Live The City Guide to Cambridge offers unique sightseeing entertainment including:
Fascinating step-by-step sightseeing
Entertaining clues to solve en route with online quiz finale
Practical City Guide
All wrapped up in a beautiful presented 64-page, souvenir guidebook available for just £5.99 RRP.
Aimed at intelligent, independently minded visitors, each guide contains three sightseeing trails to complete - a City Highlights Trail, Family Trail and Punting Trail. Each trail has an accompanying map with a route to follow, fascinating information relating to the sights and a clue to solve at each place of interest.
In addition to the sightseeing trails, each guide contains the Live The City Bitesize section including a complete guide to Cambridge Museums, Did You Know...? (quirky Cambridge facts and surprising stories), a full list of all the Cambridge Colleges and our Top Ten Things To Do In Cambridge.
At the end of the day's exploration, complete the experience by playing the Live The City online quiz based on the clues you've solved.
The Live The City Guide to Cambridge is both a beautiful souvenir, practical city guide and entertainment solution, making it the perfect gift for your conference guests.
SPECIAL DISCOUNTED PRICES AVAILABLE TO CONFERENCE ORGANISERS FOR ADVANCE ORDERS.
Contact us direct for details.
Live The City Ltd.
Tel: 01223 426214
Email: hello@livethecity.com
Web: www.livethecity.com
Events
The University of Cambridge's Culinary Competition 2009 - Celebrating 800
Years of Excellence in Hospitality
A very special Chefs Competition is being planned this year to commemorate the University's 800th Anniversary. With more classes than ever before, the event, which takes place on Thursday 5 November 2009 at The Guildhall, promises to be an exciting celebration of culinary excellence. New classes such as Petit Fours have been added alongside starters, mains and sweets and several others. Chefs are also being invited to enter a Live Cookery Competition, which will take place a week before the main event at Cambridge Regional College, with all points contributing towards the coveted Steward's Cup. Judging will take place on 5 November 2009 and an expert team of judges will be headed by Peter Griffiths, Executive Chef, Manor Hotel, Meriden. Awards will be presented at a special ceremony at Magdalene College on 28 November.
If you would like to know more about the competition just contact:
Kevin Keohane, Catering Manager, Christ's College Tel: 01223 334960 | E-Mail: kjk31@cam.ac.uk
Graham Hambling, Catering Manager, Girton College Tel: 01223 338966 | E-Mail: gh233@cam.ac.uk
Queens' College Hosts Prestigious Awards Ceremony
 On Thursday 19 March 2009, the 19th annual East of England Business Awards was held at Queens' College. This year approximately 200 guests attended the prestigious black tie event including chief executives, government influencers and business people. The Awards was organised by Business Weekly, the East of England's main business newspaper.
The dinner and awards ceremony was held in Cripps Hall, which had been transformed for the event, with staging and lighting brought in to create an impressive and colourful backdrop for the awards presentation. The production side of the event was managed by 2Cs Events whilst Shaun Cook, Head Chef at Queens' and his team created a special menu for the event.
Tony Quested; Chief Executive of Business Weekly gave his comments on the event:
'The feedback we have received from guests who attended our East of England Business Awards dinner on March 19, 2009 was the most complimentary in the nineteen year history of the event.
This was in no small part due to Queens' and their intelligent and industrious conference team.
The Old Hall where pre-dinner drinks were served and the Cripps Dining Hall itself looked beautiful for arguably our most successful awards dinner ever.
Everyone commented on how hard the staff worked to keep the guests happy, nothing seemed too much trouble and the Butlers in the hall helped me so much as MC in facilitating key aspects of the schedule.
The verdict on the food was also universally positive - everyone felt it was the best we have ever had, beautifully conceived and presented. From the date we booked the event to the dinner itself, we met with the utmost professionalism and helpfulness from Queens' Conference and Catering department. We have already booked next year's event at Queens'.'
Hyundai Car Launch at Madingley Hall
 Madingley Hall recently played host to Hyundai Cars for the UK press launch of its i20 model. Conference Cambridge was tasked with finding an unusual venue that could accommodate a giant board game! Thankfully we like a challenge and we were very pleased that the team at Madingley Hall weren't fazed by such an unusual brief either!
The panelled dining hall in the sixteenth century country house, which is home to Cambridge University's Institute of Continuing Education, was transformed into a giant 'Trivial Pursuit' game for the launch. Guests had dinner on the board and then took part in the gaint game over two evenings. Tom Barnard, UK PR Manager for Hyundai said: 'Madingley Hall was selected by Hyundai as an 'intelligent location' at which to launch an intelligent car.'
The launch attracted members of the UK motoring press, many of whom stayed in the Hall's 61 ensuite bedrooms for the four day event and it has given us a perfect example of how our venues really are suitable for events of all kinds!
JANET Conference 2009 - a Multi-Site Success Story!
 When JANET(UK), the UK's education and research network, decided to bring their Networkshop 37 event to Cambridge some 31 years after its last visit to the City they approached Conference Cambridge to find the right venues for a whole host of meetings, dinners, accommodation and exhibition space for over 450 visitors. That was almost two years ago and after months of planning we're very pleased to report that Networkshop 37 went ahead in early April and was a resounding success, proving that Cambridge is the perfect setting for large scale events.
Split over a total of seven venues the event ran for three days and made use of both our modern facilities and our older, traditional rooms. Delegates commented on the variety of venues and the mix of old and new; uniquely a multi-site event provides the opportunity for delegates to move between venues allowing the opportunity to experience our contemporary settings, as well as the splendour of our stunning, ancient dining rooms.
The main exhibition and sessions were held at West Road Concert Hall, with parallel sessions at the Faculty of Law just a short walk away. Selwyn College provided lunches and dinners, as well as some accommodation, while other delegates had bedrooms at Gonville & Caius, Clare College and Murray Edwards College. St John's College hosted the conference dinner - a spectacular evening of banqueting for 300 guests.
The event required a great deal of technical support and installation and the University's Computing Service were on hand to ensure that networking aspects worked as smoothly as possible for all of the delegates at each venue. The Computing Service also completed a major wiring installation for the networking to the exhibition stands in three areas, both inside and outside of West Road Concert Hall.
Wendy Salmon, from JANET(UK) said: 'We had not used the University of Cambridge for Networkshop since 1978 and the University of Cambridge Computer Services team were supportive of the idea of hosting the event. The feedback was generally very positive. The delegates loved the location and of course the good weather helped. I don't think we could have set it up without the help and support of Conference Cambridge, who arranged the initial site visits.'
Conference Cambridge is pleased to be able to offer a new multi-site administration service for large events that require multiple venues, so if you're thinking of bringing your event to Cambridge just get in touch. You can benefit from a single point of contact - right from the initial enquiry stage through to the event itself. This free service includes liaison with all the different venues, arranging on-site visits and the collating of all administration and invoicing.
We have 36 venues including 28 Cambridge colleges, as well as University sites, Faculty buildings, Cambridge University Press and The Møller Centre. A total of 550 function rooms are available year round and 6500 bedrooms are available during the University's vacation periods.
What's on at Duxford Imperial War Musuem
 The IWM Duxford have kindly sent us details of their forthcoming events, so if you have any organisers asking for ideas for social outings please pass the details on.
Imperial War Museum Duxford presents a fantastic range of diverse and exciting events during 2009. From spectacular air shows to hands-on learning events and the opportunity to get up close to some huge military vehicles, there is something at Europe's leading aviation museum for all tastes, interests and ages. For further information regarding the events outlined below, including ticket prices, please go to www.iwm.org.uk/duxford.
Highlights of the season include:
Military Vehicle Show (Sunday 21 June 2009)
Come and experience the sheer power of some of the biggest tanks as well as the more quirky perculiarities of smaller vehicles such as jeeps or even 1940s ambulances. The enthusiasm of private owners, the excitement of tank rides and the spectacle of the cavalcade on Duxford's runway, make for a great Father's Day outing.
Flying Legends Air Show (Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July 2009)
Surely one of the world's greatest air shows, Flying Legends features a phenomenal selection of classic American and European aircraft, such as the Hurricane, Mustang and Spitfire - to name but a few. Set against Duxford's historic backdrop, the mile of excitement provided on the ground by specialist traders, Second World War crew re-enactors, flight simulator and much more, all contribute to the unique nostalgia and atmosphere.
The Duxford Classic Car Show (Sunday 2 August 2009)
Duxford's annual Classic Car Show brings together an amazing range of all-time classic favourites for the enjoyment of car lovers and nostalgia-seekers of all ages.
Spitfire Day (Sunday 9 August 2009)
The legendary Spitfire will be celebrated at Imperial War Museum Duxford on Spitfire Day on 9 August 2009.It was at historic Duxford in August 1938 that the Spitfire first entered RAF service and Duxford's special day pays tribute to the most famous combat aircraft of all time. The day will give visitors the opportunity to see a variety of Spitfires take to the skies over Duxford. There will also be a talk on the iconic aircraft and a trail around the museum that brings the story of the Spitfire to life. There is also the opportunity to meet members of the Spitfire Society, who can answer all of your questions about this legendary aircraft. Join us to celebrate the beauty and ingenuity of the aircraft that earned a special place in the nation's heart and is still held in affectionate pride today.
American Air Day (Friday 21 August 2009)
Building on the successes of the past two years, the American Air Day 2009 will once again showcase the work of the United States Air Force in Europe, and in particular, the Third Air Force, based in the United Kingdom. The day comprises a rich mixture of flying and ground-based displays, including fly-pasts by many of the USAFE aircraft based in East Anglia, flown from RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath.
Outbreak of Second World War Photo Exhibition in AirSpace from Thursday 3 September 2009
Imperial War Museum Duxford commemorates the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War on 3 September 1939, with a fascinating photographic exhibition, documenting life at Duxford in the run up to the outbreak of war. Please check the website at www.iwm.org.uk/duxford for further details.
In addition to these events, there is a packed programme of air shows, car shows, informal and formal learning events, new exhibitions and fun activities to suit the aviation enthusiast and the visiting family alike, throughout the year. Visit Imperial War Museum Duxford and let your imagination take flight!
Happy Clients
'Thank you for your help in finding a venue - the service you offer is excellent! I have taken up an offer from the Cass Centre'
Nicky Bray, Prince's Trust
'I am very pleased to report that we have arranged housing at St Catharine's. Could not find a nicer place than St Catharine's, and Sue, the agent there, has been most helpful and cordial. Thank you very much, could not have asked for anything better!'
Leslie Peart, 20th Annual England Organ and Choral Tour
'Conference Cambridge is a wonderfully useful and helpful service. It makes my job a lot easier as Conference Cambridge does all the venue searching for me; I just need to fill in a simple form! I would highly recommended everyone to use this great service.'
Dr Katrien Van Look, Cancer Research UK
'Thank you, I am very pleased to say I have booked King's College Saltmarsh Rooms for our evening dinner. We had a number of excellent choices and I am very pleased with the service you offer.'
Tony Millington, Cambridge Building Society
'I was delighted with the response I received from several Colleges, Trinity Hall was outstanding... many thanks for your help, the service you provide is excellent and I have already recommended it to other people.'
Jennifer Wilkinson, Murder Mystery Dinner
'What a fantastic response - thank you. 7 colleges responded in all and I have chosen 4 to view. I saw 3 today and expect to make a decision tomorrow after seeing the last one. Many thanks for your help - I will definitely use your services again!'
Bernadette Williams, Urgent Dinner Enquiry
'Great service and good response. I had responses from a number of colleges within 24 hours. Conference Cambridge is a really good idea, it gets you in touch with the Colleges without having to contact them all separately - it saves so much time!'
Melanie Simmonett, Cambridge Assessment
Please don't hesitate to contact Conference Cambridge with any questions or comments.
T: 01223 768740 | F: 01223 768741 | E: enquiries@conferencecambridge.com
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Issue 8, June 2009
