Bournemouth International Centre is set to welcome three of the UK’s most influential unions, bringing more than 3,300 delegates to the region and generating an estimated £11 million for the local economy through business tourism.
“These organisations represent a huge body of opinion in the UK, and it’s fantastic that they’ve chosen Bournemouth International Centre as the main forum to debate and agree policy for tackling the many work, welfare and social issues affecting their members,”
says BH Live Director of Venues Pat Coyne,
“These large-scale, headline events make excellent use of all our event spaces, with opportunities for delegates to attend and vote in conference sessions, join fringe meetings, network with their colleagues and take time out to relax.”
The Communication Workers Union, a regular visitor to Bournemouth International Centre, returns 24-28 April 2016 with a packed conference and fringe meeting agenda. Delegates will debate and vote on a range of motions, including political party funding and trade union ballots.
Unique to this year’s event is a free evening concert for delegates on Tuesday 26 April, staged as part of the #jc4pm Tour, with Billy Bragg headlining a string of artists, and a guest appearance from shadow chancellor John McDonnell. Tickets are available to members of the public from Eventbrite.
“Bournemouth is a great destination for our delegates,”
says Tony Kearns, CWU Senior Deputy General Secretary.
“The venue gives us the scope to address mainstream issues in conference, and run targeted, fringe meetings for delegates to debate more specific issues that matter to them, such as equality and health and safety. The event coordination is excellent, making Bournemouth International Centre an easy choice for our annual conference.”
Prospect Union will follow for its 2016 National Conference 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. This year’s theme is ‘Building for a better future’ and will explore and define the shape of the union over the next decade.
“Our union has grown so much it can be challenging to find a venue large enough to suit our needs,”
says Mike Clancy, Prospect’s General Secretary.
“Bournemouth International Centre is an excellent venue for us, especially for the variety of rooms available. Not only is the Windsor Hall large enough to accommodate us, we also have smaller rooms available for our fringe and breakout sessions which are increasingly popular among our delegates. Bournemouth itself is well situated for delegates who travel from all over the country and is conveniently surrounded by a large selection of hotels. We look forward to having our National Conference here again.”
And after a gap of more than 25 years, GMB Congress will return to Bournemouth 5-9 June 2016, expecting to draw more than 700 delegates, exhibitors and visitors from across the UK.
“Congress is a key event for us and the union’s Executive Council takes great care to find venues suitable for the event,”
says Steve Short, GMB Executive Officer,
“Bournemouth ticks all our boxes as a dynamic and attractive business destination and Bournemouth International Centre as a secure, respected and well-managed venue. It’s a very different place from what it was 25 years ago. The flexibility and space of the Windsor Hall is perfect for holding classroom-style events like ours. The centre is easy to get to, with plenty of nearby accommodation options for delegates.”
-ENDS-
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 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.
For more information about Bournemouth International Centre or BH Live, please contact:
Elizabeth Symmons, PR & Corporate Communications Executive
E: elizabeth.symmons@bhlive.org.uk
bhlive.org.uk Follow @BHLIVE_UK #experiencemakers
About CWU
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is the biggest union for the communications industry in the UK with 199,443 members working in Royal Mail, the Post Office, BT, Telefonica O2 and other telecommunication companies, cable TV, Accenture HR Services, financial services, and Santander, including subsidiaries Geoban, ISBAN and Produban. Members’ expertise includes engineering, computing, clerical, mechanical, driving, retail, financial and manual skills.
Follow @cwuconference #cwuconf16
@CWUnews #TheCWU
For more about CWU contact
Charlie Pullinger
E: pressofficer@cwu.org
T: 020 8971 7244
Chris Webb
E: cwebb@cwu.org
T: 020 8971 7397
About Prospect
Prospect Union represents 115,000 engineers, managers, scientists and specialists in a host of professions, from air traffic control to zoology, negotiating with more than 300 employers on pay and conditions and host of other issues that affect people’s working lives. Politically-independent, Prospect is an experience campaigner on issues such as energy policy and the quality of public services. Prospect is the largest union in the UK representing professional engineers. prospect.org.uk
Follow @ProspectUnion#betterfuture
For more about Prospect Union
Janine Williams
E:janine.williams-silvera@prospect.org.uk
T: 020 7902 6703
About GMB
Representing more than 638,000 members in Britain and Ireland, GMB Union is the direct successor to the Gas Workers & General Union formed on 31 March 1889 by Will Thorne. GMB Congress is held annually and is where the lay member ruling body of the union decides GMB policy on all issues. gmb.org.uk
Follow @GMBPressOffice
For more about GMB Union
Charlotte Gregory
E:charlotte.gregory@gmb.org.uk