5
Murray Edwards’
artful expansion
odern buildings,
gardens, two
dedicated
conference centres,
in-house filming and editing
packages – and a
world-renowned
Art Collection – make Murray
Edwards College in Cambridge a
memorable venue for a range of
events. It is a women’s college
but has no restrictions on
specific groups or events.
The conference business has
expanded considerably over the
last five years and Freya
Vaughan, marketing and events
officer, says the self-contained
conference centres –
Buckingham House and the
Kaetsu Centre – are particularly
popular and both available
all-year round. “They have lecture
theatres and flat-floored flexible
meeting rooms, foyers for
registration and refreshments
and excellent AV facilities.”
And the college offers the wow
factor for larger dinners in The
Dome dining hall, one of the
largest in Cambridge and able to
seat 270 guests.
Eating, drinking and dancing is
all possible in one room, which
has made it popular for
Christmas parties, formal
dinners, dances, presentation
evenings, award ceremonies and
weddings.
In 2017 the college introduced
new filming and editing packages
in response to client demand
and, to help meet sustainability
objectives, partnered with
KeepCup to offer branded,
reusable cups to guests.
Vaughan adds: “New ideas for
event organisers might include a
lunchtime tour of the New Hall
Art Collection – featuring 450
modern and contemporary
artworks by women artists or
outdoor events such as garden
parties or barbecues.”
Lyme Disease
Action
The UK-registered charity
striving for the prevention
and treatment of Lyme
disease and associated
tick-borne diseases has
held its annual conference
for the last two years at
Murray Edwards College.
The format is an evening
dinner, followed by a
full-day conference for
70-plus delegates.
Organiser Stella Huyshe
from LDA says: “As we
always provide a scientific
conference, a university
venue is good. The
facilities in Buckingham
House with the Auditorium
and Foyer combined were
great as everything was in
one place.”
www.conference-news.co.uk
Academic Venues
De Vere
Nottingham
Conferences
Located at the University of
Nottingham, De Vere
Nottingham Conferences
offers three main events
campuses: Jubilee Campus,
University Park and Sutton
Bonington. The majority of
meeting spaces offer
high-spec AV, video
conferencing services and
wireless internet connectivity.
De Vere Nottingham
Conferences offers year-round
accommodation onsite at
Orchard Hotel, the Jubilee
Conference Centre, as well as
accommodation during
vacations in halls of residence.
Delegates have 24 catering
outlets to choose from.
GM Andrew May says
accessible transport options
are the most important factors
for event bookers and
highlights that the campuses
offer easy access to the M1,
Nottingham train station, and
East Midlands Airport. There is
free on-site parking as well as
tram and bus links to the city.
The University invested in
building the £40m David Ross
Sports Village, which opened
in September 2016. Facilities
include breakout spaces and
teambuilding options. The
University will host the UK
Corporate Games this year.
Ben Sedgemore, Corporate
Games director, says there
were strong host candidate
destinations for the Games.
“However, when we saw the
investment made in the David
Ross Sports Village and the
conferencing and
accommodation options, our
mind was made up.”