We have decided to hold our conference on Friday 13 June in the virtual world to make it easier for people across Scotland to attend, while saving money and minimising the carbon footprint of the event.
Director of Macmillan in Scotland, Elspeth Atkinson, said:
‘We want as many people as possible to come to along to our conference. However we know that it’s not easy for our supporters to take time out of their busy lives and travel to a normal conference - especially if they live in a remote area or have caring responsibilities.
‘Hosting a traditional conference and arranging travel for thousands of people would also cost a lot of money, and all of the travel would create a large carbon footprint. For all these reasons we decided to have our conference in the virtual world. The added benefit of this means there is no limit on numbers, so we hope to get thousands of people along!’
Our second virtual conference
This is the second year we have held our conference online. Last year over 900 people visited the conference site, www.weclick.org.uk, to find out about Macmillan in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
We hope even more people will log on this year to find out more about what we do. Delegates will be able to take part in presentations on our services - from nurses to benefits advisors - while hearing about our fundraising activities and volunteering opportunities. They will also be able to find out about the success of our campaigns to influence the Government to make changes that will benefit the lives of people affected by cancer.
Delegates will be able to choose which sessions to attend by clicking on the topic that interests them. There will also be a space where attendees can get involved in Macmillan-themed debates, as well as a virtual cafe where conference participants can leave their questions and have them answered by Macmillan staff.
Director Elspeth Atkinson added:
‘Having our conference online should mean more people than ever before can come along. However we know there are people without computer access or who aren’t very sure how to use the internet. We urge our supporters to consider hosting a mini-conference on June 13 and inviting their friends and family along. Some of our fundraising groups could even issue a general invitation to the local community.’
Although the conference is designed as a one-day event, running from 9am to 5pm, another benefit of the online conference is that people don’t have to stay for the whole day. Delegates can dip in and out of the site, finding out about Macmillan at their own pace. In fact the presentations and workshops will stay on the site until July 12, so someone who is too busy on that day, can still attend the conference.
Further information
To find out more about the conference please visit www.weclick.org.uk, or contact Linda Campbell on weclick@macmillan.org.uk or on 0131 260 3720.