Staff Conference FAQ's

Convene, in London, 155 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, London EC2M 3YD.

It’s an ideal venue for large events such as our all-team conference.

The nearest tube station is Liverpool Street (Connects with Central, Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City or Metropolitan Line)

We are a growing charity with around 300 employees – with an increasing proportion of colleagues not based in Northampton. Venues in Northamptonshire are no longer big enough to host us all comfortably, to have the kind of inspiring, collaborative day we’re planning, so we’ve had to look at alternative locations. We need a space where we can showcase the new brand, have breakout rooms and a quiet space too.

London is a good location for our one strong team event, as it has great transport links for travel from across the three nations we cover.

This venue is a perfect backdrop for networking and collaboration and of course will help us to have a successful day

We have exclusive use of the first floor, including the main room for conference, a large open plan refreshment/foyer area, two large breakout spaces and a quiet space. A 360 tour is available on the venue website here - Convene | Stylish London Conference & Meeting Venue for Hire

Will there be a quiet space? One of the reasons this venue was chosen is due to the flexibility of the space. We will have breakout rooms as well as a dedicated quiet space.

One of the reasons this venue was chosen is due to the flexibility of the space. We will have breakout rooms as well as a dedicated quiet space.

AV equipment is included at the venue. We will be using microphones for all speakers. There is provision for hearing loops at the venue.

Yes it will. This is an investment in you as our staff, to give us all the best possible event on the one day a year where we can all meet together, to give us a great space to collaborate, learn and be inspired, and to showcase our ambitions for the future.

Now that we have secured a venue, we are working together to plan the day. Details will be shared later.

Please arrive at the venue by 9.30am, ready for a prompt start at 10am.

You are welcome to arrive from 8am and refreshments will be available.

The day will finish around 4pm.

We will send a full agenda, including break times, nearer to the event.

We want as many people as possible to attend this event, as we don’t get to meet up in person as one team very often.

We understand that some colleagues may already have annual leave booked, but please have a conversation and check the reason for future requests and encourage them to attend the conference if possible. Please email the conference team conference@mndassociation.org or Kate Blackford, EDI Manager, with any reasonable adjustments we can make for individuals, to make the day more comfortable for them.

As always, we would love as many colleagues as possible to attend our all-staff conference and make the most of the opportunities the day will bring. Where possible, it would be great if colleagues can be flexible with non-working hours or use our time off in lieu (TOIL) policy.

We would love as many people as possible to be at the venue for the full event to make the most of the opportunities the day will bring. Where possible, it would be great if colleagues can be flexible with non-working hours or use our time off in lieu (TOIL) policy. We have given as much notice as possible for this event to help you plan your attendance.

Food and drinks will be provided throughout the day. Breakfast is available before the start of the conference and a lunch buffet is included too. There will be multiple buffet stations for lunch, with catering staff to assist everyone. There are multiple refreshment stations which include unlimited hot and cold drinks, including soft drinks, smoothies, fruit juices and sparkling drinks available all day.

Registration for the conference is not open yet. We will email all colleagues with the link to register when it is ready.

We will ask for this information when registration is open and make sure your needs are met.

The Conference and Events Team is currently looking into accommodation options in the local area. We will offer accommodation to all employees who have a four-hour return journey or longer, as per our staff expenses policy. This will be captured as part of the registration process.

All transport requests will be managed by the Conference and Events Team. As part of the registration process, please complete the travel request forms (for train and air travel) if required.

As part of the registration process, we will ask you about your transport requirements.

The roads in central London are very busy and a congestion charge of £18 per day if paid on the day of travel or before and ULEZ may also be applicable. Please consider public transport options.

There is not parking at the venue.

There is an NCP car park nearby at Finsbury Square (EC2A 1AD). The cost can be claimed back as part of the usual expenses policy, indicating that it is for the staff conference.

If you require a meeting room before or after the conference, please complete and send the usual booking form to conference@mndassociation.org.