• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Vision, Mission and Values
    • How We Help
    • Our Trustees
    • Our Staff
    • Our Regional Parent Supporters
    • Our Professional Board
    • Newsletters
    • Annual Reports
  • News
    • News
    • SMS Family Events
    • Activities
    • Conferences
    • Research
    • Blog
    • Newsletters
  • Get Involved
    • Fundraising Events
    • Become a Member
    • Ways to Donate
    • Become a Regular Donor
    • Payroll Giving
    • Fundraising Ideas
  • Shop
    • Basket
  • Contact
  • Membership
  • Donate
Smith-Magenis Syndrome Foundation UK logo

Smith-Magenis Syndrome Foundation UK

Connecting Families, Raising Awareness, Building Futures

  • What is SMS?
    • Overview of SMS
    • New Diagnosis
    • A Guide to SMS Booklet
    • SMS Behaviours
    • Sleep in SMS
    • Living with SMS
    • Health
    • Facts about Smith-Magenis syndrome
    • Videos about SMS
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Find Support for SMS
  • Spotlight on SMS health
    • Vision
    • Sleep
  • Find Support for SMS
    • Small Grant Applications
    • Newlife’s Emergency Equipment Loan Service
    • Emergency hospital documents for download
    • Other Support Organisations
    • Scientific Papers
    • SMS Research
  • Our SMS Community
    • SMS Conference 2022
    • Become a Member
    • Regional Parent Supporters
    • Stories from our SMS Community
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Vision, Mission and Values
    • How We Help
    • Meet the Trustees
    • Meet the Staff
    • Regional Parent Supporters
    • Our professional board
    • Newsletters
    • Annual Reports
  • SMS Conference 2022
  • News
    • SMS Family Events
    • Activities
    • Conferences
    • Research
    • Blog
  • Get Involved
    • Events
    • Become a Member
    • Ways to Donate
    • Become a Regular Donor
    • Payroll Giving
    • Fundraising Ideas
    • Support My Smile Campaign
  • Shop
    • My Basket
  • What is SMS?
    • Overview of SMS?
    • New Diagnosis
    • SMS Behaviours
    • Living with SMS
    • Sleep and SMS
    • Health
    • Facts about Smith-Magenis syndrome
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Find Support for SMS
  • Spotlight on SMS health
    • Vision
    • Sleep
  • Find Support for SMS
    • Small Grant Applications
    • Newlife’s Emergency Equipment Loan Service
    • Emergency hospital documents for download
    • Other Support Organisations
    • Scientific Papers
    • SMS Research
    • Videos
  • Our SMS Community
    • Become a Member
    • Regional Parent Supporters
    • Stories from our SMS Community
  • Contact

SMS Foundation UK Conference Cancelled for 2021

January 8, 2021
SMS conference

At the start of this week the UK Government announcements placed the UK into the highest COVID-19 Alert Level. The published de-escalation strategies are such that it is inconceivable that the country can be at the National Alert Level and Local Tier Levels for the UK conference to happen on 1st & 2nd May 2021. It is with great disappointment that we are announcing the cancellation of our conference for this year.

Throughout our planning process we recognised that COVID-19 could impact us to the extent of not being able to go ahead with our May 2021 Conference. We took an early decision to run our UK Conference next year, rather than wait until 2023. Our efforts will now switch to the delivery of our conference from Friday 29 April to Monday 2 May 2022, in Solihull.

For this year, our focus will be intensified in supporting families through our online activities, family challenges, and activities through our recently launched regional initiatives programme. We hope, that as restrictions lift, to be able to organise regional events across the UK to bring families together locally. We are grateful to Foundation Scotland and the Pears Foundation for providing us with grants to help us deliver our regional activities in 2021.

We can look forward to May 2022 when our conference can once again bring our SMS families together in person. In the meantime, we thank you for your understanding and appreciate your continuing support.

Hazel Wotherspoon – Chairperson
Nigel Over – Chief Executive Officer

Potential Questions:

Why were we even planning a conference for May 2021 with COVID-19 prevalent?

Until the identification of the new variant of COVID-19, the UK Government briefings were suggesting that restrictions should be sufficiently eased by February / March 2021 that gave optimism that we could continue with our plans for the conference in May.

Has the Foundation lost any money?

All deposits paid to suppliers can be rolled over for the conference next year.

Some staff time has been lost in contingency and scenario planning around the conference and COVID-19 implications, although this has been at a higher, more strategic level with detailed plans due to have been prepared from January 2021. This knowledge and understanding leaves us better placed for other activities this year and for the conference next year.

Conference programme planning that has been done remains applicable for 2022.

Why are you not switching to a virtual conference?

An important aspect of our conferences is the bringing of our families together. A virtual conference would not connect families in the same way as our in-person events. This aspect we hope to compensate for with family meet ups through our regional activities.

Hosting a virtual conference can be more demanding on resources that coming together at a venue. In 2020 we started to enhance our online presence and offering which is continuing into 2021. There is also more flexibility in people’s diaries to be able to invite guests into webinars / discussions throughout the year, with a chance to be more responsive to the needs of our community.

Share:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on E-mail
Category: Conferences, News

Like this article?

Sign-up with your email address below and we’ll keep in touch, sending you our latest news and articles about Smith-Magenis syndrome.

Previous Post: « snapshot of December newsletter December Newsletter
Next Post: This week’s community Zoom drop-in chat with Jayne Dainty of SOS Care Services »

Join our Community

Join as a family member and we can connect you with families living near you. You will also receive updates of any social meetings, conferences, and fundraising events going on! Joining is quick and easy!

Join
View the international map of families diagnosed with SMS

Never feel isolated or alone.
Call our helpline: 0300 101 0034
Other ways to Contact Us

Please note: This is an answerphone service that will alert us as soon as a message is left. A trustee will call you back as soon as possible – we aim to respond to messages within 24 hours.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Mail

The Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) Foundation UK CIO

Connecting Families, Raising Awareness, Building Futures

Sign-up to receive the latest news and information direct to your inbox

Please enter your email address below if you would like us to send you emails with our latest news, articles, and information about SMS.
To join as a full member, please click here.
Your data will be processed in accordance with our privacy notice.

SCA Terrific trustee award 2020
NUE Best Student contribution

Registered UK Charity (CIO) 1186647   ·  Scottish Charity (SCIO) SC050921    

Copyright © 2021 Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) Foundation UK CIO · Privacy Policy · SMS Disclaimer · Terms and Conditions