The official bureau for conferences and events in Cambridge and the surrounding area is seeing the culmination of five years’ preparation as partner to the organising committee for one of the world’s largest medical conferences in its field.
Meet Cambridge is proud to have worked alongside The International Neurotrauma Society (INTS), a body of globally-renowned scientists and clinicians tackling brain and spinal cord injuries, helping the organisers to win the bid and bring the 2024 conference to Cambridge for the very first time.
Attended by 670 delegates from 2nd to 5th September, the conference attracted 12 sponsors and 17 exhibitors as well as more than 60 keynote speakers from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. In all, 45 different countries were represented.
The extensive and ambitious scientific programme was preceded by a range of satellite meetings held the day before by Global Neuro Foundation, Microdialysis Work Group, ICM + Work Group, the World Spinal Column Society and Mild Head Injury Consortium, bringing more than 200 additional delegates to Cambridge from around the world.
NeuroTrauma 2024 required a multi-site approach to hosting the event, with a total of 13 different Meet Cambridge venues used across the four days. These included: Robinson College, The Cambridge Corn Exchange, The Guildhalls, Babbage Lecture Theatre, St Catharine’s College, Downing College, Churchill College, Gonville and Caius College, King’s College and Magdalene College with the gala dinner held simultaneously in Clare College, St John’s College and Trinity Hall.
The conference also incorporated a Public Symposium and a Charity Football Match which took place on Parker’s Piece. It involved leading brain injury neuroscientists and clinicians, football coaches, ex-professional players and recreational players to showcase the English Football Association’s recent U9 rule changes regarding the dangers of heading and the science behind the decision.
Judith Sloane, Head of Meet Cambridge said: “It was very exciting to see all the plans made over the last five years come to fruition this September. NeuroTrauma 2024 really did showcase all that Cambridge has to offer including complimentary walking tours and we hope that delegates will have gone away with great memories of their time in our wonderful city. Their attendance has also resulted in an estimated £922K worth of economic impact* to the city and its businesses.
“As a member of the local organising committee, Meet Cambridge was delighted to help with the production of the bid document to support the event coming to Cambridge, to assist with providing collateral for the conference website and app and to introduce the organisers to PCOs (professional conference organisers) Suzy Howes & Associates Ltd. who helped with the initial bid and the early stages of planning and Opening Doors & Venues Ltd. who were appointed as the PCO for the conference.
“We worked closely with the committee over our 12 site visits and meetings and were delighted to help secure just under £30K in funding via the VisitBritain Delegate Growth Fund for the conference.
“We are also very grateful that NeuroTrauma 2024 has supported our own positive impact campaign, Meet Up & Make a Difference to help reduce food poverty in the city.”
Surplus food was donated to a local community-based charity which provides support for those who are rough sleeping.
Professor Peter Hutchinson added: “Meet Cambridge has been absolutely crucial in helping us, from the early stages to now having hosted this major conference here in Cambridge. Not only were they instrumental in securing the fantastic venues, but they also linked us with VisitBritain and enabled us to obtain additional funding, which allowed us to grow the event even further.
“This was no ordinary conference; by using multiple venues, our delegates really have been able to experience the city fully and I know that they are now returning to their home countries having had the unique opportunity to connect with peers and exchange knowledge which will help us to drive forward neurotrauma research. We were very honoured to have been selected to host this meeting and are grateful to everyone who made it possible.”
* Economic impact calculated using VisitBritain Business Events Research, Delegate Spend and Trip Extensions Report 2017.
