25 Jan 12

QEIICC Anniversary: TFI Meeting Point

Founder of Meeting Point Conferences and now Business Development Director of TFI Meeting Point, Caroline Windsor, looks back at how The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) has featured in her 28 year career of conference organising.

Looking back over 28 years of conference organising (eek – how did that happen), I realise just how much the good old QEIICC has been a feature of my career. I remember vividly the excitement caused by the live foetal scanning to a capacity audience which took place during the inaugural conference of the International Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1991. What is now commonplace in ultrasound was launched at The QEIICC to great acclaim back then.

Bankers, insurers, financial advisers, economists, sociologists, dentists, oncologists - our association clients have returned to The QEIICC repeatedly over the years, attracted back by the consistently high service levels and professionalism of the team.   My memories are mostly about the people rather than the bricks and mortar - although I’ll never forget trying to get rid of the fixed serving bars in the Benjamin Britten Lounge to make way for exhibition stands I’d mistakenly positioned on top of them. The serving bars were immovable but, with the help of the event planning team, we got around the problem. A small example of how working in partnership has been the key to our business relationshipover several decades!

I couldn’t possibly mention names but, on a more light hearted note, do any of you remember the unfortunate incident of the logo falling off the set at our industry awards dinner while the eminent managing editor was speaking? Or later on when a certain lady attempted a spectacular dance move and ended up with a broken arm (painless at the time …). Or when the lights went out because one of the AV crew knocked a bottle of something into the lighting desk? So you see, The QEIICC is not just about business conferences, we’ve also had plenty of fun there.

I have made good friends at The QEIICC – we have shared many challenges and successes, much laughter and a few headaches. Long may it continue and I send my congratulations for 25 successful years.

Any comments? Email conferencenews@mashmedia.net