Retinal Awareness Group (RAG) Weekend 2013
12 April 2013 to 14 April 2013
The Retinal Awareness Group (RAG) is holding its annual Blackpool Weekend conference from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 April 2013 at the Carousel Hotel and we are delighted to invite you to take part again.
The RAG social and activity weekend regularly attracts over 100 attendees, some excellent medical speakers and a wide range of activities. RAG also aims to provide information and advice about living with RP, Usher's Syndrome and many others.
RP Fighting Blindness is proud to deliver this event in partnership with volunteers from our North-West branch.
The event programme outline is below and details will be added as they become available.
We will have exclusive use of the hotel with full modern facilities including a lift to all floors and easily accessible rooms. You can book times in the restaurant to suit yourself, and the staff are willing to help you find your way around the hotel. All presentations will be amplified and a loop system will be available in the main conference room for those with hearing loss. A grass area and other facilities for guide dogs are close by.
Exhibitions will start from 12 noon on the Friday with sessions starting around 2pm.
2013 Programme
FRIDAY
12.00-5.00pm EXHIBITION
2.00pm Welcome and introductions in the Fylde Suite
2.30pm Kevin Nuttall from Action for Blind People talking about Personal Independence Payment
3.30pm TEA AND COFFEE
4.00pm Guiding Skills with Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
6.30-8.30pm DINNER
8.30pm Quiz in the Fylde Suite and socialising in the bar
SATURDAY
8.00am BREAKFAST
9.30am Group sessions
10.30am TEA AND COFFEE
11.00am Milton Mountaineering with David Carrington-Porter - organised walking holidays with guide available
12.00pm Lunch available for purchase at the bar
2.00pm David Head, Chief Executive of RP Fighting Blindness with news about the charity
2.30pm Keynote Speakers:
Professor Alison Hardcastle, a leading Geneticist from Moorfields Eye Hospital, and
Mr Martin McKibbin, Consultant Ophthalmologist at St James’ University Hospital, Leeds
3.30-4.30pm Q & A Panel: David Head, Prof Alison Hardcastle, Mr Martin McKibbin and Prof Mike Cheetham will answer questions from the floor
6.30-8.30pm DINNER
8.30pm Entertainment and dancing
SUNDAY
8.00am BREAKFAST
9.30am Debenhams Personal Shopper Service with Katy from the Blackpool store
10.30am TEA AND COFFEE
11.00am An opportunity to swap information about your favourite gadgets which help you maintain your independence
12.30pm LUNCH
***
The cost of the weekend per person is: double or twin room (£145); single room (£155); single in double or twin room (£165). This includes dinner on Friday night, breakfast and dinner on Saturday, breakfast and lunch on Sunday and tea/coffee during the weekend.
To book please contact the hotel, stating "RAG Weekend" (Carousel Hotel, New South Promenade, Blackpool, FY4 1RN; tel. 01253 402 642.
A limited numbe of places are available for the Saturday medical research presentation only. The cost is £10 (£5 for accompanying guide or partner) and must be booked in advance. No catering is included with this purchase. For more information phone Carole Holmes, our Blackpool contact, on 01253 404194, or Beryl Duggan on 01244 680463.
Finally, if you would like to take part, please book early on. At present we have exclusive booking for the hotel but of course as we get nearer the date they will no doubt want to start selling unused rooms to other guests and we know this meant a few people missed out last year.
We really hope you can join us.
The RAG social and activity weekend regularly attracts over 100 attendees, some excellent medical speakers and a wide range of activities. RAG also aims to provide information and advice about living with RP, Usher's Syndrome and many others.
RP Fighting Blindness is proud to deliver this event in partnership with volunteers from our North-West branch.
The event programme outline is below and details will be added as they become available.
We will have exclusive use of the hotel with full modern facilities including a lift to all floors and easily accessible rooms. You can book times in the restaurant to suit yourself, and the staff are willing to help you find your way around the hotel. All presentations will be amplified and a loop system will be available in the main conference room for those with hearing loss. A grass area and other facilities for guide dogs are close by.
Exhibitions will start from 12 noon on the Friday with sessions starting around 2pm.
2013 Programme
FRIDAY
12.00-5.00pm EXHIBITION
2.00pm Welcome and introductions in the Fylde Suite
2.30pm Kevin Nuttall from Action for Blind People talking about Personal Independence Payment
3.30pm TEA AND COFFEE
4.00pm Guiding Skills with Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
6.30-8.30pm DINNER
8.30pm Quiz in the Fylde Suite and socialising in the bar
SATURDAY
8.00am BREAKFAST
9.30am Group sessions
10.30am TEA AND COFFEE
11.00am Milton Mountaineering with David Carrington-Porter - organised walking holidays with guide available
12.00pm Lunch available for purchase at the bar
2.00pm David Head, Chief Executive of RP Fighting Blindness with news about the charity
2.30pm Keynote Speakers:
Professor Alison Hardcastle, a leading Geneticist from Moorfields Eye Hospital, and
Mr Martin McKibbin, Consultant Ophthalmologist at St James’ University Hospital, Leeds
3.30-4.30pm Q & A Panel: David Head, Prof Alison Hardcastle, Mr Martin McKibbin and Prof Mike Cheetham will answer questions from the floor
6.30-8.30pm DINNER
8.30pm Entertainment and dancing
SUNDAY
8.00am BREAKFAST
9.30am Debenhams Personal Shopper Service with Katy from the Blackpool store
10.30am TEA AND COFFEE
11.00am An opportunity to swap information about your favourite gadgets which help you maintain your independence
12.30pm LUNCH
***
The cost of the weekend per person is: double or twin room (£145); single room (£155); single in double or twin room (£165). This includes dinner on Friday night, breakfast and dinner on Saturday, breakfast and lunch on Sunday and tea/coffee during the weekend.
To book please contact the hotel, stating "RAG Weekend" (Carousel Hotel, New South Promenade, Blackpool, FY4 1RN; tel. 01253 402 642.
A limited numbe of places are available for the Saturday medical research presentation only. The cost is £10 (£5 for accompanying guide or partner) and must be booked in advance. No catering is included with this purchase. For more information phone Carole Holmes, our Blackpool contact, on 01253 404194, or Beryl Duggan on 01244 680463.
Finally, if you would like to take part, please book early on. At present we have exclusive booking for the hotel but of course as we get nearer the date they will no doubt want to start selling unused rooms to other guests and we know this meant a few people missed out last year.
We really hope you can join us.
