2015 Inas Conference and General Assembly

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1 2015 Inas Conference and General Assembly Sheffield, Great Britain

2 Dear Members On behalf of the Inas Governing Board, I am delighted to invite you to the 2015 Inas Conference and General Assembly which will take place in Sheffield, Great Britain. The Inas Conference is an important opportunity to learn, share experiences and help Inas plan for the future, whilst the General Assembly provides an opportunity to oversee the formal business of the organisation. A full programme together with an agenda, call for motions and meeting papers will be made available later in the year however key themes will include the Inas sports and competition programme, and organisational governance. The event will take place at the Hilton Hotel, which is located just a short walk from Sheffield city centre. Whilst Sheffield was built on a world-famous steel industry, it is sport that has dominated the cities culture in more recent years - being home to the English Institute of Sport, a number of World Class venues and the chosen headquarters for a number of national sports federations. Bookings will remain open until early 2015, but as we have a limited number of accommodations reserved in each hotel, please can I encourage you to book your place as early as possible in order to secure your first choice and to take advantage of the discounted rates. Bookings made after the closing date may be at a higher cost. I look forward to welcoming you to the conference and general assembly. Kind regards, Amaury Russo, Inas President

3 Welcome to Sheffield Sheffield - whose name is derived from the River Sheaf which runs through the city - is the UK s 5th largest city and has a population of 551,800 people. The city is recognised around the World for its steel production, including the innovation of crucible and stainless steel, but has more recently undergone significant transformation and is now home to the English Institute of Sport, Meadowhall shopping centre, Sheffield Arena and Ponds Forge International Sports Centre. The city lies on the edge of the English Peak District national park and the city itself has more than 250 parks, woodlands and gardens. Inas registered office was moved to Sheffield in 2013 and it is anticipated that its first International Office will, when funds allow, be located here. Programme Wednesday 8th April Arrival of the Technical Committee Thursday 9th April Arrival of Governing Board - Meeting of the Inas Technical Committee Friday 10th April Arrival of delegates - Meeting of the Inas Governing Board Saturday 11th April Inas Conference - Gala Dinner Sunday 12th April Inas General Assembly - Meeting of the Inas Governing Board Monday 13th April Meeting of the Inas Governing Board (AM) - Departure

4 Venue and Accommodation The Conference and General Assembly will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Sheffield. This is a short walk from the city centre, and is easily accessible from the railway station which provides links to all major international airports. It has high quality rooms, conference and leisure facilities including a pool and gym. Accommodation has been reserved at the following hotels, which are located closely together: Hilton Hotel, Sheffield Holiday Inn Express, Sheffield Holiday Inn Royal Victoria, Sheffield All accommodation is offered on a bed and breakfast basis. Delegates will be responsible for any room and bar costs. Prices for these hotels will be held until 28th February 2015, after which rates may increase. Delegates should book accommodation directly with the hotel using the dedicated booking website available on the events pages on the Inas website. Fees The Conference and General Assembly Fee is GB350 ($US600/ 450) per delegate. This includes access to the conference and general assembly, all refreshments, lunches and evening meals (soft drinks) and gala dinner. Payment may be made by bank transfer or by online payment (ie. by credit card). Online payment can be made via the events pages on the Inas website. The final date to register for the event is 28th February 2015.

5 Arrival and Transport The closest international airport to Sheffield is Manchester Ringway which is approximately 1.5 hours by train. Please note that transport from the airport to Sheffield will not be provided by the organisers and delegates are advised to make arrangements as follows: Manchester International Airport Delegates are advised to book rail travel in advance using the website Trains run at least twice hourly and tickets can be booked in advance for 5 each way. (Note: Tickets booked on the day may cost up to 29 return). Trains run from 0545 to 2330 daily. Heathrow International Airport/London St Pancras (Eurostar terminal) Birmingham Airport Inas has secured discounted rail travel from London to Sheffield. Delegates are advised to book travel in advance using the website Tickets booked in advance cost 49 return. (Note: Tickets booked on the day may cost up to 186 return. Trains run from 0600 to 2200 daily. Delegates are advised to book rail travel in advance using the website Tickets can be booked in advance for 11 each way. (Note: Tickets booked on the day may cost up to 89 return). Trains run from 0545 to 2330 daily. Other airports Please contact the organisers at GA2015@inas.org to make arrangements. Please note that all times/costs are subject to change and are provided as guidance only. VISA Requirements Delegates are advised to check visa requirements before they book travel. Please contact the organisers on GA2015@inas.org if you need support to apply for a visa. Weather Average temperatures in Sheffield in April are 7C/45F with 55mm of rainfall - however the UK weather is notoriously hard to predict so please do come prepared for sunshine, or perhaps even snowfall Social Programme A social programme is being planned and details will be available closer to the event. A gala dinner is planned for the evening of Saturday 11th April at which the dress code will be lounge suit/evening dress. The hotel venue is located within walking distance of the city centre allowing delegates the opportunity to visit Sheffield, whilst the Sheffield Supertram provides easy access to Meadowhall Shopping Centre and Sheffield Arena. Further information For further information regarding the 2015 Inas Conference and General Assembly, please us at GA2015@inas.org We look forward to welcoming you to Sheffield

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