March 2003

Registered Charity No. 326739

Dear Colleague,

Annual Meeting, University of Southampton, 7-9 April 2003

Thank you for registering for this year’s Annual Meeting. Please note that the full programme is now on the website.

Your meeting booklet can be collected from the registration desk in Southampton. Six late breaking abstracts (L1-L6) are included. Please note that those delegates wishing to claim CME (Continuing Medical Education) for the meeting are asked to sign in daily. A maximum of 3.5 hours for Monday, 6.5 hours for Tuesday, and 4.5 hours for Wednesday may be claimed for the BSID meeting itself.


1.      Travel

Maps and details of routes to the University of Southampton can be viewed on their website.   All the conference programme and accommodation will be on the main campus, except the Annual Dinner which will be at Chilworth Manor.  Ample car parking will be available on campus.  Luggage may be left in a lockable room designated for this purpose from Monday to Wednesday.

By car: From the M3 follow signs for Southampton A33. Follow the A33 (Bassett Avenue) through 2 roundabouts to a major intersection (with the University's Medical and Biological Sciences building to your left). Continue straight along the tree lined Avenue for approximately 0.5km, and the road to the Avenue Campus is on the left.
By air: The airport is a 15-20 minute taxi ride from the Avenue Campus.
By train: Southampton Central station is closest to the Avenue Campus, and a taxi to the University site takes 5-10 minutes.


2.     Local arrangements

Badges must be worn at all times and will be required for entry into the lecture theatres and for meals. Local arrangements have been co-ordinated by Prof. Eugene Healy and are as follows:-


Sunday 6 April

• You can check into your accommodation in Highfield Hall from 12.00pm onwards. Please report to Porters Office (open 24 hours) at Highfield Hall.
  
  
• On Sunday evening there are places to eat nearby (see list/map).

Monday 7 April

• Check into accommodation and collect room keys at the Porters Office (open 24 hours) at Highfield Hall.
  
  
• Breakfast from 8.30am-9.00am in Highfield Hall.
  
  
• Registration 9.00am-10.00am in the Avenue Campus.
  
  
• Buffet lunch in the Avenue Campus from 12.30pm-1.30pm.
  
  
• Joint meetings with the British Contact Dermatitis Society (BCDS) in the morning and BSID/Skin Club (“The mechanisms underlying the therapeutics of skin disorders”) in the afternoon will be held in the Avenue Campus.
  
  
• Educational session from 6.00pm-7.20pm will be in Avenue Campus.
  
  
• Welcome reception in the Avenue Campus from 7.20pm-8.00pm with drinks (sponsored by Syngenta)
  
  
• Buffet supper in Highfield Hall from 8.30pm-9.30pm.

Tuesday 8 April and Wednesday 9 April

• Check into accommodation at the Porters Office (open 24 hours) at Highfield Hall.
  
  
• Breakfast will be from 7.15am-8.15am in Highfield Hall.
  
  
• Registration and will be from 7.45am-8.30am on Tuesday and from 8.15am-9.00am on Wednesday in the Avenue Campus.
  
  
• Buffet lunches will be in Avenue Campus 1.00pm-2.00pm.
  
  
• Delegates may check into their accommodation in Highfield Hall after 3.00pm and should check out before 9.00am.
  
  
• For those attending the Conference Dinner (sponsored by Aventis) on Tuesday (7.45pm for 8.15pm) at Chilworth Manor, tickets will be issued in your registration pack. A bar extension has been applied for. Transport will be provided.

3.      Registration

A registration form was included with the last newsletter. Please note that pre-registration is essential and that it will not be possible to register on the day.


4.      Projection facilities

Electronic Powerpoint projection will be available for the BSID meeting. Authors are advised to bring their presentation on CD. An audio visual technician will be available from 8.00am on Tuesday and Wednesday to assist and arrange for your presentation to be pre-loaded, prior to your session, onto a single laptop; this is in order to avoid potential problems/delays during the meeting that may arise with the use of different laptops. The data projection system is IBM compatible; the use of Apple Macs requires the presenter to bring a laptop which accepts Apple Mac and a 15 pin vga connector. Single slide projection will be available and glass mounted slides are recommended.


5.      Posters

Poster size is 120 cm wide, 90 cm high. Posters will be situated in the north and south corridors of the Avenue Campus. The space provided will be 120 cm (4 feet) wide by 90 cm (3 feet) high. Please put your poster up before the start of the first session and leave it up until the end of the meeting. The poster boards are cloth covered suitable for Velcro attachment (Velcro spots are suggested). Drawing pins are not allowed.

The poster rooms will be available from 8.00am till 6.00pm on Monday 7 April for delegates wishing to put their posters up prior to the main meeting. Formal viewing will be from 3.30pm till 4.30pm on Tuesday, and 10.45am till 11.15am on Wednesday.


6.      Joint Meeting with the British Contact Dermatitis Society (BCDS) and Skin Club

As previously circulated there will be joint meetings with the BCDS and Skin Club in Avenue Campus. The BCDS meeting will be from 9.30am-12.30pm. The Skin Club meeting will be from 2.00pm-5.45pm. Separate registration is required for the BCDS and Skin Club meetings and I strongly encourage you to attend.

As in previous years there will be a number of prizes for the best oral and poster presentations during the BSID meeting. I wish you an interesting and enjoyable conference.

Best wishes.

Yours sincerely,


Nick J. Reynolds
Chairman