Hospital Caterers Association Leadership & Development Forum 2025
Hilton Birmingham Metropole - Monday 31st March – Thursday 3rd April 2025
Forum Venue
The HCA Leadership and Development Forum 2025 will take place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, Pendigo Way, Birmingham B40 1PP. Please use this postcode for satnav guidance; a venue map is also included in the covering email.
Accommodation
If your booking includes accommodation, this will be at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
Bookings are now confirmed, and we cannot accept cancellations or offer a refund on cancelled accommodation, but we can allow substitutions up to the date of arrival. Any name changes should be made in writing. Guests are personally responsible for setting up accounts for telephone calls, newspapers, and other personal expenses before leaving the hotel.
Car Parking
Please note – car parking is not included in the delegate fees. Hotel car parking on site is subject to availability, available at a reduced cost of £11 per 24 hours for residential delegates or £13 per day for day delegates.
You can pre-book or pay for car parking at any time during your stay and do not have to wait until departure. Visit https://www.bhmparking.co.uk/ and use the code AFCRV for residential delegates or MRAVE for day delegates to get the reduced rate.
Alternatively you can pay for parking using the machines in the hotel lobby as you leave.
Hotel Check-In
Check-in is from 17.00. Please note that it is not possible to charge items to your room without a credit card being left as a guarantee. If you do not want to do this, you can ‘pay as you go’ during your stay.
Hotel Check-Out
Check-out is at 11.00 each day so please make sure your room is vacated by this time and any extras bill you may have incurred settled with the hotel.
Event App
The HCA FMT are using the Event App again this year which will replace some of the printed items you would normally receive. This includes:
Forum programme for the two days and information on the speakers.
Exhibitor list, floor plan and exhibitor information
Networking and lead generation for exhibitors – delegate badges will have a QR code printed on them – exhibitors will be able to use the scan feature in the app to scan QR codes to save the delegate contact information – this will replace the delegate business cards.
The app is free to download from Apple and Android store - we recommend you download this before arrival so you can start to plan your time at the show. Scan the QR code below to download from the relevant app store:
Delegate Registration
The Delegate Registration Desk will be in the hotel foyer on Monday 31st March and the Monarch Foyer on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd April. The desk will be open at the following times:
Monday 31st March - 14.00 – 18.00
Tuesday 1st April – 08.30 – 12.00
Wednesday 2nd April – 08.30 – 10.00
Delegate badges
Badges must be collected on arrival from the registration desks. Delegates who have Wednesday’s Forum sessions included in their booking will have a blue stripe on their badge. Delegates with a red stripe on their badge have not added the Wednesday Forum sessions to their booking so will be welcome to attend the exhibition but will not be permitted into the Forum sessions when these resume or have lunch on Wednesday. Please refer to your booking confirmation to see what day’s Forum attendance you are booked in for – if you wish to add a day delegate place on Wednesday to your booking, email hcaforum@dewberryredpoint.co.uk, the cost of this is £95 + VAT.
Lanyards
The lanyards are intended to be recycled for future use at the end of Forum. Please either take your lanyard with you and bring it again if you attend in 2026 or leave it in the box provided outside the main Forum room when you depart.
Forum Sessions
All Forum sessions will be held in the Kings Suite at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. The dress code for Conference sessions is relaxed business dress. The programme can be found here.
Exhibition
The Exhibition will be held in the Monarch Suite at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. The exhibition opens each day at 08.30, please refer to the programme for the full schedule of opening times. Click here To view the exhibitor list, a floor plan is attached to help you plan your time in the exhibition.
Please take time to visit as many stands as possible to acknowledge the generous support these companies have given to the Leadership & Development Forum this year
Breakfast and Lunch
For residential delegates, breakfast will be served in the hotel restaurant.
Coffee and lunch for delegates on Tuesday and Wednesday will be served from the central catering area in the Monarch Suite.
Monday night – informal dinner
If you have booked accommodation with us for Monday 31st March, this will include a place at the informal networking dinner which will be held in the Kings Suite. The evening starts at 19.30, dress code smart casual. Each guest will be given two drinks vouchers on arrival which can be redeemed for a glass of wine, bottle of beer or soft drink. There will also be a cash bar open throughout the evening. The meal will be family service and there will be a table quiz during the evening.
Presidents Dinner and HCA Awards – Tuesday 1st April
The HCA Awards will be presented on Tuesday 1st April during the President’s Dinner. There will be a drinks reception in the Westminster starting at 18.45 followed by the awards and dinner which will start at 19.15 in the Kings Suite. The dress code is black tie for men, cocktail, or evening dresses for ladies. Delegates are politely reminded to refrain from talking during the awards presentations; the cash bar service will be closed during the awards presentations.
Branch Charity and Raffle
The North West branch are raising funds for two charities during the President’s Dinner – the British Heart Foundation in memory of Stuart Brereton and Robert Wager and for the North West Air Ambulance. There will be a raffle for the Charity with a selection of prizes donated by the branches of the HCA and the HCA exhibitors. Tickets are priced at £10 each – please bring cash with you if you wish to purchase raffle tickets on the night.
Branch Dinner
The Branch Dinner will take place in the Kings Suite on Wednesday 2nd April. The evening will commence at 19.00 with a drink's reception in the Westminster; dinner will be called at 19.30 and takes place in the Kings Suite
The theme is Celebrating the best of the North West - music, food and culture. Dress code - dress as your favourite North West character from the music scene; a night in the Rover's Return or smart casual.
Branch Photographs
The official Forum photographer is Creative Camera. They will be taking photographs prior to the President’s and Branch Dinners – branches, teams and individuals can pre-book their slot either in advance of the forum or at the registration desk on the first day. Please email hcaforum@dewberryredpoint.co.uk to pre-book your photo slot.
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