Xpression FM SRACon Bid [Failed]

n o i t a i c o s s l A a o s i o d p a o R r t P n 4 e 1 d 0 u t 2 S erence f n o C

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Intro Location & Travel Conference Facilities Accommodation Catering Entertainment Budget & Dates Organisation Summary Endorsements and Station Links

Station Manager Deputy Station Manager Contributors

Designed by Photo Credits With thanks to

Hazel Morgan Matthew Bate Alanna Sussex, Alex Manning, Ali Gill, Chris Featonby, Douglas Wilson, Elia Shipton, Freya Godfrey, Jake Topp, Philip Smith Ronald Liong JISC Infonet, Joshua Irwandi, Ronald Liong, University of Exeter Joy Taylor, Olli Whittle and the Students’ Guild Team Hugh Blackstaffe, Lindsey Harris, Niklas Rahmel

1. Intro Now could not be a more perfect time for the National Student Radio Association Conference to come to Exeter. Not only is the station going strong, but also our University. As well as just being crowned the Sunday Times University of the Year, we also have brand new facilities which are among the best in the country, as highlighted by the success of the National Student Television Association Awards & Conference held in Exeter this year.

The South West provides a beautiful backdrop for any conference. After a six year absence, we want to show off all the the region has to offer and our local XpressionFM is the student radio station at the University of Exeter. Since 1976 we have been going BBC and commercial radio stations are also very keen to get involved. from strength to strength and have a schedule as diverse and exciting as our student body, Xpression and Exeter University will be fantastic with fantastic music, sports, news, and speech hosts for the National Student Radio Association programmes. This year has undoubtably been a good year for us, with the launch of our new Conference 2014. Our team is bursting with ideas to marketing campaign including a new logo, our new make the 2014 conference the best ever; we have connections with the Students’ Guild and student the facilities, the connections and the people to make it happen. body, and the production of our own brand new in-house sound.

Hazel Morgan & Matthew Bate Xpression FM Station Manager & Deputy Station Manager 2013/2014

2. Location and Travel Exeter is the best connected city in the South West, with road, rail and air links with most major cities in the country.

The main railway station for travel is Exeter St. David’s; which is a 15 minute walk from campus. St David’s has regular, direct trains to all major cities with Londonbound trains taking just over two hours to reach the capital.

Additionally, the M5 skirts the city and we have free car parking available for the delegates right by the accommodation.

On top of this, Exeter Airport is only 20 minutes away with links to a number of UK destinations.

Rail links to Exeter St David’s Direct flights also available between Exeter Airport and Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester.

Edinburgh Glasgow Newcastle

8h 5h

York Leeds 3h Manchester Nottingham Sheffield Birmingham 1h Cardiff London Bristol Plymouth

Upon arrival in Exeter, delegates can take advantage of a coach service to transport them quickly and directly to the on-campus accommodation block. We have included the hire cost of the coach in the budget.

Delegates will be greeted by our team of volunteers, who will be present throughout the conference to assist them.

Once on campus, the team will direct delegates towards the Welcome Desk in the Holland Hall dining hall for registration.

The real benefit of hosting the conference at Exeter is the campus itself. The University is one of the most beautiful campuses in the UK with acres of botanical gardens and views across to Dartmoor and the sea.

Not to mention the multi-million pound redevelopment that has transformed the centre of campus in the last few years.

The campus is also very convenient for delegates, as the accommodation, catering, conference rooms and entertainment are all within walking distances (5 minutes) of each other. Even the city centre is only a 15 minute walk away.

3. Conference Facilities The University of Exeter is a lead player in the conference market as we have undergone a huge redevelopment programme over the past five years. Central to this is the Forum Project.

The Forum is the brand new student hub at the centre of campus with lecture theatres, computer labs and seminar rooms that are equipped with the latest technology. The large atrium, known as The Street, is the space that we intend to use as the area where industry organisations can set up stalls and interact with the delegates in a more informal atmosphere than the break-out sessions.

All break-out spaces will be within the Forum, while the building’s large (400-seater) Alumni Auditorium is the perfect venue for the AGM. This room even has power sockets and Ethernet ports in every chair!

We are therefore able to contain most of the conference activities under one roof, allowing the event to run smoothly.

The keynote speeches and formal dinner will be held in the adjacent Great Hall - which will easily have capacity for the keynote speeches and can fit 500 people for the formal dinner.

Both the Students’ Guild and University are fully behind our bid for the conference, so we have full access to the Campus Services IT and caretaking staff. We have also negotiated so that we can use all conference facilities free of charge.

Proof of the quality of our facilities at Exeter is that in April 2013, Exeter hosted the 40th National Student Television Association Conference and Awards (NaSTA40) which saw over 300 students from over 30 universities stay on campus for 3 days.

The event was the biggest and best NaSTA to date; it took advantage of the same fabulous facilities that we intend to use. It proved that the University of Exeter is more than capable of hosting a large national conference - consequently, we had some great reviews from the NaSTA Exec and visiting speakers; some of which are included in Section 10 of this proposal.

4. Accommodation Accommodation for the conference will be provided by two of the most popular student halls at Exeter: Holland Hall (above) and Mardon Hall (background).

Mardon Hall was purpose-built in 1933 and it retains many of its original features, while Holland Hall is a modern residence block. The halls are adjacent to each other, both overlooking the Exe Estuary. They both have the same high standard rooms, Wi-Fi and access to the Holland Hall dining room - the panoramic glass-fronted restaurant situated close to both halls. In total, the two halls can accommodate up to 450 delegates.

Access to the accommodation blocks is 24 hours a day so delegates will be guaranteed entry whenever they eventually return from a night out. There is also a secure room in the Holland Hall reception to leave bags on the last day of the conference.

We have been able to negotiate reduced rates compared to the usual conference charge, including the option for delegates to share a double bed. This option will not only be a Away from delegates, speakers will be housed in fun, student-friendly alternative, it makes the Reed Hall, a stunning mansion overlooking a lake. conference cheaper, therefore encouraging more Reed Hall is also in the heart of campus within 5 students to attend. The full budget presents a total minutes of The Forum. price for each of these options.

5. Catering We have designed an exciting and varied catering schedule for the Student Radio Conference 2014 to give delegates the best time possible at Exeter...

Gala Dinner The Great Hall will be dressed to provide an atmosphere which will really make delegates feel special.

DAY 1 Dinner BBQ inspired dinner at Holland Hall The Holland Hall Dining Room is a glass-fronted restaurant which seats 360 people.

A rota system will be put in place for meals at this location.

~~~ DAY 2 Breakfast A selection of hot and cold food, juices and tea/coffee at Holland Hall Lunch A token will be provided for delegates to use at a number of Students’ Guild outlets serving a variety of both hot and cold food

The catering highlight of the conference.

This whole evening will provide a new aspect to the conference with delegates having the chance to dress up, make connections and really make a night of it.

Dinner A cava drinks reception on the Forum Piazza, followed by a two-course gala dinner, served in the Great Hall ~~~ DAY 3 Breakfast A selection of hot and cold food, juices and tea/coffee at Holland Hall Lunch A token for delegates to use at a food outlet of their own choice

As well as the catering provided with the delegates’ ticket price, we also have a wide range of foods available, much of which is local and ethically sourced to give delegates a boost during the day. These include the Marketplace Shop, The Ram Bar and Costa Coffee.

6. Entertainment Night 1 To get the conference started on the first night, we will host a club night at the University nightclub, the Lemon Grove. Considered one of the best student nights out in Exeter, the club has excellent drink deals, a large bar and excellent music from our resident DJ’s.

Following the I Love Student Radio Awards, we will have a student versus industry soundclash.

We plan to invite industry professionals to go up against a pre-selected group of students from a variety of universities in a head to head battle on the Lemon Grove stage, after which our resident DJ will play out until 1.30am.

The conference volunteers will be on hand to help everyone back to the accommodation; ensuring a good night’s sleep before a full day of conferencing. (On the other hand, if people have had too much fun that night, there is a Costa Coffee on campus available to help aid the sleep deprived in the morning).

Night 2 For the second evening of the conference, we have organised a gala dinner in our large and stylish Great Hall. Before the meal, there will be a drinks reception on the Piazza, accompanied by music to showcase some of Exeter’s finest talents, such as the Jazz Orchestra and acapella groups. In keeping with promoting Exeter’s talents, we also want to promote the delights of the South West through the dinner, by supplying local ciders and locally sourced food. Much of the campus’s food is already locally sourced, but we will strive to make sure that this is maintained at the dinner.

Following the dinner, we will announce the Voice of the Awards winner and host Demo Factor on the Great Hall stage. To bring this evening to a close, the hall will host our version of one of Exeter’s most popular nights out: Itchy Feet is a vintage dance night and plays anything from folk to rock’n’roll to reggae. We intend to use a live band for the dance, which will finish at 1.00am.

Budget All entertainment costs have been factored into our budget, such as room decor and security provision. Warwick Events will also provide the tech support and lighting for the Great Hall, and they have a deal with the University that gives us a good rate for this service.

7. Budget and Dates DATES After reviewing the Easter vacation dates of universities across the UK, we propose to host the 2014 Student Radio Conference between Saturday, 12th April 2014 and Monday, 14th April 2014. Ticket sales will need to close on Friday, 7th February 2014 so that final numbers of delegates can be with Holland Hall by Monday, 10th February 2014.

BUDGET A thorough budget has been prepared, with VAT included on all quotes, for different levels of attendance, between 350 and 500 delegates. There are some items related to the gala dinner that we have included as optional extras – and have shown how much they will add per person. This will give the SRA some flexibility to keep costs down.

The headline figures are included below:

300 VARIABLE COSTS Catering (excl. Gala Dinner) Gala Dinner & Entertainment FIXED COSTS Tech Support Facilities Security Sundries (Signage, etc.)

Sub Total COST PER PERSON ROOMS (per person, 2 nights) Single Occupancy Double Occupancy TOTAL COST PER PERSON Single Occupancy Double Occupancy OPTIONAL ADD-ONS (cost per person) Drinks on table at formal (local cider) Cava drinks reception on Forum Piazza

Cost (£) at different attendance levels 350 400 450

500

11,183.85 13,002.83 14,821.80 16,640.78 18,459.75 4,500.00 5,250.00 6,000.00 6,750.00 7,500.00 6,683.85 7,752.83 8,821.80 9,890.78 10,959.75 2,957.60 2,957.60 2,957.60 2,957.60 2,957.60 1,030.80 610.00 940.80 376.00 14,141.45 15,960.43 17,779.40 19,598.38 21,417.35 47.14 45.60 44.45 43.55 42.83

55.92 42.83

103.06 89.97

101.52 88.43

100.37 87.28

99.47 86.38

98.76 85.66

£2.11 £2.25

£1.81 £2.25

£1.81 £2.25

£1.81 £2.25

£1.81 £2.25

A full budget has been included in an Excel spreadsheet attached to this proposal.

8. Organisation Xpression FM will set up a dedicated committee to plan and run the conference. As well as our station members, we’ll recruit from other parts of the University, including students of Events Management from the University’s top-rated Business School. The committee positions are summarised below with:

Student Radio Association ———————————— Xpression FM Committee SRACon Committee Voluntary roles

Conference Host

Paid staff/student/groups Deputy Conference Host

Heads of Logistics (x2) Volunteer Leaders

Heads of Facilities (x2) Accommodation & IT Staff

Night Wardens

Heads of Entertainment (x2) Photographer

Head of Design

Performers, DJs, etc.

Volunteer Teams

Xpression’s bid for the Student Radio Conference 2014 has the full backing of Exeter University and the Student’s Guild. Both were heavily involved in NaSTA40 this year; many of the elements that made that event such a success will be repeated for this conference, saving both the SRA and organisational committee time and money. SRACon 2014 will be in safe hands in Exeter.

The full job descriptions for the above-mentioned committee positions and a project timeline are attached to this proposal.

9. Summary We want to host the 2014 Student Radio Conference in Exeter, and here’s why...

The station is the best it’s ever been. With a new logo, new sound, the diversification of our output and the growth of our active membership, Xpression FM is at its strongest in years.

So is the University, which won the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2012/2013. By having SRACon in Exeter, we will be taking advantage of the £270m investment made by University on the development of the main Streatham campus.

Exeter has great transport links by rail, bus, air and car. Exeter is just over two hours from London by train. The city also has many direct rail and coach links, whilst the M5 connects Exeter with most cities and Exeter Airport has flights to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Once delegates arrive on campus, all the conference facilities (The Alumni Auditorium, Seminar Rooms, Exploration Labs, Great Hall and food outlets) are under one roof (The Forum), while Holland Hall and the Lemon Grove are only 5-10 minutes away by foot.

We have the experience from NaSTA40, the best student television awards and conference yet. This means our University are used to hosting an event like the conference and also shows how well-suited our facilities are.

The formal dinner will provide a new aspect to the conference with the meal and after dinner entertainment giving delegates a chance to dress up, dine in style and have a night to remember.

We also have great endorsements and wonderful connections locally...

10. Endorsements and Station Links In April 2013, Exeter played host to NaSTA40. Here’s what some of those involved had to say about Exeter...

“As a BBC reporter and presenter, I gave a speech at the recent NaSTA Conference held at Exeter University. It was superbly organised from the initial contact I had with the organisers to the final event. I was enormously impressed by the students’ efforts and talent in putting on such a major and complicated gathering. It was slick, clear, creative and fun. The Guild greeted every delegate with a smile - and their hard work made sure everyone KEPT smiling throughout the entire weekend. The new facilities on campus are second-to-none and, based on my experience, I would not hesitate to endorse Exeter’s bid to hold similar events in the future”.

Jon Kay BBC News West of England Correspondent “I was involved with XTV and Xpression FM for the 40th NaSTA and I have to say was mightily impressed. The facilities available, along with the passion, talent and overwhelming want to produce a fantastic show, and a very heavily polished tv webcast, was astonishing. Everyone made fantastic use of excellent technical and editorial knowledge to produce a very enjoyable and rewarding show.”

Chris Cook Lead Director, The Andrew Marr Show Senior Director, BBC News at Six and Ten “I have nothing but good things to say about the conference facilities at the University of Exeter. From the quality of the accommodation and surroundings, the friendly and accommodating staff on hand during my stay, through to the student friendly prices at the bar. Exeter struck the balance just right, between a professional high quality conference experience that was delivered in a student friendly manner”.

Matt Capon NaSTA Returning Officer 2012/2013 “The facilities at the 40th NaSTA Conference and Awards were world class, boasting one of the most impressive student campuses I have experienced. The venue for the awards night was spectacular and lent itself well to sleek decoration, whilst the accommodation provided at Holland Halls suited the communal atmosphere of the event perfectly” Dom Kullander NaSTA Development Officer 2012/2013

10. Endorsements and Station Links

(cont’d)

Xpression FM has the support of both the University of Exeter’s Senior Management Team and the University of Exeter Students’ Guild to host the 2014 Student Radio Conference in Exeter.

“Having worked with many student media volunteers during my time in Students’ Unions (either as a media volunteer (even attending a Student Radio Conference, many years ago!), a Student Media Co-ordinator or in my current role), I can safely say that the co-ordination team for the bid are amongst the very best I have seen. The commitment and passion they have for this project; merged with the thorough planning and in-depth budget presented thus far fill me with every confidence that they would deliver a truly exceptional event, if selected.

As shown at major events that the Students’ Guild has played a role in (such as NUS Students’ Unions 2012 or the NaSTA 40 Awards), we have an outstanding working relationship with the University; ensuring that delegates for any event we have an involvement with receive a truly exceptional experience. Indeed, the University itself is lucky to possess some of the best facilities and accommodation in the Higher Education sector, not to mention the campus setting and local area itself being truly stunning.

I hope you believe Xpression’s bid is as strong as we think it is and I hope that we are able to welcome you and the delegates to Exeter, for the 2014 conference.”

Gareth Oughton Director of Membership Services & People Development University of Exeter Students’ Guild Senior Management Team “The students working on the proposal and the Students’ Guild have produced a detailed budget that covers all aspects of expenditure and they are wholly capable of delivering a first rate conference.

Exeter played host to the NaSTA 40 awards last year and this was a huge success; not just in the university’s eyes but those of the national executive body and the students that attended.

Our conference team in Event Exeter have reserved all the accommodation and facilities outlined in the bid for the dates specified. We are also able to provide advertising space in the Forum for any sponsors.

We are privileged to occupy a stunning campus here in Exeter, and the brand new facilities offered by the completion of the Forum project means that we are a highly rated venue in the conference market -with companies and institutes from around the UK choosing to hold their conferences here.

We hope you find Exeter’s bid as worthy of hosting the 2014 Conference and we hope to welcome you to the University next Easter.”

Geoff Pringle Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Director of Campus Services Vice Chancellor’s Executive Group, University of Exeter The full endorsement letters have been attached separately.

10. Endorsements and Station Links

(cont’d)

Xpression FM is also fortunate to have the support of local BBC and commercial radio stations in hosting SRACon 2014. These stations have all expressed that they will be happy to provide speakers for the conference.

“Xpression is a radio station run by a fun, exciting, dynamic team who fully understand their responsibility of running a heritage university radio station. Frequent winners of the SRA Awards, Xpression fly the flag for vibrant student life in the South West and are acknowledged as a part of the media landscape here with close connections to both commercial and BBC stations. Bringing the SRA conference to the South West for the first time is an excellent opportunity to showcase a dynamic region where radio stations have some of the best reach figures in the county. This is combined with excellent transport links to London and the Midlands plus a brilliant coastal landscape as a backdrop to the week. BBC Radio Devon’s Exeter Studios are located next door to the University, affording great opportunities for BBC involvement in the exciting week they’ve planned for the student radio industry.”

Mark Grinnell Editor, BBC Radio Devon Mark is also happy to organise a workshop at the BBC Exeter Studios in the conference.

“Xpression has long been a valuable asset at Exeter University, giving students quality experience in a live broadcasting environment. At Radio Exe, we frequently take work experience students from Xpression - and without exception they have been hardworking, talented people who have already got ‘hours on the clock’ so that they can make a positive contribution to the station from day one. Exeter is a vibrant, exciting place to be right now; with the university, college, museum and rugby team all gaining national accolades in the last year. It will provide the perfect backdrop for the student radio conference. Radio Exe will assist in any way we can” Paul Nero Chief Executive, Radio Exe “Exeter University is one of the oldest universities in the country steeped in history and culture. Xpression FM are a dynamic radio station within the Uni providing popular programming to students. They innovate with exciting and challenging programmes that have won numerous awards. Their ambition to bring the SRA conference to the South West is huge and the passionate Xpression FM team will be the perfect hosts. Heart’s South West studios are located in Exeter which means we are perfectly placed to be involved in an exciting week for the student radio community.”

Richard Spencer Programme Controller, Heart South West

Xpression FM Devonshire House Stocker Road Exeter EX4 4PZ Devon www.xpression.fm

Station Manager Hazel Morgan @hazelcmorgan hcm208@exeter.ac.uk

Deputy Station Manager Matthew Bate @MattBate20 mb447@exeter.ac.uk