With charity and association events on the increase, events agency Conference Care will help then gain a better understanding of how to capitalise and consolidate their meetings and events expenditure in 2008 and beyond at International Confex this week.

Louise Lowe, the agency’s head of sales, will be holding a seminar entitled Buying by Association, at 11.45 on 13 February at the event, which is taking place at London’s Earls Court. During her presentation, she will explore the different purchasing patterns and demands of the association buyer versus the corporate buyer. The talk will take an impartial look at how venues perceive associations and charities and how to secure the best deal from such venues and hotels.

Lowe will be joined by William Thomson from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, England and Wales (ICAEW). Thomson, events consultant and currently event development manager at ICAEW, will give an insider’s track into putting a policy together for meetings and events expenditure.

“The association, charity and not-for-profit sectors make up a significant part of the UK’s meetings and event sector,” said Lowe. “The objective of the talk is to impart some of the methodology we use for corporate buyers and in turn ensure that associations maximise their budgets and minimise their costs.”

Meanwhile, Duncan Reid, International Confex event director, commented: “Demand by associations and charities means that we have a dedicated stream of talks for the sector. Conference Care and ICAEW’s Buying by Association is an ideal forum in which to see how sound procurement and creativity can really make a difference to the organisation of events.”