Lobbying workshop for Ovacome members, Saturday 16th November

[SoniaOvacome]

Ovacome works with national stakeholders to campaign for improvements but we know that through telling your story, you can make a difference and inspire people to take action.

We would like to invite all Ovacome members to attend a workshop where you can find out more about how you can campaign to improve services and experiences for women with ovarian cancer. The workshop will cover the following areas and will include interactive sessions where you can learn practical campaigning skills:

• Why do we need to campaign locally?

• Who are the people that matter?

• How to contact them

• How to get your message across

• How to encourage people to take action

We have invited Fiona Mactaggart, Member of Parliament for Slough, and Nicola Carslaw, former BBC journalist, to speak and share their insights about political and media campaigning through volunteer-led activity. You will also receive materials and a practical guide with tips to help you to arrange meetings and messages on key ovarian cancer issues for you to use. For the full agenda please email [e-mail]

The workshop will be facilitated by MHP Health, a health policy consultancy that has worked with Ovacome to develop policy and campaigning materials and facilitated a successful workshop with patients and carers on quality in ovarian cancer services earlier this year. This project has been supported by funding from Roche Products Limited. Full editorial control for all materials and the content of the meeting rests with Ovacome.

This event is open to members of Ovacome only, so if you would like to attend but are not a member please contact the office on 0207 299 6654 or [e-mail] to join today. Membership is free.

Please note that lunch and refreshment will be provided. If you have any questions, or to confirm your attendance, please contact Anna Appleton, on [e-mail] /020 3128 8127 or Sonia Vig on [e-mail] /02072996654

Many thanks,

The Ovacome Team.

Workshop: how to campaign for better services and experiences for women with ovarian cancer

Saturday 16 November 2013, 10am-2pm

Ovacome, Suite B5, City Cloisters, 196 Old Street, London, EC1V 9FR

[wendydee]

Sounds really good but we're off to see Glyndebourne Travelling Opera that weekend in Canterbury. Otherwise I'd have loved to attend.

Love Wendy xx

[Hidden in reply to wendydee]

Wendy .. Glyndbourne is on my hit list. I'm going to the Royal Opera House next May which I'm so excited about. X x

[wendydee in reply to Hidden]

It's ages since I've been there, I absolutely love it there. We've seen. Few operas and a couple of recitals there. Look at the prices and wonder if we can afford it these days I am sure you'll love it...it has a unique atmosphere. Enjoy! xx

[Anne-2 in reply to wendydee]

Hi Wendy, we went to see Hansel und Gretl on Tuesday (£10 tickets courtesy of the Daily Mail) and had a lovely time- enjoy!

Love

Anne x

[wendydee in reply to Anne-2]

We're off to see l'Elisir d' Amore. Can't wait. We went to see them in Norwich last year in Marriage of Figaro. The Travelling opera are up-and-coming Glyndebourne artists and we have never been disappointed by the quality. Much more affordable than the Real Thing, all though I have that on my bucket list too!

[MargaretJ in reply to wendydee]

What a cultured lot we are! I am going to see Death in Venice at Opera North in Leeds tonight with another of our number (I have had 2 subscription seats since 1979 for every production). I keep hoping that my daughter will treat me to ROH one of these days! She and her brother took me to see Aida in Verona for my 70th!

[wendydee in reply to MargaretJ]

Enjoy, Margaret! xx

[Anne-2 in reply to wendydee]

Hi Wendy

We were actually fortunate enough to see the Marriage of Figaro at Glyndebourne at the beginning of this years' festival, but only because our deacons' son works there and had some tickets going begging for the final dress rehearsal- they run this as a performance with the break for your picnic in between. It was a beautiful evening and absolutely magical!

The seats were in the second to front row and we would never have afforded them. I quite fancy going on the backstage tour that they do which is very reasonably priced and includes refreshments.

Enjoy yourselves

Love

Anne xx

[wendydee in reply to Anne-2]

What a wonderful experience that must have been xx

[MargaretJ]

I would attend but I cannot afford to travel to London for this! I have had 2 other trips to London for another charity recently and they paid my fare, Which I was able to keep to a minimum by booking 12 weeks ahead. At this notice it is likely to cost £80+

[Hidden]

I also think this a very interesting event, but London is a long day with travel for me, and very expensive. Would you hold similar events in the provinces?

Isadora.

[LouiseOvacome My Ovacome Team in reply to Hidden]

Hi Isadora, We would love to. Lets see how this one goes first, then we will look at the devolved nations. We would much rather not do everything in London, but when we have run events in other areas they were less well attended and some complained that the public transport links were poor. (Plus getting the MPs there etc.)

L

[MargaretJ in reply to LouiseOvacome]

Try offering expenses to representatives from the 'provinces'! Booking ahead can result in very reasonable fares! I, for one, can get a return to London for things on Fridays for £20 return by travelling down late on Thurs afternoons, staying with my daughter in N London and returning at 9AM on Mondays but I need to book well in advance. I am sure that there are equally cheap fares available from other parts of the country with advanced booking!

I know my MP and will write to him urging him to attend. Hopefully he will have picked up on my piece in the local press and, as I am a member of his party, he is likely to pay attention.

I lobbied him on behalf of another organisation last year and he did me the courtesy of giving me an hour of his time and taking the paperwork!

Margaret

[Hidden]

Hi there

I think it's wonderful this has been arranged. However, I'll in all probability be on chemo that week. I've seen my MP and am working with an agent of the Local Authority on data so this would be very useful for me. I hope the day goes well. Love Tina x x

[Dyana]

I would like to attend. Can I book a place please, dyana

[LouiseOvacome My Ovacome Team in reply to Dyana]

Of course. Please can you email Sonia in the office? [e-mail]