Brief Conference write up

Have just got back from Birmingham and I think I can honestly say that this has been the best conference that I have ever been too. My first conference was eight years ago in 2002 and back then we were in opposition, Iain Duncan Smith was our leader and gave the closing speech. It was a fun time and I have many happy memories of being propped up at the bar at the Highcliff debating with shadow cabinet members as well as being one of the few CFers around thus having lots of press interviews.

Now, we had a closing conference speech from the Prime Minister from the ICC in Birmingham and the membership of CF has peaked to 15,000- how things have changed since 2002!

This was also the first conference for me that I have been Deputy Chair Membership of CF and it was great to meet so many enthusiastic and hard working activists. I am currently working out how to improve our membership database and am in discussions with CCHQ about this. If you have any ideas at all or want to help me out with this task then please contact me.

Conference was very busy for me as I was there in three capacities; as a Councillor, Deputy Chair Membership of CF and also entertaining clients for work. However I had a great time and managed to stay up until the early hours of each morning after the dinners, receptions and after drinking at the Hyatt.

I went to four dinners but the best two were no doubt the CWF one with Michael Gove and Syed Kamall MEP’s infamous conference curry!

I also helped out a lot with this year’s social action project at the Dolphin Centre and a write up will follow on this soon.

Our first executive meeting went well and I look forward to working with Alexandra Swann, James Deighton and Ben Howlett to get CF moving again.

Our first Regional College meeting went well too and it was great to meet so many Regional Chairs who were really positive about CF’s future.

I will do a proper write up on these meetings with photos but for now let me leave you with these….

Me with RC Nic Clark at PM's speech; me with Jason Theo-George & me at DC's speech on floor