Background
West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust organises an annual event, the John Cairns Research Prize Day, to showcase its trainees’ research projects, leading to the awarding of the Cairns Ophthalmology Research Prize.
In Summer 2019 it was held at Murray Edwards College, using the facilities in the self-contained Buckingham House Conference Centre.
Event
The one-day meeting included presentations by the trainees and then, during the lunch break, a 45-minute private Art Tour of the collection of female works displayed throughout the College, the largest of its kind in Europe.
Artworks feature in many of the meeting spaces and public areas such as breakout rooms, areas for catering and networking and in the spectacular Dome dining hall.
Artists in the Collection include Maggi Hambling and Dame Paula Rego – both of whom are Honorary Fellows of the College – as well as works by Tracey Emin, Bridget Riley, Gillian Ayres and Dame Elisabeth Frink.
Feedback
Anthony Vivian who organised the event is Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist, Cambridge University Hospitals and Head of Postgraduate School of Ophthalmology, Health Education England.
He said: “We had a great day for the Cairns Ophthalmology Research Prize. Thank you for your help. We all absolutely loved the Art Tour, something that we would definitely repeat if we came back to Murray Edwards for future meetings which is highly likely.”
Date of event: 20th June 2019
Type of event: One day meeting with Art Tour
Group size: 40
Facilities used: Buckingham House
