Adults Connected by Cleft 2025
Adults Connected by Cleft 2025
Join CLAPA in Manchester this summer for a day of talks, workshops and discussions – for adults born with a cleft lip and/or palate.
Saturday 14th June
Friends’ Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, MANCHESTER, M2 5NS
Agenda
The agenda is subject to change, as we confirm more details – please check back for more information.
Registration will start at 9:30 am, with tea and coffee, and the first talk starting at 10:00 am. We understand some of you may need to travel to Manchester, so will be delighted to welcome you throughout the day if you can’t arrive before 10:00am. The event will finish at 4:30 pm.
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Arrival and registration |
Friends’ Meeting House, Manchester Friends’ Meeting House |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Welcome and CLAPA update |
Oliver Rendell (Chair of Trustees) Claire Cunniffe (CEO) |
| 10:30 – 11:30 | Workshops |
Select the topic you are most interested in when booking: Returning to treatment: This session will be exploring returning to the NHS Cleft Team for treatment. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from others, share your experiences of returning to treatment, and ask for advice or have your questions answered. Your cleft journey: Attendees will have the opportunity to identify milestones in their cleft journey, and reflect upon their experiences. Family and friends: This session is open to any guests joining us on the day, who are friends or family of adults born with a cleft. They will have a chance to explore and discuss supporting their loved ones on their cleft journey. CLAPA campaigning: More information to follow. Surgery in adulthood: More information to follow. In the workplace: This session will focus on starting employment, including applying for jobs, preparing for interviews, taking time off for treatment, and dealing with difficult situations. Genetics: More information to follow. Hearing: More information to follow. (Workshop content may change due to availability, please check back for any updates.) |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Break | Tea/coffee, biscuits and pastries available. |
| 11:45 – 12:30 | Presentation | Lived experience panel: Join members of CLAPA’s community as they share their experiences. |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | Lunch |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Workshops |
Select the topic you are most interested in when booking: Returning to treatment: Information as above for morning workshop. Your cleft journey: Information as above for morning workshop. Family and friends: Information as above for morning workshop. CLAPA campaigning: More information to follow. Surgery in adulthood: More information to follow. In the workplace: Information as above for morning workshop. Genetics: More information to follow. Hearing: More information to follow. (Workshop content may change due to availability, please check back for any updates.) |
|
14:30 – 15:15 |
Presentation |
Cleft@18-30 – Professor Yvonne Wren Professor Yvonne Wren will be joining us to talk about Cleft @18-23 – a new research programme which will investigate outcomes at the end of routine care for young adults born with a cleft lip and/ or palate. |
| 15:15 – 15:30 | Break | Tea/coffee, biscuits and pastries available. |
| 15:30 – 16:15 | Presentation |
Campaigning with CLAPA – Lachlan Bruce Lachlan Bruce, CLAPA’s Policy and Campaigns Manager, will be delighted to share with you CLAPA’s new journey into the world of policy and campaigning. |
| 16:15 – 16:30 | Closing Remarks | Tony, Patient Representative and member of the Adult Focus Group |
Tickets
Who is this event for?
This conference is for adults born with a cleft. Each adult attendee can bring up to two additional guests, such as friends or family members. A ticket must be purchased for each additional guest.
Please note this event is not aimed at parents, carers, or families of young children born with a cleft.
Clinicians and researchers are welcome to attend, but should keep in mind that the primary focus will be on supporting, informing and empowering adults born with a cleft.
Price
Tickets are on sale at £25, a discounted price thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
For those on a low income we are offering a ticket option of £15, as we recognise some attendees may be less able to pay.
What’s included in the ticket price?
Lunch, tea/coffee, biscuits and pastries are included in the cost of your ticket.
All workshops and talks are available to all attendees (although some workshops will run simultaneously).
We regret that we cannot cover travel or accommodation expenses for attendees.
How to book
We have a strictly limited number of tickets available, so please book ASAP to avoid disappointment.
You can bring up to two guests with you (you’ll need to pay for each ticket).
When booking, please let us know if you have any dietary or access requirements, and we’ll be in touch if we have any further questions.
We will have multiple workshops taking place at the same time. When booking, please state which workshop you would prefer to join so we can plan accordingly. You can change your mind on the day.
This event is made possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Other information
The venue
You can find out more information about the venue, including how to get there, and suggestions for local accommodation, here:
https://meetinghousemanchester.co.uk/welcome-information-saturday-and-evening-events/
Contact
Please get in touch with [email protected] if you have any questions about this event.
On the day
We recognise that, for some attendees, this event may bring up unexpected emotions. We would like to reassure you that you will be in a safe space, and CLAPA staff and counsellors will be on hand to have a chat with anyone who’d like to.
We want everyone attending our event to feel comfortable, and we understand some people prefer to watch and listen rather than share or ask questions themselves. You are under no pressure to contribute, and can choose to get involved as little or as much as you’d like. If you want to tell us the level of interaction that is right for you, then you can do that by choosing from the options on the sign up form or letting us know on the day.
Photography
During the event we will be taking photographs throughout. If you or your guests do not wish to have your photo taken, please indicate this on your sign up form. We will also aim to confirm this with you on the day, during registration. If we do not receive a response by 1st June 2025, we will assume consent for photography is provided. Please contact [email protected] if you wish to further discuss photography at the event.
Refunds
You can request a refund of your ticket price up to 14 days prior to the start of the event (1st June 2025). We regret it will not be possible for us to provide a refund after this date.
When will a full agenda be available?
We are still finalising details of the full agenda – these will be published as soon as we are able to.