From May 9th 2026 09:00 until May 9th 2026 16:00

At voco St. John's Hotel, 651 Warwick Rd, Solihull B91 1AT
Local Group Birmingham IA

Contact: maggie.butler@iasupport.org

This year’s Birmingham IA Information Day and Product Exhibition will be held on 9th May 2026 at Voco St John’s Hotel in Solihull.

We are returning, after a successful event here in 2024, because of its excellent facilities, delicious lunch menu, and good transport links.

This time, we will be using a much larger suite of rooms – the Malvern Suite.

The entrance to the Malvern Suite is on the right-hand side as you enter the car park.

There is plenty of free parking available in the car park, but you must register your vehicle once you enter the hotel.

The hotel is within walking distance of Solihull railway station.

The number 4 bus also stops near the hotel.

Free transport by minibus or taxi to and from the venue will be available from Quinton and also from Sutton Coldfield for those who need it, if it is requested at the time of booking.

To download detailed travel instructions click on this link: Travel-to-Voco-St-Johns-Hotel.docx

 

The Suppliers’ Exhibition will open at 9:00 am and presentations will start at 10:00 am.

We have a fantastic line-up of expert health professional speakers, complimentary beverages and refreshments during breaks, and a high-quality hot and cold buffet lunch will be available in the Brasserie Restaurant.

To help enable us to put on this event, we are requesting a donation of £10.00 per delegate to support the charity and cover lunch costs.

Please let Maggie Butler know as soon as possible if you would like to book a place: maggie.butler@iasupport.org, 0776 4942467, but by 27th April at the latest!

(If you would like to come but this payment poses a problem for you, please contact John Woolston in confidence on 07785 703071 or email: john.woolston@iasupport.org).

 

 

Birmingham IA Information Day 2026 – Programme

 

• 9:00 am – 10:00 am               Product Exhibition

 

• 10:00 am – 10:10 am               Welcome. Housekeeping. Tribute to Peggy Costello.

 

• 10:10 am – 10:20 am               Coloplast, Event Main Sponsor

 

• 10:20 am – 10:30 am               Libby Herbert, Chief Executive CUK.

Support for people living with a Stoma.

 

• 10:30 a.m – 11:00 am            Guest speaker Kerry Archer, (Cancer Specialist Physiotherapist, APPA Matwork)

EXPASS Guidelines and the Ostomy Studio

 

• 11:05 am – 11:35 am             Guest Speakers IA Counsellors — Carrie Helman and Aileen Macarthur (DIP Co MBACP, MCMA)

IA’s new Counselling Service

 

• 11:35 am – 12:05 pm              Coffee and Exhibition

 

• 12:05 pm – 12:35 pm              Guest speaker Shelagh Bickerton (National AKI Community of Practice Lead for the ANN UK, Lead Nurse for Acute Kidney Injury, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust)

Kidney Issues for Ostomists and Internal Pouch Patients

 

• 12:40 pm – 1:10 pm                Guest Speaker Arron Corless (Accessibility Operations Manager, Birmingham Airport)

The Ostomist Experience at Birmingham Airport.

 

• 1:10 pm – 2:10 pm                 Lunch Break and Exhibition

 

• 2:10 pm – 2:20 pm                 Raffle

 

• 2:20 pm – 2:50 pm                 Guest speaker Dr Ayman Bannaga (PhD, FRCP, Consultant Clinical Lead for Gastroenterology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.)

The use of Biological Therapy for Ostomy Patients

 

• 2:55 pm – 3:25 pm                 President’s Address: Ms Melissa Cunha (PhD, FRCS, Consultant Colorectal surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham)

Treating Cancer Patients: the challenges, complications, re-sections and successes.

 

• 3:25 pm – 3:50 pm                 Panel Question and Answer Session:

Ms Cunha, Dr Bannaga, Carrie Helman, Aileen MacArthur, Shelagh Bickerton, Arron Corless

Questions collected throughout the day, following presentations

 

• 3:50 pm – 4:00 pm               Tea and Coffee. Close of meeting.

 

We hope that you will be able to join us for what promises to be a great day!