The Town Hall, CheltenhamFri 21 May 2010, 14:30 |
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| From | To | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:45 | 13:45 | Arrival, Registration and Robing |  |
| 10:45 | 14:00 | Official Photographer available, during these hours only. | |
| 13:00 | 14:15 | All graduates and guests to be seated | |
| 14:30 | 16:00 | Ceremony takes place | |
| 16:00 | 16:30 | Graduates to return robes to the robing area. | |
| 16:00 | 16:45 | After the ceremony drinks will be available in the Pillar Room and Buffet Room | |
back to topContacts
Please note, all information about this ceremony will be sent to you via e-mail. If we do not hold an e-mail address on file for you this mailing will be posted. For any queries before the ceremony, please contact:
The Open University in the South West
4 Portwall Lane
Bristol
BS1 6ND
Tel: 0117 929 9641
Fax: 0117 988 8067
south-west@open.ac.uk
Address
The Town Hall
Imperial Square
Cheltenham
GL50 1QA
Telephone number
01242 521 621
On the day contacts
If there are any urgent messages on the day of the ceremony please ring the Town Hall on 01242 521621 who will pass the message to Pat Baker the ceremony organiser.
back to topThe location
Cheltenham
Cheltenham is a Regency Spa Town that has attracted visitors for hundreds of years.
The Town Hall
The Town Hall was built in 1902-3 and acted as the town's central focus. It was designed by a Gloucester architect, Frederick William Waller.
In 1906, in order to boost Cheltenham's flagging reputation as a spa, the Corporation opened the new Central Spa, which is based on one side of the Town Hall lobby. The spa waters were and still are available to visitors, dispensed by tap from elaborate marble urns.
Overnight stay
For details of hotels in the area and further information about this historic town, contact the Tourist Information Centre on 01242 522878 or email: tic@cheltenham.gov.uk. You can also visit their website at:
http://www.visitcheltenham.gov.uk
back to topGetting there
By car
Leave the M5 at Junction 11. Follow signs to the Town Centre. Cheltenham Town Hall is situated along Imperial Square, off the Promenade.
Parking
There is no parking available at the venue, however there are several car parks nearby. There are two 'Park and Ride' facilities on the outskirts of Cheltenham. Please allow plenty of time to negotiate the traffic and to park.
By train
The railway station is situated 2 miles outside the town. Bus and taxi services provide convenient links to the centre.
By bus or coach
The main Bus Station is 100 metres away.
back to topOn the day
Arrival and registration
Registration opens at 10:45. Immediately on arrival please go to the relevant registration desk, situated to the right of the Town Hall Box Office. At registration graduates will be given an envelope containing guest tickets and a presentation card with their name and seat number on it. Please keep your presentation card safe and make sure you sit in the seat allocated to you.
Robing
Please register before collecting your robe. Graduates who have paid to hire robes should collect them from the robing area in the Drawing Room, which is clearly signposted from The Open University registration desks. Robes can be collected from 10:45 and should be returned promptly after the ceremony and no later than 16:30.
Details of gowns can be found under Helpful info.
The ceremony
The ceremony will take place in the Main Hall, which will be open at 13.00. Graduates will be seated en bloc with fellow graduates in presentation order. It is important that graduates occupy the seat shown on their presentation card. Guest tickets are not numbered and people can choose where they sit (some seats may be reserved for those with mobility problems). Graduates and guests should be seated by 14.15.
Pronunciation
If your name has an unusual pronunciation that you would like to clarify for your on-stage presentation, please telephone the Ceremonies Team on 0117 929 9641 as soon as possible to ensure that the Graduate Presenter pronounces your name correctly.
Photography
The photographers will be available from 10:45 until 14:00 (scrolls are provided).
Details of the service provided by Ede and Ravenscroft Photography Ltd can be found under Helpful info.
back to topFacilities
Refreshments
The Buffet Room will be open from 10:30 for the sale of tea and coffee and light refreshments. Meals will be available over the lunch period. Please note that seating is extremely limited; alternatively there are many cafes, restaurants and pubs close to the Town Hall.
The Pillar Room will be open from 10.30 for the sale of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks.
After the ceremony the University would like to offer you and your guests a glass of sparkling wine or orange juice, this will be served in the Pillar Room and Buffet Room.
Access
Access is good for those with mobility difficulties. There are ramps to enter the building front and rear, and there is good internal access as all ground floor areas are flat with no steps.
However, there is a short flight of steps onto the stage, graduates who are wheelchair users will be offered a presentation from the auditorium.
If any guests are wheelchair users or have mobility problems please contact the Ceremonies Team at least 4 weeks before the ceremony to make the necessary arrangements. Telephone: 0117 9299 641 or email: south-west@open.ac.uk
Cloakroom
There are no cloakroom facilities at Cheltenham. Pushchairs may be left at owners risk behind the Open University registration desk during the ceremony.
Children
Children are welcome at the ceremony. However because of the length of the ceremony it may be unsuitable for very young children who may disturb the ceremony for others. Please note that children cannot sit with graduates during the ceremony, and that pushchairs are not allowed in the hall. Children of four and over must have a separate ticket and seat.
Creche
There is no crèche facility available at the venue.