1 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) A Belfast Welcome

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1 1 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) A Belfast Welcome

2 2 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Welcome to Belfast Belfast City Hall

3 3 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Welcome from Phyllis Grothier All-Ireland President Dear Fellow Members, September 2013 Members in All of Ireland are looking forward very much to the General Meeting on 21st June The venue will be the Waterfront Hall in Belfast city the same venue as On Friday 20th June at 7.30 p.m. there will be a service in St. Anne s Cathedral, Belfast at which the preacher will be the Most Rev. Clarke Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. You will find information on how to apply for tickets for the Service in the enclosed information pack. With regular sea ferries and flights we would encourage you to extend your stay and enjoy the city or travel further afield. Your pack includes useful travel and accommodation information. We are privileged to be hosting this event and look forward to offering you a warm welcome to Belfast in With best wishes, Phyllis Grothier All-Ireland President

4 4 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Timetable and Ticket Sales Belfast City Hall

5 5 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Timetable and Tickets Friday 20 th June pm Service at St Anne s Cathedral Saturday 21 st June am 3.30pm General Meeting at the Waterfront Belfast General Meeting Tickets Tickets will go on sale at 9.00am on 17th February 2014, priced at 8.50 Tickets can be booked in person at the Waterfront or Ulster Hall box offices, by phone on (Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm) and online at Handling and booking charges apply online and by phone. Phone: 1 per ticket with 0.50 per transaction to post tickets. Online: 1.50 per transaction (max 10 tickets per booking) Reservation service: it is possible to reserve tickets over the phone and then send a cheque. The 0.50 fee per transaction to cover postage. Returns policy the Waterfront operates a no exchange or refund policy on all tickets booked. Reselling tickets either before the event or at the event is not permissible. The Waterfront will provide a Walk in service for returns on the day. These will be made available for people to gain tickets on the day for a donation to Mothers Union. Special requirements The Waterfront has specific areas in the hall that are used for patrons with special requirements/access needs. These are clearly indicated on the website but it is advised that visitors with specific needs, including loop system requirements, contact the Box Office directly to discuss the best options for them. Service tickets On Friday 20th June, there will be a special service at St. Anne s Cathedral in Belfast at 7.30pm At this service in St. Anne s Cathedral, space will be at a premium with a maximum of 1,200 seats available. We will endeavour to allocate as many tickets as possible based on the number requested and the number available. In a limited number of cases we may not be able to issue the full number of tickets requested for the service as the Cathedral holds fewer people than the number likely to attend the General Meeting. How to reserve your ticket Tickets for the Service will be available from 17th February You must enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (UK or Eire Stamp acceptable) with your ticket application. Tickets will be allocated and issued from 28th February 2014 this will be based on looking at all the applications for seats to ensure a fair allocation to all members. Service Ticket Application Form available here information-pack Refreshments at the General Meeting Refreshments will be available to purchase from the Waterfront on the day of the General Meeting and it is only a short walk into the town where there are many cafes and restaurants. Although packed lunches are not allowed in the main auditorium, foyer or bar areas there will be a designated area for those who wish to bring their own refreshments. All information regarding ticketing and the General Meeting, along with special offers from Visit Belfast will be available from the new Mothers Union website nearer the General Meeting,

6 6 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Accommodation From quality budget campus accommodation and 3 star hotels, to 5 star luxury accommodation Belfast has it covered. Visit Belfast have worked to secure a range of special conference rates across a number of accommodation providers. These rates are exclusive to Mother s Union delegates and can be booked directly at Rooms available from 34 bed & breakfast per person per night. If you have any questions about accommodation or are unable to book online please contact Hannah Massey at Visit Belfast who will be happy to assist. hannahmassey@visit-belfast.com or call +44(0) This accommodation rate is not available directly with hotels, it is only bookable through Visit Belfast. However, do feel free to book your accommodation independently if you prefer.

7 7 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Getting to and around Belfast Rise Sculpture

8 8 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Travelling to Belfast Getting to Belfast couldn t be easier. We ve got three airports, sea crossings from Scotland and England and a direct rail link from Dublin. Coming from further afield? No problem. You can fly direct to Belfast from over twenty European cities and a number of North American locations. And once you arrive, you ll find it s just as easy to get around as it was getting here. What are you waiting for? Consider this your personal invitation! By Air George Best Belfast City Airport The airport is situated just three miles from Belfast City Centre. Please check for flight information. The Airport Express 600 bus service runs from the airport terminal to the city centre every 20 minutes ( ) Monday to Friday. Please check for services on Saturdays and Sundays. Belfast International Airport Belfast International Airport is 30 minutes drive via the M2 Motorway. Please check for flight information. The Airport Express 300 service operates between the airport and Belfast City Centre every 15 minutes Monday to Friday, every 20 minutes on Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sunday. This service operates 24 hours a day however night services are less frequent. Please check for services during off peak times and weekends. Airport Transfers T: Value Cabs T: By Sea Belfast is easily accessed by sea with crossings from both Scotland and England. Travel by state of the art superfast ferries with journey times from just 2 hours 15 minutes. Operators and travel times vary. Please check out Stena Line, P&O Irish Sea and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for travel options. By Rail An Enterprise service runs 8 times daily (5 times on Sundays) from Belfast to Dublin. The journey time is approximately 2 hours. T: By Bus Dublin Airport Express Coach Service operates to Dublin Airport, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours. T: By Road from Dublin Starting out from Dublin Airport, the M1 Motorway is well signposted for Belfast; this is a toll road and there is one Toll Plaza approximately 31 km from Dublin Airport. Continue on this Motorway signposted for Belfast. Just after passing the City of Newry the road becomes a dual carriageway (A1) and Motorway regulations fall away. At the Sprucefield roundabout (approximately 137 km from Dublin Airport) the A1 joins the M1 motorway (signposted The North, Belfast). Once within the Greater Belfast area the signs will display as City Centre. At Grosvenor Road Junction (approximately 152 km) leave the motorway and follow signs City Centre onto the B38.

9 9 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) A Walkable City Cave Hill & Belfast Zoo Crumlin Road Gaol Titanic Belfast Titanic Quarter Belfast Murals Cathedral Quarter 20mins walk Belfast City Hall Belfast Waterfront 5mins walk Ulster Museum Queen s University

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11 11 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) General Information Belfast City Hall

12 12 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) Travelling to Belfast Communications The international code for Northern Ireland is The local code for Belfast is 90. The number for emergency services is 999. This will connect you to the fire brigade, police, ambulance, lifeboat and mountain rescue services. Directory enquiries can be contacted on or dial 0 from a public telephone for operator assistance. Internet and Wi-Fi access is widely available throughout the city and public terminals for internet access are available in the Belfast Welcome Centre. Most post offices are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm and some are also open on Saturday mornings. The main post office is located on Bridge Street in the city centre and is open 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday Banking Most banks are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. All major credit cards are widely accepted in the city and some shops will accept euro. There are foreign exchange facilities in the Belfast Welcome Centre. Shopping Many shops in the city centre follow these opening times: Mon - Tues: 9am-7pm / Wed - Fri: 9am-9pm / Saturday: 9am-6pm / Sunday: 1pm- 6pm Tipping Most restaurants add a discretionary service charge to the bill for parties of six people or more. If this charge is added to your bill, tipping is not necessary. If a service charge is not included, it is customary to tip 10-15%. Smoking Belfast has been a smoke free city since It is against the law to smoke in bars, restaurants, cafés, hotels, offices, factories and other places of work. Your accommodation may allow smoking in bedrooms but it is important to check this with staff or risk a fine. Many bars, clubs and restaurants have installed outdoor smoking areas for those who choose to smoke. Accessibility & Disability Links ADAPT NI Disability Action Disability Sports NI RNIB RNID Shop Mobility Belfast

13 13 BELFAST belfastconventionbureau.com +44 (0) We look forward to welcoming you soon Drawing Offices, Titanic Quarter