Welcome & Opening Remarks

Wow, wow, wow, wow. This is a big a big room full of a lot of people. This is so exciting and incredible. This is the biggest Bides ever. So, welcome everyone to Bides Belfast 2025. It is incredible to have you here. Um, and yeah, we've been working away, working away. So, it's exciting that we're finally here. We have an incredible lineup for you today. Um, I am going to need to my notes to remember what I need to say because I'm a bit overwhelmed. Um, okay. So, general kind of I'll try to keep this short because we're running a little bit late because there's so many of you that have come in through the doors there just now. Um, general

housekeeping. There's no fire drills planned. Uh, you can see all the fire exits if there's if there's one that happens. Um, follow the staff. Um, couple of things. This is our main primary track. The second track is outside of up the to the right. Uh track two is in the library room. Uh there's bathrooms here. There's bathrooms at the back of track two. Um out to the front and up the windy staircase brings you to the first floor to the grand ballroom where all the exhibition stand is. Most of you have been there this morning. There's bathrooms in the stairwell there. Um any questions at all? All of us in purple t-shirts, crew t-shirts, um

we can help you. So just ask please. Um I'll ask please. Mobile phones on silent. You've heard all this. Um also this is a community conference. We're here. Um it's all voluntary uh for the community by the community. And um it's a great day. If you have if you've been here before, you'll know. If you haven't, um I really hope you enjoy your day. Um I mentioned it's a community conference. There's lots of us here in the room who are competitors. Let's put that aside for today. We're all here together to learn and have a great day. Um, so be welcoming. I hope you find it welcoming so far. Please be welcoming and speak to sponsors, speak to other

people. Um, if you're standing in a huddle, leave a little bit of a gap for someone to step into your conversation. Uh, and please make an effort to be inclusive. Um, right. Wristbands for the afterparty, uh, I must mention, uh, several times throughout the day. Um, they won't be available until 1:00. uh at the black duck stand. You can go and pester black duck black duck to make sure they keep you on between now and then, but they won't have any until 1:00. Okay, I'll say more about that later. Um schedule is on your brochure back page for convenience and there's another one inside. Um it's all correct and up to date as far as uh as of now. Um just

there's one uh Adesh's workshop um had to be cancelled unfortunately. his flight got delayed by 24 hours which inconveniently means he can't be here. Um right so without further ado I will love absolute pleasure to um introduce Valerie Wilson for our opening keynote. Um have a super day everyone.