camexpo – the UK’s only dedicated professional holistic event for CAM practitioners and therapists, returns to London’s Earls Court this weekend, on 20-21 October. The two-day show will celebrate its 10th anniversary edition, with 190 exhibiting companies representing leading manufacturers and suppliers showcasing everything from natural beauty and personal care to nutritional supplements, aromatherapy oils, herbal remedies, business services, and specialist training courses.
“Therapists who are serious about keeping up-to-date and enhancing their skill sets visit camexpo. It’s a rare, once in a year opportunity to meet all the industry experts under one roof. Think of it as an annual retreat where you visit for two days of inspiration for the rest of the 363 days!” says exhibitor Sumita Singh, director of Affable Therapy Training Limited, who is looking forward to meeting and doing business with the 5,000+ natural health care professionals and retailers the show annually attracts.
“camexpo is an excellent way of keeping up with what’s going on in an industry that is very fragmented, with most of us working as micro businesses in isolation. It’s an important event that helps us to reconnect with the bigger picture, keep an eye on the regulatory ball and explore new, quality educational opportunities…as well as catch up with old friends,” adds regular visitor Dr Alyssa Burns-Hill, hormone & holistic health specialist at Harley Street Hormone Health.
The essential event of the year for the UK’s entire CAM community, this weekend will see thousands of visitors – from sole practitioners and large CAM clinics to health care professionals, heath store retailers and press representatives – travel from all across the UK to attend the show’s CPD-accredited seminars and workshops, plus research the latest new products, services and training for their customers and clients.
First time exhibitors confirmed for 2012 include Successful Health Marketing, ismartmassage Therapy & Courses, Essex Logistics Ltd, BioActive Foods Europe BV from The Netherlands, Alokui skin care (Mediplus Ltd), Aquarian Therapy, and Nature Foods, who will all be participating in the show’s first ever Innovation Zone, which has been launched to offer visitors an even greater range of inspiring, unique and innovative products from new start-ups within their first few years of trading.
Of course there’s also plenty of innovation to be found all across the show floor and in the show’s New Product Showcase. This year’s New Product Showcase participants include Naturally Cool Kids; Kara Dairy Free; Bionutri; Manifest Health; Igennus Healthcare Nutrition; Bio-Kult (Probiotics International); Revolution Foods; BioCare; Eterno Naturals; Revital; Orassy Quantum Spa – Timewaver; Galway Natural Health; Affable Therapy Training Limited; Symprove Probiotics; Healing Bamboo/Kokoro Haramaki; Cress Ltd and Hopes Cream (distributor of Sukin natural skincare); payleven; and 1880 Life.
More show firsts include the introduction of a new Hot Topic Discussion Desk. A central hub for sharing experiences and expertise between industry peers, the two Hot Topic Zones features topical discussions on a host of subjects led by expert facilitators, including Dr Marilyn Glenville; Hazel Russo and Margaret Coats (CNHC); Kush Kumar (CThA); Jayney Goddard (CMA); David Balen (Balens); Annalisa Zisman (Inspire Massage Workshops); Meleni Aldridge (ANH); Eileen Durward and Alison Cullen (A. Vogel); and Carl Newbury (Massage World).
With a choice of 16 small group sessions, across two Hot Topic Zones each day, visitors arriving at Earls Court for show open tomorrow (10.00am) will be able to enjoy first pick (space permitting) of sessions; including ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) – your experiences; Professional boundaries/how do you deal with complaints; What do you think are the current big issues facing our industry; and The regulation minefield – how do you overcome the challenges.
Once again, lively Keynotes and practical demonstrations will run alongside the central exhibition on both days and are included in the cost of entry. The show’s annual conference programme, which includes 22 free Keynote seminars (in two Revital-sponsored theatres) and 33 free training and development sessions in its CThA Demo Theatre and CAM Stage Live!, highlights its ongoing commitment to facilitate and enhance learning between CAM professionals.
Those visitors unable to attend on the opening day will be sure to find plenty to keep them busy at the show on the Sunday, when the winners of camexpo’s three prestigious awards are announced. These include the Best New CAM Product Award 2012, which is voted for by visitors to the show’s New Products Showcase on the Saturday, camexpo CAM Clinic of the Year, and the CAM Outstanding Achievement Award.
The camexpo CAM Clinic of the Year award will be presented to the deserving winner by Jayney Goddard, President of The Complementary Medical Association (The CMA), after her Keynote on ‘Practice development – maximising your business ethically’ (11.40am-12.25pm). The fourth annual CAM Outstanding Achievement Award, which is voted for by the industry, will be presented to its new recipient by last year’s winners, Meghan Mari and Rachel Fairweather, directors and co-founders of the Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training, immediately following their Keynote on ‘Revolutionising the future of massage therapy: Making the profession more professional on a world stage’ (12.45-1.30pm).
