Local hospital staff have given national conference delegates arriving in Hull this week a more unusual welcome to the city.
Hundreds of eye specialists are convening for the BIPOSA (British Isles Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association) 11th annual conference, held in Hull in celebration of the 2017 City of Culture Year.
Far from playing the Housemartins or passing round the chip spice, however, healthcare staff have done what they do best, and that’s give a warm and healthy welcome to visitors in the form of a 5km run around the city centre earlier this morning.
Usman Mahmood, Consultant in Paediatric Ophthalmology at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has led on organising the conference and the active introduction to the area. He says:
“In recent years, we’re told it’s become somewhat of a tradition for BIPOSA to offer its delegates a run as part of their annual three day conference.
“We’re incredibly proud of our city and so this gave us the perfect opportunity to show off some of the sights in a relaxed and sociable way, as well as for delegates to get a bit of fresh air and get the blood pumping before their conference schedule begins.”
The 5km route designed by Specialist Optometrist, Ellen Messingham, took runners from Hull City Hall, where the conference is being held, through the old town and along the marina before heading past The Deep and onto Victoria Dock. The route then led participants over Scale Lane Bridge, along High Street to the Wilberforce Museum, before heading back to the City Hall past Hull College and through Queen’s Gardens.
Usman continues:
“We have a lot of keen runners throughout the Eye Hospital, HRI and Castle Hill, and staff were only too willing to give fellow health workers from across the UK a warm welcome in this way.
“Hull has so much to offer that we didn’t want our visitors to miss out. We hope by giving them a taste of what’s around and about, they will use what free time they have while they’re here to explore further, or maybe even encourage a return visit to Hull in the weeks and months ahead.”