What to expect at a meeting

The PenCRU Family Faculty is our network of families of disabled children who are interested in our work. Our members are mainly parents living in Devon, and then elsewhere in the south west, with a few from further afield.

What?

We invite our Family Faculty to a variety of different types of meetings. Some meetings are to talk about a specific research project, and therefore we may schedule a series of meetings throughout the year as the research project progresses. However, some meetings are a one-off meeting, for example when an external visitor comes to PenCRU.

As member of the Family Faculty, you will be invited to meetings via email. In the email subject line there will be key information about the meeting topic. This should give you enough information on what the meeting is about. You can therefore choose to attend the meetings which are most interesting and relevant to you.

We understand that you have other commitments and there is no pressure to attend every meeting. Also, if you sign up to a meeting, but then something comes up and you can’t make it, it’s ok! Just let us know as soon as possible.

Our PenCRU and Family Faculty meetings are friendly and informal. You will be treated as an equal and an expert. If you would like to talk to a Family Faculty member who has been involved in a meeting please do contact us and we will put you in touch!

Where?

PenCRU meetings are usually held in the morning at our offices at the University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke’s campus, EX1 2LU. We are based in the South Cloisters building, number 11 on the campus map.

Who?

Meetings will be attended by a few researchers, our Family Involvement Coordinator, and other Family Faculty members. Usually our meetings are no larger than 15 people. Sometimes, visitors from outside the University of Exeter will also attend, for example the charity Cerebra.

Timings

We always have a ‘tea and coffee catch up’ from 10am to 10.30am. This part is optional! It is aimed to give you time to arrive, and have an informal catch up with PenCRU colleagues and other Family Faculty members over a cuppa.

Meetings start promptly at 10.30am, and typically last around two hours. Lunch will be served after the meeting, around 12.30pm. We usually need to vacate the room by 1-1.30pm.

However, sometimes a meeting can overrun and we don’t want you to feel pressured to finish discussions in a hurry. In this case, we would just start serving lunch whilst the meeting is still ongoing and finish by 1pm.

Occasionally meetings start later, for example if we are accommodating visitors or full day workshops, in which case the timings will be given on the email invite.

Expenses

You can claim back reasonable travel and childcare costs to attend a meeting and you will receive a financial acknowledgement for your time (£25 for half day meeting or £50 for full day meeting). We will provide the forms to you at the meeting. Further details about our expenses and acknowledgement policies and forms.