Par-Con 2024
Par-Con is our free, 2-day in-person and online event for the Parkinson's community to hear from expert speakers, connect with others and learn more about living well with Parkinson's.
When?
Day 1: Friday 11 October, 9am to 6pm
Day 2: Saturday 12 October, 8.45am to 3pm
Where?
Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, LS10 1LT (limited spaces) and online
Sign up fee?
Free
We have a limited number of bursaries available towards the cost of attending Par-Con in person. Please get in touch at [email protected] or phone Liz on 020 7963 9398 for more information.
What is Par-Con?
Planned in collaboration with a team of people living with and affected by the condition, Par-Con gives you the chance to hear directly from experts - including researchers, health professionals and people with Parkinson's.
What should I expect?
We'll have sessions on the latest research, cutting-edge technology and living well with Parkinson's. There’ll also be opportunities to try physical activity tasters and meet and connect with others.
Par-Con 2024 is a hybrid event, with all talks and panel sessions available online and in-person. You can choose to attend a single day, or register for both days.
Featured speakers
Scroll through to meet some of our featured Par-Con 2024 speakers
Dr Shafaq Hussein-Ali, General Dental Practitioner and Honorary Research Fellow at Queen Mary University London, will be chairing our Research session.
Professor Camille Carroll, Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at Newcastle University, will give an update on Parkinson's research: where we are and where we're going.
Kuhan Pushparatnam, co-host of the '2 Parkies in a Pod' podcast and creator of the Parkinson's ON app, will be speaking about using technology to treat and manage Parkinson's.
Gary Shaughnessy CBE, Chairman of Parkinson’s UK, will take part in our panel discussion to share his experiences, particularly in combining sport with community engagement to raise funds and awareness for Parkinson’s UK.
Jagdeep Singh Aujla has taught Martial Arts for over 35 years, and since being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2021 has been a passionate advocate of the benefits of keeping active. He'll be leading activity taster sessions at Par-Con 2024.
Caroline Rassell, Chief Executive of Parkinson's UK, will answer your questions at our panel discussion.
(Photo by Public Finance/Redactive Publishing)
Carl Beech, CEO of Spotlight YOPD, a charity that aims to highlight challenges faced by people living with young onset Parkinson's, will share his experiences at our panel discussion.
Emma Edwards, Parkinson's specialist nurse, will be answering questions about mental health and Parkinson's during our Hidden Symptoms session.
Phil Jerky is a stand-up comedian diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's in 2017, who will be part of our networking event on Friday evening.
Dave Clark, co-host of the "2 Parkies in a Pod" podcast, will speak with Professor Bas Bloem about living well with Parkinson's.
Professor Bas Bloem of Radboud Medical Center Nijmegen, The Netherlands will talk about the research that can help you live well with Parkinson's on Day 2 of Par-Con.
Winston Marshall, a former commercial trainer for St John Ambulance, will introduce our Medication 101 session on Saturday
Parkinson's UK annual general meeting
This year, Par-Con will include the Parkinson's UK annual general meeting (AGM) from 11.30am to 1.15pm on day 2 of the event. The AGM is an opportunity for our members to ask questions and find out more about how Parkinson's UK is run, what we've achieved over the last year and our future plans.
If you're coming to Par-Con in person and are a Parkinson's UK member, you can also register to come to the AGM in person. Just choose the ‘In person - Day 2 (with AGM)’ option on the booking form.
If you're a Parkinson's UK member, you'll also be invited to join the AGM online. You'll receive an invitation, plus voting papers, in September via email or post.
If you don't want to come to the AGM, other Par-Con sessions will be running at the same time. See our agenda for more details.
Find out more about becoming a Parkinson's UK member.
Find out more about our AGM.
Community Awards
Another important part of Par-Con will be our Community Awards from 2pm to 3pm on day 2. Following the success of the 2023 awards, once again we're calling on you to celebrate the everyday heroes of the Parkinson's community.
For those making time for comforting conversations to campaigning for change, we believe that every gesture of kindness deserves recognition! Shine a light on the compassionate individuals who strengthen our community.
How to nominate
Send in your nomination via our short form and share your nominee's story. We'll send them a Community Celebration card to let them know how much their support means. We'll also be recognising some of the nominees at the Par-Con event. Please make your nomination before midnight on Monday 30th September 2024
Frequently asked questions
Everyone is welcome to join Par-Con 2024 on day 1, day 2, or for both days. There are unlimited places available to join Par-Con online, however we have a limited capacity in person.
If you're joining us in person and are planning on attending our AGM on day 2, please choose 'In person - Day 2 (with AGM)' on the booking form.
Par-Con 2024 will be held at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. You can expect talks from expert speakers, including researchers, healthcare professionals and people with lived experience of Parkinson's.
Plus there will be an opportunity to try taster sessions of physical activity classes, and a marketplace with stalls where you can find out more about living well with Parkinson's, and how Parkinson's UK can support you.
Par-Con 2024 online will feature a full programme of expert speakers on topics ranging from living well with Parkinson's to the latest updates on Parkinson's research.
Most talks will be broadcast from the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, while some talks will be hosted exclusively online. You'll also have the opportunity to submit and ask questions from home.
Yes, all talks will be recorded and available after the event.
Get in touch
Got a question about Par-Con? Email the team at [email protected], or call Emma on 020 7963 9253.