The Royal Festival Hall

Southbank Centre, Saturday 15 March

Tickets for the Royal Festival Hall event will be available at the venue on the day.
Online and telephone bookings have now closed.

Join us to meet old friends and new, coming together to celebrate our 50th anniversary at the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall.

This will be an excellent opportunity for volunteers and supporters to get together to find old friends, meet with new faces, explore development issues, discover how VSO has developed over the years and find out how you can be involved in the future development of Your VSO.

During the afternoon, we will showcase talent and stimulate debate through a variety of workshops, reunions and talks. These will be followed by 50th anniversary celebrations on stage, hosted by VSO President, Jonathan Dimbleby including short films from VSO’s programmes in Ghana, Malawi, and Nepal and featuring VSO volunteers partners, beneficiaries and staff from Sierra Leone, Namibia, Ghana and the UK.

We are delighted to announce that Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for International Development, will be our keynote speaker.

Throughout the day, you can enjoy music on the FreeStage with DJs Max Reinhardt and Rita Ray, and live music from around the world. Visit our "Get involved" zone to find out more about volunteering and other ways to be involved with VSO, or sit and relax with a drink or coffee from the bar.

Timetable*

from 1300:

Registration

from 1330

DJs Max Reinhardt and Rita Ray will host music on the FreeStage throughout the day

from 1400:

Panel discussion open to all, in main auditorium, chaired by BBC Newsnight presenter, Emily Maitlis, with leading figures including Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission; Harriet Lamb, Director of the Fairtrade Foundation; Richard Lambert, Director General of the CBI; Richard Dowden, Director of the Royal African Society; activist Peter Tatchell

1500 - 1615

Programme of workshops and other activities for guests to choose from

1630 - 1730

RV Reunions - divided by region

from 1800

Bars open for drinks, music on the freestage

1900 - 2030:

Plenary session for all in the main auditorium, hosted by VSO President, Jonathan Dimbleby, with interviews on stage, films from VSO's programmes overseas, and keynote speech by Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander.

2030 - 2130:

Bars open again, music

(*) - This programme is subject to change.

Tickets are a suggested £20 donation. Please telephone 020 8780 7500 for tickets.

Many of the businesses at the Royal Festival Hall are kindly offering special discounts for guests at this event (all discounts available upon production of ticket). These include:

• Riverside Terrace Cafe - 10% discount on food
• Giraffe - 15% discount
• A complimentary Jasmine Flower Tea with any meal at Ping Pong
• 10% discount at Foyles.
• 10% off food in Skylon (advance booking required)

For more information on these businesses, see the Royal Festival Hall website.

We greatly value our strategic relationship with the UK Department for International Development. Visit the Department for International Development's stand and find out more about how the UK is fighting poverty and disadvantage.