The National Resource Centre’s largest events of 2025
We are incredibly proud to be such a versatile venue, accommodating events anywhere from 2 to 150 people. We’ve had many a small meeting booking this year, but we must confess, we love a large event! So here’s a rundown of our biggest events this year at the National Resource Centre.
ABDO Clinical Conference
October 12th and 13th marked the Association of British Dispensing Opticians‘ 2025 Clinical Conference. A staple of the NRC calendar, it was another huge success.
We welcomed over 100 delegates for this year’s conference, alongside sponsors and leading industry professionals, to delve deeper into the world of Dry Eye and approaches to its management. This was also a hybrid conference, meaning delegates had access to digital webinars in the run up to their in-person day, led by Dr Manbir Nagra and Dr Sònia Travé-Huarte.
With CPD points available, this was certainly an event to remember, and we are thrilled to have been the venue to host this conference since its inception.
Royal College of Ophthalmology Refraction Exams
With one week completed earlier this year and a second coming up before Christmas, the Royal College of Ophthalmology (RCO) run refraction exams in our fifth floor clinical bays. Over the course of 5 days, we host around 150 candidates to earn their refraction certification. It’s safe to say the doorbell never stops ringing!
We are very proud to the RCO’s sole refraction exam venue in the UK, where candidates complete their certification in our fully kitted, sponsored clinical bays. This provides a realistic environment for candidates during optical assessments – in this case, the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE).
Specsavers Pre-Reg, PQE and Cert 4 Courses
Specsavers have hosted over 15 events at the National Resource Centre this year, with more still to come. The Specsavers team have hosted pre-reg, PQE and Cert 4 courses throughout the year, with students travelling from around the country to attend. Our versatile fourth floor with movable walls cater for a wide range of group sizes during table discussions. With up to 100 students in attendance at some of these events, its always a hive of activity when we have team green visiting!
We’ve also hosted exhibitors as part of these Specsavers courses, with up to 10 companies in attendance. With tonnes of natural light and plenty of plug sockets, students have the perfect opportunity to engage with industry professionals and learn more about their products and services.
One-Day Wonders
We have been fortunate to host Scope Eyecare and Positive Impact for one-day masterclass events with excellent attendance. Dry Eye has been a big focus in training events at the NRC this year, and both companies provide excellent learning opportunities whilst making excellent use of our
An additional big thank you to Scope Eyecare, who continue to be a digital sponsor of the National Resource Centre. Keep an eye on our blog to hear more about our digital sponsors at the beginning of next year.
All this being said, we are so grateful for all our visiting companies, no matter the size of the event. We are looking forward to ending this year on a high and can’t wait to see you all again in 2026!
