The conference will be held at
Light Hall School, The Gandhi Building, Hathaway Road, Shirley,
Solihull, B90 2PZ
This year we have invited Hannah England who is a former International Athlete and now an Athletics Broadcaster. She will be talking about her life in athletics from athlete to broadcaster.
The form to register for the conference will be emailed out but can also be accessed here
or here : https://forms.gle/akcYLFWSExHwSBj59
Please read through the information below which includes details of the workshops that will be held on the day.
| 9.00 – 9.30 | Registration with tea/coffee | Foyer |
| 9.30 – 10.00 | MAFEO AGM | Main Hall |
| 10.10 – 10.20 | Welcome from MCAA Chairman | Main Hall |
| 10.25 – 11.15 | Hannah England, From Athlete to Broadcaster | Main Hall |
| 11.15 – 12.00 | Refreshment Break including taking any questions for England Athletics and informal chat with Margaret Werrett (MSW Upgrading Secretary) | Foyer/Main Hall |
| 12:10 – 13.00 | Workshop Selection 1 | Rooms 1 – 4 |
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch | Drama Studio |
| 14.10 – 15.00 | Workshop Selection 2 | Rooms 1 – 4 |
| 15.10 – 15.20 | Closing Remarks and Feedback Forms and Gift Issue | Main Hall |
Refreshments
Tea, coffee, squash and biscuits will be available throughout the day in the Foyer but please bring your own cup with lid, and a water bottle, as only a small number of disposable cups will be provided. Please note that we have a limited number of MAFEO mugs for sale.
A cold buffet / sandwich lunch will be provided in the Drama studio. You will be asked to provide any allergy / special dietary information on the booking form.
Cost
Free to all Midland County Officials (and those in training). You do not need to be a MAFEO member to attend the conference and workshops.
AGM
The agenda for the MAFEO AGM will be sent to all paid up members seven days before the AGM.
All conference attendees are welcome to attend the MAFEO AGM, but only members will be eligible to vote.
Feedback
After the conference, we will ask you to fill out our feedback form which can be found here
2025 MAFEO Conference Feedback
Alternatively, you can scan the QR code at the conference.
MCAA/MAFEO Conference Workshop Information
Sunday 16th November 2025
Workshop Session 1 – 12:10 – 13:00
Running Shoes & Records with Cathy Briggs and Chris Blyth
Cathy and Chris will explain all you need to know about what is required to do the role of a Shoe Officer at a large, national or international televised event, to ensure that athletes are not wearing illegal running shoes. They will also inform you about what is required for domestic events, regarding athlete footwear. In addition to that, they will discuss all the paperwork that is required when an athlete sets a record of any description at an event that you have organised.
An Introduction to Race Walking with Andrew Clough
Andrew, who is a very experienced race walking official will give officials new to race walking, a general introduction and overview of how to officiate in a walk. He will explain how you are able to monitor the athletes’ technique to ensure they comply with the rules. He will also explain the processes involved when issuing warnings and penalties and give some tips to ensure that there is fair play in the competition.
How to be a Combined Events Referee with Heather Nelson
Any official could be asked to fulfil this role, regardless of their main discipline. Heather has a vast array of experience performing this challenging officiating role. She will illustrate the differences between being a referee for a local /regional Combined Events up to an International Competition. She will discuss the factors that need to be considered and the questions that need to be asked to ensure the competition runs smoothly.
The Role of the International Starter with Mark Purser
Mark, who is currently on the European Athletics Starting Panel, will explain how an international starter works with a domestic start team at international events. He will explain the appointments and selection process of the international starter, the differences that exist between countries within starting, and illustrate some of the challenges that occur when fulfilling the role.
Workshop Session 2 – 14:10 – 15:00
How to use Roster, including Seeding, with Mark Delgado
Roster is the app used by England Athletics at all its events. Most importantly for officials it is used for entries, seeding and results. Anybody with the app, such as athletes, coaches, parents, or friends are able to see the results instantly from their smart device (provided they have downloaded the app) Mark will explain how to use the app when officiating an event. It would be useful if you installed the Roster app on your smart phone or tablet as Mark’s workshop will be interactive.
Endurance Race Set Up with Ian Clarke
This workshop will concentrate on factors to be considered when setting up a cross-country course, including setting up a safe and effective funnel at the end of the course. This workshop will be a practical course delivered on the grass so don’t forget to bring appropriate clothing and footwear for any inclement weather.
How to be a World Athletics Referee (Bronze and Silver) with Alison Jordan
Alison who is a World Athletics Silver Referee will explain to all aspiring officials what is involved in obtaining a bronze level, then moving onto the silver level. This will include the knowledge and experience that is needed and what is involved as part of the examination process. She will also explain the types of roles that you will be expected to perform as a World Athletics Referee.
Athletics Administration at UKA Level with David Vidler
David is a very experienced official, in a range of disciplines, who has worked at a huge range of events from local club meetings, all the way up to Olympic and World level meetings. He is currently the Officials Secretary for UKA. He will talk about his work which includes dealing with the appointment and elections of the Peers Groups, Level 4 applications, and supporting Level 4Ps. David will also explain how the national appointments process works.