The GeoPlace Conference is a fantastic event designed for the public sector, and it’s always incredibly well-organised. Along with the conference itself, there are fun additions like the pre-event quiz and the GeoPlace Awards. As sponsors, we were thrilled to be there, reconnecting with familiar faces and building new relationships.

Contesting the quiz

Last year, Mike and Andrew joined forces with Amy from Monmouthshire County Council and Matthew from Newport City Council to take the top prize. This year, Amy and her new team took a creditable third prize. Andrew was on the same table but he described himself “more of a friendly observer”. He’s shared a few of the questions posed to the geoquizzers for you to put your wits against:

• What year was the amber traffic light introduced?
• How many bridges are there in the UK?
• What was the worst traffic jam in UK history?

Andrew may not have taken home the winners’ prize, but he didn’t leave empty-handed as Amy kindly gifted him some AI-generated themed stickers to share with the team. We understand that Elena has already put first dibs on them.

The GeoPlace agenda

The GeoPlace conference brings together people from across local and central government together with industry for a packed day of insight, discussion and innovation, focused on how location data is transforming public service delivery. 

Who’s who at GeoPlace

The speakers at GeoPlace always attract a good crowd and a diverse range of job holders. This year was no exception. Teams represented included GIS, data management, planning, and technical support within local government. With over 500 registered delegates expected at the London venue, Andrew and Mike knew they were in for a busy day. 

Between talks, they had many visitors to the stand. Our eye-catching preview of iShare Advanced Edit for v6 generated conversations with existing clients, some of whom had already attended the preview webinar (you can watch the recording on YouTube) and signed up as BETA testers.

Andy says, “It was busier than last year. I caught up with lots of customers about the v6 migration and talked a bit about advanced editing. It was good to meet some new faces too.”

Mike adds, “It was a day well spent. It was good to talk to customers about their changing needs. There was lots of interest in iShare Advanced Edit following on from our recent preview webinar.”

With the day winding down, Andrew and Mike headed to the GeoPlace Exemplar Awards. It was a wonderful opportunity to show their appreciation for the shortlisted GIS teams, who contribute so much behind the scenes. You can see a full list of winners on the GeoPlace website as well as these maps showing the Platinum and Gold Awards for Street and Address data:

GeoPlace stand winner

The winner of our giant Lindor ball was Louise Bruce from Central Bedfordshire Council. Congrats to Louise, your prize will wing its way to you shortly.

CPD points

If you attended, don’t forget to record your CPD. The Association for Geographic Information and the Royal Geographic Society both accredited the conference with five CPD points for attendance.

Where to catch us next

We’ll be at AGI GeoCymru in Cardiff in October. Look out for more info!