b'WINTER 2019 NEWSLETTERfor our members issue 30PRESIDENTS MESSAGELiverpoolwasatremendoussuccess.Wehadarecord number of delegates and specifically a record number of trainees. A record number of submitted abstracts and our Industry support and engagement was the best for years. Thenewprogrammeformatseemedtobethoroughly enjoyed by all, particularly the arrangement of the middle day.ThequalityofthetalkswasexcellentandIcan honestly say that I cant remember the last time the whole auditorium stood at the end of a Keynote talk as they did for David Sellu. The success was all due to an extraordinary teamperformance,includingthepreparationofa fantastic programme, high class administration and real engagementwithindustrybothbeforeandduringthe meeting. It was also particularly good to welcome Cynthia Professor Giles Toogood Adede to AUGIS as the latest member of the secretariat.We now look forward to The UGI Congress 2020 in Belfast. WeareclosetocompletingtheScientificProgramme WearechangingournamefromAssociationofUpperthanks to Ian Beckingham and his team. Nick Maynard GastrointestinalSurgeonsofGreatBritainandIrelandisalsofinalisingtheorganisationofthismultisociety toAssociationofUpperGastrointestinalSurgeryofmeeting and our local man Mark Taylor continues to open Great Britain and Ireland. This was agreed at the AGM inall the doors in Belfast. As with Liverpool we are making Liverpool. I hope you would all agree that this representssure there is something for everyone at all times during arealfeelingofinclusivitywithinoursociety.Ireallythe Congress.want everyone to feel very welcome and involved. It isThereareothermeetingstolookforwardtobefore soimportantthatwesticktogetherandgoaboutourOctober 2020. GBIHPBA has a Minimally Invasive Day in business in packs supporting each other when needed. January at Kings College Hospital, BOMSS has its Annual The creation of a new Emergency Surgery Council membermeeting in Aberdeen and our Roux Group has its second was agreed at the AGM as well as a new Benign Uppertraining weekend along with a Bile Duct Course in March. GI Council member. After membership voting these twoSo much to fit in!posts have been taken by Sarah Richards from Bath and Stuart Andrews from Torbay respectively. We look forward to engaging with them on Council so we can put both benign and emergency surgery and patients at the front of our agenda. It was also agreed that our Roux President and our AHP representative on Council will have a full voteContinued overleafhighlighting the importance of trainees and AHPs to our organisation.Reports/Events/Reviews/Fellowships/Updateswww.augis.org for all the up to date information'