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Graduation
Graduation
ABDO Graduation and Prize Giving Ceremony
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) was unable to hold its graduation ceremony as planned in November 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and consequently there is a cohort of members waiting to graduate. On top of this ABDO’s examinations department has continued to hold examinations where possible, so this number is growing.
Graduation is a special day, allowing students to celebrate their hard work and success with family and friends and ABDO is keen to reassure students that plans are underway for a graduation in 2021, as long as regulations at that time allow a gathering of a suitable size at Canterbury Cathedral. The provisional date for this event is 24 November 2021.
There are a number of constricting factors that will affect ABDO’s plans, and it is possible that not all of those who qualify in 2021 will be invited to attend this event. The priority for the 2021 event will be to invite all those members who qualified between November 2019 and October 2020. A second graduation will be held early in 2022 for November 2020 – November 2021 graduands, as long as regulations permit this at the time.
Due to potential restrictions on numbers, students may be asked to bring only one guest. Additional tickets will be released should they become available, and ABDO aims to offer a broadcast of the event to family and friends who cannot attend.
Please note that in order to maximise health and safety at the event there will not be a tea or dinner event. In addition, the event will take place between 2pm and 4pm to maximise the number of people who can travel to Canterbury and back in a day and avoid the need for overnight accommodation.
Students who are eligible for the 2021 graduation event will be contacted towards the end of September 2021 once ABDO has had confirmation from Canterbury Cathedral that it is able to safely host the required number of attendees for the event.
Graduation 2021
The next Graduation and Prize Giving Ceremony will provisionally be held on Wednesday 24 November at Canterbury Cathedral.
From mid-September 2021 onwards, Graduands will receive an invitation email once they become eligible to attend.
Extra tickets
Extra tickets will be available at a cost of £25, with a maximum of one per Graduand reflecting current restrictions. Further tickets will be released should restrictions ease.
Photography and mobile phones are prohibited
Photography and video recording is strictly prohibited during the ceremony and within the Cathedral at all times – this also includes photography without the use of a flash.
Please ensure mobile phones, tablets and other mobile devices are turned off for the duration of the ceremony.
Contact Information
If you require further information regarding the ceremony please email Deanne Gray at: dgray@abdo.org.uk
- There are no sheltered areas within the precincts surrounding the Cathedral, so please consider this as guests will need to queue outside prior to admission into the Cathedral at 6.30pm.
- Seating within the Cathedral is unreserved.
- The ceremony registration desk will be open from 4.00pm to 5.30pm in the Kentish Barn reception area, which is located within the International Study Centre.
- Gowns can be collected from Ede & Ravenscroft staff in the Clagett Auditorium from 4.00pm to 5.45pm – please note your guests are not allowed entry into the Clagett Auditorium.
- Graduands should aim to arrive at the Cathedral from 4.00pm onwards, please remember to allow sufficient time for registration, gowning and photography.
- The Celebration Reception will take place in the Dean John Simpson Room from 4.00pm onwards – admission is strictly limited to those who have reception tickets.
- Please book your photography requirements online in advance of the ceremony via the Ede & Ravenscroft website.
- When queuing for photography on the day, please ensure only those who are having their picture taken join the queue for photography with Ede & Ravenscroft, ie guests not having their photograph taken should not accompany graduands.
- The Cathedral doors will open at 6.30pm for guests to enter and take their seats as directed by the ushers.
- All graduands should assemble in the Clagett Auditorium no later than 6.00pm for the ceremony procession.
- Graduands must listen carefully and act upon the instructions given to them by the Procession Marshal; graduands are also reminded that they are representing their chosen profession and therefore a professional demeanor is expected at all times during the event.
- The procession will start at approximately 6.45pm and the duration of the ceremony will be around 90 minutes.
- There are no sheltered areas within the precincts surrounding the Cathedral, so please consider this as guests will need to queue outside prior to admission into the Cathedral at 6.30pm.
- Please note that the ceremony is not considered suitable event for babies or young children to attend.
- Some seating will offer a restricted views and all seating will be allocated on a first come, first served basis upon entry into the Cathedral.
- ABDO reserve the right of admission; graduands and their guests deemed to be behaving inappropriately will be prevented from attending the ceremony.
- Canterbury Cathedral is a sacred place of worship and a working church, so please respect the Cathedral building, clergy and staff.
Please note the Cathedral Nave is currently undergoing building restoration works.
Scaffolders have built a 53 metre long safety deck high above the Cathedral Nave as a platform both for the Cathedral’s conservation team to work from and to catch any dislodged stone and plaster.
We trust that the building works will not affect your enjoyment of the graduation ceremony.
Please let us know if you or your guests disabled or require wheelchair access by emailing Deanne Gray at dgray@abdo.org.uk