Announcing GovDev North & GovDev Midlands — Our 2026 In-Person Conferences
We have some very exciting news: the Cross Government Software Engineering Community is returning with not one but two in-person conferences in 2026.
After the incredible success of our first in-person conference in January 2025, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to bring the community together again — and this time we’re heading north and into the Midlands to reach even more of you across government.
The Events
Both events will feature:
- A keynote from an industry speaker
- Invited talks from teams across government
- Lean coffee discussions — shaped by you on the day
- Catered lunch and refreshments
- A social reception afterwards
These will be fantastic opportunities to hear from colleagues across government, build connections, and move the community forward together.
Tickets — How Allocation Works
Both events have limited capacity, and we want to ensure representation from departments and agencies right across government, so tickets will be released in two rounds:
Release 1 — Open now
Register your interest on the waiting list. The first 2 people from each department or agency to register will be allocated a ticket.
Release 2
- GovDev North: 10th August 2026
- GovDev Midlands: 17th August 2026
Any remaining spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to those already on the waiting list, up to a maximum of 10 tickets per department or agency.
You may register interest in both events, but if you are allocated a ticket for one, you will not be considered for the other.
GovDev North — Newcastle | Wednesday 30th September 2026
10:30–16:30 with a social reception afterwards. We’re bringing the community to the north-east for the first time — a full day of talks, discussions, and connection, supported by Opencast.
Register your interest for GovDev North (30 Sept)
GovDev Midlands — Nottingham | Wednesday 21st October 2026
10:00–16:30 with a social reception afterwards. Three weeks later we head to Nottingham for our Midlands event — same energy, brand new city, supported by Kerv.
Register your interest for GovDev Midlands (21 Oct)
Submit a Lightning Talk
We’re including a lightning talk track in both conference schedules — a 10-minute slot for you to share something interesting, funny, frustrating, or inspiring from your time working in government.
If you have a story worth telling, submit a talk title and brief description via our form. Submissions will be reviewed by the conference organising committee, and if your talk is accepted you are guaranteed a ticket.
A Huge Thank You to Alex Coleman
None of this would be happening without the tireless work of Alex Coleman (Active Travel England), who has been the driving force behind getting these conferences off the ground. Alex threw himself into organising our 2025 conference and has done it all over again — scouting venues, coordinating logistics, and keeping things moving. The community owes him a great deal.
We Need Volunteers
Conferences don’t run themselves. We’ll be looking for volunteers from the community to help on the day — whether that’s welcoming attendees, running sessions, managing the schedule, or helping things flow smoothly. If you’d like to get more involved and play an active part in making these events a success, we’d love to hear from you.
The best place to put your hand up is at our next Lean Coffee on Thursday 23rd July, 11:00–12:00 — come along, introduce yourself, and let us know you’d like to get involved. You can also reach us via our shared mailbox or in the #software-development channel on UK Government Digital Slack.
This community is built by the people in it. Whether you’re attending, speaking, or volunteering — thank you for being part of it. We can’t wait to see you in Newcastle or Nottingham.
Shaun Hare, Cross Government Software Engineering Community