Big Bi Fun Day
From BiOrgResources
'Big Bi Fun Day was such a success in 2010 and 2011 and 2012 that it will be happening again in 2013! It will take place on Saturday 18th May 2013 (yep back to the May date again).
It's YOUR event and will only happen if you come along, participate and have fun. If you have any questions, please email us '
Where? Leicester at the Friends Meeting House
16 Queens Road, Leicester, LE2 1WP UK
When? Saturday 18th May 2013, 1pm to 5pm.
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Who will be coming to Big Bi Fun Day?
This is not an exclusive list but you may want to come if you…
- are already part of the bi community
- want to attend bi events but need a venue that is child friendly
- want to attend bi events but don’t want to meet in a pub
- are an attendee of a regional bi group who wants to meet up with attendees of other regional bi groups
- are a friend of someone who is, or may be, bisexual
- just want to hang out and relax with bisexuals and their friends and families!
People hear about Big Bi Fun Day through word of mouth. We don't have a marketing or advertising budget and ask people who might want to come along to spread the word. This could be through a conversation, through a Facebook invite (https://www.facebook.com/events/165388783608322/) or through passing on flyers.
If you think there are people in your region or circle of family and friends who would be interested in Big Bi Fun Day, then please let them know about it!
How many people will be attending?
There will be no need to register to attend this event and therefore, we do not know how many people will be attending. The maximum number of people which the venue will hold in the areas we have booked is 260.
If you go to I'm coming to Big Bi Fun Day, you will have the opportunity to let other people know you are coming and to see who else might be going.
Please be aware that this is a public website and any information you give can be seen by other people. Please think carefully before posting personal contact details in this area.
What is Big Bi Fun Day?
Big Bi Fun Day (BBFD) is a one day (well, technically, one afternoon) UK event where we’ve organised a space for bisexuals and allies to meet up, relax and socialise with other bisexuals and allies. It will be held in a family friendly venue and we hope that bisexuals from all over the UK (and anywhere else) will take this opportunity to come along and meet people from different regions, catch up with friends and have a fun day out.
It is not a small BiCon. There will be no scheduled workshops and it is not an overnight event.
It is not a BiFest. This event is not intended to be an introduction to bisexuality. However, new people are welcome to come along.
It is not a space where we will have exclusive use of the venue. We will have a large amount of space in the venue but there will be other people there. Therefore, you should treat it as a semi-public space.
Cost
There is no registration or entry fee for attending Big Bi Fun Day.
However, we will be asking for donations to cover the cost of the venue, the drinks and craft materials. We expect this cost to be approximately £100 in total but will know more clearly nearer the time.
We don’t know how many people will be attending but would expect people to be donating at least £1 each. We won’t be checking how much you have donated so don’t be put off attending if you are on a low budget.
During the day we will check the bucket for donations until we have reached the required amount to cover the running costs. Any surplus will be reinvested into running Big Bi Fun Day next year.
Family Friendly
Children and families are welcome. The venue is fenced and gated with a double lock gate (inside and outside), doesn’t open out onto a main road, has sufficient space for children to play in, and, doesn’t serve alcohol so there are no restrictions on age. The event itself is designed to be flexible so there won’t be any workshops. This means parents and guardians don’t need to worry about specific times they need to be in X room, or worry that people won’t want children there.
We want to be clear from the start that children are welcome and we expect any behaviour from adults to be suitable for such an event.
There won’t be a crèche so parents and guardians will be expected to be responsible for their children’s behaviour at all times. As mentioned earlier, it is a semi-public space and strangers who aren’t part of our community may also need to use other parts of the venue. So the general advice would be that if you wouldn’t wander off and leave your child alone in the middle of a park, don’t expect to be able to do that at Big Bi Fun Day.
Catering
Big Bi Fun Day is not a catered event
Please bring your own food (packed lunch or picnic) or buy from nearby shops. There are cafes, delicatessens, one supermarket and various smaller shops (including two second hand book shops!) within less than 5 minutes’ walk.
Big Bi Fun Day will provide teabags, coffee, hot chocolate, cordial, semi-skimmed milk and soya milk which will be kept in the kitchen and labelled for us. If you require any other drinks, please bring your own. Hot and cold water is available.
If you would like to bring food to share, that would be appreciated (but is not obligatory). If you do bring food to share, please make sure it is fully labelled with all ingredients as there may be people with food allergies. You can let other people know if you'll be bringing food here.
The venue is generously providing cups, saucers, crockery and cutlery. It will be your responsibility to wash up and dry your crockery and cutlery after use. Washing up liquid and tea towels will be available for this purpose.
Zones
There will be no formal workshops and no specific time slots for workshops. This is a social event and instead there will be Zones. Each room/area will be signposted with a Zone allocation. In each Zone different activities are encouraged.
No one person will be in charge in any Zones but some people may wish to offer to help out with activities in each of the Zones.
In order for each Zone to work, we need you to bring things with you. It could be a book, it could be some spare paper you have, it could be a game which can be played with other people. The more people who bring things, the wider the range of activities. All we would ask is that you take responsibility for anything you bring. So if you bring a board game, please make sure it is suitable for the event and that you take it home again with you afterwards
Examples of things you could bring or do to contribute to a zone include:
- bringing books
- reading out stories
- showing how to use poi
- making a model
- designing cards
- explaining how to crochet
- running a game of Werewolf
- bringing board games (ideally ones that last no longer than an hour)
- talking to other people. This is a chance for you to get to meet new people as well as catch up with old friends.
You can let others know what you might be bringing here.
Zone 1: Chill-out and Chat
Zone 1 (room to be allocated). This will be the “Chill-out and Chat” zone where you can sit and talk about any topics that you want to. Please note, this won’t be a silent zone and talking is encouraged.
If people bring any to share, there may be cake. The same applies to cushions; if you’d like cushions to sit on you, please bring them with you. In case you are feeling unsure of what to talk about, there will be some interesting materials around the room that might spark some interesting conversations.
Zone 2: Crafts
Zone 2 (room to be allocated). This will be the “Crafts” zone where activities like painting, drawing, masks, model and other creative things can be made. We will provide limited materials but if you would like to make things (without or without children) you might want to bring along some card, cardboard boxes or other items with you. If you have any good links to “activity sheets” that people can follow, please feel free to print them out and bring with you. We encourage you to take your creations away with you after Big Bi Fun Day ends.
We are expected to keep the floor clean so if anyone has any spare sheets to put on the floor that they could bring along, that would be most helpful! Particularly for any painting or glueing activities.
If the weather is bad, this room would also be used as a smaller version of Zone 4 but with an indoor feel. This would mean no ball games but games like musical chairs, skipping games, small ten pin bowls would be suitable.
Zone 3: Puzzles and Games
Zone 3 (room to be allocated). It has a nice wooden floor and lots of chairs and tables. This will be the “Puzzles and Games” zone. We encourage you to bring along board games such as Snakes and Ladders, Ludo and any others you may have at home. As this is a social event, we politely ask that you don’t bring along games that are likely to last for the whole afternoon and don’t allow others to join in. Card games (not poker as gambling is not permitted), puzzles (such suduko, 3D puzzles and mazes) will also be welcomed. Please bring something along that others can use. We are not responsible for loss or damage to any games and you bring them at your own risk.
Zone 4: Active
Zone 4 is allocated to the garden. It accommodates approximately 80 people easily. The garden is mostly lawn bordered by a wall and a fence, trees and bushes and is entered via a double lock gate (inside and outside lock). This would be the “Active” zone where people could play with skipping ropes, bean bags, poi or just relax on the grass. Activities will depend on what you bring with you and how many people there are. We hope there will be good weather to make full use of the garden (as there was last year).
We have permission to chalk on the concrete for things like hopscotch or art work, however, we would need volunteers to scrub the floor clean again afterwards.
Helping Out
This is a community event where we hope everyone will want to help out in some small way. We would like to encourage you to think about how you use your skills and knowledge to make the event a success.
This could include:
- offering a lift
- bringing food to share
- bringing books, crafts, games or other activities
- washing-up
- talking to people who don’t know anyone else there
You can offer help here.
Clean-up
The venue does not have a cleaner as everyone who uses the venue is expected to tidy up after themselves. Last year it didn't take long to do at all and everyone helped out - including the children.
Everyone who comes to Big Bi Fun Day will need to tidy up after themselves. Whilst it might sound obvious, this includes putting your litter in the bin and washing and drying up your crockery and cutlery after use. You won’t need to bring any cleaning equipment with you.
We will also need some help for general tidying and cleaning such as
- putting chairs and tables away,
- putting craft equipment back into boxes
- sweeping and mopping.
If you can spare 10 minutes at the end, your help will make a big task into a small one!
Accessibility
Access is not just a matter of wheelchairs. Different aspects of an environment affect different people, for example, some people may be lipreading, some need smoke-free space, some find noisy areas difficult. Please try to be aware that people have different access needs.
Access to the building
Access to the venue building is via a slightly sloped driveway, through a wide wooden gate, across concrete flags and through double doors.
Big Bi Fun Day will take place in rooms on the ground floor.
The downstairs areas we will have use of are:
- gated garden and small patio
- toilets (including a wheelchair accessible toilet)
- a small kitchen with hot water, cups, plates, sink, chopping boards
- a carpeted room with tables and chairs with a view onto the garden
- a wooden floored room with a view onto the garden
- a wooden floored large library room
There are no steps to the downstairs rooms and all downstairs rooms are wheelchair accessible and have Hearing Loops.
Please email us directly on bigbifunday@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding physical access to and within the venue.
Travel and transport
All attendees are responsible for their own travel and transport to and from the venue. To help you with this, please see the information below. You can offer lifts, car-sharing or arrange travel here.
Parking
The venue has very limited parking (10 spaces) which is shared with another organisation. Therefore, parking at the venue is prioritised to those with limited mobility. We advise that you use other nearby parking facilities if travelling by car.
There is on-street car parking (chargeable) by the park and on the roads near the venue and some free parking on side roads. There is a nearby Pay and Display car park at Victoria Park. For more information on parking and charges within Leicester, please go to Leicester City Centre Parking page.
Trains
Leicester train station is approximately 1 mile away from the venue by following main roads – less so if cutting across Victoria Park.
Buses
Buses go past the train station and near to the venue. Specifically numbers 44, 44a, 80, 80a.
Surrounding Area
The venue is situated near a large park (Victoria Park) and a row of shops and restaurants on Queens Road. There are second hand book shops, charity shops, cash machines, banks, delicatessens, a health food shop, restaurants and cafes that are all within a five minute walk of the Friends Meeting House.
Information Stand
There will be an information table where attendees can put information about events for bisexuals and support information for bisexuals. If there’s something you’d like to put on the table but aren’t sure if it would be suitable, feel free to contact us via email.
Feedback
As this is a social event, we won’t be doing formal feedback forms. However, it would be good to hear what you liked, didn’t like about it and so will have a “Memories” book where anyone can write a few words, paragraphs or draw a picture about their best memory of the day or what they did or didn’t like about Big Bi Fun Day and suggestions for a future event.
Acceptable behaviour
We want everyone to have a great event, and we don’t want people to either feel they aren’t allowed to be themselves, or feel that they are being harassed. In order to maintain this, we think it’s good to make sure everyone knows what the minimum level of expected behaviour is, and what the organisers will do about breaches of that behaviour.
Big Big Fun Day organisers will try to deal fairly and respectfully with any issues, suggestions or feedback which you bring to us. Whilst we expect everyone to behave in a reasonable and acceptable manner, in the event of serious breaches of Acceptable Behaviour, organisers reserve the right to ask the person(s) responsible to leave Big Bi Fun Day. Refusal to leave may be referred to the police.
Your Responsibility This is a community event, so everyone has a part to play in making it a safe space. If you notice an incident of harassment, or anything else that doesn’t meet the Acceptable Behaviour listed here, please talk to one of the organisers.
Respecting Difference We want Big Bi Fun Day to be welcoming to many different people. In order to ensure that everyone gets along, we ask that you respect others’ differences. People are welcome to attend Big Bi Fun Day regardless of how they define their sexuality.
Intolerant and bigoted behaviour is not acceptable at Big Bi Fun Day. This includes (but is not an exclusive list of): biphobia, homophobia, heterophobia, transphobia, racism and sexism. Respect the choices people have made regarding their beliefs, gender or sexuality, and how they choose to express them. You are welcome to share and explain your own beliefs, but we ask that you allow others the space for theirs.
Boundaries / Harassment No means no. At all times. It’s fine to ask someone once if they would like to do something. Pestering someone counts as harassment; if someone asks you to leave them alone, do so.
Public Behaviour Please keep all public behaviour legal and consensual. This is a family friendly event where people can feel free to express their sexuality, but overtly sexual behaviour is not permitted.
Smoking, Alcohol and/or Drug Use In line with UK legislation all indoor and enclosed spaces are strictly “no smoking”. Smoking will only be permitted outside of the fenced and walled garden area and we respectfully ask that you do not smoke near the gate area but stand a few metres away from the fence. No alcohol or illegal drugs are permitted on the premises (this includes the garden and car park).
Confidentiality Whilst this is a semi-public event, not everyone is ‘out’ about their sexuality to everyone. Please ask permission before identifying anyone in any public write-ups of Big Bi Fun Day. For the avoidance of doubt, “public” includes personal websites and blogs including those with restricted audiences.
Photography Please do not take any photographs of people without their express permission. It is your responsibility to make sure that everyone in shot is happy to be photographed before you take a picture. This includes people in the background. If you give permission for your photo to be taken, you should assume that it may end up online and may be linked to you by name.If you believe that someone has taken your photograph without your permission you may ask them to delete the image.
Press Policy Members of the press attending Big Bi Fun Day must identify themselves to the organisers upon arrival.
Contact details
If you have a question which isn't answered in FAQs, please email us.
FAQs
Do I have to be there exactly at 1pm or can I come later? You can come any time from 1pm to 5pm and stay 10 minutes or the whole four hours.
I’m a bit shy around new people. Will there be structured activities so I am not sat on my own? There won’t be workshops but there will be plenty of things you can do which will give you opportunities to talk to new people. These include joining in with board games, topic conversations or making something in the craft area. People do tend to be friendly at bi events but if you are feeling left out and lonely, then do come and find one of the co-ordinators and we’ll be happy to introduce you to a few people.
Lost property. I left something behind at the venue. Will you post it to me? Whilst we hope there won’t be any lost property, we will do our best to gather any items left after the community cleans up at the end. People will have seven days in which to contact the co-ordinator to regain their lost property. After seven days, any items will be either recycled, donated to charity or binned. If you need something to be posted to you, we may ask you to pay for postage first. Please remember, you are responsible for your own property as in any public space.
Will there be badges? We won’t be organising badges for attendees. However, if you wish to make badges in the craft area with the materials there, you would be more than welcome to make yourself a badge. We will provide stickers if you want to put your name, or any other details, on yourself.
Why is there no evening entertainment like at BiFests? Big Bi Fun Day is not a BiFest. It is an opportunity to meet in a pre-arranged space with other bisexuals and their friends. It will run from 1pm to 5pm and does not include evening entertainment. If you wish to arrange meeting up for food or going out afterwards, then you are free to do so here.
If this event is going to be full of bisexuals, does that mean there will be lots of sexual activity? Big Bi Fun Day is a social event which is suitable for families and therefore there will be children present. Overt sexual behaviour is not permitted at the event. What you do in your own time after Big Bi Fun Day is your choice!
Will anyone be getting paid to co-ordinate the event or run games? No. Everyone who helps out will be a volunteer, even the organisers.
What is my donation going to be used for? Money collected will be used to pay for the venue, the drinks and the craft materials. Any surplus will be re-invested into running Big Bi Fun Day next year.
