Just under two years ago, following a call for new people at BiCon 2022, I joined BiCon Continuity Ltd as a Director. I had been involved in the bi community for over twenty years, including being on several BiCon teams, but I thought that this would give me an opportunity to give back to the organisation which is tasked with keeping BiCons themselves running. Although I had been a member of BCL and had therefore attended the AGMs, I hadn't had any involvement in the day-to-day running of the company. I wanted that to change.
Being a Director of BCL is not time-consuming. The main regular commitment is the Monthly Director's meetings. These are usually kept to an hour, unless there's something that really needs a longer discussion which will usually be flagged up in advance of the meeting. Having them monthly keeps the pulse of discussion flowing in the quieter periods of the year when there are no urgent matters, and means that we can stay up-to-date with progress on long-term items. It gives the Directors a chance to check-in with each other generally, which is important given that we're widely distributed geographically and rarely if ever meet 'in person'.
The main focus of BiCon Continuity Ltd is, of course, the BiCon event itself. Part of the Directors' job is talking to prospective teams, guiding them about some of the things that running a BiCon entails and checking that they're prepared for what they're taking on. Unfortunately, since I became a Director we have gone through a period where teams willing to run a BiCon have been this on the ground. Both 2024 and 2025 have, at times, had people interested in being part of a team running a weekend-long, residential BiCon, but unfortunately none decided to go on to run a BiCon. I can't lie, that's been frustrating, as I would far rather have had a full residential BiCon last year, but it was also important not to pressure people into running an event they would regret agreeing to.
I'm happy with the smaller-scale event we ran last year and are running this year, and very grateful to my fellow director Ian for making it happen. Nonetheless, while we've shown that a non-residential smaller event is a model that can work for a BiCon, it's far from the only possibility, and it would be nice to see some different events in future years. I'm hoping that in my role as a Director of BCL, I can have some small part in shaping that.
Outside of BiCon, there are a number of other concerns for the Directors. Some of it, perhaps the bulk of it, is admin of one form or another. As both a charity and a company, BCL has reports and accounts that must be submitted to Companies House and the Charities Commission. We have also spent the last few months moving our bank account to one that's more charity-friendly. None of this is riveting stuff, but it is important to stay on top of it for the smooth functioning of the organisation. BCL is also a member of various wider LGBT+ organisations, and can draw on other resources generally available to charities, so we're not working on our own. It can be good to feel part of a wider movement, and stay in touch with the international community.
We're always on the lookout for new people, with fresh ideas and energy to bring. If you're interested in becoming a Director, this post gives you an idea of what's involved, and what you should consider.