BiCon Continuity Ltd is a charitable company set up by the UK bisexual community. We enable the annual get-together of the UK bi community, BiCon, in general (and the next BiCon in particular via loaning it all of its startup costs, plus providing IT services and general consultancy) as well as supporting and funding bisexual activism and activities which meet our objects generally.
We became a company limited by guarantee in November 2011 and a registered charity in March 2014.
Directors and Trustees
Elected by the members, there are currently five directors and trustees. In alphabetical order of their first name, they are:
Anna Sharman
Asha Wolfe-Robinson
David Matthewman
Ian Jackson
Ian Watters
They are not paid any salary or wage by BiCon Continuity Ltd.
Objects
The promotion of social inclusion among bisexual people who are socially excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of being bisexual, in particular but not exclusively by providing workshops, forums, advice, financial assistance, recreational activities and general support.
History and Context for BiCon Continuity Ltd.
Before 2011 there were various ways BiCon's money could be lost. The biggest issue was BiCon's money could be legally seen as belonging to an individual BiCon organiser.
- An organiser's social security benefits could be put at risk if the DWP or HMRC decided they suddenly had thousands of pounds.
- The DWP or HMRC could seize BiCon money if they believed it to be someone's assets.
- If an organiser had personal debt or had to file for bankruptcy BiCon's money could be seen as their personal asset and seized.
- If an organiser was sectioned under the Mental Health Act their assets could be frozen.
- There was also nothing legally stopping organisers using BiCon's money for themselves.
Thankfully we don't know of anything bad like the above things happening with BiCon's money but the risk was still there.
Before Continuity happened, BiCon organising teams unofficially tried to protect part of BiCon's money by splitting the surplus between two following teams. For example, BiCon 2008 split their surplus between 2009 and 2010, 2009 between 2010 and 2011 and so on. However, there were still occasions where it was hard to keep track of the money held by different years' organising team and it didn't solve all the issues.
Continuity was initially a limited company and became a charity in 2014, a little later than intended, as it took some time to meet Charity Commission requirements. As a charity we can potentially access other sources of funding and support BiCon teams in getting charitable discounts.
Membership
Membership is open to individuals who:
(a) have been a registered attendee at at least one day of one BiCon in a personal capacity; and
(b) have never been required to leave BiCon in relation to a breach of BiCon's published policies concerning behaviour at BiCon, including anti-harassment, anti-discrimination and confidentiality; and
(c) apply to the charity in the form required by the directors – please contact us by email to the info@ address; and
(d) are approved by the directors.
To help ensure members have something to offer the company, its Articles of Association prevent its membership from exceeding 25 individuals at any one time.
Other policies
Safeguarding Vulnerable Beneficiaries – Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy and Procedures (Open Document Format file, 33.7kB)