BICAMP 2024
May 30th-June 2nd
KINVER SCOUT CAMP
Greetings BiCampers old and new,
It’s time to dust off your inflatable mattress and vajazzle your raincoat. BiCamp is back for 2024 and it’s as BiCampy as ever.
This year our theme is Under the Sea. Darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter, and let’s hope it’s not the weather.
BiCamp is a long weekend for people who identify under the Bi+ umbrella and their loved ones, hosted at Kinver Scout Camp in the Staffordshire woods. Our venue is a gorgeous woodland site with a total of 23 acres to roam in with basic camping facilities and limited indoor accommodation.
BiCamp is run by volunteers from within the community who attended once and now want to keep the event alive. Our aim is to help more Bi+ people connect with each other and with nature. We have a strong ethos of inclusivity underpinning the event. This year’s team contains members of diverse genders, with a range of disabilities, cultural and economic backgrounds, and racial heritage. Although we are only enthusiastic volunteers, we are committed to helping BiCamp to be as safe a space as we are able to make it.
This is the sixth BiCamp since the first in 2018; each year the volunteers have worked their socks off to make the next one more inclusive, joyful and better at meeting the needs of our community. And if there’s something you think the team could do better, you are strongly encouraged to get involved next time!
Before purchasing your ticket, you are required to read our code of conduct available here: https://www.bicamp.org.uk/pages/code-of-conduct. This sets out the ethos with which BiCamp is run. We are committed to anti-racist practices, to validation of attendees’ gender, to be accepting, non-discriminatory and inclusive of all. In order to maintain this safer space, we ask all campers without lived experience of racism to take part in anti-racism training that we source from queer anti-racism trainers of colour. We also ask all attendees to engage with consent sessions, again with experts providing training organised by BiCamp. Conflict happens, we’re human and we all mess up sometimes.
Anyone attending (or organising) BiCamp must be aware that their missteps will be addressed. Inclusivity does not mean the freedom to do as we wish without consideration of others. We will always try to ‘call in’ with kindness but having personal responsibility for our actions and the willingness to grow through our mistakes is fundamental to our ethos. See the code of conduct for more detail and how to raise a concern.
ACTIVITIES
The Kinver site offers a range of activities such as archery, abseiling, ziplining and nature exploration. Attendees are encouraged to run sessions that may be of interest to other campers. These are scheduled by BiCamp but down to individuals to run. In the past we have had boardgames, drama games, pampering, nature walks, karaoke and poetry. We also hold space for people of multiple marginalisation, e.g. space for bis of colour, those new to the community, trans bis, bis on the ace spectrum and disabled bis to connect with others of a similar experience. Saturday night is our ball: a chance to dress up fancy and dance in the woods to good music with friends new and old. This year’s theme is Under the Sea: Children are welcome to join their parents at BiCamp, but children’s entertainment is not specifically provided. The consumption of alcohol is allowed but moderation is essential. All campers are expected to be responsible for their actions and respectful of other campers and the site, which relies on no one drinking to excess. Some of the best times at BiCamp are when you find yourself sitting on a tree stump with a cup of tea, simply chatting with new friends.
FOOD
BiCamp is semi-catered. A range of options are provided for breakfast. An evening meal is also offered. Our head chef is committed to providing healthy vegan and vegetarian food with options that meet the needs of attendees. There is always a gluten-free option. A form will be sent out to share specific dietary needs. You are also welcome to purchase a self catering ticket at a reduced price which allows limited access to the indoor kitchens or you can bring your own cooking equipment. There is limited fridge space for campers so try to bring your own cool boxes. There are also fast food establishments that will deliver to the site and restaurants in Kinver village are about a 5 minute drive/20 minute walk away.
ACCOMMODATION
The Kinver site is pretty basic but the community pulls together to support each other. There is limited indoor accommodation with very limited options for private rooms. These will be allocated first to those with the greatest need. In addition, we have a small number of accessible tents and other camping equipment available for loan. Most people bring their own tents and choose to camp. The site is hilly and the ground often uneven, which can be a challenge to our disabled campers, but we work to make the site more accessible year on year and there is a robust ethos of campers supporting one another to make it more accessible to more of us. There is a wide field where most attendees choose to camp, close to the shower block, main building and campfire. Alternatively, you can take your tent out into the hills for a more private chance to connect to nature.
TICKETS
Tickets are offered on a sliding scale. We ask that those with most disposable cash purchase at a higher rate to subsidise those who are lower waged. We offer discounts for bis of colour in order to equalise access to a community that has not always been made welcome and safe by the white majority of bisexuals. A small number of free tickets for people of colour and those experiencing extraordinary circumstances are made available in the build up to the event thanks to the generosity of the wider community and subject to successful funding bids.
Acknowledging the impact that the cost of living crisis is having on many, this year we have adjusted our pricing structure. If paying in instalments would allow you to attend, this is provided as an option during checkout. Children attending with you are charged at £20 for over fives while under fives go free. If you are feeling abundant and are able to offer a little more, we would be happy to take donations. This allows us to make a place at camp available to those in the community who otherwise would not be able to attend.
TRAVEL
Kinver Scout Camp has limited onsite parking. There are also nearby rail links and we are happy to organise drivers to collect you from Stourbridge stations. Alternatively, buses with wheelchair accessible options are provided between New Street Station in Birmingham and the site on Thursday afternoon and Sunday lunchtime. A volunteer from the team will be happy to talk through transport options if you would benefit from support.
Note: Bus tickets will go off sale on May 24th at midday, to allow us to confirm passenger numbers with our transport supplier. We cannot guarantee bus space if you try to book after this date.
VOLUNTEERS
In addition to encouraging attendees to host sessions that interest you, we ask that all attendees volunteer towards the running of camp. This can be a great way to get to know other campers and make a positive contribution to the community. Lots of dopamine and shiny stickers to reward your work. We ask that you give at least one hour of your time to volunteering. Roles involve working the check in desk, washing up, emptying bins, prepping food for cooking, supporting campers with setting up their tents, cooking, driving and being on call for first aid. A high proportion of our campers (and organisers) are disabled. We are very aware that this will have an impact on what you can offer, but we believe that disabilities shouldn’t be barriers to involvement. We want to work with you to find a way to contribute that is safe and happy for you. Let us know your needs on the volunteering form and we will work with you to find a role that works for you. If you’re willing and able to do more than one hour, we are very happy to use your energy and enthusiasm. Attendees offer about an hour each day on average. Volunteering is especially helpful if this is your first camp so you can get to know other volunteers and make new friends. We also need folk to help with set up and takedown at either end of camp.
ACCESS & COVID
We are continuing to improve accessibility year after year and we always work with the venue to ensure as many areas as possible are wheelchair accessible. We also work with individuals to try to accommodate a wider range of access needs. Nearer to camp, we will send you our access form, so you can tell us about your accessibility requirements in as much detail as you feel necessary. It is important to bear in mind that Kinver was not originally planned for disabled people’s needs, and we are limited by the original building and landscaping designs. The site extends onto partially hilly, uneven terrain that is not all smooth due to the nature of being a woodland, parts of which can become muddy or slippery as a result of rain and foot-traffic. And while we are passionate about access, and keen to find adaptations that make BiCamp more accessible to more members of the community, we are only volunteers with limited capacity. Restrictions from the venue, funding and people power often limit our good intentions.
BiCamp organisers recognise that sadly Covid is still a threat and many in our community are vulnerable. It should go without saying that if you do notice an onset of covid-like symptoms in the days leading up to the event, please stay at home, even in the event of a negative LFT. All attendees should have a negative test and we strongly encourage everyone who can be vaccinated, to be vaccinated ahead of the event. Good hygiene and ventilation will be practised. Wearing a mask indoors is supported. And we encourage outdoor socialising as much as possible. It is camping after all :-)
A more detailed breakdown of our Covid practices is available on our website.
If you have any special requests, queries or suggestions, please email the team on bicampuk@gmail.com