 |
Hidden Earth 2010The UK's National Caving Conference and Exhibition Home Page
Overview
Contact Us
Book Tickets
Discussion Forum
|
|
|||||
Sometimes the conference makes a small surplus; sometimes it make a small loss. When we have made an unusually large surplus, we usually make a donation to a local organisation or cave rescue group. Overall, we aim to break even, and this can only be achieved by applying a strict policy on admission fees. The conference staff contribute an enormous amount of time and effort for very little reward and, to take an extreme example, if six cavers turn up to co-present a single 15 minute lecture and all demand to get in free, then it can really unbalance the budget! (not to mention the morale of the staff). That being said, we do offer an admission discount to lecturers and chairmen. The details are set out below.
We start from the rule that everyone passing through the door pays the full admission price. Discounts are then applied as listed below. Please note that concessions usually take the form of a free day's personal admission. You cannot accumulate more than two of these concessions, nor can you transfer them to other people.
The rules are a little complicated for 2006 because we are in a "legacy" situation, applying last year's "paper" pricing strucure to this year's "online" booking form, where it is presented in a different way. The booking form and table of fees should make it clear when each discount is applicable.
We have have instigated a discount system which we hope will avoid misunderstandings. Each lecture or presentation over 30 minutes in length will attract just one concession in the form of a discount on admission. You should either deduct this from your booking fee or, if you pay in full, in advance, you will receive a refund when you arrive.
The Lecturer's Discount is 50% or 100% (as appropriate) of the net admission charge (i.e. admission less BCA/student discount). Lecturers can still claim our Package Discount, but not the Group Discount. This is because the Group Discount is a discount on the admission fee, and you have already had your admission fee refunded. Even though you cannot claim the Group Discount, your booking can count towards the minimum of six that are required for a Group Discount. That is, "Each adult in a group of six or more, booked in advance for the weekend, is entitled to the Group Booking discount unless they have already claimed the Package Discount or a Lecturer's Discount."
Session chairman will receive a concession for the session they are chairing; in exchange for this they are expected to submit a short report, for publication in Speleology, as soon as possible after the conference.
We may ask you if you would like to take part in the conference but, in general we do not 'invite' speakers (or anyone else) in any formal sense. No travel or accommodation expenses are paid and the only concession for lecturers is as outlined above. When, from time to time, other arrangements are made, this will be directly with the conference manager himself - no other person is authorised to make such arrangements. This position on 'invited' delegates is frequently misunderstood, so please take note, and if you consider that you have been specially invited to do something, and you are expecting preferential treatment, please make sure you discuss this in advance with the conference manager.
Competition organisers and Judges receive the concession of free admission for the day they are working.
Staff receive the concession of free admission for the day they are working. Conference staff that are not on duty over the weekend do not get a concession.
In the period leading up to the conference, staff may claim essential expenses (e.g. post, telephone); and this includes travel to planning meetings at standard BCRA rates. However travel to the conference is not a reclaimable expense. Accommodation expenses are not usually reclaimable either.
The price of a trade stand includes one weekend admission ticket per 'pitch'.
Overseas visitors are admitted at the same rates as UK delegates. You can also take advantage of our "all-in-one" package, of admission + evening dinner + tee-shirt. We encourage overseas visitors to contact our Lecture Secretary and volunteer to give a lecture. Discounts on admission for lecturers will apply, as noted above. We will aim to help you to find suitable accommodation that you can afford - e.g. at a club hut.
BCRA SIGs are treated as caving clubs for the purpose of hiring club stands and displays. No admission concessions are available to people manning SIG or club stands. Afternoon rates or free admission may be considered for SIG members who are present solely to attend a SIG AGM.
At the discretion of the conference manager, a limited number of free passes may be issued to the press where this is beneficial to promoting the aims of BCRA.
Discounted entrance fees will be rounded up to nearest 50p.
If you arrive after 1 p.m. and require only a day ticket, the price will be half the day rate.
Please note: Children must, at all times be supervised by a responsible adult. Children causing distractions may be asked to leave theatres etc. You should note that no effort is made to censor presentations to make them suitable for children, and you should be aware that strong language or graphic images may be included without prior warning.
This page last updated 3 July 2006
British Cave Research Association
(UK registered charity 267828) and British Caving Association.
The Old Methodist Chapel, Great Hucklow, BUXTON, SK17 8RG
This page, http://hidden-earth.org.uk/info/discounts.html was last modified on Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:25:38 +0100