BINGHAM CUP2018 BID

KINGS CROSS STEELERS RFC LONDON, U.K.

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3 Our elevator pitch 4 Foreward5 Plan on a page YOUR RUGBY TOURNAMENT 6 Key things to know 7-11 Tournament venue and experience 12 Ceremonies: opening and closing 13 Tournament timings Transportation Medical 14 Emergency care Travelling with HIV Security LONDON BINGHAM 2018 A WEEK TO REMEMBER 15 - 17 Your week in London and the Bingham Cup 18 - 20 A letter from an American Werebear in London21 - 23 Extending your stay: holidays around the Bingham Cup LONDON LOGISTICS 24 Key things to know 25 Getting to London Air 26 Road and Rail Getting around London 27 Accommodation: housing us together on campus

BUDGET AND FINANCE 28 Key things to know29 Registration fees Registration schedule Registration covers (players and supporters)

CONTENTS PAGE

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YOUR HOSTS 30 The Kings Cross Steelers RFC31 Pathway to Rugby “Hasn’t Bingham been to London?” HOST RELATIONSHIPS 32 - 33 Our partners

ORGANISATIONAL FRAMEWORK 34 Event governance Governing union and tournament governance Committee structure Decision-making Responsibilities 35 - 39 Leadership LEGACY 40 Legacy and the Bingham Academy APPENDICES 42 - 49 Appendix A: London Bingham 2018 Budget 50 - 67 Appendix B: Endorsement Letters 68 Appendix C: Bilateral health agreements

CONTENTS (continued)

OUR ELEVATOR PITCH

BEST BINGHAM FOR RUGBYAn amateur tournament we guarantee professionals could play in: first-rate rugby pitches, conveniently located tournament grounds, functional and festive amenities for players and supporters - all fully backed by our key partners, like the Rugby Football Union and Mayor of London.

WHY LONDON FOR BINGHAM CUP 2018?

MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION £100 ($131/€120) early bird registration for players/ £90 ($118/€107) for supporters; 10 for 1 subsidy model during early bird registration (one free registration for every 10 players registered); campus accommodation option £55 ($72/€66)/night; 20-minute commute to tournament grounds and city centre.

UNIQUE LONDON EXPERIENCE Whether it’s your first or your tenth visit, this visit to London will be unique: experience our 2,000-year-old city from the perspective of Londoners who come from all over the world but call this place home.

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Fellow IGR members: Thank you for taking the time to review the Kings Cross Steelers’ bid proposal to host the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London. It’s been 20 years since a group of guys had the inspired idea of setting up the first rugby club for gay and bisexual men – the Kings Cross Steelers RFC. From humble beginnings, they helped to start a global community comprising over 60 members, from Montreal to Madrid to Melbourne. The spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie woven into the lives of thousands of gay, bisexual, and straight men since that time can find their roots in the British capital, London. As a proud rugby nation and city, we guarantee the highest bar will be set for your tournament experience. We’ve secured first-rate, conveniently-located tournament grounds, affordable campus accommodation options, and the important amenities that will let you focus on your game and play at your best. As a long-time rugby player myself, I fully understand how important these considerations can be. We promise our Bingham will be the best Bingham for rugby. The backdrop for your tournament will be our vibrant, world-class city, London. It is easily accessible, navigable and conveniently located. We have countless cultural, historic, and entertainment attractions, a superb 24-hour public transportation system, and one of the world’s biggest LGBT communities. London will be a great destination and the best launchpad for European travels before and after the tournament. Our game prides itself on its history and traditions, whether it’s performing the Maori haka, post-match drinking, or coming together every two years for the Bingham Cup. So, in 2018, the Steelers are calling you home to the birthplace of our international rugby community, to the nation that knows a little bit about honouring rugby, spectacle, and tradition. A lot has changed since 1995, and even 2004, and many of us couldn’t imagine what a contemporary Bingham Cup in a huge rugby-loving, gay-friendly city like London could be like. For players and clubs – old and new – it will be an opportunity to experience the tournament like you’ve never experienced it before. London 2018 will shine a bright spotlight on all of us as rugby players, supporters, and all that we as the international gay rugby community have achieved over two decades. Like those early pioneers we will also blaze a trail for the next generation of our brotherhood 20, 40, or 100 years from now. We are passionate rugby players and fans who can’t wait to welcome you to our hometown in 2018.

Sincerely yours in rugby,

Christopher Kang2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee ChairmanKings Cross Steelers Rugby Football Club

FOREWoRD

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WHAT?Organise and deliver a first-class Bingham Cup experience to our international rugby community in our first-class world city.

WHY?We want to celebrate a momentous anniversary and milestone for our community by shining a global spotlight on the tournament, the IGR membership, and everything we as a community have achieved over two decades as well as what still needs to be done in the years and decades ahead.

WHEN?25 June- 1 July, 2018, with tournament playing days on 29 June - 1 July.

The timing of the tournament will also coincide with Pride in London 2018, which is expected to be held the weekend just prior to our proposed playing days.

WHERE? Playing Grounds: Memorial Park, West Ham, East London Opening Ceremony: The Roundhouse, Camden, North LondonClosing Ceremony: Pulse nightclub (co-hosted by XXL), Southwark, Central LondonAccommodation Option: Queen Mary University Mile End student residences, East London

HOW?OVERRIDING PLAYING ETHOS: easy to play, easy to compete. ........

LONDON 2018: the best Bingham Cup for rugby: first-rate, conveniently-located tournament grounds, the best amenities (including pitch marshalling and complimentary physio and strapping, ), fully backed by key partners - Rugby Football Union, London Society of Referees and the Mayor of London.

ENCOURAGE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION: £100 ($131/€120) early bird registration for players/£90 ($118/€107) for supporters; 10 for 1 subsidy model (one free registration for every 10 players registered).

AFFORDABLE CAMPUS STYLE ACCOMMODATION OPTION: high-quality student accommodation through Queen Mary University in East Central London for £55 ($72/€66)/night; 20-minute commute to tournament grounds and city centre.

UNIQUE LONDON EXPERIENCE: programme of official and unofficial events to highlight the very best of London, England, our LGBT community, and our rugby-playing history and traditions.

LEAVING A LEGACY/BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: unprecedented media spotlight on IGR, its members and the tournament; establish “The Bingham Academy”, a workshop for established and newly-formed clubs to learn from each other’s experiences and best practices with regard to recruitment, coaching, club development, fundraising, sponsorship, and community relationship building.

PLAN ON A PAGE

First class tournament organisation and delivery: brought to you by the Steelers, with the support of the (English) Rugby Football Union, the London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees, and the British School of Osteopathy.

The best tournament facilities: with six rugby pitches, Astroturf warm-up areas, 16 changing rooms, dozens of showers and toilets, complimentary physiotherapy and strapping, dedicated pitch marshalling, licenced bar and clubhouse and free WiFi on-site.

Atmospheric tournament grounds: offering a fun, atmospheric tournament village for players and supporters alike, including spectator stands, concessions from London’s famous street food and clothing scene, memorabilia, and entertainment - there will be plenty to see and do in between games.

Easy to play, easy to compete: with the tournament grounds, players accommodations, and central London all located within 30 minutes of each other on public transport; come and go as you please with a weekly unlimited public transportation travel card to be included in participants’ Welcome Pack.

KEY THINGS TO KNOW

YOUR RUGBY TOURNAMENT

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A London Bingham Cup is first and foremost about giving players and supporters a first-class rugby experience. Our ambition is to make the 2018 Bingham Cup the best Bingham Cup for rugby - fully organised and delivered with the professionalism, high standard, and keen attention paid to player and supporter needs that are hallmarks of any sporting event organised in our city.

We’ve drawn on the Steelers’ experience hosting past tournaments, informal feedback from Bingham Cup participants at other IGR clubs, as well as the guidance of our partners (the English Rugby Football Union and the London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees) to design a top notch, one-of-a-kind rugby tournament experience.

TOURNAMENT VENUE & EXPERIENCETournaments are only as good as the venues in which they take place. We believe our selection of distinctive venues reflects our commitment to deliver excellence on and off the pitch, where no venue is more than 30 minutes away from each other.

MEMORIAL PARKHOME TO THE STEELERS

The tournament will be hosted at our home club and grounds at Memorial Park, East London. The club’s multi-acre but compact site (to which we will have unfettered access in the run up to the tournament) means we can offer all facilities in one space, without the need for players or supporters to leave the campus. However for those that need to come and go, the city’s excellent public transportation links means participants can travel to and from our proposed accommodation or Central London in under 30 minutes.

Memorial Park frequently bids for and hosts international tournaments, so participants can be assured that the facilities and amenities are suited for high level rugby playing. Past events include the British vs Australian Police Tournament, Essex County Rugby Championships, and the Great Britain touch rugby trial to select our national squad. In the lead-up to the IRB Rugby World Cup in 2015, the grounds underwent a major refurbishment to play host to the Barbarians as a practice venue.

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TOURNAMENT GROUND HIGHLIGHTS• Six rugby playing pitches

• Two 3G/Astroturf all-weather pitches for warm-up and practice

• Sixteen changing rooms as well as plentiful shower facilities

• Two fully-licensed bars

• High quality, fully irrigated main pitch

• Free WiFi available on site

• Excellent transportation links: accessible via National Rail and four London Underground line

• £500,000 site and pitch upgrade in advance of 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup

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MEMORIAL PARK: TOURNAMENT GROUND

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DEDICATED PITCH MANAGEMENTEach of our six high quality playing pitches will have a dedicated pitch manager and marshall, responsible for communicating scores and match scheduling while providing rapid responses to developments and emergencies on the pitch. We guarantee that every team will know rankings, schedules, and match times on a match-by-match basis throughout the tournament.

FREE PHYSIO THERAPY AND STRAPPINGWe all know the toll that three days of intense play can take on our bodies, so we have partnered with the British School of Osteopathy to provide a large contingent of physiotherapists who will administer treatment and strapping free of charge to Bingham Cup participants between matches.

PROFESSIONAL REFEREE SUPPORT We are committed to working with the IGR on recruiting an experienced and highly qualified corps of referees to officiate at a London Bingham Cup. We have also received the support of the London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees (LSRFUR), the oldest and largest rugby football union refereeing society in the world, to provide any supplementary officials as required. We have been guaranteed that any LSRFUR referees will have Division 1 (or higher) level officiating experience. The LSRFUR has reviewed the 2016 tournament rules and have flagged no concern. They have confirmed that London 2018 can be appointed dedicated personnel to manage referee appointments and the disciplinary panel.

PITCHSIDE AMENETIES We will provide enhanced pitchside amenities to ensure that your playing experience is run as smoothly, easily, and enjoyably as possible, so you can focus on what matters most - the rugby.

1. Water Stations: each pitch will be furnished with water stations, so no matter how scorching the British sun gets, you can be guaranteed to stay hydrated.

2. Medical Staff: the tournament will be served by pitchside medical staff, with private ambulances on call for emergency medical treatment and hospital transfers. 3. Comfort and Safety: all required amenities for player and supporter comfort and safety, including licensed on-site security guards, medical personnel and sanitary facilities, including bathrooms in the changing and locker rooms.

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE AND SEEDINGWe are committed to working closely with IGR on tournament structure and to gather detailed seeding information so that all players, regardless of ability and experience, are able to enjoy a tournament suited to their level of experience. Our aim is to ensure that the tournament and matches are run as smoothly and fairly as possible.

ATMOSPHERE AND TOURNAMENTWe will create a fun, atmospheric tournament village, including spectator stands, concessions from London’s famous street food and clothing scene, memorabilia and entertainment.

TRAINING PITCHESTraining pitches will be allocated to each team for at least one hour on the Wednesday and Thursday before the tournament. However, additional days can be arranged at the request of each club. London has an abundance of training grounds dotted all over and near amazing locations, such as Regent’s Park. We will be working with local rugby teams to secure training grounds near Millwall, Hackney Marshes, and Old Street (City of London), which are all quite central and under 30 minutes on public transport. With six pitches, and the event management expertise of our committee and partners, we are confident in our ability to efficiently accommodate the estimated 132 games required for the tournament, with an additional two hours of contingency factored in.*

*This is based on modelling involving 48 teams, at two game/day including all finals, at London 2018. Should there be more than this, we can set up contingency pitches at nearby grounds that are within walking distance of Memorial Park. We would work in consultation with IGR, the RFU and Newham Council to decide the best means of accommodating this.

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opening ceremony

Closing ceremony

The opening ceremony will be held in The Roundhouse in trendy Camden. This is a 150-year old Victorian train shed which has been converted into a creative and innovative event space showcasing world-renowned talent such as David Bowie, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Blondie, the Ramones, and Pink Floyd. This will be the ideal setting for a unique and extremely entertaining show, put on by the Kings Cross Steelers, the likes of which Bingham has never seen. We will be leveraging the breadth and talent of the members of our club, as seen in previous shows, along with members of the London gay community. We will hold the Opening Ceremony in the afternoon, rather than the evening, as per previous Bingham Cups. We want to make sure all players and supporters can enjoy the pageantry of the Opening Ceremony without worrying about being up too late the night before games begin.

The Closing Ceremony will be held in Pulse nightclub in central London, the regular home of the famous gay club night XXL. This is another fabulously atmospheric venue, located under London’s historic railway arches, delivering a modern venue and club experience in a truly historic setting. We have a fantastic relationship with the venue managers which will allow us to transform the space into a celebration of the Bingham Cup and our international rugby movement and offer some show-stop-ping entertainment to conclude the tournament.

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TOURNAMENT TIMINGSThe tournament will be held on the week of 25 June – 1 July, 2018, with the actual playing days on 29 June - 1 July. We’ve chosen these dates to provide participants the very best London summer experience, from weather, tourism, availability of university accommodation and our ability to provide a unique LGBT experience. This is an ideal time to visit London and to play rugby. The temperature will average at approximately 20°C/68°F with just enough moisture to allow for pitches to be firm and springy underfoot. The timing of the tournament will also coincide with Pride in London 2018, which is expected to be held the weekend just prior to our proposed playing days. Pride in London is one of the biggest events of the year, and we will work with the organisers to forge links between their events and ours to fully engage with the wider LGBT community and maximise exposure and support for the Bingham Cup. In 2016, over 1,000,000 people attended the various Pride in London events, so it also offers you the perfect opportunity to arrive in London a few days early and get involved in one of the biggest celebrations in the world.

TRANSPORTATIONAs well as enjoying a first class tournament, we want our participants to enjoy the freedom of getting out and exploring London’s great attractions during their time off the pitch. Therefore, we have included in the registration price a week-long (7 day), unlimited travel pass for London’s comprehensive, 24-hour public transport network.

Not only will this allow you access to all of London’s attractions, but, with five lines running into Memorial Park’s local station and trains running every minute, it will also allow players and the supporters the flexibility to come and go as they please between the campus accommodation, the pitches, and central London.

MEDICALAs well as enjoying a first class tournament, London 2018 recognises that the provision of quick medical attention is important in any rugby playing situation. We will provide first aid assistance for minor injuries, on-site physiotherapists and emergency medical officers, as well as transportation to advanced medical facilities, if required.

NEAREST MEDICAL CENTRE: Royal London Hospital

FIRST AID PROVIDERS: First Aid Cover Ltd. (Two paramedics, two emergency nurses, two emergency medical technicians, and six first responders providing pitchside coverage).

AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDER: First Aid Cover Ltd.(Two ambulances on site and on standby for the duration of the tournament).

PHYSIOTHERAPY, MASSAGE THERAPY & STRAPPING PROVIDER: The British School of Osteopathy

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EMERGENCY CAREImportantly, the United Kingdom has bilateral health agreements with many countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring European nations, providing a vast number of Bingham players with free health care. If your country does not have the agreement in place and you find yourself in need of hospital treatment, the UK National Health Service provides emergency treatment free at the point of access. Any person entering the UK is entitled to free emergency care in primary care and in emergency room/accident and emergency ward only, ensuring care for all Bingham players. However, any treatment needed in other parts of the hospital incur a fee. For example if you break a bone and it just needs a cast, you will be treated for free. If it needs an operation to set the bone, you will incur the cost of the surgery and subsequent hospital stay. This cost will need to be covered by your insurance. All players participating in the 2018 Bingham Cup must have insurance and will need to provide proof of insurance at registration. For a list of countries with bilateral health agreements with the UK, please refer to Appendix C.

TRAVELLING WITH HIV There are no restrictions for people entering the UK who are HIV+. People entering the country are advised to ensure they have all necessary medication and full insurance coverage for their treatment. HIV treatment is not covered under emergency treatment agreements for non-UK citizens and can be expensive.

SECURITY24-hour onsite security will be provided by Churchill Security Ltd. In addition, the Metropolitan Police service will be onsite during tournament play.

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SATURDAY, 23 JUNE: PRIDE IN LONDON PARADE AND FESTIVALRepresent the Bingham Cup and show your club colours as part of one of the world’s biggest Pride parades, or just spectate and take in the sights at the parade and the performances in Trafalgar Square.

SUNDAY, 24 JUNE: PRIDE IN THE PARK After a busy Pride day, keep the party going at the annual Pride in the Park mini-festival. Chill out and take in the music or dance the day away!

MONDAY, 25 JUNEMorning:

Recover from the weekend’s festivities with one of a selection of fun, organised day trips to top local attractions and areas, including:

• Harry Potter Studios Tour in Leavesden• Stonehenge and the Roman town of Bath• The Royal Residence, Windsor Castle• Brighton, a Victorian sea-side town with an artsy gay community

Evening:

Secret London Pub Crawl:

London has some of the oldest pubs in the world, with some of the most fascinating histories to go along with them.

Have a pint where the pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower or eat a scotch egg where the poet Tennyson used to frequent. This pub crawl will take you and your fellow Bingham Cup mates across some of the most historic and unique pubs in the world. What’s even better, you can learn and socialise while also downing some great British beers and ales. Win!

PRIDE WEEKEND

2018 bingham cup A WEEK OF FUN IN LONDONPROPOSED SCHEDULE DURING BINGHAM CUP

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TUESDAY, 26 JUNEMorning/Daytime:

Bingham Cup Tourists Takeover:Choose from London’s top tourist attractions and visit with a band of rugby brothers. We will work with the attractions to design unique experiences that Londoners would DIE for. And be-cause we’ll block book, we’ll not only completely take them over but we’ll also get the best deal too:

Evening:

Soho Pub Crawl: Get acquainted with London’s vibrant and fabulous gay district.

*Show dependent on what is running in the West End closer to the time. These shows are currently playing at the time of this bid.

Twickenham Stadium and World Rugby Museum Tour: Follow the history of the game from its origins to the modern day and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the world’s largest rugby venue. West End Musicals: Including Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots. Booze Cruise on the River Thames: Enjoy the sights of the city from the water and maybe have a pint or two. Soho Walking Tours: Free, entertaining way to learn about this historic, colourful part of London.

WEDNESDAY, 27 JUNEDaytime:

Training pitches available

Rugby clinics for players and clubs/ “The Bingham Academy” workshop for IGR clubs’ management and administration.

Afternoon/Evening:

Tea Dance @ Tea Time: experience the quintessential English experience Steelers style, with tea, cucumber sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and a few more surprises.

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THURSDAY, 28 JUNE

FRIDAY, 29 JUNE

Morning/Daytime:

Bingham Cup Tourist Takeovers: more chances for you to see some of London’s top sights and attractions with a group of rugby brothers.

Afternoon/Evening:

OPENING CEREMONY start 5:00p.m.

Opening Ceremony After-Party:

For those who don’t have an early start to play matches the next morning, we have an after-party for you to keep the evening alive.

BINGHAM CUP GAME DAY 1 Evening bar events for players and supporters

SATURDAY, 30 JUNE BINGHAM CUP GAME DAY 2 Evening bar events for players and supporters

SUNDAY, I JULY BINGHAM CUP FINALS DAY

CLOSING CEREMONY: Bringing an official curtain down on a week of fun and rugby, the closing ceremony will be a show and a party to remember.

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Andrew McDowellMemorial Park, West Ham London, E15 3BP

IGR Members and Supporters Thursday, 28 July 2016

Fellow IGR Members,

After playing in five Bingham Cups, I’ve made some good and long-lasting friendships. Having first played for the Barbarians in New York Bingham in 2006 to playing in the most recent Nashville tournament, I’m excited to be involved with this bid and hopefully give back to Bingham what it has given to me over the years. Although I’m a Bostonian boy at heart, I’ve lived in London for over eight years and it has grown to become my home. Even after all my time here in London, I can honestly say I am not bored and I am nowhere near finished with this city, and that’s down to the abundance of culture, history, food, theatre, art, and ease of access to Europe, amongst many, many other things. Let’s just pause for a moment and appreciate something: London has over 2000 years of history. That alone makes it one of those most interesting cities worldwide. It is a vibrant, captivating, and, sometimes, a curmudgeonly ol’ witch of a city, but, damn, do I love her! The city fills me with so much energy and joy. There would be so much to see and experience, before, during, and after the tournament, and let me tell you, you’ll want to experience it, feel it, touch it, smell it, endure it. Now, being a stereotypical American, history is not one of my strong suits, but that’s not to say I don’t love it! I mean, the Tower of London is just too damned pretty and Lord knows I love taking a selfie in front of Buckingham Palace or Westminster Abbey.

Now many of you may have already visited London and you’ve seen a lot of what the typical tourist would see when they come to London. The typical Londoner, however, has their own version of being a tourist in their own city. For the sake of simplicity let’s just call it: The Londoner’s London!

There are many hidden gems in London that most tourists don’t know about, and let me tell you this list is not exhaustive, but babes, let me give you a dozen can’t-miss attractions in London ( or two fist-fulls and then some)!

A Letter From an American Werebear in London

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THE LONDONERS LONDONHampstead Heath The park itself is beautiful, but during the summer, the gays frolic to the men’s pond at Hampstead Heath. It might not be Fire Island or Provincetown, but it might as well be! Have a picnic, pop some champers, get some sun, and swim in the spring-fed pond. Then, on the way home, stop at one of the many gastropubs for a pint or three.

Twickenham World Rugby Museum Well, England is the birthplace of rugby, so you might as well check out the museum while you’re here too. You are coming for the rugby, after all!

Columbia Road Flower Market You might think this is just a flower market but it’s far more than that. It is one of the few streets in the country composed of sixty independent shops. Small art galleries sit next to cupcake shops, vintage clothes stores, English and Italian delicatessens, garden stores, and antique shops. There is also a wealth of great pubs, cafes, and restaurants. You can spend a great afternoon just walking around and seeing how Londoners shop and live.

Gordon’s Wine Bar London’s oldest wine bar (est. 1890), is tucked away underground near Embankment Station. Take a break from Trafalgar Square and get some wine and cheese at this very cool, cavernous wine bar.

Royal Naval College, Greenwich One of my favourite things to do is take one of the Thames Clippers from Westminster or the Tower of London and go to Greenwich and walk around the old Royal Naval College. Remember that scene in the “Thor: Dark World” where hot Chris Hemsworth (Thor) is fighting to save me, err, I mean, the world? Yeah, that. Oh and see the beauty of Greenwich and the Prime Meridian date line (obvs).

Churchill War Rooms One of five branches of the Imperial War Museum, this underground space in Whitehall is where Churchill ran the war effort during WW2. This is a cool bit of history and you can get a real sense of living through the Blitz while getting to know good ol’ Churchill himself.

Mayflower Pub For my American friends, you’ll want to have a pint here and just get a sense of what it might have been like to board the Mayflower over to the US. Yeah, the pub is older than our country. CRAZY!

Hampstead Heath Mens Pond

Royal Naval College, Greenwich

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Street Feast ATTENTION ALL FOODIES! Shoreditch is our [INSERT YOUR LOCAL HIPSTER AREA], with loads of cool bars, shops and iconic characters. Start your night out by getting some good grub in you by trying an assortment of food fusions at any number of stalls and pop-ups at the summertime eating tradition. You’ll be like a five-year-old girl in a candystore! Well, more so than usual...

WimbledonThere’s not much of an introduction needed really. Just check it out and see where the fierce Serena Williams kicks butt and takes names while doing it.

GuildhallMost of you will be walking around St. Paul’s Cathedral or checking out the London Museum. So you should stop by this medieval masterpiece. Built in 1441, it is another amazing architectural site to behold, plunked right in the heart of the old financial district.

Temple ChurchAny Dan Brown fans? Well, this cool church is where the Knights Templar met for the odd tea or pint. It’s a beautiful church tucked away on Fleet Street in the City of London. Go get knighted!

Tate Modern Switch House This is the newly built extension of the world famous Tate Modern. The Herzog & de Meuron-designed building alone is a sight to see, nevermind the assortment of art inside. It also makes for a great stop along the Thames when you’re checking out Tower Bridge or Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Befitting any big world class city, London lives and parties day and night. Thank goodness for our 24-hour transport system because I’d be lost without it as I stumble out of XXL on a Saturday night … make that Sunday morning. London has an easy underground transport system (aka Subway/Metro) with such a colourful and pretty tube map. You’ll want to frame it! Of course, it’s also a walkable city or just take a bus, bike, train, or even a boat ride on the River Thames! Take your pick! Now, as the famous British songstress Dame Shirley Bassey sang, “HEY BIG SPENDER! Spend a little time with me” …IN LONDON!!! Support our bid. You know you want to!

Yours in rugby,

Andrew McDowell2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Logistics Lead

Guildhall

The Mayflower

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holidays around bingham

We understand that for many Bingham Cup participants, coming to the tournament is a launch pad for holidays before and after the big event. While we’d love to have you stay in London as long as possible, we understand that you’ll need to move on sooner or later.

Whether you want to spend all your holiday in London (there’s lots to see and do!), have a mini-break to elsewhere in the United Kingdom, or a weekend getaway to Europe, London is a major regional and international travel hub, with numerous easy connections to the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond. With its bus coaches to the spectacular highlands of Scotland, the Eurostar to Paris (in just 2 hours), or nipping on one of the many low-cost air carriers based in one of five London airports (Ryanair, Easyjet, Flybe, Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook), you will find a direct and affordable connection from our city, whatever your budget.

We will provide help and advice to tailor an itinerary to meet your needs. We will provide lists of London’s top attractions and tailored walking tours to help you get the most of you trip to London, and suggested itineraries to suit any European holiday, whether you’re looking for rugged scenery, history, action, culture, beaches, or nightlife!

EXTENDING YOUR STAY

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OXFORD, THE COTSWOLDS AND BATHAlso less than two hours from London, Oxford offers such a breath-taking range of architectural beauty. It has become known as the “City of Dreaming Spires.” Marvel at the tranquil and majestic colleges that form Oxford University, visit the world-famous Bodleian Library, or punt along the river to make the most of this beautiful city. Nearby, visit the Cotswolds to enjoy idyllic English countryside, quintessentially quaint villages and market towns, and fabulous stately homes. For those seeking more active holidays, the Cotswolds are also home to almost 5,000 km of public paths and rights of way making for an ideal destination to explore on foot. A little further south, visit the UNESCO World Heritage town of Bath and it’s beau-tiful city centre. A truly unique destination in the UK, it sits on a natural hot spring and the original Roman baths and spas can still be enjoyed. A fantastic location for boutique shopping and dining, Bath offers a true taste of luxury in a fairy tale setting.

BRIGHTON AND ENGLAND’S SOUTH COASTWithin an hour of London by train is the vibrant and eclectic city of Brighton, a traditional Victorian seaside resort long known as a cultural centre for the gay community. Visit the famously stunning Royal Pavilion, play on the historic Brighton Pier, and eat traditional fish and chips on the pebble beach for a quintessential English day by the sea!

STONEHENGE & SALISBURYLess than two hours by car from London, take a trip into prehistory at the legendary and mysterious monument of Stonehenge. The nearby cathedral town of Salisbury offers a glimpse into our more recent history with its beautiful cathedral, housing an original copy of the Magna Carta.

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CONTINENTAL EUROPEWith numerous affordable flights each day to hundreds of destinations across Europe, Lon-don is the perfect base for your European adventures. Within two hours, visit the boulevards and galleries of romantic Paris, bike the canals of Am-sterdam, or let your hair down in Berlin’s exciting nightlife. Within three hours, discover history on every street corner in Rome, Florence and Venice, experience the lively buzz of Barcelona and Madrid, or chill out on the Mediterranean on France’s south coast.

And that is just a taste of what Europe has to offer! Laid-back Scandinavia, picturesque Prague, trendy Budapest, historic Krakow, the Alps, the buzz of Ibiza, or even King’s Landing (…well, apparently it’s actually called Dubrovnik!) are all directly connected to London and are just a short flight away. By coming to London and using it as a holiday base, the possibilities are limited only to your imagination.

SCOTLAND AND THE HIGHLANDS Just a short hop north is wild and rugged Scotland. Spend a few days touring the beautiful old town of Edinburgh, the shops and bars of Glasgow, and the awe-inspiring majesty and mystery of the Highlands.

IRELAND AND THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY Only a short flight away, experience the warm and friendly welcome of the Irish. Sample the world’s best Guinness in the literary capital of Dublin or take all your senses on tour in Ireland’s Atlantic coast which offers an incredible range of sights, scenery, traditional music, and culinary delights.

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KEY THINGS TO KNOWAFFORDABLE, CAMPUS STYLE ACCOMMODATION: high quality student accommodation through Queen Mary University in East Central London for £55 ($72/€66)/night; 20-minute journey, via public transportation, to tournament grounds and city centre.

EASY TO GET TO, EASY TO GET AWAY: five international airports with 350 direct international connections; road and rail connections within the UK and mainland Europe; five low-cost carriers based in London airports.

SUPERB PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: one of the most comprehensive public transportation networks, operating 24-hours a day; weeklong (7 day) unlimited travel pass included as part of participants’ registration package.

LONDON LOGISTICS

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London is a global air travel hub and is the primary international gateway to Europe. There are more direct flights from London to non-European destinations than any other European city. As a result, hosting the Bingham Cup in London will minimise the effort and cost involved in international travel for a large number of participating teams.

The following table illustrates approximate travel times from regions outside Great Britain with Bingham Cup participating teams:

EUROPE 1 - 2.5 hoursAmsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dublin,Lisbon, Lyons, Madrid, Montpellier, Munich, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Toulouse

NORTHEASTERN USA/EASTERN CANADA 6 - 8.5 hours Boston, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Toronto, Washington

SOUTH AFRICA 11 hoursJohannesburg

SOUTHEASTERN AND MIDWESTERN USA 9 - 12 hours Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus,Madison, Minneapolis, Nashville, St. Louis

SOUTH AMERICA 14 hoursBuenos Aires

SOUTHWESTERN AND WESTERN USA 13 - 15 hoursDallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND 22 - 24 hoursAuckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney

REGION TRAVEL TIME

GETTING TO LONDON BY AIR

London’s airports are also directly connected to the city centre via convenient rail links. This map illustrates travel times from airports to London terminals.

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GETTING TO LONDON BY ROAD AND RAILLondon is connected extensively to the rest of Great Britain via motorway with the M1, M4, and M40 connecting London with cities to the north and west. Furthermore, rail links from Waterloo, Victoria, Euston, Kings Cross, and St. Pancras connect London via rail to the rest of Great Britain with travel times from one to four hours connecting all major cities. In addition, Eurostar provides direct rail access to continental Europe, connecting to Brussels and Paris in just over two hours.

GETTING AROUND LONDONLondon is a 24-hour metropolis, supported by one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world. The London Underground provides primary method of transportation for many Londoners and is an ideal means of getting around for visitors. Two-hundred and seventy stations are located throughout London with underground trains running up to every two minutes. Using the London Underground is the fastest, and most affordable way to get between the campus accommodation and the tournament venue, as well as the city centre where the main social events will be held. To facilitate guests’ ease of transport around the city, a week-long pass for London Underground (and all London buses for good measure!) will be provided to all Bingham Cup attendees as part of their registration package.

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ACCOMMODATION

HOUSING US TOGETHER ON CAMPUS Because of the positive feedback regarding accommodation options offered in Dublin and Nashville, the Kings Cross Steelers have invested in the option of student accommodation, offering that close community feel and enabling all participants to mingle with each other with ease. The campus accom-modation for players and supporters during the tournament will be at Queen Mary University in East Central London. It is under a 20-minute journey, door to door, from the players’ residences on campus, to the playing fields at Memorial Park, with an easy five minute train ride. The accommodation will consist of single ensuite rooms so that every guest will have their own bed-room, toilet, and shower, providing comfort, privacy and ease of access. Rooms will be contained within apartments ranging in size from four to nine bedrooms with a shared kitchen and dining area, enabling a friendly, social element. WiFi will be available to all guests. The university campus has many convenient amenities including laundry, grocery, and banking services. Pricing for the campus accom-modation (including breakfast) will be approximately £55 ($72/€66)/night.

For those who would prefer to stay in a hotel, there are a number of options within 15 minutes of the tournament grounds. Stratford and Canary Wharf are just a few minutes travel away and boast hotels from global brands such as Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Travelodge, and Holiday Inn. We will work with these chains to secure favourable rates for Bingham Cup guests who would prefer the hotel option.

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SUPPORTER REGISTRATION Early Bird £90 ($118/€107) Standard Registration £110 ($144/€132) Late Registration £130 ($170/€156)

Early Bird £100 ($131/€120)2

Standard Registration £120 ($157/€144) Late Registration £150 ($197/€180) ‘Maximum Participation’ subsidy model One free player registration for every 10 players registered during early bird registration period.

PLAYER REGISTRATION

REGISTRATION SCHEDULE Early Bird 1 October - 31 December 2017 Standard Registration 1 January - 30 April 2018 Late Registration 1 May - 22 June 2018

1. Not including IGR levy for players. However, this will be included in the total price at the time of registration, once the levy has been confirmed with IGR. IGR has indicated that for 2018 this will be £5. Similarly, the current proposed fees also do not include processing fees.

2. Registration fees subject to foreign exchange rates at the time of registration. As a result, we have provided indicative fees for USD & EUR.

LOW REGISTRATION FEE (EARLY BIRD) £100 ($131/ €120) Registration for Players £90 ($118/ €107) Registration for Supporters

‘MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION’ SUBSIDY MODEL One Free player registration for every 10 players registered during Early Bird Registration

budge t & f inanc eKEY THINGS TO KNOW

REGISTRATION FEES1

We understand that taking a touring party overseas costs a great deal of money and therefore we aim to maximise participation by working to minimise the financial impact upon players. We have set the baseline early registration fees at £100 for players and £90 for supporters.

In addition to a low early registration fee, we will also implement a subsidy model to provide one free place for every 10 players registered for the tournament during early bird registration.

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In order to deliver this low cost tournament, but make it sustainable for attendees, we have leveraged our commercial relationships in London to allow us to deliver a high quality tournament at a competitive price.

We have already secured cash sponsorship worth £30,000 from our long-time club supporter and commercial partner, XXL. In addition to negotiating free access to XXL’s venue for our Closing Ceremony, we have also obtained the backing of the British School of Osteopathy who will provide complimentary treatment and strapping during the tournament.

Additionally, as a long standing member of East London Community Sports Association (trustees for Memorial Park), we will enjoy unfettered access to the tournament venue free of charge.

Therefore, we believe that we are well placed to deliver a high qualit-sustainable tournament at a highly competitive price

For a full detailed budget, please see Appendix A.

REGISTRATION COVERS FOR PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS • Entry to the tournament grounds

• Opening and Closing Ceremonies

• Player/Supporter gift bags

• Lunches for the 3 tournament days

• Weekly (7 day) travel pass for underground (i.e metro), buses and Overground transportation

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The Kings Cross Steelers were the world’s first rugby club aimed primarily at gay and bisexual men who had a love for and desire to play competitive rugby. The passion for rugby remains to this day, as we attract players of varied background, age, and rugby experience to create a true band of brothers. The Steelers see hosting the Bingham Cup in 2018 as an opportunity to celebrate an important milestone in our community and share our passion and camaraderie with you. We truly believe we can give you a welcome like no other club.

Having been founded in 1995 and playing regular league rugby since 1999, the Steelers are now an established and respected member of the Essex league. We have an incredible relationship with the East London Community Sports Association (ELCSA), the charity that owns and manages our modern home grounds, Memorial Park. This relationship continues to provide many great benefits, including full access and control over the grounds where the Bingham Cup will be held in order to shape the best tournament for you as players and supporters.

YOUR HOSTS

FOUNDED: 1995

MEMBERS: 252 - PLAYERS 210 - SUPPORTERS 42

TEAMS: Four teams and alumni team

STEELERS BY NUMBERS

With our deep bench of experience and connections to our local community, we believe we have much to offer you. We are committed to working closely with the IGR, its members and participants to ensure we can help to make your 2018 Bingham experience the best it can be.

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pathway to rugbyThe Steelers have recently gone through a period of tremendous growth and change. We took two squads to Sydney in 2014 and doubled this to four in Nashville this year, with huge growth in numbers due to our Pathway to Rugby programme, which is in line with the Rugby Football Union’s Return to Rugby initiative. Pathway to Rugby gained incredible traction among London’s LGBT community and the programme means the Steelers are bringing more new adult players to rugby than any other organisation in the UK. Sharing the lessons and learnings of this fantastic recruitment and player development programme is a key ambition of our London 2018 legacy (see Legacy section on page 39).

Our engagement with the wider community goes even further. We have positive working relationships with other gay and inclusive sports teams and organisations, as evidenced by the letters of endorsement included in Appendix B. We want to bring you to London to meet not just the Steelers but the entirety of the city’s LGBT community.

hasn’t bingham been to london?In 2004, the Steelers hosted the second Bingham Cup, a small, invitational tournament with only 20 clubs represented in various numbers. Since then, IGR has tripled in size and, as seen in Nashville, the level of play has increased exponentially. This is a fantastic testament to the strength and vibrancy of our community, to which we are immensely proud to have contributed in those early days. Undoubtedly a whole new generation of rugby players have joined our community since then, and would enjoy a big unique city Bingham Cup experience. Moreover, for those who did participate in 2004, we believe they will enjoy the chance to return and experience a bigger, more professional, contemporary Bingham Cup in London.

As IGR has grown, so have the tournaments in lockstep, with each one bigger than the last. We believe that hosting one of the biggest amateur sporting events in the world to the standard expected by participants requires the host club and city to have the best infrastructure, amenities, organisational experience and capabilities. The Steelers feel we have this, and is a particular strength of our bid. In light of recent world events, we feel gathering international rugby players and supporters in London will shine a light on your stories, those of gay rugby clubs across the world and gay rugby as a phenomenal positive influence on so many lives. London is the home to more than 200 international media outlets, providing an unprecedented opportunity to highlight and advance our mutual values, goals and ambitions.

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host relationships TOURNAMENT PARTNERS

RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION The Rugby Football Union is the national governing body of grassroots and elite rugby in England. The Bid Committee has secured commitments from the organisation’s Rugby Development Of-fice and Events and Competitions team (which also plans and delivers matches at Twickenham Stadium, the largest dedicated rugby stadium in the world, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup) to work with the Steelers and IGR to plan and deliver the 2018 Bingham Cup to a high, profession-al standard worthy of the England squad itself.

LONDON SOCIETY OF RFU REFEREES The London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees was founded in 1889 by the then Chairman and President of the RFU to provide match officials for club games occurring within the London area. The society still aims to provide quality, professional referees, and are committed to continually developing and enhancing the skills of referees as well as motivating and coaching them to become true ambassadors of the game. The London Society is recognised as the pre-eminent society in the United Kingdom and is respected across the world.

In addition to providing a corps of professional and high quality (Division 1 and above level) referees as needed for a London 2018 Bingham Cup tournament, they can also provide a framework for structured, fair means of resolving referee conflicts and disputes.

BRITISH SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHY The British School of Osteopathy (BSO) is the largest and the oldest osteopathic school in the UK, founded in 1917 to provide undergraduate and postgraduate osteopathy training. They are respected throughout the world for providing excellence in healthcare, education, and research.

The BSO has endorsed our bid for the Bingham Cup and as offered to provide the 2018 London Bingham Cup with complimentary physiotherapists and strapping for our participants.

COMMERCIAL PARTNERSXXLThis is one of the premier gay club nights in the London for over 15 years. Though it is the largest and longest-running “bear” weekly club night in the UK and the world, it is open, and frequented, by all sorts of men. XXL is based at Pulse in London’s Southwark district.

As an existing sponsor of the Kings Cross Steelers RFC, XXL has confirmed its endorsement and early commercial support for London’s 2018 Bingham Cup bid, including provision of the closing party venue as well as £30,000.00 cash sponsorship.

STONEGATE PUB COMPANYStonegate Pub Company is one of the largest pub groups in the UK and operates some of the most iconic gay bars and clubs in London, including Rupert Street Bar, Admiral Duncan, the Duke of Wellington, the Kings Arms, and the Two Brewers.

We are also in negotiations with a number of other potential commercial partners, including Paddy Power, Land Rover, and Diageo, which we hope to formalise once a London 2018 bid is secured.

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GOVERNMENT PARTNERS DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORTDCMS aims to help make Britain the world’s most creative and exciting place to live, visit and do business. They help communities grow and thrive by investing in the arts and sport, among other areas. They are charged with developing and enacting sport policy and investment, including events such as the 2018 Bingham Cup in London. They have endorsed our bid.

MAYOR OF LONDONS OFFICEThe office of the newly-elected Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has endorsed our bid to bring the 2018 Bingham Cup to London. The Mayor of London’s Office is responsible for sustaining the city’s status as the home of world class sport by actively supporting and hosting high profile sporting events such as the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and the 2017 IAAF World Athletic Championships.

NEWHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL Newham London Borough Council is the local government which oversees the area in which Memorial Park sits. They have endorsed our bid.

CHARITY PARTNERS DIVERSITY ROLE MODELS Diversity Role Models is a UK charity which tackles homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, primarily in UK schools. Through volunteer role models, they work with schools to share positive, engaging stories to help address the misuse of language and break down negative stereotypes that underpin bullying behaviour.

TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUSTThe Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity. It aims to engage and support communities affected most by HIV and sexual ill-health.

THE BEN COHEN STANDUP FOUNDATIONFounded by former professional rugby player Ben Cohen, the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation aims to raise awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of homophobia and transphobia in sport and bullying by raising funds to support those doing real-world work to eradicate bullying.

STONEWALL UKStonewall UK is one of the UK’s and Europe’s largest LGBT rights organisations, advocating for equality at home, school and work. The organisation has endorsed our bid to host the 2018 London Bingham Cup.

TOURISM PARTNERS PRIDE IN LONDONThe organisers of the UK’s largest LGBT event has endorsed our bid to host the 2018 London Bingham Cup. The community interest company has grown Pride in London into one of the city’s three largest one-day events. In addition to organisational support, they have pledged to support us through commercial introductions as well as providing volunteers from their bank of volunteers.

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EVENT GOVERNANCEThe 2018 Bingham Cup in London will operate under the parent organisation of the Kings Cross Steelers Rugby Football Club. This allows the event to be covered by the Rugby Football Union, which governs rugby in England. Finances will be kept in a separate bank account to differentiate from the parent organisation.

GOVERNING UNION AND TOURNAMENT GOVERNANCE The 2018 Bingham Cup in London will fall under the governance of the Rugby Football Union, the Essex League Rugby Football Union, and the London Society of Referees.

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE The London 2018 Bingham Cup Bid Committee and the membership of the Kings Cross Steelers include a huge depth of experience in tournament and event project management, delivery, promotion, and sponsorship. Our collective experience includes successfully organising the 2012 Bingham Cup in Manchester, a 55,000-person rally for Barack Obama, and Atlanta Pride, as well as members who have worked on mass participation productions such as the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The Steelers also organise and deliver a successful and profitable annual fundraising event at London superclub Heaven. The May 2016 show was organised in three months and had nearly half the club planning or performing to a sold-out event of nearly 1000 people.

DECISION-MAKINGThe London 2018 Bingham Cup Bid Committee was assembled to create the most effective experience for the players and supporters attending the event. Each member of the committee will vote on the execution of tasks impacting the event and the host organisation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Chairman of the London 2018 Bingham Cup Bid Committee will be the direct liaison to the IGR Board and will be responsible for consistent monthly communication to the IGR Board and IGR member clubs, keeping all constituents informed in a timely fashion to ensure the success of the tournament and associated events. The Chairman is responsible for the effectiveness and productivity of the London 2018 Bingham Cup Bid Committee and reports to the Kings Cross Steelers Committee. It is the responsibilIty of the Chairman and the bid committee, as a whole, to fulfill all aspects of this bid in a timely manner.

ORGANISATIONAL FRAMEWORK

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leadershipCHRISTOPHER KANG2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee Chairman

ORIGIN: CANADA TIME IN LONDON: 8 YEARS

POSITION: 1ST XV CENTRE

PLAYING RUGBY SINCE: 1997

With nearly eight years’ experience working in communications and events across the food and drink, retail, charity, and news media sectors, Christopher currently man-ages communications for all International New York Times and New York Times conferences outside of America. Chris-topher has played for the Kings Cross Steelers since 2013, having played for clubs in Canada and Germany in his nearly 20 year amateur playing career. Christopher also manages communications for the Kings Cross Steelers, where he led PR efforts on the club’s 20th anniversary with pieces in CNN, The Independent, London Live, and The Evening Standard. He has been to two Bingham Cups

Buck works as Associate Dean of Student Leadership at Richmond University, the American International University in London, making use of 20 years of event planning in a variety of settings. His prior work experience includes planning meetings, conferences, concerts, and festivals, most notably a three and a half year stint as Executive Director of the Atlanta Pride Committee, which involved supervising hundreds of volunteers, fundraising over $700,000.00 (US) annually, and creating festival and year-round programming for the LGBT community in the southeastern United States. The annual Atlanta Pride Festival is that city’s largest festival and parade with over 250,000 attendees each year. While he worked at Georgia Tech, Buck helped plan a rally for President Barack Obama with over 55,000 attendees in the heart of the campus. He moved to London in 2015 and joined the Steelers four months ago.

BUCK COOKE 2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Marketing Lead

ORIGIN: USA TIME IN LONDON: 1 YEAR

POSITION: SUPPORTER

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Fifteen years ago, Drew began playing rugby while he was a student at Bryant University in Rhode Island and he continues to love the sport and the organising required for a club to be successful, both on and off the pitch. He works in London as an operational risk manager for an asset management company and joined the Steelers shortly after relocating to London. Drew enjoys putting his project management skills to work for the Steelers, whether it’s organising documents and deliverables, planning social events, or serving as club captain for two years leading up to the Sydney Bingham Cup. He organised several tours for the Steelers, including the club’s largest tour group to Nashville for the most recent Bingham Cup, and helped organise the largest collegiate rugby tournament in the United States, the Beast of the East, when Drew played for the Providence Rugby Football Club. He also helps plan and execute the Steelers’ annual fundraiser at Heaven. This year, the event sold out once again, drawing more than 1000 spectators and involved 70 club members and performers and participants.

DREW MCDOWELL 2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Logistics Lead

ORIGIN: USA TIME IN LONDON: 8 .5 YEARS

POSITION: 1ST XV CENTRE

PLAYING SINCE: 2001

Wayne moved to London in 2002 to begin his career with the London Fire Brigade. With working unusual and long hours, he did well to be an active member of the playing squad for the Steelers. He has worked for many years developing bonds with sponsors who are proud to support the Kings Cross Steelers, leading to the establishment of Ruggercub, a monthly fundrais-er for the club at the Two Brewers. Because of the relationship Wayne built with the parent company, Stonegate, he has organ-ised funding for Cardiff and Manchester rugby clubs with bars from the Stonegate chain.

WAYNE RICHARDS2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Sponsorship Lead

ORIGIN: ENGLAND TIME IN LONDON: 14 YEARS

POSITION: 1ST XV PROP

PLAYING SINCE: 1990

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WESLEY MANSON2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Event Co-Lead

ORIGIN: SOUTH AFRICA TIME IN LONDON: 5 YEARS

POSITION: 1ST XV TIGHT HEAD

PLAYING SINCE: 1997

Wes works as a contract catering manager by day, making use of over 15 years of professional experience in hospitality and large event management. He has previously delivered high pro-file events with the Kings Cross Steelers including our 20th anni-versary celebrations. He started playing rugby after he moved to Wales and joined the Steelers four years ago, about a year after he moved to London. He has played in a total of three Bingham Cups.

Colin grew up playing Gaelic Football and started playing rugby four years ago when he joined the Steelers. He works as a management consultant specialising in security and has five years of professional experience in project management and delivery with global finance and energy organisations.

COLIN SCALLY2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Event Co-Lead

ORIGIN: IRELAND TIME IN LONDON: 6 YEARS

POSITION: 1ST XV FULLBACK

PLAYING SINCE: 2012

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ALEX SMITHKings Cross Steelers Rugby Football Club Chairman

ORIGIN: SCOTLAND TIME IN LONDON: 4 YEARS

POSITION: 1st XV COACH

PLAYING SINCE: 1992

Alex is a senior project manager in banking and has served as the Chairman of the Kings Cross Steelers for two years. Alex’s previous club, the Manchester Spartans, hosted the Bingham Cup in 2012, when he served as the Tournament Director. Manchester was the largest Bingham Cup to date at that time, with over 1,200 players and supporters in attendance, and was a tremendous success. He looks forward to bringing that experience and learn-ing to the Steelers’ bid to host the tournament in London in 2018, with a particular focus on how to get the rugby right for all the players.

When he moved to London 30 years ago, Timothy fell in love with the energy and vitality of the city. London offered him hope, fun and excitement, and it hasn’t disappointed him yet. Timothy cares for dementia patients in a nursing home for his occupation, but when he is not there, rugby is where you will find him. His rugby playing days ended when he broke his back during University, requiring a spinal fusion. That did not diminish his love for the game, howev-er. He began following the Steelers in 2001 and joined the club two years later. Timothy served the club as Chairman for six years, among other leadership roles he possessed over the years. The Steelers have taught him all that is great about rugby and their rugby brotherhood: camarade-rie, loyalty, teamwork, and, most importantly, friendship.

TIMOTHY SULLIVAN2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, President

ORIGIN: ZIMBABWE TIME IN LONDON: 30 YEARS

POSITION: SUPPORTER

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Tim was born in Manchester and his first experience of the gay rugby world was with the Manchester Village Spartans, where he spent five years as both a player and supporter before moving to London in 2012 to pursue a career in Forensic Accounting. Tim has been a playing and supporting member of the Kings Cross Steelers since he moved to London. Also, whilst at the Village Spartans, Tim acted as treasurer and registration coordinator for the 2012 Bingham Cup held in Manchester.

TIM THORNTON2018 London Bingham Cup Bid Committee, Finance Chair

ORIGIN: ENGLAND TIME IN LONDON: 4 YEARS

POSITION: SUPPORTER

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LEGACY

The Steelers are proud of our contribution to and membership in a global rugby community that now comprises over 60 gay and inclusive clubs. Through our own history and our involvement with other newly-formed IGR clubs, we understand both the challenges around getting a new club off the ground and what issues more established clubs face. London 2018’s legacy is rooted in recognising this, so our tournament will specifically run activities aimed at helping strengthen gay rugby.

Called “The Bingham Academy”, this will be an informative and interactive series of workshops on Wednesday, 27 June. The workshops will address some of the common challenges facing IGR rugby clubs and identify practical solutions: recruitment, fundraising, community engagement, and fostering the next generation of talent. Targeted to club management and leadership but open to all players and supporters, we would invite partners and experts from the RFU, policy-makers, the media, London community groups, and all IGR clubs to share best practice and help all attendees develop tailored solutions for their own local circumstances.

The Steelers have benefited in a similar way through our involvement in the RFU’s Return To Rugby initiative, which aims to encourage clubs to get people back into rugby and was the inspiration for our successful Pathways to Rugby programme. The idea would be to draw on the experience, best practices, and deep community connections of all IGR clubs to support the development, growth, and sustainability of our member organisations.

THE BINGHAM ACADEMY

For the Steelers, a Bingham Cup in our city is more than a single event at a static point in time. It’s about joining with our fellow IGR members push forward important goals that are central to both the tournament itself and to our club:

1. Increase diversity in sport2. Strengthen gay rugby, through our experience and best practice; and,3. Combat homophobia in sport.

As an English-speaking, global city with an international profile and passion for rugby, London is home to over 200 domestic and international media bureaux and countless international businesses. A London Bingham Cup will put an unprecedented and unmatchable spotlight on IGR, its member clubs,and the tournament’s ideals, thereby helping to reach those goals.

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APPENDICES

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APPENDIX a

london bingham 2018 budget

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Tournament Budget (GBP)  Attendance & Income    Notes        Budget  Low   High Number of Teams           40  33  48 Players per squad           22  15  25 Total Players           880  495  1200 Total Supporters           240  165  240 Total Player & Supporter Fees           1120  660  1440 Volunteers           100  75  150 Non‐paying ‐ Referees / EMTs / PTs /VIPs           40  30  45 Host Committee           20  20  20 Total participants           1280  785  1655 

Income                  

            £  £  £ Registration fees  A        120,750  71,160  155,237 Corporate Sponsorship  B        40,000  38,000  45,000 Merchandise  C        2,500  1,473  3,214 General Admission  D        2,000  2,000  2,000 Program Ads  E        2,000  2,000  2,000 Total Income           167,250  114,633  207,452 

Expenditure                  Ambulance/EMT/Safety  1           9,995        9,995       12,851 Awards ‐ Trophies ‐ Medals                300       300           300 Bank Charges  2                   ‐             ‐                     ‐   Banners/Lanyards  3           2,400     2,200         2,720 Closing Ceremonies  4           27,520     16,878        35,583 Fields Expenses ‐ Paint, Goal Posts, etc.  5                1,000        1,000              1,000 Insurance  6               1,000         1,000            1,000 License Fee to IGR  7                 ‐             ‐                ‐   Merchandising Inventory  8                     ‐           ‐               ‐   Tournament brochure layout/printing  9              1,500         1,300       1,600 Participant Meals  10            19,200       11,775         24,825 Participant Gift Bags           1,500       920          1,939 Jersey Laundry                1,400         788            1,909 VIP & Alice Hoagland flights and accommodation                3,500         3,500          3,500 Sanitation & Cleaning  11                    650            399               840 Security   12                5,088       5,088          5,088 Strapping/physio materials  13               5,000        2,946           6,429 Transportation ‐ Tournament  14            36,288       21,384           46,656 Venue ‐ Field Rentals  5                     ‐                ‐                  ‐   Portable toilets  15                1,869            935              2,285 Opening Ceremonies  4            14,720       9,028          19,033 Referee ‐ Pay & Housing  16               500          300           500 Tents ‐ Team/Referee/EMT/Merchandise Tents  17                8,948         7,933         10,107 Water/Ice                   500         350          700 Walkie Talkie Rental  18             1,500        1,500            1,500 Miscellaneous Costs                2,000  1,500           2,000 Audio visual               3,000       1,000            3,000 Website                 2,000       2,000         2,000 

Total Costs            151,378   104,017      187,364 Contingency of 10%            15,138    10,402      18,736 

Net Income            734    215       1,351 

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Notes  A) Participation A)  Player  and  supporter  attendance  assumptions  have  been  based  on  historic  attendance  at  previous tournaments.    In  light of the  increased cost of travel for many US clubs as   a result of a European host city, registration  fees which constitute  the majority of  the  tournament's  revenue will be maintained at £100  for early player registration and £90 for early supporter  registration.   Player           Budget  Low   High A) Early   67%     590  332  804 B) Standard  17%     145  82  198 C) Late  17%     145  82  198 Total  100%        880  495  1,200                     Supporter           Budget  Low   High A) Early   50%     120  83  120 B) Standard  25%     60  41  60 C) Late  25%     60  41  60 Total  100%        240  165  240                     

Player  Reg, fee  IGR Fee Processing 

Fee  Budget  Low   High A) Early   100.00  5.00  2.83  60,626  34,102  82,671 B) Standard  120.00  5.00  3.33  17,907  10,073  24,418 C) Late  150.00  5.00  4.08  22,372  12,584  30,507 Total           100,904  56,759  137,597                     

Supporter     IGR Fee Processing 

Fee  Budget  Low   High A) Early   90.00  5.00  2.58             11,109          7,637          11,109 B) Standard  110.00  5.00  3.08              6,785           4,664            6,785 C) Late  130.00  5.00  3.58             8,015           5,510            8,015 Total                      25,908         17,812          25,908                     Subsidy  10%                (6,063)         (3,410)       (8,267)                     Total Registration fees                  120,750         71,160        155,237   B) Sponsorship The London Bingham Cup 2018 Bid Committee has already secured  a  cash  sponsorship  commitment  of  £30,000  from one of its existing partners. The Committee expects to raise further  sponsorship  with  existing  partners  over  the  next two  years.  However,  given  the  current  uncertainty surrounding UK  leaving  the  European Union we  currently maintaining prudent assumption  in  respect of  further cash sponsorship.  1) Medical Quotation obtained based on 2 emergency ambulances, 2 paramedics,  1  emergency  nurse,  2  emergency  medical technicians and 6 first responders (pitchside cover).  2) Bank charges Bank charges will be minimised as a result of the relatively low volume of supplier payments required.   

 3) Printing, website layout and brochure layout. Printing  cost  based  on  quotes  from  previous  large  scale events hosted by the Kings Cross Steelers RFC.  4) Opening/closing ceremony Opening  ceremony  has  been  costed  based  on  initial discussions with the venue.  Closing ceremony has been budgeted based on a per head cost  for  catering  from  a  large  London‐based  catering  and event management corporation.  5) Venue fees and maintenance Our Memorial Park facilities have recently undergone major upgrade work in preparation for use as a training facility for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.  The Club facilities and grounds are  subject  to  a  cyclical  repairs  and  maintenance 

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programme as part of an ongoing schedule of tournaments and events held routinely at the Club. KXS will have  free and unfetttered access  to our Memorial Park venue and therefore no charge has been budgeted for venue hire.  6) Insurance Event public liability insurance has been quoted for cover of up  to  £10,000,000.    In  line  with  previous  tournaments players will be responsible for their own insurance cover for play.  7) IGR Licence fee IGR  licence  fee will pass directly  though  the Bingham Cup entity, and be passed on  to  IGR on an agency basis,  it has not been included in revenue and therefore is not included in costs.  8) Kit and Merchandise Merchandising will be outsourced and a royalty paid to the Bingham  Cup  event  company  based  on  10%  of merchandising  revenue  merchandising  sales  are conservative  and  are  based  on  previous  tournament royalties.  9) Brochure layout Brochure  layout will be provided by  Steelers membership, costs therefore for printing only which is included at note 7.  10) Catering £5 per day allocated for players and supporters in respect of catering  from  a  variety  of  artisan  street  food  vendors  on site.  11) Sanitation and cleaning Sanitation  costs  relate  predominantly  to  cost  of  private waste disposal  and have been estimated based on  similar costs for tournaments held at Memorial Park.  12) Security  Our Memorial Park  site  is gated and  fenced and  therefore we propose 4  security  staff during  the day  and 2  staff on site  at  night.  Costs  have  been  quoted  by  a  reputable supplier.  Personnel  Days Days (inc. set up and breakdown)               5 Personnel on site                4 Shift hours             12 Day rate hours            240      Days (inc. set up and breakdown)                 4 Personnel on site                2 Shift hours            12 Day rate hours              96      

Day cost         14.00 Night cost         18.00 

Total   

5,088  13) Physiotherapy Physiotherapy will be provided free of charge by the British School  of Osteopathy.    The  currently  budgeted  amount  is estimated  for  the  cost  of  providing  strapping  based  on previous tournament costs.    14) Transport Flexible  transport will be provided via  issue of a  three day travel card for the London Underground network.   This will provide unlimited access to public transport within Zones 1 to 3 and will  cover all major attractions and event venues for the duration of the tournament.  15) Portaloos & toilets Memorial Park has three buildings with changing and toilet facilities  comprising 16  changing  rooms, 11 urinals and 11 stalls.  These will be supplemented with 4 block urinals and flushing  portable  toilet  units.    Costs  have  been  assessed based on similar tournaments held at Memorial Park.    Budget  Low  High Four block urinals  24  12  32 Flushing toilet   12  6  14 Quoted cost  1,869  935  2,285 

 16) Referee expenses Based on historic  information  for  similar  tournaments and league season referring costs.  17) Player Village/Marquees Quotes  obtained  for  marquees  from  a  supplier  used  in previous  tournaments  at Memorial Park based on  a  40’  x 20’ marquee to house 2 squads. 

Unit price (£) Marquees use 40' x 20' marquee to house 2 squads           435 Player village marquees    Physio tent            997 Bar tent              997 Officials' tent          1,156   Budget   Low  HighPlayer tents  5,798   4,784    6,958 Physio tent  997   997    997 Bar tent  997   997     997 Officials' tent  1,156   1,156    1,156 Total   8,948   7,933  10,107 

 18) Communications Based on quote received for communications tower, public address system and 10 VHF radios.  

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US Dollar Budget  Attendance & Income    Notes  Budget  Low   High Number of Teams     40  33  48 Players per squad     22  15  25 Total Players     880  495  1200 Total Supporters     240  165  240 Total Player & Supporter Fees     1182  708  1513 Volunteers     100  75  150 Non‐paying ‐ Referees / EMTs / PTs /VIPs     40  30  45 Host Committee     20  20  20 Total participants     1342  833  1728               

Income             

      US$  US$  US$ Registration fees  A  158,182  93,220  203,361 Corporate Sponsorship  B  52,400  49,780  58,950 Merchandise  C  3,275  1,930  4,211 General Admission  D  2,620  2,620  2,620 Program Ads  E  2,620  2,620  2,620 Total Income     219,097  150,170  271,762 

Expenditure             Ambulance/EMT/Safety  1  13,093  13,093   16,834 Awards ‐ Trophies – Medals     393  393   393 Bank Charges  2  ‐    ‐    ‐   Banners/Lanyards  3  3,144  2,882   3,563 Closing Ceremonies  4  36,051  22,110   46,613 Fields Expenses ‐ Paint, Goal Posts, etc.  5  1,310  1,310   1,310 Insurance  6  1,310  1,310   1,310 License Fee to IGR     ‐    ‐    ‐   Merchandising Inventory  8  ‐    ‐    ‐   Tournament brochure layout/printing  9  1,965  1,703   2,096 Player Meals  10  25,152  15,425   32,521 Player Gift Bags     1,965  1,205   2,541 Jersey Laundry     1,834  1,032   2,501 VIP and Alice Hoagland flights and accommodation  4,585  4,585   4,585 Sanitation & Cleaning  11  852  522   1,101 Security   12  6,665  6,665   6,665 Sports massage / Physio  13  6,550  3,860   8,421 Transportation ‐ Tournament  14  47,537  28,013   61,119 Venue ‐ Field Rentals  15  ‐    ‐    ‐   Portalets  15  2,449  1,224   2,993 Opening Ceremonies  16  19,283  11,826   24,933 Referee ‐ Pay & Housing     655  393   655 Tents ‐ Team/Referee/EMT/Merchandise Tents  17  11,721  10,392   13,241 Water/Ice     655  459   917 Walkie Talkie Rental  18  1,965  1,965   1,965 Miscellaneous Costs     2,620  1,965   2,620 Audio visual     3,930  1,310   3,930 Website     2,620  2,620   2,620 

Total Costs     198,305  136,262   245,447 Contingency of 10%     19,831  13,626   24,545 

Net Income     961  281   1,770     

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Euro Budget  Attendance & Income               Notes    Budget    Low     High   Number of Teams      40  33  48  Players per squad      22  15  25  Total Players      880  495  1200  Total Supporters      240  165  240  Total Player & Supporter Fees   1120  660  1440  Volunteers      100  75  150  Non‐paying ‐ Referees / EMTs / PTs /VIPs   40  30  45  Host Committee      20  20  20  Total participants      1280  785  1655 

 Income              

       €    €    €   Registration fees    A   142,484  83,969   183,180  Corporate Sponsorship    B   47,200  44,840   53,100  Merchandise    C   2,950  1,738   3,793  General Admission    D   2,360  2,360   2,360  Program Ads    E   2,000  2,000   2,000  Total Income      196,994  134,907   244,433 

 Expenditure               Ambulance/EMT/Safety   1   11,794  11,794   15,164  Awards ‐ Trophies ‐ Medals   354  354   354  Bank Charges   2             ‐    ‐    ‐    Banners/Lanyards   3   2,832  2,596   3,210  Closing Ceremonies   4   32,474  19,915   41,987  Fields Expenses ‐ Paint, Goal Posts, etc.   5   1,180  1,180   1,180  Insurance   6   1,180  1,180   1,180  License Fee to IGR   7   ‐    ‐    ‐    Merchandising Inventory   8   ‐    ‐    ‐    Tournament brochure layout/printing   9   1,770  1,534   1,888  Participant Meals   10   22,656  13,895   29,294  Participant Gift Bags      1,770  1,086   2,289  Jersey Laundry      1,652  929   2,253  VIP and Alice Hoagland flights and accommodation   4,130  4,130   4,130  Sanitation & Cleaning   11   767  470   992  Security    12   6,004  6,004   6,004  Strapping/physio materials   13   5,900  3,477   7,586  Transportation ‐ Tournament   14   42,820  25,233   55,054  Venue ‐ Field Rentals   5   ‐    ‐    ‐    Portable toilets   15   2,206  1,103   2,696  Opening Ceremonies   4   17,370  10,652   22,458  Referee ‐ Pay & Housing   16   590  354   590  Tents ‐ Team/Referee/EMT/Merchandise   17   10,558  9,361   11,927  Water/Ice      590  413   826  Walkie Talkie Rental   18   1,770  1,770   1,770  Miscellaneous Costs      2,360  1,770   2,360  Audio visual      3,540  1,180   3,540  Website      2,000  2,000   2,000 

 Total Costs      178,266  122,380   220,730  Contingency of 10%   17,827  12,238   22,073 

 Net Income      902  289   1,630  

BINGHAM CUP LOGISTICS DATA

HOST CITY

Accomodation

Number of hotels within 10 miles of tournament site >1200 Total number of rooms of these hotels >116,000 Travel & transport Distance from tournament site to main international airport (km) 40 km Average public transport journey time from site to airport (via crossrail) <1hr Social Opening ceremony venue capacity 1700 Opening ceremony distance from tournament site 11 km Closing ceremony venue capacity 2000 Closing ceremony distance from tournament site 6 km

TOURNAMENT LOGISITICS Game

Number of changing rooms 16 Total changing room capacity (persons) 320 Planned number of temporary changing rooms/tents 0 Planned temporary changing room capcity (persons) 0 Number of full-sized turf pitches on site 6Number of full-sized non-turf pitches on site 1 Rough estimate of tournament site area (acres) 31 Showers

Number of permanent showers available on site 12 Number of temporary showers to be made available 0 Toilets

Number of permanent toilets on site 11 Number of permanent urinals on site 11 Planned number of portaloos to be made available 24 Planned number of temporary urinals to be made available 12

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Food & Drink Is there a permanent bar on site? (Y/N) Y Is there a permanent kitchen on site? (Y/N) Y Will there be temporary bar/restaurant facilities offered on site? Y How many staff will be on duty (estimate) 10-15 Medical Number of emergency ambulances 2 Number of paramedics 2 Number of emergency nurses 1 Number of medical technicians 2 Number of first responders 6 Nearest hospital A&E (name) The Royal London Hospital Nearest hospital A&E distance from tournament site 6.8 km Volunteers How many volunteers will be recruited? 100

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APPENDIX b letters from

our endorsers

May 2016

Bingham Cup Bid

To whom it may concern

I’m writing on behalf of the RFU with regards to the Kings Cross Steelers bid to host the 2018 Bingham Cup in London.

We are delighted to support Kings Cross Steelers, as an affiliated member club and the oldest gay and bisexual club in the world, with their aspiration to bring the Bingham Cup back to England. The club and bidding committee are highly experienced in event planning and organization and we are happy to offer our services in support.

As a sport built on strong values, we believe England will offer an excellent experience for visitors. It has been 12 years since London last hosted, and in that time we have seen world class sporting and cultural events across the capital city, with its population looking to embrace all that is on offer in a social and sporting arena. With fantastic local infrastructure, an experienced bid and events team, and a warm and welcoming population we feel that the timing couldn’t be better to bring the Bingham Cup back to London.

Through the recent Rugby World Cup, we have witnessed first-hand what it means to a country, a community, a club and to individuals to be able to be part of a large event. As the RFU, we feel strongly that rugby is a game for all and at our core we support our clubs and the communities around them. Inclusive clubs and teams are rising in profile and player numbers are increasing, we believe that an event such as this could really help to galvanise growth and ensure a strong future for LGBT rugby not just in London, but across England.

Yours sincerely

Steve Grainger

Rugby Development Director

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To the International Gay Rugby voting delegates:

I am are writing to express The London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees’ (LSRFUR) support of the Kings Cross Steelers’ bid to host the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London.

For over 125 years, the LSRFUR has strived to provide quality, professional match officials for club games occurring in the London area. We are committed to continually developing and enhancing the skills of referees, motivating and coaching them to become true ambassadors of the game, and in doing so strengthen rugby in communities across the city.

The LSRFUR has a long history with the Steelers: whether it’s officiating their matches over the years or training members to become referees once they’ve retired from active playing. We are thrilled that the Kings Cross Steelers have decided to build off their 20 year tradition of community engagement and commitment to the game by bidding to host the Bingham Cup in London in 2018. The tournament would shine an amazing spotlight on our sport – both within in the UK but more widely around the world.

We wholeheartedly back the club’s efforts to host the tournament and would be happy to provide our support to ensure that a 2018 London Bingham Cup can offer the best rugby playing experience for all participants, including the provision of trained and experienced officials who have refereed Division 1 level games or above as well as advising on a framework for structured, fair means of resolving officiating conflicts and disputes. In doing so, we hope to demonstrate the expertise and professionalism of our society and its members.

I encourage you to support the Kings Cross Steelers’ bid to host the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London.

Sincerely,

Dr Tim Miller General Secretary L.S.R.F.U.R. Mobile: +44 7799 582646 tim.miller@londonrugby.com

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XXL LONDON 1 Invicta Plaza London SE1 9UF www.xxl-london.com 18th May 2016 Dear International Gay Rugby Voting Delegates: We are delighted to endorse the Kings Cross Steelers as the host club for the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London. The Kings Cross Steelers have been a beacon for LGBT sports in the United Kingdom and Internationally for their work in promoting acceptance of all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people not only across sports but in the wider communities. It is with their endless efforts and support that a number of high ranking sports personalities have had the courage and the support to come out and be themselves without fear of recrimination. Over the years XXL has worked with the Kings Cross Steelers and this past year we have established a very strong relationship with a solid foundation in sponsoring and promoting the team. We have pledged the use of our Venue – Pulse – free of charge for the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament along with a cash support of $50,000. We believe the committee have the ability to provide a professional approach to making this a very smooth, inclusive, enjoyable and undoubtedly memorable tournament. With the potential international media coverage from this event being held in London the legacy of Mark Kendall Bingham will inspire future generations from around the globe and give courage to those to walk their path in life. Yours sincerely Mark Ames Owner XXL

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1

Alex Smith Chairman Kings Cross Steelers RFC 71 Holland Road London E15 3BP

Nick Bracken OBE Chief Operating Officer London Borough of Newham Newham Dockside 1000 Dockside Road E16 2QU Direct no: +44 203 373 1995 Mobile +44 7788 924411 Nick.bracken@newham.gov.uk

Friday 22nd July 2016

Dear Alex

"The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament".

I have been asked to write to you on behalf of the Mayor and the Chief executive. They are both delighted to hear that the Kings Cross Steelers RFC are launching a bid to host the Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial cup at East London Rugby Club and the Memorial Park E15. As a borough with a proud sporting heritage and hosts to major events such as the 2012 Olympic Game and 2015 Rugby World Cup we are delighted to be associated with your bid and wish you every success to bring the tournament to the Borough. Please feel free to state in you proposal that the event has the support of the local authority and that there is access to the Council run local volunteer team. Yours sincerely Nick Bracken OBE

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Diversity Role Models | Registered Charity number: 1142548 | Company Number: 7640644 Registered Office: St Anne’s Church, 55 Dean Street, London W1D 6AF

St. Anne’s Church 55 Dean Street London W1D 6AF

International Gay Rugby Board 71 Holland Road London E15 3BP

2 June 2016

To whom it may concern,

Re: King’s Cross Steelers’ bid to host Bingham Cup 2018

By way of introduction, I’m the Chief Executive of Diversity Role Models (DRM), a UK charity

which tackles homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, primarily in UK schools. Such

bullying adversely affects young people’s mental wellbeing and educational attainment. But it’s

not just young people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender who may be affected by

such bullying; any young person who doesn’t fit rigid gender stereotypes can be targeted. And

this often hinges on participation in sport:

“We all know children can be cruel, I’ve had to learn that the hard way, if you're not in the

group boys are meant to be in, if you're not macho, get into fights, don’t play football, then it

means you're gay, you're not a typical person”. Case study interview with male student

Our volunteer Role Models are at the heart of our work. They accompany us into schools and

share their positive engaging stories to help us address the misuse of language, and break

down the negative stereotypes which are often the root cause of much bullying behaviour. Our

work ensures that all those who may be affected by such bullying can feel supported, while all

young people gain understanding of some of the issues which affect LGBT people – and feel

empowered to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia if they encounter it.

We were delighted when the King’s Cross Steelers chose DRM as one of their charity partners

for their 20th anniversary year in 2015. Over the course of the last year, and in the run-up to

the Bingham Cup 2016, they have raised funds for us so that we can continue our vital work.

We benefited from their Gala Dinner in November 2015, and were able to raise funds at their

pre-Bingham event in May 2016.

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Terrence Higgins Trust 314-320 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8DP Tel: 020 7812 1600 Fax: 020 7812 1601 Email: info@tht.org.uk Website: www.tht.org.uk THT Direct: 0808 802 1221

The HIV and sexual health charity for life

Terrence Higgins Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (reg. no. 288527) Company reg. no. 1778149 and a registered charity in Scotland (reg no.SC039986).

Patrons include:

Sir Richard Branson

Simon Callow CBE

Julian Clary

Martin Clunes

Dame Judi Dench

Tracey Emin CBE

Lord Fowler

Stephen Fry

Paul Gambaccini

Lord Glendonbrook CBE

Charles Hart

Sir Elton John

Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope

Lord Morris of Handsworth

Canon Doctor Paul Oestreicher

Professor Anthony Pinching

Caroline Quentin

Danny Rampling

Gaby Roslin

Sir Antony Sher KBE

Reverend Nicolas Stacey

Dr Miriam Stoppard OBE

Dr Rupert Whitaker

Tony Whitehead MBE

Johnny Wynne-Williams

_

To Whom It May Concern 23 May 2016 Dear Sir/Madam Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity. Finding new ways to engage and support communities most affected by HIV and sexual ill-health is a vital part of our work. 40,900 people are living with HIV in London (almost half the UK total). However, an estimated 5,500 of them are undiagnosed and don’t know they have acquired HIV, which is putting their health at risk. London is also host to the UK’s largest population of gay and bisexual men – one of the key populations most affected by HIV. The King’s Cross Steelers are one of our most valuable community partners in reaching them to raise awareness. The Steelers have hosted a number of hugely successful fundraising events, making generous donations to support the work of their charitable partners, including Terrence Higgins Trust. The Steelers have publically thrown their weight behind our HIV awareness campaigns by appearing in photoshoots for ‘It Starts with Me’ and ‘National HIV Testing Week’, both of which raise awareness of and encourage gay and bisexual men to look after their sexual health. The enduring widespread popularity of the Steelers within the community, and their prominent display of our logo on their kit, goes a long way to reminding people of the continued importance of HIV awareness to new generations of gay and bisexual men. Furthermore, in an era of reduced LGBT venues and support groups, rising smartphone apps and increasing isolation for gay and bisexual men in large cities like London, the Steelers’ work in fostering strong social networks of gay men, and supporting their health, exemplifies some of the best and most needed work in our community. We fully support the King’s Cross Steelers’ bid to host the Bingham Cup as recognition for the club’s outstanding achievements and contributions, both on and off the field, and we are committed to finding ways to help use the event in London to support the sexual health of gay and bisexual men internationally. Yours sincerely

Ian Green Chief Executive

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Registered charity number 1147431

10th May 2016 Dear International Gay Rugby Voting Delegates: It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse the Kings Cross Steelers as the host club for the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London. Of course, as chairman of a London-based organisation, I might be expected to advocate for the Kings Cross Steelers as your host club, but the endorsement runs much deeper than the sharing of a home city. The club is phenomenally professional, their commitment to the inclusive nature of sport unparalleled, and their leadership are remarkably effective individuals. The Kings Cross Steelers have a long history of supporting the advancement of gay and inclusive rugby, both in London and around the world. As a previous host of the Bingham Cup in 2004, they are aware of the demands of the tournament and their history of hosting successful events in London is unparalleled. Year after year, their event calendar grows more ambitious, culminating in their annual fundraiser at London’s largest gay club, Heaven, which sells out and pleases the crowd with show-stopping talent from the Steelers’ own roster. Through both word and action, the Kings Cross Steelers have proven to be committed to breaking down barriers. The club holds a seat on the board of Out for Sport, an organisation of LGBT sports teams and clubs in London dedicated to increasing awareness and support of the teams and promoting the health and welfare of LGBT individuals. The Steelers actively encourage and support the introduction of rugby into schools and try to get more young people playing rugby through their work with the East London Charitable Sports Association, Newham Council, and local schools. The official charities of the club are the Terrence Higgins Trust (the UK’s leading HIV and AIDS charity), Broken Rainbow (dedicated to the support of those impacted by domestic violence), and Diversity Role Models (a group focused on ending homophobia and bullying in schools). I am confident you will find London an attractive host city based on the logistical benefits of public transportation and convenience of international travel, the aesthetic benefits of the historical and cultural significance of the city, and the extracurricular benefits of the vibrancy of the city’s nightlife and social opportunities. I strongly encourage you to vote in favour of the Kings Cross Steelers’ bid to host the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London, and I look forward to welcoming you here for the occasion. Yours sincerely,

Ben C. Cohen, MBE Chairman

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To the International Gay Rugby voting delegates: My name is Matt Lister, and I am the LGBT Athlete Ambassador for Great Britain, at the British Athletes Commission. The first ever appointed LGBT Ambassador role globally by a sporting national governing body. I was an athlete for Great Britain for 10 years, competing in canoe slalom. I have won several medals for my country at European and World level. In February of 2016 I announced my retirement after narrowly missing out on Rio 2016 by half a second. Since my retirement I have taken the role of sport and fitness writer at Attitude magazine. I am writing to express my support of the Kings Cross Steelers’ bid to host the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London. I think it would important for London to host the 2018 Bingham Cup, because of how diverse our city is. London is known by so many around the world as the ‘gay capital’, I feel it would be a great opportunity to bring together the whole of London’s ally community, alongside the LGBT+ community and put on a huge event to be enjoyed by all. I would love to be able too bring together the British Athletes Commission and the gay rugby teams from around the world, to help bring awareness to the issue of homophobia in sport. I have been working closely with them on an anti-homophobia document that has gone to UK Sport, and will soon be spreading across the national governing bodies of each Olympic and Paralympic sport in the UK. After this, we plan to start a campaign across the globe which tackles homophobia in sport, across a much wider reach. We already have some charity events in the pipeline, some of which would be perfect to run alongside the cup getting all the players and spectators involved. It would be the perfect partnership. London is a city I am proud to call home. I love this city and the people in it. It is one of the few places on this planet I really feel I can be myself. We should use this as an opportunity to show the world what real acceptance really is. We have shown several times over recent years how well we can put on an event, lets make this one huge! In conclusion, I feel this could be a mutually beneficial situation for all parties involved. I encourage you to support the Kings Cross Steelers’ bid to host the 2018 Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament in London. Sincerely, Matthew James Lister

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Nationals of, and UK nationals in, the following countries: Barbados, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Gibraltar, Serbia & Montenegro, Macedonia, New Zealand Residents irrespective of nationality of the following countries: Anguilla, Australia, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, Iceland, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, St. Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands. Residents of the European Union and European Economic Area countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus (Southern), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithua-nia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Switzerland by special arrangement.

APPENDIX C:COUNTRIES WITH BILATERAL HEALTH

AGREEMENTS WITH THE UK