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Oxford Caledonian Society Trinity 2023 Ball

Terms & Conditions

I. Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

This document lays out the Terms and Conditions for attendance at the Oxford Caledonian Society Hilary 2024 Ball ("the Ball").
The Ball, subject to the conditions laid out below, will take place at the Town Hall, Oxford (“the Venue”) beginning on Friday 16th June and ending on Saturday 17th February 2024.
The Ball is organised by the Committee of the Oxford Caledonian Society 2023-24 ("the Committee”). The Committee may be contacted at: oxfordcalsoc@gmail.com.
Failure to adhere to these Terms and Conditions may result in refusal of entry or ejection from the Ball premises.
The Committee reserves the right to alter these Terms and Conditions to address any issues of safety and protect the interests of the Society and the Venue.

II. Ticket Application

The date for ticket applications for the Ball will be announced in good time by the committee.
Ticket application will only be accepted via the official online form on the Society's website. The total number of tickets permitted per application accords to the schema given by the online application form.
Ticket applications is open to current students and alumni of all universities in the United Kingdom.
Ticket applications are done on the basis of separate “Parties.” A “Party” denotes a group of even numbers, comprised of the same number of those who identify in whole or in part as male and those who identify in whole or in part as female. Applications for a given Party must be brought forward by a Party Head on behalf of themselves and their Guest[s].
All Party Heads will be required to provide their name, email address, contact telephone number, current or former place of study, and the number of tickets requested..
1. For current students at the University of Oxford this address will be their college.
In the case of a successful ticket application, the Party Head (henceforth the “Primary Ticket Holder”) will subsequently become the main point of contact with the Committee and will be responsible for various tasks laid out below, including -but not limited to:
1. Payment for the combined sum of tickets for their Party;
2. Informing the Committee of any changes to their Guest[s] and to their tickets;
3. The distribution of wristbands and dance cards to their Guest[s];
4. Ensuring that the number of male and female in their Party is even.
5. Keeping updated of any changes and announcements on the Ball Event Page;
6. Responding to email correspondences from the Committee within a period of time that is reflective of the professional service that the Committee seeks to deliver.
In the event that the Committee has reason to believe that a Primary Ticket Holder has been negligent with respect to their responsibilities stated above, the Committee reserves the right to render the ticket of that Primary Ticket Holder and of their Guest[s] void.

III. Ticket Allocation

The allocation of tickets to prospective Primary Ticket Holders and their Guest[s] following application is entirely at the discretion of the Committee.
The Committee will make known the results of the application process via email to all Primary Ticket Holders within a period not exceeding two weeks since the opening of the application process. Only the confirmation email from the Committee will be accepted as proof of a successful ticket application.
In the event that the Ball sells out, the Committee reserves the right to create a waiting list of prospective Primary Ticket Holders and distribute tickets according to availability.

IV. Ticket Purchase

Tickets for the Ball cost £85 per person, along with a compulsory £1 donation to a charity of the committee's choice.
Ticket purchase will be conducted through an online transfer to the Oxford Caledonian Society’s HSBC account, the details of which will be included in the Committee’s confirmation email of a successful ticket application. Only at the discretion of the Committee, and under exceptional circumstances, may payment be made by other means.
It is the responsibility of the Primary Ticket Holder to send payment on behalf of themselves and their Guest[s]. Primary Ticket Holders will be asked to send payment within a specified period of time of confirmation of their successful ticket application.
In the event that a Primary Ticket Holder fails to pay the correct amount for themselves and/or their Guest[s] according to the schema above, or does not send the correct amount within the designated time period, the Committee reserves the right to ask for an additional payment in rectification, or to render the ticket(s) void.
Primary Ticket Holders submit, upon purchase of tickets to the Ball, to these Terms and Conditions on behalf of their Guest[s] as well as themselves, and to ensuring that their guest(s) are aware of, have a full understanding of, and behave in accordance with, all Terms and Conditions

V. Ticket Returns, Refunds, Resales and Information Changes

The ticket price is generally non-refundable. In exceptional, individual, cases the Committee will consider the refund of a ticket price.
If a refund is offered, the Committee will pay the refund by a method of their choosing.
It is the responsibility of Primary Ticket Holders to inform the Committee of any change in of contact details (particularly email addresses), and in the names of their Guest[s]. All ticket changes or refund enquiries should also be directed to oxfordcalsoc@gmail.com by the Primary Ticket Holder.
At the request of the Primary Ticket Holder, and until the distribution of wristbands and dance cards:
1. One or more of the names associated with their tickets may be changed
2. One or more of their tickets may be resold to a person of the choosing of that Primary Ticket Holder, and their names disclosed to the Committee.
3. One or more of their tickets may be returned to the Committee to be distributed to the Waiting List
If any such change as listed above initially occurs without the knowledge of the Committee, both the ticket seller and buyer[s] will be refused entry to the Ball and their tickets will be forfeited without refund.
No refunds will be made following non-attendance of the Ball under any circumstances.

VI. Wristbands and Dance Cards

All tickets bought by a Primary Ticket Holder will have an associated wristband and dance card. These are to be collected from the committee at the times and dates specified by them. In exceptional circumstances postage may also be arranged.
1. If the tickets are to be posted, it is the responsibility of Primary Ticket Holders to provide delivery information to the Committee for the dispatch of wristbands and dance cards. This must be done in response to a request of such information by email which the Committee will send out within 3 weeks of the Ball.
The Committee takes no responsibility for wristbands or dance cards lost after collection by or delivery to the Primary Ticket Holders.
Until the Primary Ticket Holder receives their wristbands and dance cards, the Committee reserves the right to terminate the contract without prior notice.
It is the responsibility of the Primary Ticket Holder to distribute the wristbands and dance cards to their Guest[s]. This must be done no earlier than an hour before the start of the Ball.
In the event that wristbands and dance cards are discovered to have been handed out to anyone other than the designated Guest[s] of a Primary Ticket Holder, the Committee reserves the right to render the ticket of that Primary Ticket Holder and of their Guest[s] void.

VII. Obligations regarding the Nature of the Ball

The dress code for the Trinity 2023 Black Tie ball consists of any of the following: Highland Dress, Black Tie, National Dress, Mess Dress, or a full-length dress. Shorter dresses, jumpsuits, or skirts are not acceptable.
The dress code shall remain in place for the duration of the evening: there is no relaxation as time passes, and accordingly guests are asked not to remove jackets, bow-ties or other similar items until after the event has finished.
It is the responsibility of individual ticket holders to conform to the dress code of the Ball. Any Guest[s] who are inappropriately dressed may be asked to leave and return appropriately changed.
The Ball is a highland dancing event. Although the Committee welcomes newcomers and less experienced reelers, it expects a minimum familiarity on the part of all ticket holders with the dances to be performed. These will likely include (but are not limited to): The Dashing White Sergeant, The Reel of the 51st Highland Division, The Eightsome Reel, The Foursome Reel, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Duke of Perth, Hamilton House, The Inverness Country Dance (also known as Speed the Plough), and Mairi’s Wedding. Tutorials on all of the above may be found on this website.
It is the responsibility of Primary Ticket Holders to ensure that their Guest[s] have all had sufficient exposure to highland reels so as not to potentially diminish the enjoyment of other ticket holders during the dances themselves.
The Committee will ensure that at least four dance practices will be take place in Oxford (exact location to be confirmed) in the weeks prior to the Ball. This will be done with a view to teaching beginners and to re-familiarising any others of the dances to be performed on the night of the Ball.
The Committee will ensure that the order of dance for the Ball will be published no later than two weeks before the Ball.
There will be two sittings for Breakfast during the course of the event:
1. Guests are required to keep hold of their dance card for breakfast as this will serve as their ticket for entry.
2. Re-admission to breakfast is not permitted.
3. Any guest caught trying to remove any item from the Breakfast room (including, but not limited to, the Whisky provided on the tables) may be considered in violation of Section IX.4.5.2, of these conditions and may be asked to leave the event accordingly.

VIII. Admission to the Ball

Admission to the Ball shall be at such times and by such routes as the Committee decides. The specific time period and point of entry will be notified to Primary Ticket Holders via email and will be published on the Ball Event Page prior to the Ball.
Entry after the reasonable time period allocated for entry will be prohibited. Entrance outside of this time period will only be permitted with prior written permission of the Committee.
Entry will only be granted to Primary Ticket Holders and their Guest[s] with the presentation of worn wristbands. Only wristbands grant entry to the Ball; proof of ticket purchase, dance cards, or any other related document do not grant entry.
Wristbands that appear to be counterfeit or to have been tampered with will not grant entry to the Ball.
The Committee reserves the right to inspect clothing, containers, bags and packages in the possession of Primary Ticket Holders and Guests on entry and at any point during the Ball, in order to confirm that these Terms and Conditions are being adhered to.
Use of the cloakroom is at the ticket holder’s own risk. The Committee is not responsible for the security of personal possessions left in the cloakroom or in any other location in the Ball.
All ticket holders are required to vacate the premises by 2am the morning after the start of the event.

IX. Safety, Security, and Liability

To the maximum permitted extent under Law, the Committee, and its contractors will not be liable for any injury, loss, or damage to personal property suffered by any ticket holder during the Ball.
All ticket holders must comply with Health and Safety Laws and Regulations, and with instructions and rules given in this regard by the Committee, its contractors and the security team.
Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the Venue. The Health Act 2006 makes it illegal to smoke in the indoor public areas and partially enclosed spaces.
The Committee and, by delegated authority, the security team reserve the right, with reasonable cause, to refuse entry or remove any Primary Ticket Holder or Guest from the Ball without refund. Reasonable causes include, but are not limited to:
1. A ticket holder being incapacitated by alcohol;
2. A ticket holder being under the influence of or in possession of any illegal substance;
3. A ticket holder not being in possession of a wristband and a photographic ID with a name matching our database;
4. A ticket holder being in possession of a prohibited item. These include but are not limited to:
  1. Alcohol other than that provided by the Ball;
  2. Animals except service animals (e.g. guide dogs);
  3. Weapons, or any item that could be considered a weapon;
  4. Fireworks;
  5. Any substances whose possession is prohibited by Law.
5. A Primary Ticket Holder or Guest attempting to:
  1. Cause wilful damage to the Venue or Ball infrastructure;
  2. Unlawfully attempting to remove any item not belonging to them from the premises;
  3. Interfere with the Committee, its contractors, and the security team in the exercise of their powers, functions or duties;
  4. Interrupt any event or entertainment;
  5. Engage in conduct which poses risk to the safety of themselves or others;
  6. Engage in conduct, or speak to, any person in a manner which offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies that other person on the basis of race, religion, colour, sexual orientation, gender, descent or national/ethnic origin.
  7. Take photographs and recordings for any purpose other than personal use;
  8. Enable someone without a valid ticket, or who has been previously refused entry or removed from the Ball, to enter the Ball by any means.

X. Disabilities and Allergies

Primary Ticket Holders and Guests who are likely to require special measures should contact the Committee at least a month before the Ball (at oxfordcalsoc@gmail.com) such that adjustments can be made to ensure they enjoy as much of the evening and entertainment as possible.
Primary Ticket Holders and Guests should be aware that:
1. Some areas of the Venue may remain inaccessible for those with certain physical disabilities despite the best efforts of the Committee;
2. Some entertainment may remain inaccessible despite the best efforts of the Committee.
Primary Ticket Holders and Guests with allergies should specify these to the Committee at least three weeks before the Ball (at oxfordcalsoc@gmail.com).

XI. Data Protection

Information regarding Primary Ticket Holders and Guests will be dealt with in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998:
1. We will not pass your information onto third parties without your express consent;
2. Your information will only be used for the purposes of the Ball.
There will be photographers operating during the Ball. By purchasing tickets, the Primary Ticket Holder and their Guest[s] are consenting to photographs being taken of them at the Ball and that these may be released into the public domain. The copyright of these photographs will be retained jointly by the Committee and the photographers.

XII. Amendments and Cancellations

The Committee reserves the right to amend the order of dance, or any aspects of the entertainment at any time and without prior notice, including during the Ball itself.
No refunds will be made if the Ball or any part of the programme has to be cancelled due to an "Event of Force Majeure", including but not limited to: The overthrow of the monarchy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by forces foreign and/or domestic; Acts of God (such as, but not limited to, fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane or other natural disaster); war; invasion (whether by humans or any other species); act of foreign enemies; hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared); civil war; rebellion; revolution; insurrection; military or usurped power or confiscation; terrorist activities; nationalisation; government sanction; blockage; embargo; labour dispute; strike; lockout or interruption or failure of electricity or telephone service; contamination by radioactivity from any nuclear fuel, or from any nuclear waste from the combustion of nuclear fuel, radioactive toxic explosive, or other hazardous properties of any explosive nuclear assembly or nuclear component of such assembly; contamination by substance with chemical or biological hazard.

Agreed by the Oxford Caledonian Society Committee 2022-23 on 4th October 2022.

President: Angus Barrett (Magdalen College)

Committee: Polly Brown (Oriel College)

Martha Rigby (Queen's College)

Imi Culhane (Worcester College)

Eve Scollay (Queen's College)

Beau Swallow (Somerville College)

Emily Fraser (New College)