Have you just scrolled through our website and didn’t understand all the terms? Our event planning glossary is here to help you. It’s easy to get lost with all these words relating to meetings and events. Especially if you’re new at event planning. And if you’re not, it’s always good to have a refresh from time to time. We have compiled a list of event terms relating to the industry and to our venue specifically. Now, let’s dive into our event planning glossary and make your event organising a breeze!

Audiovisual (AV): refers to the electronic sound and visual equipment you can hire for your event, such as microphones, projectors, laptops, or lights. Our on-site Audiovisual Engineer can assist you with your AV requirements and help you tailor your events for great sound and vision. Visit our Audiovisual page to find out more.

Boardroom: a type of room configuration where the tables form a rectangle or oval shape, with chairs laid out all along. A boardroom can start with 6 delegates up to 100 sometimes.

Cabaret: as the name suggests round tables and chairs are set up facing a stage. Cabaret set ups are available in many of our meeting rooms.

Day Delegate Rate (DDR): the rate a client pays for each of his delegates attending a meeting for a day. DDRs usually come as packages and include food, meeting equipment and the use of the meeting room, depending on the venue. Ours start at £55 (including VAT). To see what our day delegate packages include visit our dedicated page. Please note, we also have specific packages for The Light auditorium, you can see them on this page.

Exhibition: a type of events where companies or individuals can either sell their products or market their services to clients face to face. Pull up stands and banners are set up in a large space or several rooms. Our auditorium can host exhibitions, along with the adjacent meeting rooms.

Force majeure: a term you will find in our Terms and Conditions. It defines events that are out of control or unexpected. When invoked, “force majeure” removes any liability for the party involved.

Green room: a space dedicated to the preparation of people or artists before a show. At Friends House, it could be one of the rooms next to The Light auditorium being set up as hair and make-up stations before a fashion show for example.

Hearing loop: a sound assistive system for people wearing hearing aids. Sound is transmitted directly into hearing aids via a magnetic field. The Light auditorium and our larger meeting rooms have built-in hearing loops. Visit our Accessibility page to find out how we make our venue more accessible.

Installation and dismantle (I&D): installing equipment for an event and taking it down. It’s always important to account for I&D when booking a room, to make sure your event start on time and finishes within the agreed hours with the venue.

Keynote: the opening presentation or speech by a speaker at an event. It aims to set the tone for the rest of the meeting. It can be delivered by a prominent figure or someone who’s recognised in their field.

Lectern: a raised stand where a speaker usually delivers a speech or a presentation. There is a sloping top for books, notes and prints to be read. Some lecterns also have an integrated microphone. Find out more about our AV equipment.

MIA: the Meetings Industry Association. It is one of the most recognised associations in the meetings and events industry. We’re AIM Secure accredited. You can book in the confidence that we have been thoroughly assessed by the association.

No show: as the name suggests, this is when the client does not turn up and does not let the venue know beforehand.

Offsetting: what we do with our carbon emissions. We carbon offset our emissions through tree planting. We have decided to partner with the National Forest Trust to do so. We aim to plant 1,000 trees by 2025.

PA system: refers to Public Address system. It comprises microphones, speakers and amplifiers and amplifies the sound of voices or instruments during an event. It’s usually used in large spaces, such as The Light auditorium for example.

Quakers: a faith group established in the mid-17^th century and rooted in Christianity. Quaker values are equality, peace, truth, justice and, simplicity and sustainability. Quakers put their faith into action in the United Kingdom and abroad. They also run ethical businesses, such as Friends House. They do so via their fully owned trading subsidiary, Quiet Company. Quakers refer to each other as Friends, hence Friends House.

Room hire rate: this is the fee you pay when you hire a room without any catering (dry hire). The room is set up in your preferred configuration. Our room hire rates are available on demand, contact our team: events@quaker.org.uk.

Sustainability: is the ability to meet our own needs while not jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet their own. It focuses on finding a balance between the economy, society, and the environment. At Friends House, we try to find this balance by focusing on eco-friendly and fairer employment principles. We pay all our staff above the real Living Wage for example. Visit our Sustainability page to see how we create green meetings for you.

Theatre style: a meeting layout where rows of chairs are facing the stage or a desk. Usually set up for mid to large events.

U-shape: a type of event lay out where tables are set up in the shape of U.

VAT: Value Added Tax, a consumption tax. We are transparent and our prices are displayed on the website. We always tell you if our rates are inclusive of VAT or if they are exempt of VAT. For example, our DDR include VAT while our room hire rates are not subject to VAT.

Webinar: a presentation streamed online to attendees.

You: our customer, delegate, visitor or Friend. Our team is dedicated to going the extra-mile for you and always provide you with the best of services. We want to make sure time with us is enjoyable.

Zero waste to landfill: a sustainability policy consisting of recycling or composting any waste, thus not sending anything to landfill. At Friends House, we have maintained our zero waste objective year on year.

We hope event planning terms are a little bit clearer thanks to our event planning glossary. If you have any questions or would like to make a booking enquiry, contact our Sales and Events Team: events@quaker.org.uk or 020 7663 1100.