You’re invited to join paraplanners from all over the country at the Paraplanners’ Assembly’s Big Day Out 2025.
We’ll be gathering on Thursday 9 October 2025 at FarmED in rolling Cotswold countryside – the last time the Big Day Out will be held at the venue.
What’s it all about?
The Big Day Out is unlike any other event in the world of wealth management.
No presentations. No muzak. No boiled sweets. No exhibition areas. No product pitches.
Exclusively for paraplanners, it’s a gathering that offers a combination of tailor-made interactive sessions involving hand-picked experts (and designed especially for the event), group discussions facilitated by paraplanner hosts, and six hours’ worth of CPD.
Together we’ll explore topics affecting paraplanners and the practice of paraplanning – with case study-led technical sessions, the chance to gain insight and exchange ideas on the trends affecting the future of work, plus plenty of chance to make new paraplanning connections, and share tools and tips to perfect your day-to-day work.
The Big Day Out is a supportive and encouraging space in which you can listen and learn, and share ideas, knowledge and insights however suits you. It’s a unique environment in which you can really focus and flourish – both professionally and personally.
What’s on the agenda?
Once you’ve booked your spot, you’ll be invited to influence the content of the day, so the fine details won’t be locked down until about four weeks before the event. However, here’s the expected running order for The Big Day Out 2025.
09:00: Breakfast and gathering
Arrive. Check in with our registration team. Then help yourself to a delicious hot breakfast bun (or buns), and coffee and tea. Take the chance to say ‘hello’ to people you know. Take a deep breath and muster the courage to introduce yourself to people you don’t know. Weather-willing, take a wander around the RIBA award-winning site (it really is a lovely location). See if you can spot The Big Day Out chicken.
1000: AI for Paraplanners: Practical tools for better writing
Join us in the conference barn for a warm welcome from your Big Day Out hosts, Aleks Sasin and Chris Wormwell. We’ll then get underway with our first session, AI for Paraplanners: Practical tools for better writing.
Used properly, artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool to enhance the writing that sits at the heart of your role. From client communications to suitability reports, the quality of your written work directly impacts client outcomes and regulatory compliance. In this highly interactive session, led by award-winning financial journalist and AI trainer Harriet Meyer, we’ll cut through the AI hype to focus on practical applications of tools that can genuinely improve your daily writing tasks, from client communications to suitability reports.
Whether you’ve never used AI tools, have experimented with basic applications, or are already incorporating AI into your workflow but want to improve your technique, in this hour we want to provide value regardless of your starting point, with lots of opportunities to learn from your fellow paraplanners peers similar challenges.
We’re focussed on ensuring this session gives you concrete, actionable strategies for using AI to enhance your writing across key paraplanning tasks. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll practice effective prompt design and see real examples of how AI can improve client communications, streamline report writing, and support documentation tasks.
We’ll also explore the common pitfalls and share practical guidance on what to watch out for.
1100: Technical and financial planning: No 1
Ahead of the Big Day Out, you’ll be invited to pick two technical and financial planning scenario sessions (from a choice of four). Each session will last an hour. This is the first session.
1200: Technical and financial planning: No 2
This is the second session.
You’ll be invited to pick two from the following four topics.
Topic 1: IHT Planning – Foundation scenario
This session focusses on helping you looking strengthen your foundational understanding of inheritance tax planning, and gives a structured refresher on core principles.
Through an interactive scenario-based discussion, you’ll work through client situations and explore different approaches, understanding the practical application of IHT planning principles and the trade-offs involved in different strategies. We’ll explore the essential framework of “spend it, gift it, or insure it” and understand how these principles apply in practice. We’d expect you to cover residence nil rate bands, tapering rules, and gifting allowances, alongside practical solutions like life cover. You’ll also touch on the importance of Wills and Powers of Attorney, and there may even be some discussion of deed variations.
Topic 2: IHT Planning – Advanced scenario
If you’re with basic IHT concepts and want to tackle more complex planning scenarios involving multiple strategies and significant assets, this is the hour for you. You’ll navigate the complexities of advanced planning strategies, examining real-world trade-offs and the practical challenges of implementing sophisticated solutions, including the order of gifting, trust planning, and business relief considerations. With pensions now in the IHT net from 2027, you’ll explore how pension planning intersects with inheritance tax strategy. The session will examine when and how to use different planning tools and the consequences of getting the sequencing wrong. You don’t have to have attended the basic IHT planning to attend this session.
Topic 3: Retirement Income Planning – Foundation scenario
If you who want to strengthen your understanding of retirement income options and, particularly, build your confidence around annuity recommendations, this is the session for you. In discussion with your paraplanning peers, you’ll get a comprehensive grounding in the core retirement income options available to clients. The session will cover the fundamentals of drawdown versus annuities, tax-free cash decisions, securing essential income, and how State Pension fits into the picture.
Topic 4: Retirement Income Planning – Advanced scenario
If you are comfortable with retirement income products but want to enhance your skills in creating comprehensive, client-focused retirement strategies that meet FCA expectations, this is for you.
In discussion with your fellow paraplanners, you’ll explore sophisticated techniques for capturing client requirements, categorising needs into essential, desired, and legacy funds, and creating robust cash flow models. You’ll discuss tax wrapper strategies, sequencing risk, and how to build retirement plans that will withstand regulatory scrutiny while truly serving client needs.
1300: Lunch
Locally sourced and freshly prepared, we guarantee that this will be a *chef’s kiss* of a lunch for you to tuck into. Bon appetit!
1400: Your career, your choice: Designing your professional future
Ever wondered what your ideal paraplanning career would actually look like? Or maybe you’re feeling uncertain about where you’re headed professionally? Both curiosity about possibilities and concerns about the future are natural parts of career development.
In this part of the day, paraplanner Zara Okoro (Abacus Associates, PFS Paraplanning Panel member) will help you explore these questions and move from wondering what might happen next to actively shaping what you want to happen.
You’ll dig into what really drives you professionally, where your strengths lie, and how to turn sector changes into career opportunities. This isn’t about abstract planning – it’s about practical steps you can take to become the kind of team member your firm genuinely values.
Whether you’re early in your career or well-established, this session works for anyone ready to take ownership of their professional development. You’ll walk away knowing where to focus your efforts and how your career growth can benefit both you and your employer.
1515: Break
There may be ice cream.
1545: All Together Now
Led by Big Day Out hosts Aleks Sasin and Chris Wormwell, this open session hands the floor over to you. Whether you want to dig deeper into topics covered earlier, raise something completely new, or simply pick the brains of the experts and fellow paraplanners in the room – it’s entirely up to you.
No set agenda, no predetermined topics. Just the opportunity to have the conversations that matter to you right now, with a room full of people who understand the challenges and opportunities you’re facing. Come with questions, insights, or just curiosity about what others are thinking.
1630: Cheerio and close
Questions and answers
Jump to
- Where can I stay?
- What if I have to be careful about what I eat?
- How accessible is FarmED for people who use wheelchairs or have other needs?
- I’m not a paraplanner or administrator. Can I take part?
- What is FarmED?
- Will there be photography at the event?
Where can I stay?
Chipping Norton (10 mins drive to FarmED): the nearest town to FarmED and there are a number of hotels and pubs with rooms in the town centre: Premier Inn; Kings Arms; Crown & Cushion and The Fox.
The rates at the Premier Inn are remarkably expensive, we’re afraid. The combination of the annual Fair in Chipping Norton plus the proximity of Soho Farmhouse, Daylesford Farm and Diddly Squat perhaps inflating prices. The rates at the Kings Arms, Crown & Cushions and The Fox do seem reasonable compared to previous years at the moment.
Shipton-under-Wychwood (5 mins drive to FarmED): the nearest village to FarmED and there are some really good options there which appear reasonably priced for September: The Crown, Wychwood Inn and Lamb Inn.
Long Compton (20 mins drive to FarmED): The Red Lion is a popular country pub with rooms. Long Compton is on the main road from Oxford to Shipston-on-Stour. It’s a little bit north of Chipping Norton but you can reach FarmED without having to drive via Chipping Norton. Speaking of Shipston-on-Stour…
Shipston-on-Stour (30 mins drive to FarmED): There are a number of places to stay in the centre of this market town including The George Townhouse, The Lazy Pug, The White Bear and The Bower House Restaurant and Rooms
Banbury (30 min drive to FarmED): Don’t rule out Banbury too. It’s just a 30 minute drive from Banbury Cross to FarmED with a Premier Inn in the centre of town and one on the outskirts by the M40. However, the newly refurbished Whateley Hall, which is just a stone’s throw from Banbury Cross itself, is offering good rates too at the moment. The operator of the Big Night In BBQ coach is based in Banbury so, if you decide to book a room in Banbury, let us know, and we can arrange for the coach’s first stop to be in Banbury.
Burford (15 mins drive to FarmED). Burford’s a popular tourist spot so the hotels do tend to be very pricey. But it’s an option and there’s a Travelodge too so it may be worth a look.
Airbnb: we haven’t researched Airbnb but, because it’s a popular tourist destination, there may well be B&Bs available for overnight stays within an easy drive of
What if I need to be careful about what I eat?
You can let us know if there are any foods you’d like to avoid for the Big Day Out and the Big Night In as part of the checkout process. (By the way, because it’s a working farm, FarmED’s kitchen uses organic produce grown in its own fields so you’re in for the FRESHEST ingredients imaginable!)
How accessible is FarmED for people who use wheelchairs or have other needs?
Our event takes place in FarmED’s award-winning buildings. There are no steps in any of the buildings. Wide side doors can be opened to assist wheelchair access. Assistance dogs are welcome in the buildings. There are two disabled car parking spaces next to the entrance of the main building.
I’m not a paraplanner or administrator. Can I take part?
Assemblies are designed by paraplanners for paraplanners and we also welcome administrators, so if you are not one please don’t book a ticket. If you’re still really interested in coming along then get in touch with us at [email protected].
What is FarmED?
FarmED’s mission is to provide learning spaces and events that inspire, educate and connect people to build sustainable farming and food systems that nourish people and regenerate the planet. These really chime with the Assembly’s role in the lives of paraplanners. (Plus it’s a lovely venue.)
Will there be photography at the event?
Yes. We love a good a photo featuring our events so don’t be surprised if you spot a photographer or Assembly host lurking with a camera. If you don’t want to appear in photographs that we publish online, please let us know when you arrive at the event.
