Create your own club?
- Thread starter dfitton55
- Start date
You can just create a club with a couple of like-minded individuals, simple as that..
But of course, there's more to it than that if you want access to PL insurance, access to certain caves and more that I haven't got time to write..
http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=121 - link that gives you some idea of what the requirements are for BCA membership.
But of course, there's more to it than that if you want access to PL insurance, access to certain caves and more that I haven't got time to write..
http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=121 - link that gives you some idea of what the requirements are for BCA membership.
cap n chris
Well-known member
It really is very straightforward and I've been involved in helping to create two clubs. By far the easiest approach is to borrow a constitution and alter it to suit and then supply it to your regional caving club council & the BCA thereby gaining a seal of officialdom and recognition that you exist!
Some of the bureaucracy is odd (e.g. the officially acceptable dissolution clauses don't stand up to logical analysis) but it's really a piece of cake, especially with a small/manageable membership (n.b. collecting subs from more than 30 people is a PITA). All you need is some keen cavers and a shed load of motivation.
A club is easy to form. It's great fun, too. The difficulty is keeping it going and for that you need new generations of caving acolytes! - thankfully one of the clubs is still going strong after over a decade whereas another barely limps along as it only comprises a hardcore of knackered professionals (and has long since lapsed its regional caving council membership on grounds of CBAness).
Some of the bureaucracy is odd (e.g. the officially acceptable dissolution clauses don't stand up to logical analysis) but it's really a piece of cake, especially with a small/manageable membership (n.b. collecting subs from more than 30 people is a PITA). All you need is some keen cavers and a shed load of motivation.
A club is easy to form. It's great fun, too. The difficulty is keeping it going and for that you need new generations of caving acolytes! - thankfully one of the clubs is still going strong after over a decade whereas another barely limps along as it only comprises a hardcore of knackered professionals (and has long since lapsed its regional caving council membership on grounds of CBAness).
Les W
Active member
I will point out that the Wessex's constitution does not comply with BCA's recommendations for what is acceptable for a constitution, which clearly means that one of the largest and longest established caving clubs in the UK (and perhaps the world) must have got it wrong when we wrote our constitution in 1934... :tease:
The recommendations from BCA are just that. The key points are that to demonstarte you are a "properly constituted club" you will need to have certain things in your constitution.
The guidance is to give peole an idea of what is looked for to determine that a club is "properly constituted" it is not an absolute but there is very little there that is overly onerous. I know of at least one club that took what was in the advice and pretty much made it their constitution as it stood, just put some numbers in the right places... :-\
There is currently nothing in the guidance about dissolution... :tease:
The recommendations from BCA are just that. The key points are that to demonstarte you are a "properly constituted club" you will need to have certain things in your constitution.
The guidance is to give peole an idea of what is looked for to determine that a club is "properly constituted" it is not an absolute but there is very little there that is overly onerous. I know of at least one club that took what was in the advice and pretty much made it their constitution as it stood, just put some numbers in the right places... :-\
There is currently nothing in the guidance about dissolution... :tease:
Peter Burgess
New member
Of course if a club doesn't want to join the BCA then you don't have to follow the BCA guidelines in your constitution.
graham
New member
BCRA is a charity, yes (BCA is not, of course) but that does not make it obligatory for members of BCRA to also be charities. They are only subject to charities legislation (in this context) in their dealings with BCRA, they can also do - and be - other types of entity.damian said:
I've just checked our constitution & we don't have a dissolution clause. What we do have, though, is charitable statue.
Bob Mehew
Well-known member
graham said:BCRA is a charity, yes (BCA is not, of course) but that does not make it obligatory for members of BCRA to also be charities. They are only subject to charities legislation (in this context) in their dealings with BCRA, they can also do - and be - other types of entity.damian said:
I've just checked our constitution & we don't have a dissolution clause. What we do have, though, is charitable statue.
The imposition of becoming a charity club is that simply put, in the event of subsequent dissolution, the assets must go to another charity. Perhaps the UBSS are so old that the Charity Commissioners have not checked their constitution in the recent past. A similar imposition exists for CASCs, see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/casc/register.htm . Both are probably fairly esoteric for a new club.
But coming back to the original question, creating a club is just a matter of a few people gathering together. Adding a constitution is optional. The term registering is used. Presuming by that dfitton55 meant joining BCA, then yes the club does need a constitution and appointed officers. A significant benefit from joining BCA is then being accepted by all regions for access to controlled caves, subject to cave specific conditions. (Which leads to the point about getting members to join BCA as caving club individual members if they are not already members of BCA via some other route.) I am sure emailing Glenn direct, see http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=8 with any queries would get a helpful response; else PM me.
PS - can we have a photo of the statue Graham?
graham
New member
Typos aside :-[ :
I said that we had charitable status, I did not say we were a registered charity, 'cos we're not. 8)
My understanding of dissolution at the moment is that I'll get all the assets & the President gets all the liabilities. I may be wrong about that, though. :blink:
I said that we had charitable status, I did not say we were a registered charity, 'cos we're not. 8)My understanding of dissolution at the moment is that I'll get all the assets & the President gets all the liabilities.
I may be wrong about that, though. :blink:
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