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Affiliated Clubs Useful Information

Booklet 1 of 4 (Topics 1-25)

‘SUPPORTING CLUBS’

Issue D: April 2013

Useful Information for Clubs (April 2013)

Booklet 1: Supporting Clubs



Booklet 1:

Supporting Clubs

Index

Bowls Organising Bodies

Clubs/Counties/Bowls England/World Bowls Topic 1

Bowls Development Alliance Topic 2

Coaching Topic 3

Umpiring Topic 4

Greens Maintenance Advisory Service Topic 5

Increasing Participation

Promoting & Marketing Your Club Topic 6

Recruiting New Members Topic 7

Retaining Members Topic 8

Club Structures

CASC/Charity Topic 9

Model Constitution Topic 10

Officers Topic 11

Trustees Topic 12

Minute Taking Topic 13

Misconduct Topic 14



Club Advice

Tours & Travel Topic 15

Coloured Clothing for Clubs Topic 16

Fundraising Topic 17

Loans & Grants Topic 18

Tournament Licences Topic 19

Tournament Insurance Topic 20

External Agencies and Support

Sport England Topic 21

Sport & Recreation Alliance Topic 22

County Sport Partnerships Topic 23

Club Mark Topic 24

Club Leaders Topic 25



Topic 1: Clubs/Counties/Bowls England/World Bowls

Clubs All members are affiliated to a club, which in turn is affiliated to the relevant County Association. A club runs the day to day affairs for its members and ensures that bowls runs smoothly. If a club has any problems or difficulties they are advised to contact their County Association for help and assistance in the first instance. Each club pays an affiliation fee to its County Association and Bowls England for every individual playing member. This fee is used by County Associations and Bowls England to provide a wide range of services to clubs and individual members. County Associations Each club is affiliated to a County Association – there are 35 County Associations affiliated to Bowls England. The County Associations are responsible for administering the sport within that area and run the County Championships that lead to the Bowls England National Championships. The County Association is an integral link between clubs and Bowls England. Bowls England Bowls England is the National Governing Body for lawn bowls played outdoors in England, and is responsible for administering the sport across the country. Bowls England offers a wide range of services to its members, from advice on Government legislation such as child protection and licensing, to promotion of the sport and youth development. Bowls England is responsible for setting the policy for the game through the Council (comprising two delegates from each County) who are elected annually by your club representatives at the County AGM and the officers of the Association. In addition Bowls England runs National Championships and National Competitions that are open to all members, and is responsible for the selection of junior and senior international teams. For more details go to: www.bowlsengland.com World Bowls World Bowls Ltd governs the sport across the globe, and currently has 52 Member National Authorities in 46 Member Nations. World Bowls is responsible for formulating the Laws of the Sport in consultation with Member National Authorities, and has a remit for the development of the sport of lawn bowls across the world. Bowls England pays an annual affiliation fee to World Bowls for every individual affiliated member of Bowls England. For more details go to: www.worldbowlsltd.co.uk



Topic 2: Bowls Development Alliance

The Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) is supported jointly by Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowling Association Ltd (EIBA Ltd). Sport England has awarded the BDA £2million to increase participation in the sport of bowls over the four year period starting 1st April 2013, with a primary focus on those aged 55 plus and 16 to 54 year olds with a disability – targets set by Sport England as the funding body. The BDA has developed a series of funding packages that are available to assist each and every club affiliated to either Bowls England or the EIBA Ltd to host open days and other recruitment initiatives. In addition, the BDA will do additional work in several areas of the country that have been specifically identified to have a high density of people in the older age group. Given the BDA’s key focus, Bowls England and the EIBA will continue to offer support to affiliated clubs with recruitment initiatives for all other ages and abilities, along with the many other services that they both provide for the benefit of their affiliated members. For more details on the BDA and the support available to clubs go to: www.playbowls.org



Topic 3: Coaching Coach Bowls is the comprehensive coaching system being developed by the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) on behalf of Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowling Association Ltd (EIBA Ltd). Coach Bowls is the only bowls coaching system supported by these National Governing Bodies. Coach Bowls uses the UK Coaching Framework as a guideline for development, and its stated aim is to provide ‘a world class bowls coaching system for all’. At the time of writing the BDA is in the process of developing a Coaching Strategy (2012-2022). Once finalised, the strategy will outline the development of coaching in the short, medium and long term. For more details on Coach Bowls, including information on membership and training opportunities for coaches, go to: www.playbowls.org/coachbowls



Topic 4: Umpiring The English Bowls Umpires Association is the body for bowls umpires in England. The Association’s membership totals approximately 1,000 active officials – from Club Umpire to International grade. It is responsible for appointing umpires to events as requested by the local, national and international governing bodies of the sport of bowls. Therefore EBUA Umpires can be seen in action at all lawn bowls events, from club and county events to national finals, international matches, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. Umpires are qualified through an intensive training and examination process, and the desire to commit time and dedication to the sport. For more details go to: www.ebua.org.uk



Topic 5: Greens Maintenance Advisory Service The Bowls England Greens Maintenance Advisory Scheme provides FREE practical advice and assistance to clubs regarding all issues related to the bowling surface. Advice is given by qualified green keepers, the majority of whom are members of the Institute of Groundsmanship (IoG). They are organised through Regional Co-ordinators and County Representatives. Should more complex problems occur, further advice can be sought from outside agencies including the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI). Clubs are responsible for meeting the costs of any remedial work that is required following a free visit from the Greens Maintenance Advisory Service. If your Club needs help or advice please contact your County Representative or Regional Co-ordinator in the first instance – details can be found in the Bowls England Yearbook or on the Bowls England website. Alternatively the National Administrator of the Greens Maintenance Advisory Service is Arnold Goad whose telephone number is 01926 612280.



Topic 6: Promoting & Marketing Your Club This short guide gives you a few ideas on how best to market your club to attract new members and should be read in conjunction with the Section entitled ‘Recruiting New Members’. 1. What is marketing?

Marketing is matching what your club offers with what your target market wants. It includes communicating the benefits of the product to the target audience – and ensuring that a process is in place to actually deliver the product or service.

2. The Four Ps

The range of activities covered by marketing is referred to as ‘the four Ps’:

• Product – what is provided? • Price – cost and how it is paid for • Place – where the product is delivered • Promotion – communicating the product to those who may want it

This guide will focus on the promotional and communications aspects of marketing your bowls club.

3. What is promotion?

Promotion means communicating the benefits of your club in a way that matches the needs, interests and requirements of your target market/s. It ensures those with an interest are aware of what your club is offering, and also encourages a new audience to take an interest in your club.

4. Why promote?

The answer to this will vary. You could promote to generate:

• New bowling members and social members • New volunteers • Sponsorship from local companies • Grants from funding bodies

Generally, your promotion will be much more effective if you decide on just one aim. A flyer or poster trying to do several different things may end up sending ‘mixed messages’. Most people deal with many different messages every day. For yours to be ‘heard’, you must make sure it is simple, easy to understand and attractive to your target market.



5. Who do I promote to?

The next stage is to form a clear idea of who you are promoting to. You may need to take different approaches to attract beginners from those returning to sport. People may also want to commit varying amounts of time or undertake different levels of competition. Remember – what might sell your club to one person could turn someone else away. To promote effectively, you will need to clearly identify the group that each specific campaign is targeted at, and tailor it to that group. In some cases, however, you may want to take a less direct route. For example, to recruit young people it may be more effective to target parents and grandparents as well as the young people themselves.

6. Identifying different groups

Build up a ‘portrait’ of your potential audience, where you define them by whichever categories are appropriate, for example – age, gender, income, sporting passions. By having a clear portrait in mind for each of your campaigns and tailoring material to this audience, your promotion should be more effective.

7. What should promotions say?

A good general rule is to talk in terms of benefits rather than just features. So, to attract new members talk about their enjoyment of the sport, the social side and the new skills (the benefits), rather than just the fixture schedules, games and facilities (the features).

8. Reaching your audience

With different reasons to promote, there are different ways of promoting. Some of the different channels you could use are shown below.

• Local media (advertising, reports) • Posters/leaflets • Direct mail • Local events • Electronic communication (e-mail, social networking, websites)

Each channel is more or less suited to different target audiences. In each case, the design and content of your promotional material is clearly important, but so is its placement. Consider how you can maximise your return by looking at where you place it and who will see it.

9. Test your marketing

Conduct small campaigns to see which groups, or benefits, give the best response. Keep track of responses for future information.



10. Be prepared

Do not expect a massive response to any one promotional campaign. It may take time to learn which promotions are most effective for your club. Keep on putting out your promotional material, though, and awareness of your club will increase as each new participant or volunteer let you know how they found out about the club.

FREE MARKETING MATERIAL TO SUPPORT YOUR CLUB Bowls England recognises that we all have a role to play if we are to encourage new people to try our sport - and to continue playing for many years to come. Our ‘Bowls - The Sport for All’ campaign was launched to help clubs address the problem of falling membership at a local level by providing a range of marketing materials – posters, leaflets and drop cards – free of charge to clubs to assist them with their recruitment drives. The material was well received and we have gleaned positive feedback regarding new members as a result from many of those clubs. However there is still much more to do so we are delighted to be able to offer this material to clubs again for the 2013 season. As an additional service to clubs, Bowls England can now arrange a personalised printing service so that your posters and leaflets arrive with your club's details already on - meaning all you have to think about is distributing them! To request your club’s materials or for details on the additional service, for which print costs only will be charged to your club, please contact Bowls England by e-mail at: [email protected]



Topic 7: Recruiting New Members

Bowls England is committed to helping clubs increase the number of people who play our sport. We all have a role to play if we are to encourage new people to try our sport for the first time - and to continue playing for many years to come. Our ‘Bowls - The Sport for All’ campaign has been designed to reflect the unique position that our sport holds, with its capacity to engage participants of all ages and abilities. This short guide gives you a few ideas on attracting new members to your club - and highlights just some of the many examples of ‘good practice’ that go to show new bowlers are out there! 1. Open days

Open days send the right message – you are open for business and welcome new people. Many clubs run open days that give people the chance to ‘try before they buy’. For example, Bishop’s Stortford BC in Hertfordshire attracted 30 new members following two open days that were widely publicised in advance through local media, shops, pubs and clubs. Refreshments were provided and coaching sessions were offered as a follow-up.

If you arrange an open day or evening it is vital that you get the organisation right. Members to assist with coaching, equipment and refreshments are all vital to create that vital first impression to prospective members. Most importantly, it is essential to allow people to experience playing the game – even if they get it wrong! Keeping tuition to a minimum and enjoyment at a maximum is the formula for a fun day or evening.

2. Coaching sessions

Organised coaching is a great way of making sure that any potential new bowlers learn the basic skills to enable them to participate. Qualified coaches are available to offer their services to Bowls England affiliated clubs.

3. Reduced fees for new bowlers

The first year is always the most expensive for new bowlers with equipment to purchase and probably a lack of competitive bowls. By offering reduced, or even free, membership in the first year you could attract members for years to come.

4. Word of mouth

In the fitness industry, about 75 per cent of new members are introduced by existing members, so why not offer incentives to encourage existing members to ‘introduce a friend’? A large membership is also good for the club and helps to keep everyone’s membership fees down.



5. Social events

Why not target the following groups for social events to help attract new members?

• Residents • Schools, universities & youth groups • Local sports clubs • Local businesses

6. Barriers to participation

Is dress code a potential barrier to new members? Does your club offer a welcoming environment to potential new members? Take a look at your club and think hard about whether an outsider would choose to join it - and if not, why not?

7. Know your market

If you are promoting an open day for young people then parents will be keen to know the event will be ‘safe’. However, you will need a different message for the youngsters themselves. Likewise, an event for retired people is more likely to be attended in the afternoon. Different people will have different needs.

8. Hit the road

Organise a stall at a local event, library or shopping centre so residents can find out more about your club in a familiar environment. Thame BC in Oxfordshire began its recruitment campaign with Bowls England ‘Sport for All’ posters prominently displayed in local shops and other venues, supported by coverage in the local press. Extra interest was generated at a stall in the town’s market, headed ‘Thame Bowls Club – In the market for new members’, where members handed out leaflets to shoppers and invited them to a series of recruitment evenings where they could try bowls for the first time. As a result, each of the three recruitment evenings attracted an average of 30 people willing to give the game a go, under the watchful eye of qualified coaches so all first-time bowlers received expert help on the night. The club also provided free refreshments so that prospective members felt at home straight away. This approach helped the club to attract more than 20 new members during the season.

9. Mentoring

Once you have signed up a new member, allocate a current member as a ‘buddy’ to show them round and ensure they feel part of the club.

10. Shout about your club

Make sure that people know where you are and how they can join in through your club website, posters, leaflets and the local media. More information is available in the Section titled ‘Promoting and Marketing Your Club’.



Topic 8: Retaining Members Bowls England is committed to helping clubs increase the number of people who play our sport. It is also important to keep hold of members once you have attracted them to your club. Our ‘Bowls - The Sport for All’ campaign has been designed to reflect the unique position that our sport holds, with its capacity to engage participants of all ages and abilities. This short guide gives you a few ideas to help you to retain your current members, which is just as important as attracting new members to your club. 1. Value your members

The key to retention is showing your members that they are valued. You must satisfy their aspirations and give them a sense of belonging to your club. Recognise new members on the club notice board, or introduce them at monthly meetings and in your newsletter. Allocate a current member as a ‘buddy’ to look after new members and to show them around the club. Consider sending a birthday card to members and also show you care for any members that are suffering from ill health by sending a card and small gift.

2. Reward your members

Offer members rewards for long-service – for example reduced membership fees – or perhaps vouchers for use in the club bar.

3. Keep your members informed

You should keep in regular contact with members. Let them know what is happening at the club. Make them feel that they are wanted and will be welcomed at organised events. Up-to-date contact details are one of the simplest ways to show you care. A club website is also a great way of sharing information with your members in a cost effective manner.

4. Listen to your members

As well as communicating regularly with members you should ensure you listen to their views, opinions and comments on club issues. You can do this with comments boxes, club open meetings or even an annual survey.

5. Manage your members

Many clubs do not have a formal way of managing membership. A simple database or spreadsheet will make it easier to track membership and allow you to contact members more readily. Clubs are exempt from registering under the Data Protection Act, so long as these personal details are only used to keep members informed of relevant club activities. For details please see Topic 28.



6. Improve your facilities

Maintaining and improving your club’s facilities is vital to the satisfaction of your members - from the playing surface to the club toilets. Members come to the club for enjoyment, so make the experience as good as you can, even if it’s just a lick of paint during the closed season.

7. Stimulate membership

Is your club’s membership structure too rigid? Consider offering discounts to people who can only play at different times of the day or night. Why not look at special membership packages for couples/families and those new to the sport?

8. Promote social activities

Social activities are a great way to bring your members together - whether it’s club nights, bingo, annual dinners or a regular get together during the winter. This will not only provide a boost to members, but also to the club’s finances!

9. Where have they gone?

If members leave, ask them why. You can do this with a simple feedback form that they will fill in if membership is cancelled. Use this information to improve the club structure for the future and to make it more attractive for new members.

10. Look after what you’ve got

It is harder to attract new members than to keep hold of the ones you already have. By taking care of your current members, your club will then have a solid base on which to increase its membership with new members. Without sufficient members, you have facilities that lie unused and can’t be developed. As well as communicating regularly with your members, ensure that you listen to their views, opinions and comments on club issues regularly.



Topic 9: CASC/Charity The way in which the club is legally set up and the impact this may have on the financial and legal position of the club is often overlooked. This can be of critical importance, particularly if there are financial difficulties or a claim brought against the club. Which structure suits your club will be dependent on your exact circumstances and each should be considered on an individual basis. This Section looks at two of the options available to clubs and highlights some of the advantages and disadvantages of both. 1. Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC)

However a club is constituted, since 2001 community-based amateur sports clubs have been able to take advantage of valuable tax reliefs by registering as a ‘Community Amateur Sports Club’ (CASC) with HM Revenue & Customs. Unincorporated associations and companies can become a CASC. To qualify as a CASC a club must, as its main purpose, provide facilities for and promote participation in one or more eligible sports. A club will be eligible if/when it meets the following criteria:

• Open to all of the community; • Main purpose of the club is to promote sport; • The club is amateur and non-profit making. This means that it cannot pay its

players; • If the club is wound up, its property will be distributed to a sport governing

body, another CASC or a charity.

If your club is entirely amateur, it is well worth considering whether you may qualify for CASC status.

Advantages

• Business Rate Relief: At least 80 per cent, with some Local Authorities giving

100 per cent relief • Gift Aid: Can be claimed on donations from individuals to the club • Other tax exemptions/reliefs: Exempt from various taxes including taxes on

the club’s fundraising or trading turnover (such as receipts from a bar or sales of branded clothing) if they are under £30,000

• Inheritance Tax: CASCs do not pay tax on interest earned in bank accounts and no inheritance tax is payable on legacies left to a CASC



Disadvantages

• Registration with HMRC: Normally this involves changing the club’s

constitution. Once a club has become a CASC, a club cannot undo the process.

• Compliance with CASC Rules: The club must continue to comply with CASC rules as to, amongst other things, the criteria set out above. This compliance will need to be under continuous review, particularly as the club progresses or grows, and a serious transgression of CASC status could lead to an investigation by HMRC into claimed tax relief

• Open Membership: The club must allow anybody to become a member, unless they would be a disruptive influence or the level of facilities means that the club cannot physically accept any more members

• Amateur Players: The club must be amateur therefore players cannot be paid, although they can receive their expenses

For more information on CASC including details on registration go to: www.cascinfo.gov.uk.

2. Charitable Status

Unincorporated associations and companies limited by guarantee can be charities. A club can only be charitable if its constitution is such that it promotes amateur sports (and/or other healthy amateur recreations) e.g. by providing facilities, or promotes education or community participation by reference to sport. In all cases the club must exist for the public benefit.

Advantages

• Greater tax advantages than CASCs: Full exemption from tax on profits from

membership fees, bank interest and investment income. Gift aid can be claimed on donations from companies as well as donations from individuals

• Rate Relief: Local authority business rate relief is the same as for CASCs, and there is similarly no inheritance tax payable on legacies left to charities

• Fundraising: People are more willing to fundraise for a charity, and charities are allowed to run certain types of lottery and other fundraising activities that are banned or licensed for non-charities

Disadvantages

• Permanence: Once a club has become a charity, it cannot stop being a

charity



• Paying Members: All members of the club must be playing members – it cannot have ‘social members’.

• Amateur: Players must be amateur and may not be paid • Open Membership: Although there can be competition to get into, for

example, the first team, everybody must have an equal opportunity to use the club’s facilities. The level of fees must be low enough so that everyone has the opportunity to join the club.

• Administration: A club must register with the Charity if its annual income is over £5,000. This means that it must submit annual accounts and an annual return to the Commission and also comply with charity law.

For more details on Charitable Status go to: www.charitycommission.gov.uk



Topic 10: Model Constitution

The Bowls England Model Constitution is currently under review. Once finalised a copy will be circulated directly to all affiliated clubs and posted on our website for your information and possible future use.



Topic 11: Officers The variety of volunteering roles within any bowls club is enormous, from those helping to look after the finances, creating publicity and attracting sponsorship, to those who help get players to fixtures, make lunches and teas or are just on hand to provide support at one-off events. This Section gives a brief outline of some of the key roles within any Club: Secretary The Secretary is the principal administrative officer of the club and should:

Deal with correspondence promptly; Keep correspondence up to date; All club members should be informed of decisions and events; Give plenty of notice of meetings; Prepare and circulate an agenda; The minutes need to be a brief, clear summary of what was agreed at the meeting,

not a record of who said what; Do not put important items last on the agenda.

Treasurer The Treasurer has a most important job to perform and needs to be:

Well organised; Able to keep records.

The Treasurer has the ultimate responsibility for:

Looking after the club’s finances; Keeping up to date records of all the financial transactions; Preparing year-end statements of accounts to present to the auditor.

A good treasurer does not just record details of what has happened, but also tries to forecast what is likely to happen. At the end of the financial year, the treasurer needs to prepare a set of final accounts to be presented to the members at the AGM. Chair The Chair not only chairs the meeting but acts as principal officer throughout the year, and depending on their brief, may take decisions whenever the need arises.



During meetings the Chair should:

Ensure meetings start on time Follow the agenda Resolve one issue before moving on to the next Give everyone a reasonable opportunity to express their views Make sure only one person speaks at a time

The Chair has a right to vote on any item, and, in addition may have a second or casting vote if the first vote is tied, depending on what is stated in the Club’s Constitution.



Topic 12: Trustees Unless a club is incorporated, and this includes registration under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts as well as incorporation as a company, it cannot itself hold property. It is therefore necessary, when members of an unincorporated club not belonging to a proprietor are to occupy premises (clubhouse and land), that some person or persons recognised by the law as such should be appointed to take the transfer or tenancy of the premises and to hold the property on behalf of the club as a whole. For this purpose, trustees are usually appointed. This will be achieved by a club rule that deals with appointment, retirement and removal and deals with responsibilities and liabilities. It must be remembered that, unlike the members of a club that is registered or incorporated, all members of an unincorporated club are jointly and severally liable for the debts of the club. The following is proposed for inclusion in the Rules of an unincorporated club: Trustees 1. There shall be not more than four Trustees of the Club who shall be appointed from

time to time as necessary by the Club in General Meeting from among ordinary or honorary and life members who are willing to be so appointed. A Trustee shall hold office during his/her life, or until he/she shall resign by notice in writing given to the General Committee, or until a resolution removing him/her from office shall be passed at a General Meeting of the Club by a majority comprising two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote.

2. All property of the Club, including land and investments, shall be held by the

Trustees for the time being for the use and benefit of the Club. On the death, resignation or removal from office of a Trustee, the General Committee shall take steps to procure the appointment by the Club in General Meeting of a new Trustee in his place; and shall as soon as possible thereafter take all lawful and practicable steps to procure the vesting of all Club property into the names of the Trustees as substituted after the said appointment.

3. The Trustees shall in all respects act, in regard to any property of the Club held by

them, in accordance with the directions of the General Committee.



Topic 13: Minute Taking Notes are appropriate for informal meetings where only the participants will get copies and where the notes are only a temporary reminder of action points. Minutes are most appropriate for formal meetings where the minutes will be stored as a formal record and/or where they are used as a communication tool for people other than those who attended the meeting. Some rules for minutes 1. Make more use of the passive tense, eg ‘It was resolved……’ 2. Make sure the verbs are in the correct tense. Minutes are a record of a meeting that

happened in the past. For instance, if someone at a meeting says ‘Julie will attend the meeting on Thursday’ this would be minuted as ‘It was noted that Julie would attend the meeting on Thursday’. In the same way, ‘1,000 leaflets have been circulated’ would be minuted as ‘1,000 leaflets had been circulated’.

3. Minutes use longer sentences and more formal language than other forms of writing

and conversation. For example:

‘I want to give Sheila a pass for her test. She only got 38 points instead of the 40 we normally require. But she was sick on the day. Also her input on classroom sessions has been very good.’

These short points would be minuted as:

‘Although we normally require 40 points for a pass and Sheila only got 38 points, it was proposed that she be given a pass for the test as she was sick on the day and her classroom input has been good’.

4. When taking minutes it is important to keep to the main points of the discussion

and, in particular, the decision points rather than what each person said.

For example, a lengthy conversation about the merits of two different meeting venues, one in Nottingham and one in Birmingham, in which the comparative costs, disability access, ease of attendance for participants, availability of training equipment, etc, etc might go on for 20 minutes.

The Minutes would read:



‘After some discussion, it was resolved that the meeting would be held in Birmingham on grounds of cost, disability access and availability of training equipment’.

5. When referring to individuals at a meeting, refer to their position (for example Chief

Executive/Chair/President etc) rather than individual’s name – this ensures that minutes are easier to refer to in the future.

Remember:

Minutes record what was agreed at the meeting, not what the people said.



Topic 14: Misconduct Any member of Bowls England against whom misconduct is alleged may be subject to disciplinary measures. Clubs should refer to Bowls England Regulation No. 9 (Misconduct) for more information.



Topic 15: Tours & Travel Bowls England has spent a great deal of time trying to obtain a definitive answer to the question of tours within bowls. The legislation is complex and at present has not been tested in Law, so there is no Case Law to rely on. The following was agreed with the Trading Standards Institute’s Lead Officer responsible nationally for Travel Regulations 1992 and Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) Regulations. Tours Abroad All Tours abroad must be arranged through a fully bonded Travel Agent or Tour Operator (i.e. ABTA protected) and hold an Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL). The primary purpose of these Regulations is to ensure the financial protection of the customer buying travel packages. Customers contracted with ATOL holders are able to claim back payments made in respect of the package in the event of an ATOL holder’s failure, and this will include repatriation if necessary. More information can be obtained from: www.atol.org.uk Tours in the UK Providing the following guidelines are adhered to, clubs, counties and other associations do not need to use a Bonded Licensed Travel Agent – although there may be two or more elements that under the regulations constitute a ‘package’.

The group appoints an organiser from within the party who will organise the Tour (this may include travel arrangements, hotel, matches, etc);

The Tour is for a closed group and not sold to the general public; The costs are shared between the group, therefore no ‘Sale’ under the Regulations

takes place, and the group members deal with any surplus funds; The funds raised/paid to the Tour Fund (see below) are protected

Tour Fund Always open a separate Bank or Building Society account for the monies received from the Tour party prior to paying the invoices. The Account should be in the Club, County or Association name and designated Tour Fund (i.e. ABC Bowls Club Tour Fund). The account should have two or three signatories with one of two or two of three as the signing mandate. They should also, ideally, be unrelated. This will ensure the money is available should there be any problems. On no account should an individual open an account in their name even if it is designated ‘Tour Fund’. This is because if the person is taken ill, dies or is declared bankrupt there may a delay in obtaining access to the funds, if at all, as the monies could become part of the person’s own estate. These notes are provided as a guide to any Club, County or Association wishing to organise a Tour.



Topic 16: Coloured Clothing for Clubs Bowls England has given approval for clubs to wear coloured shirts/trousers and skirts (as applicable), subject to registration and approval with the relevant County Association. If a club wishes to play in coloured clothing then it is an expectation that all participants must wear the same matching design, except by prior local agreement between the participating clubs or the organising body (i.e. County Association). Should an event be sponsored, any other logos depicting other sponsors will not be permitted to be worn, unless approved by the event sponsor. Basic guidelines:

The shirt shall have a collar; The shirt can be long or short sleeved; Any logo, wording, picture or any other form of reproduction associated with the

business or name of a sponsor, or a Club badge, should be clearly shown on the diagram of the shirt submitted for approval;

It is recognised that Clubs may also have coloured jumpers, fleeces, windcheaters, trousers/skirts and waterproofs. These may not always be exactly the same colour/design as the shirts so it would be helpful if you could indicate this on the registration form;

The name of the Club may be printed on the back of the shirt at shoulder blade level in lettering of not more than 40mm in height. Only one horizontal line of letters may be used;

A shirt manufacturer’s name tag may be permitted provided that it is of an area not greater than 10 sq cm.

To register the design and colour of the shirts and to obtain County Association approval, please complete the ‘Coloured Clothing for Clubs – Registration Form’. These are available on request from Bowls England by e-mail at [email protected] Any change to a registered and approved coloured shirt requires written approval from your County Association. Clubs are asked to complete a separate form for each individual shirt design.



Topic 17: Fundraising Fund raising is one of the most important functions at a bowling club, and many have attained a high degree of skill in this field. However, there are always new ideas and this Section sets out a few that have been tried and tested and may be of interest to your club.

‘100 Clubs’ have been running for many years and provide not only fund raising opportunities but also a social interest. Members pay a weekly or monthly sum of money for a chance to win a weekly/monthly and/ or yearly cash prize.

‘Race Nights’ have proved very popular and filmed races are shown with a tote in operation. Not only is this a good fundraiser, but also keeps the club together in a social way in the off season.

‘Dance evenings’, be they Barn Dances, Old Time, Modern or Line Dancing are also popular and again provide a chance for social intercourse.

A ‘BBQ’ is also a good fundraiser and has the advantage that it can introduce non-members to the Club and greens.

‘Quiz Nights’ have still not lost their appeal and provide an off season interlude. ‘Sponsored Events’ for a specific fund raising item could include a bowl in, walk,

slim or for the more fit a sponsored run. ‘Regular raffles’ can produce considerable funds. ‘Winter events’ at the Club can include cribbage, whist, bridge, beetle drives and

plain social evenings. ‘Open days’ and ‘coffee mornings’ can not only raise funds but also introduce non-

bowlers to the club premises. This is not an exhaustive list but may give you a few ideas and we hope that by combining fund raising with social events you can build a strong social side to the club and this in turn can bring in potential members to your club.



Topic 18: Loans & Grants One-stop Funding Shop Bowls England offers a service to help affiliated clubs to find out more information on local, regional, national and even European funding opportunities. Every year, hundreds of millions of pounds worth of grants, loans and awards are available, which could help your club to buy new equipment and improve its facilities. Bowls England uses a specialist computer system to generate a comprehensive report that highlights potential funding opportunities that affiliated clubs might be eligible to apply for. Please e-mail your request to [email protected] – putting ‘Funding Request’ in the subject and giving the name of your club, its address (including postcode) and details of what you plan to use any money for in your request. Bowls England Loans Bowls England has two schemes under which Affiliated Clubs may receive a loan:

Greens Loan Scheme This relates to any item connected with the bowling green such as mowers, scarifiers, turf irons, automatic sprinkler systems, ditches and banks. Applications should be submitted to the National Co-ordinator of the Bowls England Green Maintenance Advisory Scheme, whose details are in the Bowls England Year Book. The maximum loan is £5,000 for any one item, but a club may have more than one loan if it is purchasing more than one item. Loans must be repaid by monthly instalments over 12 or 24 months and the loans are free of interest. However, there is a small documentation fee towards Bowls England’s administration costs. Please note that if the total Greens Loan is £5,000 or over then the club will also need guarantors. Development Loan Scheme This relates to any item such as clubhouse improvements, fencing, car parks and changing rooms and loans of up to £20,000 (free of interest), repayable over a period of up to eight years, are available. Applications must be made before any work on the ‘project’ starts and should be made in the first instance to Bowls England with details of the project, its total cost and how it is envisaged that the costs will be funded. The names of two or more members who would be prepared to stand as guarantors for the club for the loan and administration fee must also be supplied. In addition the following information is requested:

A short history of the club and a copy of its latest annual accounts;



Details on current membership levels (playing, social, men, women, etc); How much the Club wishes to borrow and over what period it proposes to

make repayments; Any other information, which may be helpful to Bowls England when

considering the application, should also be included at this stage. The granting of any loan under either scheme is dependent on Bowls England having unallocated funds available at the time an application is received. A documentation fee is charged as a contribution to Bowls England’s administration costs. All clubs applying for a development loan must have been affiliated to Bowls England for a minimum of three years and should any club in receipt of a development loan cease to be affiliated during the repayment term, the full loan amount becomes repayable immediately.

Other Funding Opportunities Funding may be available from your local council or from local companies through sponsorship. Please note that not all councils have funds available so local enquiries will be required.



Topic 19: Tournament Licences Bowls England monitors and controls tournaments (which includes one-off events to annual tournaments) to ensure all events are run properly and funds administered appropriately. All tournament organisers should register their event with Bowls England and pay the appropriate fee, which is determined by the amount of prize money on offer. The Tournament Licence application form is available to view and download from the Bowls England website. Clubs in Cumbria and Devon should contact their County Association as these two counties administer tournaments in their area directly. Details of all licensed tournaments are published on the Bowls England website to ensure maximum publicity for licensed events. Bowls England requires confirmation that your event is covered by a suitable Liability Insurance Policy before a Tournament Licence can be issued. This is because Bowls England has a duty of care to ensure that all Tournaments and Events are covered by an adequate Liability Insurance Policy. Please see Topic 20 to ensure that your club/organising body has the appropriate insurance in place.



Topic 20: Tournament Insurance Bowls England has a duty of care to all its affiliated Counties and Clubs. Bowls England would like to take this opportunity to ensure that all participants in Bowls England’s Civil Liability Insurance scheme fully understand why they may need to take out additional insurance for any tournaments they may be hosting. This document has been produced to ensure you are fully informed of the requirements and applies to all clubs who arrange their Civil Liability Insurance through Bowls England. Clubs who arrange their insurance through another company are encouraged to check with their provider for similar guidance, if organising a tournament, so that they too can ensure that the appropriate cover is in place. Is your club organising a tournament? If the answer is ‘Yes’, then your club may require additional insurance cover to ensure that all participants in the tournament, and the organising committee, are fully covered. Frequently Asked Questions: 1. What is a tournament?

A tournament covers all events organised outside of your club’s normal activities from single day to week long events.

2. What is the difference between a closed, invitation and open tournament?

For the purposes of civil liability insurance cover arranged through Bowls England, there are three types of tournament. Please see below definitions of tournaments and insurance requirements:

Closed Tournaments: Participants will be Club Members Only. These are internal matches within a club and would be covered under the club’s normal playing activities. No additional charge is applicable.

Invitation Tournaments: A bowls club can invite any individual member or team from a Bowls England affiliated club(s) to play at their premises. There is no additional charge for this.

Open Tournaments: This is where a bowls club invites anyone to take part in a tournament regardless of affiliation. An additional premium is chargeable dependant on the number of non-affiliated people taking part. For example, a complete beginner who does not belong to a bowls club decides to attend an open tournament and injures a fellow



player. There would be no club policy in force to protect this person against legal action brought against them. Similarly if a bowler decided to take part in a tournament but was not representing their own bowls club, then they too would not be covered by an insurance policy. An additional premium may be charged to extend the clubs liability insurance policy to cover people such as this who are participating but not covered by an insurance policy and may cause injury to another player or cause property damage

3. My club already has civil liability insurance through Bowls England, why does

it need additional cover for an open tournament? If, at any tournament, you have non-affiliated players attending you require additional tournament insurance, alongside your main policy, as your insurers will class the tournament as an ‘open tournament’. The additional premiums are charged in order to cover any individuals who are not members of any club and would therefore turn up to play with no insurance. There may be individuals who turn up who do not belong to or who are representing a club and therefore do not have any cover in place. These individuals could potentially injure another participant or cause damage to property. If your club is running a Tournament where it has invited both affiliated and non affiliated players, for insurance purposes this would be classed as an open tournament and an additional premium is required to fully cover the event. The cost of the premium is dependent on the number of non affiliated players who participate.

4. What are the additional insurance premium costs for an open tournament? The additional premium costs are:

Up to 50 non-affiliated players: e-mail: [email protected] 51 to 100 non-affiliated players: e-mail: [email protected] 101 or more non-affiliated players: e-mail: [email protected]

5. Do we need employers’ liability insurance for the tournament?

You may wish to add employers’ liability to your insurance cover for your tournament – this is available for an additional cost e-mail: [email protected]

If your club has already opted to add the employers’ liability option with its main Bowls England insurance policy then you will automatically be covered for your tournament.

6. More information

If you require the additional tournament insurance, a proposal form is available on the Bowls England website. Alternatively e-mail: [email protected]



Topic 21: Sport England Sport England is the government agency responsible creating a world class community sport environment. It is accountable to Parliament through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Over the next four years Sport England will invest more than £1billion of National Lottery and Exchequer funding in organisations and projects that will:

Help more people have a sporting habit for life; Create more opportunities for young people to play sport; Nurture and develop talent; Provide the right facilities in the right places; Support local authorities and unlock local funding; Ensure real opportunities for communities

Sport England also has a role protecting sports provision and must be formally consulted on any planning applications in England that affect playing fields. Bowls England is officially recognised by Sport England as a National Governing Body for the sport of bowls. For more details on Sport England go to: www.sportengland.org



Topic 22: Sport & Recreation Alliance The Sport and Recreation Alliance is the umbrella organisation for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK. It represents more than 320 members – organisations including Bowls England, the FA, the Rugby Football Union, UK Athletics, the Ramblers, British Rowing and the Royal Academy of Dance. The Sport & Recreation Alliance represents the views of its members to people who make decisions, such as MPs, and promotes the interests of sport and recreation at a national level. It also provides a range of specialist services that Bowls England, as members of the Sport & Recreation Alliance, can access on behalf of its affiliated clubs. For more information on the work of the Sport & Recreation Alliance, and the services that it provides, go to: www.sportandrecreation.org.uk



Topic 23: County Sport Partnerships There are 49 County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) that between them cover the whole of England – meaning that every bowls club affiliated to Bowls England may access the services provided by of the CSP that covers their geographic area. CSPs help connect NGBs including Bowls England to the local area and local partners; support NGBs with the development of clubs, coaches and volunteers; help attract external investment and support the development of facilities. A CSP also brings together local authorities, national governing bodies of sport, schools, health representatives and other agencies involved with increasing participation in sport and physical activity. To find out details of your CSP, go to: http://cspnetwork.org/en/your_csp/



Topic 24: Club Mark Clubmark is an accreditation scheme run by Sport England as part of its work to build a safer, stronger and more successful national sports club infrastructure. Clubmark recognises high standards of safety, fairness, coaching and management. A club that has been awarded Clubmark has demonstrated that it has achieved the required levels in several areas such as child protection, coaching, equal opportunities and management. At the time of writing the current criteria is being revised and Bowls England will circulate information on the revised requirements to all affiliated clubs once full details are received.



Topic 25: Club Leaders Club Leaders provides free training and support to those volunteers within our clubs doing the day-to-day running of the sport. Club Leaders is part of the Olympic Legacy programme, Places People Play, and is being delivered by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) who are working with Sport England to help improve business skills in clubs by bringing their knowledge and experience to the programme. To find out more about what’s on offer and how it can help you, and to register your club for free, go to: www.sportenglandclubleaders.com Registering with Club Leaders will give you access to all of the learning, support and networking opportunities available.

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