Club Training
Safeguarding Training Events
Governance
As part of our ongoing commitment in creating new opportunities for members to keep up to date with BMC news and activities we are running a Clubs Open Forum.
Huts
The biennial Huts Seminar will return on Saturday 1st February 2025
Clubs
This programme provides training, support and advice to the members and officers on club committees and is suitable for new and longer-standing committee members.
Clubs
This training has been developed for affiliated clubs with a named Safeguarding Officer. Additionally, this session is open to anyone from an affiliated club who wishes to find out more about general safeguarding and what to do if they have a concern.
Club support webinar programme
The Club Support Webinar programme is designed for the officers, leaders and volunteers within affiliated clubs. They are a mixture of workshops, Q&A’s, and lectures.
Student Seminar
The BMC Student Safety Seminar is for any students who are involved in running a climbing, hill walking or mountaineering club at their University.
Training for club committee members
This programme provides training, support and advice to the members and officers on club committees and is suitable for new and longer-standing committee members.
How to train novice club members in winter skills | Training weekend
This popular training event offers support to experienced club members who take less experienced club members out in winter conditions.
How to support novice club members | Training weekend
This popular training event is for experienced members of BMC-affiliated club to learn about training novices in climbing, scrambling and hill walking.
Membership Services Online
MSO is the system that the BMC uses to allow clubs direct access to update their club member's data directly in to the BMC database.
The advice in the guidance below is intended not to constrain club activities, but to help clubs manage their affairs effectively. Each area has a concise document linked to it so please click on the relevant headings below to view the documents:
BMC Club Guidelines
READ: New Clubs and how to affiliate your club to the BMC
DOWNLOAD: New club application pack
DOWNLOAD: New club application form
DOWNLOAD: Club status guidelines
READ: Club structures
READ: Resource Centre advice on choosing a legal structure
DOWNLOAD: Constitution template (for adult clubs where all members have voting rights)
DOWNLOAD: Constitution template (for clubs with some voting and non-voting members - suitable for Youth Clubs)
DOWNLOAD: Community Amateur Sports Club participation guidelines
DOWNLOAD: Risk, responsibility, duty of care and liability
DOWNLOAD: Student officers handbook
READ: Hut guidelines
READ: GDPR BMC Clubs data protection
BMC Participation Statement:
Climbing, hill walking and mountaineering can provide life-long physical, social and mental health benefits through exercise and adventure in amazing environments. The BMC recognises that these activities involve a risk of personal injury or death. Participants should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and impacts on others.
The BMC club affiliation year runs with the calendar year: 1 January to 31 December. This means that on 1 January each year the annual renewal for your club and its members becomes due. From 1 January you will be able to log-in to Membership Services Online (MSO) and start submitting your membership records.
Renewal period
To allow clubs time to update their records and complete their payment we offer a ‘renewal period’ during which time clubs can complete the renewal of their members and add in new members. This window runs from 1 January - 31 March. During this time any member of your club who was a member in the previous year will continue to receive the combined liability insurance benefit whilst the club completes it renewal. This gives peace of mind to your members and to your club committee that there is continuation of insurance cover.
To guarantee club members receive the spring edition of Summit magazine and their membership cards, club data needs to be submitted by 29 February 2024. Club fees need to be paid to the BMC by the 31 March 2024 which is the end of the 3 months renewal period.
Membership Services Online (MSO)
MSO is the system that the BMC uses to allow clubs direct access to update the data on their club members directly in to the BMC database. There is no need to send in spreadsheets, just log in to check and update the information in real-time.
If you are new to MSO you will need to arrange a “log-in” to the system. Contact Clonagh in the BMC office for more information: clonagh@thebmc.co.uk or 0161 438 3315.
If you need some advice on using MSO click here to get the user manual.
If you want to log-in directly to MSO click here.
Membership Fees 2024
The BMC membership fees due for club members depends on the status of each member. The status of the individual at the time they pay their fee to their club determines their category for the year.
£23.90 - Adults
£19.75 - Students (in full time education)
£17.70 – Discounted rate for Under 18’s, Unemployed or Furloughed members
£11.95 - Additional members of all categories joining the club from 1st July (this is a reduced rate for new club members who join a club in the second half of the year )
Key Points
- It is a requirement of BMC affiliation that all members of the club become members of the BMC. This also ensures that the combined liability cover is validated for all members, including the club officers.
- We offer clubs the option of assigning a ‘Communications Contact’ as a second / additional point of contact and who will also be copied in to communications from the BMC Club Development Manager and BMC Clubs’ Committee. This can be done within MSO.
- For new members joining the club (in any category) on or after 1st July there is a half-year fee of £11.95
DOWNLOAD: Insurance FAQs for Clubs
EXPLORE: BMC Insurance Centre (managed by Howdens Insurance Brokers)
DOWNLOAD: Collecting subscriptions and other fees
DOWNLOAD: Equipment guidance
DOWNLOAD: How to book a hut
DOWNLOAD: Access and conservation guidance
DOWNLOAD: Meets transport
DOWNLOAD: Welcome pack for new club members
DOWNLOAD: Club membership form template
DOWNLOAD: Recruitment and retention of members guidance
DOWNLOAD: Equality, diversity and inclusion for clubs
DOWNLOAD: Risk management when training novice members guidance
DOWNLOAD: Risk management when training novice members template
READ: Planning activities for members with disabilities or long-term health conditions