Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club Club Handbook Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club Ltd Westfield Close Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6ST Tel: 01395 442548 www.budleighcroquet.org Issuedby General Committee June 2017
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Contents Page Introduction History and Archives Sections Croquet Bridge Scrabble Club Organisation The General Committee Section Committees Other Committees General Administration First Aid Lost Property Cleaning Library The Facilities Keeping You Informed The Club Website Notice Boards Newsletter Emails to Members Telephone Social Events and Catering Kitchen Club Bar Club Lunches and Dinners Other Social Events Club Teas Volunteers Finances and the Legal Side Membership Fees The 0 Club Club Hire Charges Child Protection Conduct and Etiquette The Future Recruitment Visitor and Spectators The Clubhouse Site Plan 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 13 13 13 14 15
Introduction Welcome to Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club, which provides facilities and organises sessions for croquet and bridge. This handbook is intended to be a useful reference with information about how the club is run and our day to day activities. The club is run by its members for its members and there is always plenty to do, from organising or getting involved in social events, tournaments and competitions, to helping with recruitment, welcoming new members, or helping to look after the club and grounds. If you feel you can help in any way or have suggestions for social events please contact any committee member (see notice boards). They will be delighted to hear from you. History of the Club and Archives The club was founded c1868 and we keep a detailed archive both on the website, and as documents and photographs available to view. The grounds were originally owned by Clinton Estates passing to the club in 1973. Archery was the first sport played, followed a few years later by croquet, and then after a further few years, by tennis. Over time and reflecting changing interests, the sections we see today developed. Sections Croquet All levels of croquet are played in both disciplines, golf croquet and association croquet, socially and competitively. The club is a member of the Croquet Association and the South West Federation of Croquet Clubs. The main season runs from 1 April to 31 October. There is also winter play November to March on a slightly restricted basis, weather permitting. Currently golf croquet has roll-up sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and Tuesday mornings. Association croquet has roll-up sessions on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons. A short croquet roll-up is held on 4
Thursday mornings and afternoons. There is also the all croquet roll-up on Sunday afternoons when players choose which type of game to play. Croquet may be played from am daily (09.30 during tournaments) to dusk every day, with earlier starts from 9am at weekends in June, July and August. Instruction is available both in-house and with courses run at Budleigh Salterton open to non-club members. The club runs an impressive number of club competitions catering for all levels of play and hosts several Croquet Association and occasionally international croquet tournaments every year. For more information see the Croquet Section Handbook. Bridge The Bridge Section welcomes new members and guests to its friendly but serious bridge sessions. Visitors and prospective members are welcome at all sessions. There are duplicate bridge sessions as follows. Duplicate bridge: Tuesday/Thursday evenings & Wednesday afternoons. Raleigh Bridge Club (a club using our facilities): Monday evenings Bridge table money To be paid on each occasion played. For more information please refer to the Bridge Section Handbook. Scrabble Club Scrabble is played throughout the year on Tuesday afternoons in the bridge room at 2 p.m. A token 1 table money charge is payable. It is a friendly group and beginners are most welcome. 5
Club Organisation The General Committee The General Committee consists of elected members and the Chair of each of the two sections: Croquet and Bridge, plus a non-voting secretary and treasurer. The committee usually numbers about 9 or and membership is for three years. The AGM is held in the last week of March. The names and photos of the current committee are displayed in the clubhouse, along with their roles and any additional responsibilities, and on the website. You are welcome to make contact with any of them. Minutes of committee meetings, including sub-committees, are displayed on the main clubhouse noticeboard and the website. Archived copies are available on the web-site. Section Committees Each section is responsible for the management of its own game. Each section has a committee of six, elected at the section AGMs, and voting or non-voting secretary. The committees meet as required. New committee members are recruited regularly if you are interested in joining a committee, please speak to the Chair or a committee member to find out what s involved. New ideas and volunteers are always welcome. It is important members views are represented, especially those who have joined recently. Other Committees There are several sub-committees which report to and advise the General Committee: Estates Committee House/Bar Committee Investment Committee Details of the membership and the remit of these committees can be found on the website and notice boards in the clubhouse. Input from new members is welcome. 6
General Administration First Aid A first aid box is kept in the kitchen in the right hand corner entering by the door next to the club office. Please record any accidents in the book kept with the first aid box. There is also one in the croquet equipment store. A defibrillator is situated in the main clubroom on the windowsill near the doors to the terrace. Lost Property Valuable lost property will be kept in the club office pending the owner s claim. Waterproofs, hats and other odds and ends will be placed in the middle pavilion, croquet equipment store or the bowls room. Cleaning Although a cleaner is employed for a limited number of hours a week to tackle the heavy duty tasks, members are asked to assist by leaving the club in a neat and tidy state. Please help with washing up and ensure tables and chairs are replaced as found. If needed, cleaning equipment is available in the cupboard by the back door. Library We have a small library of books in the bridge room on the fireplace mantelpiece currently mainly about croquet and bridge. These have been donated by other members. Do use these useful guides but remember to sign the loans book and bring them back in good time for others. 7
The Facilities Please see the plans of the clubhouse and the site at the rear of this handbook. Access to the site is via the main entrance off Westfield Close (vehicular/pedestrian) and the gate via Cricket Field Lane (pedestrian). Access to the clubhouse is via a coded digital entry system. The code will be given to you when you join and on request. You will have been shown how to access the various relevant section rooms and facilities when you joined. Please contact the sections if you need any more information. Should you need to raise any issue about the grounds please do so with the Grounds Manager. Maintaining the lawns to high standards is expensive so please help us take good care of them. The House Committee is your main point of contact for the clubhouse. 8
Keeping You Informed The Club Website Information about every aspect of the club's operation is to be found on the club website at http://www.budleighcroquet.org Everything you need to know will be on the website from times of play, to entry forms for competitions through to committee minutes and club policies and procedures. Members' telephone numbers and email addresses (where permission has been given for these to be published) are available from the private pages section of the site. Contact the webmaster by email webmaster@budleighcroquet.org to receive the password to access this information. Notice Boards This is a large and busy club so please read the notices on the various notice boards as these change regularly. General club wide information can be found in the entrance lobby, the main room and the veranda Croquet information can be found on the notice boards in the clubroom and the middle pavilion. Bridge information can be found in the bridge room. Newsletter Our club newsletter is called In the Loop and is produced quarterly. It is circulated to all members via email, or by post to those without email. Emails to members The Secretary sends out information on a regular basis to all members. To do this we need your up to date email address. If you don t appear to be receiving information please check your spam setting. 9
Telephone The office is not manned, but messages left on the answerphone will be directed to the correct person and dealt with as quickly as possible. In the winter months, there will be a daily message on the answerphone to say whether or not the lawns are open for use. Social Events and Catering Kitchen Open access to the kitchen in order to make beverages is currently available to members. Cupboards are clearly marked with their content, so feel free to help yourself. Please leave the appropriate sum in the honesty tin. Do wash up and please don t leave crocks in the sink for someone else to deal with. Club Bar The bar is run on a trust basis. Keys to bar cupboards and till are accessed from the key press behind the bar. Please ask the Club Secretary for the access code. Club Lunches and Dinners These take place from time to time and are organised by the House Committee. Information is provided in good time to allow members to book places. Other Social Events These are organised by members and occur on an ad hoc basis. They are advertised by email, newsletter and on club notice boards. All members are welcome to participate in and indeed to arrange events. Club Teas During the season, at 4pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons and every day during major tournaments, tea and cake are provided, for a small charge, by the club steward. Teas are open to all, members, players, spectators, friends/family all are welcome.
Volunteers Many club members help out as volunteers during tournaments, with the South West Croquet Academy, with gardening and many other ways. Please look out for notices if you would like to get involved or speak to any committee member. Finances and the Legal Side Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club is a company limited by guarantee, and is registered as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) to enjoy charitable status. Membership fees Membership fees are reviewed every year. If personal circumstances change members are able to move between one type of membership and another. Current rates are listed on the entrance lobby notice board and in annual subscription letters. Details of what is entailed under each subscription heading can be seen on the subscription application form on the notice board in the entrance lobby. The 0 Club This is a lottery run for the benefit of club members and registered with East Devon District Council. It is a great way to support the club and the prize fund depends on the number of participants. The annual subscription is 24; application forms are available on the main club room notice board. Further information may be obtained from the Club Secretary. Club Hire Charges Our facilities can be hired by outside groups and individuals. For further information please contact the Club Secretary. When booked for private functions please note that all drinks must be bought from the club. Room hire rates are set every year and are displayed on the foyer notice board. You can hire a single room, or a combination, and as a member we give you a 25% discount for personal occasions. 11
Child Protection We encourage young people to play croquet and are aware of our responsibilities to protect their welfare. We work to the Croquet Association s policy and procedural guidelines. These, and details of the current club Child Welfare Officer, are displayed on the notice board in the entrance lobby and on the website. Every member has a responsibility to be aware of these procedures and, at all times, to behave in accordance with them. Any concern about possible abuse occurring within or outside the club should be reported to the Child Welfare Officer. Conduct and Etiquette The handbooks for Croquet and Bridge contain a section on Conduct and Etiquette. These set out both general and specific guidelines relating to the playing of those sports and games so that players know what is expected of them. It is vital to the success of our club that it is welcoming, friendly and inclusive. To achieve this, it is essential that members are considerate and courteous about and towards other members at all times. Members should be aware that any conduct likely to bring BSCC into disrepute is unacceptable and could result in termination of membership. 12
The Future Recruitment To remain a vibrant active club we always need new members and we hold open events in the early part of the year to attract new people. Potential new members are offered a short introduction period when they can get a feel of the club, what is offered and some support to learn the basics of croquet. However, the best recruiting tool is our membership. Please do encourage friends, family, and business contacts to come and try out croquet or play a friendly game of bridge. There are also opportunities to hold corporate events using the facilities and equipment so please keep the club in mind. Visitors and Spectators Spectators wishing to watch the games, especially the competitions and tournaments are very welcome. There is no charge for spectators. We also welcome visitors wishing to play croquet at the club on payment of a nominal green fee. Your guests are your responsibility. Please sign them in using the Visitor Book in the entrance lobby. Near the office door you will find a supply of envelopes for payment of green fees which are then posted through the office letterbox. There is currently a maximum of three times someone can attend as a croquet playing visitor. For Bridge players the maximum is six times. 13
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THE CLUBHOUSE Doors L A W N S Main Bridge Room Club Male WC Room Entrance Lobby Bar Verandah South Room C A R Female WC Office Kitchen 15 WC P A R K
SITE MAP Cricket Field Lane P Gate Middle Pavilion CES Croquet Equipment Store Lawn 1 P Lawn 2 Lawn 11 Toilets CES Short Lawn Lawn Lawn 8 Lawn 3 Lawn 5 Lawn 9 Lawn 4 Lawn 7 Lawn 6 Clubhouse Car Park and Overflow Car Park Garden Westfield Close 16