Membership Information
Club Membership
A condition of membership to the Club is that you accept all the terms and conditions outlined below and in the following documents:
Club Constitution, Codes of Conduct, other policy documents all of which are available on the Club Website under “Documents”.
Please ensure you have read these before completing your membership form.
It is your responsibility to keep all contact details and medical information up to date on the club’s online membership system Club Organiser.
The Club uses email to disseminate information.
Club membership should be paid in full before a swimmer enters the water.
Safety and Welfare
Swimmers are always asked to be vigilant in the changing areas as the facilities are open to other members of the public. Should you notice any damage to any of the individual cubicles no matter how small please report it to the Duty Manager of the Centre. We recommend that all swimmers change in a group changing area.
Swim England (ASA) and the pool have very clear guidelines for parents changing small children in group changing areas. Under no circumstances should parents enter changing areas of the opposite sex. A copy of the Changing Room Policy can be found on the documents page.
No photography or filming of lessons is permitted at any time without express permission of the pool Staff and the appropriate consent being obtained from the parents of the swimmers concerned. This is the policy of most leisure centres and is in line with the ASA’s child welfare guidelines as set out in the WavePower document available online.
Photography and Filming
Please note that no photography or videoing is allowed on the premises at any times unless with the express permission of the coach and duty manager in charge and an entry has been made in the club record book. This includes mobile phones – please ensure that swimmers do not take photographs with their mobile phones. For more information please contact the Club Secretary
Accidents and Incidents
Although the Club has relatively few accidents/incidents, a report must be made on each occasion and any witnesses asked for a statement and the report entered into the club book which is a requirement of our insurers. All sections have access to the forms.
Volunteers
The Club is run by a Voluntary Committee. Details of all Committee members are on the website (Coming soon). We ask all parents/guardians/seniors to help with club activities in order to ensure the club runs smoothly. So please volunteer to help at any of the events, we are happy to train any members willing to help.
If you would like to get involved, please contact the club secretary.
We rely on the help of our parents/seniors to help run all of the club events. We are also fortunate to have many members still returning to help. So please bear in mind that all helpers are volunteers.
Payment of Invoices
All membership charges are managed through the online system Club Organiser. On joining the club, a members account will be created. An email will then be sent giving details on how to log in. Any charges from the club will appear in the Account Statement section of the system.
All invoices should be paid by the given date. Any queries regarding your invoices should be raised before the payment due date and should be raised with the issuer and the treasurer.
Preferred payment method is by bank transfer as this allows an audit trail. However, cash/cheques are still accepted.
BACS details:
Account Name: Blyth Lifeguard & Swimming Club
Sort Code: 20-23-81, Account No: 90188476
Reference: swimmers initials and surname(event)
If paying for multiple members, please enter one name as reference and email the treasurer at treasurer.blsc@outlook.com with details of the payment to enable these to be allocated to the correct members.
Cheques:
Made payable to Blyth Lifeguard & Swimming Club or BLSC
If paying for multiple members, please enter one name as reference and email the treasurer at treasurer.blsc@outlook.com with details of the payment to enable these to be allocated to the correct members.
Cash:
Please ensure you get a receipt of payment
Altered & Cancelled Sessions
On occasions training/lessons may be cancelled due to events or unforeseen pool closures. This will be communicated via email. Where possible, this will be sent with good notice, but this may be given at very short notice.
If a pool is unavailable for a prolonged period, every effort will be made to find a suitable alternative.
Governing Body Membership
A condition of membership of the club is that all swimmers must automatically also become Blyth Lifeguard & Swimming Club affiliated members of our Governing Bodies. This will vary depending on the section you are within.
For Learn to Swim and Competitive: You will be required to become members of Swim England. The club will apply for Swim England membership on behalf of all members via their online system. There is no form for members to complete.
For Lifeguards: You will be required to become members of Surf Life Saving GB (SLSGB). The club can complete this for you with the completion of a separate form. Some lifesavers may also need to become members of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) for lifesaving competitions. The Lifeguard Captain can further advise.
ALL Governing Body memberships insures your child whilst swimming/ competing.
Parents and BLSC’s Duty of Care re Minors during and after Swimming Sessions
Parents are advised to stay within the confines of the building and must meet their child promptly at the end of the session from the designated area. However, the Club also realises that this is not always practical for busy parents particularly where sessions are over an hour. If a parent wishes to leave the building arrangements should be made with another responsible adult to collect the child promptly at the end of the session should they be delayed. If this has not been done and the parent is unavoidably delayed the parent must make every effort to contact the venue, coach or another parent at the session so that the child and coach can be informed and a suitable waiting place found for the child.
Many older children may have mobile phones and, in such circumstances, can be contacted by their parents. Parents must decide themselves whether those children need supervising (for instance children of Secondary school age) and set out with their child their own plan of action should they fail to pick up promptly at the end of the session.
Similarly, parents must ensure that if they fail to collect the child at all and no contact has been made, the child knows that they should contact the head of section/admin/teacher/coach and let them know the situation. The team should follow the guidance re Failure of Parent to Collect Child.
[Where the word Parent is used– please read guardian or other responsible adult]
Late Arrivals to Lessons/Coaching
We do understand that occasionally and due to circumstances beyond your control it is impossible for swimmers to arrive promptly for the start of their lesson. Please ensure that all late arrivals report to the admin team then the teacher/coach on poolside for registration before entering the water.