News

How can we be sure that sports clubs offer safe opportunities for young people... 

....The answer is Clubmark. An increasing number of young people are becoming members of sports clubs. It is vital that these clubs safeguard young people.

Eastlands Velo gain Go-Ride Clubmark Accreditation

Eastlands Velo, the junior club based at the Manchester Velodrome, received a high accolade on Saturday 13th April when they were awarded with Go-Ride Clubmark accreditation. The award was presented on behalf of British Cycling by top track cyclist Christian Lyte, who began his cycling career with Eastlands and is the current World Junior Team Sprint Champion in Track Cycling. 

EGU and ELGA hold workshop conferences

The English Golf Union (EGU) and English Ladies' Golf Association (ELGA) recently held five regional Workshop Conferences across England to assist golf clubs in their efforts to achieve GolfMark accreditation.

Two Swim 21 Clubs Join Forces To Benefit Athletes

Members of Trident Swimming Club and Treonte Swimming Club are joining forces to create a "super club" in Long Eaton in Derbyshire. After 25 years of competing against each other, both clubs held a joint vote where 400 members unanimously chose to join forces to create a new club.

Spotlight on... Louise Hunsley

Louise Hunsley is the Clubmark Development Officer, supporting Clare MacLeod in her role as National Clubmark Manager. Louise took up this post in September 2006 after Knight Kavanagh & Page was awarded the contract to manage the accreditation scheme until 2009.

Case Studies

How many club members does it take to achieve Clubmark?

A key challenge facing clubs working towards Clubmark is the collation of an evidence file. This can be a daunting process and time consuming for one nominated individual. One recently accredited Orienteering Club in the North West overcame this challenge by working as a team.

Where can clubs go for help if they want to achieve Clubmark?

Many clubs across the country are aware of the benefits that achieving Clubmark can bring and have the desire to be recognised as a high quality club but can sometimes feel isolated. However there is plenty of support on hand, people and sporting organisations with the necessary experience and resources to provide advice and guidance and make the process simpler.

Is Clubmark just more work and administration for a club?

A common misconception is that the process of achieving Clubmark simply creates more work and administration for key club members. Lesley Lockie, Chairperson and coach of Ickenham Junior Badminton Club was of this view until she embarked on the course of action.

Operational update

How easy is Clubmark to achieve?

Clubmark is the sign of high quality junior sports clubs. If you are working with well run clubs that are considering going through the process, it need not take long - be organised, delegate tasks and keep a check momentum. Below is a selection of stories supporting this...

The English Golf Union has identified four clubs that took less than four months from registering to full accreditation. In fact one club, Epsom Golf Club, Surrey became accredited in six weeks. This in, no way, reduces the quality of Clubmark but serves to show that the club was already operating well and simply gathered the evidence to prove it.

Rayleigh Town Archery Club took three months to complete the accreditation from start to finish. Lesley Howell Clubmark officer for the Club suggested that ‘having to gather the information from various sources helped me in my learning curve as a trainee coach. The different aspects of Clubmark helped my own personal development within sport'. This is another example of a well organised club completing the accreditation in a short space of time but still learning from the process.

Many people get the information and may feel daunted by the paperwork. Bradford Bandits BMX Club, winner of last years CCPR Sports Club of the Year, took a total of one year from getting the information; however, the actual time working on it was probably closer to one month. The advice offered to others is simple ‘Try to imagine the finished folder as a working guide to running your club if you are suddenly not there. Keep things brief but detailed. Avoid just saying you are doing something in a certain way so you can complete the evidence - actually consider if as a club you need to make changes to the way you operate'.

Another cycling club, Leicester Cycle Speedway admitted that the documentation had sat on the shelf for ages before the club got round to properly working towards it. Once they decided to move forward it took less than six months and their advice is simple ‘Make sure you have a group of people. It is much better to delegate tasks than for one person to try and do it all themselves. Seek help and advice from your support officer'.

All of the clubs above recognised the importance of the accreditation process and have ensured that quality is not compromised. Hopefully this will inspire others to get the file of the shelf!

Summary of accredited clubs

Congratulations to the many clubs accredited in April!