Setup your own club?

[immortal]

Hi,

How would someone go about setting up their own club? And how to become affiliated with the BMFA?

Matt

[Tom Burgess]

Hi Matt,

First off you would need to find a field. I would suggest flying there for a couple of weeks as much as possible to get a feel for the possibility of any noise complaints. Once you are happy that the field is suitable you can negotiate with the land owner on price. We pay £600 a year for ours.

At that point you can ring the BMFA and ask for a club affiliation pack. Simply fill in the forms and away you go. I think you have to have at least 5 members with BMFA membership to become BMFA affiliated? Not sure on that one but if I remember correctly that is the case.

You will also need to think about marketing your club. Obviously the more members you gain the better up until the point at which it is too crowded so you need to set a realistic limit on membership.

Good luck with it

[immortal]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I was just thinking that there is NO club in stoke on trent. I know jn 18 isnt far away and south cheshire isnt either but to have one in stoke on trent would be brill.

So do you divide the £600 between the members or even make a little profit to plough back into the club?

Matt

[Tom Burgess]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I was just thinking that there is NO club in stoke on trent. I know jn 18 isnt far away and south cheshire isnt either but to have one in stoke on trent would be brill.

So do you divide the £600 between the members or even make a little profit to plough back into the club?

Matt

Originally there was 6 founding members who paid £100 each for the field for a year. We also paid for a sit on mower, and lots of other things a club needs.

We never wanted fees to be over £50 a year for joining members so it was set at that and the founding members made up any shortfalls the year after. We have a healthy bank balance now which is great.

The majority of our members came from another local club (I won't name name's ) where transparency of the funding is an issue. They saw that we were being honest and upfront about costs and such and made the decision to come to us. In fact we had another leave that club the weekend just gone to join us.

My point is, if you start a club, be honest and open and your members will respect you for that.

[Jamin_00]

Its good to see another one of these threads.

Nice one, go for it.

[immortal]

Originally there was 6 founding members who paid £100 each for the field for a year. We also paid for a sit on mower, and lots of other things a club needs.

We never wanted fees to be over £50 a year for joining members so it was set at that and the founding members made up any shortfalls the year after. We have a healthy bank balance now which is great.

The majority of our members came from another local club (I won't name name's ) where transparency of the funding is an issue. They saw that we were being honest and upfront about costs and such and made the decision to come to us. In fact we had another leave that club the weekend just gone to join us.

My point is, if you start a club, be honest and open and your members will respect you for that.

Hi,

So do you take a wage/amount from the money left over in the bank? (im not trying to make a fast buck here , just wondering what people think the left over money goes on?) or do you raffle kit off and stuff like that with the excess money?

Matt

[Guest]

Hi,

So do you take a wage/amount from the money left over in the bank? (im not trying to make a fast buck here , just wondering what people think the left over money goes on?) or do you raffle kit off and stuff like that with the excess money?

Matt

Keep it in the account to pay for the unexpected in the future like a new mower, maybe a hut and generator etc. Just have very very clear cut accounts.

[tonystevens]

Hi,

So do you take a wage/amount from the money left over in the bank? (im not trying to make a fast buck here , just wondering what people think the left over money goes on?) or do you raffle kit off and stuff like that with the excess money?

Matt

Tom doesnt take a wage Matt,all the excess money stays in the club.
On the clubs website there is a treasury link where club members can see exactly where the money has come from and is being spent

[Tom Burgess]

From our clubs point of view we are non profit. Any money left in the bank is as has been stated used to upgrade facilities (although we don't have many to upgrade ......yet ) or for maintenance on the mower and so on.

It's not easy to set up a successful club but the reward is a great laugh and forming great friendships. Well worth it and I hope it works out for you. If you need any help with anything then ask away. Also feel free to pop over any time to help you decide which way to go heli wise

[Fixxxer]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I was just thinking that there is NO club in stoke on trent. I know jn 18 isnt far away and south cheshire isnt either but to have one in stoke on trent would be brill.

So do you divide the £600 between the members or even make a little profit to plough back into the club?

Matt

You know walnut tree farm where they do the quad biking ?? Have a wander down, you'll be pleasantly suprised.

[immortal]

You know walnut tree farm where they do the quad biking ?? Have a wander down, you'll be pleasantly suprised.

Hi ,

Do you mean ill be pleasantly suprised as their is a club there or as they have lots of land? lol