guest paddlers

For the purpose of clarification a guest member/paddler is defined as any non-member who is brought along to the club by any current full adult member for the purpose of using club facilities or equipment or to take part in any activity that originates from club premises. The host member is responsible for ensuring that their guest behaves in an appropriate manner, and is liable for any loss or damage caused during their visit. Junior members are not permitted to introduce a guest member/paddler.

The club has no objection, in principle, to adult members bringing guests to the club on an occasional basis (i.e. once or twice in a year) to use our facilities. This is permitted on the understanding that members can be trusted not to abuse the privilege. Before introducing a guest member you should familiarise yourself with the following:-

Duty of Care

You cannot take a guest who is not qualified to British Canoeing (BC) Discover Award standard (previously 1 star) onto the water unless you or someone else in the group is a BC qualified coach - this requirement is mandatory, Club Rule 22 refers. You must also ensure that your guest is made aware of all health and safety information relating to the use of our premises and equipment. You must also take into account the river RAG status when deciding whether to paddle with an inexperienced guest.

Clubhouse Security and Parking

If you are not a key holder then ensure that one will be present to secure the clubhouse when you leave.

Do not put the door between the boat store and the social room on the latch as this is often the only barrier between an opportunist thief and members personal possessions.

If you are the last person to leave the clubhouse, either before paddling or when finally leaving, make sure that all curtains are closed, lights are out and showers off. Check that the double doors are properly padlocked and that both single doors are deadlocked. This last point is very important as the club insurance is invalidated if the external doors are not fully secured. Before leaving, check the changing rooms etc and ensure that you do not inadvertently lock anyone in.

Please also note that it is a condition of our lease that members and their guests must not park motorised vehicles on site.

Donations

The club does not have a defined guest membership fee but it is suggested by the committee that a minimum of £2 per head per visit represents a reasonable contribution to club funds. This can either be paid direct to any committee member or placed in the refreshment bag and a record made on the accompanying honesty sheet. If you feel that collecting a donation from your guest would not be appropriate (e.g. the guest is from another club/organisation with which we have a reciprocal arrangement) this should be brought to the attention of the committee and their agreement sought before you introduce such a guest.

Monitoring

The committee will monitor guest paddler attendance. Any member found actively abusing this privilege will be challenged and, if the abuse continues, formal action will be considered including withdrawal of their clubhouse key.