Are you thinking of setting up a club? Want to know how to get started and what you need to do to affiliate your new club?
How do I start up a club?
If you're looking to join a club take a look at our club finder and see if there is a suitable club in your area. If there is not a club in your town or the existing clubs are not suitable for your needs then why not set up your own club?
You may want to do this with a group of friends or maybe work colleagues and you may want to think about what prospective members you can attract and whether you have enough people willing to volunteer to help run the club.
To get started hold a meeting with those interested in forming a club. You will need to decide on your club name and someone will have to take the role of club secretary – this person will be the main contact with British Cycling. It is also a good idea to appoint a chairman and treasurer and decide on things like fees you will charge members.
You will need to write a club constitution, this may be required when applying for funding and will also clarify your club’s policies and procedures. A model constitution is available here. It is a good idea to write a draft of this before the initial meeting so that it can be finalised at the meeting.
Once you have done this you will need to complete and return your affiliation form and pay the appropriate fee. Once your application has been processed your club will be affiliated. Clubs in Wales and Scotland affiliate to Welsh Cycling and Scottish Cycling respectively.
Clubs who wish to race in club kit must register their kit design (click here for guidelines) and any sponsorship agreements (click here for guidelines). Do not have your club kit manufactured before it has been approved. It is very important to complete your club affiliation as soon as possible to make sure the club has liability insurance in place before commencing it's activities.
Can I turn my social cycling group into a club?
With your social cycling group you have already started along the road to becoming a cycling club, perhaps you want to start competing, maybe what started as two or three people has grown larger and you want to formalise the group as a club.
Can I affiliate my existing cycling club to British Cycling?
Perhaps people in your leisure club wish to ride competitively under the club banner or you wish to build on the time trial events you already run. You will most likely already have a club structure in place. Someone will have to take the role of club secretary – this person will be the main contact with British Cycling.
How do I run my club finances?
When starting up a cycling club you may find that at first you are only handling very small amounts of money. However as your membership increases so will the amount of money. It is a good idea to set up a club bank account and you will probably want to appoint a club treasurer to deal with the money going into and out of this account.
You may wish to register the club with HMRC and check that your club is not liable for corporation tax. You can see the HMRC guidelines here. If you are eligible you may be able to register as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASCs). Guidelines from HMRC are here.
How do I setup a school club?
If you are a school and interested in setting up a cycling club, whether it be during curriculum PE or as an after-school club, please click here for further information. The next step would be to contact your regional development manager to discuss this in more detail
What are the benefits of affiliation?
Affiliation brings with it a whole range of benefits to help cycling clubs get the best for themselves and their members. Affiliate today and join more than 1,800 affiliated clubs and teams.
Benefits include:
- Advertise your club to more than half a million visitors a month at britishcycling.org.uk.
- Public liability insurance of up to £20million for your club activities*
- Exclusive use of the British Cycling Club Management Tool
- Free online subscription collection
- Exclusive club offers
- Entry into the national and regional rankings
- Monthly 'Club News' email newsletter
- Support from the British Cycling, Scottish Cycling or Welsh Cycling team in your region for events and activities
- Introductory membership discounts for your club members
*Clubs in Scotland and Wales and school clubs are provided with the same cover upon payment of the appropriate fee.
