Tennis Club Rules

Aim

The main aim of the Club is to promote, maintain and, where possible, extend access to the whole community of Southbourne and the surrounding area, to improve their health and well-being through physical and social activity specifically through participation in tennis.

Objectives

• The provision of facilities for healthy recreation for all sections of the community, members and non-members regardless of age, ability, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, nationality, religious belief or social/economic status.
• To contribute to the overall improvement of people’s lifestyles and leisure time activities.

The Charity’s objects (“Objects”) are specifically restricted to:

• The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the public benefit, in particular by the provision of facilities for playing sports through promoting tennis to all sections of the community, members and non-members regardless of their levels of ability/disability or their financial circumstances.
• To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Southbourne and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who need such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.

Rules and byelaws

• The rules of the game shall be those adopted by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), with whom the club is affiliated.
• Management of the club’s affairs is entrusted to the Board of Trustees (otherwise known as the Committee) as prescribed in the Articles of Association.

Officers

• The Officers of the Board of Trustees shall be Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, Social Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Safeguarding Officer.
• No person appointed as Chairperson may hold office for more than three years in the first instance. If no alternative person is available this term can be extended with the approval of the directors.
• At each annual general meeting one third of the directors or, if their number is not three or a multiple of three, the number nearest to one-third, must retire from office. If there is only one director, he or she must retire.

Board of Trustees

• The Board of Trustees shall consist of the nominated officers and the club coach (in an advisory capacity). A quorum shall consist of 50% of currently elected Trustees rounded up to the nearest number.
• The Board shall have the power to form sub-committees as necessary as per the Articles of Association.
• Any adult who has been a member of the club for twelve months or more shall be eligible for election as a Trustee.

Annual General Meeting

• An Annual General Meeting should where possible and convenient be held in every calendar year for the purpose of:
  • Receiving reports from officers
  • Confirming membership fees and costs for booking courts for the coming year
  • Reviewing and approving where necessary Policies or Procedures, to include at minimum the Code of Conduct and the Club Rules.
  • Commenting on proposed tournaments, other events, and any other general business
  • Presenting the club’s accounts in the format required by the Charity Commission, which will include income and expenditure, a balance sheet and independent audit.
• No more than fifteen months may elapse between successive annual general meetings.

Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be requested by the Board of Trustees or, on application, by 10 members of the club for decisions of the members, including to alter, repeal or make additions to these rules. An EGM may take place to complete any business outstanding from an AGM.

Fees

• Membership fees are due annually by 1st June each year and must be paid within two weeks.
• The nature of sanctions, if any, against late paying members shall be at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
• For new members, fees will be reduced on a pro-rata basis from 1st July.
• For existing members, fees will only be reduced on a pro-rata basis from 1st September, provided the member has not used any club facilities since the commencement of the membership year i.e., June 1st. Otherwise, a full annual fee will apply.
• Membership fees include affiliation to British Tennis.
• Membership fees include the cost of providing balls for use at all Club Play sessions.
• Membership fees shall not be re-funded in whole or part except in exceptional circumstances and then only at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
• Members unable to play for 3 months or more, due to ill health or injury, during any membership period may be eligible for a discount on subsequent membership fees, at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
• The Board of Trustees will consider requests for individual variance of fees if the circumstances of the applicant merit such consideration.
• Access to sessions available specifically for people in wheelchairs, transplant patients, people with learning difficulties, the visually impaired and those suffering from Alzheimer’s is subsidised (including helpers, parents, etc.) through grant income sought for this purpose.

Membership

• Membership fees shall be proposed by the Board of Trustees and agreed at the Annual General Meeting.
• Membership applications are made using the online system known as Clubspark. This process automatically advises the Membership Secretary who will confirm acceptance and complete the appropriate processes for the new member.
• The following memberships are available:
  • Junior: young people aged 10 to 17 years at the date of joining.
  • Adult: from 18 years to 64 years old at the date of joining and not in full-time education. They have full voting rights and can enter the ballot for Wimbledon tickets. The coach will assess each new member and advise on suitable playing sessions.
  • Country: equivalent to Adult membership (above), but for anyone who lives more than 25 miles from the club.
  • Student: for Adults (aged 18 years and over) who are in full-time education
  • Over 65’s: equivalent to Adult membership (above) for persons over the age of 65 years at the date of joining.
  • Girls Friday Club – for girls aged 10 to 17 years at the date of joining.
  • Family: for up to 2 Adults and 2 children at a discounted price
• There is an additional category of mini tennis, for those under the age of 10 years, which is managed by the coaching team.
• All new members (both Adult and Junior) shall be provided with an appropriate Members Information Pack.
• Membership allows the member access to and use of all club facilities during normal operating hours (currently 08.00 to 20.00 hrs.)
• Membership is not transferable.
• Members should advise the membership secretary of all changes in relevant personal details so that they can continue to be contacted and receive club communications at all times.

Visitors

• The club welcomes visitors of all standards to play at the club. Members are responsible and accountable for any visitors they introduce, and for ensuring that the visitor conforms with both Club Rules and the Code of Conduct. Members are also responsible for ensuring that the prevailing visitor fee is paid.
• The names of the member and their visitor should be entered into the Visitor’s Book and the member must pay the current visitor’s fee. This can be left in the clubhouse mailbox.
• An individual is allowed to attend the club as a visitor on no more than 4 occasions in any 12-month period. Following a maximum of 4 visits they will be invited to join as a full member.

Court bookings

• Non-members (Pay and Play):
  • Non-members are able to book courts via the Club’s website, using the ClubSpark system. They can also book a court using the LTA ‘Rally’ system. In both cases this is known as Pay and Play. The cost of Pay and Play will be set by the Board of Trustees in the same way as it agrees all other fees i.e., at an AGM or EGM.
  • The hours available for Pay and Play sessions, and other factors such as how far in advance bookings can be made, will be agreed by the Board of Trustees. These arrangements will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at minimum annually to ensure they meet the best interests of members and visitors. They will be published in the Members Information Pack.
• Members:
  • Members are able to book courts via the Club’s website, using the ClubSpark system. The number of bookings in any given period, and other factors such as how far in advance bookings can be made, will be agreed by the Board of Trustees. These arrangements will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at minimum annually to ensure they meet the best interests of members and visitors. They will be published in the Members Information Pack.
  • Matches, tournaments and special events will be indicated on the court booking pages as far in advance as possible.
  • If a member or visitor has booked a court but has not turned up to play within 15 minutes after the booked start time then the court becomes free and available to be used by any member.
  • A court which has no booking is available to be used immediately by a member or visitor.
  • To ensure members have the maximum opportunity to use the courts members are asked to cancel their entry on the court booking system if they know they cannot play.

Times of play

• The Board of Trustees shall decide times of play and any special regulations for all groups of members. These will be reviewed annually and published in the Members Information Pack at the commencement of the new membership year.
• During Club Play sessions, all members present shall ensure that members waiting for a game are picked using the players selection board.

Junior Section

• The Board of Trustees shall administer junior play in a considered manner without reference to a General Meeting.
• All new junior members shall be provided with a Junior Section Information Sheet.

General

• Recognised ‘tennis style’ clothing shall be worn at all times.
• The Board of Trustees shall reserve the right to veto any particular item of clothing.
• Non-marking tennis shoes are mandatory.
• Activities other than tennis are not allowed on the courts at any time.
• There is a documented Code of Conduct maintained by the Board of Trustees and reviewed annually. Members must behave within the guidelines and in the spirit of the guidance provided in the Code of Conduct. Members are responsible for ensuring that any visitor they invite to the club also adhere to these guidelines.
• The Board of Trustees have the right to refuse access to any member or non-member who is constantly breaking the guidelines as defined within the Code of Conduct. If a member is constantly in breach of these guidelines, they will be given a warning and will be invited to attend a disciplinary meeting. Any further breaches may result in their membership being withdrawn for a period of time or, in certain circumstances, withdrawn indefinitely. (See paragraph 12 (4) in the Articles of Association).
• The Club is not responsible for personal injury or loss or damage to the personal belongings of any person using the club facilities. Players use the club facilities at their own risk.
• The Match Selection Committee shall consist of the Match Secretary and head coach and may include a nominated female team member and a nominated male team member (who may not necessarily be Board of Trustee/Committee members).
• One member of the Board of Trustees shall be the nominated Safeguarding Officer.

Memorandum of Articles

These Rules should be read in conjunction with Southbourne Tennis Club’s Articles of Association.

GDPR

Purpose

For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and UK data protection laws, the controller is SOUTHBOURNE TENNIS CLUB of IFORD LANE, BOURNEMOUTH, BH6 5NF.

About this document

This privacy policy sets out the way we process your personal data and we’ve created this privacy policy to make sure you are aware of how we use your data as a member of our tennis venue.

How we collect your information

We may collect your personal data in a few limited ways, namely:

• Directly from you, when you fill in an application for membership, when you make enquiries on our website, when you provide information via the Venue’s club management software or court booking system, or when you interact with us during your time as a member in various other ways (for example, where you enter a competition, renew your membership, sign up for a course or lessons);
• From someone else who has applied for membership on your behalf (for example a family member or your tennis coach who has provided us with your contact details for that purpose);
• From the LTA (for example, where the LTA passes on your details to us in connection with a complaint or query you have raised about our Venue).

The types of information we collect

We may collect the following types of personal data about you:

• Contact and communications information, including your contact details (including email address(es), telephone numbers and postal address(es) and records of communications and interactions we have had with you);
• Financial information, including Direct Debit details;
• Certain other information which you volunteer when making use of your membership benefits (for example, when making court bookings or making use of other Venue facilities).
•  We may also collect data about your health or medical conditions, where you have volunteered this, for example so that we can cater for you when you attend a Venue social event or a course/camp.

How we use personal data

Personal data provided to us will be used for the purposes set out at the time of collection and, where relevant, in accordance with any preferences you express.

More generally, we will use your personal data for the following purposes:

• Administration of your Venue membership, including;
• informing you about court / facilities opening hours;
• taking payment of membership fees;
• Fulfilment of orders for goods and services, including court bookings;
• Administration of the Wimbledon ballot;
• where this is necessary for the performance of a contract (including any written terms and conditions relating to your membership) with you;
• Research and statistical analysis about who is playing tennis in our Venue;
• Communication about our Venue activities that we think may be of interest to you;
• Storing your details on the software platform we use for our online Venue member management database / court booking system. Please note that your own use of the software or system is subject to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy published on that site;
• where this is necessary for our legitimate interests (for example in increasing use of our Venue’s facilities and participation in the game generally);
• Promoting our Venue and promoting goods and services of third parties (for example, equipment suppliers, operators of coaching courses, and organisers of tennis events) where we think this will be of interest to you;
• where this is necessary for our legitimate interests (or the legitimate interests of a third party), and/or where we have your consent, as applicable.

We may display personal information related to you within the club house to manage leagues, teams or other activities which you have agreed to participate in.

Your marketing preferences

We will always respect your wishes in respect of what type of communications you want to receive from us and how you want to receive them. There are some communications, however, that we need to send you regardless of your marketing preferences in order for us to fulfil our contractual obligations to you as a member of our Venue. Examples of these essential service communications are:

• Records of transactions, such as payment receipts or Direct Debit confirmations (as applicable).
• Membership related mailings such as your membership renewal reminder, notices of formal meetings and information about venue closures and holiday opening hours.

You are in control of how we communicate with you. You can update your choices and/or your contact details by contacting us at:

• Telephone: 01202 434044
• Email: admin@southbournetennisclub.co.uk
• Post: Southbourne Tennis Club, Iford Lane, Bournemouth, BH6 5NF.

Photography, Video, and Media Consent

As part of our efforts to promote the club and its activities, we may occasionally take photos and videos during events, training sessions, and matches. These images and videos may be used for promotional purposes on the club’s website, social media channels, and other marketing materials. By participating in club activities, you provide your implied consent for your image to be captured and used in this way. If you have any specific concerns regarding this, please contact the committee at club@southbournetennisclub.co.uk.

In accordance with GDPR regulations, we are committed to protecting your personal data and ensuring your privacy. If you participate in an event where photography may take place, and you prefer not to be included in any images, please make yourself known to the photographer on the day. This will allow us to ensure that you are excluded from any photographs taken during the event.

Use of Name and Phone Number in WhatsApp Groups

To facilitate communication and organisation of matches, events, and other club activities, we may create WhatsApp groups that include the names and phone numbers of participating members. By providing your contact details upon joining the club and participating in these activities, you give implied consent for your name and phone number to be used within these groups for organisational purposes. If you do not wish to be included in any particular WhatApp group, simply remove yourself from the group. Alternatively, you can change your WhatsApp settings to add a step where you accept or decline a group invitation before being automatically added.

Sharing your information with others

We do not sell or share your personal data for other organisations to use other than as set out below.

Personal data collected and processed by us may be shared with the following third parties, where necessary:

Our employees and volunteers, for the purposes of administering your membership and giving you access to the membership benefits to which you are entitled.
Our contractors and suppliers, including coaches (Dave Sanger Tennis Coaching LTD) and any provider of membership management services (ClubSpark and the LTA)

Occasionally we will hold information on our website which is hosted by Create Internet Limited company number 03821624 at Unit 5 Westergate Business Centre, Westergate Road, Brighton, BN2 4QN 0345 1632203. This will only happen with your express permission.

Our banking services provided by Lloyds Bank Plc where payments are made directly to our bank account.

How long your information is kept

We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary for each purpose we use it. For most membership data, this means we retain it for so long as you have a valid Venue membership and for a period of six years after your last interaction with us (for accounting, tax reporting and record-keeping purposes).

Where information is held for the purposes of an activity, league or team then this information will only be retained for as long as the activity takes place unless you have given your express permission for us to contact you about future activities or events.

Where tournaments take place, information about your participation will be recorded for a period of up to six years.

Your rights

Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal data (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
• Request correction of the personal data that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
• Request erasure of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal data where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal data where you have exercised your right to object to processing (see below).
• Object to processing of your personal data where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes.
• Request the restriction of processing of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal data about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it. You can also withdraw your consent, where this is the basis for our processing your data (without affecting the lawfulness of our previous processing based on consent).
• Request the transfer of your personal data to another party.

Please note that the above rights are not absolute, and we may be entitled to refuse requests where exceptions apply.

Contact and complaints

If you have any queries about this privacy policy or how we process your personal data, or if you wish to exercise any of your legal rights, you may contact the Honorary Secretary:

by email: admin@southbournetennisclub.co.uk;
by telephone: 01202 434044;
or by post: Southbourne Tennis Club, Iford Lane, Bournemouth, Dorset BH6 5NF

If you are not satisfied with how we are processing your personal data, you can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner. You can find out more about your rights under applicable data protection laws from the Information Commissioner’s Office website: www.ico.org.uk.

Safeguarding and Inclusion

Southbourne Tennis Club is committed to providing a safe environment which everyone can enjoy. Coordinating efforts with the committee are Celia Barron (our Safeguarding Officer) and Dave Sanger (our Head Coach). To help us deliver this, we have committed to a range of policies which are available on the right.

If you have any questions you can contact us via the contact page or email Celia at celiabarron@yahoo.com. Alternatively you can speak with Dave on 07812 676761.

Meet our Welfare Officer

How We Operate