Here are Active Herefordshire & Worcestershire, we want to support clubs as much as possible. This page will help you find all the information you need if you are looking to set up a new club or if you are already a club wanting to check you are providing the best service to your community.
What should you know before setting up a club?
Before setting up a club it is important to do some research around the club you wish to set up. It is important to consider the following:
Is there a similar club already up and running in your area?
You can research this through social media or your sport's national governing body who will have a list of all the affiliated clubs in your area.
Is there a demand to set up a new sports club?
Depending on your sport you may only need a few to start a club or you may need 15-25 people. It is important to assess what the demand is for your club. This can be done by asking friends or colleagues, start a Facebook group, or talk to local schools if you looking to set up a junior club.
Are you clear about what you want to achieve with the club?
It is important to have a clear vision for the club. Think about what you are offering, where you want to be in 3-5 years, why people should join your club. Try to create a vision that you can share with the club members. Start to develop a club development plan, see Club Matters guide to creating a development plan.
Who do you need to help run this club?
Think about a club committee, the roles and responsibilities, having a committee that will meet the needs of the club and its members now and in the future is important. Club Matters provides a great resource for creating and managing effective committees.
You can find a 'start a club' checklist to guide you through the start-up process and the things you need to consider on the Club Matters page.
Next Steps...
New sports clubs require good governance, rules and structure. You will need to consider:
Affiliation to your National Governing Body (NGB)
National governing bodies have a responsibility for managing their sport. Affiliation to an NGB can bring about many benefits and opportunities including: being able to enter official competitions, insurance, access to funding, and access to support and guidance. Sport England has a comprehensive list of all the recognised NGBs with links to their individual websites. There are also bodies for disability sports, which you can find here.
Health and Safety
Your members' and volunteers' welfare and safety should be a priority in your club. You need to consider the following:
- Appropriate insurance (public liability/ any required for your sport – check with your NGB to see if they provide any. For more information and help see the Club Matters Insurance page.
- Are the club activities led by suitably qualified people?
- Do your leaders have appropriate first aid training?
- A Health & Safety policy should be the foundation on which to develop health and safety procedures in your club. See Club Matters for more information on Health & Safety policies.
- Undertake risk assessments to help keep your activities safe. For more information see the Club Matters page on risk assessments.
- Your club must have the right safeguarding & welfare measures in place - see our safeguarding page for more information.
Facilities and Equipment
- Have you thought about where your club activities can take place and meet? If you are struggling to find an appropriate facility speak to your local authority, colleges/university, or drop us an email at Active Herefordshire & Worcestershire (see the bottom of the page for contact information).
- The kit and equipment needed will vary depending on your sport. If you are starting out, remember that some sports set a minimum requirement for kit and equipment, usually for health and safety reasons e.g., mouth guards in boxing. Check with your NGB for specific kit requirements. For more information on facilities and Equipment see the Club Matters page.
Funding
Once you have a plan for your club and have outlined what you want to achieve, it's time to look at what funding you may be eligible for. Having a clear development plan will out your club in a strong position and will help when applying for funding. For further information on what funding is available and how to apply see our funding page.
Raising Awareness of your Club
Once you have your first club members you will want to look at expanding your membership and maintaining a high level of participation. Sport England, in partnership with CIMSPA has recently developed a Digital Marketing Hub which aims to help people and organisations improve how they apply digital marketing tools and techniques to encourage more people to play sport and be active. Visit our Marketing Support page to find out more.
Simon Thomas
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
- Strategic Management & Business Planning
- Research and Intelligence
- Workforce Support
- Mobile
- 07717 422184
- simon.thomas@worc.ac.uk
