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BLACKWATER GYMNASTICS CLUB POLICIES

What is the aim of Blackwater Gymnastics Club?

We are a non-profit organisation, meaning that every month, after all costs are paid, we either reinvest the profits back into the gym, or we save them towards our future goal which is to train in a bigger unit, so that our most promising gymnasts can benefit from even more professional equipment, and our boys can benefit from professional male gymnastics equipment. For this reason, thank you for helping us with our dream.

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By joining our classes at Blackwater Gymnastics Club, you agree to the following TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENROLLMENT

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Club Registration

When gymnasts register with Blackwater Gymnastics, it is essential that the club appropriate certain personal information.

The type of information that we request includes:

·      name and address;

·      date of birth;

·      parent/carer information;

·      emergency contacts;

·      medical details – we ask that you provide details of any relevant medical conditions, injuries and/or allergies that the participant has and any treatment/medication that may need to be administered. You agree to emergency medical treatment or first aid, which, in the opinion of a first aider is considered necessary. I also understand that should such a situation arise, all reasonable steps will be taken to contact the parent or an alternative emergency contact.

·      Information on any disability or special needs that may help us to make appropriate adjustments and support your child's needs.

·      Whether or not you consent for photography/filming of your child to share on our website/social media pages..

Blackwater Gymnastics Club ensures that this information is collected at the earliest opportunity to enable any necessary risk assessments based on medical information and/or disability to be completed prior to participation.

All personal data will be fully protected under the Data Protection Legislation, the GDPR, and/or to equivalent standards required by law, in a fair and transparent manner. Any collected personal data will be processed and stored securely, for no longer than is necessary in light of the reason(s) for which it was first collected. We will comply with our obligations and safeguard your rights under the Data Protection Legislation at all times. We will not share any of your personal data with any third parties other than liaising with Gymnastic Britannia for membership and insurance purposes. If a member leaves the club, we will promptly delete the personal and sensitive data from our database, and will be re-accessed only and whenever there is a legitimate or lawful reason to do so.

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Monthly subscription/payment

After any trial, you will receive an email asking if you want to KEEP or REJECT your child's  place.

If you decide to keep your child's place, the our subscription system will invite you to set up a monthly subscription, and to pay annual club membership. All monthly subscriptions are collected on the 1st of each month. 

If you sign up any time after the 1st of the month, the subscription is set up to take the payment from the following 1st of the month, which means that the current month remains uncovered.  For this reason, we will also send you an invoice to cover the outstanding amount for the current month minus any amount charged for the trial that you have already paid.  Sometimes we will add this amount to your next bill, but we will communicate this to you in advance if this is the case.

If your payment fails, the subscription system will make two more attempts to collect the fees, one on the 4th and one on the 9th of each month. After the third attempt, we have no option other than send you a manual invoice plus £10 admin fee. We will reserve the decision to waive the admin fee if you inform us in advance of the reason for which the payment may fail.

If you fail to make regular monthly payments, we reserve the right to cancel your child's place and offer it to someone else . 

 

Annual Club Membership

Everyone taking part in the sport of gymnastics must be insured..  

One trial session is allowed before club membership is required.

How do we use your club membership fee?

Over half of your club membership fee will cover your child’s annual insurance. The remaining amount pays for music license and purchase of new equipment.

Gymnastics insurance covers all members from September for 12 months until the following September. 

 

Cancellation Policy

We do understand that personal circumstances may change at any time. For this reason we have set a flexible cancellation policy. If you want to leave your place at Blackwater Gymnastics Club, we kindly require notice in writing before the end of the month. We will cancel your subscription promptly, and you will no longer be charged. The club DOES NOT ISSUE ANY REFUNDS for changing of mind after the monthly fees have been paid. Your child is very welcome to finish off the paid month.

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    CLUB RULES AND POLICIES

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    As your child’s parent or guardian, it is your responsibility to:

  • notify us of any medical conditions that your child has;

  • ensure that all medications for your child are brought along to classes; 

  • ensure that your emergency contact and address details are up to date;

  • notify us before booking a class or trial if your child needs any additional support. This will allow us to discuss your child’s needs.  We do aim to make our club accessible for all children.  

  • we will only share your child’s information with staff at Blackwater Gymnastics or, where required, our insurance broker.

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Gymnastics is a sport, and like all sports, involves some risk. In order to minimize that risk, it is important that safety rules are followed.

Please take some time to remind your child to listen to their coaches and follow all safety rules.

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All of our classes are supervised by coaches who are trained and qualified to do so under the British Gymnastics (BG) regulations, or with Gymnastic Britannia, which is our current gymnastics body and insurance provider.. Our younger coaches are trained as 'Helpers' and are training to become qualified coaches. They have attended a recognised BG course and most have been working with us for a long time.

  • Children are NOT allowed on the gymnastic apparatus unless supervised by a coach.

  • Children must be in good health to participate. The coach has the authority to refuse admittance of a gymnast to a class for any sound medical reason. Parents should inform coaches prior to class of any illness of injury that may impact their ability to participate fully in their class.

  • Children who discriminate other children will be given a warning and parents will be spoken to. At the second occasion, they will be restricted from participation. We do not tolerate any form of bullying in the gym.

  • If a child repeatedly disrupts the class, we will ask parents to step in, in the hope to manage the disruption caused. 

  • Parents are not permitted in the gym but are allowed to watch from the waiting room. 

  • No food, drink or chewing gum is permitted in the gym. Water is allowed.

  • The use of mobile phones is not allowed in the gym. This rule applies to staff members as well as children. The only exception is for medical emergency reasons and to manage music.

  • To protect privacy, no photography or filming of children by parents or visitors is permitted during the class, unless agreed with a coach.

  • All children must wear suitable gym attire. For girls; a body suit and/or form fitting shorts or leggings and t-shirt. For boys; elastic waist shorts, track pants and t-shirts.  No zippers, ballet skirts, or loose fitting clothing is permitted.  Long hair must be tied back. Dangling earrings, bracelets, watches, anklets, rings, or necklaces should be left at home. Gymnasts are bare foot in the gym. Gymnasts can wear anti-slip (grip) socks which are the only foot garment allowed. Open wounds or warts must be bandaged with athletic tape, or covered with grip socks. 

  • Please do not bring valuables to the gym. Blackwater Gymnastics is not responsible for lost or stolen items. 

  • Blackwater Gymnastics reserves the rights to cancel its activities due to inclement weather. We will only cancel our classes if we feel that the safety of our members and staff would be in jeopardy due to the weather conditions. We will make every effort to inform all members of the closure. 

  • We always try to find ways to catch up on missed classes.

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      Drop off & Collection

Please arrive on time for your class.

ALL children must be dropped off and collected by an adult.

Gymnasts under the age of 12 must be escorted into the gym, and picked up promptly when class finishes for maximum safety. Children must wait for their ride inside, and be picked up inside the building.

Please discuss any pick-up circumstance that does not fit into our drop-off and pick-up policies with the office staff.

We understand that on occasion a parent may be late due to unforeseen circumstances. Parents should make every attempt to call the gym directly (07498 330455) and advise that they will be late.

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      Photography and Video

To protect every child/family's right to privacy, no photography or filming of children by parents or visitors is permitted during class.

On occasion Blackwater Gymnastics Club staff may take photographs of recreational athletes for the purpose of marketing and/or club promotions, but will only do so with the expressed written consent of the athlete parent/guardian.

If it is noticed by, or pointed out to, our staff that individuals are taking photographs or videos of gymnasts, our policy is to request that the person stop taking photos and to request the photos to be removed from the camera or device. The safety of our gymnasts is of utmost importance to us and if deemed necessary, we will report any unusual activity to the authorities.  We also ask that any member who suspects unusual activity report it to the office. 

We continually review and update our club policies to ensure the safety and well-being of all members.

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      Health & Safety & Hygiene

We expect members to maintain a good standard of personal hygiene and, where possible, they should bring their own hand sanitiser for use during sessions.

Do NOT bring in a child who is unwell or has been unwell in the last 48 hours.

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      Covid-19

Do NOT attend the centre if you have been asked to self-isolate OR if you have had direct contact with someone who has had a positive test for covid-19 or symptoms of covid-19 OR indeed any other communicable disease if there is a chance of passing it on.

You must inform us immediately if you or your child tests positive for covid-19 having attended a class 48 hours or less before taking the test.

We expect members and parents to follow any updates of the Health and Safety or Public Health Guidance.

 

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SAFEGUARDING

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Blackwater Gymnastics Club holds a responsibility for the safety and welfare of gymnasts, coaches, volunteers, officials, visitors and others.

 

Welfare Officers

Although the responsibility for safeguarding falls on everyone, a critical element in safeguarding is the designation of an individual who is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The welfare officer is responsible for:

• Responding to safeguarding, child protection and poor practice concerns;

• Providing support and advice in the implementation of procedures that safeguard and promote the welfare of children;

• Assisting the club or event to be more child focused in its activities, e.g. involving children in decision making processes.

Our appointed club welfare officer is Nicola Scott, nickynoodles555@icloud.com, 07958254231

Nicola is DBS checked (enhanced DBS) and is up*to-date with the following courses: Safeguarding and Protecting Children, and Time To Listen.

If any safeguarding issues arise or for any confidential advice on safeguarding, please contact our club welfare officer. Your query will be dealt with in confidence..

 

Bullying

Blackwater Gymnastics Club does not tolerate any form of bullying by children or adults on children. We have in place a robust bullying policy that ensures that all forms of bullying are taken seriously and responded to appropriately in accordance with the following minimum standards.

We discourage bullying using the following strategies:

  • creating an open environment and provide adequate supervision at all times;

  • encouraging children to speak out and share any concerns with the person in charge, the Club Welfare Officer or other responsible adults;

  • taking all signs or allegations of possible bullying seriously.

 

Staff members

Coaches and officials are regularly trained on Safeguarding and protecting children, which is a mandatory course that needs to be refreshed every 3 years.

Coaches who are under the age of 17 and work at Blackwater Gymnastics Club are employed under the government rules, under health and safety at work, and respecting the work employment regulations for school age young people.

DBS checks are run for all the coaches and officials who are 16 years and above. Before the age of 16 all staff members must disclose whether they hold any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings on police records.

Coaches and children are observed during the duration of the whole session.

 

Spotting and Manual Handling

Supporting and shaping the gymnast is an essential part of coaching gymnastics in that it helps the gymnast to understand shapes, movement patterns and complex skills, but also reduces the risk of injury due to a fall or error in performance.

Blackwater Gymnastics encourages the following:

  • the coach must ensure that support is only used when necessary and “over-handling” is avoided;

  • the coach must always be alert to the possibility of performance errors or anxiety, which may increase the risk of injury;

  • supporting techniques must not inhibit performance;

  • physical contact should not be invasive of sensitive areas of the body.

 

 Flexibility/Stretching Exercises

At Blackwater Gymnastics we do not encourage active stretching of the gymnasts. Active stretching is when a coach stretches the gymnast. We rather support passive stretching where the gymnasts themselves know how much and how far to go within their own judgement and limits. We practise partner exercises between two gymnasts with similar body characteristics.

We will not implement exercises that place the coaches and gymnasts body in “close proximity” and might be seen as unnecessary.

 

Accessibility Policies

Blackwater Gymnastics Club is committed to providing a respectful, welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for all persons with disabilities in a way that is respectful of the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

Blackwater Gymnastics Club believes in integration and equal opportunity, and we are committed to meeting the needs of our customers with disabilities in a timely manner.  We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility in our facility.

Members with a disability that require a support person will both be permitted full access to our facility.

Participants with a disability will be charged the appropriate membership fee.  Their support person is not required to pay any additional fees and can be present during the session to assist for any disability needs.

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Feedback

Blackwater Gymnastics welcomes your feedback by any of the following preferences;

By email: at blackwatergymnastics@gmail.com

In person: We are located at The Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Tollesbury Road, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, CM9 8UB

and at Leisure World Tiptree, Maypole Road, Tiptree, CO5 0EW on Wednesday.

By Phone: 07808 132543

All feedback with be assessed by the General Manager for review.  Responses to customers regarding feedback will be addressed in a timely manner..

Policies: About
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