Club Affiliation
Join over 100 clubs across the UK and Northern Ireland and take advantage of the benefits of being a British Orienteering affiliated club including recognition, club support and insurance.
Club affiliation confirms that a club operates in accordance with the organisation’s standards for events, coaching, safeguarding, and governance and is registered and recognised within the national framework.
Affiliation with British Orienteering provides access to the structures, systems, and support required for the effective administration of an orienteering club, including guidance that supports club development, growth, and long‑term sustainability.
Important information for 2026 affiliations: Safety Liaison Officer
For the 2026 affiliation process, we are asking each club to nominate a point of contact who can receive safety-related information from British Orienteering and ensure it is shared appropriately within the club. If no contact is provided, the club Chair will be used as the default contact.
The focus for 2027 is essentially to establish a clear and reliable communications route between British Orienteering and each club. This will allow us to improve the flow of safety information, ensure relevant information reaches the right people and begin developing the role with clubs, rather than expecting clubs to appoint a formally trained Safety Officer immediately.
To reiterate, for this year’s affiliation, the club Safety Liaison Officer will simply receive Safety Updates, Safety Alerts, notifications of reported incidents from their club, and any other relevant communications from the Safety Advisory Group. There are no additional responsibilities or training requirements at this stage.
We will provide further information following the Board’s discussion in September and will continue to involve clubs as the approach develops.
Benefits of Affiliation
By being an affiliated club you can access a host of valuable resources:
Access to support from the British Orienteering team
Promotion of your events and activities via our website
Be covered for public liability insurance of up to £15 million for your club activities and events
Ability to add your event results to the national ranking list (not including local events)
Access to a comprehensive membership database to manage all your members details
The management and administration of all new and renewing members
Free DBS checks – for club volunteers (admin fee applies)
Access to our Annual Development Conference series of webinars to support and grow your club
Access to eLearning courses to support your volunteers at a reduced rate, £12 instead of £36
Access to member benefits via our discount partners
Access to modern, inclusive promotional materials to market your events.
National level agreements and support for land access
The affiliation renewal process
British Orienteering operates on a calendar year, with all affiliations running between January and December.
Click on the tabs below to learn more about our affiliation renewal process.
Clubs renew their affiliations annually between September and October. Clubs will receive notification that the renewal window is open and clubs can then complete the required steps via the British Orienteering website.
The cost for clubs to affiliate is £120.
*University clubs have a discounted rate of £25.
New clubs interested in affiliating to British Orienteering should contact info@britishorienteering.org.uk for the current criteria.
The cost for clubs to affiliate is £120.
To affiliate with British Orienteering, clubs must meet the following minimum requirements. These help clubs operate effectively, manage their responsibilities and provide a safe, inclusive environment for members.
This was approved at the AGM 2021.
| 1. Club constitution |
The club must have a written constitution or equivalent governing document, submitted to British Orienteering. It must clearly explain the club's purpose and support inclusive and accessible participation. | |
| 2. Club committee |
The club must have a committee that meets regularly and keeps a record of its decisions. | |
| 3. Club officers |
The club must have three different people appointed to the following roles:
All three officers must:
| |
4. Club welfare officer | |
The club must have a designated Club Welfare Officer who supports safeguarding and welfare within the club. See Club Welfare Officer Guidance Ideally, this is a separate role. However, the Chair, Secretary or Treasurer may also undertake it with British Orienteering's approval. | |
5. Club bank account | |
The club must have a bank account for managing its finances. | |
6. Annual accounts | |
The club must prepare annual accounts that are:
| |
7. Annual affiliation fee | |
The club must pay its annual British Orienteering affiliation subscription. | |
8. Association membership | |
The club must be a member of, or affiliated to, an orienteering Association. | |
9. Annual affiliation return | |
The club must submit an annual return to British Orienteering, including:
|
If your club is unsure about any requirement or is struggling to meet it, please contact info@britishorienteering.org.uk for advice.
In exceptional circumstances, clubs may request an exemption from a requirement. Requests must be made by email and approved by British Orienteering.
Keeping club information up to date: The Chair or an authorised committee member must update the club's information on the British Orienteering database and submit any required supporting documents.
These minimum affiliation requirements were approved at the British Orienteering AGM in 2021.
Every affiliated club needs a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, held by three different people, together with a designated Club Welfare Officer.
What do the main officers do?
Core roles:
Chair | Leads committee meetings; helps the club set priorities; supports volunteers and ensures decisions are followed through. |
Secretary | Organises meetings and AGMs; keeps minutes and key records; handles official correspondence and governance paperwork. |
Treasurer | Oversees the club bank account, budget and payments; keeps financial records; prepares annual accounts for independent scrutiny. |
Club Welfare Officer | Provides a clear point of contact for welfare and safeguarding concerns; promotes safe practice; records and refers concerns through British Orienteering processes. |
Roles can be shared across a wider committee, but named officers must meet British Orienteering’s current requirements.
Other useful responsibilities
Clubs may also appoint a membership secretary, events coordinator, coaching lead or volunteer coordinator etc.
Clubs must also identify a Safety Liaison Contact to receive and share British Orienteering safety messages; the Chair is the default if nobody else is named.
Four steps if a role is vacant
1 Check which role is vacant and what your constitution says about appointments or elections.
2 Explain the tasks, likely time commitment and support available; invite members to express interest.
3 Check eligibility, required training and vetting, then appoint or elect through the right club process.
4 Record the decision, arrange a handover and update the club’s British Orienteering details.
Important affiliation points
The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer must be three separate people, each over 18, a British Orienteering member and subject to regular election.
No more than two of these three may be related or cohabiting.
A designated Club Welfare Officer is also required; combining this role with one of the three officers needs British Orienteering approval.
Exceptional exemptions must be agreed with British Orienteering.