British Orienteering

Club Affiliation

Join around 100 other clubs as part of the British Orienteering Clubs family and take advantage of the benefits of affiliation, recognition and insurance. 

By affiliating your club with British Orienteering, it shows that you are working within British Orienteering’s standards for events, coaching, safeguarding and governance. 

British Orienteering provides ongoing support to help you develop your club sustainably, address challenges, and navigate the day-to-day duties of running an orienteering club. 

Benefits of Affiliation

By being an affiliated club you can access a host of valuable resources:

Orienteering Image
Access to support from the British Orienteering team
Orienteering Image
Promotion of your events and activities via our website
Orienteering Image
Be covered for public liability insurance of up to £15 million for your club activities and events
Orienteering Image
Ability to add your event results to the national ranking list (not including local events)
Orienteering Image
Access to a comprehensive membership database to manage all your members details
Orienteering Image
The management and administration of all new and renewing members
Orienteering Image
Free DBS checks – for club volunteers (admin fee applies)
Orienteering Image
Access to our Annual Development Conference series of webinars to support and grow your club
Orienteering Image
Access to eLearning courses to support your volunteers at a reduced rate, £12 instead of £36
Orienteering Image
Access to member benefits via our discount partners

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 £95.

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 £95.

The list below represents the minimum level of mandatory requirements for affiliation of a club. 

The requirements seek to ensure the protection of the sport, members money through good governance processes, whilst not creating a disproportionate administrative burden. 

Many of the requirements below are also reflected in the Code of Governance for Tier 1 organisations and requirements from associated bodies such as CPSU. 

This was approved at the AGM 2021. 

 

Criteria 

1. 

The club is properly constituted, has a written and submitted constitution or equivalent, has a clear purpose, 
and is inclusive and accessible. 

2. 

The club governing committee meets regularly , and decision-making is recorded. 

3. 

        a. The club has three different individuals appointed as its officers, in the following roles: 

  • Chair 
  • Secretary 
  • Treasurer

  • b. All three officers are over the age of 18c. All three officers are members of British Orienteering 
    d. All three officers are subject to a regular election 
    e. No more than two of these three officers are related. 
    f. No more than two of these three officers are cohabiting. 

 4. 

The club has a designated Safeguarding Lead* 

5. 

The club has a bank account 

6. 

Annual accounts are prepared, scrutinised independently of the person responsible for finance (e.g. treasurer) and are made available to members to describe how money has been spent. 

7. 

An Annual subscription to British Orienteering is paid 

8. 

The Club is a member of, or affiliated to an Association 

9.  

An annual return is sent to British Orienteering detailing: 

    a. fees they are going to charge for club membership 
    b. the named officers 
    c. latest  AGM  minutes
    d. 
confirmation of alignment to British Orienteering’s Policies and Procedures 

*A designated Safeguarding Lead as a single role holder would be preferable, however this role can be the Chair, Secretary, or Treasurer upon approval from British Orienteering. 

Clubs can seek a special exemption to the above requirements in exceptional circumstances.  

Applications must be made via email to info@britishorienteering.org.uk. 

All information must be updated on Database by the Chair or appointed committee member, who will have the required permissions. 

Please ensure that you have submitted all necessary supporting evidence. We may request that you supply further information or documentation in support of your application. 

All applications and supporting documentation will be provided with the strictest confidence.