OUR CLUB
We are glad that you are considering joining Wolverhampton Mountaineering Club. Our members share a love of Mountains, Rock Climbing and Hill Walking as well as a wish to be part of a Club which offers a social atmosphere. Throughout the year we have a range of club meets which are fantastic opportunities to get out and get active.
JOIN OUR CLUB
We welcome new members aged 18+ from Wolverhampton & the surrounding areas. To join you will first need to register as a 'prospective' member. This is the first stage to becoming a full member of the club. To register as a prospective member please use the form at the bottom of this page to get a form from our New Members Secretary. They will help guide you through the process and be on hand to answer any questions you have.
Once you have completed the form you will need to return it to the new member secretary along with a BMC affiliation fee or proof of BMC membership. The annual affiliation fee is set by the BMC annually and is currently £22.25 for 2023. The affiliation fee gives you a number of benefits and gives you public liability insurance, more on that further down
Now you are a prospective member, you'll need to attend three meets from our meets calendar. This gives you an opportunity to meet lots of club members and it's your chance to try out the club and decide if the club is right for you.
Having done three official meets you can then apply for full membership which is decided by the club's committee.
BMC Clubs Combined Liability Insurance.
Like most sports, third-party liability insurance is necessary for participating in WMC activities and third-party liability insurance is part of the BMC affiliation fee that you sign up for when joining WMC.
When and where to meet us?
Tuesday evenings are our club nights!
Quite a few members meet up on a Tuesday evening for a climb at Wolf Mountain Activity Centre before heading to the pub to chat about upcoming plans and climbing trips. Feel free to pop down and introduce yourself. Wolf mountain staff will point you in the right direction.
19:30 Wolf Mountain Activity Centre: Paget Rd. WV6 0DU
21:30 Great Western Pub: Cornhill. WV10 0DG
However, we all know walking into a room of strangers can be a bit daunting, so if you'd prefer to make contact first then feel free to use the form below and we can arrange to meet you at the pub or wolf mountain.
Important Documents for Reference:
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What is a prospective member?An Prospective member is the term used to describe a non-Club member who wishes to join the club as a full member. In order to become a full member, the prospective member needs to attend 3 outdoor club meets and can then apply for full membership. Prospective members are not issued with a hut key, so are reliant on other Full Members to get access to our club hut. They do not get sent Club publications and cannot vote at the AGM.
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What are the criteria for membership?You can join the club as a prospective member if you have an interest in rock climbing, mountaineering or hill walking. Applicants must be: Aged 18 years or older. As a Climber, There are no minimum grade restrictions for climbers and if you are a complete novice several club members are happy to show you the ropes and get you started. As a Mountaineer or hill walker, it is expected that you can look after yourself in the outdoors and have sufficient outdoor gear to do so safely. Do not let this put you off, as long as you have some waterproofs, walking boots a rucksack and can take a packed lunch then you'll be more than welcome to join us. Willingness to add to the life and work of the Club.
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How do I apply to become a member of the club?You'll need to fill out a membership form and join the club as a prospective member and pay the BMC affiliation fee which gives you 3rd party liability insurance. You will then need to attend 3 outdoor club meets before you can apply for full membership. This gives you chance to decide if the club is right for you. Once you application is accepted you will need to pay a the balance between the BMC affiliation fee and the annual club subscription.
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Why do we have the 3-meet rule for prospective members?Every organisation needs new blood to thrive, but we also need to survive, and even mountaineers need to be safety conscious. We do not want members who are an excessive danger to themselves and others. Nor are we so keen on those with a short-term thrill-seeking bungee-jumping mentality. Because of its commitment, long duration and wide-flung venues, mountaineering involves more “downtime” than conventional sports, so we do want members who are sociable and are good company. It’s hard to make snap judgements on prospective members, so we don’t have a sign-on-the-line, lets-have-your-money instant membership style. We do need a few rules to control the mad scramble to join such a wonderful outfit.
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I’ve done three meets at Wolf can I join?Unfortunately this does not meet the club rules to be eligible to apply for full membership. In order to meet the criteria the 3 meets should be 3 outdoor meets that are two days or longer. Club meets are usually a few days in length so this is the best way to decide if the club is the right fit for you. The committee will also consider applications from Prospective members who have attended 2 meets that are 2 days or longer, and have had a minimum of 2 further days on the hills with at least 2 full members. In other words, the minimum requirement is 6 days outside with club members over at least three meets. Two of these days can be day meets.
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What are the costs of joining the club?As a prospective member you wil be required to pay us the BMC affiliation fee. We will then register you with the BMC and this provides you with 3rd party liability insurance. The 2023 BMC affiliation fee is £22.25 for the whole year. This is reduced to £16.45 for the unemployed and £18.35 for students Once you become a full member you will need to pay the balance of the club subscription. The current WMC subscription rates for 2023 are * These figures are inclusive of the BMC affiliation fee mentioned above
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What is the BMC?The BMC, or British Mountaineering Council, is the national representative body that champions the interests of climbers, hill walkers, mountaineers and ski mountaineers in England and Wales. It is also recognised by government as the national governing body for competition climbing.
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Liability and InsuranceClimbing and Mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities do so voluntarily. Individuals should be aware of and accept these risks and are responsible for their own actions and involvement. Wolverhampton Mountaineering Club is affiliated to the BMC and is insured through their Combined Liability Insurance policy. Club members are also insured for liability claims by third parties whilst participating in outdoor pursuits. When you register as an Prospective member, we ask that you show proof of BMC Combined Liability Insurance, either if you already pay this fee through another Club, or as an individual member (you can claim the duplicate payment back from the BMC). When you become a Full member the annual Club membership fee covers this cost. More details can be found on the BMC Insurance Centre
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Who can attend a club meet?Members and prospective members may attend official club meets subject to spaces being available. Members are also permitted to invite guests on club meets (normally up to a maximum of three), but members and prospective members have priority – see below. Members are responsible for all aspects of their guests’ behaviour. For all outside hut meets, and for the Tal-y-Braich meets over all bank holidays, members’ guests may only attend when it is clear that the available bed-spaces have not been filled by members and prospective members. For this purpose, a deadline of 10.30 pm on the Tuesday evening prior to the meet will usually apply to weekend hut meets. Before the deadline, spaces will be allocated, at the meet organiser’s discretion, on a first-come-first-served basis to members and prospective members. After the deadline, unfilled spaces can be allocated to guests, at the meet organiser’s discretion.
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How can i book onto a club meet?Every official meet (one shown on the meets calendar) will have a member designated as the meet organiser. Their role will be to allocate bed spaces on the meet, and attempt to co-ordinate transport arrangements. For weekend meets, this will usually be done the previous Tuesday evening. Members who wish to attend a meet but cannot make it on the Tuesday should ask the organiser beforehand, or arrange with a proxy. If you are a new or prospective member and you are not sure who the organiser is, then get in touch with the new members secretary or a member of the committee and they can put you in touch. If you are neither a club member or a prospective member, you will need to fill out an application form and pay the BMC affiliation fee before you can attend a meet.
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Can I bring my child on a meetUsually under 18's are welcome on day meets and camping meets. 16-18 year olds can attend hut meets in the company of a parent or legal guardian, or a club member who is acting “in loco-parentis”, and has the written consent of the parent/legal guardian. Under 16 year olds can usually attend day meets, camping meets and official 'family' meets, but are unable to attend club hut meets Bunk space may be limited and the venue may not be appropriate for all ages, so attendance is at the discretion of the meet organiser who can also advise on suitability.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
Access to book out and stay in our hut from only £5 per night
BMC affiliate membership including retail discounts.
