Membership                                   Current Rates

The South Wales Caving Club is the largest caving club in Wales with a membership in excess of 300. We are active in all the major British Caving areas,and each year many take part in caving expeditions abroad. Some are acknowledged as being at the forefront of British Caving.

We have our own Club Headquarters at Penwyllt, north of Abercraf in the Swansea Valley, where you will find members congregating almost every weekend of the year.

There is a very strong social element to caving in general and SWCC is no exception to this tradition, with many friendships being struck for life. Our membership is of all ages and includes many family groups, with children of all ages.

If you are interested in joining the club then please come along to meet us at the cottages. If you contact us first we can suggest good weekends for you to visit, and you are more likely to be able to join a caving trip. It's usually best to visit first on a committee weekend which is once a month (see calendar), as this is when the largest number of members are around.


Membership Structure

There are 4 main types of membership:


(1) Provisional Age 16+
(2) Junior Age 16-17
(3) Full Age 18+
(4) Joint Age 18

Everyone must be a provisional member before he or she can become either a junior or full member, depending on age. A junior member automatically becomes a full member on reaching age 18. Joint membership is available to couples who live together who have both been full members.

To join SWCC:

  • (1) Become a provisional member

Send a completed provisional membership application form, along with the requisite fee, to the membership secretary. Forms can be downloaded here or found on the notice board at SWCC HQ. Upon acceptance of your application at the next committee meeting your provisional membership will be valid for 12 months.

  • (2) Get to know the members and the committee

In order to apply for full membership, you will need to have 2 proposers, who can be anyone who has been a member of SWCC for at least 2 years. They can introduce you to other club members, and help you to get involved in club activities. It is advisable, though it should not be considered essential, that you get to be known by a few of the current committee members.

  • (3) Become a full member

After at least six months, and before the anniversary of your provisional membership, you can apply for full membership. Your name, and those of your 2 proposers, should be displayed on the notice board for at least 6 weeks prior to the committee meeting at which your application will be decided (see calendar for dates). Send a completed full membership application form (available at SWCC HQ), along with a letter of proposal from each of your proposers, and the requisite fee, to the membership secretary in good time for the meeting.

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Current Membership Rates 2008/2009

The AGM in May represents the beginning of a new financial year for the caving club.

Subs remain unchanged for those paying reasonably promptly. It takes a lot of effort to chase late payers so please pay your subs on time - its cheaper that way!

To work out how much to pay, add your Membership subscription to whichever insurance group you come under (see below)

Subscriptions:

  • Single membership £35.00 p.a. or £30.00 p.a. as incentive for those paying by 3rd July 2008
  • Joint membership £52.50 p.a. or £45.00 p.a. as incentive for those paying by 3rd July 2008
  • Provisional membership is set at one half the single membership for the first 12 months.
  • Members over the state retirement age may pay half the normal rate.
  • Joint members pay 11/2 times the single membership fee.

  • Members Please Note! Please post your subs to The Membership Secretary. Help us keep the club finances in order by paying promptly! Cheques to me made payable to SWCC

Insurance:

All members now need to have 3rd party liability insurance (via BCA) at a level appropriate to their caving activity. The fees are collected via SWCC but are separate from the SWCC membership subs, the current costs are:

  • Active Caver £16:00 p.a.
  • Inactive Caver £5:00 p.a.
  • If you have already joined the BCA via another route there is no additional fee (eg Individual BCA member, via another BCA caving club, explosives user group or cave divers group).
  • If you are a provisional member becoming a full member part way through the year, please contact our Membership Sec before sending off your money as you may be able to get a % off your first payment.