Clubs

Registered clubs is the umbrella term for all clubs that are registered as either Affiliate or Associate clubs.

Many aspects of Affiliate and Associate Clubs are the same, i.e. all must be based in the UK and have mountaineering activities as a core activity of the club, and all members of Registered Clubs must become BMC Club Members. The main difference is the governance of the club. Affiliate Clubs are run on a not-for-profit or not-for-personal gain basis, whereas Associate Clubs are permitted to have a commercial or profit-making structure. Associate Clubs must also be run by a current BMC Associate (Enhanced) Member. More information at thebmc.co.uk/club-registration

If you're currently a member of a BMC affiliated climbing club, you can help support the work of the BMC by upgrading to full Individual membership at a reduced rate.

For the additional cost of upgrading, you can gain access to the full range of Individual Membership benefits on payment of this additional premium. Benefits include:

• 4 full issues of the Summit magazine
• £10,000 Personal Accident Insurance
• Access to a full range of individual member benefits

By becoming a full Individual Member you will also be making a financial contribution to the BMC's vital access, conservation, mountain safety and technical investigation work. You will also be supporting work in representing the needs of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers to the government.

Upgrade online now

Yes we do: BMC Hut Guidelines.

BMC members who are members of more than one BMC affiliated club can reclaim their multiple membership payments.

Additionally, all club secretaries of BMC affiliated clubs have been sent information about how their members can claim multiple membership refunds and have been asked to encourage their members to do this.

Club members claiming multiple membership refunds can ask for the refund to be paid to themselves or to the club. The refund can also be used to upgrade from Club Membership to full Individual Membership.

Just download the refund form, complete it and return it to the BMC:

DOWNLOAD: Multiple Club Membership Refund Form

Please note:  if you have claimed back your multiple fees previously, there is no need to make a subsequent claim. We will check your data and provided all your clubs have paid your subscription to the BMC for the current year we will send you an automatic refund after 30 June every year.

For more information contact the BMC office on 0161 445 6111 or email office@thebmc.co.uk

For many people the main benefit is simply supporting the BMC. For others, particularly committee members, it is having the security of the BMC Combined Liability Policy. For all other benefits, and details about how to affiliate, click here

Definitely not. BMC clubs have always operated with more experienced members providing guidance to those less experienced. Some clubs do organise meet days for novices to provide concentrated training, whereas in other clubs this sharing of guidance happens on a more ad-hoc basis.

Check out this article for more information

The BMC Combined Liability insurance is designed to support more experienced members of clubs passing on the benefits of their knowledge and experience to novice or less experienced club members. It covers members when undertaking the “normal club activities” of hill walking, climbing and mountaineering.

For example this would cover a club member walking in the Lakes and helping other club members with their map reading. It would also cover club members leading a novice training meet.
The cover does not extend to situations where payment is received, as that would be viewed as acting as a professional.

Check out the BMC Clubs Insurance Guidelines for more information.