Members Guidance Notes for Attendance on Club Meets and the use of Huts

The Committee is publishing the following notes for new and, as a reminder, to established members as to how our "system" works

The procedure for going on a Club Meet and staying at Caer Fran or at any 'Away' Hut has been well tried and tested over a number of years.

We are a club of 200+ members and obviously we all cannot attend Meets or stay at Caer Fran at the same time.

There have to be some guidelines to minimise problems:

By following a few simple guidelines, the weekend will go smoothly and be as successful as ever. Remember communication is a wonderful thing, talk to the organizer and tell them what you are doing / want to do.

General (All Meets)

1. Please do not book on more than one month before the date of the Meet. This is sufficient notice for the Organizer and will prevent ' a rumor ' going around that the Meet is full.

Do not book on any Meet through 'another person' - contact the Meet Organiser yourself.

When all the places on the Meet are filled, the Organizer will form a waiting list and invite those on it to book on, if there has there been a cancellation. If you are on the waiting list, you cannot attend the Meet unless the Organizer contacts you to inform that a place has become available. If you just turn up or go when you know the Meet is full, you may compromise the booking of that venue for future visits.

2. Let the Meet Organizer do their job, i.e. arrange transport and purchase food. It is normal for the Meet Organizer to organize transport (to minimize costs). When you book on, tell the Organizer if you want / don't want a lift or help them by offering lifts. Remember, only the Organizer knows everyone who is actually booked on, so it is much easier for them to arrange the transport. This minimizes transport costs and will avoid members making great traverses of Merseyside collecting and dropping off members. These arrangements are usually made late, i.e. when everyone has booked on, so be patient and let the Meet Organizer do the job.

3. The Meet system is based on the Organizer catering for the weekend on an equal cost basis. Arrangements can usually be made for those with special dietary needs as well those wanting to make very early starts or late finishes. The organizer should be informed when you book on. You may, if you wish to self cater on any Meet but tell the Organizer when you book. The Meet Organizer has first call on the pans, cookers, storage facilities etc and the Committee asks that you co-operate with the Meet organizer accordingly.

4. On arrival at any Hut, sign the register. This entitles you to stay. The Meet Organizer is responsible for this on Meets, but check to make sure you are signed in.

5. The Meet Organizer is only responsible for arranging transport, buying the food and overseeing the cooking.

They are not responsible for serving it or washing up. In simple terms, all the members on the Meet help the Organizer, i.e. we all do a little bit, including washing up, making brews, sandwiches, brushing out, cleaning up etc.

6. Encourage and make new members welcome. Remember the future of the Club is out there - we have not met them yet.

7. Minimize noise after midnight, i.e. when you get back from the hostelry. Some members may well want an early start and maximize on their sleep. Radios/Cassette or CD Players are not permitted to be played in Cae'r Fran and most other huts we regularly visit.

8. Guests It is not normal to take guests on Club Meets as this may prevent Club Members from attending. Club Members have priority over guests on all Meets. Occasionally, when a Meet is not full, the Organizer may permit one guest per member to attend. The guest place can only be confirmed when it is obvious that there are places available ie. Just before the Meet starts and when it is certain that no more Members will book on. The Club Member will be responsible for the actions of their guest as well as the 'guest fees' while they are attending a Meet or staying in Caer Fran.

9. Members children under 17 years are not allowed to attend Club Meets at Cae'r Fran or Hut based Away Meets - see Rules of the Club (Rule 19).

9. Members children under 17 years are not allowed to attend Club Meets at Caer Fran or Hut based Away Meets - see Rule 19.

Cae'r Fran

Fully paid up full members are entitled to stay in Caer Fran at any time. Graduate Members are welcome to stay at Caer Fran on any Club Meet or by arrangement with the Hut Booking Secretary who will issue a key for a specific visit. This key must be returned to him immediately following the visit.

If you want to take guests to Caer Fran on a non-Meet visit, it is normal to take a maximum of two guests per member. If you want to take more than two guests, book a private VISITING Party on a non-meet weekend with the Hut Booking Secretary. Visitors Rates will apply to all non MMC Members of the party. The Club Member will be responsible for the actions of their visitors as well as the 'Visitor Rates' while they are staying in Caer Fran.

Club Meets at Cae'r Fran

The Meet Organizer has full use of all 18 beds for the members booking on the Meet. Anyone intending to go to Caer Fran on a Meet Weekend must book with the nominated Meet Organizer for that particular weekend. The Organizer allocates beds on a first booked, first accommodated basis. If the Meet is full and all beds are taken, the Organizer is responsible for forming a 'waiting list' and any subsequent cancellations can then be filled by inviting the first person on the list and so on. Anyone canceling a Meet place must expect to pay any expenses incurred on their behalf up to the time of cancellation. The Meet Organizer is responsible for collecting this and passing to the Treasurer if necessary.

Anyone wanting to stay in Caer Fran on a Meet Weekend, but ' not be on the Meet ', must liaise with the Organizer and they can only do so if the Organizer gives permission. The Meet Organizer, however, has priority on the cookers and pans, etc. and any 'other' members staying must fit in with the Meet Organizer's plans. This also applies to members who are self catering. (see note 3) Camping is not permitted on the land surrounding Caer Fran.

Use of Cae'r Fran on Non-Meet Weekends / Weeks

As before, we all cannot stay at the same time, so it is impractical to just turn up. Book a bed with the Hut Booking Secretary to ensure a place. Should the Hut Booking Secretary be unavailable on their mobile, Jonathan Bode-Hey will be available to take bookings, 0161 749 8500, Mob 07984 466356. If you book and later decide not to go, you will be charged for the places you have not used. Don't forget that your booking may prevent someone else from going and it may not be possible to retrieve the situation after you cancel.

Members who have booked a place with the Hut Booking Secretary will have priority over those who just turn up.

Bank Holiday weekends, holiday periods, Christmas, School Holidays, etc are critical times and it is essential to liaise with the Hut Booking Secretary to minimize problems. Don't forget to make some additional contribution to the cleanliness of the hut before leaving.

Use of Cae'r Fran on Away Meet Dates or when a Visiting Party is in Residence

The 'Away Meet' dates are the prime dates when Caer Fran is let to visiting groups, but these are not the only dates. They are not always advertised on the Meets Card or in the Newsletter, i.e. we sometimes accept late bookings.

Again, check with the Hut Bookings Secretary and remember the 4 beds in the downstairs bedroom are always kept for Club Members. The Hut Booking Secretary will let these out on a first booked, first accommodated basis. If the 4 places have been booked you cannot go that particular weekend. Again if you book a place and don't go you will be charged for that places because you will prevent someone else from going.

Don't just turn up expecting a bed.

If you are staying at Caer Fran when a visiting party is in residence, please minimize interference to that party. Try to eat out and don't spread yourself or your clothing and equipment all around the Hut.

Remember the visiting party have first call on the cookers and pans, etc.

Away Meets in Pre Booked Accommodation (Not Camping)

The Meets Organizer is responsible for co-coordinating transport and catering, as above. If you wish to self cater ( see note 3 )

We are committed to paying for the pre-booked accommodation whether we go or not. Members booking on this type of meet must pay for both Friday and Saturday nights or the number of nights the meet is scheduled to last.

Camping is not permitted outside the Huts we normally book. If you book on an away meet, you are liable to pay for accommodation even if you don't go. You will not be charged if your cancelled place is taken by someone on the waiting list, if there is one.

If there is no waiting list, you will be charged for accommodation and any other expenditure incurred on your behalf by the Meet Organizer.

The Meet Organizer is responsible for recovering these charges and passing them to the Treasurer, as appropriate. Transport to away meets is even more critical, especially Scotland (high petrol costs). Remember, if you cancel a trip to Scotland, you may place the car driver in the embarrassing position of having to charge his passengers with extra petrol costs. The Meet Organizer may be able to help in rearranging lifts to minimize costs, but you may be asked to contribute if your cancelled seat is not filled.

If you wish to go to an away venue before the Meet starts or stay on after the end of the Meet (see dates on the card), you should make a private booking in your own name with the organization concerned. The Club will have no involvement with any bookings not shown on the Meets Card or Newsletter.

Away Meets (Camping)

These are generally self-catering, except for the Anglesey Family Meet when the Saturday night meal is normally provided. The Meet Organizer will advise you when you book on. Transport is arranged by the Meet Organizer, as before. Again, if you cancel you will be liable for any expenses incurred on your behalf up to the point of cancellation.

R.L.H. (Robertson Lamb Hut) - Wayfarers Club, Langdale.

We have a Kindred Club arrangement with the Wayfarers Club for their hut in Langdale.
This means that any MMC Members can stay the night at RLH but must pay the Kindred Club rate shown in the Hut Register at R. L. H.

If any MMC members want to stay at R.L.H. they must book in advance with Graham Shrigley, the Wayfarers’ Hut and Fixtures Secretary, Tel. No. 01942 713063. If you want to take a guest, you can only do so if Graham Shrigley gives permission and the guest must pay the guest rate at R.L.H. (see Hut Register at R.L.H.). You cannot just turn up and expect to be accommodated and you have no rights other than as a booked visitor. Graham Shrigley will issue you with a key which must be RETURNED to him IMMEDIATELY you return home. Remember to allow enough time for Graham Shrigley to send you a key by post before you go and don’t forget to return it immediately you return home. You can normally expect to be accommodated except when a Wayfarers Meet or a visiting party is in residence. Don't forget to fill in the Hut Register on arrival.

There have been one or two 'incidents' in the past at R.L.H. and the Committee is particularly concerned to protect this Kindred Club arrangement. Please remember to observe the rules posted up in the hut. In particular, minimize noise after 11.00pm.

Remember, MMC members have no special rights at R.L.H.
No one in the MMC can authorize your visit to R.L.H unless an MMC meet being held there and the organizer accepts your booking.

MMC Committee. November 2007

Distribution: All prospective Graduate Members.
New Full Members on request
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