Membership Expansion

As highlighted in the last edition of V News, CSSC's membership catchment has been widened to embrace all parts of the Public Sector, not just the Civil Service and HM Armed Forces. This means that teachers, NHS workers, police officers, firefighters, local government workers and many more staff are now eligible to join, including colleagues that have retired on pension from those areas.

In addition and as agreed by members at this year's AGM, a new Linked Membership scheme has been introduced. The scheme enables up to three family members or friends to be 'linked' as members to the membership record of full CSSC members. A full description of the Linked Membership scheme can be viewed here: Linked Membership Q&As

A simple leaflet describing the Linked Membership scheme is available from Head Office or here: Linked Membership Leaflet

Temporary Members

This category of membership has now been withdrawn. If a prospective member would previously have been classed as 'Temporary' because, for example, they only had a short term contract, they will from now on be eligible to join CSSC as a full member.

To coincide with this important launch, CSSC has also agreed a national membership recruitment incentive to run until 31 December 2011. Every member that encourages a new member to join, whether from our existing or new membership areas, will receive a £5 Sainsbury's Shopping card for each and every new member they sign up.

Importantly, there's no limit on the number of rewards you and other members can receive. To receive your reward, make sure that any members that join complete the new CSSC membership application form (see below) including your details in the 'Member Get Member' section of the form. Click here to see the simple Terms and Conditions for the 'Member Get Member' scheme.

Of course volunteers are free to benefit from the 'Member Get Member' scheme just like any other members, but you and fellow volunteers might also want to use the incentive scheme to generate the means to purchase prizes and supplies for local events and activities.

Two new application forms are now in use.

The first is for Linked Members, members from areas of the Public Sector not previously covered by CSSC and those who don't have access to deductions from pay or pension. These members will pay their subscriptions by direct debit. Click here to download this Membership Form.

The second form is for those members who do have access to deductions from salary or pension; generally civil servants and civil service pensioners. Click here to download this Membership Form.

Please waste all copies of the old membership form. If you require hard copies of the new form please contact Customer Services on 01494 888 444.

Because of the timing of Area grant calculations, the Management Board have acknowledged that some form of interim or advanced funding may be required where an Area's membership increases substantially and their resources are insufficient to maintain their current or planned programmes of activity. Details of the support to be made available to Areas will be circulated in due course.

For those groups that have associate or family members, now's the time to start thinking about the implications of these changes. In particular, think about how best to contact any associate or family members to establish whether they might now be eligible for full or Linked Membership and when over the coming weeks and months it will be best to do this. CSSC will be delighted to help with this consideration.

We wanted to tell CSSC volunteers about these changes first, hence today's email. In a week or two, members will receive details of these arrangements within the next edition of Leisure Scene which is also packed with other news and updates including the most fantastic London 2012 competition. Once you've received your edition of Leisure Scene, please feel free to spread the word via your own networks and communication channels.

If you need further information on any of these changes or require promotional or other literature to help promote CSSC, please contact your local Business Development Executive or contact CSSC's Head Office via headoffice@cssc.co.uk or call 01494 888 444.

These long awaited changes are finally here. Let's work together to make sure they make a positive impact on your part of the organisation, CSSC in general and our combined future.