Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Bristol and Bath IVC?
- A vibrant and active social club for singles and couples who want to go places, do
things and get together. It is one club within a national association and
covers a wide geographical area centred around Bristol and Bath. Just for
the record - it is NOT a dating agency or singles club!
- How long has it been going?
- The Association of IVCs has been going since 1947. IVC in
Bristol was set up over 40 years ago - in 1964. This means we have a track
record - not here today and then disappeared.
- Who joins? What is the club membership profile?
- We have no age limits and no barriers on the basis of sex, marital status,
sexuality, disability, race or religion. The club currently has
228 members: 91 men and 137 women, with the
main ages group being 30s to 50s.
- What do I get for my money?
- Unlike some clubs, Bristol and Bath IVC is not a business, run for profit. We charge an
annual subscription to pay for printing of the monthly events programme, marketing, insurance and
general administration costs. We also promote a
responsible attitude toward drinking and driving, by subsidising transport
for our Christmas Dinner Dance. Events are free, except where the organiser
necessarily incurs a cost, such as for theatre tickets, accommodation or
for providing food. In these cases, the cost is passed on without overhead
and you will be informed in advance so you can make your own mind up if
you wish to take part.
- What do I have to do as a member?
- The main thing is to enjoy yourself! Attend as many events as
you wish - there is no minimum and no maximum, except that we would like you to
help organise a couple of events each year (which you can do in
conjunction with another member, if you prefer). Organising events is an
excellent way to get to know other members.
- Can I try before I buy?
- We offer a three-month trial membership if you wish. This will grant you full access to the club,
including events, members area of the web site and the email messages list. See our joining page for further details.
You can come along to any Clubnight in Bristol or Bath and chat to us as well.
- Where do you meet?
- For Clubnights, we move around - it's more interesting than
staying in one place. See the Clubnights listing
for the next ones. They are always on a Thursday evening. For
other events, the Programme will tell you all the details.
- Can you give me some idea of what the club does?
- Events are as varied as members wish. Over the past year, they
have included walks, cycling trips (day, evening, weekend and whole week),
parties, barbecues, meals out, camping, visits to local attractions,
cinema and theatre trips, book club, quiz nights, weekends away, holidays
abroad, sailing, climbing, caving, flying, river cruises, clubbing, jazz
events and many more. If you have an idea for an event, you don't need to
get permission - just put it in the programme. We hold around 400 events
each year, plus regular weekly clubnights and other regular events such as
sports evenings. See a list of forthcoming events
- How do I book onto an event?
- You will be given a Programme each month (you can collect this
at a Clubnight or have it posted to you). The Programme will tell you
precisely what to do - normally just a matter of telephoning another
member and asking if there is still space.
- If events are not organised centrally, how do I
know they are safe and will be properly managed?
- For a start, we would not put into the Programme any event
that we were not happy with - and the Club Committee knows the members
pretty well! You can speak to the organiser beforehand - perhaps even meet
them at a Clubnight - to get an idea of the event and if it is for you.
You will probably not be the only member attending (and you can check with
the organiser beforehand) so there is safety in numbers. The Club also has
comprehensive insurance to cover injury during events.
- Can I bring my child to events?
- It depends on the event and the organiser. Remember that this
is a club for adults, so children are discouraged. Some events (like late
night parties) do not lend themselves to children attending whereas others (like picnics
or trips to the cinema) may well do. A number of members have children, so
it's not out of the question. Check with the organiser before you book in.
- Can I bring my dog?
- It depends on the event and the organiser. Some (like visits
to other members' homes) may not lend themselves to this whereas others
(like walks) may well do. Check with the organiser before you book in.
- Can I bring a friend?
- We'd like to meet your friends, so bring them along. However,
if they come along regularly, please expect us to ask them to join - it's
fair that they do so. It's also fair that they pay any costs associated
with the event and, for some events, we may surcharge the cost for
non-members.
- Why can't I download a programme from the web
site?
- When you join, you will be able to. We just don't permit this
for non-members.
- Is there any way of organising events (or finding
out what's on) at short notice?
- Yes. Members do organise things at the last minute and we have
an email message service that you can use to send messages about events to
other members and to receive messages as well.
- All the camping, partying, barbecues, socialising
sounds good - but I just don't have any equipment. What can I do?
- We've even though of that! We have a stock of items that
members can use - including tents, crockery, glasses, good quality
laminated walking maps, gazebo... There is no charge, except for tents.
- What sort of facilities are there for finding my
ideal partner?
- We don't do dating events! Some of our members are married,
or already in couples, and this would be inappropriate. Single members
don't always want the pressure of matchmaking - they just want to have fun
and friendship. Of course, this relaxed atmosphere can lead to
relationships and, when it does, they tend to be based on common values,
beliefs and interests rather than on the artificiality of dating agencies.
- I'd still like to talk to someone before I come
along. How can I do this?
- You probably have all sorts of questions to ask. Call our
New Members Secretary on 0845 456 0096 (which is charged at local rates
from BT landlines - mobiles may cost more). Please note that the Committee
members are not paid and are not full time, so you may need to leave a
message and we'll call you back.
