mattp wrote:The appeal to the SU was unsuccessful and the club will be disaffiliated.
That's shocking news, Bristol SU should be ashamed of themselves.
lucy wrote:We have a team of 3 staff supporting between 50-60 sport clubs. So it’s often a matter of resources in terms of staff and funding, setting a minimum number is a matter policing that. I personally would like to see a second tier for those more niche sports, so they can get support especially if they have a proven track record.
There isn’t a limitless pot of money so tough decisions have to be taken a lot depends on the uni and their approach to funding sport.
Lucy illustrates the problem perfectly. Institutions like sports unions don’t seem to realise that they rely almost entirely on volunteers and self-funded groups to deliver the vast majority of activities and consequently over value the significance of staff and funding.
Whilst the orienteering club would no doubt value support and funding from the union they only really need to be recognised as an official society to continue to deliver the services they provide to their members and beyond. Limited central funding just isn’t an issue.
The same blinkered approach has been taken by British Orienteering in the past with too much focus on funded programmes, but I think that’s changed for the good in recent years.
mattp wrote:We are now looking into options to merge into the mountaineering club.
Is that because they both end in 'eering'? Perhaps if that fails you could merge with the ‘oriental club’ ! It really is nonsense.
There may be someone in BOK with contacts at the university who could shake a few trees. Or maybe BUCS or BOF could intercede on your behalf. This really should be sorted.