Booking Terms & Conditions

Membership Terms and Conditions

Forest School Association Suffolk (FSA Suffolk)

Website: https://www.fsasuffolk.org.uk
Email: fsasuffolk@gmail.com

Contact: Charlotte Atkinson, Chair

1. About FSA Suffolk membership

Forest School Association Suffolk (FSA Suffolk) is a community dedicated to supporting, connecting and inspiring Forest School practitioners and those with an interest in outdoor learning across Suffolk.

Our membership scheme provides opportunities to meet like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, develop knowledge and contribute to a supportive local Forest School community.

These Terms and Conditions explain the arrangements for joining FSA Suffolk, membership benefits, payments, renewals and cancellations.

By purchasing membership, you agree to these Terms and Conditions.

2. Membership categories

FSA Suffolk currently offers the following annual membership options:

Membership category

Annual fee

Individual Membership (National FSA Member)

£15

Individual Membership (Non-National FSA Member)

£20

Organisation Membership* (National FSA Member)

£30

Organisation Membership* (Non-National FSA Member)

£40

Student Membership

£10

*Organisation membership covers up to three named individuals.

The reduced membership rates for National Forest School Association members are available to individuals or organisations holding the relevant national membership.

Student membership is available to individuals who meet the eligibility requirements for that category.

We may request reasonable evidence of eligibility for a particular membership category.

Membership of FSA Suffolk is separate from membership of the national Forest School Association. Joining FSA Suffolk does not automatically provide national membership or accreditation.

3. Becoming a member

Membership applications can be made through our website:

https://www.fsasuffolk.org.uk

Applicants must provide accurate information and select the appropriate membership category.

Membership becomes active once payment has been successfully processed and confirmation has been issued.

We reserve the right to decline or review an application where there are reasonable grounds to do so, including where eligibility requirements have not been met.

Any decision to refuse membership will be made fairly and without unlawful discrimination.

Where payment has already been taken and an application is declined, the membership fee will be refunded.

4. Membership benefits

Membership is designed to encourage professional connections, shared learning and collaboration within the Forest School community.

Current benefits include:

Access to FSA Suffolk's termly Networking and Sharing events without an additional attendance fee.
Opportunities for one-to-one mentoring with a committee member.
Access to the FSA Suffolk members' Facebook group.
Opportunities to meet other Forest School practitioners and exchange knowledge.
Access to information, ideas and community activities shared through FSA Suffolk.

Some specialist workshops, external training sessions or additional events may carry a separate charge. Any additional fees will be made clear in advance.

Membership benefits are subject to reasonable availability and the continued operation of the relevant services.

Mentoring sessions are offered subject to committee member availability and mutually suitable arrangements.

Membership does not guarantee a particular number of mentoring appointments, commercial opportunities, referrals or professional outcomes.

5. Membership duration

FSA Suffolk operates an annual membership scheme, with a fixed renewal date of 28 February each year.

Membership purchased during the membership year will remain valid until the next applicable renewal date of 28 February.

The following membership categories renew automatically each year unless cancelled:

Individual Membership (National FSA Member).
Individual Membership (Non-National FSA Member).
Organisation Membership (National FSA Member).
Organisation Membership (Non-National FSA Member).

Members will be informed of their renewal arrangements when joining, including the date and amount of their next payment.

Student membership is valid for 12 months from the date of joining and does not renew automatically.

Members can check their subscription details through their membership account or by contacting FSA Suffolk.

6. Membership payments

Membership fees must be paid in full when joining or renewing.

Payments are processed through the payment facilities available on our website.

Members are responsible for ensuring that their payment details are correct and remain up to date.

If a payment fails, we may contact the member to arrange an alternative payment method.

Membership benefits may be suspended if payment remains outstanding, provided reasonable notice is given and applicable legal rights are respected.

7. Automatic renewal

The following membership categories renew automatically on 28 February each year, unless cancelled before the renewal payment is due:

Individual Membership (National FSA Member).
Individual Membership (Non-National FSA Member).
Organisation Membership (National FSA Member).
Organisation Membership (Non-National FSA Member).

By selecting one of these membership plans, members authorise the recurring annual payment described during checkout.

We will clearly identify the renewal arrangements before purchase, including the membership fee, payment frequency and cancellation method.

Where required by law, we will provide renewal reminders and information about how to cancel before payment is collected.

Members may cancel automatic renewal through their membership account, where this facility is available, or by emailing fsasuffolk@gmail.com.

Cancellation of automatic renewal will normally prevent future renewal charges while allowing membership to continue until the end of the current paid period.

Student membership does not automatically renew and will expire 12 months after the date of joining unless a new membership is purchased.

8. Cancelling membership

Members may request cancellation of their membership at any time by contacting:

Email: fsasuffolk@gmail.com

Please provide the name and email address associated with the membership.

We will confirm the cancellation and explain when membership access will end.

Cancelling an automatically renewing subscription will stop future payments once the cancellation has been processed.

Where cancellation takes place after a renewal payment has already been collected, any refund entitlement will be considered in accordance with applicable consumer law and the terms communicated before renewal.

9. Cooling-off period and refunds

Where a membership is purchased online by an individual acting as a consumer, a statutory 14-day cancellation period will generally apply.

The cancellation period normally begins when the membership contract is entered into.

An eligible member who cancels during this period may request a refund in accordance with their statutory rights.

Where the member has expressly requested that membership services begin during the cancellation period, any permitted deduction for services already provided will be calculated in accordance with applicable law.

After the statutory cancellation period has expired, membership fees are not normally refundable simply because a member no longer wishes to participate.

However, we will consider reasonable requests for refunds where appropriate, including where:

FSA Suffolk has failed to provide services required under the membership agreement.
A payment has been collected in error.
A statutory cancellation or refund right applies.
Exceptional circumstances justify a discretionary refund.

Nothing in these terms restricts a member's statutory consumer rights.

10. Changes to membership fees

FSA Suffolk may review membership fees periodically to ensure that the organisation remains financially sustainable and able to support its members.

Where fees are due to change, existing members will be informed in advance of any increase affecting their next renewal on 28 February.

The communication will explain the new fee, when it will apply and how members can cancel their renewal if they do not wish to continue.

Fee increases will not normally be applied retrospectively to an existing paid membership period.

11. Organisation memberships

Organisation membership allows up to three named representatives to benefit from the membership.

The organisation is responsible for ensuring that the individuals using its membership are authorised to do so.

Membership access must not be shared with individuals outside the agreed allocation.

If a named representative leaves the organisation, the organisation may request that their place be reassigned to another eligible individual.

FSA Suffolk may request updated representative details to maintain accurate membership records.

12. Member responsibilities

We ask all members to contribute positively to the FSA Suffolk community.

Members are expected to:

Treat fellow members, volunteers and committee members respectfully.
Support an inclusive, welcoming and collaborative environment.
Respect the experiences and views of others.
Maintain appropriate professional standards.
Follow relevant event and safeguarding procedures.
Respect confidentiality when sensitive information is shared.
Avoid using FSA Suffolk membership to misrepresent professional qualifications or accreditation.
Ensure that information provided to FSA Suffolk remains accurate.

Membership does not constitute an endorsement, professional qualification, certification or guarantee of an individual's skills, training or competence.

Members remain responsible for their own professional activities, insurance, safeguarding arrangements and legal obligations.

13. Members' Facebook group and online communities

Access to the FSA Suffolk members' Facebook group is a membership benefit.

Members participating in online discussions must communicate respectfully and comply with the group's rules.

We encourage members to share knowledge, seek advice and support one another constructively.

The following behaviour is not acceptable:

Bullying, harassment or discriminatory comments.
Sharing another person's confidential information without permission.
Offensive, threatening or abusive communications.
Misleading or fraudulent promotional activity.
Repeated unsolicited advertising or spam.
Content that infringes another person's intellectual property rights.

FSA Suffolk may moderate discussions or remove content that breaches these standards.

Where necessary, access to the group may be restricted or withdrawn following a fair consideration of the circumstances.

14. Suspension or termination of membership

FSA Suffolk may suspend or terminate membership where there are reasonable grounds to do so.

Examples may include:

Serious or repeated breaches of these Terms and Conditions.
Harassment, discrimination or threatening behaviour.
Conduct that places members or event attendees at risk.
Fraudulent use of membership benefits.
Deliberately providing materially false membership information.

Where appropriate, we will explain the concerns and give the member an opportunity to respond before making a decision.

Any decision will be proportionate to the circumstances.

Where membership is terminated by FSA Suffolk, any refund entitlement will be considered fairly, taking account of the reason for termination, unused services and applicable law.

15. Events and activities

FSA Suffolk members may attend eligible Networking and Sharing events without paying an additional attendance fee.

Members may still be required to book a place in advance because of venue capacity and practical arrangements.

Some events may have limited availability, and places may be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Attendance at events is subject to our separate Event Booking Terms and Conditions.

Membership does not guarantee a place at every event where capacity restrictions apply.

16. Changes to membership benefits

We may occasionally need to change the way membership benefits are provided.

For example, we may introduce new activities, replace an event format or adjust arrangements to reflect member needs.

We will endeavour to communicate significant changes in advance.

Where a proposed change would materially reduce benefits that formed part of a member's paid subscription, we will consider the member's rights and offer an appropriate remedy where required.

17. Data protection and privacy

FSA Suffolk will process members' personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation.

Information collected through membership applications may be used to:

Administer membership accounts.
Process payments and renewals.
Communicate important membership information.
Manage event bookings.
Provide access to membership benefits.
Meet applicable legal and regulatory obligations.

We will not use membership as a condition for receiving unrelated marketing communications.

Where consent is required for marketing, this will be requested separately.

For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy on the FSA Suffolk website:

https://www.fsasuffolk.org.uk

18. Complaints and concerns

We aim to provide a positive membership experience and welcome feedback from our members.

If you have concerns about your membership, please contact:

Charlotte Atkinson
Chair, FSA Suffolk
Email: fsasuffolk@gmail.com

We will review concerns fairly and respond within a reasonable timeframe.

Complaints relating to personal information will be handled in accordance with our Data Protection Complaints Policy.

19. Liability

FSA Suffolk will take reasonable care when providing membership services and organising activities.

However, membership does not guarantee any specific professional, financial or personal outcome.

We are not responsible for independent professional advice or services provided by individual members unless we have expressly agreed to provide those services ourselves.

Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded.

Members retain all applicable statutory rights.

20. Changes to these Terms and Conditions

We may update these Terms and Conditions to reflect changes in our activities, membership arrangements or legal obligations.

The terms applicable when a member joins or renews will ordinarily govern that membership period.

Any material changes affecting existing memberships will be communicated appropriately and will not remove statutory rights.

21. Governing law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes will be considered in accordance with applicable UK legislation.

22. Contact and policy review

Organisation: Forest School Association Suffolk (FSA Suffolk)

Contact: Charlotte Atkinson, Chair

Email: fsasuffolk@gmail.com

Website: https://www.fsasuffolk.org.uk

Effective date: 20th October 2025

Next review date: 30th October 2027

These Terms and Conditions will be reviewed periodically to ensure that they remain appropriate, fair and consistent with relevant legislation.