Rules of Admission & Membership

Objects

1. The Objects of Centres for Seafarers is the advancement of the spiritual, moral and physical well being and the relief of need of persons who are or have been seafarers, their families and dependents without distinction of creed, gender or nationality.

Admission

1. The facilities of the Centre are available to all who meet the objects (these are known as Members).
2. The Trustees of the Centre wish to encourage all those in the Ports, who have a legitimate interest in the welfare of seafarers, and who support the Centre's objects, to make use of the Centre and its facilities (these are known as Supporters of the Centre).
3. Those Supporters who use the Centre are likely to be, but not be limited to, ship owners and agents, cargo and full surveyors, port officials, Customs and Excise and others concerned specifically with legitimate ships business.
4. The Trustees and Chaplaincy team also welcome organisations that have historically supported the three Societies (such as, but not exclusively, the Ladies' Guild and Watch Ashore; and other marine related organisations such as the Merchant Navy Association, the Wrens Association, The Royal Navy Association, the Sea Cadet Corp, the Solent Veterans, Southampton Master Mariners).
5. Use of the Centre by any group will be at the discretion of the Trustees, Manager or Chaplaincy team, and will never be to the exclusion of visiting seafarers.
6. The Centre reserves the right to charge at fully commercial rates for any use of the Centre and facilities that does not directly support the welfare of seafarers, their families or dependants.
7. Organisations and their members who use the Centre will be known as either "Members of the Centre" or "Supporters of the Centre".

Membership

1. Those who meet the objects of the Centre (Members) are required to complete a Member's application form and will be issued with a Membership Card.
2. Those wishing to apply to be a Supporter of the Centre, which must be proposed by an existing Supporter, should contact a Trustee or the Centre Manager for a Supporter's application form.
3. An annual fee of £5.00 (five pound sterling) will be charged as a means of supporting the Centre's activities. The membership year will run from June 1st. The initial fee for those joining mid year will be pro-rated to the nearest month.
4. Renewals for membership will be sent in May of each year. Membership will be deemed to have lapsed if no response is received by the end of that month.
5. Supporters of the Centre will only be admitted on the production of a current membership card.
6. A strict code of good behaviour, including the observance of the no smoking requirements, will be presumed.
7. The Trustees reserve the right to withdraw membership of Members or Supporters at any time.

Attendance

1. All who meet the objects of the Centre and Supporters of the Centre must sign in each time they visit the Centre.
2. It will be in order for a member to "sign in" a guest, so long as that guest is not "signed in" more than four times in any one membership year.

Pastoral Responsibility

1. The Trustees and the Chaplaincy Team, being mindful of the aims and objectives of the ICMA Covenant, will endeavour to ensure that they, the Centre's lay staff and volunteers, act in accordance with those said objectives, in the manner in which they provide spiritual and social welfare to seafarers (currently working and retired) and their families and dependents, through this, the Centre's maritime ministry.