Waltham Forest Diving Club

New Fees Collection Policy

Parents of WFDC club members will be aware that deadlines for fees collection are now being more strictly enforced. A short explanation for this is offered.

  1. the club has some of the lowest fees in London but costs do not remain static
  2. the committee strives to delay fee increases for as long as possible and also to ensure that any unavoidable increase is as low as possible
  3. to achieve this the committee needs to i) maximise the income of the club using the limited number of places available and ii) ensure a constant revenue stream across terms
  4. there has been a problem with some divers leaving but not telling the club for several weeks into the new term so that a fee generating place is lost to the club's coffers
  5. late and lost payments make for a very unpredictable income stream which then makes budgeting very difficult
  6. the relatively low number of members (approx 60) means that every unrealised termly fee makes for quite a significant gap in our cost/income ratio
  7. we have a waiting list of new divers which means that every place not taken up costs the club real money
  8. the club is run by just a few volunteers who would ideally like to devote their limited available time to work more usefully for the benefit of the club and its members BUT the effort needed to chase late fees significantly and negatively affects their ability to achieve this aim

Given all of the above, the club committee has decided it now needs a definite financial commitment to the next term from all parents and this MUST be received by the last day of the old term.

The Membership Secretary then has the entire holiday period to contact divers on the waiting list to ensure the club fills every available place from day one of the new term.

The new policy on fees merely brings WFDC into line with all other sports clubs, leisure centre swimming lessons and activities such as ballet lessons which are ALL far more rigorous in collecting fees at the end of a current term to reserve a place on the next term.

The committee trusts that parents will understand the reason for the new fees collection regime which aims to strengthen the club's position and ensure a stronger future for diving in Waltham Forest.