Your branch needs you …………………We need some help please!!

We are looking for some help please with a number of jobs that need doing within the branch and are appealing for more volunteers.  All branch roles are undertaken by volunteers and we would like to try and get a lot more volunteers than we have to date in order to try and reduce the amount of work that any one person takes on.

Below is a list of roles we would like to fill and full support will be given to anyone willing to step forward.  No previous experience is needed for any of the roles but lots of common sense and a willingness to learn would be great.  We are asking people to commit initially to the role for one year (2025).

We are looking for:

District Commissioner

As you probably know our current DC, Georgie Davies, is retiring at the end of the year and we urgently need to replace her.  Each Branch is managed by its Branch Committee chaired by its District Commissioner. This role is primarily to oversee the Branch and its officers to ensure that our Branch is compliant with Pony Club Policies (Health and Safety , Financial, Safeguarding) as set out in the Pony Club Handbook, and ensure that the Branch delivers on the core requirements of the PC (training (mounted and unmounted), keeping children safe, provide access to equestrian sports provided by the PC and camps);

but also

• to attend Area 9 and other national PC meetings and bring back directions and recommendations to our Branch;
• to chair the Branch Senior Management team (decision making body) along with the Secretary, Treasurer Health and Safety Officer and Safeguarding Officer.

Full training is given to support this role, and a well run, competent, friendly Committee is in place. Full handover will be given and ongoing support in Branch and at Area 9 level is already well established. You will not be on your own!  Specific training is provided both at National and Area level

The time commitment is variable but lots of smaller roles are being filled to ensure that this is primarily a management role.  A very happy successful committee and Branch awaits

Discipline Managers

Our Branch has great competitive and non-competitive members. All will train at rallies and camps in our major sports, and for the competitive children we need Discipline managers. These roles are to:

• to have oversight of all appropriate Pony Club competitions, and advertise and get support for our members at these competitions
• organise training and to work with the coaches put together Branch teams at all levels, especially at Area qualifiers
• ensure that members competing are compliant with and understand the rules (eg whips/ spurs/ qualifications)
• act as a first port of call for any sport specific queries
• to be really enthusiastic in supporting at all levels, making sure we all have fun as well as being as prepared as we can be for competitions.

Managers are needed for:

• Show Jumping
• Eventing
• Dressage
• Mounted Games

Results Administrator

To collate and communicate competition results and reports

We have success at competitions from 30cm to 110cm across many disciplines and it is important to share this success in our Branch. Therefore we are looking for someone who can act as a port of call for our members to share their success in PC Competition from Eventing, Racing, Showjumping, Dressage, Tetrathlon, Mounted Games, Polocrosse, Unmounted activity and everything else in between, and write a few lines throughout the year to share with our Branch.

First Aid Co-Ordinator

All our rallies need to be supported by an Instructor and Volunteer (Parent) that is First Aid trained. This role is to organise this training, and act as a first point of call for First Aid kits ordering/replenishing and ensuring the right kits if in the right place (especially for Camps).

Tasks:

• Organise a First Aid course with our Supplier once maybe twice per year.
• Advertise
• Source venue
• Find suitable dates
• Contact candidates whose qualifications are running out (info provided)
• Advertise and promote to new parents/ carers/ volunteers

All contacts/ information is provided.

Merchandise Manager

We are a proud and happy Branch, and it is important that we are identifiable at Pony Club competitions so that we can look  smart and cheer our members on. We have an external company that provides branded kit, and have saddle cloth badges and pins which we manage in branch. We also had branded tops at all our camps this year.

This role is to ensure that people know how to get these items and ensure that all teams or those representing the Branch know what VWH kit to wear. If the saddle badges need replenishing, to reorder. To manage Camp merchandise orders (if any)

Tasks:

• Act as first point of contact for merchandise queries
• To promote what to wear at key times in the year (eg  before Area competitions)
• To manage the stocks and availability of saddle cloth badges ensuring people have them at the right time
• To work with Camp organisers to order any t-shirts and polo shirts for the Branch

All contacts/ information is provided

Please email VWH@pcuk.org for more information and/or if you are willing to put yourself forward