Spice Yorkshire Enquiry Pack
Hi there! Welcome to the wonderful world of Spice. The following pages are designed to give you some background information on Spice. If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to look through our separate event brochure. Spice is a national membership organisation which started in 1981. There are currently 8 regional groups throughout Great Britain who have helped over 100,000 members ‘live their dream’ for over 30 years. As the country’s leading adventure, social and leisure group for adults, we offer a range of activities such as sports and social nights, action and adrenalin days, weekends away and holidays of a lifetime. More importantly, as a member of Spice you will have the opportunity to build new friendships, widen your social circle and have more fun than you ever thought possible! We are not a singles group; we encourage couple as well as single membership. Our ethos is on having fun with like-minded people, and with such a variety of events, we believe there really is something for everyone! So if you, or someone you know, needs some Spice in your life, you’re in the right place. Go on - give yourself something to look forward to! Best wishes
Lauren Fawkes Lauren Fawkes Spice Yorkshire
Spice Yorks Ltd Adventure, Sports and Social Group c/o The Stables, 11 Poplar Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 9AN Tel: 0161 864 2554 E-mail: info@spiceyorks.com www.spiceyorks.com
Frequently asked questions There are many things to consider when thinking about joining SPICE. Hopefully, some of the more frequently asked questions are answered here. Can I come to events on my own? Although SPICE is not a singles club, about 75% of our membership is single and 25% are couples, so it is acceptable and usual to come to events on your own. You will find SPICE is very friendly and people chat to everyone else regardless of whether they’ve met them before. Therefore, SPICE is a great way of meeting new friends and trying new things whether you’re single or not. Do I need a car? You will need transport to get to the various events. However, members often travel share and we send out a Transport Share List for weekend events and some of our larger events, like the Black Tie Balls. Many events are also within the grasps of public transport and we are happy to advise where this is available. If you wish to attend an event and think that you might have a problem in getting there, just call the SPICE office for some additional advice and guidance. Can I bring my children on events? Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate children on our events for several reasons. SPICE is priced around adult insurance premiums and the instructors to participant ratios are much higher for children. SPICE insurance only covers over 18s. Also, one of the attractions of SPICE for some members is that it is adults only, so it gives them a chance to have time away from the children. Occasionally, we can offer events that take children if the supplier’s insurance overrides ours and this will be announced in the event write-up. Do I need special equipment? In most cases no, one of the great things about SPICE is that you can try an activity and see if you like it before spending hundreds of pounds on equipment. Most of our events are aimed at the beginner unless stated otherwise. All specialist equipment and instruction is provided and no prior knowledge is required. However, for some events you will need your own things such as walking boots, waterproofs etc. if you want to go on the rambles. Can I pay by credit card? Yes. SPICE accepts Visa, MasterCard, Visa Debit and Maestro Cards. Do I have to go on a certain number of events per month? No. Spice is there for you to enjoy as you choose. You may do five events one month and then nothing for another month it’s entirely up to you.
I don’t want to Bungee jump, or skydive, can I just do the more social events? Yes. You can do whichever events you want - it’s entirely your choice. You never know, you may find with time that you expand your own expectations and have a go at something that you never dreamed you would. Can I bring a friend along? Guests are welcome on all SPICE events. We ask guests to pay a guest price, usually about 10% more than the member price - details appear in the event write-ups. You may only book guests onto an event after the 10th of the month, as members have priority in booking events. We ask that guests only attend 3 events, after which time we expect them to join - in the long run this can work out cheaper as they do not pay guest premiums! Do I have to go to a new members’ event before joining? No, some members never attend a new members’ event. It is a good starting point as you get to meet other people in the same situation, or if you are unsure about joining it’s a good place to have a chat to us and to get some more information on SPICE. I work shifts and sometimes don’t know my availability until the last minute No problem. Although it is better for members if they book earlier in the month, we do accept bookings with spaces left up to the day of the event. Bookings can be made over the telephone via credit or debit card. Help - I’m nervous about my first event! Don’t worry! There’s no need to be worried as SPICE is a very friendly organisation. Don’t be afraid to mention that you are on one of your first events to the Co-ordinator or Volunteer Co-ordinator (VC). We are there for exactly this reason and it’s a great reward for us when we see you enjoying yourself an hour later! If you have any questions at all just give the SPICE office a call and we’ll always do our best to help you over that first hurdle. I don’t know which event to go on first As a guide, an active event e.g. a ramble or an event where you are split into teams such as ten pin bowling is a great way to break the ice. Our Dinner Shuffles and New Members Meals enable you to meet lots of other members. Theatre nights are a bit harder to get to know people on. However, as the programme is varied each month, why not give us a call and we’ll go through the ones that are good first time events in the coming month.
After reading through this Information Pack, you may still have some questions about SPICE. We’ve tried to answer the most frequently asked questions, however, if you have a question that is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ring us on 0161 864 2554 and we’ll be happy to help!
Lauren. Jonathan and Jill
What is Spice? Spice is the largest, adventure, social and leisure group in the UK. Spice Yorkshire was established in 1990 and we have over 900 members in our region having fun and enjoying life to the full. Offering around 100 events every month for you to choose from, we are a local group for local people. Whilst we have no doubt of the amount of fun you’ll have on our events, the Spice ethos is based on friendship and bringing people together, offering you the opportunity to build new friendships and widening your social circle. The programme is seasonal and not fixed. We’re always putting on new events to keep the programme fresh & exciting, but don’t worry, some old favourites do come round again and again. Who joins? You! If your friends are playing ‘happy families’ and don’t have as much time to spare any more. You! If you have relocated to a new area with work or have moved after university. You! If you want to rebuild your social life after a separation, divorce, or bereavement. Others have joined us because they were fed up with being a golf or football ‘widow’ and wanted to develop an interest of their own. Age
You have to be over 18 to join Spice – there is no upper age limit. You can join at any age, though the majority of our members are in their mid 30’s to early 40’s. You’ll make friends with people because you have a mutual interest in, say, caving or kayaking.
Background Spice is a great leveller and Spice members come from all walks of life. You’ll find members more interested in what events you have done / want to do rather than what you do for a living. We’re not a singles group! Spice is approx 75% singles and 25% couples. Many couples book onto separate events to maintain some independence, whilst enjoying some of the bigger events together, like the weekends, holidays and black tie balls. If you are looking for love, we believe we have a better success rate, as our events are more relaxed. Plus, you'll have so much fun on the events waiting for that right person to come along! Did you know? Spice membership costs just £3 a week. That’s the equivalent of a glass of wine or a cup of ‘designer coffee’ a week. There is no joining fee or cancellation fee and there’s no contract; the minimum membership period is just 3 months. Spice Yorkshire was established in 1990 and we have over 800 members in our region having fun and enjoying life to the full.
Isn’t it time you invested in your social life?
What do I do next? If you like what you’ve seen so far, why not –
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Join us! See over for a great joining offer!
Special offer!
Fast Track Membership Join SPICE within 7 days of receiving this pack and we will issue you with event vouchers worth
(£50 member, £50 guest) To claim your vouchers, write ‘7 day voucher offer’ on your application form
Terms and conditions apply. This offer only applies to new members joining Spice for the first time
£100 of Spice vouchers!
Spice up your life! This is your opportunity to SPICE up your life – do extraordinary things, meet new people, expand your horizons and live life to the full! If you have ANY questions holding you back from the first step of this new phase of your life, please do not hesitate to contact the office and we will do our best to explain everything to you. What Do I Get? Comprehensive web based event list and email based newsletter every three months detailing hundreds of events. You choose as much or as little as you’d like to do, book via the website, by phone or post or fax your bookings to us. You can pay for events by credit/debit card or cheque. We make all the arrangements, once you’ve booked on an event, all you have to do is look forward to it and then turn up at the venue (as per the write up) to enjoy yourself ! No work, no hassle, all the stress in arranging an action packed social and adventure life is done for you. Included are the SPICE UK national and international holidays, giving you access to a range of fabulous action packed and relaxing holidays with SPICE members from around the country. Quarterly Payment by Direct Debit The vast majority of members choose Direct Debit for convenience because it spreads the cost of joining. Any changes to your Direct Debit have to be notified to you in writing as per the terms of the Direct Debit scheme’s guarantee. Single membership: Joint (two people at the same address):
£12 per month £18 per month
Once we have received your initial online joining details we will send you a direct debit form to continue your membership. Please do not fax it because we need the original signature on file for the bank. Your membership will be debited from your account automatically on the 15th of the month (or as soon as the bank receives the instruction). Annual Payment by Cheque or Credit Card For those who prefer not to pay by Direct Debit, you can pay for the whole year by cheque or credit card. We can even take your details over the phone for payment by credit card if you can’t wait to get started. Single membership: Joint (two people at the same address):
£144 per year £216 per year
Personal Accident & Public Liability Insurance Your subscription fee includes public liability insurance on all the events you take part in with SPICE so if you damage any property or equipment you are covered. Your subscription also includes personal accident cover whilst taking part in any SPICE event. This used to be an optional cost of £25 per annum but is now included for all members in their subscription. Facebook Don’t forget to like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SpiceYorkshire to keep up to date with all that’s happening.
Join today and start having fun!