We've recently joined the Caravan Club & received our membership cards & handbook. We're keen to get booking rallies and summer holidays/half tern holidays.We've asked to be members of our local centre but not had any contact from them - they haven't replied to my email. The centre websites all refer to rally handbooks for bookings. Will we be sent one? How do I find the address for bookings to other centres? We joined the first week in January so perhaps I'm being a bit impatient!
You will get sent one, but it can take quite a while. I used to be a caravan club centre secretary and when I was doing it, it could take anything from a few weeks to a few months to get all the details from the caravan club HQ. It could also be that the 2012 rally book is not yet finished although most centres will have them out by now, a few will be a bit behind.
You also have to bear in mind that the secretary who sends the rally books out, like all the other committee members do their duties in their spare time for free, as well as trying to enjoy their own caravanning, looking after their families and holding down a job.
Rest assured you will get a hand book, but it can take a little while for your details to get to the local secretary, particularly at this time of year when a lot of people are joining as this tends to delay things further.
If seem to recall that the centre secretaries have a telephone number printed in one of the caravan club books, failing that, if you look in the club magazine for a rally held by your local centre, their should be a number for the rally secretary who can give you a number for the membership secretary. f you contact them, they can get hold of East Grinstead and confirm your centre membership and get the rally book out in the next post, something I did on numerous occasions when new members were calling me but I had no record of them.
Quote: Originally posted by Rizzo on 23/1/2012You have to buy the rally book Theresa, take a look on their website, the rallies are listed there. Google your centre.
Unless the rules have changed recently, the centre is required to issue a rally book to all members. I know some centres have tried to get around this for existing members who do not use them, although this is a very grey area but new members should definitely get one.
I understand some centres have also tried charging for rally books and including a voucher for the cost of the rally book off your first rally of the season but this is also very close to breaching club rules.
You could try contacting head office and complaining if you get now joy, but this usually results in the chairman and / or secretary getting a strongly worded email or a telephone call from the director general's office... Might not be the best way to announce your self to the centre.
The secretaries numbers are listed on the Caravan Club Website, I recommend giving the secretary a ring.
Thank you all. Having browsed the CC website & various local centres I can see that everything is gradually being uploaded. I've picked out the rallies we'd like to do but some have become full already so I'll have to try for them next year. I want to book a summer holiday & a couple of half term breaks.I will contact the relevant rally secretaries otherwise we could miss out. I really don't want to cause any upset, thats why I thought I'd ask here first.
You are not tied to rallying with your chosen centre, you can rally with any centre, regardless of which centre if any you register with, you just have to be a member of the caravan club.
Thanks Dave, its the same as the C&CC. The main difference that I can see when booking is that the C&CC internet booking forms have the address to send them to, whereas the CC don't.
Some centres do have online booking but not all. Some centres have online booking but it won't go "live" until all the members on the centre;s records have had their rally books. As they are all run by different committees with different interpretations of the rules, inevitably there will be differences with the bookings from one centre to another. Most centres if not all will allow you to book over the phone if you call the rally secretary although he may ask you to call the rally marshal directly to book (he will have the number) The holiday rallies for all centres are usually printed in the club magazine, along with that months rallies, these will all give a telephone number and address.
I too quite fancied the idea of a get together, as I've only just bought a van and wanted to share the new experience. I joined a centre (apparently you can only join one, if you want to move, you have to ask permission , although, as said, you can partake in anyone's rally).
I've now received this year's rally book, quite an impressive list of rallies too. Unfortunately, I'm averse to the idea of using 'own sanitations' I'm not being snobby, but when my wife badgered me to buy a caravan, after years of camping, I always said if we had one, I would only use sites with facilities. Apparently, all rallies are on sites where one has to use the van's facilities, looks like I won't be going rallying then.
Red Mick - the holiday rallies I've picked out are on sites with full facilities and I've found that weekend rallies held during the winter months are mostly on full facility sites too. During the summer they tend to be field camping although I have 3 possible summer holidays to choose from(Cornwall, North Devon & Fordingbridge) all with EHU, WC/showers & I expect there are others in your area too. The C&CC also do meets on sites with facilities. Mind you, the field meets we've had with them have been great fun so I'm hoping the CC will be just as good so that we have more variety.
Dave, thanks again for all your help. Now I know its acceptable to do so, I will be making a couple of phone calls
They can be cliquey but on most of the C%CC meets we've been on we've managed to make fiends with at least one family & most people chat on the way to the water tap etc. So I'm hoping the CC will be as friendly!
As mentioned earlier, holiday rallies are usually but not always on commercial sites but with large discounts. You may find the facilities are a long walk from the rally field, but you may find you are in the main site with every one else paying full price, it all depends on the site in question. If in doubt, just ask the rally marshal / rally secretary.
With regards to rallies being cliquey, that is not my experience, but I have spoken to people who have joined us for a rally from other centres who have said that they have experienced this elsewhere, so I may just have been lucky. I will confess to being very nervous at my first rally because of the reputation the club and ralliers have but I found this couldn't be less accurate.
There is an element of getting out what you put in though. If you don't make an effort to converse with others on a rally then they will assume you don't want to be disturbed and leave you alone. If you make a small effort in my experience you will get a warm welcome.
I know it can be disconcerting to join a group of people who have known each other for years and in many cases for generations, but I found it well worth the effort and have made some of my best friends on the rally field.
If you are interested in a 1st rally, why not try Stowford Farm with South Wales Centre booking has not opened yet as the rally books have not been sent out, but I am sure Vince and Liz will give you a warm welcome.
I started rallying with the CC late last year and was made to feel very welcome - everyone was very friendly and they all made sure I wasn't left on my own at the evening activites. I found the CC members much more welcoming than the C&CC ralliers.
Planning to be a much more active rallier this year and have so far booked onto 9 rallies with the CC and am planning a couple of C&CC meets too.
I log onto the CC website and then click on the different centres to see where all the ralliers are - I have my own centre and 2 other local centres saved in "my favourites" on the computer so I can access them easily!
It can take a few weeks for your centre handbook to arrive but there is nothing to stop you from booking onto a rally - just contact the relevant secretary.
I see you are from Doncaster - we have done a few rallies with South Yorkshire Centre and they are a really good bunch of people. They are doing a May Day Rally at Epworth and there are toilets on site. I would recommend this as a first rally as they have a marquee for entertainment at night (and for the toilets!!!)
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: CC Holiday Rally
, although, as said, you can partake in anyone's rally).
