Secretaries/Administrators

Some clubs have an appointed Club Secretary, but clubs operating on a Management Team basis may have people sharing this role. Key responsibilities include:

It may also be worth looking at Club Management, Guidelines, Policies and Processes and Forms

Committee/Team Meetings 

See Administrative Meeting Guidelines

Club Record Form and Data Protection

Club details are held on BB&O and NAFAS databases for administration purposes.  Club Secretaries should complete the online Club Record Form whenever there are changes, and at least annually following their AGM.  Some details are also held on the BB&O and NAFAS websites.  To comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 the club secretary should advise all club officers, management team individuals and anyone else whose details are defined on their Club Record Form to complete a BB&O Data Protection Agreement Form. This also includes individuals whose contact information is published on this website.

The club record form must include at least 2 email addresses for the club’s mail forwarding list.  Each club has a generic email address, eg oxford@bbandoflowers.org.uk used on club pages of website and Area Secretary distribution list.  Emails to the generic email address forward to the individuals nominated in the Mail Forwarding list on Club Record Form.  The email addresses on the mail forwarding list can be any members of committee or management team.  The aim is to ensure emails get through and are actioned. 

Maintaining Member/Visitor Details and Data Protection 

A subscription form should be emailed/delivered to prospective members just before or after an AGM, and to others at appropriate times. See Sample Club Membership Form – Feb 2022 which could be downloaded and adapted to meet club needs.  Your club may not want as much information as on this sample form but it gives options.

Contact details for members should be maintained in whatever medium is most acceptable – could be an electronic file/spreadsheet/database or simply written in a book,  Ideally there should be a distribution list of email addresses that is used when forwarding/circulating information electronically. 

Contact details for members should be maintained in accordance with Data Protection guidelines, but should be shared with other members of the committee/management team for the purposes of conducting club business.  This is also true for club visitors, although the member and visitor lists should ideally be kept separate.  

Passing on Information

Information and newsletters from  the club committee/management team, BB&O Area, NAFAS or general enquiries from the public should be passed on appropriately – either to individuals or all members and visitors.  Usually this will be via email, but for those members who do not have an email address this may need to be printed and/or given verbally – whatever works best in the situation.

Emails from Area or via the website are sent to clubs via the generic email address, which forwards to the mail forwarding list as defined on the Club Record Form. Ideally the mail forwarding list should include at least the chairman and secretary/administrator, but could be anyone in an appropriate role.  Normally, by agreement with the chairman or management team, it would be the responsibility of the secretary/administrator, who maintains the Distribution Lists, to forward emails to club members and visitors.  See Club Management for more details on the type of information should be passed to specific individuals, and what should be forwarded to club members and visitors.  

When emailing news and information to members and visitors the email addresses should be included in the BCC (Blind Copy) field rather than in the the TO field unless members have indicated they are happy for their email address to be shared with other members.

Keeping Members up to date

In conjunction with the chairman, ensure members are kept up to date with what it going on in the club, area and NAFAS.  This could be via a newsletter, phone calls or introductions at club meetings.

Keeping Area up to date 

In order to update NAFAS and facilitate appropriate publication of achievements (eg in Area newsletters) Club Secretaries/Administrators should email news@bbandoflowers.org.uk and photos@bbandoflowers.org.uk ideally with photos attached if clubs or their members receive awards are at any of the following events, ideally as soon as possible after the event.  Note – it is not necessary to complete a form for BB&O Area shows as these results will already be known.

  • RHS Chelsea Flower Show
  • RHS Malvern Flower Show
  • NAFAS Flower Show
  • Harrogate Flower Show
  • Other Flower Show

Booking venues

Booking of venues is often done by the secretary/administrator, but may be done by the chairman, treasurer, secretary or anyone on a management team. Whoever does it, it is worth referring to Health and Safety Risk Assessment for Venues.  As the treasurer would normally pay the bill it is appropriate to involve that person in any booking correspondence.