Introduction
Membership currently costs just £4.25 per month. Don’t forget that if you leave your job or retire, you can still retain your CSSC membership.
Membership cards are issued annually in January to a member’s home address. If you do not receive one it means Head Office (HO) do not have up to date details for you. This can easily be rectified by doing one of the following:
- Visiting My Account and updating your account (you will need to be logged in)
- Telephone membership section at HO on the following number 01494 888444
Public sector membership
Any person working in the public sector (PS) is eligible to join, no longer just civil servants (CS)/legacy British Telecom (BT) Post Office (PO) staff.
This is due to a change in how CSSC is funded and subsequent change in the rules. As a result, this includes all:
- NHS
- Local Authority
- County council staff
Find out more about who is eligible to join us.
In addition there are a few private companies who primarily work for the PS who are eligible. Learn more about corporate membership.
Linked membership
Direct members (i.e members who work or have retired from a ‘qualifying’ public sector organisation) are called qualifying members (QMs) and can recruit up to six linked members (LMs) who are age 18 or over. These can be family, friends, colleagues, anyone in fact!
QM’s pay their own subs and the LMs pay their own subs by monthly, quarterly, or annual Direct Debit.
Learn more about linked membership.
Member Get Member Scheme
To help and encourage volunteers to recruit new members, CSSC nationally will give a £10 My Savings+ credit for each person a member recruits. There's no limit on how many people a member can recruit. Recruit 10 members and members can earn themselves £100 cash back to spend on anything they choose!
Event booking Policy
When booking a place on a trip or event, the full amount payable is required unless otherwise specified e.g. Whitemead, when details of deposits and balances will be promulgated. No places will be reserved until the appropriate payment is made.
For members wanting to bring their children (under 18) on Yeovil Area events and trips, they can do so at the subsidised member rate if the following applies: two adults in the household MUST be CSSC members.
If a member is the sole adult in a household, then contact your office rep or Audrey Haskell, Area Chair, for further advice.
Paying for a trip or event
When paying for a trip or event, please refer to the Members Guide to Electronic Banking.
It is essential to follow these instructions i.e. inform the event organiser and email the finance team.
You should explain that a payment has been made, using the following information:
- By whom
- How much
- What for (i.e. provide a reference Cardiff, Whitemead, Karting etc)
Claiming for a trip or event
Please list all different types of activities on separate forms and show each date for the participation in that activity. Complete the form in full (e.g name & dept etc) as insufficient detail could result in the claim form being returned for clarification.
Please ensure your current membership number (starts with 30XXXXXX) and contact details are quoted on all forms. Claims older than three months from the date of the event will not be paid.
Yeovil Area CSSC pay and receive payments via internet banking i.e. BACS payments for member’s claims. Find out more about Members Guide to Electronic Banking:
- Save your ticket stub from the relevant event (if theatre visit or one off event) and attach to your completed form
- Produce a receipt (e.g. if you go swimming) and attach to your completed form
- Obtain a signature on your form from the instructor or proprietor (if attending an independent aerobics class or hiring a badminton court etc)
- Books of tickets (i.e. swimming) will also be entitled to the same subsidy as above
There are two ways you can submit a claim to the Finance Team:
- Scan in your receipts, complete your claim form and sent to the assistant treasurer via email
- Photograph the receipt and do the same
If you’re unable to send a photo/scan of the ticket/receipt, then do not email the claim form alone as this creates an unnecessary administrative burden for the Finance Team. Just attach your original ticket/receipt to a hard copy of the claim form and either pass it to your office rep or post it to:
- Mike Haskell
- 3 Cherry Tree Drive,
- Yeovil, Somerset,
- BA20 2NJ
All receipts are embedded into a spreadsheet which meets audit requirements and negates the need for a hard copy to be retained.
General data protection rules (GDPR)
CSSC takes all aspects of GDPR very seriously and Head Office and volunteers alike take great care to only utilise/request the minimal amount of information from you for an event and then to only keep it for as short a time as possible. If it's any different on odd occasions, we'll let you know.
Locally, as advertised in our monthly newsletter, you just need to let any of the listed volunteers know if you no longer wish to receive any documentation. In addition, all CSSC members were sent an email explaining how and where they can control what information they receive via HO by going to the privacy page on the CSSC website.
Cheques
If paying in by cheque for an activity or events, please write separate cheques for each event. All cheques should be made payable to Yeovil Area CSSC and NOT any other variation of this.
Event organiser incentive
A little incentive for all volunteers who organise events for the Yeovil CSSC Area Association (AA). People have to work hard to ensure that events are well co-ordinated and run smoothly on the day. It all takes planning and use of their time and effort.
In order to keep organisers and to encourage new ones, the Committee agreed that the organiser goes free up to a max of £50 (approx. 50% of our most expensive trips). This is at the discretion of the Committee and does not include regular items. For specifically organising group visits to events at the Octagon Theatre, Yeovil, the organiser will receive £10 off the member’s rate price.
Local discounts
Sport reimbursement scheme. A refund of £1.00 per person, per week on all weekly activities listed below can be claimed by Yeovil Area members. No claims over three months are allowed. This does not apply to club memberships, only for weekly activities.
If there is a sport or activity you wish to see added to the following list, just contact a member of the Committee requesting it be considered before submitting a claim:
- Aerobics
- Aqua Aerobics
- Badminton
- Dance
- Football
- Golf
- Gym
- Horse-riding
- Kickboxing
- Pilates
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- 10 Pin Bowling
- Yoga
- Zumba
Theatre reimbursement scheme
A refund of £3.00 per member per month will be paid on anything showing at the following:
- Octagon or Swan Theatres or Westlands, (Yeovil)
- David Hall (South Petherton)
- The Warehouse (Ilminster)
- Victoria Hall (Crewkerne)
- Strode Theatre (Street)
No claims for a film showing will be paid as discounts for cinemas can be obtained through the website. But any Cineworld or Westlands live streaming event is included in this offer.
Total claims should not exceed more than one per month in total and receipts or ticket stubs are required as proof of attendance. No claims over three months are allowed. Please complete the claim form and submit as sports scheme above.
Regional theatre reimbursement scheme
The regional theatre reimbursement scheme covers:
- Mayflower in Southampton
- The Hippodrome in Bristol
- The Theatre Royal in Bath
For any of the shows advertised a £15.00 subsidy towards travelling expenses is available. Members need to book their own ticket (date and price bracket to suit) and make their own travel arrangements. Details of the specific shows are advertised in the monthly newsletter.
Annual event reimbursement scheme
A refund of £5 per member can be claimed on any or all of the one off annual events advertised in the monthly newsletter. Receipts or ticket stubs are required and must be accompanied by a completed expense claim form. No claims over three months are allowed. Completed claim forms should be sent to the Finance Team as above. Please contact your rep if you have ideas for events to be included in this category.
National Trust reimbursement scheme
Members are eligible to claim reimbursement for 50% of the cost when visiting National Trust properties for up to six visits per year. Please present a completed expenses claim form to the assistant treasurer etc as described above. No claims over three months are allowed.
Gym and sport centre membership discounts
Check out our fantastic gym discounts, with over 2,000 gyms listed.
Also see the My Savings+ page in the CSSC offers booklet (issued each year with new membership card). All that is required is to follow the links in the booklet and print out a voucher for a local gym that gives 10% discount off the normal membership costs. This offer does not include Goldenstones but does include the Nuffield Health Club, Yeovil.
Bingo machine and P.A. machine
Yeovil CSSC has a bingo number generator and display box available for members to hire at the cost of £10 per event including the bingo card.
The Area also has a fairly compact PA system with microphones that can be hired at a cost of a £20 refundable deposit.
To book and arrange collection and return please contact Audrey Haskell on 01935 434819 or by email.
National membership privileges and discounts
Don't forget to check out the huge range of membership privileges now available to CSSC members across the UK. Details are on this CSSC website.
For the Yeovil spotlight, please see the Yeovil page.
National travel policy (NTP)
CSSC now has a National Travel Policy (NTP), though travel & subsistence payments will be made by the Areas in the SW Region and we will then be able to get reimbursed some of the cost by HO.
This will apply to those attending regional competitions as well as some national events not covered by HO direct. The main change is that taster days are no longer included as you can travel to anywhere in the country to take part.
Each of the national events is categorised, so not every national event is covered by this system (i.e. Pudding Club and Hillwalking are two examples not covered). No travel expenses can be claimed for these from any other source either as the subsidy on the event is at source. The full policy is available here.
In addition, the Yeovil Area will often specify that NTP rate is claimable for a mid-distance area event rather than lay on a coach or minibus (i.e. events at Poole). The rate is the same and, in all cases, currently payable by the Yeovil Area - just submit a claim within three months in the usual way (as described earlier).
The agreed rate is half the standard volunteer mileage rate. That means as of May 2018, the current NTP rate is 12.5p per mile plus 5p per mile per CSSC member passenger.
Online shopping with CSSC
For a whole range of discounted tickets to attractions (a large proportion are in the SW Region alone) plus excellent prices on most cinema tickets (about half price), use the search field at the top of any page of this website.
Savings partner CSSC savings
CSSC savings is offered to members to save money when shopping online, in store or by phone with access to over 2,000 discounts, cash back and voucher partners.
CSSC savings is working on members behalf to secure the best deals, offers and savings possible. There really is something for everyone from major retail brands, small shops and independents to a market-leading range of discounted high street and supermarket vouchers.
Hopefully CSSC members will enjoy taking advantage of the fantastic benefits and other features on offer. Features include free Lotto of £1,000 (rollover of up to £3,000) - pick your own numbers - alongside discounts with various retail outlets including:
- Morrisons
- Sainsburys
- Tesco
- Caffe Nero
- Costa
- Currys
- M&S
- Debenhams
- Ernest Jones
- H Samuel
- Halfords
- National Garden Vouchers
- Sports Direct
Most high street stores are covered either with Love2Shop gift cards or Say Shopping Passes!
The Health & Wellbeing section includes:
- Free credit rating report
- Debt management advice
- Eyecare savings
- Free to enter competitions
My Market Place section whereby you can trade items and bag a bargain.
English Heritage
All CSSC members have automatic free access to all English Heritage sites, as does one adult attending with each CSSC member and up to 6 children (thanks to CSSCs national arrangement).
All members need to do is show their CSSC membership card. Also there’s 15% off at online and onsite retail shops! Use search to find the full list of sites.
CADW (the Welsh equivalent of English Heritage)
All CSSC members have automatic free access to all CADW sites, together with one adult and up to three children under 16. Just show CSSC membership card. Use search to find the full list of sites.
Historic Scotland (the Scottish equivalent of English Heritage)
CSSC members are entitled to 20% discount on their first year’s membership entitling them to:
- Free entry to all Historic Scotland properties including Edinburgh and Stirling Castles
- Free entry to over 400 daytime events including spectacular jousting at Linlithgow Palace
- Free quarterly magazine
- 20% discount in the shops, including our online shop
- 10% discount in Historic Scotland cafes
- Half price entry to over 500 heritage attractions throughout the UK in your first year of membership and free entry in subsequent years
Podium – members’ magazine
Our members’ magazine, Podium, is produced twice a year and emailed out to all members for whom we have an email address on record. It’s packed full of brilliant articles on health, wellbeing, sports, member events and activities, plus loads more fascinating insights.
If you’re not currently receiving your copy of Podium please update your marketing preferences to receive our emails.
Insurance
CSSC's public liability insurance provides cover against legal liability for death, injury or illness to any person and damage to material property of any third party happening in connection with CSSC activities (the business) and occurring during the period of the policy. Exceptions apply, e.g. firework displays.
Please refer to the CSSC National website for more details.
Yeovil Area CSSC does not accept responsibility or liability for any loss or injury however caused. Members are advised to provide their own personal injury and accident insurance.