Membership policy
Membership Terms and Conditions
These Terms apply to all members on any membership plan, whether free or paid.
They cover the agreement between you, the Member, and UK Soul Choirs, t/a Soul Choirs, 62, Joy Lane, Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT
By following the joining process of signing up through our website and selecting a Membership of UK Soul Choirs you are accepting the terms and conditions in this Membership Agreement.
For new members you should only sign up and join if you are willing to accept them.
For existing members, you should only continue to participate in the activities and experiences and learning resources that we offer if you continue to agree with them.
These terms may be updated from time to time, to include additional clarifications, or clauses relating to new products and services.
Everytime we update our membership terms we will communicate changes to members.
Only you, the person named in the online joining process, can benefit from this Agreement. If any of the terms of this Agreement are invalid, unenforceable or illegal the remaining terms can still be enforced.
This Agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales.
You should print a copy of this Agreement for future reference.
Membership Plans
We have different levels of membership, which are advertised in our website, and subject to future change.
Each offers a core set of membership benefits.
Free Taster Membership
This membership offers the opportunity to try one of our rehearsals once, for free, before choosing to join the choir on a paid membership.
Choir Membership - Annual, Monthly or Termly fees
This membership offers access to our rehearsals, online resources and a minimum one performance per term.
Paid Plan definitions
Flexi Monthly - Pay a recurring monthly fee with no long term commitment. When you are convinced you want to stick around, you can log in to switch to an annual membership or cancel on your terms.
Flexi Termly - Pay one fee per term (12 weeks including concert) for the terms you want to do. This plan is only available at the start of term only, otherwise pay monthly or annual.
Annual Membership - 1 annual payment that covers full membership for the year. Concessionary discounts apply.
Annual Membership (paid monthly) - This membership includes the same as an Annual Plan but split into 12 monthly manageable payments of £27.50. Concessionary discounts apply. Due to the cost of living crisis we have reduced the annual tie in to 4 months (the equivalent of just one term) to enable more flexibility for members in this difficult time. We reserve the right to review or revoke this policy at anytime however memberships entered into under this amendment will be honoured.
Concessions
Concessions are only applicable to Annual Memberships and Annual Pay Monthly Memberships. If you fall under one of the following categories then apply CONC30 as a discount code on annual one off membership or CONC30MONTH for annual monthly payments. This will reduce your annual membership by £30. You are limited to one concessions discount per subscription. We can only operate concessions on a trust basis so please consider not using the code if you don’t need to so we can prioritise those that do. We reserve the right to withdraw our concessions policy if misapplied. Please check the following concessions definitions to see if it applies to you: Senior/Retired - If you are officially retired or aged 66 or over. Family - It’s a family affair! For those who have a spouse or family member also paying a concurrent choir membership (including any multiple household members). This can be applied to all family members. I.e mother/daughter, spouses, long-term partners. Unemployed - For those who are receiving jobseekers allowance or equivalent, or if you are self-employed going through a difficult patch, no questions asked. Students - Students in full-time or part-time education. Registered Disabled - If you have a registered disability and receive benefits or a blue badge for example. NHS and emergency services workers - A small thank you for the work you have done over the last few years and continuing forwards.
Obligations as a Member
You agree to receive and read Members communications and updates, and where required, for instance to confirm attendance at performances, to respond to requests in a timely manner.
If you choose to take part in activities laid on for members, you agree to do so with the community spirit as laid out in our policy.
You agree to not be disruptive to the Choir leader or other members in rehearsals.
You agree to your attendance being registered at Soul Choir rehearsal sessions - and some performances where necessary - either digitally using the Soul Choirs Check-in web app, or on paper if data signal does not allow. You understand that your attendance data is only for internal and operational use and to comply with fire safety and insurance policies.
You agree that your actions at any or all of our rehearsals, events, performances, social gatherings or any other occasions you will not bring UK Soul Choirs into disrepute.
Payments by Members
Members agree to maintain timely payment through the various online payment systems we set up to collect payment.
Where applicable, you agree to maintain a direct debit instruction with your bank for the monthly/annual Membership amount.
If we collect payment by credit or debit card, you agree to keep these card details up to date throughout the term of your membership.
Where Members are paying for a full annual subscription, but broken into smaller payments, it is the responsibility of the member to pay for the full term for which their subscription runs.
Communications
We will primarily use the email you have signed up with to communicate with you on a regular basis, and during Terms, this will likely be an email at the beginning of the week.
Members are advised to search for our emails which may have landed in spam or junk folders, and to whitelist them.
We are not responsible if for whatever reason, you are not receiving communications from us due to your email and security settings.
We will also post occasional updates with key information to ensure all members have the necessary information when login in.
Whilst you can unsubscribe from emails at any time, we recommend that you don’t whilst you are still a member.
We are not responsible for emails which have not been delivered for any reason. Members should login regularly to keep up to date with events and activities, and alert us if you think you are missing communications, and if so, we will endeavour to send you.
Your use of the Member’s Area
Access to the Members Area is granted based on your membership plan.
You are responsible to keep your login secure and not share with anyone.
If you forget your password, you can request to reset it via the website login page.
If you believe you do not have access to the content based on your active subscription, you are responsible for letting us know so we can check this and amend access rights as necessary.
Use of our Member’s Resources
We will make every effort to produce clear and useful resources for you to enjoy the various rehearsals, events and activities laid on for you, and we share this via the Member’s Area with you.
You must use the online resources and downloads we make available in our members area or any connected app in the proper manner.
These resources are not to be distributed or shared beyond your own personal use. If we find resources are being shared by a member then we reserve the right to terminate their membership.
You must consult your Choir Leader if you are unsure about use of any of our resources.
Your Consent to be included in marketing videos or photographs.
You consent to incidental inclusion in marketing photographs that we may take from time to time, at any of the events, experiences or activities we organise.
We will endeavour to warn members when we have contracted official photographers, and you can ask them not to be included in any shots.
Payment methods
Where and if applicable, the membership fees payable are inclusive of VAT at the rate applicable at the current time.
We may use a range of 3rd party payment providers that provide secure online payments, and we do not store anyone’s credit card details.
Members always maintain control of their payment details so can cancel payments at any time.
It is the responsibility of a Member to ensure their payment method is set up correctly and their fees are being paid/collected successfully. While we or our payment system providers may inform you of any issues or errors that can occur from time to time, any overdue amounts will be payable in full.
Collection of your Personal Information
We take our Members privacy seriously
Please read our privacy policy.
Your Health and Safety
Where we deem it appropriate, or where it is required by venues, we will carry out specific health and safety risk assessments to ensure we have assessed any risks to our members and or the general public.
We are however not responsible for damage to person or personal belongings whilst attending rehearsals, events or other activities we organise on your behalf, before and after.
We hold appropriate insurance for all events run by UK Soul Choirs.
Provision of Service and/or disruption to Rehearsals
We take every care to ensure we put on an uninterrupted full term of rehearsals.
In the case of illness of a musical director taking rehearsals, we will endeavour to find a stand in or provide extended rehearsals to catch up.
In the case of cancellation of a rehearsal, we will make every effort to catch up on lost learning time either online or in extended rehearsals.
Right to perform in our public performances
We want all our members to enjoy the experience of performing with the choir at a formal public concert should they wish to do so.
Each term we plan to organise at least 1 performance, but we cannot guarantee the size, location or nature of the performance.
For members who join within 4 weeks of a performance, they should seek advice from the musical director as to whether they are ready to perform.
We reserve the right to refuse a member to perform in a concert and will lay out the reasons if that is the case.
We reserve the right to invite non-members to perform in the concert at our discretion.
Additional Performances fees
The basic membership fee does not cover any performance fees which may be charged, depending on the venue we are to perform at.
These will depend on the venue we are performing at and sometimes are free, other times cover access to a party or for additional costs e.g for musicians. The Member is not obliged to perform.
Additional Services and Activities
From time to time, we organise additional activities which are in addition to the core programme of rehearsals.
Some of these may be included in membership, some will be ticketed on a first come first served basis, and some may be discounted to our members.
COVID-19 Policy
In the unlikely event that government enforced COVID-19 restrictions prevent in-person rehearsals, we would return to our full Home Sing programme of 3 sectional rehearsals per week plus monthly Social Sing format for as long as is necessary. We cannot offer refunds but those who cannot make use of the online platform should email us to let us know in reasonable time so we can pause their membership, restarting when restrictions ease.
Refund Policy
We offer a range of plans which is designed around a member’s preference of paying and reflects their commitment to the choir’s activities. As such we do not offer refunds on monthly subscriptions. Please see our cancellation policy for cancellation options within an annual term.
Cancellation Policy
Cancelling an Annual Membership
If you wish to cancel your membership during your annual commitment term, the following policies apply:
- Cancellation During Annual Commitment Term:
- You will be liable to pay for the time you’ve used the membership, calculated at the Flexi Monthly rate (a flexible, month-to-month plan) for the first 3 months.
- After the first 3 months, the remaining time will be calculated at the Annual Monthly rate.
- Payments are rounded up to the nearest month.
- If You Signed Up for an Annual Pay Monthly Plan:
- You must have made at least 4 monthly payments before you are eligible to cancel.
- A balancing figure can be requested to settle the account in full at the time of cancellation.
- If You Signed Up for an Annual Pay Yearly Plan:
- Upon cancellation, we will calculate the pro-rata usage based on the same formula as above (Flexi rate for the first 3 months, Annual Monthly rate thereafter).
- The remaining balance of your annual payment will be refunded to you.
Example for Annual Pay Yearly Plan:
If you cancel after 4 months of usage:
- The first 3 months are charged at the Flexi Monthly rate (£52/month), totaling £156.
- The fourth month is charged at the Annual Monthly rate (£30).
- Total usage cost is £186.
If you originally paid £300 for the annual membership, you would receive a refund of £114 (£300 - £186).
Any concessionary discounts applied to your annual plan will be factored into the amount you’ve already paid. However, they will not be applied to the calculation of the Annual Monthly rate or Flexi Monthly rate for the usage cost.
Cancelling a FLEXI MONTHLY / TERMLY Membership
Cancel direct from your profile before your renewal date and no more payments will be taken, you will retain your log in so should your situation change, you can rejoin us at anytime. FLEXI Termly does not auto renew.
Our Rights
We reserve the right to increase the price of membership. We will give you at least 1 full months' notice of any price increase and will make it clear when the price increase will take effect.
During this notice period you reserve the right to terminate your membership in accordance with these terms and conditions. If you choose not to terminate your membership before the date the increase becomes effective, the price of your membership will be increased in accordance with our notice.
If you are paying by direct debit your monthly payments will automatically be amended to cover the new price.
If you are paying by credit or debit card, this amount will automatically be charged.
Disruptive Behavior Policy
Soul Choirs is committed to fostering a respectful, enjoyable, and inclusive environment for all members. To ensure the highest quality of experience for everyone involved, the following guidelines apply to all rehearsals, performances, and other Soul Choirs activities:
- Respectful Conduct:
Members are expected to treat each other and the choir leaders with respect. Disruptive behavior that negatively impacts other members’ experience or interferes with the leader’s ability to run a session is strictly prohibited. - Prohibition of Substance Influence:
Members must not attend rehearsals, performances, or any other choir-related activities under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. - Membership Termination:
Soul Choirs reserves the right to terminate membership if a member's disruptive behavior:- Significantly affects the experience of other members, or
- Interferes with the effective leadership of any activity.
By participating in Soul Choirs, members agree to abide by these guidelines. These measures are in place to ensure a positive and harmonious environment where everyone can thrive and enjoy the music-making process.
Amendments
UK Soul Choirs Reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time without notice.
Contact Details
Use our online enquiry form or contact us at the following address:
UK Soul Choirs
62, Joy Lane
Whitstable
Kent
CT5 4LT