These documents are to help with setting up a new bat group, formalising an existing group or developing an established group.
- Defining roles within a bat group (also see example role specifications for chair, treasurer and secretary)
- Charity registration
- Model constitutions: see Small Charity Constitution for charities with an annual income under £5,000 that don’t own a building or employ people and do not intend to register with the Charity Commission, or see Charitable Associations Constitution for relatively small unincorporated associations with a membership and planning to register with the Charity Commission.
- Further model governing documents can be found on the gov.uk website with additional links for Wales and Scotland, for other parts of the British Islands please refer to your Government websites. Each document starts with a description of what organisation it is most suitable for.
- Producing a development plan - contains advice for established groups but is also a good starting point to drive group formation.
- How to build a membership
Please also consider surrounding groups when starting a new group. We provide guidance on multiple bat group coverage within same county/administrative boundaries.
If you have any questions about setting up a new group or about bat group relationships with BCT please contact the relevant country officer:
- In Scotland contact Claudia Gebhardt: cgebhardt@bats.org.uk
- In the rest of the UK contact Abby Packham: batgroups@bats.org.uk
