Centre Rules Governing Rallies

1. General

1.1. Weekend Rallies normally commence at 4.00 pm Friday. However, the Rally Steward has the discretion to open earlier on the Friday, please let members attending when you are opening the rally. Weekend and Bank holiday rallies are limited by the following rule.

1.2. Rallies up to 5 days: These rallies are organised under a Paragraph 6 exemption to the 1960 Act and must be completed within 120 hours from the first caravan arriving to the last caravan leaving the field. The Rally Steward, who will be involved in setting up in advance and clearing up afterwards, is able to arrive on-site one night earlier and depart one night later, thus extending the 120-hour limit: however, this privilege, which should be exercised sparingly, is for only one outfit occupied by the Rally Steward and any other persons travelling with the Rally Officer in their outfit.

1.3. Stewards may ask for proof of Caravan and Motorhome Club membership at any Rally. This can be physical card or digital card on the Club app. Only members of CAMC are allowed to stay overnight in their own unit.

1.4. The centre now has a lightweight feather flag which incorporates the CAMC flag and the centre flag. The Exemption certificate regulations and centre guidance require this to be displayed so that we can be identified.

1.5. Where we are rallying on un-licenced land and using CAMC Exemption Certificate the site must always be supervised. If the Stewards leave the site, they must ensure the Co-Stewards, or another member, takes responsibility for the site.

1.6. Should another rally be taking place on the same site as Midland Centre this is acceptable as long as the different clubs are clearly separated.

1.7. The rally book is now digital and can be downloaded from the website on to your iPad or tablet, or printed if you prefer.

1.8. If a Steward feels a member’s behaviour or the behaviour of a member’s children or pet is causing a nuisance, the Steward is permitted to ask a member to cease the behaviour or leave the site.

1.9. No Stewards to cancel a rally without a committee decision.

2. Booking, payment and arrival

2.1. For weekend rallies online or telephone bookings must be received by the Steward of the rally not later than the Monday before the rally, otherwise you will not be notified if a rally has been cancelled or the location changed.

2.2. Holiday Rallies or Special Events sometimes use a separate paper booking form because a deposit is required, there may be specific site information that needs to be communicated to the Ralliers and payment arrangements are usually different (eg. Site fees paid in advance).

2.3. On any limited rally, a £5 non-returnable deposit must be paid online, or your place cannot be reserved. Bank details will be provided.

2.4. Where rally fees are payable in advance, no refunds will be given if you cancel within 7 days prior to the rally and your place cannot be reallocated.

2.5. On arrival, you will be expected to pay any appropriate fees, including VAT, (unless otherwise stated) to the Stewards. Additional payments may be required, including VAT, if a social or other entertainment’s have been organised.

2.6. Payment on weekend rallies is by card using the centre card machine on arrival. Cash may be accepted. Cheques are not accepted on weekend rallies. Payment for holiday rallies and special events is by bank transfer or cheque in advance.

2.7. Yellow signs with MCCC on will be displayed as prominently as possible on the approaches to the site. Directions given should be used in conjunction with a larger scale map and the rally book. DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON SAT NAVS.

2.8. All members, upon arriving on site, should report to the appointed Steward before pitching their unit. Any visitors should also report to the Stewards on arrival.

2.9. One pitch only may be reserved for a friend, providing it is not required by another member. Extra pitches can be reserved at the discretion of the Stewards. On some rallies where siting is difficult reserving of pitches may not be possible.

3. Safety on Site

3.1. All vehicles are restricted to WALKING PACE (Max 5mph) on site and learner/unlicensed drivers are not permitted.

3.2. Units, excluding guy ropes, must be 6 metres apart from adjacent units. This is to allow sufficient emergency access and to provide a fire break. Vehicles may be parked between units, provided that a 3-metre clear space is left within the 6-metre gap at all times.

3.3. Children’s pup tents are classed as an integral part of a unit in the same way as an awning when they are occupied by children and when no appliance with a naked flame is used in or close to them. This means that a child’s pup tent is not required to comply with the 6-metre rule and can be pitched close to the parents’ unit. Only one pup tent is permitted per caravan, to be situated to the rear of the caravan provided this is not a vehicle access route.

3.4. Bearing in mind the danger of FIRE, the Committee consider it necessary for every van to be equipped with an approved type of FIRE EXTINGUISHER and simple FIRST AID KIT. ALL RALLIERS ARE REQUIRED TO PLACE A BUCKET OF WATER/FIRE EXTINGUISHER AT THE TOW BAR OF THEIR CARAVAN.

3.5. Open fires are not permitted on the rally field. Sky lanterns or similar are also not permitted. The use of gas cylinders to supply a caravan via an external barbecue supply point is not permitted.

3.6. Drones are not to be used on rallies without permission being obtained from CAMC.

4. Adverse Weather

4.1. Avoid undue damage to the entrance and site by unnecessary use of vehicles in bad weather. When a YELLOW BAND is attached to the Centre Flag, ALL vehicle movement ON or OFF the field is forbidden unless permission is given by the Stewards. When a RED BAND is attached to the Centre Flag absolutely no vehicle movement is allowed.

4.2. Anyone requesting a tow on the rally field does so on the understanding that in all cases the owner/driver of the towing vehicle does not accept any responsibility whatsoever for any damage however caused to the stranded vehicle or its owners or occupiers. Responsibility for damage will in all cases rest with the owner/ driver of the stranded vehicle.

5. General Behaviour

5.1. The good name of the Club, Centre and Caravanning will be better enhanced by the standards we maintain. Site vans tidily around the perimeter or in lanes, paying attention to the figure at the end of this document. Park your car on the blind side of the van and keep the area around your van clean and tidy. Pull forward a few yards on leaving and check to see you have left no litter behind.

5.2. Ralliers must ensure that they and their children do not cause damage to trees, fences, farm buildings, equipment, stock, cars and caravans, etc. Ralliers are responsible for the behaviour of their children and guests. Should damage be incurred then the full cost will be demanded from the parents or guardians. Please adhere to Out of Bound signs.

5.3. The riding of bicycles between the caravans and any sports or activities likely to cause a nuisance and or damage are NOT allowed. Ball games are permitted only with the agreement of the Stewards or Committee, on an open space well away from caravans.

5.4. Dogs and other pets must be kept under control at all times. No animal is allowed to be loose on the site and must always be on a lead not longer than two metres if outside a unit. Stakes should be located by the caravan axle(s) or equivalent location on a motorhome. (Not at the front of the outfit). Dogs are not allowed into organised social events or halls unless they are registered assistance dogs. Members must remove any droppings left by their pets.

5.5. Noise should be kept at a minimum from radios, televisions and other sources such as generators, and there should be no noise whatsoever between 11pm and 7am. The practice of flying flags and other items from poles or similar will only be permitted during daylight hours.

5.6. The use of generators will be restricted to 2 hours use between the hours of 10.00 am and 6.00 pm only, and not to be a nuisance to your neighbours. Stewards and or Committee excluded from above times where the use is for social purposes. Only fully silenced and smokeless units may be used.

5.7. The club considers the use of e-cigarettes (vaping) the same as cigarettes and as such, all legal requirements should be adhered to in their use during a club event.

6. Public Health

6.1. All units must have their own sanitation and toilet facilities, unless the Rally book states the site has its own facilities.

6.2. The contents of chemical toilets must not be disposed of on the site except into the disposal point identified by the appointed Steward. Toilets or their tanks must not be rinsed or filled at the rally drinking water supply.

6.3. Members attending a rally must take their refuse home with them if receptacles are not provided.

6.4. Please ensure you are aware of any current health advice regarding COVID related rules and restrictions.

7. Units and Spacing – Further Guidance

7.1. In August 2022 CAMC made two significant changes to the Centre Guidance.

7.2. From August 2022 CAMC has decided to allow tents on Centre Rallies. This is not something we have had to manage before, and it will be a learning curve.

7.3. The Committee will be checking with sites that they will accept tents on site and any sites that will not allow tents will be display in the Rally book.

7.4. If you have a tent booked onto your rally and have questions or concerns then please get in touch with the Chairman, Secretary and / or Rally Secretary.

7.5. At the same time CAMC has looked at the rally diagram we currently use, supplied by Natural England. This is now considered outdated; we believe this was originally drawn in the mid 1980s.

7.6. The guidance on spacing will not be amended but the way we deal with continental units with the door on the offside will now be relaxed. These can now be sited either way around.

7.7. For simplicity the Committee recommend that we generally plan to stick to our current guidance which is to place all A frames / motorhome cabs facing in the same direction. But should site layout or rally attendees preference be to site a continental unit the other way around this will be fine.

7.8. Please remember, that should you have two units with their doors facing each other, the 3m between awnings or canopies is even more important.

7.9. Please note this guidance is for units with an offside door only and is not an excuse to site UK nearside door units the wrong way around.

7.10. The following page has the diagram which shows how all units should be pitched.

7.11. Rally Unit Spacing Diagram