By signing the application / renewal form, you are confirming that you have read and agree to abide by these rules.
Membership & Membership Renewals
Membership of ESFG Lyon is a family membership. As such it extends to parents (and step-parents), children, grandparents, other caregivers and close family members.
Membership runs from the 1st September to 31st August each year and is non-refundable. Membership fees are set by the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and must be paid in full at the start of each membership year. Reduced fees will be applied for members that join later in the year.
Members are expected to renew their membership in a timely manner: the initial deadline for renewal is the 1st September each year. The committee may decide to set a final deadline for membership renewals and all members will be informed of this date by email: any members who have not renewed by this date will be considered to have terminated their membership of ESFG Lyon.
Being an Active Member / Helping to run ESFG Lyon
ESFG is a volunteer-run organisation and depends entirely on members to organise and run its activities. All members are expected to participate in the activities of the association as best they can. This might include: attending the AGM or sending a proxy vote, helping to organise a party or other event, helping to run a playgroup, the Library or another regular event, joining the Committee and / or taking on a Board role.
The association is run by a Committee of up to 10 members, which includes the Board (President, Vice-President(s), Secretary, Vice-Secretary (Membership) and Treasurer)*. The committee meets monthly to consider applications for membership, to organise events and to make decisions relating to the budget and spending.
Participation in the AGM is an important part of being an active member. A quorum of 25% of members must take part in the AGM to enable it to make decisions. Each member who cannot attend the AGM will be able to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. Where specific issues are being considered and voted on, members will also be able to express their preferred option via a proxy voting form. This will be included with the invitation to the AGM that is sent to all members.
*Further information about the responsibilities of individual committee / Board members is available from the President of the association.
Members’ Contact Details
To facilitate communication within the group, ESFG Lyon members are given access to each other’s contact details via the ESFG Members Directory available on our secret private Facebook Group (for those not in possession of a Facebook account this list can be sent by private email in a password-secured format). This contains the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of all our members. By joining ESFG Lyon you are agreeing that the contact details you provide will be shared with other ESFG Lyon members. This contact information is not to be shared, passed on or copied to any individual or group outside the members of the ESFG Lyon.
Using the Email List
All official group-related communication takes place by email using a single Google Groups address. It is intended to allow members to organise events, pass on useful information (especially about language, bilingualism, Anglophone family life in Lyon), ask questions that start “Where in Lyon can I…?” and to sell / give away second-hand goods. All members are asked to provide at least one email address that will be shared with other members of the group. This list is maintained to include all current Members of ESFG.
The information circulated through this address is not to be copied or forwarded to any individuals or organisations outside the group without the expressed agreement of the poster.
Using the Facebook Group
The ESFG Facebook Group is intended to allow members to make informal contact, to share articles and other information etc. The privacy settings are set at ‘Secret’ and the group is administered by the President, Membership Secretary and Secretary. Only current members of ESFG Lyon are invited to join the FB group and non-renewing Members are removed from the group.
Advertising to other Members via Email List and Facebook
Advertising members’ businesses and other commercial activities is not a primary function of ESFG Lyon. However, some limited advertising within the group is permitted and all members are asked to abide by the guidelines provided below:
- Each member is allowed to send ONE advert per year via the ESFG email list. This message should contain information about the goods / services on offer and provide contact information such as a link to a website, a Facebook page, an invitation to join a mailing list etc.
- Each member is allowed to share ONE advert per year via the ESFG Facebook page. As above, this message should contain information about the goods / services on offer and provide contact information such as a link to a website, a FB page, an invitation to join a mailing list etc.
- The ESFG email list / Facebook pages are NOT to be used as a mailing list. Members who have indicated that they wish to be added to a mailing list for the purpose of receiving further information about your business should be contacted separately from the group as a whole.
- As above, members’ email addresses and other contacts are NOT to be shared with or passed onto third parties outside the group, for any purpose.
ESFG Lyon Events & Activities
General
As ESFG membership extends to the whole family (including children, parents, grandparents and others), all family members are welcome to attend our regular events. Nounous, nannies and au pairs etc. are welcome to accompany children to events as long as they can speak English to the extent that they can participate in the activities.
Non-members, and the children of non-members, cannot usually attend our events as our insurance cover only extends to members of the association. If you wish to invite any non-members to our events, please contact the Committee in advance. From time to time, we can offer temporary membership to families that wish to join in with our larger events.
Event organisers and hosts should note that ESFG Lyon aims to be inclusive of all members and their families. While the activities at an event may be aimed at a specific age range, older and younger siblings are welcome to attend events along with their parent(s). Parents are responsible for their own children at all times and at all events.
English is to be spoken at all our events. Any non-English-speaking parents should be aware that all event information, activities etc will be provided in English only.
Organised Events: Playgroup (PG), Baby Playgroup (BBPG), Magic Key Club (MKC), Parties etc.
All members attending our organised events are expected to help run the event. This might involve helping to set-up or to clear-up, preparing or supervising a craft or other activity, helping to serve food or drink etc (the tasks will vary depending on the nature of the event). For bigger events, like the Christmas Party or Summer Party, the organisers will assign tasks to attendees. For smaller events, like PG / BBPG / MKC, all members are expected to help out as best they can, under the direction of the event organisers.
Parents should be aware that the park outside the Playgroup Hall is a public park, and that parents are responsible for their own children at all times and at all events.
ESFG Calendar for informal events
The ESFG Calendar, hosted through the private secret Facebook group, can be used to organise informal get-togethers / coffee mornings / book swaps / baby groups etc, which can be held at home or in a suitable venue like a cafe or park. Members can set limits for events that they are hosting, such as the numbers attending, or suggest a theme / provide song sheets etc.
Only other members of ESFG Lyon are to be invited to attend events that are included in the ESFG Lyon Calendar.
Members should note that ESFG is not responsible for any accidents / injuries / losses that happen at informal events organised by members.
Photographs taken at ESFG Events
Photographs may be taken at ESFG events, either by a member acting as photographer for that event or by other members attending the event. Photographs may be shared with other members using the ESFG Google groups email list, Facebook group or by online file sharing. Photographs are posted on the understanding that if any objections to the posting of specific photos are raised, the photo will be removed by the administrators of the Facebook page.
ESFG cannot prevent members from posting photographs taken at ESFG events on their own Facebook pages / feeds or on other social media. However, we would expect all members to exercise a commonsense approach, particularly if posting photographs that include other people and / or their children.
Disclaimer
Members should note that ESFG Lyon does not accept any responsibility for accidents, injuries or losses occurring at any ESFG Lyon events. All members should ensure that they have the appropriate personal insurance.