Caravan and Motorhome Club facts for kids
| Formation | 14 June 1907 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | East Grinstead House |
| Location |
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Region served
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British Isles |
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Official language
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English |
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President
|
Viscount Coke |
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Main organ
|
The Club Council |
| Affiliations | FIA |
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Staff
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900 |
| Website | www.caravanclub.co.uk |
The Caravan and Motorhome Club is a large club for people who own caravans, motorhomes, and campervans in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It started way back in 1907. Today, it has nearly one million members who love to travel and explore in their vehicles.
Contents
How the Club Began
The club was created in 1907 and was first called The Caravan Club of Great Britain and Ireland. Its goal was to help people who enjoyed "van life" as a hobby. The club wanted to improve the design of caravans and help members find good places to camp.
Over the years, the club's name has changed. In 1959, it became simply The Caravan Club. Then, in February 2017, it changed to the name it has today: the Caravan and Motorhome Club. This was to show that it welcomed owners of motorhomes as well as caravans.
How the Club is Run
The Caravan and Motorhome Club is a membership organisation, which means it is run for its members. A group called the Executive Committee makes the main decisions. They work with the Club Council, which is made up of members from all over the country. This makes sure that members have a say in how the club is run.
The club is also part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA is a worldwide group that looks after the interests of drivers and motoring clubs.
With over 900 staff members, the club is a big organisation dedicated to helping its nearly one million members.
Places to Stay
The club runs about 200 of its own large campsites. It also has a network of over 2,200 smaller, private sites called Certificated Locations, or CLs for short.
What are Certificated Locations (CLs)?
A Certificated Location (CL) is a small, private campsite in the United Kingdom that can have up to five caravans at a time. These sites are only for members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club.
Staying at a CL is often cheaper than staying at a bigger, commercial campsite. There are more than 2,200 CLs, and many are in quiet, countryside locations. They might be on a farm, next to a pub, or on a piece of land owned by a family.
To be a CL, the site must meet certain standards set by the club. For example, they must provide drinking water and a place to get rid of rubbish and toilet waste. Some CLs offer extra things like electricity, showers, and toilets. Because they are certified by the club, you know they are safe and well-kept.
There are a few rules for using CLs:
- You must be a member of the club.
- Only five caravans or motorhomes are allowed at once.
- You can't stay for more than 28 days in a row.
- The sites are for holidays, so you can't use them for permanent living.
The National Rally
Every year, the club hosts a huge event called the "National Rally." It takes place over the Spring Bank holiday weekend at the end of May. The rally is like a giant festival for caravanners. It's often held in the beautiful grounds of a historic house and can attract up to 10,000 people!
The very first National Rally was in 1936 at Leamington Spa, with 100 caravans attending. For the club's 100th birthday in 2007, the 80th National Rally was held at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.
Other Help for Members
The club offers more than just campsites. It provides many services to make travelling easier and safer for its members. These include:
- Insurance: Special insurance for caravans, motorhomes, cars, and even pets.
- Travel Booking: Help with booking ferry trips and campsites in other countries.
- Expert Advice: Technical help and tips for taking care of your vehicle.
- Speaking Up: The club also works with the government and other groups to stand up for the rights of its members.
Working with Friends
The Caravan and Motorhome Club partners with other organisations to give its members extra benefits.
- Haven Holidays: Members can get special deals at 21 of Haven's holiday parks.
- National Cycle Network: The club helps members find great bike rides. Over half of the club's campsites are near one of the 12,000 miles of cycle routes in the UK.
- RSPB: The club is a "Species Champion" for the song thrush, a type of bird. It helps the RSPB protect these birds.
- Highways Agency: The club works with the agency that manages England's major roads to make sure travel is safe for everyone.
See also
- Camping and Caravanning Club
- Caravan parks
