Constituting your club as a registered charity

Most affiliated clubs are set up as unincorporated associations. This is the simplest way of forming an organisation. But some opt to become a registered charity.

To do so you need to apply to the Charity Commission. This should only happen after a charity law-compliant governing document has been formally adopted by your club.

You may want to consider which would be best:  a CASC or a registered charity. A charitable organisation is precisely defined in law. It must:

1. Not be for profit
2. Have exclusively charitable purposes
3. Operate for the public benefit.

We advise you visit the website of the regulator for charities in England and Wales, the Charity Commission.

For more in-depth information, Swim England has produced a series of documents on registering and running a charitable club. You can find these below.