European Customs Sports Association

EUROPEAN CUSTOMS SPORTS ASSOCIATION

EVENT ORGANISER’S GUIDE

Introduction

The objectives of the European Customs Sports Association (ECSA) are:

To encourage sports and recreation between Customs personnel of European countries;
To facilitate friendships and links between sports associations and sports bodies for Customs and associated personnel within European countries;
To encourage mutual understanding between Customs officials, strengthen team spirit and build a positive image of Customs.

Events, and thus event organisers,play an essential part in ECSA meetingits objectives. To help you in organising your event we have produced the enclosed stationery pack. If you require any further help please contact your country’s ECSA representative or ECSA President, who is currentlyJan Hlinka.

This guide has two purposes. First, it hopes to serve as a guide to people who have no previous experience in organising events. Secondly, it hopes to bring to the attention of organisers the particular ECSA aspects of events, where ECSA status has been granted or an application made.

Guidance Notes

Planning the Competition

To run a successful competition it is essential that you are prepared and organised well in advance. The following points will help you before, during and after the event.

Timing

Try to arrange a day and time that will attract the maximum number of entries.

Bear in mind the traditional seasons for your sport and that many potential competitors will be involved in other leagues.

Avoid dates when majorevents in your sport are being held andalso peak times for your administration’s business.

Try to allow enough time for all competitors to get plenty of games. Play round robin when possible, rather than straight knockout; people will have come a long way and will want to play a number of times rather than just once.

Venues

Venues should be suitable for your event and, where possible, situated in reasonable proximity to major transport links; you will be more likely to get a good attendance if potential competitors can travel easily and cheaply to your venue. Health & Safety is obviously of paramount importance when considering where to hold your event. Always obtain a copy of the venue’s H&S Risk Assessment and satisfy yourself that it covers all aspects of the event that you will be holding. If unsure about any aspect, liaise with the venue’s H&S Manager and keep your administration and ECSA informed.

ECSA status

This must be sought in writingby 01st August i.e. in good time before the Annual General Meeting.You should present a well-planned business case for the event.

Transport

Arrange transport to and from both the accommodation and the venue for participants. Participants must be advised well in advance if they will be picked up from the airport, train station, etc. If they will not, they should be given clear directions as to how to get to their hotel etc.

Booking and funding events

When you have received confirmation that the costings are acceptable and have fixed a date for your event complete Form 2 and send it to the person in charge of bookings at that venue. Keep a copy for yourself.

Make your booking in plenty of time before the event. If exceptional circumstances force cancellation or revised arrangements, let ECSA and the participants know immediately. Remember, competitors will be making their arrangements well in advance.

Publicity

Let the ECSA President know as soon as arrangements are confirmed. Write out to administration DGs as soon as possible, copying the letter to each country’s ECSA representative. Early notification maximises the chance of a good attendance at the event. If inviting VIPs, make sure to do so well in advance – their diaries are usually booked up months ahead.

Insurance

You must ensure that adequate insurance is in place. This can be the venue’s insurance (check that it is adequate) or your own insurance. Alternatively, competitors can be asked to arrange their own insurance (in this case, you would need to have procedures in place to check that they have done so).

Before the competition

Use Form 3 to draw up a checklist for yourself. The following points may help:

1.Confirm the booking of the facilities – Form 2.

2.Check the booking again before the day to ensure that all your requirements will be available.

3.As soon as the details of the competition have been confirmed arrange for the publicity and entry forms to be prepared – Form 4.

4.Book referees or umpires. Check that they are still available nearer the date.

5.If you require help running the event,contact your administration and/or ECSA. ECSA may know of people in other countries who might be willing to help.

6.Order the trophies – Form 5.

7.Ensure that any perpetual trophy is returned in time for the competition.

8.Arrange for someone to present the trophies – Regional Director/administration DG, ECSA representative.

9.Prepare the draw sheet.

Posters and website

If you are able to prepare posters advertising the event and send these to potential participant countries, this should help to generate good publicity. Ensure that the full address of the venue is shown on the form. Another idea is to set up a website for the event or better still, user the ECSA website (contact the ECSA president for details).

Entry forms

E-mail entry forms should be sent to ECSA member countries representatives, who will distribute to potential participants.

Entry fees

These should be considered and notified well in advance. Make sure that payment

arrangements are highlighted. Always try to get payments by bank transfer, making it

clear that any costs involvedare the responsibility of the person paying.

Trophies

Arrange for good trophies and medals to be awarded; they make an important

contribution to whether the event lives on in people’s minds afterwards (and thus to

the success of future events). If the same trophy is handed out annually, make sure it

is returned in plenty of time. Special ECSA stickers to add to trophies and also cloth

badges may be obtained from your ECSA representative.

Details of entrants

Forms 6 and 7 if appropriate – should be completed to show details of all those who took part in the competition. These should be kept with your own records so that a database of previous entrants can be built up. Make sure to obtain emergency contact details from all entrants.

On the day

1.Arrive well before the designated start time so that you can greet the competitors and ensure that all the agreed facilities and equipment are available.

2.Ensure that late entrants complete an entry form if they have not already done so.

3.Collect any outstanding entry fees.

4.Complete the draw sheet.

5.Explain the format and the rules of the competition. Be prepared to answer any questions.

After the event

Safekeeping of trophies

Some trophies are only kept for a year, before being returned for the next event. If this is the case, you will need to make this clear to the trophy winner(s) and keep a record of who has the trophy and where it will be kept. The winners will need to arrange return of the trophy in good time before the next event. Be sure to send them a reminder in plenty of time.

Event accounts

Make sure that arrangements for the keeping of accounts are clear well in advance. Those responsible for the expenditure of monies should be reminded to keep proper receipts and to submit them promptly. Arrange for the accounts to be independently audited, so that you can clearly demonstrate the financial propriety of your event. Form 8 may help with your accounts.

Organisers’ expenses

Form 10may be useful for reclaiming expenses.

Results

Most ECSA member countries like to know when any of their members have done well in competitions. Form 11 should be sent to the ECSA representative who will then circulate the results.

Don’t forget to write a report of the event for your administration’s website and for the ECSA website too.

Event evaluation

Was the event a success? Did the participants go home happy? If you can,hand out Event Evaluation sheets to all the participants and collect in as many as possible before the competitors leave.

CONTENTS

Forms / Send to
1. / Estimates Form / Treasurer
2. / Booking confirmation for facilities / Venue
3. / Competition planning check list / Keep in your records
4. / Publicity details / Publicity person
5. / Trophy Order Form / Trophy company
6. / Details of entrants / Keep in your records
7. / Details of entrants continuation sheet / Keep in your records
8. / Statement of Income & Expenditure / Treasurer
9. / Bank Payment details and paying in slip / Treasurer
10. / Organisers Expenses Claim Form / Treasurer
11. / Competition results / ECSA representatives

FORM 1

ESTIMATES FORM

Type of event ……………………………………… Date of event …………………………

Name of Organiser ……………………………………………………………………………………..

Home/Office Address …………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………..

Tel. No: Office…………………………………Home …………………………………………...

Mobile …………………………………Email address ………………………………….

Estimated number of competitors ……………....Suggested entry fee …………………………..

Hire of facilities / £
Hire/Purchase of equipment
Officials expenses
Catering
First Aid
Organiser’s expenses (Give details)
Other (Give details)
TOTAL / £

Please send these details to the treasurer before you confirm your booking of facilities.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

ESTIMATES FORM REPLY SLIP

Organiser ……………………………………………..Date of competition ………………….

Your estimates for the above competition are/are not acceptable. Please proceed with the planning/see letter attached. If payments out have to be made in advance a reimbursement of expenses may be claimed prior to the event.

Signed ………………………………………………Date …………………………………...

FORM 2

To / Address
Company
Address
Date
Tel. No.

Dear

I wish to confirm the booking of the following facilities:

Venue

Date

TimeStart

Finish

Facility

Costper hour/per session/per person

Catering(No. of people to be confirmed nearer the date)

Food required

Cost overall/per head

First AidI understand that First Aiders will be available if required.

I will arrange for First Aiders to attend.

Additional Equipment required

Send an invoice to xxxx

Please do not hesitate to contact me at the above number if necessary.

Yours sincerely

Event Organiser

FORM 3

PLANNING THE COMPETITION

CHECK LIST

BEFORE THE EVENT / √ / DURING THE EVENT / √ / AFTER THE EVENT / √

FORM 4

PUBLICITY

Please(1) obtain and issue posters for the following event.

(2) supply me with ………………. entry forms.

I enclose a map of the locality on which the venue is indicated.

DETAILS OF COMPETITION

Name of organiser
Address of organisation
Telephone No.
FAX / Office
Home
Type of sport
Type of competition
Teams/singles/doubles
Date of event
Start time
Full address of venue
Last date for entry
Entry fee
Will refreshments be available?
National Qualifier / Yes / No
Date of Nationals

Details of special rules for competition ...... …………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Any other details to be shown on entry form……………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

FORM 5

TROPHY REQUIREMENTS FORM

Name of competition ……………………………………………………Date of event ……………………………………………………………….

Name of organisation …………………………………………………..Telephone No……………………………………………………………….

Please list below the trophies required and the engraving to be shown on each one.

TYPE OF TROPHY / ENGRAVING REQUIRED

THIS FORM SHOULD BE SENT AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT

Date ordered ……………………………………………………………………………………..

FORM 6

DETAILS OF ENTRANTS

NAME OF COMPETITION ……………………………………………………………………………………………

NAME OF ORGANISER…………………………………………………………..TEL No. …………………………………………

DATE OF COMPETITION…………………………………………………………ENTRY FEE CHARGEDYes / No

NAME / ADDRESS (w) / Tel. No. / Paid

USE CONTINUATION SHEETS IF NECESSARY. KEEP THIS WITH YOUR RECORDS

FORM 6

DETAILS OF ENTRANTS

CONTINUATION SHEET

NAME / PID No. / ADDRESS (W) / Tel. No. / Paid

KEEP THIS SHEET WITH YOUR RECORDSFORM 7

FORM 8

STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE

Name of competition ………………………………………………………………………….Date held …………………………………………………..

Name of Organiser …………………………………………………………………………..Tel No: ……………………………………………………..

EXPENDITURE / INCOME
Hire of facilities / £ / Entry fees entrants/teams @ £ / £
Hire/purchase of equipment / Sponsorship
Organiser’s expenses / Grant
Officials expenses / Other
Catering
First Aid
Other
TOTAL / £ / £

This is a true statement of the income and expenses for this competition.

Signed …………………………………………………………………………………………Date ………………………………………………………..

THIS STATEMENT SHOULD BE SENT TO THE TREASURER WITH FORM 9 AND 10 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE COMPETITION

BANK PAYMENTS

Record the payments made below and send the sheet to the treasurer together with the bank stub of the bank paying in slip(s). If you make several deposits please advise the treasurer of the amount after each deposit.

BANK DETAILS

Date banked / Total of cheques paid in / Total of cash paid in

SEND THIS TO THE TREASURER TOGETHER WITH THE STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE AFTER THE EVENT.

FORM9

ORGANISERS EXPENSES CLAIM FORM

Name of Competition …………………………………………………………………………………………

Name of Organiser ……………………………………………… Tel. No: …………………………

Address or Organiser …………………………………………………………………………………………

Travelling **
Postage
Telephone
Other – give details
Total / £
Less
advance / £
Balance Due / £

** Cars ………Rate per kilometre (if paid).

Public transport – cheapest standard return fare available.

I wish to claim for the above expenses and enclose receipts (where appropriate).

Signed ……………………………………………………………….Date ……………………………….

NBNo expenses will be paid until the Standard of Income & expenditure (form8) is submitted.FORM 10

FORM 11

COMPETITION RESULTS

COMPETITION ......

VENUE………………………………………………..DATE ………………………………………

ORGANISER...... Tel. No. ……………………………………

NO. OF PARTICIPANTS…………………………………………………………………………………

Position / Name / Identifier
1ST
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th

SEND THIS FORM TO ECSA MEMBER COUNTRIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE COMPETITION.