It is important that individual groups realise that they are independent and not branches of The FAN Charity. Individual groups cannot use the charity's name or charity number.

Each group submits its own name when requesting to be listed on our website. Each group is responsible for day to day running of its affairs and is not the responsibility of The FAN Charity.

The FAN Charity provides information about the format used for a fan group meeting and can provide helpful literature or resources. Groups wishing to run a according to the charity's principles and guidelines may ask to be listed. The charity may advertise individual groups in literature and on the website. The charity reserves the right to remove from the list any group not operating according to the charity's principles and guidelines.

1.  The primary purpose of 'The FAN Charity' is to promote friendship and social cohesion amongst people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

2.  The Charity is not allied to any religious or political organisation; we do not engage in any controversy; neither endorse nor oppose any cause or beliefs.

3.  The Charity is not responsible for the day to day running of individual FAN Groups. They are independent organisations.

4.  The Charity will list groups willing to accept and follow our objects, principles and guidelines and who supply a named contact person.

5.  The Charity provides information and a centralised system for listing individual fan group meetings, venues and times. It offers ideas taken from the experience of others, in order to promote harmonious and orderly running of new groups.

6.  These principles and suggested guidelines cannot cover all the aspects of running individual groups. Each group must take responsibility for the suitability of venue, donations, data protection, and safety of attendees. Every group should be fully self-supporting, organising its affairs in a way consistent with good practice for groups in the community.

7.  The Charity expects individual groups and attendees to avoid action that is contrary to these principles and may harm the reputation of the charity and other FAN Groups. Our common welfare should come first.

8.  No-one pays to come to a FAN Meeting but a group may accept voluntary contributions to help with running costs.

9.  A group may invite someone to act as Group Representative and/or be the named contact person. The Charity will keep this as a confidential record and destroy the information once the individual no longer needs/wishes to be listed

10.  The purpose of individual groups as recognised by The FAN Charity is to run a regular group meeting using the standard opening and closing statements and listening to each person in turn, as described in more detail in the guidelines below.

Although individual groups are independent of The FAN Charity and responsible for finding out about and running their own affairs - they may find the information offered here useful. Running your group properly is a protection for the group and its attendees.

The FAN Charity offers in these guidelines contributions from other groups. The guidelines are to help new groups to think about what they need to do to be successful. We can only offer general guidance and this is no substitute for situations where you may need expert advice on a specific matter. We cannot cover everything and, if in doubt about best practice, individual groups should seek advice from organisations that exist to support community groups - such as WCVA in Wales and NCVO in England which are independent third sector umbrella bodies that can give a lot of advice and guidance.

We wish to emphasise that individual groups need to take particular care and comply with all relevant legal obligations if they allow children and vulnerable adults in their groups. If they have concerns they should seek advice.

The meeting as developed by The FAN Charity has a simple but important structure. It is this meeting that makes people feel involved and want to return.

Meetings start on time and finish within one hour - or earlier. Many groups insist success comes from keeping to time and to the style of FAN meetings as outlined on this website.

Individuals speak once only, except for the person starting a meeting who may close it by saying a few words, such as thanking those who contributed.

The meeting is structured to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to be heard without anyone talking, turning to conversation or asking questions. The time to talk to another about what they have said is after the meeting.

Each meeting starts with the formal opening. This can be downloaded below for you to make laminated copies. Many groups find it works well to have the person who starts, read the first line. Then each person in the group reads a line in turn - passing if they don't wish to do so. Even people who have little English soon learn the opening and closing. The closing is short and usually read by the person who starts the meeting.

A different person starts the meeting each week when possible. Whoever starts talks about their week and a subject they choose. If there are newcomers most groups find it helpful say a little about themselves. Attendees listen in silence to each person. They do not talk to each other during the meeting as this might stop them from listening properly to the person whose turn it is to speak. Before or after the Meeting closes is the time to chat.

»  It is important for community groups to keep alert to health and safety matters. The group may wish to consider insurance - particularly if they also undertake other activities.

»  Groups who wish to run according to our principles may request a hard copy of this information, in booklet form, which includes experience and ideas of best practice, or it can be downloaded below.

»  Most individual Fan groups are organised for adults.

»  Individual FAN Groups all say they emphasise making each person feel welcome. A smile as people come in is often quoted as 'most important'. People like it if you have managed to remember their name or something they told you.

»  Attendees should take care about meeting others outside of the FAN meeting if they do not know them very well. The general advice is not to take risks, meet in a public place, with someone else, and let a friend know where you are going.

Groups accepting individual children and vulnerable adults need to pay particular attention to their legal obligations and health and safety matters. They should take relevant advice about insurance and CRB checks.

It is in everyone's interest that individual groups make it CLEAR that children and vulnerable adults are the responsibility of their parents/carers at all times. Groups could display a notice stating this if there is not one in the venue already, but such a notice does not remove the group's responsibilities for providing a safe environment for the meeting. The notice can also remind people to take care of their personal belongings as the group cannot be held responsible for loss.

People offering to help others with English should do this before or after the meeting, in the same public place where the FAN Group meeting is being held. There should always be at least one other person around too. We must remember that the help with English is informal. It is not 'a lesson'. At all times it is still about us helping each other in a spirit of friendship - not about being teacher and taught. This is important if a parent brings a child - as the parent needs to be alert to the child's needs and cannot therefore concentrate undividedly on learning English.

All groups should follow Data Protection law about personal information like phone numbers and addresses. If you want to keep a contact list to share which you store in an organised filing system or on a computer, you are required to get signed consent from each member. Our recommendation is to keep it simple and personal. By all means have a visitor's book, but only for names and comments - not contact details. FAN attendees have said they often share mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses but many prefer not to share addresses or numbers until they know someone well.

Most FAN Groups are informal but groups are of course entitled to set up their own formal structure and constitution if they think this will help their development. Some individual FAN Groups have done this because they want to organise other activities that group attendees can enjoy. Further advice on setting up formally structured groups can be obtained from WCVA or your local County Voluntary Council.

Try to obtain a free meeting room. If your group does rent a room, it will need to find the money. The FAN Charity does not have resources to support individual groups.

Basics of handling money
1.  If you are going to handle significant amounts, for example rent, you will need to set up a post office or bank account. Don't mix your group's collection money with personal money.

2.  The sort of bank account an independent FAN Group might want is a "Treasurers account" or a "Clubs and Societies Account". Think about what you will want! Not all accounts are equally useful.

3.  Keep things orderly. Even for money on a small scale, write down what comes in and goes out and have someone initial it with you. Different groups have found it is important that people can see that group money is handled correctly and know what is happening to it.

Individual FAN attendees have suggested that those of us who meet together regularly in a spirit of friendship should be encouraged to see that the good running of the group is the responsibility of everyone. All need to give a warm welcome to newcomers and help with setting out the room. All group attendees need to see that the meeting place is left clean and tidy. It is a big help for the Group Rep if people are willing to take responsibility for different jobs. Have you offered to help?