Mission Statement:

At Close Combat Martial Arts, we have a clear vision of what we want to achieve and the legacy we’d like to create.

To create a legacy of martial arts proficiency within the local community that will enable people to feel safe, be confident, and improve their level of fitness.
To work with the local community to create a club that is fully inclusive and representative of those within the community it supports.
Where possible, to seek funding to provide additional support to the community, to provide services to those who may otherwise not be able to afford membership, or not access the benefits of martial arts.
As an unincorporated association with a social mission, we invest all funds raised by membership fees, external fundraising and grants, into the club and its expansion for the benefit of its members.
We commit to be as inclusive as possible for the local community, with our membership being open to all where capacity allows, and we will endeavour to increase our capacity where necessary.
To offer support and guidance to students on all matters of self-defence to enable more people to make sensible and smart decisions on staying safe.
To create a culture of care, discipline, and respect that will enable the club’s members to enjoy the benefits martial arts bring in and out of the gym.
To work hard as a club to continue monitoring and improving our internal standards to continue offering the very best levels of care and training for our students.

Name of our Organisation:

Our Club is an Unincorporated Association known as Close Combat Martial Arts, but also known under the acronym CCMA. We are also known as Close Combat MMA and Fitness.

Club Funds and Funds Usage:

The majority of club funds are generated via membership subscriptions for the betterment of the club and its members use, acquiring premises and equipment, and pay for staff and external services required by the club to carry out the activities of the club for its members use.

Although we offer a free trial to members of the public, we do not trade to non-members, nor do we seek to make a profit from external sources.

As stated in our mission statement, we will seek additional funding where possible to support our club and members and our membership is open to the local community where premises capacity and our ability to run more classes allows. When we reach capacity, we will endeavour to open more classes based on demand and staff availability, and/or seek larger premises.

Close Combat Martial Arts, as an unincorporated association, cannot take out contracts in its own right and pays Close Group Limited all necessary funds to manage its premises lease. Close Group Limited is a non-profit company that holds no capital or assets at present, that functions purely for the management of a lease of premises and any other contracts that Close Combat Martial Arts may need in the future. Close Group Limited is considering becoming a Community Interest Company to help support and apply for funding for Close Combat Martial Arts to increase our ability to support the local community and increase our membership capacity.

Club Structure:

Close Combat Martial Arts is an Unincorporated Association of members. We operate as a 3-tier system.

Tier 1: is a technocratic team of committee officers who run the club for the benefit of student members. This tier is a selection of higher grade officers that have been with the club for a significant amount of time and progressed well through the CCMA syllabus, but will have also gained significant experience in both voluntary and/or paid roles to help coach students and/or run the club behind the scenes, in terms of administration work and syllabus development.

Tier 2: is a team of committee members and consists of dedicated student members who have taken a leadership or supportive role within the club, giving valued input and feedback based on experience, this tier is a selection of members who have shown commitment and dedication.

Tier 3: consists of student members who aren’t part of the committee, but will be consulted via polls to make decisions.

Voting Rights:

As an unincorporated association, all subscribed members have voting privileges and decisions will be made based on consultation of all members where required, but as a martial arts club requires technocratic governance to make educated decisions in many circumstances, voting rights may be restricted based on tier level. This semi technocratic/semi democratic system is in place to protect the standards of martial arts as required by educated decision-making, where uneducated democratic decision-making would lead to decisions being made that aren’t in the best interests of the club or its members, where experience of the members voting in a fully democratic system may cause detriment to the standards of martial arts or the running of the club. Where a member is a child, their parent(s) will be consulted, and their vote will be counted on behalf of the child.

Tier 3 members who make up the majority of the member base, will be consulted via informal polls on closed social media groups where required, to make the best decisions for the club.

Where technocratic considerations are required, members will gain a certain number of votes based on experience level as shown below.

This system favours members who have higher experience and been with the club longer and contributed more to the club over time, to have more votes in any decision-making where consultation of the tier 3 member base and their experience is a required factor in the making of said decision. Higher level members will be expected to vote based on what is best for the club as a whole and may not be required to vote in matters that don’t concern them, but in circumstances where personal preference is allowed to be considered, those votes may still be counted as long as there is no clear disadvantage to the club majority.

This system, however, may be void in certain circumstances, where technocratic considerations aren’t required and this may be the case in many circumstances, all tier 3 members will then receive 1 vote where the majority vote is required in the decision-making process. Some polls may be taken just to get a view of opinions across the club.

Tier 2 committee members will receive the same voting rights as tier 1 members, but some decisions regarding syllabus changes, and other changes to the club that do not require the consultation of tier 3 members, will be conducted via informal polls in private club management groups on social media and tier 3 members will not be consulted.

Tier 1 officers will have the same voting rights as tier 2 committee members and 3 members, but will have the final say over decisions related to the syllabus and direction of the club as a whole where technocratic decision-making is required and where consultation of tier 2 committee members and tier 3 members may cause detriment to the club as a whole, or in cases where consultation of tier 2 committee members and 3 members is not required.

Committee:

Tier 1 Officers:

Founder:

David Close

Current Chairman:

David Close

Current Club Secretary:

Justina Grinceviecute

Current Treasurer:

David Close

Tier 2 Members:

Emily Close
Emily Raven

Non Committee Roles:

Club Administration Team:

Justina Grinceviecute

Lead Safeguarding Officer:

David Close

Safeguarding Officers:

Justina Grinceviecute
Emily Close
Emily Raven

First Aiders:

David Close
Justina Grinceviecute
Emily Close
Emily Raven

Instructor Roles:

Head Instructor:

David Close

Level 4 Instructors:

Level 3 Instructors:

Level 2 Instructors:

Level 1 Assistant Instructor:

Trainee Instructors:

Emily Close
Emily Raven
Nixie Melindo
Damian Close

Receptionists:

Justina Grinceviecute

Volunteers:

Meeting Schedule:

Currently, our committee meetings are not scheduled, we discuss club-related issues informally sometimes during and sometimes at the end of each class depending on the issue, and via closed social media groups continuously. We obtain votes via polls and questionnaires as and when required for efficiency.