Membership, Match Fee & Kit Updates for the New Season

Written By Wapping Hockey

Dear Members,

As advised at the AGM, our annual membership fees will be increasing this year. This change is necessary due to several rising costs. Over the summer, the Exec has been working hard to strike a fair balance between meeting our financial commitments and continuing to provide hockey at a reasonable price for all. A summary of the new rates is provided below.

The increase reflects:

  • A gradual rise in pitch hire costs. In particular, there are more teams and fewer JO pitch slots available to Wapping than in previous years, meaning we’ve had to secure more slots at LV, which come at a higher cost

  • Help subsidising the club-wide reduction in match fees (see below)

  • A significant increase in England Hockey affiliation fees and how they are structured (these also come with additional benefits, such as insurance, umpire and coaching courses, discounted hockey kit (eg. Opro gumshields) and priority access to major Hockey events.

  • Higher prices for teas at the Moretown Belle.

Thanks to the hard work by our Sponsorship Secretaries, Estelle and Steph, who have sourced 3 year sponsors for every senior team at the club, and the generous support from those sponsors, we’ve been able to keep this increase to a minimum. The sponsorship income has also allowed us to respond to member feedback including providing:

  • Smaller training groups with dedicated coaches for each team.

  • Game day coaches for all adult teams (subject to coach’s availability).

  • Reduced, standardised match fees of £11 for all adult players 

In the past, those playing more frequently at LV paid higher match fees, but we felt it was important that players are not penalised for competing in higher-level teams. Many other clubs provide zero rated membership and match fees for their 1st team players, with some clubs even paying them a salary, but we believe this new structure strikes the right balance in terms of fairness and ability to recruit. It also recognises that our 1st team already commits significant personal expense to travel for fixtures.

Following enquiries at Club Day when a number of you got to check out the lush new Grays kit, we have negotiated bulk purchase prices for members wishing to buy their own. To access these prices:

  • Kit must be ordered through the membership page on the wappinghockey.club website (scroll down past the membership options to find the clothing). Orders need to be placed at the same time as your membership. Please note: kit cannot purchased via the Grays Hockey online shop at the discounted prices.

  • Membership must be purchased by Friday 12th September (ordered kit will then arrive approx 4 weeks later).

  • You can view all items for sale, and their regular retail prices, on the Grays webshop here. Our bulk purchase prices are listed in the table below and size guides can be found here.

Finally, a reminder that concession rates are available for students, first year graduates and members with an income of £23k or below (increased from £21k last year). We also offer reduced rates for committee members - the list of remaining roles are below. If you are facing financial difficulty for any reason, our Treasurer is always happy to have a confidential conversation about individual arrangements. Our priority is to keep hockey at our club open, inclusive, and accessible to everyone.

Huge thanks to Simon Wright Jewellery, E1 Crossfit, The Moretown Belle, Feeneys, Savills, Lunaria Partners and The Northcote for their generous support; sponsorship queens, Estelle and Steph; Adam for the many hours spent on the budget; and to you all for your continued support.

We look forward to another fantastic season ahead.

Wapping (still) needs you!

Fancy getting involved and taking a chunk off your membership costs? Consider taking on a role - the club runs on volunteers, and there’s something for every schedule and skillset

Wapping HC Exec 

  • Vice-Chair (Community) 

    • Supports the Chair and leads community efforts, helping run the club smoothly and stepping in when needed to foster a strong, engaged club environment.

Wapping HC Committee 

  • Umpire Liaison Officer

    • Great for someone organised and admin-savvy—no umpiring needed thanks to our four brilliant Umpire Development Officers.

  • Coaching Development Officer 

    • a relatively new role created to support and develop coaching at Wapping

  • Social Secretary (x2)

    • suitable for someone passionate about improving Wapping’s social life 

  • Newsletter Secretary

    • Writes the weekly Back Post newsletter and keeps the website updated with key info for members and newcomers.

  • Welfare Officer (Men’s)

    • Half of a dynamic duo driving senior club welfare, championing wellbeing, and ensuring seamless communication inside and out.

  • Kit Secretary

    • Handles equipment orders for training and games, and ensures teams can get their Wapping merch.

  • Chair of City & Wharf Summer League

    • Leads the planning and delivery of CAWHL, overseeing logistics, teams, and finances to support fun, inclusive hockey.

If you have questions about any of the roles, please get in touch with a member of the Exec or Committee. 

Nominations must be seconded by one other WHC member. To put yourself forward for a role, please email wappingelections@gmail.com confirming your interest and copy in the member seconding you. Positions can be shared by two members, even if that's not specifically highlighted below, but following AGM Committee roles that are split will also share the concession rate discount - you will not both get the full concession rate.

Member discounts:

Check out our Members' area (Password: whc1989) which has all of our available offers, including:

  • 5% discount and 5% club kick back at the Moretown Belle

  • A free Psycle session

  • Grubby: 50% off + free delivery on 1st box, plus 30% off for the rest of the month

Wapping Hockey
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Club Day Cometh!