Although some of our policies, information and resources are available to the general public, a lot of our information is just for you as a member.
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For more detailed information on our policies, our brand, our thanks and recognition awards, or our subscriptions, follow the links here.
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See below our policies and procedures to support our members, staff and volunteers. Our handbook is a good first port of call for answers, but more detail can be found in the documents below.
Everything you need to know about Trefoil in one place. This handbook replaces all previous versions. It can be downloaded but remember that as it is updated regularly, any downloaded version may not be up to date. Use the handbook as your first port of call to find answers about Trefoil.
Download our handbook
The Trefoil Guild is a branch of The Guide Association but is administered independently.
We are a registered charity in our own right and have our own constitution.
Our aims include keeping the spirit of the Guide and Scout Promises and Laws and carrying that spirit into the communities in which members live and work, and to give practical, financial and moral support to Guiding and Scouting.
Download our constitution
Our managing information policy provides our staff and members with an overview of how to manage information safely. It also includes procedures to follow for good practice including the requirements of the Data Protection Act and how the GDPR principles apply.
Download policy
If you need to report a data breach, then use the data breach notification form.
Our data retention framework and policy helps us all meet the needs of the Data Protection Act, helping us manage records and identifying how long we need to keep them for. All records, documents and data should be checked against their retention period every year.
Trefoil is committed to protecting your privacy. Read our privacy policy to understand how your personal information will be handled.
You will find all the information you need on data protection and GDPR in the Trefoil handbook as well as in our managing information policy above.
2 easy steps you can take to protect members personal information is to make sure that you have a secure password on all electronic files and, when sending information by email, always use a process called blind copying or bcc. If you don’t know how to do this, our easy-to-use guide will help you.
We have a code of conduct which makes your responsibilities as a member clear. Follow it with pride.
Our equality and diversity policy provides our members and our staff with the overarching principles to ensure that Trefoil is a place where everyone is welcome, free to be themselves, and has an equal sense of belonging.
Our safeguarding policy provides our staff and our members with the overarching principles to take reasonable steps to protect from harm anyone who comes into contact with the Trefoil Guild.
All trustees have a legal duty to act only in the best interests of the Trefoil Guild and should not benefit from the charity and should not be influenced by their wider interests when making decisions affecting the charity. Our conflict of interest policy provides guidance on how to recognise and manage perceived and real conflicts of interest together with the procedures to follow.
If you need to make or manage a complaint use our complaints policy.
Our social media policy is an open and transparent policy for all members about our social media and the rules around using it.
We also have some general guidance to support members in dealing with the media such as requests for interviews.
This document provides the terms and conditions which support booking on any of our nationally run holidays, gatherings, conferences, activities, or events. It gives important information if you are organising or attending a Trefoil event.
If you are doing a Trefoil meeting, activity, event or trip, we recommend downloading our emergency card. You can fill in your details and keep it on your person during Trefoil activities.
If you are going on an international trip with Trefoil, we have useful guidelines you can download to help you in your preparations and when you are away.
Whatever we do in Trefoil – whether at a meeting or an event or activity – it is important that we think about the safety and wellbeing of ourselves, our members and others taking part as well as members of the public. For all meetings, events and activities a risk assessment needs to be completed to assess any hazards, minimise risk and keep everyone safe. A list of things to consider can be accessed here.
Trefoil provides insurance cover for members through Girlguiding’s, Personal Accident and Medical insurance which covers members when they undertake a Girlguiding or Trefoil activity.
The policy provides benefits in the event of:
- Death
- permanent total disablement
- loss of limbs
- temporary total disablement
- loss of sight and hearing
Girlguiding also has a discretionary fund for members to pay for certain expenses not covered by insurance policies. It covers expenses resulting from an accident or incident while taking part in guiding activities.
Insurance does not cover:
- the loss or theft of any personal possessions (including money),
- travel or holiday insurance and incidental expenses such as cancellation of events, or holidays, travel disruption, illness, etc.
- property, equipment, or money belonging to guilds, counties, countries, or regions
- prohibited activities -see the Girlguiding website for details
Remember that if you have or are involved in an accident then you need to complete the Girlguiding notification of accident or incident form.
This policy covers Trefoil and its members if there are claims against them for damages or injury to a third party caused by their negligence.
Important - before you sign a contract to undertake activities or hire a venue, please make sure you read and fully understand the terms. You might be agreeing to liability on behalf of Trefoil which may not be covered by our public liability insurance. If you have any concerns about the terms of a contract, please contact the Trefoil office.
Our finance policy gives members all the guidance needed to manage their finances and accounts. Essential reading for all treasurers.
Fundraising is carried out for many reasons and the laws and regulations around fundraising are very complex. If you are planning any fundraising activities, please read this policy first which gives you guidance to follow.
Trefoil Guild is registered with easyfundraising - an organisation that helps you raise free donations whenever you shop online. You can register with easyfundraising to support Trefoil as a national organisation, or you can set up your own Trefoil to receive donations. It is completely free and you can find out more by downloading the instructions on how to register.
From time to time your Trefoil may be asked for your charity details. Typically, this is requested from the banks however it may be in connection with fundraising or similar activities. If you require a letter for your bank account confirming your Trefoil Guild is a part of our national organisation and does not require its own charity number then please email the office the following information:
- Name of your Trefoil as it appears on the account
- Name and address of the bank (if relevant)
- Name of the signatories as shown on your bank account and any Trefoil roles they currently hold (if relevant)
- Whether the bank has specified that letter needs to be signed by a trustee of the charity (if relevant)
- Any other information to support your request
You can register your Trefoil Guild for Gift Aid to help raise money for your guild. See our information document to follow the steps to apply, and use the certificate as part of your application. Use the declaration form to collect Gift Aid declarations from your members.
Information and procedure
Download
Gift Aid certificate
Download
Gift Aid declaration
Download
Along with counties, countries and regions, Trefoil Guild nationally can support a variety of activities that members may wish to undertake. See chapter 8 of our handbook for more information on the specific funds available and how to apply.
Grants will be considered for existing Trefoil members, Girlguiding volunteers, past volunteers or for carers of a Trefoil member needing support. Trefoil does not normally give grants to Girlguiding youth members but may consider them in exceptional circumstances.
Follow our photographic, audio, and video policy to understand how to safely share what you have been doing at Trefoil meetings and events with other members, prospective members, and the general public.
Use the supporting templates below to record photo permissions and what photos, audio or videos you hold and how you have used them.
For guilds, use the guild permission template to collect permissions.
Download template
Use the guild record form to keep a track of what photos, audio and videos you have and how you have used them.
Download form
Countries, regions, and counties should use the country, region and county spreadsheet to record all their digital assets and where and how they are used. The log includes additional notes and guidance for use.
Download log
To submit your photos for The Trefoil magazine or our website, use this form.
Trefoil Guild has a number of ways to recognise our members and thank them appropriately.
See our thanks and recognition page for the full information and application form.
Thanks and recognition
To contact your country or region team, see your country and region page and use the contact details there. To contact your Voyage award adviser, see our Voyage award page. For other useful addresses, check the list below.
We don't have any vacancies for paid positions at present.
If you're a Trefoil member interested in a volunteer role, please see our opportunities page.
Trefoil forms
There are a variety of forms available to help you with Trefoil Guild business. Use the links below for the most up to date forms and check the handbook on how and when to use them.
If you need to update your own address or contact details, login to your member account. Alternatively, you can call the membership helpline on 0151 668 0493.
For role amendments or changes to roles please contact your county key user in the county team, or for county changes, speak with your country or region team.
To notify the office about the death of a member or a member transferring to a different Trefoil, please email the office or call us on 020 7834 6242 extension 3010.
You can now apply to join Trefoil online. Alternatively, download the joining form which can be sent to the Trefoil office.
Remember that if you are joining a new Trefoil Guild it needs to be registered via the Trefoil office before you can apply online – see details below on starting a new Trefoil.
Apply online
If you are thinking about setting up a new Trefoil Guild, check out chapter 3 of the Trefoil handbook which explains what to do and how to register. Use the form below to register your Trefoil. Send it along with any joining forms to our office. Your Trefoil will be available for online applications once your registration certificate has been sent out.
Make sure that Girlguiding know all about the support Trefoil gives to new Girlguiding units with our starter pack grants.
We would love you to share your stories about Trefoil. Use this form to submit your article or photos. Remember, any photos need to be a reasonable size and quality for us to use them. Sadly, photos saved from WhatsApp and Facebook are often too low quality for use but original camera files or phone photographs usually work well.
Our Voyage award is open to all Trefoil Guild members – full details of the award can be found here. You can apply online directly, or use our application form which can be sent to the Trefoil office.
The Trefoil STARS challenge is open to all Trefoil Guild members – full details can be found here. Once you have completed a section of the challenge you can order your badges using this form.
Motivate is a new Trefoil challenge. See the full details on our website.
Badges will be available from your country and region later in 2024.
See more information about our other Trefoil challenges that you can try here.
To order any of the following badges, please visit our Trefoil shop. If you're unable to purchase via the shop, please contact our office. Motivate badges are only available through your country and region.
Trefoil shop
Trefoil Guild neckers are only available from the Trefoil Guild shop and not the Girlguiding Shop. You can buy them via our shop, or using the form here, which you can return to the Trefoil Guild office.
All members receive a Trefoil membership card with your unique membership number when you join Trefoil. If your Trefoil membership card has been lost or stolen, you can purchase a replacement card for a small fee. Please send the form to our office via email or post.
In 2023, as part of the Girlguiding family our brand was refreshed alongside theirs. We have lots of information on how to use our brand, guidelines for designing badges, how to create a logo for your local area, and document templates for you to use. See all the information on our brand page, or use the quick links below.
Guidelines:
Download overview Download guidelines Download style guide
Templates:
Compliment slip single Compliment slip 3 on a page
PowerPoint template
Logos:
Create your own logo using the Girlguiding online design centre. Download the instructions here.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are collected annually which support Trefoil business at national, country, region and county levels. Subscriptions are separate to, and unrelated to, subscriptions paid to Girlguiding.
The 2024 national subscription fee is £17.00 payable on or before 22 February. A subscription fee for country, region, and county may also be payable.
The subscription payment window has now closed. Please contact us about late renewals.
If you are new to Trefoil and joined after 22 February 2024 there is no payment due until 22 February 2025. But do remember to send us your joining form so that you can access the full Trefoil benefits, including your copies of The Trefoil magazine.
The country, region and county subscriptions are additional to the national amount and payable at the same time. Each November your guild treasurer is emailed information about subscriptions renewal including a membership list and details on how to pay. In January the payment window opens. All members must pay their subscription to continue their membership and receive Trefoil benefits like The Trefoil magazine and access to our member only area and our events.
Currently we offer 2 payment options. All members in your Trefoil must choose the same option.
Option 1: pay online via your member account on this website. You can renew as an individual or one person in your Trefoil (such as your guild treasurer) can renew for everyone.
Option 2: If your guild cannot pay via our website, you can send a cheque along with our subscription payment form.
The payment window closes on 22 February. Members must pay by this date. Guilds paying by the cheque and form method must send it in good time ahead of this deadline.
We have useful guides to help you with our annual subscriptions process.
Step-by-step instructions for all online renewals
Step-by-step instructions (with images) if you are renewing for yourself via our website
Step-by-step instructions (with images) if you are renewing for your whole Trefoil or on behalf of someone else
Read the frequently asked questions