How Forth Valley CAMRA Members Can Join the Branch WhatsApp Community

Updated

Forth Valley CAMRA members can apply to join the branch WhatsApp Community using either the QR code published on the branch website or the direct link: https://forthvalley.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=283470. Joining is entirely voluntary. The Community is an information channel for branch matters, not a social chat group.

What the WhatsApp Community is for

The branch created the Community to communicate better with its members. According to the branch website, all branch events and important announcements will be broadcast on the Community going forwards.

It is worth being clear about what it is not: the site states plainly that the Community is not a social WhatsApp group. It exists for sharing information relating to branch matters. If you are looking for general chat with other members, this is not that space.

How to apply to join

  1. Go to the Forth Valley CAMRA website.
  2. Find the WhatsApp Community section, which carries a QR code and a join link.
  3. Scan the QR code with your phone, or open the link https://forthvalley.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=283470.
  4. Submit your application to join.

The expected result is that your request goes to the branch for approval, since the site describes the process as members applying to join. Membership of Forth Valley CAMRA is the stated eligibility condition — the page says all Forth Valley CAMRA members can apply.

What else membership gives you

The Community is one part of branch membership. The website also lists:

  • Members' discounts in the branch area.
  • A voucher scheme covering branch real ale pubs.
  • Branch events and festivals, including the Alloa Real Ale and Cider Festival.
  • A members' area and branch file downloads on the website.
  • Branch publications and awards, such as the Branch Awards and Pub of the Year.

A practical example

Say you want to know when volunteers are needed for the next festival, or when the branch diary shifts. Under the old arrangement you might have had to keep checking the website. With the Community, that announcement is broadcast to everyone who has joined, so the information reaches you rather than you having to go looking for it.

Common sticking points

  • It is not a chat group. Expect announcements and branch information, not conversation.
  • Joining is optional. You are not required to join to remain a member, and the branch describes participation as entirely voluntary.
  • You need to be a member. The stated condition is that all Forth Valley CAMRA members can apply; the page does not describe access for non-members.
  • Use the current link or QR code. The join route is published on the branch website, so check there if the link above has changed.

For anything not covered here — such as how the approval step works in practice — the branch contacts page lists committee members, including the Chairperson, Stuart Batchelor, whose contact details are given on the site.