About us
Metro is a thriving London based sports and social club for blind and partially sighted people of all ages. Our aim is to encourage participation and to create opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities.
Athletics, bowls, cricket and tennis are probably our most popular sports but we work with other organisations to promote tandem cycling, football, sailing and skiing.
Most of our social activities take place around sport but we also organize a programme of social activities including theatre trips, ice skating, pub nights and dinners.
Metro was founded in 1973 by an inspirational group of young blind and partially sighted people who were not prepared to accept the expectations and restrictions of the day – chess and country walks were not enough for them! Metro is determined to keep alive this spirit of adventure, challenging barriers and opening doors to all sports for our members.
Some of our founding members went on to become leading national and international athletes. They were also instrumental in creating many of the national and international organisations through which sports for people with visual impairment are now organised.
Metro is proud to have the support of our Patrons:
• Our President, Peter Baxter, for 34 years the organising brain behind BBC Radio 4’s Test Match Special.
• Our Vice President, Pauline Johnston, wife of the redoubtable late cricket commentator (and our first President) Brian Johnston.
• Our Vice President, Mike Brace CBE, totally blind, a former Paralympic Cross Country skier, and a founder member of Metro.
Metro receives no government funding whatsoever. We are entirely dependent on the generosity of our donors. Our only paid member of staff is a Fundraising Officer, Carol, who sells advertising space in our Annual Athletics Championship programme and applies to funding trusts on behalf of the club.
We are proud that we have been able to build up a reserve which enables us to subsidise activities for members, and guarantee our stability, but we want to do much more and we need your support. To donate, or for more info about funding click here for our funding page
We are a member of the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB), so you can give to us with confidence. To learn more about FRSB and the standards we have signed up to, visit the FRSB website
Metro is a Registered Charity (no. 268076) and our activities are governed by a Constitution approved by the Charities Commission. Click here to view our Constitution.
The club is run by an elected Committee of volunteers who meet on a monthly basis but who also undertake a great deal of work between meetings. The Committee is also supported by a Membership Secretary and Web Editor.
Metro holds both public liability and employer liability insurance. To view our public liability insurance certificate click here. Please note that as this is a scanned image, it is not accessible to screen reader users.
In accordance with statutory requirements for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, Metro trustees and sports organizers are subject to Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. Please click the links below to download our Safeguarding Policies for children and vulnerable adults respectively in Word document format.
Child Protection Policy Jan 2012
Adult Protection Policy Jan 2012
Athletics, bowls, cricket and tennis are probably our most popular sports but we work with other organisations to promote tandem cycling, football, sailing and skiing.
Most of our social activities take place around sport but we also organize a programme of social activities including theatre trips, ice skating, pub nights and dinners.
History
Metro was founded in 1973 by an inspirational group of young blind and partially sighted people who were not prepared to accept the expectations and restrictions of the day – chess and country walks were not enough for them! Metro is determined to keep alive this spirit of adventure, challenging barriers and opening doors to all sports for our members.
Some of our founding members went on to become leading national and international athletes. They were also instrumental in creating many of the national and international organisations through which sports for people with visual impairment are now organised.
Patrons
Metro is proud to have the support of our Patrons:
• Our President, Peter Baxter, for 34 years the organising brain behind BBC Radio 4’s Test Match Special.
• Our Vice President, Pauline Johnston, wife of the redoubtable late cricket commentator (and our first President) Brian Johnston.
• Our Vice President, Mike Brace CBE, totally blind, a former Paralympic Cross Country skier, and a founder member of Metro.
Funding
Metro receives no government funding whatsoever. We are entirely dependent on the generosity of our donors. Our only paid member of staff is a Fundraising Officer, Carol, who sells advertising space in our Annual Athletics Championship programme and applies to funding trusts on behalf of the club.
We are proud that we have been able to build up a reserve which enables us to subsidise activities for members, and guarantee our stability, but we want to do much more and we need your support. To donate, or for more info about funding click here for our funding page
We are a member of the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB), so you can give to us with confidence. To learn more about FRSB and the standards we have signed up to, visit the FRSB website
Management
Metro is a Registered Charity (no. 268076) and our activities are governed by a Constitution approved by the Charities Commission. Click here to view our Constitution.
The club is run by an elected Committee of volunteers who meet on a monthly basis but who also undertake a great deal of work between meetings. The Committee is also supported by a Membership Secretary and Web Editor.
Insurance
Metro holds both public liability and employer liability insurance. To view our public liability insurance certificate click here. Please note that as this is a scanned image, it is not accessible to screen reader users.
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
In accordance with statutory requirements for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, Metro trustees and sports organizers are subject to Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. Please click the links below to download our Safeguarding Policies for children and vulnerable adults respectively in Word document format.
Child Protection Policy Jan 2012
Adult Protection Policy Jan 2012
)
