Join us!

Join/Renew Your Membership

Without our members this event would not take place - so if you love Hastings Bonfire please join to support and be part of it. Come along to meet us and find out more. You can join at meetings or on-line below. 

Membership runs from 1st January - 31st December. Renewals are due on in January of each year. New membership applications close on 31st August, by when all membership forms and money must be received for those wishing to join Hastings Procession, enter the fire site and attend out-meetings.  Membership then re-opens at our November meeting.  New members joining in November get November and December free.  

Our members may join in our procession, and join us at processions of other societies throughout the bonfire season, subject to appropriate costume and following our rules.  Due to insurance and health & safety we cannot allow those who are not members of our, or other societies, join in processions or enter fire sites.

The Application Form is a couple of screens below...

Routes to Apply

Please either: -

Come to a Members meeting and join there

We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 8pm at the White Rock Hotel, 1-10 White Rock, Hastings TN34 1JU.

Make yourself known to our Membership Secretary, Sue.  

This may be the best route for cash payments.

Or send the form in by email

membership@hbbs.info

Print off or save the attached form

Please:

1. Click on "download a membership form" below and save it to a local folder of yours

2. Complete the form, e-sign it and save it again (or print it, physically sign your acceptance, and scan it/photo it clearly)

3. then either send your form by email as an attachment, or post it or hand it in at a monthly meeting to the Membership Secretary (the address is on the form) 

4. Send your membership fee by standing order, or by Paypal, cheque or in cash to Sue. 

5. Let the Membership Secretary know by what means you paid, either saying in person or by email

Renewal of £15 membership subs is due January each year.

Membership subscription payment details

You can pay your £15 subs per adult either by standing order, BACS, PayPal, cash or cheque.  Details below/attached.

For PayPal use this link on the right: -

Pay by Bank Transfer

Please pay by BACS, or ideally by Standing Order every 1 January.

Payee's Name: HBBS 

Sort Code : 30-97-66 

Acc no: 00172308 

Ref: your initial(s) & last name

Pay by Cash or Cheque

Please give cash or cheques to our Membership secretary Sue at a member meeting, or post it through the address on the membership form

or by PayPal donate

Our PayPal subscription button us currently broken, but this PayPal payments can be sent through our Donations button.  If you do this, make double sure our membership secretary knows this was for subs and not just any donation

Please then contact our Membership Secretary, Sue, and say hello and how you've paid - feel free to attach your membership form if you don't expect to make a second-Tuesday Membership meeting soon to hand it in - membership-secretary@hbbs.info 

Annual membership is due in January; absolute deadline is end-August

Membership application form

Please print & complete one of these annually... (or pick one up at a membership meeting from Sue)

Membership form:  PDF format Membership form:  Word.docx format or  RTF format

Or just pop along to a members meeting on the second Tuesday of the month

Dress code if you want to process with us as a member

We have strict dress code options if you want to join our procession.  Details are for members on the members web page.  In summary our approved costumes are: -

·  The Stripes” This is our main costume, central to the Sussex Bonfire Tradition and leads the society in all processions. Smugglers jumper in the Society’s colours of royal blue, gold and bright red stipes, the Cinque Ports colours. To order a jumper please complete the jumper measurements sheet on the website members page and send it to the membership secretary.  Black trousers. Strong boots

Recommended - head covering, e.g. A black hat : tricorn,  top, bowler or a knitted smugglers-style hat in either red, black or the society’s stripes or  a red head scarf  worn pirate / smuggler style.  A neck scarf (ideally red).  Socks (ideally red). Jerkin black or brown (leather / leather look non flammable material)

Any other costumes  march last, behind the Stripes  in all processions

·  Whatlington Renegades were a society without a bonfire. They wore tailcoats. Some founders of HBBS were also members of Whatlington Renegades. Wearing tailcoats has been optional since that time  and may be worn for other events such as the Borough’s Remembrance Day Parade, programme selling or carol singing.

·  The Halton Regiment is a specific additional costume to represent the regiment stationed at Halton Barracks in 1815 and the Royal Sussex Regiment. Please ask for specific details, as this costume is handmade to historically accurate details.

·  Naval in recognition of the Cyril and Lilian Bishop lifeboat.

 ·  Customs Officers - A customs’ officer costume is worn by long serving & senior members of the society - currently the  President, Vice-Presidents, current and ex-chairs. Customs Officers may walk in any position in the procession.

All:
·  Any and all costumes should be in keeping with the tradition of Sussex Bonfire.

·      All members must wear their current year's procession badge, regardless of their costume. It shows you are a current member and therefore under our insurance.

Not acceptable at any time: items of clothing that are clearly flammable and a risk, wellingtons, modern every day clothing, branding & logos, or blue jeans!

Safety: With any part of your costume you should consider the type of material. Does it burn easily? Does it ignite easily? There are different dangers with different fabrics. Safety glasses can be worn when near to fireworks, fire and when wind carries sparks, smoke and debris.  Ear plugs are recommend for use when there are loud bangs.  Members with long hair tend to plait it or tie it back.  It is recommended Junior members wear or have easy access to gloves, ear defenders and safety glasses.  Fabrics information: Natural fibres, when burnt, simply turn to ash as they burn. Synthetic, non-aramid fibres, melt as they burn. If a synthetic fabric catches and starts to burn, it will melt, drip, and fuse to your skin as it does so causing intense burns.  The tighter the weave, the less flammable it is. As for weight, the thicker the fabric, the more fire resistant it is.  If a fabric is loosely woven, or loosely worn, more oxygen can get in creating a higher flammability of that particular fabric. If it is tighter, less oxygen can get into each weave making it less flammable. Avoid anything with frays and fringes.

http://www.firegypsy.com/performance/safe-fire-performance-clothing-list/

Order a stripey jumper: New members may like to order a jumper - please speak to or email the membership secretary.  Please order well in advance of bonfire season. Write down your measurements using the jumper measurement guide. We recommend allowing for wearing something warm underneath, so consider ordering a size larger than you would normally take. Use another jumper to take the measurements. If you wish to knit your own jumper the pattern is on the membership pages.