Social clubs

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1 Social Activities Clubs
2 History
3 Purpose
4 See Also

[edit] Social Activities Clubs

Clubs in the generic form have existed for thousands of years, and are generally formed around a common interest, activity or location. For instance hunting, fishing, politics or charity work. Even what we currently call bars or taverns were at one time referred to as clubs.

[edit] History

Working men's clubs developed in Britain during Victorian times as Institutes where working men could attend lectures and take part in recreational pursuits. The Rev Henry Solly founded the Working Men's Club & Institute Union for this purpose in 1862. They became in time a combination of Public Houses and Music-hall and Clubs became places of entertainment as well as for social drinking and bar games. Their mainly working-class patronage is not seen as fashionable among some sections of society today, and they have come under increasing pressure regarding attitudes to membership rights for women, and on occasion ethnic minorities. The CIU was heavily involved in resisting the banning of smoking in private clubs, it remains to be seen how many survive when the change in the law comes into force next year.

[edit] Purpose

Social Activities Clubs are a modern combination of several other types of clubs and reflect today's more eclectic and varied society. These clubs are centered around the activities available to the club members in the city or area in which the club is located. Some have a traditional club house, bar or restaurant where members gather, others do not.

Events can include a broad range of activities from sporting events and social parties to the Ballet, the arts or book clubs. Unlike traditional clubs they are not limited to one kind of event or special interest, but include a broad range of events in their monthly calendars. The members choose which events the club is going to take part in based upon the changing interests of the members. The members themselves determine which events, of those offered, they will attend.

Because the purpose of these clubs is split between general social interaction and taking part in the events themselves, both single and married people can take part. However clubs tend to have more single members than married,^{[citation needed]} and many clubs exist for only single people, or are limited just to married couples. There are even activities clubs for homosexuals.

Membership can be limited or open to the general public, as can the events. Most clubs have a limited membership based upon specific criteria, and limit the events to members to increase the security of the members. That also creates an increased sense of camraderie and belonging among the members themselves.

Social activities clubs can be for profit, non-profit, or a combination of the two (A for profit club with a non-profit charitable arm, for instance).

Some social clubs have function halls which members or sometimes, the general public can rent for parties.