Q. What is Tees Valley IVC?

A. - A social activity club for singles and couples who want to go places, do things and get together. Part of a national association and covers a wide geographical area centred around the Tees Valley area. Note that we are not a dating agency or singles club.

Q. How long has it been going?

A. - The Association of IVCs has been going since 1947. IVC in the Tees Valley area was set up over 50 years ago, in 1970. This means we have a long track record of organising social events and we are a well-managed club.

Q. Who joins? What is the club membership profile?

A - We have no barriers on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, sexuality, disability, race or religion. The club currently has around 80 full members and additional followers on our Meet Up site.

Q. What area do you cover?

A - We cover mainly the Tees Valley and County Durham area although we also have members in North Yorkshire. The main towns we cover are Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Norton, Billingham, Stockton, Yarm, Guisborough, Redcar, Saltburn, Marske, Stokesley and Sedgefield.

Q. How Much does it cost?

A - Our current membership fee is £12.00 a year.

Q. What do I get for my money?

A - Unlike some clubs, TVIVC is not a business run for profit. We charge an annual subscription to pay for publicity, insurance and general administration costs. We often subsidise main events. Events are free, except where the organiser necessarily incurs a cost, such as for theatre tickets, accommodation or for providing food. In these cases, the cost is passed on without overhead and you will be informed in advance so you can make your own mind up if you wish to take part.

Q. What do I have to do as a member?

A - The main thing is to participate! We encourage members to organise their own events, as well as attending them. Organising events is an excellent way to get to know other members.

Q. Can I try before I buy?

A - You certainly can! Unlike some other clubs we don't limit you to just one preview event. Join us for three months free and get to know us before you commit yourself. You can come along to any event although we do have designated New Members' events- contact the New Members Team for details.

Q. Where do you meet?

A - We hold a new members welcome night each month, where your new members team will talk to you about the club. This could be a pub night or sometimes a meal. The venues change each month and we try to cover different parts of the Tees Valley area.

Q. Can you give me some idea of what the club does?

A -Events are as varied as members wish. Over the past year, they have included walks, cycle rides,parties, barbecues, meals out, camping trips, visits to local attractions, cinema and theatre trips, quiz nights, salsa and weekends away, amongst many other things. If you have an idea for an event, you don't need to get permission - just put it in the programme. We hold around 150 events each year and organise fundraising events for our nominated charity, which this year is the Hope Foundation.

Q. How do I book onto an event?

A - You can view the live programme for the next few months on the website and download an offline copy month by month if you wish. The programme tells you precisely what to do - normally just a matter of telephoning, texting or emailing another member and asking if there is still space.

Q. Can I bring my child to events?

A - It depends on the event and the organiser. Remember that this is a club for adults. Some events (like late night parties) do not lend themselves to children attending, whereas others (like picnics or trips to the cinema) may well do. A number of members have children, so it's not out of the question. Check with the organiser before you book in.

Q. Can I bring my dog?

A - It depends on the event and the organiser. Some (like visits to other members' homes) may not lend themselves to this whereas others (like walks) may well do. Check with the organiser before you book in.

Q. Can I bring a friend?

A - We'd like to meet your friends, so bring them along. However, if they come along regularly, please expect us to ask them to join - it's fair that they do so. It's also fair that they pay any costs associated with the event and, for some subsidized main events, we would ask non-members to pay the full price for the event.

Q. Is there any way of finding out what's on at short notice?

A - Yes. Members may organise things at the last minute, and we have an egroup and a WhatsApp group to alert people to these. They are only open to full members so your new members' team will forward on emails which may be of interest to you. It is easy to join the egroup and WhatsApp group once you become a full member by following the instructions in the programme. We also have a Facebook group called Tees Valley IVC Official, which you can request to join once you are a full member.

Q. What sort of facilities are there for finding my ideal partner?

A - We are not a dating club, and our focus is on fun and friendship. Of course, this relaxed atmosphere can lead to relationships and, if it does, they tend to be based on common values, beliefs and interests.

Q. I'd still like to talk to someone before I come along. How can I do this?

A - You probably have all sorts of questions to ask. Contact one of our New Members Team. Please note that the Committee members are not paid and are not full time, so you may need to leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we can!

If you have further questions please contact the new members team through our contact form.