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Why join the Guild?

If you are a qualified Blue Badge Guide you may apply for membership of the Guild. When you join the Guild you become part of a community. Membership introduces you to others who share a common bond: a passion for excellence as a professional Guide.

Annual subscriptions fees are £222 (electronically delivered) for London and £115 other regions.

Some of the advantages in joining the Guild are listed in the next column.

For an application form email the office.

Public Liability Insurance
The Guild’s Insurance Company will cover you whilst guiding for up to £5m in the event that your actions cause injury or death to a third party; it will also cover you in the event that you damage a third party’s property.

Experience
Affiliation with the industry's oldest and most experienced tourist guide association.

Marketing support
As a member, you can display the Guild logo in promotional literature and advertisements. Ongoing marketing advice to help you grow your guiding business available.

Your profile on Guild's searchable database
Exclusive to full Guild members, you have an entry in Find a Guide on the Guild website. Around 800 guides are listed on the database and the site receives about 7,000 hits a month from a wide range of people and organisations interested in booking guides.

Publishing opportunity - The Guide magazine
This engaging magazine is popular with tour operator/coach company/conference organiser/Tourist Boards and Visitor Information Centres throughout the UK.  Showcase yourself through features and articles. 

Marketing Initiatives
The Guild's Marketing Committee promotes the use of professionally qualified tourist guides through articles, press releases, travel fair stands and networking with the tourist industry.

A fully staffed office
Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5.00pm.

Guild Communications Full members stay current and up-to-date with The Guild’s weekly e-bulletins providing you with essential current guiding information. Monthly diaries will be sent to you and a quarterly magazine full of news from round the country, briefing on important site developments, book/theatre reviews, guiding industry news and pertinent travel and tourism information.

Professional Development and ongoing training
Education events run through the year focusing on Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The Guild’s Programme provides a broad range of activities: lectures, visits, tours and walks, which give you a chance to update/extend your knowledge. The CPD programme has something for everyone, from fossil hunting on the Dorset Jurassic coast to an evening coach tour of London’s hottest nightspots.

Member support
The Guild can help with everyday problems of our working lives, e.g. negotiations with tour operators, working conditions, complaints, debt collecting etc

Mentoring scheme
For newly qualified members we can provide mentors who understand the challenges faced by new guides and who can provide support and advice. Feedback shows that the participants in our mentor scheme are benefiting enormously and that it is playing a useful part in helping newly qualified guides settle into their new profession.

Networking
Membership of The Guild offers real opportunities for developing strong business and working relationships. All Guild events purposely have built-in time for networking (and socialising). The informality of the Guild meetings allows all members, including new members in particular, to feel at ease, to express opinions or ask questions. Your voice will be listened to in the Guild, and so you can influence the shape of our industry. There is a countrywide network of contacts for you to call on

Regional Associations
The Guild is a national organisation, which represents tourist guides from different parts of the country. It maintains close ties with regional guiding associations through meetings and regular communications and is up-to-date on issues affecting members in the regions

UK Committee
Made up of representatives from the regional associations the UK Committee is the main conduit through which major issues of concern from all over the British Isles are brought to the Guild Executive Council’s attention.

Social Events
This is an important part of being a member of the Guild. It is always good to meet up with fellow guides, to swap ideas, experiences (good and bad) and news. Every year, we arrange several events for new and old members to get together, in a friendly, pleasant atmosphere and socialise. Our social programme includes such events as the new guides' party, the summer barbeque and a Christmas party after our Annual General Meeting.

Library Access
At the Guild’s London home members can now access more than 1,000 books, magazines and trade publications.

Benevolent Fund
To provide financial grants and other welfare assistance to all Blue Badge guides in need (including for example home visits, hospital visits, flowers and get well cards). Any Blue Badge guide of at least one year's standing is entitled to apply in confidence.

International Connections
The Guild recognises the importance of having a strong voice internationally. Through membership the World Federation of Tourist Guides Associations (WFTGA) and the European Federation of Tourist Guides Associations (FEG), the Guild has established strong links with professional tourist guides worldwide and is able to promote the Blue Badge as a standard of excellence internationally.

Affinity Programmes/Discount offers
Programmes aimed at helping Guild members save money are a key element of our member benefit package. By taking advantage of some of these, you could save an amount equal to the cost of your membership – and more! Our discount partners include Foyles, American Express, IPC Media, Cottages4You, APH Airport Parking, F Hinds and Old English Inns.

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