The Marshal Handbook

1. The role of a Marshal in the TLC Club

A Marshal is a club member volunteering to help run the daily activities of the club when the members meet on the premises. This role is absolutely necessary as the club board members can’t possibly be present at the club premises during all the hours the club is operating.

The scope of the Marshal duties roughly falls in the following categories:

Helping the members get set up when they visit the club premises
Uphold the club code of conduct while the club premises are open
Interface with the non-members wishing to know more about the club, or to join the club for a day to play in an event/attend the club premises
The Marshal is expected to work with the club board, the event organisers on the day and any club members looking for assistance or expressing concerns.

2. Normal duties – opening, chaperoning, and closing the club

2.1 Opening the club location

2.1.1 Handling of the keys

The Marshal shall open the Club. They are supposed to have a list of planned attendees, to plan the table arrangements and gaming spaces.

This entails being at the DeLaSalle Pastoral Center in Wicklow Town before/at 6pm on a Friday evening and 12 midday on a Saturday.
They shall set up normal tables, 6”x4” tables, gaming spaces as requested to be set up by club members before the gaming days.
They should do so following all best practices for lifting, health requirements at the time, and ensuring enough seating is generally available for the day.

2.2 Overseeing the daily activities

Make sure members treat our club space with respect.
Collect on daily member fees
Clean any spills with the help of the members
Any issues should be recorded, reported as soon as possible to the Club Board in writing and dealt with within the guidelines given. Exceptional circumstances can arise that are not advised clearly upon and the Marshal should use their best judgement and the judgement of the senior members of the Club around them to provide as best a solution to any issue that may arise.

Ring the board member?

2.3 Closing the club location

The Marshal

should ensure that on each Friday at 10pm and each Saturday at 8pm the rooms used are put back in a clean and orderly manner.
Return all 6”x4” tables to the storage room.
Return the terrain and gaming mats to the storage lockers.
Shall ensure that each member takes their rubbish with them.

2.4 Non-members joining for the day

Ensure that a daily rate (subject to change with advanced notice) of 10 Euro only from daily members. This is to be deposited in the Club money box and noted for the Treasurer to review.

Kids go free

2.5 Handling of funds

All funds received by the Marshal on the day should be deposited in the money box. Please make a note on how much money was deposited, and who it was received from, and why.

The note should be sent to the Treasurer in an email.

2.6 Unexpected expenses

The Marshal is not supposed to pay any unexpected expenses, as those are not handled on the day.

If an unexpected expense is brought to the attention of the Marshal, the Marshal shouldn’t pay it. Instead, ask the requestor to contact the club Treasurer.

Please inform the Treasurer at the earliest possible time of the situation, expense and the reasons for the expense.

3. Incident playbook

No matter the nature of the incident, the Marshal has responsibility to not put themselves in danger. In most cases, their role is to call for relevant authorities, and prevent other members from making the situation worse.

3.1 Person feeling sick

Assess the level of danger the person is in to the best of your ability
Help them if it is safe, and you are trained to do so
If you feel there is any danger to the wellbeing of the person, call 999 and follow their instructions

3.2 Person getting hurt or injured

Make the first aid kit available as quickly as possible.
Have the local ambulance number (999) available and ready to be used if needs be.
Follow, allow instruction or allow a registered First Aider to assist the injured party.

3.3 Fire alarm sounding

Be aware and follow the Club Venues fire safety protocols.
Ensure evacuation and that each member has left the building by recording a list of members after evacuation is complete. This list should be compared with the contract tracing list if still applicable.
You are not a firefighter, and you can’t force people to leave the building.
Check every room the club members are in, loudly tell them to leave the building leaving all personal belongings behind
Leave the building and liaise with the Fire Warden and the emergency services

3.4 Disruptive behaviour

What counts as disruptive behaviour:

people interfering with other people’s enjoyment of the games, by e.g. loudly and constantly shouting
people behaving in unsafe manner, e.g. running around the gaming tables, pushing furniture
players throwing a tantrum after losing a game, loudly ranting, swearing, throwing game pieces around
people not meeting the basic standards of personal hygiene or decency
people smoking or vaping on the premises
People are under influence of alcohol/drugs or trying to consume them at the in the parish hall

Dealing with Disruptive behaviour

First instance: verbally warm the offender that their behaviour is disruptive and that they will need to stop being disruptive.
Second instance: Verbally assert that if the offender continues their disruptive behaviour they will be asked to leave. Allow them to correct their behaviour
Third instance: calmly, clearly and directly ask the offender to collect their belongings and leave without causing further disturbance.
Continuous disruptive behaviour and failure to leave the premises at this point the Marshal should:
- ask the rest of the attendees to pack up, and close the club for the day
- in case of further escalation, call An Garda Síochána na hÉireann and ask them to come remove the offender. (999 is the correct number to call in this case)

3.5 Verbal altercation

If any member of the club has a verbal altercation, including name calling, derogatory language, swearing, etc. any member involved should be asked to leave immediately after collecting their belongings.

A report in writing should be made to the board as soon as possible.

The priority should be to prevent other members from getting involved in the altercation.

Absolutely under no circumstance the Marshal should try to physically eject the offenders from the premises.

If they do not leave An Garda Síochána should be called to remove the offender. (999 is the correct number to call in this case)

Any offenders may be banned from the club from that point on.

3.6 Physical altercation

This is a very serious section to write, as a lot of the situations below constitute assault and can be part of a civil or even a criminal case.

If any member of the club has a physical altercation, including touching someone inappropriately, hitting someone, unwanted attention, etc. any member involved should be asked to leave immediately, after collecting their belongings.

A report in writing should be made to the board as soon as possible.

The priority should be to prevent other members from getting involved in the altercation.

Under no circumstance the Marshal should try to physically eject the offenders from the premises.

If they do not leave, An Garda Síochána should be called to remove the offender. (999 is the correct number to call in this case). TODO add a step throughout where the Marshal needs to close the club for the day.

Any offenders will be banned from the club from that point on.

3.7 Ejecting a person from the club location

First instance: Ask the member/person to leave the Club premises immediately, after they collect their belongings.

If the member refuses to leave the premises, please call An Garda Síochána to remove the offender. (999 is the correct number to call in this case)

Ask the person politely, but firmly, to leave the premises. “XXX, you must leave the club premises immediately. Please gather your possessions and leave now.”
If the person does not comply, repeat the phrase above, and add that you’ll be calling the Garda.
Call the Garda (details above, TBD here).
In the situation where Garda is not available to assist in a timely manner, call the day/night over and ask all members to leave the premises.
Make a written report for the club board. Include the situation that led to the ejection, the details of the offender(s) and the offence(s) and the time of the person leaving the property.

3.8 Dealing with harassment/bullying

Harassment/bullying of any kind has no place in The Last Chancers. The offender will be asked to leave immediately and if needs be An Garda Síochána should be involved. Any harassment or bullying offenders will be banned from the club from that point on.