Welcome to Membership of the National Botanic Garden of Wales
Your membership will not only support one of the most beautiful, historic, interesting and important garden charities in Wales, it will also help to save and protect endangered, native Welsh plant species together with plant species now threatened with extinction from Mediterranean climate regions around the world.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Taking out an annual, ten-year or life membership will not only support the Garden charity, but as a regular visitor, it will save you money too, providing an opportunity for you to visit the Garden whenever you want within our opening hours and hopefully taking advantage of some of the benefits of membership that we have to offer – these are printed as a reminder on membership correspondence when you renew your membership, are available on our website, and on the membership application form.
To fully enjoy your membership, please take the time to read the following as part of the terms and conditions of membership of the National Botanic Garden of Wales:
Membership Card
In return for your Garden membership and all the benefits this brings, all we ask is that when you visit the National Botanic Garden of Wales you present your membership card to our visitor services team at the main entrance. If you have forgotten your card, the visitor services team will charge you for entry which is non-refundable. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have your membership card(s) with you before setting out for the Garden.
Only the named person on the card will be permitted entry – with the exception of Membership Plus, a category that entitles the named cardholder to bring a guest. Cards are not transferrable and we respectfully ask that all members sign their membership cards.
Reciprocal Gardens
We have a reciprocal membership arrangement with the following gardens and attractions:
- Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
- The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens & Arboretum, Hampshire
- The Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses
- University of Oxford Botanic Garden & Harcourt Arboretum
- Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden
- Younger Botanic Garden
- Logan Botanic Garden
- Dawyck Botanic Garden
- Benmore Botanic Garden
Only cardholders will be granted access to the above gardens and attractions. If you have a family membership, please check with the garden/attraction you are visiting to inquire about entry requirements for children. Membership Plus cardholders will not be permitted to take a guest to reciprocal gardens/attractions.
The reciprocal arrangement is at the discretion of the garden/attraction you are visiting. Their rules and regulations could change at any time and we would suggest contacting them to ensure that entry requirements have not changed before setting out on a long journey.
Always ensure that you have your membership card with you, otherwise, you will have to pay the entrance fee at the reciprocal garden/attraction.
Help! I’ve lost my membership card
If you have lost your membership card we are happy to replace it but an administration charge of £5 will apply for each lost card. To obtain a replacement card, you can either leave your details at the main visitor reception or phone/email the membership department and a replacement membership card will be left for you to collect at the main visitor entrance. Please be aware that it may be a few days before we can arrange a replacement card for you.
What are the arrangements for carers at the Garden?
Carers are permitted free admission to the Garden.
I’m a member, what if I want to bring a friend with me to the Garden?
Members are most welcome to bring friends with them to the Garden but their friends will have to pay for admission unless the member has the category of Membership Plus; whereby the member can bring a friend free of charge. Membership Plus is an Individual Membership (only one card issued) with a ‘guest facility’. Individual, Joint and Family card holders will have to pay for any guests they bring to the Garden.
How do I renew my membership?
Approximately one month before your membership is due for renewal, we will send you a letter seeking your continued support of the Garden, together with a membership form, direct debit mandate and self-addressed envelope.
If you paid by cash, cheque or debit/credit card for your membership initially, you are welcome to do so again and can either return the forms by post to the membership & volunteer department or drop them in at the visitor services desk when you next visit.
If you renew by post or over the phone, no temporary membership card will be issued. This also applies to members whose membership has lapsed. Membership will be dated from the expiry date on the card or ‘if the membership has lapsed’ it will be dated from the day of processing.
Can I pay by direct debit?
If you wish to renew your membership by direct debit, then all you have to do is complete the direct debit mandate form, together with the membership application form, and return them to the membership department at the Garden. You can either post the form or drop it in to the membership office or visitor services desk.
For your information, we only draw down Direct Debits twice a month, usually around the 1st and 15th of the month. Please allow three weeks for processing of Direct Debits from the date of posting.
How long will it take to process my membership?
We advise all members to please allow up to 28 days for processing of membership from date of receipt. Membership may be processed before this time, depending on busy periods of the year and staff absences and annual leave.
Does my membership include free entry to the British Bird of Prey Centre?
It does not but, fear not: as a Garden member, you can get top-up membership for the British Bird of Prey Centre for £15 per person, per year.
I want to change my membership category this year?
If you decide to change from Individual to Joint membership or Family to Joint etc., then all you have to do is indicate the new membership category on the membership renewal form. However, don’t forget to input either the additional member name or delete the member name as required.
How do I cancel my membership (direct debit)?
We understand that circumstances change. If you need to cancel your membership, or do not wish to renew, please contact us either by post or email. If you have a direct debit, you will need to let us know in writing that you are cancelling the direct debit and please cancel the direct debit immediately with your bank. We do not give any refunds on any membership category.
Do I need to let you know about a change of address etc?
If you are moving house, have changed your name or a member has passed away, or you have changed your email address or telephone number, please let us know in writing either by post or email. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE DETAILS ON THE TELEPHONE. Please provide your old address and your new address. We will always send you an email confirming any changes you make.
NB: The National Botanic Garden of Wales is not under any obligation to replace membership cards when cards have been sent to a current address in good faith; but members have not informed us of a change of address in writing or members have given an incorrect address. It is the responsibility of the member to obtain the card(s) from the previous/incorrect address.
I’d like to give someone the Gift of Membership. How do I do this?
Membership application forms have the facility for giving membership as a gift to friends and family. Gift applications can be taken out at the main visitor services desk or at the membership & volunteer office.
Can I purchase a membership as a gift at the Garden?
If you apply in person at the main visitor services desk, you will be given a gift pack and envelope there and then with a temporary membership ticket. Membership cards will be sent later when the application is processed by the membership department.
Can I buy a membership as a gift over the phone?
Orders for membership gifts can be taken over the phone. The gift can either be sent to the recipient or to the purchaser.
Please give at least 10 days’ notice when ordering membership gifts to be sent by post.
NB: when the time comes to renew a gift membership, the renewal details will be sent to the recipient, not the purchaser – sorry, we just do not have the facility to do otherwise!
My spouse/partner has passed away, can I get a refund?
We do not give any refunds on any membership category with one exception. If you have lost a spouse/partner and there are few months left on the membership card, we will exchange the card for a guest card so that you can bring a friend with you to the Garden for the remainder of the membership. With regard to Life or Ten Year membership, a guest card will only be valid for one year.
Can I hire a wheelchair or mobility scooter at the Garden?
There is no charge for the hire of a wheelchair at the Garden but a small donation would be appreciated, as these items need to be maintained. Please contact the visitor services team to book a wheelchair.
Mobility scooters can be hired at a cost of £30 per day (including a £15 returnable deposit) but due to high visitor numbers we always advise that these are booked well in advance with the visitor services department to avoid any disappointment. Tel: 01558 667149
My friend, who is a member, gets a weekly email from you but I don’t. Can you help?
We advise all members to sign up for the weekly newsletter which is usually sent out on a Friday afternoon and is just a summary/reminder of forthcoming events at the Garden and any news or special offers that we may have.
To sign up, just email your name, membership number and postcode to the membership & volunteer department: jane.down@gardenofwales.org.uk
Are there any events that my membership does not include at the Garden?
We occasionally have events at the Garden that require an extra admission charge, these would include:- Meet a Meerkat, the Midsummer Concert, Christmas Shows and Members & Volunteers Coffee Mornings & Trips, and other concerts and events, though full notice will be given.
I’ve not received the membership magazine?
We produce two editions of Yr Ardd, the members’ magazine, each year. The spring issue is posted out to all members and will include an events brochure.
Subsequent issues of Yr Ardd, in the summer and autumn, will be emailed out to all members with an email address. Those members without email facility will receive a copy in the post.
In line with our sustainability/environment policy, we are trying to cut down on paper and postage, thereby sending an e-magazine ensures that we comply with our policy and helps us as a charity to save much-needed funds. If you would like a hard copy of the magazine, they can be collected from various information points around the Garden.
My friend who is a member received complimentary admission tickets but I didn’t. Why not?
As part of Life and Ten-Year Membership benefits, members receive four complimentary tickets annually per membership, which are sent out with the Spring edition of the Yr Ardd members’ magazine.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The National Botanic Garden of Wales sometimes collects personal data of people with whom it interacts, but you will always be told when it is being collected and what it is used for.
We never pass your personal data on to anyone else unless you have agreed or unless we are required to by law, and we always take the greatest care of any personal data we collect.
Full details can be found in our Privacy Notice.
Your rights
You have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), although not all are absolute rights:
- To obtain a copy of your data (a Subject Access Request).
- To ask us to change incorrect or incomplete data.
- To ask us to delete or stop processing your data.
- To object to the processing of your data where we are relying on our legitimate interests as the lawful basis for processing.
Please contact the Garden’s Data Protection Officer at the address below if you wish to exercise any of these rights or to discuss the use of your personal data. To make a Subject Access Request, please complete our Subject Access Request Form and send it to the Data Protection Officer.
Data Protection Officer, National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire SA32 8HG.
Or e-mail dataprotection@gardenofwales.org.uk
Making a complaint
You should contact the Garden’s Data Protection Officer at the above address if you wish to make a complaint. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner at https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.
We want you to enjoy your membership and every visit you make to the National Botanic Garden of Wales. We hope that the above information answers any questions you may have. Any queries, please contact:
Membership & Volunteer Department, National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne, Carmarthen SA32 8HN
Tel: 01558 667118 Email: jane.down@gardenofwales.org.uk