21 July 2026

These guidelines apply to your activities as an MCCA officer and occasionally as a player.

GENERALLY

I prefer you to claim for all non-trivial expenditure, as this helps our accounts to show the real cost of our activities - and because you give your time to the Association and deserve reimbursement of your expenses.

If you’re not comfortable about claiming then claim anyway and make an equivalent donation to MCCA. This helps to make the accounts realistic and  reliable.

Get printed receipts or other evidence for everything where possible, write your name on the receipts, delete any expenses not being claimed, and send them to me. If receipts are unavailable or lost, claim anyway so I can take a view.

LEFT-OVER FOOD AND CONSUMABLES

This applies to tournaments and home matches where we are providing refreshments.

Refreshments are important! Consciously or subconsciously, the expectation of tea, coffee and decent biscuits motivates players to volunteer for matches and to pay to enter tournaments. I don't want this note to become an essay on biscuits, but I strongly recommend McVities digestives (plain and chocolate) and tea biscuits, as everyone seems to like them. However, I must not fall into the trap of thinking that my personal tastes are universal (though I wish they were).

Food with a long life, like tea, coffee and sugar, can go into the big bag that’s kept in the cupboard in the church hall. But sugar and coffee must be sealed tight in containers to prevent contamination. (Tea doesn’t usually come in a sealed container, but you are welcome to supply one.)

What about food with a short life, like milk and biscuits?

• Keep unopened bottles of milk in the fridge in the church hall and mention this in your pre-play announcement.
• If the bottle or packet has been opened, offer it to players, parents or other officers, take it home yourself or dispose of it, but include it in your claim because you bought it in good faith and you can’t use it in the next game.
• If the bottle or packet hasn’t been opened, you can take it home but delete it on the receipt.

OTHER PURCHASES

Other purchases for which valid claims could be made could include:

• a washing up brush
• sealed containers for tea or sugar

TAXIS

I will reimburse the cost of taxis incurred for good reason, e.g:

• Transporting heavy or valuable equipment (including trophies)
• Public transport disruptions, including any due to weather or industrial action
• Personal injury or disability (temporary or permanent) making it difficult for you to walk any distance or to negotiate public transport
• To avoid being late after losing your way to or from an away venue (even if it’s your fault)
• Other good reason (e.g. prior appointment which doesn’t leave you enough time if you go by public transport; or to avoid risks to your personal safety)

These reasons aren’t exhaustive and I will consider analogous claims. I reserve the right to reject claims which appear to fall within the above categories but which I consider unreasonable in the circumstances.

If a taxi journey is only partly attributable to MCCA business, you can make a pro rata claim.

A brief explanation of any special circumstances is always helpful.

FUEL

I haven’t developed a policy for reimbursing fuel and other motoring costs. Contact me with your suggestions if you think such a policy is needed.

CONCLUSION

If you have any queries or suggestions, please let me know.

Finally, don't forget the biscuits!

DAVID LEWIS

Treasurer, Middlesex County Chess Association