Terms & Conditions

These Terms and Conditions are current as of 28th December 2011. They will be reviewed and may be updated periodically.

About our website
Thank you for visiting http://www.mindfulnessretreats.org.uk  The website is owned and managed by the Community of Interbeing (hereby known as the Organisers), who collect several kinds of information from visitors when searching this website and leaving email details. For details of how we use your personal information please see the Community of Interbeing Privacy Policy.

http://www.mindfulnessretreats.org.uk contains links to other third party sites. The Organisers cannot be held responsible for the contents or practices of those sites. The Organisers make every effort to ensure this website is free from viruses. However, they cannot guarantee that your use of this website will not cause damage to your computer. It is your responsibility to ensure that the right equipment is available to use the website and screen out anything that may damage it.

Views expressed are not necessarily always those of the Organisers and should not be taken as such.
Please use this website as a general guide. Every care is taken in the preparation of the content of the website and the Organisers cannot be held responsible for omissions or mistakes that may arise.
The Community of Interbeing/the Organisers reserve the right periodically to update the website http://www.mindfulnessretreats.org.uk.

Our Terms and Conditions
We keep our Terms and Conditions under regular review and we will place any updates on this webpage. These Terms and Conditions were last updated on 28th December 2011.
Access and use by you of our site constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions by you and by all persons on whose behalf you are making a booking. The terms and conditions take effect from the date on which you first use this website.

Contract
Your contract is with the Community of Interbeing UK (registered charity number 1096680), a company limited by guarantee (registered in England number 4623280). The registered office is 25 Reading Road, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP4 4NP.
A binding contract is only entered into after we have received payment from you, in cleared funds. By making the booking you accept that you have the authority to bind all members of your party to these terms and conditions. It is essential that you check the booking details made and inform us immediately of any errors.

Changes or cancellations by the Organisers because of events beyond our control
It is hereby understood that in the event that the organisers have to cancel or amend the booking due to circumstances beyond our control, including but not exclusively cancellation or amendment due to an epidemic or pandemic declared by the World Health Organisation, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), any influenza variant, acts of war, radioactive contamination, union boycotts, acts of terrorism, biological or chemical contamination or foot and mouth disease, the Organisers will use their best endeavours to refund part of the fees paid net of irrecoverable costs incurred by the Organisers.

Retreat Leader
In the event of Thich Nhat Hanh being unable to lead the residential Retreat at the University of Nottingham and/or the non-residential Educators’ Retreat at the American School, it is our intention that these events will still take place, led by monastics of Plum Village, with the assistance of senior members of the Community of Interbeing. No refunds will be made in this eventuality and you agree to this by making a booking.

Refund Policy
If you need to cancel your booking, please refer to Cancellations and Refunds.

Personal Insurance
Please ensure that you have personal travel insurance to cover cancellation, personal liability, accident and illness as this is not covered by the event Organisers.

Late Arrivals and Early Departures
No refunds are payable for late arrivals or early departures.

Arrival and Departure times for the Nottingham Retreat
The University of Nottingham has promised that bedrooms for the Retreat will be available from 2.00 p.m. on the day you arrive. On the day of departure, rooms must be vacated by 10.00 a.m. You may be charged extra if you or members of your party fail to leave on time.

Arrival and departure times for the non-residential Educators’ Retreat at the American School will be specified in the Joining Instructions.

Attendees take responsibility to familiarize themselves with the American School evacuation and other health and safety procedures.

Animals and Pets
No animals or pets of any kind, except guide dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for the deaf, are allowed on either the University of Nottingham or the American School premises. Should you intend to bring a guide or hearing dog you must clear this with the Organisers at the time of booking or not less than six weeks before the start date of the retreat.

Conduct during the retreats
At both the University of Nottingham and the American School you and members of your party are required to treat the venues’ residents, staff and premises with respect. Behaviour which puts others (including delegates, the Organisers’ personnel or venue staff) at risk or which is abusive, threatening or offensive will result in your being asked to leave the Retreat. Examples of such behaviour include:
drunken behaviour
suspected use of illegal substances
causing a nuisance or disturbance
unreasonable demands of staff or organisers’ personnel
foul, racist or otherwise offensive language
sexually provocative remarks or jokes
any other form of harassment or assault
aggressive or violent behaviour
suspected theft from the Organisers, the University or other guests
trespass into staff only areas
refusing to pay agreed charges

In addition, smoking is not allowed and alcohol may not be brought onto the premises of the American School.

Safeguarding Children while on campus
The Community of Interbeing Child Protection – Policy principles and procedures will apply. You (the parent or carer) acknowledge, however, that you have primary responsibility for the welfare of the children in your care. Children under six years of age will not normally be included in the Nottingham Retreat Children’s Programme and you agree to ensure that they will be in the care of a responsible adult throughout your stay on the University campus.

Loss of and Damage to Property
Property of the University of Nottingham: You agree to report (by means of the Organisers’ co-ordinator if he/she is still on site or to the conference office on the appropriate form if the co-ordinator is not) any physical damage to and/or soiling of University of Nottingham property or premises caused by your negligence or intentionally by you to us as soon as you are able.
You will be liable for the costs of repairing, replacing or making good any damage or soiling arising.

Personal property The University of Nottingham will take all reasonable steps to ensure that you and your belongings are safe. However you are responsible for ensuring that any rooms relating to your party are locked when not in use and that all members of your party keep with them all of their money and valuables.
Property of the American School: You agree to report any damage to and/or soiling of American School property to the Organisers’ co-ordinator if he/she is on site or if the co-ordinator is not present to staff at the reception desk of the school.Lost Property: the American School reserves the right to dispose as it thinks fit of any property left on the premises if such property is not claimed within one month of discovery.

Neither the Organisers nor venues, their employees or agents shall be liable for any damage or loss to property, valuables or money of whatever description including (but not limited to) luggage, jewellery, documents, motor vehicles and electrical equipment whether caused by the information that the Organisers or the venues supplied, by their failure to keep your belongings safe, or in any other way unless such loss or damage is caused by either the Organisers’ or the venues’ deliberate and negligent act or by the deliberate and negligent act of one of their agents or employees.

Limitation of liability
Our liability for direct losses arising out of our negligence (other than in respect of liability for death or personal injury), breach of contract or any other cause of action arising out of or in connection with this contract shall be limited to the amount paid to us for the booking. We shall not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss whether arising from negligence, breach of contract or otherwise. These terms and conditions will not affect any of the rights that the law confers on you and which cannot be excluded.

Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions.

Updated 28th December 2011.