General Rules Governing the Use of The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre

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1. Use of the Centre
2. Dress Code
3. Canvassing
4. Equal Opportunities
5. General Conditions for Use of the Centre
6. Applying to use a part of the Centre for a particular activity
7. Hours of Opening
8. Maximum Capacity
9. Safety Requirements
10. Supervision
11. Intoxicating Liquor
12. Betting, Gaming and Lotteries
13. Public Entertainment
14. Storage
15. Loss of Property
16. Car Parking
17. Nuisance
18. Cleaning and Security
19. Smoking

Introduction
The management of The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre is vested in the Board of Trustees of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre Trust, whose powers and composition are defined in the Trust constitution. Under the provisions of the constitution, the Board of Trustees is empowered to make the rules and regulations governing the use of the Centre or to withdraw or amend them at any time. The Centre Director and Operations Manager have the responsibilities to manage and ensure compliance by the rules of the Centre.

As they seek to comply by the laws of the United Kingdom, The trustees and staff are guided at all times by the principles of Islam.

1. Use of the Centre
Use of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre and its services is subject to the following rules and, in the case of hirers, to certain standard conditions incorporated in the hiring agreement.

2. Dress Code
All users and visitors are kindly required to observe the following dress code:
Both men and women are required to dress modestly at all times. Ladies are required to wear loose clothing with long sleeves and well below knee length and generally avoid see through, revealing and low cut clothing. Shorts are not allowed for both men and women. Mosque users and visitors are required to remove their shoes at point of entry and for ladies to wear head covering (may be obtained from Reception).

Hall hirers need to ensure that their guests/invitees are fully aware of and in compliance with the Dress Code.

3. Canvassing
The premises of the Centre and its immediate vicinity may not under any circumstances be used openly or otherwise for any canvassing for any political parties from the United Kingdom or elsewhere. This prohibition includes speeches and the distribution of printed materials in any language.

4. Equal Opportunities
The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre abides by its Equal Opportunities Policy.

5. General Conditions for Use of the Centre
Permission to use the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre is granted on the condition that:

a. Services and facilities are used for their intended purpose,

b.Appropriate dress and rules of behaviour are adhered to in all parts of the Centre but most especially in the Prayer Halls,

c.No part of the Centre is to be used solely as a social gathering place or as public seating or toilet facilities.

d.The Board of Trustees reserves the right to withdraw permission to use the Centre if they deem that a particular organisation or individual acts inappropriately after a verbal warning from the Director, presents a risk of public disorder or risks alienating the Centre's beneficiaries or supporters.

e.No activity shall be allowed that is deemed to cause offence or discriminate on the ground of colour, gender, faith, nationality, race, age, and/or physical disabilities.

f.All activities must be programmed and scheduled so as not to disturb the congregational prayers in the Prayer Hall.

6. Applying to use a part of the Centre for a particular activity

a. Application for use of the Centre shall be made in writing to the Management of the Centre.

b.The right to refuse any application for the use of Centre facilities is reserved by the Board of Trustees, the Director or the Operations Manager. The Board of Trustees may refuse an application to use the Centre's facilities if the use by a particular organisation or individual presents a risk to public disorder or risks alienating the Trust's beneficiaries or supporters and embroils the Trust or its Management into disrepute. An application may also be rejected if its intended use or proposed activities will cause offence to other users or disrupt other activities of the Centre.

c.All arrangements for the use of Centre facilities are subject to the Management reserving the right to cancel bookings when the premises are rendered unfit for the intended use.

d.Sections and affiliated groups of the Trust shall normally have priority use of its facilities, but all arrangements to hire facilities made with outside bodies and individuals shall be honoured by the Trust, except as provided for in (c) above.

7. Hours of Opening
Facilities at the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre are normally available for use between the hours of 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on weekdays, evenings from 5.00 pm to 9.00 pm and weekends from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm.

8. Maximum Capacity
The Centre rooms have maximum capacity as stated in Hall Hire Pack. On no account shall these figures be exceeded.

9. Safety Requirements
No user shall do anything, which will endanger others users of the Centre or cause damage to the contents and physical fabric of the Centre and the policies of insurance relating to them. In particular:

a. Facilities and equipment in the Centre are used for their intended purpose.

b.No equipment in the Centre shall be opened, tampered with or repairs attempted unless so authorised by the Director.

c.Obstructions must not be placed in corridors or exits, nor in front of emergency exits, which must be immediately available for free public egress;

d.Fire-fighting apparatus shall be kept in its proper place and only used for its intended purpose;

e.The Fire Brigade shall be called to any outbreak of fire, however slight, and details of the occurrence shall be given to the Director;

f.Highly flammable substances shall not be brought into, or used, in any part of the premises.

g.No internal decorations of any nature shall be undertaken, erected or placed on the Centre walls.

h.No unauthorised equipment including heating appliances shall be used on the premises;

i.The First Aid box shall be readily available to all users of the premises. It is located at the Main Reception Desk, outside the Nursery.
The Director shall be informed of any accident or injury occurring on the premises.

j.All electrical equipment brought into the building shall comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989. The Board of Trustees disclaims all responsibility for all claims and costs arising out of any such equipment that does not so comply.

10. Supervision
The hirer or person in charge of an activity shall not be under 18 years of age and shall be on the premises for the entire period of hire, or duration of the activity. The person in charge shall not be engaged in any duties, which prevent him/her from exercising general supervision.
All persons in charge or on duty shall have been informed of the procedure for evacuation of the premises and shall be familiar with the fire-fighting equipment available.

11. Intoxicating Liquor
Strictly no intoxicating liquors are permitted to be brought into, stored, bought, sold or consumed on any part of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre premises.

12. Betting, Gaming and Lotteries
Strictly no betting, gaming or lotteries shall be undertaken on any part of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre premises.

13. Public Entertainment
Strictly no music entertainment of any kind shall be played or undertaken on any part of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre premises.

14. Storage
The permission of the Board of Trustees must be obtained before goods or equipment are left or stored at the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, except that the Director or the Operations Manager is authorised to grant permission for the overnight storage of goods and equipment brought to the Centre for a particular function or event. In any event the Centre cannot accept any responsibility for damages to and theft of any such equipment.

15. Loss of Property
The Trust cannot accept responsibility for damage to, or the loss or theft of, Centre users' property and effects.

16. Car Parking
There is no car parking facilities for users. Cars shall not be parked so as to cause an obstruction at the entrance to, or exits from, the Centre.

17. Nuisance

a. Litter shall not be left in or about the Centre premises.

b.Except in the case of trained guide dogs for the blind, no animal shall be permitted on any part of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre premises. No animal, including guide dogs, will be allowed into the prayer halls.

c.Hirers and organisers of activities in the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre are responsible for ensuring that the noise level of their activities are not such as to interfere with other activities within the building nor to cause inconvenience for the occupiers of nearby properties.

18. Cleaning and Security
All use of Centre premises and facilities is subject to the users or hirers accepting responsibility for returning furniture and equipment to their original position, and for securing doors and windows of the premises as will be advised by staff of the Centre. All users shall also leave the premises and surrounds in a clean and tidy condition.

19. Smoking
The Centre observes a "No Smoking" Policy on all its premises.