How to Book a Place on a Retreat
Essential pre-reading
Prior to booking, be sure to read all the links above, so that you understand the nature of our retreats and venues.
Our retreats are open to all members of the public aged 18 and over. You do not need to be Buddhist nor be a member of the Western Chan Fellowship.
Avoid your booking being marked as spam
We send confirmation messages and retreat information by email. Please check your spamfolder, and add the following address to your address book and/or whitelist to lessen the risk of the messages going into your spamfolder admin@westernchanfellowship.org
Book Early!
Although we aim to accommodate late bookings if places are available, please try to book retreat places well in advance (preferably more than two weeks before the start date), so as to be sure of securing a place and to help us with the planning and organisation of the retreat and catering.
The website Retreat Calendar is linked to our live database and shows whether places on each retreat are still available, and whether supported places are still available. There is no need to contact the bookings secretary to ask such questions since he can only respond to you with the same information as is on the website retreat calendar.
If you require a supported place make your booking as soon as you know your plans. There is no need to ‘apply’ for supported place, simply select the supported fee option when making your booking.
Application for a Retreat Place
The quickest way to book is to book online, paying by credit or debit card. Visit the retreats page and next to any retreat click link to "Book Online". If you book online you will be able to use stored details so completion of the booking will be easier.
If you wish to book by post, please complete the application form below in full, and post with payment to the address on the form. Payment is possible by cheque or by Bank Transfer (UK or International) - banking details are on the application form.
Booking Conditions
- Applications without full payment will not be accepted
- Please note that retreats are not open to anyone under the age of 18 years
- Retreat fees must be paid in full at the time of booking
- Bookings are not transferable
- When booking to attend a retreat we require you to commit to participate in the whole retreat from start to finish, arriving in time for the start and staying until the end. It is disruptive to others on a retreat if someone arrives late, leaves early, or is not participating fully. Committing and participating fully and wholeheartedly supports your fellow retreatants and respects the retreat teachers who are volunteers offering their time freely. If you do not arrive by 7:30pm on the first evening of the retreat this will be treated as a no-show and so as a late cancellation, i.e. your booking is cancelled with no refund of fee payable. You will not be admitted to the retreat even if you arrive subsequently.
Cancellation Conditions
Cancellation by you
- If you cancel at least four weeks before the start of your retreat we shall refund the fees paid by you less an administration charge of £20.
- If you cancel between four and two weeks before the start of your retreat we shall refund you 50% of your retreat fee, unless we take a replacement booking in which case we shall refund your fee after deducting the administration charge of £20.
- If you cancel within two weeks of the start of your retreat your full retreat fee will be forfeited, unless we take a replacement booking in which case we shall refund your fee after deducting the administration charge of £20.
- For cancellations more than four weeks before the start of your retreat we usually, subject to our volunteer staff availability, make your refund within ten working days of your cancellation. Processing of refunds for cancellations within four weeks of the start of your retreat will be deferred while we determine whether we can replace your booking, and so may not be paid until ten working days after the start date of the retreat.
- If there are exceptional compassionate grounds for a late cancellation, let us know as soon as possible by writing to the WCF secretary enclosing independent evidence such as an appropriate medical certificate. In such cases we may consider refunding part of your retreat fee. Please note though that this is entirely at our discretion.
- If you fail to attend without giving any notice the full retreat fee will be forfeited.
- A £20 administration fee is applied to all cancellations and the remaining balance is transferred to the Support Fund
If you wish more protection against loss of fees due to inability to attend then travel insurance may be available to cover this risk.
Cancellation by us
In the event that we have to cancel your booking for any reason, we will notify you of this as soon as possible and refund any fees paid by you. We will endeavour to make this refund as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days from the last day of the cancelled retreat. In this event our liability to you is limited to refund of fees already paid by you, and does not include reimbursement for any consequential losses which may be incurred by you such as non-refundable travel tickets. If this is a concern for you then you may wish to take out appropriate holiday insurance which includes cover for cancellation.
