How to write a club newsletter people actually read (and where to keep it)

A good club newsletter is short, regular and useful. People open it because it tells them something they need: when the next session is, what changed, how to help. This guide covers what to include, how to write it, how often to send it, how to stay on the right side of the email rules and where to keep the back issues.

Decide what the newsletter is for

Pick one job. For most clubs it is: "tell members what is happening in the next few weeks and what they need to do." If you also want to share news, thank volunteers, recruit or fundraise, those are secondary. A newsletter that tries to be a magazine usually stops after three issues because it is too much work.

Write the job at the top of a notes file where you plan issues. Everything that does not serve it can wait.

A structure that works

Keep the same order every time so people learn where to look.

1. Subject line. Say what is inside: "Club news: AGM on 14 May, new Tuesday time". Avoid vague teasers and ALL CAPS.
2. The one thing. The single most important date or action in the first two lines. If people read nothing else, they have that.
3. Dates and diary. A list of the next few events with date, time and place. Bullets, not paragraphs.
4. News. Two or three short items, each with a heading and no more than a few sentences. Link to the full story on your website instead of copying it in.
5. Results or highlights. A line or two about what members did. Names and photos only where you have permission.
6. Help wanted. One specific request, such as "we need two people to run the raffle on 3 June," with a name to reply to.
7. Contact and sign-off. Who sent it, a reply address, your club name and postal address, and an unsubscribe line if the email is promotional (see below).

Writing tips

• Write like you talk to a member at the door. Short sentences, plain words.
• Put the date in the first line of anything about an event.
• One link per item. Too many links dilute the one you want clicked.
• Use headings and white space. Most people read on a phone.
• Use alt text for images, and do not put important details only inside an image or a flyer PDF.
• Have a second person read it before sending, to catch wrong dates.
• Say thank you in public to volunteers where they are happy for you to.

How often?

Pick a rhythm you can keep: monthly suits most clubs, with an extra short message when something urgent changes. Fortnightly can work in a busy season; weekly is only sensible if you have the time. It is better to send a small newsletter every month than a big one twice a year. Put a reminder in the secretary's calendar and agree who writes it.

Is it legal to email members? PECR in short

Emails to members that are about running the club, such as AGM notices, fixture changes or cancellations, are service messages. Messages that promote the club, fundraise, advertise sponsors or push paid events are direct marketing, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) generally require consent or another permitted basis. A newsletter often mixes both, which is where clubs get caught. We explain the line, the charity soft opt-in introduced in 2026 and sample wording in PECR and your club newsletter.

In practice:

• Ask people to opt in when they join, using a clear tick box that is not pre-ticked. The wording is in our guide to membership form wording under GDPR.
• Say who you are and give a working reply address in every email.
• Include an easy way to unsubscribe and act on it quickly.
• Do not add people to the list because their details were handed to you for another reason.
• Tell people in your privacy notice what you do with their email addresses; see GDPR for small clubs and charities.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you are unsure whether a message is a service message or marketing, treat it as marketing and make sure you have consent.

Which tool to send it with

Any ordinary bulk-email tool works, including free plans from the big providers. Look for: a free tier big enough for your list, an unsubscribe link added automatically, and an export of your list. Do not send to a whole membership list from one personal email account using the visible "To" field, because everyone sees everyone else's address. Use blind copy at the very least, or better, a proper tool. Check current pricing and limits for any provider you choose, because they change.

Keep the archive on your website

Email is fine for sending, but poor for keeping. Old issues vanish into inboxes, new members never see them, and search engines cannot find them. Keep a "News" or "Newsletter" page on your website with:

• Each issue as a page or a PDF, newest first, with the date.
• A short sign-up note explaining what members will receive and how often.
• A link to your privacy notice next to the sign-up.

This gives you three benefits. New members can see what the club is like. Anyone searching for your club can find real, current content. And the website becomes the single place that is always right: the email says "details on the website" and the website carries the full version.

Be careful what you archive. Remove members' personal details, photos of children, and anything that was meant for members only. If you are not sure about publishing a photo, leave it out. Safeguarding guidance and consent rules matter here; see what to put on your safeguarding page.

If you do not have a site yet, Natterio can build one: the free plan gives you a live 3-page site on a Natterio subdomain with no card needed, and paid plans start at £7 a month. Our guide to how to get your club found on Google explains why fresh, regular content on your own site helps people find you.

A reusable template

Subject: [Club name] news: [key date or change] Hello [first name or "everyone"], The one thing: [AGM is on 14 May at 7.30pm at the village hall. Please let [name] know if you're coming.] Coming up - [Date, time, place: event] - [Date, time, place: event] News [Heading]: [two sentences and a link] Help wanted [One request, one name to reply to.] You're getting this because you joined [club name] and opted in to news. [Unsubscribe link.] [Club name], [postal address]. Reply to this email or contact [role email].