TERMS AND CONDITIONS

EVENTS

The following terms and conditions relate to events hosted or authorised by the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW). Some events may have additional conditions and these will be advertised at the time of posting.

Refund policy
Unless specified otherwise, in the event of cancellation, full refunds will only be given if the IMW is notified at least 14 days before the date of the event. Refunds or exchanges will not be given after this time, even if we are able to re-sell your tickets. Tickets cannot be exchanged for other events automatically.

Exchanges
Tickets cannot be resold or exchanged. If purchasing multiple tickets, the names of all individuals attending must be provided at time of purchase.

Event cancellation policy
In the unforeseen circumstance that an event is cancelled by the IMW or host organisation a full refund will be provided to the account that you paid with. All registered attendees will be notified via email, to the address they registered, with if an event cancellation is taking place.

Ticket availability
Due to the high demand for all our events we reserve the right to restrict the number of tickets that we can sell to any individual. If purchasing multiple tickets, the names of all individuals attending must be provided.

The IMW is not liable for injury or illness
You agree to indemnify the IMW against any claims for death or bodily injury by you or any member of your party except if caused by the negligence of the IMW or its employees. This includes contraction of COVID-19 and related variants.

The IMW is not liable for loss or damage
The IMW is not liable for loss or damage to belongings, third party liability and injury or accident, for each of you or your party. The IMW will not take out any insurance for your benefit.

COVID-19 guidelines
The attendee acknowledges the risk associated with attending live events and agrees that the IMW is not liable for illness. The IMW operates in accordance with government guidelines but reserves the right to include additional measures for the safety of guests and staff. Requirements may differ depending on the host location, event format, venue requirements, government guidelines, world health organisation advice and so on.

Requirements may include but is not limited to:

• Proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow test
• Imposing specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment such as the wearing of masks
• Temperature check upon entry
• Proof of vaccination
• Imposing maximum delegate numbers at the event
• Designating alternative entrance and exit routes

Changes to event entry requirements will be outlined on the event page at the time of registration. When registering you agree to abide by these requirements. These requirements are subject to change and any changes will be notified by email to the address you have registered with. If you have registered on behalf of someone else, it is your responsibility to notify them of these requirements.

Failure to comply may result in you not being permitted entry to the event without reimbursement for registration fees.

Services provided by others
The IMW makes various arrangements with sponsors, hosts, vineyards, wineries and other bodies. The IMW cannot guarantee the timing, availability or pricing of any particular event or venue – all of which are under the control of these other bodies, to the extent they can be controlled at all. Those bodies or the IMW may change any itinerary, arrangements and prices at any time in response to circumstances, weather, availability and feasibility.

Complaints
If despite our efforts and those of the speakers and producers you have any complaint about the event or failure to deliver all or part of it, you should do so at the time to the IMW or if applicable the host or sponsor. You are also asked to do so in writing to the IMW after the end of the event, preferably within 14 days.

Special requirements
If you have special requirements, we will try to get the event organiser to help you with those which you communicate when making the booking and which we accept.

Children and pets
Attendees are kindly requested not to bring children or pets.

Tastings and masterclasses
In accordance with our usual practice attendees are requested not to wear strong perfumes, scents or colognes out of respect for their fellow tasters.

Responsible drinking
In accordance with our usual practice, we encourage responsible drinking. We refer you to Wine in Moderation’s website, www.wineinmoderation.eu for further information.

Use of personal information and marketing permissions
When registering for an event you authorise the IMW to contact you via email with relevant updates pertaining to the event. In addition, all guests are added to the IMWs event mailing list and will use the information you provide to be in touch with you about future events and marketing.

The IMW use MailChimp as our marketing platform. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at info@mastersofwine.org. We will treat your information with respect.

Filming and photography
As an attendee you authorise and grant the IMW, and the hosting organisation, the right to:
            • record you (picture and voice) in photographs and on film for audio and visual production
            • create recordings into a photo gallery and/or film
            • use your name and voice for the recording
            • screen the recording online, including on social media

The IMW, or the hosting organisation, will own all copyright to any photography or filming used and no monies will be given to participants. The IMW and the hosting organisation will consider any reasonable request not to use or to stop using a particular film or photograph. Such requests should be made in writing to the head of marketing and communications: skirkpatrick@mastersofwine.org.

Event Terms and Conditions updated October 2021

MW & STUDENT TRIPS

Cancellation policy
The IMW has a no refund policy. This is not intended to penalise members/students, but to make sure extra costs are not incurred. If a trip organised/promoted by the IMW is cancelled for any reason, a full refund will be given to those who have paid and booked places. In those circumstances the IMW will not be responsible for any other costs incurred, including travel costs. The IMW reserves the right to withdraw a member/students participation on a trip if they are found to be in breach of the IMW’s code of conduct or no longer meet the eligibility requirements of the trip.

Third party services
The IMW makes various arrangements with sponsors, hosts, vineyards, wineries and other bodies. The IMW cannot guarantee the timing, availability or pricing of any particular event or venue – all of which are under the control of these other bodies, to the extent they can be controlled at all. Those bodies or the IMW may change any itinerary, arrangements and prices at any time in response to circumstances, weather, availability and feasibility.

You need to have travel insurance
For your own protection, you must take out travel insurance covering at least the risk of cancellation, health or sickness problems, travel disruption or delay, repatriation in case of death illness or injury, loss or damage to belongings, third party liability and injury or accident. The IMW will not take out any insurance for your benefit.

The IMW is not responsible for other people
The IMW is not a travel agent or tour operator and cannot accept legal responsibility to you under any consumer protection laws anywhere, either to protect you against the insolvency of any operator or facility or for the negligence or other breach of legal duty by any operator, facility or body.

The IMW is not liable for injury
You agree to indemnify the IMW against any claims for death or bodily injury by you except if caused by the negligence of the IMW or its employees.

Complaints
If, despite our efforts and those of the hosts and sponsors, you have any complaint about the trip or the failure to deliver all or part of it, please write at the time to the IMW, or if applicable the host or sponsor. Please do so within 14 days of the end of the trip.

Countries to be visited (Visas, vaccinations, safety and security)
Please apply directly to your government authorities regarding the passport, visa and vaccination requirements that apply for these countries. The IMW is not in a position to provide this information. The safety and security of all travelling is a priority for the IMW and we work with hosts on providing safe, educational and enjoyable programmes for those travelling. However the IMW is not a travel agency and cannot predict all circumstances. It is the responsibility of all travelling to research the country they are travelling to and make their own judgements on whether they choose travel.

Spouses and guests
Trips are only available to members/students. Spouses or additional guests are not eligible to attend. Special considerations are made for members/students who require carer assistance. A request for special consideration must be made in writing to the trips committee at the time of trip application.

Special requirements
If you have special requirements, we will try to get the host or sponsor to help where possible. Please communicate these needs when registering.

Children and pets
Attendees are kindly requested not to bring children or pets.

Minimum numbers
For some trips a minimum number of people are required for the trip to take place. In the event of cancellation the IMW will try to give the participant one month’s notice.

Arrangements in case of delay
If attendees are delayed at the outward or homeward points of departure the IMW cannot be held responsible for finding any alternative travel arrangements.

Tastings and masterclasses
In accordance with the IMW’s usual practice, attendees are requested not to wear strong perfumes, scents or colognes out of respect for their fellow tasters.

Responsible drinking
In accordance with the IMW’s usual practice we encourage responsible drinking. See Drinkaware or Wine In Moderation, for further information. Furthermore it is a stipulation of the Licensing Act 2003 that we do not serve alcohol at our events to people who appear to be intoxicated and there may be further or different stipulations applying locally at events.

Filming and photography
As an attendee you authorise and grant the IMW, and the hosting organisation, the right to:
            • record you (picture and voice) in photographs and on film for audio and visual production
            • create recordings into a photo gallery and / or film
            • use your name and voice for the recording
            • screen the recording online, including on social media

The IMW, or the hosting organisation, will own all copyright to any photography or filming used and no monies will be given to participants. The IMW and the hosting organisation will consider any reasonable request not to use or to stop using a particular film or photograph. Such requests should be made in writing to the Head of Marketing and Communications: skirkpatrick@mastersofwine.org.

Trip reports
Unless specified otherwise you are required to write one or more reports on a section of the trip. This report/s are for the hosts and for further dissemination. You are expected to return the report(s) to the IMW office within 14 days of the conclusion of the trip. A failure to do so may result in you not being considered for future trips until past reports have been received. There may be further sanctions if they are not submitted.

Sharing of personal information
The IMW is committed to protecting your privacy, but will request some information from you for the purpose of the trip. The Executive Office may request the following or other details from you; email address, mobile phone number, arrival/departure flight details, dietary requirements. Where necessary these will be shared with your trip hosts so they can finalise hotel arrangements, meals, airport transfers (when applicable).

By confirming your attendance on a trip you are also agreeing to have your name and public profile information (e.g. photograph and biography from your online member profile) shared with fellow attendees and hosts.

Trip fees
All trips require payment of an IMW administration fee (from £100 for MWs and £200 for students). Receipt of this fee confirms your place on a trip. This fee covers internal IMW costs associated with planning trips. Some trips may also incur a higher fee, to cover various expenses (e.g. coach fees, accommodation, meals). These additional costs will be clear when the trip is announced. Failure to pay these fees by a deadline will result in your place being transferred to another participant.

MW trip eligibility
To be eligible to attend a MW trip you must be a current Master of Wine, and have paid your membership fees. Members with outstanding trip reports or who are in breach of the IMW’s code of conduct will not be eligible to apply. Some trips may have additional criteria. This will be outlined when the trip is announced.

MW student trip eligibility
To be eligible to attend a MW student trip you must be a current student and have paid your fees. Students with outstanding trip reports or who are in breach of the IMW’s code of conduct will not be eligible to apply. Some trips may have additional criteria. This will be outlined when the trip is announced.

Attendee selection
Unless otherwise specified, all participants on trips are chosen via a lottery process. Members/students sign up for a trip online, and a member of the IMW team is responsible for reviewing the list to ensure eligibility (e.g. duplicate and non-member entries removed). Eligible applicants will then be chosen via a random lottery process, see below. Those who do not receive a place on the trip will be added to a waitlist and contacted if a place becomes available.

Lottery process
Once the ballot closes, all the names are randomised and then assigned a random number, from an online number generator. This then gives us a list in numerical order. For example, a trip has 20 places and 60 members/students have applied. After the names have been randomised and a random number has been generated for each member, the names from 1 to 20 have a place on the trip. The names from 21 to 60 make up the waiting list.

Arrival and departure travel
It is the responsibility of those travelling to arrange and pay for their own travel to and from the stated destinations. Unless specified otherwise airport transfers are not included.

Role of the executive office
A member of the IMW executive office (primarily the events Officer) will be your key point of contact before a trip. They are responsible for sharing trip announcements and key information from hosts, collating travel and dietary information, allocating scribing and thanking duties and ensuring all members/students have paid their trip fees. In some instances, your trip hosts may prefer to contact you directly for these purposes.

For some trips a member of the IMW team will attend the trip as a trip leader (TL). The TL is responsible for supporting hosts throughout the trip and ensuring that the trip goes as planned. The TL is also required to bring with them necessary trip materials (e.g. thanking gifts) that will be used throughout the trip and is for ensuring that all MWs/students on the trip are conducting themselves in a manner consistent with the IMW’s code of conduct.