What Is The Club Colours Award?
The BMABA Club Colours Award is the highest level of club recognition we offer. It represents full compliance with safeguarding, governance, and professional standards. Every club that earns a Club Colours Licence is immediately recognised as a 'School of Excellence'.
Clubs awarded this status also receive automatic certification from the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) – a Sport England-backed project – without needing to apply separately.
Club Colours is only awarded to clubs who meet the highest standards. It offers:
National recognition
Real-time public verification
Inclusion on our searchable directory
Certification from both BMABA and SCiMA
Access to the official SCiMA trustmark
Marketing support via social media and paid ads
Why Should My Club Apply?
Clubs holding the Club Colours Licence:
Are recognised as a safe, professional environment for children and adults
Instantly meet the criteria for the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts
Gain priority exposure via our public-facing campaigns
Can use the Club Colours and SCiMA logos in marketing
Can access exclusive benefits, discounts and partner support
This is the highest tier of professional status we award. Best of all, it's entirely free. It always has been, and always will be. Even our free affiliate members can access the Club Colours.
What Are The Requirements?
To apply for Club Colours, your club must:
Be BMABA-registered
Hold a Regulation Ready Score of 76% (Bronze) or higher
Ensure all actively teaching staff (instructors, assistants, and volunteers) are fully verified through MyBMABA
Clearly display your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) information on your club’s website
Previously, before September 2025, applying for Club Colours required a long and often disjointed list of separate policies, checks, and forms to be submitted specifically for the award. That process has now been fully streamlined through the integrated Regulation Ready system. You can work toward compliance gradually by ‘chipping away’ at tasks in your own time. As a result, when it comes to applying for Club Colours, most clubs will already have everything in place automatically. And if you don’t, reaching the standard will mean you’re awarded both Regulation Ready and Club Colours simultaneously – a double recognition of your high standards.
Public Safeguarding Information
You must show safeguarding information clearly on your website. This is a condition of both Club Colours and the Safeguarding Code.
This is the single biggest reason clubs fail to be awarded SCiMA certification or have their Colours suspended. It is compulsory, and it is checked for each application.
As part of your Club Colours Licence and to meet the requirements of the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA), your club must clearly display safeguarding information on your public website.
This must include:
Your Club’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL):
Full name
Role/title (e.g. Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Contact email or phone number
A clear, professional photograph of the DSL
A Statement About BMABA’s Safeguarding Role:
You must include the following text (or a close variation):
"We are a registered member of BMABA CIC, who act as our Safeguarding Governing Body. BMABA can be contacted independently for any safeguarding concerns at [email protected] or via 01798 306546."
Placement On Your Website:
This information must be:
Clearly visible and accessible to the public
Located in either:
The footer of every page on your website
ORA dedicated menu link titled “Safeguarding” (can be nested under “About Us” or similar)
We audit 1 in 2 Club Colours applications to ensure this is visible and accurate. SCiMA will also verify this as part of their national safeguarding requirements. If your safeguarding information is not easy to find, your Club Colours Licence will be suspended.
If you're unsure, use BMABA as your DSL – free of charge – and we’ll provide the required content for your site.
How To Apply
The application process is designed to be fast, transparent, and fully automated. Here’s how to apply:
Visit the Club Colours Dashboard
Go to mybmaba.org.uk/portal/colours and log in to your account.
Check Your Eligibility
If your club meets the minimum requirements (including a Regulation Ready Score of 76% or higher), an “Apply” button will appear automatically. If it doesn't show, you’ll see which areas still need attention.
Complete the On-Screen Steps
The application form will guide you through the following:Confirm your club website address and verify that the required safeguarding details are clearly published
Review your team’s vetting status to ensure all instructors, assistants, and volunteers are fully verified
Confirm that you, as the lead instructor, are individually Club Colours Licenced
Accept the terms and conditions, including permissions to share safeguarding info with SCiMA or external agencies where required
Receive Instant Approval
Once all steps are completed, your Club Colours Licence will be issued immediately – there’s no waiting or manual review required.
Access Your Certification & Trustmark
You’ll be redirected to a confirmation page and then returned to the dashboard, where you can:
Download your official BMABA Club Colours Certificate
Access your School of Excellence trustmark
View your club’s public verification record in real time
SCiMA typically reviews all newly issued Club Colours Licences on a twice-weekly basis. Once your club has been reviewed and approved, you'll be able to download your SCiMA certification and accreditation marks directly from the Club Colours Dashboard. We recommend checking back regularly to see when this becomes available.
If your club already holds SCiMA certification and you’re now applying for Club Colours, please jump onto our website live chat to let us know. We’ll politely notify the SCiMA team to combine your records, which usually helps speed up the process.
SCiMA Certification (The Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts)
Once Club Colours is issued, we automatically notify SCiMA. They will review and approve your account, usually within 7 working days.
You’ll receive:
A Sport England-approved Safeguarding Code certificate
Access to the official trustmark
Inclusion on the national safeguarding register
Already SCiMA certified? That’s fine – just let us know once you’ve applied. We’ll liaise with SCiMA to merge your new application with your existing record.
What If My Club Doesn’t Meet The Requirements Yet?
Not every club will be ready to apply for Club Colours immediately – and that’s absolutely fine.
Your Club Colours eligibility is based on three key criteria:
Your Regulation Ready Score
Your club must hold a minimum Regulation Ready Score of 76% (Bronze level) or higher. This score reflects your overall compliance across key governance areas such as safeguarding, insurance, policies, and legal structure.
Your Team’s Individual Vetting Status
Every active instructor, assistant, and volunteer linked to your club must be fully verified through MyBMABA. This includes:Enhanced DBS check (where applicable)
Valid First Aid qualification
Safeguarding qualification
Identity verification
Instructor insurance (if teaching independently)
Website Safeguarding Compliance
Your public-facing website must clearly display:A named Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) with a photo and contact info
BMABA’s safeguarding contact details
A footer link or dedicated menu item titled “Safeguarding” that links to this information
Progressing Towards Eligibility
You don’t need to complete everything in one go.
The Regulation Ready system allows you to work through each area at your own pace – completing one item at a time. As you progress, your compliance score updates in real time.
This means there’s no need to chase paperwork, and no need to resubmit anything. The system tracks your club’s readiness automatically.
Once your Regulation Ready Score is above 76% and all instructors, assistants, and volunteers are fully verified, the “Apply” button for Club Colours will appear on your dashboard.
If your website already meets the safeguarding display requirements, you’ll be able to apply instantly. If not, you’ll be prompted to make the necessary updates.
Bonus: Dual Recognition
If you're working toward Regulation Ready and haven’t yet applied for Club Colours, reaching Bronze level (76%+) gives you dual benefit.
Once complete, you’ll be awarded both:
A Regulation Ready Accreditation, and
The BMABA Club Colours Licence
All in one smooth process.
This ensures that clubs working to high standards are fully recognised across the board, without duplicate admin or delays.
If you're unsure about your current eligibility or need help improving your score, our team is always on hand to assist.
What If I Add a New Instructor, Assistant, or Volunteer – or Evidence Expires?
If you add a new team member (instructor, assistant instructor, or volunteer), or if any existing team member has an expired or unverified check (such as DBS, First Aid, or insurance), your Club Colours Licence will automatically enter a Pending Review state.
This is part of our compliance safeguard system and ensures clubs remain fully up to date without being unfairly penalised for growing or changing their teams.
What Happens During Pending Review?
Your public status remains unaffected – you will still appear as “Active” on all public registers and SCiMA listings.
Your SCiMA certification and record will also remain active during this period.
You will be given 14 days to resolve the non-conformities (e.g. expired evidence or a newly added but unverified team member).
Our system checks your club’s compliance status twice daily. If all requirements are met again, your licence will automatically return to full Active status.
You’re also welcome to click “Reapply” or contact our team to trigger a manual reconfirmation at any time – no issue at all.
Can I Extend the 14-Day Window?
Yes. If you're aware that a required document (such as a DBS check) has been applied for but is taking longer than 14 days to return, please let us know.
If we can confirm that the evidence is in progress – for example, submitted through our vetting team – we can usually extend your Pending Review period to prevent unnecessary disruption.
Temporarily Removing Someone From Compliance
If you’re onboarding a new instructor, assistant, or volunteer who isn’t actively teaching yet or isn’t working with children or at-risk adults, you can mark them accordingly in your account.
This can be done from the Verification Settings page here:
👉 https://mybmaba.org.uk/essentials/verify-your-account/
This will:
Exclude the individual from Club Colours compliance checks
Prevent their status from triggering a Pending Review for the whole club
Allow you to onboard new or returning team members (e.g. students back from university) without disrupting your Club Colours Licence
Once you’re ready to verify their compliance fully, simply update their teaching status to reintroduce them into the verification system.
Club Colours Certification & Dashboard
Once your Club Colours Licence is active, your central point of control is the Club Colours Dashboard. This area gives you real-time access to everything you need to manage and promote your award status.
From the dashboard, you can:
1. Download Your BMABA Club Colours Certificate
This certificate confirms your club’s award of the BMABA Club Colours Licence and its recognition as a ‘School of Excellence’. It’s date-stamped and includes your unique licence number. You can use this for display in your venue, on your website, or when working with schools, local authorities, or grant providers.
2. Download Your SCiMA Certificate (Once Issued)
Once the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) team has completed their review, your official SCiMA certificate will also appear on your dashboard. This is a Sport England-recognised document and is a nationally respected safeguarding endorsement. SCiMA typically reviews new Club Colours holders twice weekly.
📌 Tip: Check your dashboard regularly after activation to see when this becomes available.
3. Access Your Live Public Register Entry
Your club will automatically be listed on BMABA’s national Club Colours register, which is publicly accessible 24/7. This real-time entry confirms your Club Colours status, includes your club name, and links to verified instructor and safeguarding information.
You can link to your listing from your website, email signature, or printed materials to demonstrate compliance and credibility.
4. Download Your Club Colours Trustmark & Marketing Graphics
The dashboard provides access to the official BMABA Club Colours trustmark, designed for digital and print use. You can also download optional graphic banners and assets to help showcase your status on social media, marketing materials, or your club website.
These graphics are fully licensed for use while your Club Colours Licence remains active.
Who Funds The Club Colours Scheme?
The Club Colours Award is 100% funded and operated by BMABA CIC.
We receive no external funding or subsidies from Sport England, SCiMA, or any other public or private body to run this programme.
Everything you see within the Club Colours scheme – including:
The platform development
Twice-daily automated vetting tools
Integration with the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA)
Live public register access
Instant certification and trustmark issuance
Direct liaison with SCiMA on behalf of clubs
Ongoing national marketing and promotion for accredited clubs
...is funded entirely by BMABA through membership fees.
That means every active BMABA member is directly supporting this initiative – helping to raise national safeguarding standards, increase public trust in martial arts, and create a safe and professional space for students across the UK.
We created Club Colours because we believe that safeguarding, compliance, and governance should not be optional or paywalled. They should be a visible and attainable gold standard for every credible club – and our members make that possible.
When you see a Club Colours licensed club, you're not just seeing a mark of excellence. You're seeing the collective power of community-driven safeguarding, funded by instructors and organisations committed to doing things properly.
Suspensions & Expiry
Your Club Colours Licence is a live, compliance-based accreditation – and like all high-level governance awards, it requires ongoing oversight.
We will usually contact clubs 60 days before their Club Colours Licence is due to expire, prompting you to log in and review your evidence. However, this reminder should not be relied upon. Likewise, if your licence moves from Active to Pending Review due to expired or missing evidence, you may not receive an automatic notification.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that you log in to MyBMABA at least once a week to check your Club Colours status. You can quickly view your current status from:
The MyBMABA homepage
The MyBMABA dashboard (https://mybmaba.org.uk/portal)
The dedicated Club Colours Dashboard
Please be aware:
We reserve the right to suspend Club Colours licences without prior notice where there is a failure to meet required standards. This includes, but is not limited to:
Evidence (such as DBS checks or safeguarding qualifications) becoming expired or unverified
Website non-conformity (e.g. missing or removed safeguarding information)
Our system will usually detect these issues automatically and place your licence in suspension if no corrective action is taken.
We recommend you treat your Club Colours Licence as a living, breathing part of your club’s professional foundation. Just like insurance or safeguarding training, it requires ongoing attention and regular checks to ensure your club remains compliant, recognised, and trusted by the public.
Your Club Colours Licence is directly tied to your active BMABA membership. If your membership expires or is not renewed, your Club Colours Licence will automatically expire at the same time. Once expired, the licence is no longer valid or recognised, and you must immediately cease all use of:
The BMABA Club Colours trustmark or certificate
The Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) mark or certificate (if issued via BMABA)
Continued use of any marks, branding, or materials relating to Club Colours or SCiMA after your membership has lapsed may be considered a misrepresentation of your club’s safeguarding status.
For this reason, please ensure your BMABA membership remains active if you wish to maintain your Club Colours accreditation.