Club communications and events are managed using Spond, which is a free service including web browser access (spond.com), and free mobile apps (Google Play Store or Apple AppStore).  Spond usage support is available from the Spond website here: Using Spond – Help Center

To start using Spond you will first have to create your own personal account using either the app or on spond.com.  You only need to use a verified email address to do this, there are other fields, address and DoB which do not have to be filled in.  Please try to use the same email address as you have registered with the club as we will use this to make sure only approved email addresses are added.

Once you have an account you will have a blank spond screen in front of you.  At the bottom of the screen is the option to enter a code to join a group.  If you do not have the code then email communications@ashbourneswimclub.org.

Click on the "Enter Code" option and if successful, you should see this screen

Click on "I'm a guardian" and you should be taken to a screen where you can enter your childs details, again, you only need to enter a name.  If the details match the details we already hold then your child's name will be matched and pop up on the screen.  Click on your child's name and then clikc on the send request button to submit the request to be added to the group.   If you have more than one swimmer then follow the same process to be registered as the guardian for each child.

Once your request is approved then you will see all the events to which your swimmer is invited.

Any queries then please get in touch with communications@ashbourneswimclub.org.

Club activities are organised into Spond subgroups representing the different training sessions and your swimmer has been added to the subgroups which relate to their training times.

Each Spond subgroup has the following sections.

1. Events – upcoming training sessions.  By default, all subgroup members are assumed to be attending each training session.  You should receive a reminder on the morning of the session.  If you are unable to attend then you can press the “Decline” button which will send a notification to the coach of that session.  You can also add a message.

2. Posts – other information relating to the group.

3. Polls – used occasionally to gauge interest in some topic

Only group administrators are currently able to create new Events, Posts or polls. 

Spond Subgroups

•  All Swimmers – top level group which shows ALL events, posts and polls from your subgroups. Posts and Events are club wide. 

• Training session subgroups - a subgroup for each training session.  Generally this contains a specific recurring event for the training session and any specific communications for that training group.  Using spond in this way allows us to track attendance and pool usage as we can take a register at every session.

• Technique and Racing - swimming specific help, tips, advice and interesting(?) things for those that race competitvely.

Spond Notifications via Email or Spond App

You can use Spond without having the Spond app.  If you register on spond with an email and do not download the app, notifications will be sent to your email and you can respond from there. You can also log in on https://spond.com/login and use exactly the same functionality as the app through the desktop site. 

If you have already downloaded the app but now only want to use email, you can log out of the app to start receiving email notifications instead. As soon as you log back into the app, the notifications will come to your phone again.

How To Manage Spond App Notifications

By default Spond notifies you of new events, new posts, and comments.

You can turn On or Off which notifications you received by going to the “Push Notifications” settings screen in the Spond App.

1. Launch the Spond mobile App as normal

2. Press your icon (top left)

3. Press the “Push notification” menu

4. You will now be shown options to manage notifications across all groups and subgroups.

Spond Payments

If you've used Spond in other clubs then you are probably aware that spond can also be used to make payments.  At the moment we are not using this feature (as Spond charges a fee)  but it is something that we will look at in the future.