From 6af885ac1181da064b83dfd8d7b74e2d65c90ae7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Elias Sadek <elias.sadek@metoffice.gov.uk>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2025 16:49:01 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Created template skeleton

---
 templates/CONTRIBUTING.md | 64 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 64 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 templates/CONTRIBUTING.md

diff --git a/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md b/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..515ed2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# Contributing to SciTools
+
+Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute!
+
+We want <package-name> to be driven by the community - your 
+contributions are invaluable to us! This page lists the guidelines 
+for contributors which will help ease the process of getting your hard work accepted
+into <package-name>, and shared with the world.
+
+
+## Table of Contents DONE
+- Code of Conduct DONE
+- Relevant Links DONE
+- Setting Up
+- Running Tests
+- Submitting Changes
+- Style Guide
+- Reporting Bugs
+- Where to Start?
+- Getting Help
+
+## Code of Conduct
+See our CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
+
+## Relevant Links
+(GitHub)[https://github.com/SciTools/<package-name>]
+(Documentation)[<your-link-here>]
+
+## Setting Up
+<optional-doc-link-here>
+
+- Setting up a development env.
+- Where is the file?
+- Custom configurations
+
+## Testing
+Where are the tests?
+How do you test?
+- Graphics
+- Skips
+CML?
+
+## Submitting Changes
+- Branching strat
+- PRs
+  - review policy
+  - self-merging
+  - We review PRs regularly. If we haven't gotten to yours yet, please bear with us, we will!
+
+## Reporting a Bug
+- Create an isse on GitHub/
+
+## Where to start?
+- Good first issues.
+
+## Style guide/conventions
+- pre-commit
+- Here's how you get pre-commit on your environment
+- Linting is ruff etc
+
+## Where can I ask for help?
+- Discussions
+
+Thanks again!
\ No newline at end of file

From 88bd435a8ab19520d19c6d260263fd11dbd7a956 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Elias Sadek <elias.sadek@metoffice.gov.uk>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2025 17:05:44 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Clarified self-merge policy

---
 templates/CONTRIBUTING.md | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md b/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 515ed2b..ae75a01 100644
--- a/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/templates/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ CML?
 - Branching strat
 - PRs
   - review policy
-  - self-merging
+  - self-merging is fine for inconsequential PRs ONLY. Things like typos etc. Anything else needs a full review
   - We review PRs regularly. If we haven't gotten to yours yet, please bear with us, we will!
 
 ## Reporting a Bug