Constitution

CONSTITUTION

Bowmen of Warfield

The club will be called BOWMEN OF WARFIELD and will be affiliated to the Grand National Archery Society, through The Southern Counties Archery Society and Berkshire Archery Society.

1 Aims and objectives

• To provide a relaxed and social atmosphere where Archers of all standards can practice and enjoy the art, science and sport of Archery.
• To actively promote Archery in the Local Community among all age groups.
• Actively pursue new membership from the Local Community in all age groups and abilities. This is to include disabled Archers.
• To offer coaching by a GNAS registered coach and competitive opportunities in Archery. 
• Provide advanced training to Archers who request it, with a view to creating a core of Archers to represent the club at local and national tournaments.
• Run the club on a business like basis ensuring that the club is financially sound and able to cover all costs and improve with a growing membership.
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.
• Ensure a duty of care to all members at all times.

2 Membership

Membership shall consist of officers and members of the club.

All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the club has adopted.

The Management Committee shall comprise the officers of the club as defined in section 4.

The Management Committee reserve the right to refuse membership on reasonable grounds, details of which will be given within twenty eight days of application.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

• Full member
• Associate member
• Junior member
• Non-shooting member

Persons of either sex and above the age of 8 years and under the age of 18 years shall be eligible for junior membership subject to the provisions of paragraph 2.4.

Any person over the age of 18 years shall be deemed to be an adult member and under that age a junior member.

Junior members under the age of 14 years must be accompanied by a Parent or Guardian.

Persons under the age of 18 but over the age of 14 can shoot alone at the discretion of the Management Committee.

Any loss damage or abuse of Club equipment shall be reported immediately to the Club Bowyer or Field Captain, or in their absence to another member of the Management Committee.

Members shall be held responsible for any loss, damage or abuse of club equipment caused by their negligence or disobedience of the Club rules or G.N.A.S. rules and shall be liable for the costs of any damages.

All Adult Members and Junior Members will be affiliated to the G.N.A.S. a Regional Society and a County Association (in this area the Southern Counties Archery Society and the Berkshire Archery Association)

Honorary Membership may be granted by a majority of the Club at the Annual General Meetings and will be subject to renewal at succeeding AGMs.

Honorary Members shall be entitled to attend General Meetings of the Club and will be entitled to vote there at.

3 Membership Fees

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Management Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Fees will be paid: annually on the 31^st September.

In addition to the Annual Subscription all members will pay the current affiliation to the G.N.A.S., the Regional Society and the Country Association through the Club at a date specified by the Treasurer, unless those fees have been paid by other means.

New members joining between 1st October and 1st April shall pay the full subscription and affiliation fees.

New members joining between 1st April and 1st October shall be allowed to pay half-annual subscription and full affiliation fees for their first year of membership only. If that member wishes to remain a member they will be expected to pay full year subscription there after.

All subscriptions and fees shall be paid to the Treasurer or an appointed deputy.

Club members bringing a guest archer maybe requested to pay a target fee to be decided at an AG.M.

Club members who are students resident for a significant part of the year away from home may continue as full adult members of the Club on payment of a Subscription equal to the junior members Subscription provided that the member remains affiliated to the G.N.A.S., a County Association and a Regional Association.

4 Committee

The club will be managed through the Management Committee consisting of the officers of the club as follows:

The officers of the club will be:

• Chair

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Head Coach

• Equipment Officer

• Field Captain

• Records Officer

• Publicity Officer

• Child Protection Officer

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election.

The Child Protection Officer shall not be a coach.

In the absence of the Field Captain one will be appointed for the session.

The Management committee will be convened by the Secretary of the club and hold meetings no less than 6 times per year.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be minimum five and shall comprise members of the Management Committee, one of which must be the Chairman.

The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

The Management Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Management Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution.  The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

Proposals for alterations to the club structure or assets must be forwarded to the executive committee for approval. No alterations shall be made without their expressed permission.

5 Finance

All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club. 

Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer and should be approved by one other member of the Management Committee.

The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club and maintaining accounts of the Club’s income and expenditure.

The financial year of the club will end on 28th February.

The Treasurer shall present at the Annual General Meeting a Statement of Accounts duly certified by a qualified auditor.

The Statement of abbreviated accounts shall be provided to the club members by the Secretary at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting.

6 Annual and Emergency General Meetings

Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be given by the Club Secretary.  Not less than one months notice to be given to all members.

The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.

Nominations for officers of the Management Committee will be sent to the Secretary at least two weeks prior to the AGM.

Election of offices is to take place at the AGM.

All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

The minimum quorum for AGMs will be 5.

The Management Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) outside the AGM. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM.

Emergency General Meetings may be called when required by the Management Committee or by one fifth of the Club members.  Notice of an E.G.M. shall be given to all members by the Club Secretary at least seven days before the meeting.

7 Discipline and appeals

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.

The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within twenty one days of a complaint being lodged.  The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within seven days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced.  The committee should consider the appeal within twenty one days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

8 Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of Berkshire Archery Association.

9 Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

The Constitution and Rules of the Club shall not be altered except at the Annual General Meeting or at an Emergency General Meeting.

10 Maintenance of club facilities and equipment

The Management Committee is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Club Facilities and Equipment.  The Management Committee has the right to request all members take an active part in this work.

Field maintenance shall have priority over shooting except at times specified by the Management Committee.