EXETER GYMNASTICS CLUB
CONSTITUTION
1. TITLE
The name of the club constituted by these presents shall be “EXETER GYMNASTICS CLUB”(hereinafter called the club).
2. OBJECTS
(a)To organise or provide or assist in the organisation or provision of a facility which will enable and encourage students of schools and universities to undertake gymnastics and other forms of physical education which assist in ensuring that due attention is given to the physical education and development of such students as well as to the development and occupation of their minds and with a view to furthering this object.
(i) To provide or assist in the provision of gymnastics and sports equipment for the use of such students as aforesaid.
(ii) To provide or assist in the provision of courses, lectures, demonstrations and coaching for pupils of schools for the inhabitants of Exeter, Devon and adjoining counties (hereinafter called the ‘Area of Benefit’) and for teaches and coaches who organise or supervise the performance and coaching of gymnastics.
(iii) To promote provide or assist in the promotion and provision of the training of teachers and coaches for the purpose of training gymnastics at schools and clubs.
(iv) To lay-out manage equip and maintain the gymnastics facility vested in the Trustees for the teaching and training of gymnastics.
(b) To organise or provide or assist in the organisation or provision of the facility for physical recreation in the interests of social welfare for any part of the Area of Benefit with the object of improving the conditions of life for boys and girls who are under the age of 18 years and who by reason of their youth or social or economic circumstances have a need of such a facility.
(c) To relieve handicapped children in the Area of Benefit and to lay-out manage equip and maintain a facility for handicapped children who can by the provision of such specialist equipment and design be able to undertake activities under safe condition and with teachers and coaches trained to cater for the special needs of such handicapped children.
(d) In furtherance of the above-mentioned objects but not further or otherwise the Club shall have the following powers:-
(i) To encourage and promote the sport of gymnastics by and for the benefit of members of the club who shall be amateurs,
(ii) The observance and administration of the rules of the British Amateur Gymnastics Association,
(iii) The furtherance and improvement of the knowledge of all aspects of gymnastics.
3. MEMBERSHIP
(a) Persons of any age may apply for membership of the Club.
(b) Applicants selected for membership and members of any gymnastics club operating in premises owned by or on behalf of the Club shall become members on payment of any subscriptions.
(c) The committee may award Honorary Membership to persons who in the opinion of the committee merit such award because of their contribution to the club or to the sport of gymnastics.
(d) Parents or guardians of members and coaches and their assistants shall automatically become members of the Club and henceforth in these Rules the following terms shall have the following meaning:-
“Gymnast” means a member admitted under Rules 3(a) and 3(b)
“Parent” means the parents or guardians of a gymnast.
“Coach” means a person responsible for or assisting with the organisation of coaching within the club or of any gymnastics club operating in premises owned by or on behalf of the Club.
“Member” means a gymnast, parent or coach.
“Adult Member” means a Parent, Coach or Honorary Member
4. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The level of subscriptions for each class of member shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting and such meeting shall also determine the method and frequency of payment of such subscriptions if required.
5. CLUB COMMITTEE
The Club shall be administered by an Executive Committee of Trustees in accordance with the Charities Act 1993 and shall consist of not more than 12(twelve) members:-
(a) Chairman
(b) Vice Chairman
(c) Secretary
(d) Treasurer
(e) Minutes Secretary
(f) At least two parents who are not coaches
(g) Not more than two voluntary coaches
With the exception of a Holding Trustee who is an elected member of the Executive Committee the Holding Trustees shall not be members of the Executive Committee but one or more may be invited to attend meetings of the Executive Committee as advisers in a non-voting capacity.
The Executive Committee shall have the power to create one or more sub-committees consisting of one or more Executive Committee members as need be co-opted for the purpose of performing any function or duty which in the opinion of the Executive Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a sub-committee. All acts and proceedings of any such sub-committee shall be reported to the Executive Committee.
The Coaching Director and/or his representative shall not be members of the Executive Committee but shall be invited to attend as advisors in a non-voting capacity.
Nobody shall be appointed as a member of the Executive Committee who is aged under 18.
The Executive Committee may in addition appoint not more than three co-opted members but so that no one may be appointed if, as a result, more than one third of the members of the Executive Committee would be co-opted members. Each appointment of a co-opted member shall be made at either the Annual General Meeting or a special Executive Committee called under Clause 10 and shall take effect from the end of that meeting unless the appointment is to fill a place which has not then been vacated in which case the appointment shall run from the date when the post becomes vacant.
6. TENURE OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE
The committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting from amongst the adult members of the Club. Retiring members of the committee shall be eligible for re-election.
7. CHAIRMAN OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OR EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
The Chairman or in his absence the Vice Chairman shall preside at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting. In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman a Chairman shall be elected from among those present by a majority vote.
8. COMMITTEE VACANCIES
Casual vacancies on the committee shall be filled by invitation of the remainder of the Committee.
9. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
A quorum for all meetings shall be five. The committee shall meet at least once every two calendar months. A special Executive Committee meeting may be called to consider the appointment of co-opted members upon not less than 21 days notice being given to the other members of the committee.
10. NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November of each year. Notice convening the meeting shall be circulated to all Adult Members or displayed on the Club notice board for at least 14 days before the meeting.
11. BUSINESS OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a) Approval of minutes of last Annual General Meeting and matters arising
b) Chairman’s Report
c) Secretary’s Report
d) Treasurer Report and Adoption of Prepared Statement of Accounts
e) Coaching Director’s Report
f) Matters arising
g) Election of Committee for the following year
h) Any Other Business
12. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee or shall be convened within 21 days from the receipt by the secretary of a written requisition signed by not less than ten Adult Members who shall submit the reason for such a meeting. Not less than 14 days notice of such a meeting shall be given to all Adult Members or displayed on the Club notice board.
13. ATTENDANCE AND VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
All Adult Members of the Club shall be entitled to attend Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings. A quorum shall be 10 Adult Members. Where two or more nominations for one office are received the voting shall be by ballot of Adult
Members unless the nominees agree to a show of hands. Voting shall be limited to one per Adult Member. At all meetings the Chairman of the meeting shall have the casting as well as the deliberative vote.
14. HOLDING TRUSTEES
There shall be not more than four or less than two Holding Trustees of the Club. The first Holding Trustees shall be appointed by the Committee and the property of the Club (other than cash which shall be under the control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with as the Committee shall from time to time direct by Resolution (of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence). Provided they act only in accordance with the lawful directions of the Executive Committee the Holding Trustees shall not be liable for the acts and defaults of its members. The Holding Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removed from office by a Resolution of the Committee who may for any reason which may seem sufficient to a majority of the whole Committee at any meeting remove any Holding Trustees from the office of Holding Trustee. Where by reason of any such death resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the Committee that a new Holding Trustee or Holding Trustees shall be appointed or if the Committee shall deem it expedient to appoint an additional Holding Trustee or Holding Trustees the Committee shall by Resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed to the new Holding Trustee or Holding Trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the Chairman is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Holding Trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and he shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Committee as the new Holding Trustee or Holding Trustees of the Club and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fide and for value with the Club or the Committee be conclusive evidence of the fact stated.
15. INCOME AND PROPERTY
The income and property of the Club whensoever derived shall be applied solely to promote the objects of the Club as set out in this constitution.
16. DISSOLUTION
The Club may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 21 days notice shall have been given to the members. Such resolution may give instruction for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Club, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among members of the Club but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Club as the Club may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.
17. ALTERATIONS TO CONSTITUTION
No alterations or addition to the Constitution shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting with a Quorum of at least 10 Adult Members. In the case of the Annual General Meeting article 10 or Extraordinary General Meeting article 12 must be complied with. No alteration or addition shall be made to clause 2 (Objects), clause 16 (Dissolution or this clause without the prior approval in writing of the Charity Commission and no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Club to cease to be a charity in law.
18. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
The Committee shall have power to expel any Adult Member who shall offend the Club Rules or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Committee render that person unfit for membership of the Club. Before any such member is expelled the Secretary shall give the Member seven days written notice to attend a meeting of the Committee and shall inform the Member of the complaints made against him.
No member shall be expelled without first having an opportunity of appearing before the Committee and answering complaints nor unless at least two – thirds of the Committee then present vote in favour of expulsion.
No Member whose membership has been terminated under this rule or who owes money to the Club shall be introduced by any other Member as a visitor to any part of the Club premises.
19. CLUB BYLAWS
The Committee shall have power to make Bylaws for regulating the conduct and affairs of the Club provided the same are not inconsistent with these Rules. Such Bylaws shall be displayed in a conspicuous part of the Club premises and shall be binding on all the Members.
Amendments to the Constitution adopted by Resolution at Annual General Meeting, 16 November 1994 and by Resolution at Extraordinary Meeting, 8 March 1996.