Cymric Archers
Club Constitution
And
Rules

5^th November 2006

“Cymric” Archery Club Incorporating Cymric” Junior Archery Club

Affiliated to G.N.A.S., “Welsh” Regional Archery Society and “Dyfed” County Archery Association

Constitution

1. Name - the name of the club is Cymric Archers. (Hereinafter called “the Club”)
• The Club incorporates Cymric Junior Archery Club, which body exists only for the purposes of affiliation to appropriate organisations but otherwise has no existence separate from the Club.
2. Address – the postal address of the Club is that of the current Secretary or of the current Chairman if the post of Secretary is vacant.
3. Object – the object for which the club is established is:
   To promote and encourage the sport of archery
   In furtherance of the above object, the Club shall have the following powers:
   
   1. To encourage and promote participation in the activities of the Club by individuals clubs and other organisations concerned with the sport of archery
   2. To affiliate to the “Dyfed” County Archery Association and be represented on the Committee thereof
   3. To invest the monies of the Club not immediately required for its purposes in such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit
   4. To do all other lawful things necessary to carry out the objects of the Club providing always that:
   1. In raising funds for its objects the Club shall not undertake any permanent trading activities
   2. The income and property of the Club shall be used only to promote the objects of the Club as described in this Constitution
4. Dissolution – if upon the winding up of the Club there remains after the payment of all debts and liabilities any funds or properties whatsoever, they shall not be distributed among the members of the Club, but shall be transferred to some other organisation having similar objects to the Club.
5. Amendments – the Club Constitution may only be amended at a General Meeting of the Club.

Rules

1. Membership

Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons interested in advancing the objectives of the Club and who are willing to abide by these Rules subject only to practical size and safety limits dictated by the available facilities.

The Club shall provide for the following categories of membership:

Senior Member - any person of 18 years or older who has been accepted as a member of the Club and has paid to the Club the prescribed Club, County, Regional and National membership fees for the year

Junior Member – any person of less than 18 years who has been accepted as a Junior member of the Club and has paid to the Club the prescribed Club, County, Regional and National membership fees for the year.

Senior Associate Member – any person of 18 years or older who has been accepted as an Associate member of the Club and has paid to the Club the prescribed Club fee but has paid all other necessary membership fees to some other body.

Junior Associate Member – any person of less than 18 years who has been accepted as a Junior Associate member of the Club and has paid to the Club the prescribed Club fee but has paid all other necessary membership fees to some other body.

Affiliate – any non-shooting person who wishes to be associated with the Club, having paid the club membership fee.

Honorary Member – any person upon whom the Club has conferred this title in recognition of services to the club or to archery in general.

Life Member – any person upon whom the Club has conferred this title in recognition of services to the club or to archery in general.

2. Duties and privileges of members

Every member shall be bound to further the objects of the Club and shall observe these Rules and those of the “Dyfed” County Association, the “Welsh” Regional Society and GNAS

All members shall be entitled to ready access to the general communications of the Club, to be present or represented at functions and events arranged by the Club and to receive such support and assistance as the Club is able to offer

All members, including those who have paid membership fees at junior rates, shall be entitled to vote at Club General Meetings

Membership of the Club will terminate if:

• A properly authorised form of resignation is received or
• Membership fees remain unpaid two months after the due date or
• The individual ceases to qualify under these rules or
• Membership is terminated under Rule 3

No member whose membership fees are in arrears shall:

• Be allowed to shoot or participate in any of the activities of the Club
• Vote at a meeting of the club
• Requisition a Special General Meeting

When shooting, either indoors or out, all members will follow strictly, for safety and other reasons, the Rules of Shooting laid down from time to time by GNAS. Members will also follow carefully any additional guidance given in the Club handbook and arising out of the agreements for the use of our shooting facilities.

All members will use their best efforts to ensure the safety and security of the property and equipment of the Club and will play an appropriate part in the maintenance of the property and equipment.

A parent or a properly appointed responsible guardian when shooting at the Club must accompany each junior member of the club who is below the age of 16 years

Junior members of the Club may shoot only when at least two adults are present, one of whom must be a competent senior archer and a member of GNAS.

3. Discipline

The Club Committee may at any meeting, by a two-thirds vote of those present and entitled to vote, reprimand, suspend or expel any member who has violated these Rules or whose conduct is deemed detrimental to the best interests of the club.

Before any such disciplinary action, the member shall be given at least 14 days notice in writing and shall be granted the opportunity to be heard by the committee.

The decision of the Committee shall be communicated to the member in writing and the Committee shall not be required to explain its actions to any but those concerned. The Committee is however free, if it so decides, to publish its decision in any medium, including the journals of national or international archery bodies.

The member shall be allowed 28 days from the date of communication of the decision of the Committee in which to lodge an appeal against the decision, in writing, with the Secretary of the Club. The Committee shall not communicate its decision, other than to the member, until that period has expired or an appeal has been lodged, whichever is the sooner.

In the event of an appeal against the decision of the Committee, the Chairman of the County Committee shall be requested to appoint an Appeal Panel of three independent individuals. No member of the Club Committee may sit on this panel.

The Panel may hear such witnesses and consider such evidence as it shall think fit and its decision shall be binding both upon the appellant and the Club.

4. Applications for membership

An application for membership shall be made in writing to the Secretary of the Club and shall be accompanied by the necessary fees. The application form shall contain all the data needed to complete GNAS membership and other record forms.

New shooting members will be assesses by a coach or member of the committee on their first session. If of an acceptable standard they may join on a 3 month probation.

Where the new shooting member has not passed through a training programme with the Club, they will be asked to provide proof of attendance at an equivalent course, or membership of another club.

5. Dues

All Club dues shall be as determined by the Club Committee from time to time and approved by the members in General Meeting

All subscriptions and membership payments shall become due annually on September 1st for the following year

The Club Committee may, in its absolute discretion, waive, cancel or reduce payment of Club dues or other indebtedness of a member of the Club for any period

6. The Club Committee

The affairs of the Club shall be supervised by the Committee which shall have such powers, duties and responsibilities as are laid down in these Rules and are not otherwise directed to be carried out by the members in General Meeting

The Club Committee shall consist of the following persons whose services shall be purely honorary:

• Chairman
• Treasurer
• General Secretary
• Membership Secretary
  
• Junior Coordinator
• Tournament Organiser
• Records Officer
• Equipment Officer
• Child Protection Officer

The Committee may decide from time to time to co-opt other persons to the Committee for particular purposes, but these persons shall not be entitled to vote at Committee meetings, nor shall their co-option persist beyond the next General Meeting without the approval of the members.

7. Committee Meetings

No business shall be transacted unless a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business. Except where otherwise provided in these Rules, a quorum shall be three members

If the Club Chairman is not present within 15 minutes of the time set for the start of the meeting then those present shall appoint one of their number to chair the meeting

The Committee members shall meet together for the conduct of business, as they shall decide. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes. In the case of equality of votes, the chairman shall have a second or casting vote

The Committee members may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but if the numbers are reduced at any time to less than four, it will be lawful for them to act only for the purpose of filling the vacancies in the Committee or of convening a General Meeting of the Club.

The Committee will cause proper minutes to be made of all its proceedings and of the proceedings of General Meetings of the Club and of any sub-committees set up for whatever purpose

The minutes of any meeting, if approved at the next succeeding meeting, shall be conclusive proof without further evidence of the business conducted and the decisions made

The Committee may at any time set up or dissolve standing or ad hoc sub-committees and delegate to such sub-committees such powers and responsibilities as it thinks fit. All acts and proceedings of such committees must be minuited and reported to the Club Committee as soon as possible.

Elections

All elections are subject to Rule 2

All members of the Club Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. The retiring Committee members shall be eligible for re-election.

The period of office of Committee members shall commence at the termination of the General Meeting at which they are elected

All members of the Club are entitled to make nominations for candidates to fill positions on the Committee. Nominations must be lodged with the Secretary of the Club not less than 14 days before the date of the General Meeting at which the election will take place. Nominations must show the name of the proposer(s) and must confirm that the candidate named is willing to fill the vacancy. Nominations will be taken from the floor of a General Meeting only in emergency.

The Committee from among those eligible may fill any casual vacancy in the Committee, but any person so appointed shall retire at the end of the next General Meeting.

A member of the Committee shall cease to hold office before the end of the elected term if:

• By notice in writing, he or she resigns
• He or she ceases to meet the conditions of eligibility for membership of the Committee
• He or she is removed from office by a resolution of the Club members in General Meeting

8. General Meetings

The General Meeting of the Club shall be held once in every calendar year, on or before April 1st, as the Annual General Meeting

All those entitled to receive the notices of the Club (Rule 12) will be given at least 21 days notice of any General Meeting, specifying the day, the hour and the place of the meeting and in the case of Special General Meetings, the specific nature of the business to be transacted. Proof of timely posting of such a notice shall be sufficient proof of notice and the accidental omission to give such notice or the non-receipt of such notice by an individual shall not invalidate the proceedings of any General Meeting.

All General Meetings of the Club other than the Annual General Meeting shall be called Special General Meetings.

One or more written calls, filed by the Secretary and endorsed by the Committee, or by at least one quarter of the members of the Club may call by the Committee, or Special General Meetings of the Club. All requisitions for a Special General Meeting shall specify the purpose(s) for which the meeting is being called and only that business may be conducted at the meeting

9. Proceedings at General Meetings

The ordinary business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

• To present the Notice of the Meeting
To receive the report of the Auditor
• To approve the Annual Accounts and Balance Sheets
• To approve the Annual Report of the Committee
• To appoint the Auditor for the following year
• To fix club subscription levels for the following year
• To elect the new Committee members.

Any other business to be conducted at the Annual General Meeting shall be called Special Business and will be the subject of specific detail in the agenda. No other business will be conducted at the Annual General Meeting

No business shall be transacted at a General Meeting unless a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business. Except as provided elsewhere, a quorum shall be 10 members or one quarter of the membership of the Club, whichever is less?

If at half an hour past the time set for the start of the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting if convened on a call from the members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to such other time and place as the chairman shall appoint and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present at half an hour past the time set for the meeting, then those members present shall be a quorum

The Club Chairman will take the chair at every General Meeting. If the Chairman is not present within 15 minutes after the appointed time then the members present will appoint one of their number to take the chair.

A resolution put to the vote shall be decided by the votes of those personally present and entitled to vote. In case of an equality of votes, the chairman shall poll a second or casting vote

All acts done in good faith at a General Meeting shall be valid, even if it is discovered after the meeting that there was some defect in the arrangement, which would, had it been discovered before the conclusion of the meeting, have modified the outcome.

10. Accounts

The Club Committee shall ensure that proper and sufficient books of account are kept in such a manner as to give a good and fair view of the state of the Club’s affairs with regard to:

• The assets and liabilities of the Club
• Income and expenditure and the matters giving rise to such income and expenditure
• All sales and purchases of goods and services by the Club

The books of account shall be kept at the home of the current Treasurer or, if that position is unfilled, at the home of the current Secretary and shall be made available for examination at every meeting of the Club Committee

Once at least in every year, the Club Committee shall present to members in General Meeting, income and expenditure accounts for the period since the last preceding account together with a balance sheet made up at the same date

11. Audit

At least once in every year the accounts of the Club shall be examined and the correctness of the income and expenditure accounts and the balance sheets ascertained by one or more auditors

The auditor(s) shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Club and shall not be a Committee member nor an immediate past Committee member

12. Notices

Each member shall from time to time notify the Club Secretary of an address to be recorded as the postal address of the member

A notice may be served by the Club, on any member either personally, or by mail in a pre-paid letter addressed to the recorded address of that member

13. Tournaments

The club shall hold annual outdoor and indoor Tournaments and any other archery events that it requires. These meetings may be open or closed, or both simultaneously, but in the case of closed tournaments they shall be available only to members of the club who are entitled to shoot under the GNAS Rules of Shooting.

14. Teams

The Club may enter representational teams in any suitable events

Club teams will be chosen in accordance with the procedures agreed by the Club Committee from time to time using mechanisms that are clearly visible to all members

Club teams will be chosen only from Club members who are entitled to shoot for the club under the GNAS Laws and Rules of Shooting

15. Records

The Club shall maintain and publish records of the highest score shot in each branch of the sport of archery as defined in the GNAS Rules of Shooting, by any person, while that person was a member of the Club

Scores achieved by members shall be forwarded to the “Dyfed” County Association from time to time as necessary in accordance with the requirements of that body

16. Alterations to the Rules

Additional Rules may be promulgated by the Club Committee from time to time in the interests of safety and security subject only to the requirement that these Rule changes shall be ratified by the members in General Meeting in due course

The Rules of the Club may otherwise only be altered, amended, repealed or added to by a special resolution of the members in General Meeting

No alterations shall be made to these Rules that would have the effect of putting them in conflict with the constitution of GNAS, or of the Regional and County bodies to which the club is affiliated.