Cleve Archers Ltd

CONSTITUTION 2023

1 Name

  1. The Club will be called Cleve Archers and will be affiliated to Grand National Archery Society (GNAS) also known as Archery GB, Grand Western Archery Society and Gloucestershire Archery Society.

2 Open Policy Statement

Cleve Archers believe that sporting opportunities should be open to all and we are committed to:

  1. Creating an environment in which all have an equal opportunity to engage in the sport, whether as participants; competitors; volunteers; officials or administrators.
  2. To give everyone the opportunity to participate irrespective of age, ability, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality, and nationality or social/economic status.
  3. Responding to the diverse needs, capabilities and preferences of all, by ensuring appropriate levels of challenge.
  4. Overcoming potential barriers for those individuals and groups currently under represented as participants.
  5. Developing a culture that enables and values the full involvement of all.

3 Aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of the Club will be:

  1. provide facilities for and the promotion of participation in the amateur sport of Archery in the Region
  2. the practice and promotion of the sport of archery in accordance with the Rules of County, Regional and National Societies.
  3. to offer coaching and participation opportunities in archery
  4. to promote the Club within the local community and sports organisations in the region
  5. to manage the Club
  6. to ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club
  7. to adopt South Gloucestershire Council’s Policy for Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults and implement the procedures laid down.
  8. to ensure that at least two Club members, one of whom must be a coach, have attended a recognised basic awareness child protection training course.
  9. to adopt South Gloucestershire Council’s equity policy and incorporate it across all aspects of the Clubs development.

3.1 Permitted Means to Achieve the Objective

  1. The Club may establish a Private Company Limited by Guarantee and without share capital known as Cleve Archers Ltd which will offer honorary or subscription membership in accordance with the constitution and rules of membership determined by a Management Committee which will include the Directors of the Company.
  2. The Management Committee will be elected annually by the holders at the time of the honorary or subscription memberships and who will also be registered as the Members and   Guarantors of the Company.
  3. The liability of each member is limited to £1.00, being the amount that each member undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Company in the event of it being wound up while they are a member or within one year after they cease to be a member.

3.2 Cleve Archers on behalf of the Club members may:

  1. Acquire and provide grounds, equipment, equipment storage, coaching, shooting and related facilities.
  2. Provide coaching, training and related social events.
  3. Effect insurance for The Club and its members, contractors, guests and third parties where deemed necessary and NOT provided as part of the affiliation through the governing body The Grand National Archery Society GNAS) also known as Archery GB (AGB).
  4. Raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans, charges and organising events.
  5. Open bank accounts, borrow money and give security for the same.
  6. Buy lease or licence property and sell let or otherwise dispose of the same.
  7. Make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits.
  8. Set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves.
  9. Invest funds in any lawful manner.
  10. Co-operate with or affiliate to any bodies regulating or organising the sport of archery.

None of the above powers may be used other than to advance the objective consistently with the rules of the Club and the general law. the assets and property of the Club will be owned and administered by Cleve Archers Ltd.

4 Funds and Property

  1. The funds, assets and property of Cleve Archers (the Club) shall be vested in the name of Cleve Archers Ltd a Company Limited by Guarantee. Decisions involving the funds, assets and property will be made at the discretion of the Management Committee.
  2. All monies received on behalf of Cleve Archers shall remain the property of the Club and there shall be no distribution of such funds among members.
  3. All trophies of Cleve Archers shall remain the undisputed property of the Club and may not be disposed of in any way without the consent of the Management Committee.
  4. No member of Cleve Archers shall commit the Club to any expense without the express authority of the Management Committee. The Officers of the Club shall be reimbursed for any expenses incurred by them on the Club’s business. Such expenses must be adequately accounted for to the Honorary Treasurer.
  5. If upon the winding up of Cleve Archers, 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, following consultation with the Grand National Archery Society, the Grand Western Archery Society and Gloucestershire Archery Society (or their respective successors), be transferred to some other Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) having similar aims and objectives to those of Cleve Archers.

5 Finance

  1. All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of Cleve Archers Ltd. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club. The financial year of the Club will end on 30th September.
  2. An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

Any cheques or bank transfers shall be signed and approved by 2 signatories (Treasurer, Secretary and 1 Other).

6 Constitution

The Constitution of the Club shall not be rescinded or amended except by a two-thirds majority of Members present at the AGM or at an Extraordinary General Meeting summoned for that purpose.

7 Membership

  1. The membership of the Club will comprise the Officers of the Club plus General and Honorary members. The Officers of the Club will be President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Club is organised as an Amateur Sports Club and all Directors and Officers act in a voluntary capacity and receive no remuneration except for the repayment of approved expenses incurred on behalf of the Club.
  2. All or at least 2 of the elected Officers of the Club will also be appointed each year as Directors of Cleve Archers Ltd, a Private Company Limited by Guarantee to be established, whose sole purpose is to hold and administer the Club’s funds and other properties on behalf of and in the interests of the general and honorary members. The distribution of surplus income by this company will be expressly forbidden in its Articles. A copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Cleve Archers will be open to inspection by any interested Club member from the Club Secretary.
  3. The job descriptions for all Management Committee members and the functions performed are deemed to be incorporated into the Club Constitution & Rules and will be reviewed periodically in the light of working practices or legislation affecting the Club’s activities. A copy of these job descriptions is available to any interested Club member from the Club  secretary.
  4. The Club will provide coaching to all members on request or at the instigation of the designated coaches usually on a ‘no fee’ basis. From time to time the Club arranges special coaching sessions which may include Club, County or National coaches and for which an additional fee will be charged for those wishing to participate.

The Club may offer different classes of membership or subscriptions on the following basis:

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

Senior member 25 and over
Disabled member 25 and over
Senior member 18 to 24
Disabled member 18 to 24
Junior member 7 to 17
Disabled Junior member 7 to 17
Associate member
Honorary member

a. Senior members: Any person aged 18 and over shall be eligible.

b. Junior members: Young persons between the age of 7 and 17 shall be eligible:

  1. Juniors over the age of 15 may shoot provided a senior affiliated member is willing to  take responsibility for them.
  2. Juniors under the age of 15 may shoot provided their parent/guardian remains with  them.
  3. In addition, the numbers of Junior Members accepted will be controlled on the following basis:
  1. a. Established juniors with their own equipment – no limit.
    b. Other prospective Junior Members – by review of current members or when  necessary, by the Committee.

vi. Existing junior members who reach the age of 18 shall be allowed to continue shooting with the junior club until they are 21 to aid their transition to the senior club.
c. Associate members

  1. Any person over the age of 18 who does not wish to become a shooting member but has an interest in the aims and activities of the Club shall be eligible for Associate Membership.
  2. Archers affiliated to Grand National Archery Society, as ordinary members or affiliated through other clubs may be eligible for Associate Membership at the Committee’s discretion.

d. Honorary members

Any person, whom the Club may wish to honour, may at a General Meeting be elected as an Honorary Member for a period or for life. Such person need not be a Club Member.

8 Implications of membership

  1. Before being allowed to shoot non-adapted equipment Members of the Club must have successfully completed an Archery GB beginner’s course and have been assessed by qualified Club coaches as competent.
  2. The safety and enjoyment of members is paramount and all shooting at the Club will only be conducted in accordance with the Archery GB Rules of Shooting and Shooting Management Procedures including shoot management, range layout, overshoot requirements, the  generally observed rules of etiquette and the provision of warning signs. General safety and equipment rules posted at the Club’s ground by the Safety and Equipment officer must be observed at all times.
  3. Any lost arrows must be reported immediately and if not found, entered in the lost arrow book noting approximate location and notified to an Officer of the Club.
  4. Any injuries received by a member, observer or visitor as a direct consequence of being on Club premises and involved in shooting or moving equipment must be reported immediately      to an Officer of the Club or the nominated Field captain of the day so that an assessment can be made of the first and subsequent aid required to ensure the welfare of the injured person. An entry recording the incident and the injury sustained must be made in the  Accident Register maintained at the Club premises. Each incident will be reviewed within 7 days by the Management Committee and revised procedures or preventative actions will be    subsequently proposed to avoid potential repetition of the incident. Any member wishing to  register contact information in the event of illness or accident while on the Club ground may  notify the Club Secretary who will maintain a folder of such information in a prominent position at the Club premises.
  5. Due regard must be paid to the rules and requirements notified by the owners or lessors of the grounds or other facilities used by the Club and its members.
  6. All members of the Club shall conform to such conditions, rules and regulations as may be determined from time to time by the Committee.
  7. The acceptance of new members and the renewal of Membership shall be at the discretion of the Committee.
  8. Any Member acting in a manner detrimental to the good name or safety of the Club may be expelled or suspended by the decision of the Committee, who need to state their reasons  only to the person concerned. That person having the right of reply at a hearing before the Committee.
  9. The Committee is authorised to remove any Member of the Club for the express purpose of executing the transfer of the Business and Assets and Liabilities of the Club to the Company (Cleve Archers Ltd) and the dissolution of the Club in accordance with resolutions outlined in Cleve Archers Ltd’s Articles of Association.

9 Subscription fees

  1. Club subscriptions for all classes of Membership shall be decided annually by the Committee and presented to the Members at the Annual General Meeting. In exceptional  circumstances, the Committee shall have the discretion to reduce individual subscriptions, with or without application.
  2. New or past Senior Members with membership lapsed for a period of at least the previous season, applying to join the Club after the starting date of October 1st, shall be accepted at a  reduced rate to be decided annually, if application is made after Jan 1st.
  3. Subscriptions shall be due on October 1st and shall be paid not later than Nov 30th. At the discretion of the Management Committee, payment after that date will incur a levy of 25%. Members more than 3 months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned their membership of the Club.
  4. Limited places for indoor shooting may be available during the winter months and will be charged on a self-financing basis other than the cost of equipment.
  5. Annual subscription for members joining during the subscription year will be charged on a pro-rata basis.

10 Affiliation fees
a. Senior, Junior, Associate, Honorary and Inclusion Members

  1. Affiliation fees to the National, Regional and County organisations shall be in  addition to Club subscriptions.
  2. They shall be notified to Members once the respective bodies have determined them.
  3. New Members immediately upon joining the Club shall pay affiliation fees.
  4. It must be made clear to all potential members that affiliation fees must be paid  before shooting on the Club’s ground.
  5. Members shall make payment to the Club as soon as possible and in any event not later than September 30th.
  6. Members who have not paid affiliation fees by that date may not shoot on the Club’s ground.

11 Management

  1. The management of the Club’s affairs shall be vested in the Annual General Meeting and the Management Committee otherwise referred to as “the Committee”.
  2. An Honorary appointment of President can be nominated by the Committee of the Club.
  3. The Officers of the Club shall comprise of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.
  4. The Committee shall comprise: the Officers of the Club, Records Officer, Equipment Officers, Coaching Co-Ordinator, Junior Club Co-Ordinator, Tournament Organisers, Facilities Officer,       Membership Secretary, Club Development Officer, Social Secretary, Welfare Officers, Fund Raising Organiser, Junior Representative, Health and Safety Officer, Webmaster and up to 3 additional members.
  5. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members as necessary.
  6. The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
  7. 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.
  8. Each member of the Management Committee will hold only one post on the committee.

12 Election of Officers (as defined in rule 11c)

  1. The Officers of the Club shall be elected by and at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations shall be forwarded by the proposer and seconder, signed by the nominee and given to the              Honorary Secretary, in writing, not later than 7 days before the date of the AGM.
  2. Nominations shall not be considered after that date nor will nominations be accepted from the floor.

13 Election of Committee Members (as defined in rule 11c, excluding Officers of the Club)

  1. The Committee Members shall be elected by and at the AGM.
  2. Nominations may be in writing or will be accepted from the floor, provided the nominee is present and signifies their consent.

14 Meetings of the Committee

  1. The Committee shall meet at least four times a year at dates to be decided by the Committee.
  2. The Chairman will preside over all Meetings. In his/her absence the Committee shall elect a Chairman from amongst themselves.
  3. At the start of each meeting, any conflicts of interest must be declared and a register to be held and updated by the secretary.

15 Quorum

  1. A quorum shall consist of at least four Committee Members.
  2. The Officers of the Club shall have full powers to act on behalf of the Club, consulting where necessary with the appropriate specialist members. Such action must be reported to the Committee as soon as possible for ratification.

16 General Meetings

  1. The AGM of the Club shall be held at the end of the outdoor season on a date deemed most convenient by the Committee. Not less than 21 days notice shall be given to all Club Members.
  2. Proposed resolutions to be put to the AGM in writing to the Honorary Secretary, not later than 28 days prior to the date of the meeting, and must be signed by the proposer and seconder.
  3. The purpose of the AGM shall be inter alia:
  1. To receive the reports of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Specialist Members  as necessary.
  2. To receive the Honorary Treasurer’s report and adopt the accounts.
  3. To elect the Officers, Committee Members and Auditors of the Club for the ensuing twelve months.
  4. To consider resolutions proposed under Rule 16b.

d. The Committee may, or at the request of any four or more Club Members, shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting of Members of the Club.

  1. The demand and reason for such an EGM shall be deposited with the Honorary Secretary in writing.
  2. Notice calling such a Meeting shall then be sent out to all Members in accordance with Rule 16a.

17 Voting

  1. Voting shall be on a show of hands or by ballot, and resolutions decided by a simple majority unless otherwise stated.
  2. The Chairman shall have a casting vote, which he/she may decline to use at his discretion.

18 Discipline and appeals

  1. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
  2. The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 30 days of a complaint being lodged. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including     the termination of membership.
  3. 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 10 days of the     hearing.
  4. There will be the right of appeal to the Club Secretary following disciplinary action being announced. 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 Committee should consider the appeal within 60 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

19 Declaration

Cleve Archers hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

 

Signed: _________________________________ Date: ________________________

 

Name: __________________________________

Chairperson/President

 

Signed: _________________________________ Date: ________________________

 

Name: __________________________________

Secretary

 

Signed: _________________________________ Date: ________________________

 

Name: __________________________________

Treasurer

 

ADOPTED: APRIL 1977

AMENDED: OCTOBER 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2014, Mar 2015, May 2018, Dec 2019, Oct 2023