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Gay
Outdoor Club: Constitution
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The Club is called the GAY OUTDOOR CLUB (GOC).
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The
aims of the Club are:
I. to organise and support outdoor, sporting and associated events
for gay people and friends of gay people;
II. to provide opportunities for
those participating in activities organised by the Club to develop
their own skills in outdoor and sporting
pursuits;
III. To represent the interests of the Club in pursuing its activities.
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Membership of the Club is open to gay people and others who support
the aims of the Club.
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I. Members of the Club shall pay an annual
subscription. Subscription rates shall be proposed by the
Committee and approved by a general meeting.
II. Non members may attend for up to three
events as guests, with the exception of the Annual National Weekend
event at which the AGM is held. After this they must join the
Club to attend further events.
III. Only Members are permitted to attend the Annual National
Weekend event at which the AGM is held
IV. The Committee is empowered to
terminate the membership of any member, without refund of subscription
if it formally resolves that his/her continued membership would
be detrimental to the Club. If such a resolution is proposed,
the member concerned shall be entitled to make written or personal
representation on his/her behalf to the Committee for consideration.
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I. The Club shall be managed by a Committee, which shall consist
of the following core membership:
a Chairperson
a Deputy Chairperson
a Treasurer
a Membership Secretary
a Newsletter Editor
and up to six additional Members.
II. The members of the Committee shall be elected at a General
Meeting.
III. The Committee may co-opt up to three extra members.
IV. In the event of any member of the Committee resigning or being
incapacitated, the
Committee may appoint a Club member to fill the post.
V. The term of office of all Committee members shall be until
the end of the next AGM
following their election or appointment.
VI. Only members of the Club shall be eligible for election or
appointment to the Committee.
VII. No one person shall be both Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson,
and no one person shall hold more than one of the posts of Chairperson,
Treasurer, Membership Secretary, or Newsletter Editor.
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I. Each candidate for election to the Committee shall be proposed
by one member
and seconded by one additional member in writing and nominations
shall be, submitted to the official Club address The names of
the candidates, proposers and seconders shall be notified to all
Members at least 14 days before the meeting at which the elections
are to take place. The Committee shall appoint a returning officer
who shall be responsible for organising the elections. He/she
shall be a member of the Club who is not a candidate nor the proposer
or seconder of any candidate.
II. Any member of the Club who is eligible to vote and who is
not able to be present at a meeting at which elections take place
shall be entitled to nominate any other member of the Club to
vote on his/her behalf by completing a proxy form which shall
be worded as follows:
"I,
...(name of member)…, hereby nominate ... (name of nominee)...
to vote as he/she
thinks fit on my behalf in the election of members of the Committee
at the general
meeting to be held at ... (place of meeting) ... on... (date of
meeting)....
signed .......................................................
date ...……………………………………….."
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I. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year.
II. Committee meetings shall be called by the Chairperson, the
Deputy Chairperson, or jointly by any four other members of the
Committee.
III. At least 28 days notice of Committee meetings shall be given
to committee members.
IV. The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be five, of whom
at least two shall he from the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson,
Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Newsletter Editor.
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I. There shall be an Annual General Meeting called by the Chairperson
or Deputy
Chairperson. Not more than fifteen Months shall elapse between
two such Meetings. The Committee shall encourage all members to
attend. At least 28 days' notice of the AGM shall be given.
II. The Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson shall call an Extraordinary
General Meeting if so demanded by the Committee or by whichever
is the lesser of fifty members or 5% of the members in writing
to the official Club address stating the reasons for the calling
of the meeting. At least 28 day's notice shall be given.
III. The quorum for a general meeting shall be five members of
the Committee, of whom at least two shall be from among the Chairperson,
Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, and Newsletter
Edam, plus whichever is the Iesser of one hundred members or 5%
of the membership.
IV. Resolutions to be debated at any general meeting shall be
submitted by the Committee or submitted in writing to the official
Club address by any member of the Club and seconded by eight additional
members of the Club. The precise wording of every such resolution
shall be notified to all members of the Club at least 14 days
before the meeting at which the resolution is to be debated.
V. All and only persons who are members 28 days before the date
of a meeting shall be entitled to vote at that meeting.
VI. Voting shall be by show of hands.
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Notices of general meetings, resolutions, candidates for elections,
and other matters
relating to Club business published in the Club Newsletter shall
be deemed to have been brought to the attention of all members
on the date of despatch by post or similar means of the Newsletter.
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I. The Club shall encourage the formation of Local and Specialist
Groups.
II. Each Group shall have at least one member who is prepared
to act as local/specialist contact. He/she will provide his/her
name and telephone number and/or address for publication by the
Club, and will inform the Club of the activities and plans of
the group.
III. Groups shall be required to abide by the Club Constitution.
IV. Groups shall be required to organise a reasonable number of
events each year.
V. Groups may apply to the Committee for Club funds to support
the promotion of their
activities.
VI. Groups may charge such fees as are necessary to cover expenses
related to particular events, but may not levy local subscriptions.
VII. The Committee is empowered to wind up any group which it
considers does not meet any of the requirements listed in 10 (II.
To VI.) above. Any group which is wound up shall return any Club
assets or funds to the treasurer within 14 days of being required
to do so.
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The signatories for Club bank accounts shall be, the Chairperson,
the Treasurer, and one other member approved by the Committee.
Two signatories shall be required for any withdrawal or transfer.
II. The Club accounts shall be audited annually by a suitably
qualified auditor, and shall be presented to the members at the
first AGM following the year to which they relate.
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The Committee shall seek to ensure that every member receives
each edition of the
Club newsletter and that every member is informed of the activities
of every group.
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All members are entitled to attend any event organised by any
group, unless the event organiser decides that it would be unsafe
for the member to join in the event or the event is fully booked.
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Persons taking part in Club events
shall be responsible for their own safety,
clothing, equipment, and insuring themselves as appropriate. Neither
the Club, nor any individual member shall be liable for death,
injury or loss which occurs during or directly or indirectly as
a result of any event connected with the Club.
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The interpretation and operation of this Constitution during the
course of a general
meeting shall be in the absolute discretion of the person chairing
the meeting and
otherwise of the Committee, whose decision shall be final.
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Amendments to this Constitution may only be approved by formal
resolution at a general meeting and shall require a majority of
two thirds of those present at the meeting voting in favour.
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The Club can only be dissolved by a majority vote at a general
meeting supporting a resolution so to do. In the event of the
dissolution of the Club, its remaining funds and assets shall
be distributed to an organisation or organisations with similar
aims, approved by a majority vote at that meeting.
Gay Outdoor Club Constitution. Version 95/01
First draft written 9 Aug 94
Revised 4 Jan 95
Revised July 2004.
Revised July 2006.
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