SWINDON FENCING CLUB
CONSTITUTION
TITLE
The title of the club shall be SWINDON FENCING CLUB.
LAWS
All laws, bye-laws and regulations of the Club shall be in accordance with the general regulation of the BRITISH FENCING ASSOCIATION (BFA).
Swindon Fencing Club shall also support the BFA. For this purpose, the Club shall be affiliated to the BFA and encourage its membership to become individual members of the BFA.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim and objective of the Club is to administer, foster, encourage and promote the sport of Fencing in Swindon and the surrounding area. This is to be done through the provision of facilities for the coaching of its members, encouragement of participation at all levels, organising club and inter-club matches and social events.
MEMBERSHIP
Members are all fencers who pay membership to the club by standing order.
This shall include all age groups of both sexes from 8 years with no upper limit, regardless of ability and having amateur status as defined by the BFA. The right to refuse or cancel membership without giving reason is reserved by the Club Committee.
Voting members must be 18 or over or be represented by a parent or guardian.
COMMITTEE
The Club shall be administered by a Committee of officers/members as described in the officer’s duties section.
When on occasion the committee is split, the Chairperson shall have the casting vote
The Committee shall have the authority to co-opt any member(s) to attend its meetings though without voting rights subject to the nominees’ prior agreement
In the event of a Committee Member resigning before his/her period of office expires, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt any other members as a replacement onto the Committee thought without voting rights, subject to the consent of the nominee.
All Committee Members (including those co-opted), whether or not they have completed a full year of office are required to resign at each AGM.
The Committee shall be required to meet on a minimum of nine monthly occasions, date and time of which to be decided by the Chairperson and at least two other Committee Members.
A Quorum shall consist of at least three Committee Members. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
If a position is unoccupied, those roles and responsibilities may be absorbed by one or more members.
RULES
The Constitution Rules shall not be amended or modified in any way except by and at an AGM or EGM where a voting majority of at least two-thirds of those present will be required. A copy of the Constitution shall be available via the website.
At least two Committee members are to be present at all sessions to supervise the safe conduct of activities. This shall include the issuing and collecting of all club equipment at the end of each session and its safe return to the security of the Club’s lockers, which shall be locked with the key retained by that Committee Member.
FEES
Fees due for each session are to be collected by the Treasurer or in his/her absence by the Committee Member in charge and given to the Treasurer for which a receipt shall be issued. An attendance sheet with each member’s signature against payment made is to be given to the Treasurer for accounting purposes.
The fee amount is to be set by members each year at the AGM.
An appropriate cheaper rate is to be maintained for members under the age of sixteen years. These fee rates are to be reviewed annually and if deemed necessary revised as agreed by the Committee.
TEAM SELECTION
This shall be made by the Committee or their named Captain(s) who need not necessarily be Committee Members. If a sub-committee for team selection is formed independently of the main Committee, the selected teams are to be presented to the main Committee for final consultation and ratification.
AGM and EGM
The AGM shall be held near the end of each fencing season, and no later than the 30th October each year.
At least two weeks’ notice of the AGM is to be given a quorum of Committee Members with a suitably displayed notice on the Club’s venue notice board, which shall also show a list of positions falling vacant.
Nominations for the Committee can be received at the AGM. They must be proposed, seconded and have the nominee’s approval. All outgoing Committee Members may stand for re-election for a further term of office and elected by a simple majority or if appropriate voted in “en bloc “.
The Club’s accounts are to be presented at the AGM
EGMs may be convened at any time during the year providing a minimum of two weeks’ notice with an agenda is given by, a quorum of Committee Members on a reasonably displayed notice.
OFFICERS’ DUTIES
Chairperson
The Chairperson shall be responsible to the members, for the overall running of the Club, this includes ensuring the Club meets its aims, objectives, financial affairs, the conduct of meetings, and ensuring that the other Officers/Committee Members carry out the duties delegated to them.
Junior Club President
The Junior Club President shall be responsible for the general running of the junior club including collecting fees, feedback from parents and publicising local competitions.
Senior Club President
The Senior Club President shall be responsible for the general running of the adult club including collecting fees.
Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting subscriptions, paying and receiving money, running the Club account and online banking, keeping proper records of payments and receipts, and for presenting accounts at the AGM. The Treasurer will be consulted about major items of expenditure
The issuing of Club cheques shall bear the signatures of two Committee Members, one of which is to be the Treasurer or Chairperson.
Secretary
The Secretary is to be responsible for recording minutes of the monthly Committee Meetings, setting the agenda for the next, subject to the Chairperson’s assent, and drafting of the AGM’s agenda for Committee approval and its circulation. Also dealing with match arrangements, correspondences and day-to-day administration.
Armourer
The Armourer is to be responsible for maintenance of Club equipment and purchase of replacement equipment where necessary. Also organising and coordinating quarterly equipment maintenance checks on Club kit.
Membership & Recruitment Secretary
The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for insuring, recording and filing of member’s information. He/she is also responsible for creating and updating membership tick-sheets to monitor attendance at each session, and to aid Treasurer with financial affairs of the Club.
Communication Officer
The Communication Officer shall be responsible for maintaining all Club contact details (websites, libraries, etc). He or She shall also be responsible for updating the SFC website and Facebook page, organising demonstrations/displays within the local area, and submitting articles to the local News Press to raise the public awareness of Swindon Fencing Club.
Social Secretary
The Social Secretary is to be responsible for organising all the Club’s Social events and to encourage a positive social side to the club.
Health, Safety & Child Protection Officer
The Health, Safety & Child Protection Officer is responsible for monitoring the health and safety in the club and ensuring the safety and protection of junior club members. When this position is vacant it will be filled by our coaches and should one of them be the subject of a concern then to the Southern Region Officer.
Competitions Secretary
The Competitions Secretary is responsible for the organisation and management of any competitions whether they are internal or external. They are also responsible for the selection of any teams and final decisions on competition rules.
DISSOLUTION
At any general monthly Committee Meeting should a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Hon Secretary shall immediately convene an EGM to be held not less than 28 days thereafter to discuss and vote on that resolution.
Should the resolution be approved at this meeting by at least two thirds of the full members present, the Chairperson and Committee Officers shall proceed at the next monthly meeting, to release the assets of the Club and discharge all its debts and liabilities.
Any financial assets and equipment shall be held in abeyance against the restoration of the Club at some future occasion as agreed by the committee.
If, following a year from the date of dissolution, the club has not been restored then all assets and equipment shall be donated to the British Fencing Association.
Dated: 25 September 2019
Signed on behalf of Swindon Fencing Club by
Neil G Bromley
Chairperson
Swindon Fencing Club