Constitution

Title

1.1

The club shall be known as "Bath Sword Club" (the "Club").

1.2

The Club shall be affiliated to the British Fencing Association (the "BFA") or any successor to that institution as is incorporated from time to time and shall encourage its members to become individual members of the BFA wherever possible.

Objects of the Club

2.1

To promote the skill and enjoyment of fencing among members of the Club;

2.2

To provide facilities that meet the needs of members;

2.3

To provide coaching for fencers of all abilities;

2.4

To provide a safe environment in which fencing can take place; and

2.5

To promote fencing as a sport within Bath and the surrounding area.

Club Night

3.1

The Club shall meet at such a time (the "Club Night") and at such premises (the "Premises") as the Committee may decide from time to time.

3.2

In the event that a Club Night is to be cancelled the Honorary Secretary shall notify the Members verbally or in writing during the Club Night immediately preceding the Club Night to be cancelled.

Membership

4.1

Membership of the Club is open to anyone interested in fencing who is an amateur as defined by the BFA.

4.2

There shall be four classes of membership, as follows (collectively the "Members"):

(a)	Junior Members: individuals under eighteen years old who pay a junior rate subscription and take part in the sessions held by the Club for young fencers.
(b)	Senior Members: individuals who pay a senior rate subscription and take part in the sessions held by the Club for adult fencers.
(c)	Student Members: individuals who are in full time education who are only resident in Bath for part of the year, who pay a student rate subscription and who take part in the sessions held by the Club for adult fencers.
(d)	Honorary Members: individuals who have devoted significant time and commitment to the development of the Club and who are nominated and approved as such by a majority of the Committee and who do not have to pay any subscription rate.

4.3

Membership fees shall be determined each year by a majority vote of the Members present and voting at the Club's AGM and shall be paid monthly in advance by standing order or such other method as the Committee may determine, into the Club's bank account. Any alteration in the level of membership fees shall take place with immediate effect and the changes shall be displayed at the entrance to the Premises on the next four Club Nights following the AGM.

4.4

The Committee reserve the right to refuse, cancel or suspend a Member's membership with immediate effect without giving a reason.

4.5

All Members shall be:

(a)	Eligible for a Lesson on a Club Night from any coach retained by the Club for the purpose of giving lessons to Members, such lessons to be given on a first come first served basis;
(b)	Entitled to take part in competitions organised by the Club on payment of the appropriate entry fee;
(c)	Entitled to vote on any resolution proposed at any AGM and/or EGM of the Club; and
(d)	To stand for election to the Committee at any AGM and/or EGM of the Club.

4.6

A Member whose subscription remains unpaid for more than one month after the due date will be considered as having ceased to be a Member.

4.7

Visitors to the Club will be required to pay a fee on each Club Night that they attend, as determined by the Committee, and shall be treated as a temporary Member of the Club for the Club Night in question ("Visitors"). Visitors shall not be entitled to any of the Members' rights as set out in clause 4.5 above.

Committee

5.1

The affairs of the Club shall be administered by a committee consisting of no more than ten and no less than five Members (the "Committee").

5.2

The members of the Committee shall serve in the following posts: (a) Chairman; (b) Honorary Secretary; (c) Honorary Treasurer; (d) Safety Officer; (e) Captain; (f) Armourer; and any other posts the Committee deem necessary from time to time.

Meetings of the Committee

6.1

Four Committee Members shall constitute a quorum.

6.2

All decisions of the Committee shall be resolved by a majority vote of those members of the Committee present. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

6.3

The Honorary Secretary shall keep a written record of all decisions passed or rejected by the Committee.

6.4

The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any persons, up to a maximum of four at any one time, to attend its meetings, but any such person so co-opted shall not have the power to vote at the Committee meeting.

6.5

The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy caused by any Committee member ceasing to be a member of the Committee for whatever reason.

6.6

The Committee Members shall serve from the date of their appointment until the next AGM of the Club at which point they may stand for re-election.

6.7

The Honorary Secretary shall give Committee Members no less than five working days notice of a Committee Meeting. Such notice may be verbal or in writing. In exceptional circumstances, provided that all Committee Members consent, a Committee Meeting may be held on such notice as is considered reasonable.

6.8

The Committee shall meet at regular intervals at least three times a year.

Elections

7.1

The Committee Members shall be elected at the AGM by a simple majority of those Members present and voting.

7.2

Any person wishing to stand for election to the Committee must be a Member of the Club nominated to the Honorary Secretary by at least two other Members of the Club and nominations must be accompanied by written consent of the person nominated to serve if elected.

Officers' Duties

8.1

The Chairman is responsible to the Members for the overall running of the Club (this includes ensuring that the Club meets its objectives, manages its financial affairs, convenes its meetings, and ensures that the other Officers and Committee members carry out the duties delegated to them).

8.2

The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for day-to-day administration, drafting and circulating agendas and minutes (subject to the Chairman's approval) and convening meetings of the Committee and of the Members.

8.3

The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting subscriptions and shall keep the books and accounts of the Club and shall produce all documents relating to the finances of the Club whenever requested to do so by the Committee. It shall also be his duty to collect all subscriptions and to present at the AGM a statement of the Club's accounts.

8.4

The Safety Officer shall be responsible for maintaining the Club's safety procedures, for bringing to the attention of the Committee ways to improve safety and to present at the AGM a statement of the Club's safety record.

8.5

The Armourer shall be responsible for procuring, maintaining and repairing the Club's fencing equipment.

8.6

The Captain shall be responsible for organising Club competitions and matches against other clubs and shall present a report at the AGM of members' competitive achievements.

8.7

The Committee may delegate various duties to the other members of the Committee as the circumstances may dictate.

Annual General Meeting

9.1

The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting ("AGM") once every calendar year at which the Club's audited accounts shall be presented, Officers' reports shall be presented, Committee Members for the following year shall be elected and any changes to the Constitution shall be dealt with.

9.2

The Honorary Secretary shall call the AGM and must notify the Members of the AGM at the Club Night immediately before the date of the AGM. The notice must specify any changes that are proposed to amend the Constitution.

9.3

An Extraordinary General Meeting ("EGM") may be called at any time by the Committee and must be called if the Honorary Secretary receives a written request from five members. The Honorary Secretary must notify the Members of the EGM at the Club Night immediately preceding the date of the EGM stating the business to be conducted at the EGM and no other business may take place at that meeting.

9.4

All resolutions at the AGM and/or EGM shall be passed by a simple majority of those Members present and voting. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

9.5

10 Members shall form a quorum at the AGM and/or EGM.

10.

Selection Committee

10.1

The Captain shall be responsible for selecting Members to represent the Club at matches.

10.2

Travelling and other expenses incurred by a Member in attending matches or competitions on behalf of the Club shall be the Member's own responsibility. The Committee may agree in advance to make a grant towards such expenses.

11.

Bank Account and Financial Year

11.1

The Club shall have at least one account at one of the recognised clearing banks, recognised building societies or the Girobank into which all subscriptions and other monies received by the Club shall be paid (the "Account").

11.2

All expenditure from the Account shall bear the signature of the Honorary Treasurer and one other Committee Member.

11.3

The Club's financial year shall run from 1 August in any year to 31 July in the following year.

12.

Equipment

12.1

All the property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee who shall have sole and full powers of control and disposal.

12.2

The Committee shall keep an account of all items of equipment, their whereabouts and state.

12.3

Any broken or damaged Club (or loaned) weapons or other Club equipment must be reported immediately to a Committee Member. The Member responsible may, at the Committee's discretion, be required to pay for the damage.

12.4

No Member shall fence at the Club unless the equipment he is using complies with the Club's Safety Policy and the Rules of the BFA or such other guidelines as the BFA may make from time to time with regard to safety.

13.

Club Rules

13.1

In addition to the Constitution, the Committee may, from time to time, make and notify to the Members such rules as are, in the Committee's discretion, reasonably necessary for the smooth running of the Club (the "Rules").

13.2

All Members shall be responsible for acquainting themselves with this Constitution and the Rules and agree to abide by them.

13.3

All Members of the Club are required to comply with:

(a)	Any policy published by the Committee in relation to safety (the "Club's Safety Policy");
(b)	Such rules of the BFA as are currently in force at any such time; and
(c)	Any guidelines or recommendations of the BFA as may be published from time to time.

14.

Complaints

14.1

Any Member wishing to make a complaint about the operation of the Club or the actions of the Committee or any fencing matter must do so in writing and forward it to the Honorary Secretary and this must be dealt with at the next meeting of the Committee.

14.2

The Committee has the right to interpret this Constitution and to settle any question not provided for.

15.

Changes to the Constitution

15.1

Any alteration, amendment or addition to the Constitution shall require the approval of two thirds of those present and eligible to vote at an AGM and/or an EGM called for that purpose.

15.2

The Honorary Secretary shall report changes and alterations in the Constitution to the Secretary of the BFA.

15.3

If at any EGM and/or AGM a resolution is passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, then, after discharging all the debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall be paid out or distributed amongst the Members of the Club, as at that date, on a pro rata basis.

Revised July 2001 and accepted at the AGM 27th September 2001

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