Name

1. The Club shall be called the Gloucester Rowing Club. (1)

2. The Club badge shall be the Coat of Arms of the City of Gloucester with crossed oars. The colours of the Club shall be black, white and red. (18)

Purpose

3. The sole objective of the Club is to promote the sport of rowing in the Gloucester area and community participation in the same. (1)

Membership

4. a) Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport of rowing.
b) Any person may apply to join the Club. Such application shall state the name, address and occupation of the applicant, and include a statement that the applicant will abide by the constitution and rules of the Club including its Safety Policy, and shall be delivered to the Secretary with a deposit, the amount of which shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting. The Secretary shall as soon as possible thereafter bring the proposal before the Committee and the proposal will be accepted subject to the approval of the majority of the Committee present. In the event of the proposed member being elected the deposit shall be retained as part payment of their subscription.
c) The Committee may limit membership according to available facilities (including coaches for Junior and inexperienced members) on a non-discriminatory basis.
d) The Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or the sport into disrepute. Appeals against refusal or removal may be made to a Special General Meeting of members.
e) A person who has been expelled from, or refused membership of, the Amateur Rowing Association, shall not be eligible for membership. (5)

5. There shall be five classes of membership.

a) Senior Members

b) Junior Members - Such Members shall be under eighteen, or engaged in full time education, at the time of the A.G.M.

c) Coxing/Coaching Members - Such Members will cox and coach the Club's boats. They will not be entitled to any other use of the Club's boats and boating facilities without the express permission of the Captain.

d) Temporary Members - Such members shall pay, in advance, a sum of 1.5 times that of Senior Membership per calendar month.

e) Associate Members. Such members will not be entitled to any use of the Club's boats and boating facilities without the express permission of the Captain and will pay a usage fee determined by the Annual General Meeting. (2)

6. All members of the Club are bound by the Constitution and all rules of Gloucester Rowing Club. (34)

Equal Opportunities Policy

7. The Club will ensure that the talents and resources of all members are utilised to the full and that no member or prospective member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, disability, marital status, creed, social class, ethnicity, age or sexual orientation or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance. (38)

Cessation of Membership

8. If the subscription of any member shall be in arrears more than fourteen days after written application has been made for it by the Secretary or Treasurer, the Committee may at their discretion remove their name from the list of members, but they shall nevertheless remain liable for their subscription. (7)

9. Any member wishing to resign membership shall give one month's notice in writing to the Secretary. They shall be liable for any arrears of subscription. (8)

10. Any member violating any of the Constitution, Rules or regulations of the Club or being adjudged guilty of unsatisfactory conduct may be suspended, expelled or required to undertake other appropriate actions. Complaints about the conduct of a member shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary or the Chairman. The Committee will maintain and publish the procedures under which any such complaint will be considered. A member disciplined under these procedures will have the right of appeal to the full membership of the Club at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. A majority of the votes of the members present will decide whether to uphold the disciplinary measures. (29)

Subscriptions

11. The annual subscription for members shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting and shall be due on election and, thereafter, to be paid in advance to be paid in advance as determined by the Annual General Meeting. (2, 7)

General Meetings

12. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held early in October in each year. (11)

13. Senior, Junior, Coxing/Coaching and Associate Members over 16 at the time of the AGM may vote at any general meeting. All other members should attend and make known their views in general debate at these meetings, but are not eligible to vote. Only those persons eligible to vote at an AGM and who have been members for at least twelve months shall stand for office or propose any member for office. Associate Members shall constitute less than half of the Committee. (3)

14. The Secretary shall at the request in writing of any ten members call a Special General Meeting, twenty members at such a meeting forming a quorum. The date, time, location and purpose of the meeting shall be posted in the Clubroom at least 14 days prior to the meeting. (15)

Committee

15. The management of the Club shall be vested in the Chairman, Captain, Secretary, Treasurer, none of whom shall be under 18 years of age, and six members, who shall together form the Committee, three of whom together with the Chairman or Secretary, shall be a quorum. (10)

16. The officers will have the following duties:

A. Chairman: The Chairman will preside at all General meetings of the Club and at all meetings of the Committee, and shall be responsible for guiding the activities of the club in accordance with its general policy as expressed by the majority of its members. The Chairman shall represent or arrange for the representation of the Club at ARA regional level and at meetings of other organisations. The Chairman shall ex officio be a member of any other committee of the Club.

B. Captain: The Captain will be responsible for training, coaching and representation of the Club in competitions.

C. Secretary: The Secretary will be responsible for the organisation of meetings of the Committee and of the Club, and the recording of minutes relating to such meetings and all correspondence relating to the general business of the Club.

D. Treasurer: The Treasurer will be responsible for the collection and disbursement of all monies belonging to the Club and will keep proper accounting records of all such transactions. He or she will present to the members at the AGM a balance sheet and income and expenditure account showing the Club's financial position and the results of its transactions for the year. The transactions of the Club will be conducted through a bank account and will require the signatures of any 1 of 4 members of the Committee who have been designated for the purpose.

17. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The retiring members shall be eligible for re-election. Prospective Captains at the A.G.M. shall nominate up to two eligible members, who shall not be under 18 years of age, who will serve as Vice Captains. (11)

18. a) In addition to the above officers, the members may in open meeting elect a President and a Vice-President to hold office for such period or periods as may be determined from time to time. It shall not be a pre-requisite of such offices that the holders should be members of the Club.

b) The Coaches who have signed up to the Junior Polices under the Amateur Rowing Association's ClubMark scheme shall elect a Junior Co-ordinator, subject to ratification by the Committee.

c) The Committee shall appoint: a Child Welfare Officer; a Honorary Safety Adviser; and a Membership Secretary.

These office holders and Past Presidents, who are members of the Club, may attend Committee meetings but may not vote unless elected to the Committee in their own right. Other Club members may attend meetings at the Chairman's discretion. (11A)

19. Any member elected to serve on the Committee shall attend at least half of the Committee Meetings. If they do not do so, the Secretary shall report this to the next Annual General Meeting. (12)

20. In the event of any Committee member or Vice Captain retiring before their term of office shall have expired, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the next General Meeting. (13)

21. All duties given to the Captain may in his/her absence be exercised by the Vice Captain(s), including voting at Committee meetings. (14)

Auditor

22. The Club's accounts shall be audited annually by a qualified auditor or by two members of the Club appointed by the Committee, and shall be laid before the Annual General Meeting. (16)

Distribution of Profits

23. In no circumstances can any profit be distributed to members, but any profits earned shall be used in furthering the objects of the Club. (39)

Wine Committee

24. The purchase for the Club and supply by the Club of intoxicating liquor, tobacco and other excisable goods shall be under the control of a committee called the Wine Committee. The Wine Committee shall consist of the Secretary, Treasurer and three other members appointed annually by the General Committee from its elected members, all such members of the Wine Committee being of the age not less than 18 years. Any members of the Wine Committee ceasing to be a member of the General Committee shall automatically cease to be a member of the Wine Committee. The Wine Committee shall cause an account to be kept of all purchases and receipts and shall present a report and financial statement for the preceding year at each Annual General Meeting. The net balance of any profits received by them, and any other monies designated by the General Committee, shall be transferred to an account designated for special purposes and that withdrawals from this account may only be authorised by a valid resolution made by a Special General Meeting for that specific purpose. (30)

25. The Wine Committee shall regulate the supply of intoxicating liquor in accordance with the Licensing and Excise Laws in particular shall ensure that:

a) Intoxicating liquor for consumption off the premises is supplied only to members in person.
b) Intoxicating liquor shall not be supplied to persons who are not members or the guests of members except as follows:

1. Members of other Clubs invited by the Committee
2. Guests invited by the Committee
3. Persons attending functions organised by or on behalf of the Club provided that the number of functions to which this rule applies shall not exceed twelve in any one calendar year
4. Persons attending private functions promoted by and being the responsibility of a member and being authorised by the Committee; at which function such member shall be present

c) Intoxicating liquor is supplied only during the licensing hours for the City of Gloucester and the hours permitted by special order of exemption.
d) No other person may supply intoxicating liquor upon the Club premises.
e) Intoxicating liquor is not supplied to persons under 18 years of age.
f) At least 48 hours before any function organised by, or on behalf of, the Club or any private function held at the Club, notice shall be given to the Gloucester Police. (31)

26. The following categories of guests may be introduced to the Club:

a) Members of other Clubs invited by the Committee
b) Other guests invited by the Committee
c) Persons attending functions organised by or on behalf of the Club provided that the number of functions to which this category applies shall not exceed twelve in any one calendar year
d) Persons attending private functions promoted by and being the responsibility of a member and being authorised by the Committee, such member being present at such function, the number of guests in this category being limited to 60 at any one function
e) Persons invited to the Club by a member subject to the following restrictions:
1 No member shall invite more than two guests at any one time
2 No guest shall be introduced on more than six occasions in any one year
3 A member inviting a guest to the Club shall sign his name in the Visitors Book (32)

Termination

27. The Club shall not be dissolved without the consent of two thirds of the members present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose. In the event of dissolution being resolved the property of the Club shall be sold, and after payment of all debts and any loans to members the net assets are to be applied to:

a) the promotion of rowing in the community
b) the purposes of another Community Amateur Sports Club or
c) the purposes of a charity (33)

Alteration of Constitution

28. This Constitution shall not be altered without the consent of two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting called for that purpose. Proposed changes to this Constitution must be displayed for a minimum of 10 days before the General Meeting at which they are to be discussed. (35)

Safety

29. The General Committee will devise and publicise a Safety Code for the Club. It is the responsibility of all Club members to ensure that the code is observed. All Club members must sign a declaration that they have read and will abide by the Safety Code. The Committee may appoint an Honorary Safety Adviser to advise them on the contents and implementation of the Safety Code. The Safety Adviser, Captain, Vice Captain(s) or Secretary, or in their absence any other officer of the Club may stop any activity by Club members that they consider unsafe. (36)

Child Protection Procedures

30. A Junior Coordinator who has gained one of the ARA's Coaching Awards is to be responsible for the Club's Juniors on a day to day basis. A separate and senior Child Welfare Officer to whom concerns or allegations regarding inappropriate treatment of Juniors may be made. It will be his duty to understand the requirements of the ARA's Child Protection Procedures and to act on them as necessary. He/she must also ensure that there is a well established complaints procedure and that parents and children have the relevant information and this easy access to it. (37)

Precedence

31. In cases of conflict, the Constitution of Gloucester Rowing Club takes precedence over any other Rules of Gloucester Rowing Club.