Constitution of Coventry Archery Club
Established 1952
Amended at the AGM 8 April 1993
Amended at the EGM 21 September 2010
Amended at the AGM 13 September 2024
1. Name
The Club will be called Coventry Archery Club, hereinafter referred to as the Club. It will be affiliated to Archery GB, West Midlands Archery Society (WMAS) and the County of Warwick Archery Association (CWAA).
2. Aims and objectives
The aims and objectives of the Club will be:
2.1. To promote and encourage Archery in all its forms, other than crossbow shooting as defined in the Rules of Archery GB.
2.2. To offer coaching and participation opportunities in all forms of archery as defined in the Rules of Archery GB other than crossbow shooting.
2.3. To promote the Club within the local community.
2.4. To manage the Club in accordance with this constitution, the rules of the club and the rules of Archery GB.
2.5. To ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club and to those persons attending beginners’ courses, taster sessions and other approved visits to the club’s shooting grounds.
2.6. To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.
2.7. To ensure that all members and other attendees receive fair and equal treatment.
3. Membership
3.1. Subject to approval any person interested in Archery, having attained the age of 18 shall be eligible for admittance as a Senior Member, or under that age, as a Junior Member, provided that they are at least 10 years of age.
3.2. All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the Club adopted.
3.3. All members must read and understand the Club’s Privacy Notice which is available on the Club’s website.
3.4. Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:
3.4.1. Senior member (over 18)
3.4.2. Junior member (10 to 17)
3.4.3. Honorary member
3.4.4. Associate shooting member
3.4.5. Associate non-shooting member
3.5. Junior members must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or nominated supervising adult. In accordance with the Rules of Archery GB they may only shoot when an Archery GB member is present. This may be the junior member’s supervising adult or another senior member supervising with documented consent of both parties.
3.6. Any person on ceasing to be a member of the Club shall forfeit all rights and claims upon the Club, its property and funds.
3.7. Any person whom the Club may wish to honour for distinguished service to the Club may be elected at a General Meeting of the Club as an Honorary Member for Life or for a specified period of time.
4. Membership fees
4.1. All members as defined above other than Honorary Members shall pay an annual subscription to the Club at rates to be determined from time to time by members in a General Meeting.
4.2. Fees will be paid on joining and then annually on the anniversay of joining in full. Renewal fees will become due on the first day of the month of renewal and must be paid by the last day of the month of renewal.
4.3. A member who has not paid their subscription by the last day of the month of renewal in any one year shall cease to be a member of the Club unless the Club Executive Committee considers there are extenuating circumstances.
4.4. Guest archers shall be charged a fee to shoot at the Club. Such fee to be determined annually at a General Meeting.
5. Management of the Club
5.1. The postal address of the Club shall be that of the Secretary in office at the time.
5.2. Committee
The management of the club’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Club Executive Committee consisting of the following officers of the Club:
5.2.1. Chair
5.2.2. Secretary
5.2.3. Treasurer
5.2.4. Vice Chair
5.2.5. Records Officer
5.2.6. Welfare/Safeguarding Officer
5.2.7. Publicity Officer
5.2.8. Gents Captain
5.2.9. Gents Vice Captain
5.2.10. Ladies Captain
5.2.11. Ladies Vice Captain
5.3. Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-appointment.
5.4. Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Club Executive Committee. At all meetings of the Club Executive Committee the Chair, if it is necessary, has a casting vote.
5.5. The Club Executive Committee will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and hold no less than four meetings per year.
5.6. The quorum required for business to be agreed at Club Executive Committee meetings will be four.
5.7. If a Committee Member is absent from Executive Committee Meetings three times in succession without submitting apologies that Member will be deemed to have resigned from the Executive Committee.
5.8. The Club Executive Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
5.9. The Club Executive Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Club Executive Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
5.10. The Club may have a President elected annually at the AGM.
5.11. The Club Executive Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Association/Club rules/regulations/constitution. The Club Executive Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.
5.12. In the case of emergency the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall together have full powers to act.
6. Finance
6.1. All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.
6.2. All monies and sums received on behalf of the Club shall remain the property of the Club and there will be no distribution of such funds amongst the members.
6.3. The Club shall maintain a bank account in the name of the Club. Any withdrawals from this account must be authorised by any two of the following. Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, registered Executive Committee Members. Signatories cannot be from the same family unit.
6.4. The financial year of the Club will be from 1 January to 31 December inclusive.
6.5. An examined statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
7. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings
7.1. Notice of the General Meetings (AGMs and EGMs) will be given by the Club Secretary. Not less than 21 clear days’ notice to be given to all members.
7.2. The AGM will be held in the month of September or as soon as practicable thereafter as determined by the Club Executive Committee.
7.3. The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Club Executive Committee and a statement of the examined accounts.
7.4. Nominations for officers of the Club Executive Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM.
7.5. Elections of officers to the Club Executive Committee are to take place at the AGM.
7.6. Election of Accounts examiner is to take place at the AGM.
7.7. The quorum for AGMs and EGMs will be 3 members two of whom are not committee members.
7.8. Each Senior, Club Executive Committee and Associate member shall be entitled to one vote.
7.9. The Chairman shall, if required be entitled to a casting vote.
7.10. The Club Executive Committee, or at the request of 3 or more members, may call an EGM outside the AGM. Notice of any Proposition which it is intended to move shall be sent to all Club Members entitled to receive notice of meeting.
8. Discipline and appeals
8.1. All members shall accept the jurisdiction of the Club and shall conform to such conditions, shooting rules and regulations as may be determined from time to time.
8.2. If in the opinion of the Committee should any member have been guilty of conduct which makes it undesirable that such member should remain a member of the Club then the Club Executive Committee may expel such a member, after a hearing, without being called upon to state a reason to any but the member concerned. That member may within 28 days appeal in writing to the Secretary for an EGM to confirm the decision. The Club's decision at an EGM shall be final.