MERDON BOWMEN ARCHERY CLUB

Club Constitution and Rules

Club Constitution

The Club

The Club will be called Merdon Bowmen and will be affiliated to the Archery GB

Aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of the Club will be to:

• offer coaching and participation opportunities in target archery
• promote the Club within the local community and target archery
• manage the Club Facilities
• ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club
• provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone
• ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment

Membership

Membership will consist of officers and members of the Club.

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.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

• Full member
• Full junior Member
• Honorary member

The club shall be affiliated to the Grand National Archery Society (GNAS), the Southern Counties Archery Society (SCAS) and the Hampshire Archery Association (HAA).

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Club Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Fees will be paid by annual subscription and aligned with the Archery GB shooting year – 1st of October to 30th of September.

Officers of the Club

The officers will be:

• President
• Chairman
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Safeguarding Officer
• Training Officer
• Records Officer
• Equipment Officer
• Tournament Secretary
• Field Officer

In addition to the Officers of the Club, two Ordinary members, i.e. not officers, will also sit as part of the Club Committee.

All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re- appointment.

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

Committee

The Club will be managed through the Club Committee consisting of the posts listed above. Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Club Committee.

The Club Committee will be convened by the Secretary and held no less than 9 per year

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Club Committee meetings will be 5.

The Club Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

The Club Committee will have powers to appoint sub- committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Club Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

The Club Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Association/Club rules/regulations/constitution. The Club Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

Annual General Meetings

The AGM will be held in July each year. Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be given by the Club Secretary. Not less than 21 clear days’ notice to be given to all members.

The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Club Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.

Nominations for officers of the Club Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM.

Elections of officers are to take place at the AGM.
All members have the right to vote at the AGM.
The quorum for AGMs will be 20% of the total membership

The Club Executive Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) outside the AGM. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM.

Finance

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.
The financial year of the Club will end on: 30th September.

An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

Any cheques drawn against Club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus up to two other officers.

Discipline and appeals

All disciplinary, child protection and poor practice concerns should follow the Archery GB Case Club Executive Referral Panel guidelines which are available under Governance from the Archery GB website.

All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the Archery GB Policy for Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults. The Club Safeguarding Officer is the lead contact for all Club members in the event of any child protection concerns.

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Club Secretary.

The Club Committee will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership from the club.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the Club Secretary following disciplinary action being announced. In the event of an appeal against the decision of the Committee, the Chairman of the County Committee shall be requested to appoint an Appeal Panel of three independent individuals. No member of the Club Committee may sit on this panel.

The club shall be run as a non-profit making organisation, and the bank balance should only reflect the running costs and known eventualities. Any surplus income or profits will be re-invested in the club. No surplus assets will be distributed to members or third parties.

Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

In the event of dissolution, any assets of the Club that remain will be donated to local clubs and Archery GB.

Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

Club Rules

Archery GB rules of shooting will be followed at all times.

Setting up and taking down the field equipment is the responsibility of all archers shooting in a given session.

Archers are responsible for safety checking their own equipment before shooting.

Beginners Refresher Courses

People who are not yet affiliated to Archery GB will be allowed to shoot at the club but they must be under constant supervision from a qualified coach at all times AND must be participating in a Club organised Beginners Course, a Refresher Course or a Have a Go shoot.

The Coach running the session will have control of the field and instruct archers when to shoot and collect.

Beginners’ Courses will take place on Saturday mornings, unless by prior arrangement with the Committee. Beginners’ Courses will take precedence over members’ training activities.

Beginners satisfactorily completing the training course may apply for full club membership. The Coach taking the final session of the Course will propose the beginner for membership at the next Committee Meeting.

Membership will commence when a completed membership for has been received, proposal for Membership to the Committee has been approved and due fees have been received.

Experienced Archers Wishing To Join

Existing Archery GB members or those returning to the sport may do so but must demonstrate they are competent archers by participating in an assessment session with a Committee Member or coach. The outcome of this session will be a proposal for membership at the next Committee Meeting or a referral for a Refresher Course.

Club Membership

Club members agree to affiliate to Archery GB through Merdon Bowmen.

The Club Year is aligned with Archery GB’s year – starting on 1st October through to 30th September.

Membership is paid annually and due at the AGM in July so that the Archery GB club return can be sent to ensure

Archery GB cards are processed ready for the new shooting year on 1st October.

All club facilities will be secured by a combination lock. The code will be supplied on commencement and renewal of membership. Club members must not disclose the combination to anyone, even other club members.

The last member to leave the field is responsible for ensuring that the club hut curtains are closed, the doors are secured and all security locks are on and the lock combination scrambled.

Club Shoots

The Committee will organise a shooting calendar and publish on the club notice board and club web site. It will consist of an organised club shoot each Sunday morning with Assembly at 10am for a 10:15 start.

A Field Captain shall be elected from those members present prior to the commencement of shooting, and shall be responsible for the conduct of archers during shooting.

Archers will score the round on club score sheets. Score sheets must be signed by the archer and the target captain, only countersigned sheets will be eligible for consideration for club records, classifications and handicaps.

All club members will assist in setting up the field, putting faces onto target bosses and readying score sheets.

Club Record Keeping

For the purposes of club handicaps, records and improvement awards:

Archers may shoot recognised rounds at any reasonable time.

At least two archers must be shooting, agree on the accuracy of the completed score sheet and countersign each other’s record.

Completed score sheets must be submitted to the records officer within a week of shooting the round.

Archers wishing to submit scores shoot at external tournaments must provide a score sheet and official tournament results to the records officer.

Club Tournaments

The club operates two seasonal handicap tournaments per year:

The summer tournament is a 6 session Western round tournament held on the 2nd Sunday of each month from April to September. The Winter tournament is a six session Frostbite round tournament and runs on 2nd Sunday of each month from October to March.

The club operates two external tournaments to raise funds for the club and raise the profile of the club with local archers. Club members may be called upon to form working parties to assist in the setup, running and clear up of external tournaments.

Any member holding club trophies will be responsible for their safe-keeping and shall return them in a clean condition in time for the shooting of the appropriate tournament.

General

No member shall permit the unauthorised use of the club hut, the club ground or club equipment unless a prior agreement has been made with the Committee. Any infringement of the foregoing rules shall be the subject of a reprimand by the Committee in the first instance, and any subsequent offence may be met by expulsion from the club.

Any shooting must be conducted in a safe manner and in accordance with Archery GB rules.

Members will attend working parties as and when arranged.

Members will assist Officers of the club in the execution of their duties if and when called on to do so.

Members will ensure club fees are paid at the AGM.

Members will have 24 hour access to the club ground.

Members will not be permitted to shoot at the club ground when open competitions are scheduled unless they are participating in the shoot.

Duties of the Club Officers

Duties of the Chairman

• Chairing the AGM and Committee meetings, and ensuring minutes are taken.
• Attending to any matters arising from outside bodies or organisations.
• Ensuring the club complies with the terms of the rent agreement.
• Making sure Archery GB rules are adhered to at all times.
• Calling a Committee meeting as and when required bynotifying all Committee members.
• Calling for a working party as and when required, andensuring the work is carried out safely.
• The Chairman has the casting vote when there is no clearmajority.

Duties of the Secretary

• The use of their address as the official Merdon Bowmen address.
• Distributing any mail received for the club to the appropriate area or person.
• Issuing the AGM calling notice.
• Recording the minutes of the AGM, and Committee meetings.
• To give a report at the AGM on the past year’s activity.
• To record and publish the minutes of the AGM and Committee meetings for display on the notice board.
• To affiliate club members to the GNAS, HAA and SCAS.
• To arrange the purchase of medals for club open shoots.
• To bring to the attention of the committee any grievances, disputes or complaints raised by individual members.

Duties of the Treasurer

• Paying bills.
• Banking money.
• Obtaining necessary signatures before drawing cheques.
• Paying the rent as per agreement.
• Producing a Balance Sheet at the end of the financial year,which ends on the 31st August.
• Producing the said Balance Sheet and Bank Book at theAGM.
• Presenting a report at the AGM, including a suggestedlevel of club fees for the forthcoming year.

Duties of the Field Officer

• Cutting the grass as and when required.
• Marking out distance lines
• Maintenance of distance markers
• Liaison with the Equipment Officer to maintain targets left on the field.
• Responsibility for the mower and other equipment used in field maintenance, and ensuring that equipment is not used by unauthorised persons.
• Arranging for the mower to be serviced before the first cut of the year.
• Keeping the railway hut clean and tidy.
• Giving a report at the AGM.

Duties of the Equipment Officer

• Storing and maintaining bosses, stands, faces, tie ropes, flags, numbers, pins and beginners’ bows and arrows plus any sundry items stored in the Equipment Hut.
• Making sure there is enough serviceable equipment ready for the club’s open shoots.
• Keeping the equipment hut clean and tidy.
• Liaising with the Field Officer to maintain the targets left on the field.
• Advising the Committee when any purchase of equipment is required.
• Presenting an inventory list and report to the AGM.

Duties of the Tournament Secretary

• Compiling the tournament notification and entry forms for open shoots.
• Making up target lists from returned entries, and passing entry fees to the Treasurer.
• Arranging for the booking in of archers on the day of the tournament.
• Collecting entry fees for outside shoots and posting them before closing dates.
• Giving a report to the AGM on the year’s activity.

Duties of the Records Officer

• Recording archers’ scores submitted on club score sheets.
• Calculating and publishing archers’ classification and handicap.
• Supplying handicaps for handicap shoots.
• Giving a report at the AGM on archers’ performances.

Duties of the Training Officer

• Organising the coaching team to instruct beginners sessions.
• Collecting the fees (set by the AGM) from the beginners at the start of the sessions, and passing these fees to the Treasurer.
• Advising the beginners of the total cost of joining the club.
• Advising the Committee whether the beginner is suitable to be considered for club membership.
• Organising training sessions.