77 Club Constitution

 

The name of the club shall be The 77 Club hereafter called The Club.

Objective

The objectives of the 77 Club are;

• To maintain a constitution and operation that ensure the club is eligible for and maintenance of an exemption certificate

• To encourage and promote recreational and/or instructional activities via caravanning and camping (e.g. rallies)

• To provide any additional services which be of benefit to members

 

Membership

Membership is open to those people with a caravan, motorhome, campervan or tent.  Upon joining the club all members must comply with this constitution and the club code of conduct. Both of these are available on the club website and within members’ rally books. Any member who fails to abide by these rules, or any engages in any conduct that is otherwise injurious to the interest of the club shall render the member liable for expulsion.

The 77 club committee reserves the right to refuse or withdraw membership to any person who they consider to be detrimental to the best interests of the club.

 

Subscription Fees

Yearly membership runs from 1st February to 31st January inclusive.

The annual subscription shall be payable from 1st February each year. The amount will be decided by the committee each year. An additional one-off joining fee of £6 is required for any new and/or lapsed members.  Members who join after 1st August shall pay a 50% reduced subscription. Fees cover all members of the payee’s family who occupy their unit. Late payments of subscription fees could result in lapsed membership and the additional £6 joining fee. Lapsed members must rejoin before attending any rally. Members must have completed and signed their membership form and have payment of subscription fees confirmed with both the club treasurer and membership secretary before a membership number and rally book will be issued.

Any children who wish to take part in boy/girl and/or grandchild of the year awards must be registered with the club via the membership form.

 

Finance

No member of the club, or club committee shall receive or be able to claim any renumeration for their services to the club. Members are allowed to claim reimbursement of any expenses directly incurred and agreed by the club committee. Receipts must be provided to treasurer wherever possible.

The club financial year shall run from the start of September for 12 months. Full reports of accounts will be provided to members at every AGM once audited by a selected non-committee member.

Rally fees and event costs will be published in the members’ rally book as far as is possible. However the committee reserve the right to amend rally and event fees as required to cover club expenses.

 

Liability

The 77 club is an unincorporated organisation. The members are therefore individually liable for the actions of the club as a whole. Members and their visitors attend club events and participate in activities at their own risk. The 77 Club will not accept any liability for any accident, injury, loss or damage to persons or property occurring on any rally or club organised event howsoever caused.

The club will hold relevant insurances for the purposes of rallies/club events.

 

Visitors

Visitors will not be charged for visiting a rally or club event unless they take part in the evening entertainment in a hall. At rallies where there is no hall and/or any paid entertainment visitors will not incur any fees. When there is a hall, the visitor fee for the evening will be £2. Where there is a hall and paid entertainment the evening fee will be £5.

All visitors aged 16 and over who stay overnight are required to pay £2 per person per night. This will be in addition to the aforementioned fees for hall use and paid entertainment.  

The committee reserve the right to amend visitor fees as appropriate in order to cover costs of events.

It is member’s responsibility to ensure that their visitors report to the rally officer on arrival and sign the visitor’s book. It is also the member’s responsibility to ensure visitors comply with the club code of conduct and constitution.

Guests are permitted to take part in the rally bonus ball and/or any other token raffles (e.g. hampers) but only if they are present at the coffee morning on the day of departure. Guests are not permitted to purchase raffle tickets to win back up to the rally fee as they will not have paid this.

Prospective members are allowed to trial ONE RALLY for a one off fee of £6 plus the rally fee (weekend membership). After this they must become full members should they wish to attend further rallies. This is a ONE TIME ONLY offer and cannot be used by lapsed members after a period of absence from the club. By virtue of having paid a joining and rally fee, weekend members are eligible for the raffle to win back up to the rally fee.

 

Dissolution

The club may only be dissolved during an extraordinary general meeting called for that purpose and/or at an AGM where dissolution is an item on the agenda and a vote in favour by the majority of members in attendance. Should dissolution be the outcome then all equipment belonging to the club will be sold and the proceeds donated to a charity decided by the members in attendance at that meeting.

 

Committee Function

The club will be managed by an elected committee of 9 members all of which are on a volunteer basis. Full job descriptions of club committee roles can be found on the club website www.77club.co.uk

Any member of the club, aged 16 or over is eligible to become a committee member.

If a vacancy occurs the committee may co-opt a new member to serve for the rest of that year.  The committee shall meet as often as the Chair Person deems necessary to manage the affairs of the club and apply the funds to further the aims of the club.  This will be at least 4 times per membership subscription year. At any committee meeting at least four members shall form a quorum.

Committee members shall be elected at the AGM and will be required to resign every year. Committee members who do not wish to stand for another year must inform the Chair Person in writing at least 6 weeks before the AGM to allow vacancies to be circulated to all members.  All nominations must be sent to the Chair Person and received 2 weeks before the AGM.

The committee may exercise the powers to;

• Review and review rules and regulations (code of conduct, constitution)

• Maintain the club subscriptions and bank account to finance the operation of the club and its objectives

• Publicise and promote the club

• Take any form of lawful action deemed necessary to uphold the club and its objectives

• Arrange such insurances and affiliations as it deems appropriate to cover the physical assets of the club and the liabilities at law of the club

Members of the committee shall not be liable for any loss suffered by the club as a result of the discharge of duties and/or activities authorised by the committee.

 

Annual General Meetings (AGM)
An AGM shall be held during the last quarter of each calendar year (usually October), the date and place to be fixed by the committee.  The committee may also call a Special General Meeting at their discretion, or at the written request of 12 members of the club, stating the purpose for which the meeting is to be called.

Members will be notified of AGMs and will be required to submit all submission requests and nomination forms to the Chair Person within the given time frame(s).

Visitors and/or lapsed members cannot attend the AGM. Only those eligible to vote may attend a club AGM (members aged 16 or over). The only exception to this will be any person whose presence is pertinent to the meeting as determined by the committee e.g. ACCEO member. Only members over the age of 16 present at the meeting are eligible to vote.  In the event of equality of votes, the Chair Person shall have a second or casting vote. Voting on any motion will be by a show of hands unless a ballot is requested by at least two members.