1. The Club shall be named the EAST QUANTOCKS PROBUS CLUB.
2. The object of the Club shall be the promotion of good fellowship and activities of mutual interest.
3. The Club shall be non-political and non-sectarian. No club member shall make use of club gatherings to further his own personal business interests.
4. Membership shall be open to professional and business persons, who are retired or semi-retired from their normal business or profession. Applications for membership shall be sponsored by two members and submitted to the Committee for its approval and its discretion. Membership numbers shall be at the discretion of the Committee. Continued membership of a member shall be at the discretion of the Committee. There is a right of appeal to the next monthly meeting if the person dismissed by the committee is aggrieved by its decision.
5. The Subscription and Joining Fee shall be such as is determined by the Annual General Meeting. All members irrespective of age shall be charged the same.
If members through long-term sickness are unable to attend, the Committee shall decide if the subscription fee may be waived. The committee will recognize long service at the appropriate monthly meeting, when Life Membership badges will be awarded on the completion of 15 years in the Club.
6. The Officers of the Club will be the PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, and TREASURER. The officers of the Club may at the Committee’s discretion engage a suitably qualified person to help with the efficient execution of their duties. Any honorarium deemed by the Committee and recommended to be appropriate for such a person shall be decided annually and declared in the Hon. Treasurer’s Report to the AGM.
7. The Club shall be managed by a Committee comprising the Officers, plus the SPEAKERS’SECRETARY, SOCIAL EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR, CARE CO-ORDINATOR, the IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, (only for the first three meetings following a change of President in order to assist the transition) and up to two other members. An assistant Hon Secretary if co-opted would be deemed an Officer. The Committee shall meet at the call of the President and five (5) members shall constitute a Quorum. The Committee shall have powers to appoint and co-opt Sub-Committees. The committee may appoint a person to act as representative on the Community Centre management Committee.
8. All Officers and committee members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and will be eligible for re-election the following year, excepting where there is a change of Treasurer/Secretary, whereupon the new Treasurer/Secretary will be appointed at the February meeting, (taken as an EGM), so that the necessary paperwork can be undertaken for the new appointee to start on April 1st. A Board will be displayed at the February March and April meetings showing nominations received and members will have the opportunity to add names to the list providing they have a proposer, seconder and the authority of the nominee.
9. There will be a regular meeting of the Club on the second Wednesday of every month at 10.00am. The AGM shall be held in May each year.
10. The Accounting year of the Club shall run from 1st April to 31st March following. Cheques shall be signed by any two of the three Officers named, i.e. the President, the Treasurer and the Secretary. A person deemed suitably qualified is to be appointed to act as auditor of the accounts and the audited accounts presented to the AGM.
11. All Income and Property of the Club, wheresoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the Objects of the club. The club shall in no sense be a charitable organization, but donations may be made to selected charities whose representatives have entertained or instructed members, or to any other charitable organisation which may be proposed by the Committee and approved at a meeting of its members. In the event of the winding-up of the Club, its Funds and Property shall be given to a local Charity or Community Fund as decided at the time.
12. A voluntary collection shall be made at meetings of the Club for a Hospitality Fund. The proceeds of the fund shall be used to entertain widows or widowers of deceased members at social events.
13. Any amendment to the Constitution may be made by a two thirds majority of the members present at the Annual General Meeting. Notice of any proposed amendment to the Constitution must be given in writing before the meeting immediately preceding the AGM. An extra-ordinary meeting will be called by the President at the request of any five (5) members.
14. Members attending club meetings or social events are required to maintain a good standard of dress generally accepted to be appropriate for the occasion.
ADDENDUM TO THE CONSTITUTION TO BE NOTED AND ADHERED TO BY ALL MEMBERS
Any persons wishing to take part in any of the Club’s social activities which involve travel with overnight stays will undertake to either a) take up travel insurance with the Club’s recommended insurers, whether within the UK or overseas, or b) provide proof to the Social Secretary of their own in-date travel insurance cover, or c) for UK travel only sign a declaration indemnifying the Club against any liability which would otherwise be covered by the Club Insurer’s policy. For option a) insofar as it applies to overseas travel, or travel in the UK with overnight stay(s) included, any pre-existing or on-going medical conditions requiring treatment or medication must be disclosed to the underwriters at the time of booking. The underwriters will then advise of any excess payable towards a claim by the member.
As amended at an AGM held on the 8th September 2021
Previously amended at an EGM held on 10th February 2016.
And by the Annual General Meeting held on May 13th 2015
G.K.Wood. (Hon Sec.)