General Provisions

1. The Club’s name will be Rickmansworth Archery Club and shall incorporate Rickmansworth Company of Archers hereinafter collectively referred to as “the Club”..
2. All monies received on behalf of the Club shall remain the property of the Club and there will be no distribution of such funds between its members.
3. As a Club we encourage a membership comprising of as broad a spectrum of ages and abilities as resources and facilities permit.
4. The Rules of Shooting of archery’s National Governing Body shall be accepted as governing the relevant activities of the Club and its members when practicing archery.
5. • (a) The Constitution of the Club shall only be amended at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club.
   • (b) Alterations to the Constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing 28 days before such Meeting when all propositions will be considered. Notice of any proposition shall be sent to all those expected to attend such meetings.
6. Carbon only arrow shafts will be permitted to be used for outdoor shooting provided that 1) the Club’s outdoor venue is not a multi-use sports field (e.g. a football or rugby pitch) and that 2) the Club member does so entirely at their own risk and in the full knowledge that they are financially liable for any loss incurred in the use of said type arrows.
7. No crossbows will be permitted to be used at any time.

Membership

8. All members of the club shall always have the interests of the club in mind with all the decisions they personally take.
9. There shall be the following classes of members:
   • Seniors (25+ years)
   • Seniors (18 to 24 years inclusive)
   • Juniors (10 to 17 years inclusive)
   • Senior Associates (18+ years)
   • Junior Associates (10 to 17 years inclusive)
10. At the time of joining or renewal, all members shall accept the jurisdiction of the Club and abide by its Constitution, Disciplinary Procedure, Child Protection Policy and Shooting Etiquette.
11. Due to potential problems arising from junior members requiring supervision, the maximum number of members under the age of 14 years (who are not with an accompanying senior member) the Club will accept will be set at 25% of its adult membership.
    • (a) All members aged 10 to 16 years inclusive shall be personally dropped off and collected by their parent or adult legal guardian who shall fully complete the Club’s Sign-In / Sign-Out Shooting Register including a contact telephone number on which they can be reached at all times while the junior member is shooting.
    • (b) No members aged under 16 years shall be able to shoot at any outdoor shooting taking place outside the fixed Club core shooting times displayed on the Club Website (excluding Frostbite Competitions) without their parent or adult legal guardian being present at all times while the junior member is shooting.
    • (c) All members aged 16 years and over will be able to attend all outdoor shooting taking place outside the fixed Club core shooting times displayed on the Club Website (including Frostbite Competitions) provided that the junior member’s parent or adult legal guardian personally drops off the collects the junior member and fully completes the Club’s Junior Shooting Register including a contact telephone number on which they can be reached at all times while the junior member is shooting.
    • (d) All members aged 17 years, if arriving and departing a shooting session unaccompanied by their parent or adult legal guardian, shall fully complete the Club’s Junior Shooting Register including a contact telephone number on which their parent or adult legal guardian can be reached at all times while the junior member is shooting.
12. The Club follows Archery GB guidelines regarding child protection policies.

How people join the Club

13. Those with no previous experience are required to enrol on a Club Beginners Course after which they must join the club in order to continue shooting.
14. Anyone can join at any time but will only be allowed to shoot unsupervised when they have shown that they can shoot at an acceptable level. In order that archers may shoot indoors, the Club shall have the right to ask for that person to show their ability to shoot outside first and be refused the opportunity to shoot indoors if their standard is determined to be such that damage is likely to be caused to the building or other equipment.
15. Juniors members under the age of 16 years must be accompanied by an adult whilst taking introductory lessons with the Club.
16. During introductory lessons everyone will be assessed to make sure that their behaviour towards other archers including their safe handling of equipment is acceptable and not likey to endanger themselves or other members.
17. In the event of anyone showing unacceptable behaviour as decided by the Club Committee during this period will be asked to leave and will not be permitted to join the Club.

Range Procedures

18. All Club members shall ensure that the target boss they are shooting at is correctly, firmly and securely anchored before shooting at it because the Club accepts no responsibility for any damage caused to Club members’ equipment as a consequence of incorrect or insecurely anchored target bosses.
19. There shall be no more than a maximum of 6 club members, in tow details of 3 archers, shooting at the same outdoor target boss and no more than a maximum of 4 club members in two details of 2 archers shooting at the same indoor target boss.

20. The Club Committee will have the right to terminate membership of any individual for any of the following reasons:
    • Actions detrimental to the Club or its members
    • Abusive behaviour towards other Club members
    • Reckless behaviour
    • Endangering the safety of others
    • Non-payment of Club fees
21. A separate document outlining the Club’s Disciplinary and Appeal Procedures will be distributed to any Club member at the time of any dispute or offence. This document will only be amended at a General Meeting.
22. The Club follows Archery GB guidelines on disciplinary procedures for Archery GB membership.

Subscriptions

23. • (a) All members shall pay an annual subscription to the Club at the rates and by the dates determined by members at General Meetings.
    • (b) In addition to the annual club membership fee all members shall pay, as appropriate, a club insurance contribution and the prevailing affiliation fees to the relevant external administrative organisations such as a governing body, county and region associations.
24. Individuals who wish to become associate members, and who are currently members of another club, will only be required to pay the balance of the club’s annual membership fee including the indoor fees (if applicable) based on the prevailing membership fees as at their date of joining. Pro-rata fees will be applied if appropriate.
25. All annual subscriptions shall be paid in full by 30th September.
26. A member who has not paid their subscription in full by 30th September shall cease to be a member of the Club unless the Club Committee considers there are extenuating circumstances.

Management

27. The management of the Club shall be the responsibility of the Club Committee.
28. (a) The Club Committee shall consist of the following positions: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer plus any other positions as required to run the Club.
    • (b) The Club Committee can deputise other Committee Members or ordinary members on a temporary basis to assist or cover for them if they become unavailable.
29. • (a) All Club Committee positions shall be open for re-election by members and their terms of office decided upon at General Meetings.
    • (b) No Club Member(s) or any agent appointed by them shall be granted any intellectual property rights to any tangible or intangible assets of the Club such as expressible forms of ideas, information or work done for and on behalf of the Club.
    • (c) When instructed to do so by the Committee, the Registrant of the Club’s domain names shall immediately transfer and register all required information to the newly elected Registrant (i.e. Club’s Webmaster) – this transfer and registration to include the name of the newly appointed Registrant and their payment details, including full disclosure of all log in details and passwords so that full access can be gained by the newly elected Registrant.
    • (d) When instructed to do so by the Committee, a Club Bank Account Signatory and/or Club Bank Account Debit Card holder shall immediately complete, sign and submit all required Bank documentation removing him/her as a Signatory and/or Club Bank Debit Card holder from all the Club Bank Accounts.

Finance and Property

30. The Club shall prepare a balance sheet showing the financial position of the Club on 31st October for the preceding year with an income and expenditure account for the past 12 months ending on that date for presentation at the Annual General Meeting.
31. • (a) A Bank Account shall be maintained in the name of the Club.
    • (b) All cheques and orders withdrawing money from the Club account shall be signed by any one of the Club Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer.
    • (c) Any single purchase of not less than £100 must be agreed by a majority of the Club Committee at a meeting or in writing.
    • (d) Payments for services to the Club must be agreed by the Club Committee.
    • (e) Cheques payable to a cheque signatory must be signed by another signatory.
    • (f) Where applicable some payments will be permitted by debit card transaction.
32. • (a) The Club shall be a non-profit making organization. In the event of the Club closing, all attempts will be made to offer the equipment belonging to the Club at that time to other Clubs or for it to be divided between any members wishing to re-form their own club but only when such a club is formed before the equipment is re-distributed.
    • (b) Any money left in the Club account will also be divided equally between any clubs formed from the existing membership or divided between charities nominated by members of the Club within the last year.
33. If requested by the members at an AGM, the club will appoint a competent person to review the Club accounts. This person may not be a member of the Committee for the previous year or for the ensuing year.
34. The Club will reimburse an amount agreed by the Club Committee, to any member who undertakes a coaching and/or first aid qualification on behalf of the Club providing that they continue to be a member for 2 years after qualifying. If they fail to be a member before the 2 years are up then they will be expected to re-pay the money back to the Club in full.

Voting and Quorum

35. • (a) Three members shall form a quorum.
    • (b) Each club member shall be entitled to one vote.
    • (c) In the case of an emergency the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall have full powers to act.

General Meetings

36. The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the end of the Club’s membership year at a place to be determined by the Club Committee with not less than 21 clear days notice.