DEREHAM & DISTRICT PROBUS CLUB
Est. 1976
A. CONSTITUTION & RULES
1 Title:
The Club shall be called the “Dereham & District Probus Club”
2 Aims:
The Club aims to provide a forum for people with professional and business backgrounds, enabling them to regularly meet together socially and participate in the Club's various organised events.
The Club shall be non-political & non-sectarian.
3 Membership:
Membership shall be open to all professional & business individuals living in Dereham & the surrounding district.
The maximum Membership will be recommended by the management committee & approved by the Club.
Applications for membership of the Club may be made through the Probus Dereham Website 'Contact us' page or through sponsorship by an existing member applying to the Secretary.
Applications shall be proposed and seconded by existing members of the Club and
approved by the Committee.
Objections to an Application by a member of the Club shall be made to the Secretary prior to such Application being accepted.
Classification of members:
Member:
embers form the core of the club, they shall pay an annual membership subscription, they are eligible to hold office and may take an active part in all of the Club’s activities.
Honorary member:
The Committee, at its discretion, may confer honorary membership on members who have given outstanding service to the club over a period of many years.
Honorary Members shall not be required to pay membership subscriptions, shall not be eligible to hold office, but shall enjoy all other privileges of membership.
Honorary Associate Membership:
Partners of deceased members shall automatically become Honorary Associate Members & be entitled to attend any event to which members’ partners are invited.
4 Subscriptions:
The annual subscription shall be recommended by the Committee and confirmed at the Annual General Meeting.
The subscription will be due for payment at the AGM. Failure to pay within three months from the due date (unless the default is due to incapacity, illness, or other circumstance beyond the control of the member), shall mean membership is forfeited.
A new member joining at any time after commencement of the year shall pay a first Annual Subscription, pro-rata based upon the date of joining.
5 Management:
The Club’s affairs will be managed by a committee consisting of:
Chair
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Social Events Secretary
Speaker Secretary
Welfare Officer
In addition the retiring Chair will be an ex-officio committee member for one year after office.
The committee shall meet as & when required.
Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
The committee shall be elected from the full membership by club members present at the annual general meeting, or at a special meeting convened for the purpose.
The vice-Chair will automatically become Chair upon the post being vacated.
A past Chair may be re-elected for a further term in circumstances where a Vice-Chair resigns or the Vice-Chair post is vacant for any reason, provided that:
a) the terms of office are not consecutive and
b) there are no other approved nominations from the membership.
Other members of the committee may be re-elected each year at the AGM but shall not serve more than three consecutive years in office, other than in exceptional circumstances.
In the event of any committee member or auditor resigning at a time other than the AGM, the committee shall be empowered to fill the vacancy and such appointment shall stand until the following AGM.
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to the committee and to appoint sub-committees.
One officer of the committee shall be appointed as examiner of accounts.
Three members of the committee shall act as signatories to the Club’s bank account, any two of whom will validate by signature all cheques issued.
6 Attendance:
A register of Member’s attendance at meetings shall be maintained by the Secretary.
Attendance at monthly meetings shall include taking luncheon.
Members unable to attend luncheon and those members intending to bring guests shall give a minimum of 48 hours notice, either by e-mail/phone to the Welfare Secretary or through the use of the 'Guests & Cancellations' page on the Probusdereham.co.uk Website.
Members inviting guests shall be responsible for payment of their guest's luncheon.
No guest may attend more than twice in any one year.
Any Member failing to give the required notice shall be obliged to meet the cost of the luncheon.
Dress code shall be Lounge suits / Jacket and tie.
7 Meetings:
The Annual General Meeting
Held on the first Wednesday in February and shall follow a committee meeting held in the prior January.
The Treasurer shall prepare an annual statement of account for the year ending 31st December, which shall have been duly inspected and deemed to be correct by the Examiner.
The Secretary shall produce a Report and in it comment on the general state of the Club.
The Monthly meeting
Held on the first Wednesday of each month, unless members have been notified otherwise.
The venue for meetings shall be selected by the committee and may be varied from time to time to suit the capacity and facilities required, as appropriate.
The Special General Meeting (SGM)
May be called at the instigation of the committee.
Voting at all meetings shall be by a show of hands unless otherwise directed.
The Chairman shall have a second and casting vote when votes are equal.
8 Amendments to the Constitution and Rules.
Amendments to the Constitution and Rules of the Club shall first be drafted and notified to all members for consideration. Implementation of each individual amendment shall be upon Members acceptance by majority vote of those present at any of the Meetings listed under section 7 (above).
9 Dissolution of the Club:
Should the club be dissolved at any time, the remaining assets of the club shall be donated to Probus Central Office or a local charity, chosen at the discretion of the committee.