Wymondham Wednesday Bridge Club

1. Name.

The club shall be called the Wymondham Wednesday Bridge Club.

2. Affiliation and Associations.

The club will be associated with the Norfolk Contract Bridge Association. The club will be affiliated to the English Bridge Union.

3. Objects

To provide Bridge facilities for the residents of Wymondham and surrounding districts.

To employ the funds of the club in such a manner as the Committee may deem to be appropriate in the interests of the club regard being had to the fact that club is a non-profit making organisation.

4. Membership.

The total membership shall be restricted to such members as the Committee shall decide from time to time, regard being had to the playing facilities available.

5.Elections.

New members may be elected provided each application (which must be made to the Secretary on the appropriate form) is proposed and seconded by existing members and approved by the Committee.
The committee may for any reason it considers good and sufficient-;

• Refuse to accept the application of any person for membership given that the committee reaches this decision by a single majority vote.
• Refuse to renew the membership of any member at the end of any year given that the committee reaches this decision by a single majority vote.
• Suspend the membership of any member for such period as it may think fit given that the committee reaches this decision by at least two thirds of the votes cast.

The committee shall within seven days after reaching its decision notify in writing the person whose application for membership it has refused or refused to renew or whose membership has been suspended as the case may be. No reason for any decision need be given and no correspondence entered into.

No person who has been rejected by the Committee shall again be eligible as a candidate until the following season.

6. Visitors.

Any person may visit and play at the club up to a maximum of six times in any playing season but the number of these visits may be extended at the discretion of the Committee.

7. The Playing Season.

The actual dates of the beginning and end of each season shall be decided by the committee.

8. Entrance Fees.

To be fixed annually at the AGM.

9. Annual Subscription.

To be fixed annually at the AGM

10. Table Money.

To be fixed annually at the AGM.

11. Accounts.

Accounts shall be made up to the 31 March each year for submission to the AGM and shall be certified by an honorary Auditor (who shall not be a member of the club) appointed at the AGM.

12.Management.

The Club shall be managed by a committee consisting of Chairman Honorary Treasurer Honorary Secretary Competition Secretary two Tournament Directors and three other elected members.

The officers and members of the Committee shall retire but if eligible for re-election shall be deemed to be re-nominated unless signifying their intention not to stand again for office. The Chairman and the three elected members after three consecutive years in office(amendment AGM 1990) shall not be eligible for election for the subsequent year but shall not by this rule be debarred from being elected to one or other of the other Officer positions in continuation of their Committee membership

The duties of the committee shall be:

• To administer the affairs of the Wymondham Wednesday Bridge Club according to its Constitution. Any Committee summoned by the Honorary Secretary shall be authorised to act given a quorum of five members.
• To determine the manner in which bridge meetings of the club are conducted.
• To formulate any necessary rules for the running of the club and competitions.

In order to fulfil these duties the committee shall:

Meet at such times and places as it may from time to time decide and notice of every meeting shall be sent to all members of the Committee at least seven days prior to the date of such meeting.
• Consider and deal with applications for membership.
• Appoint sub-committees as it deems necessary.

12. General Meeting.

The annual General Meeting of the club shall be held before the end of May each year. The ordinary business of an Annual General Meeting shall be to receive the Honorary Treasurer’s report the Honorary Secretary’s report to elect the Chairman Honorary Treasurer Honorary Secretary Competition Secretary two Tournament Directors and three other committee members and to elect an Honorary Auditor.

The committee shall have the power to call an Extraordinary Meeting of the club at any time and shall be bound to call one to be held within one calendar month of receiving a written requisition signed by at least ten members or one quarter of the members. Any such requisition shall specify the object of the meeting and shall be signed by the members making the same and shall be deposited with the Secretary. In the event of the committee failing within  21 days after such deposit to convene an Extraordinary Meeting to be held within the said time of one month the requisitionists may themselves convene an Extraordinary Meeting within 14 days thereafter.

At a General Meeting every question shall be decided by a show of hands unless prior to any vote being taken a ballot is directed by the Chairman or demanded by not fewer than five persons present and entitled to vote.

Notice of all General Meetings shall be sent to all Officers and members of the Club at least twenty one days prior to the date fixed for the meeting (Amendment AGM 1998). Such notice shall specify  the date time and place of the meeting and in the case of an annual General Meeting the names of the persons nominated as Chairman Honorary Treasurer Honorary Secretary Competition Secretary Tournament Directors Committee members and Honorary Auditor.

14. Bank Account.

The Club shall maintain a bank account with a major clearing bank and cheque signatories shall be the Chairman the Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Secretary; two of whom shall be required to sign each and every cheque.

15. Nominations and Motions.

Nomination of persons for the offices of Chairman Honorary Secretary Competitions Secretary Tournament Director Committee member and Honorary Auditor may be made by the Committee or any member of the Club.

All such nominations shall be in writing and shall reach the Honorary Secretary normally seven days prior to the AGM (amended AGM 1998)

Any casual vacancy amongst the Officers or the Committee of the club may be filled by the Committee

Any member may bring forward a resolution or motion at the AGM provided that due notice in writing is given to the Honorary Secretary of the club on or before the15^th April in each year.

16. Alterations of the Rules

No alteration shall be made to the Constitution except at a General Meeting by a resolution carried by at least two thirds of the meeting.

17. Data Protection Act.

The Committee shall make a declaration to members of the computer records held with regard to members and the purposes for which they are held and shall secure the approval of the AGM to this declaration and adjustments to it as proposed by the committee from time to time.

This declaration shall be regarded as a part of the constitution of the club and all members by joining or renewing their membership shall be deemed to have consented to the activities described in the Data Protection declaration. (Amended AGM 2005).