1. Name of Club
The club called Oldham & District Riding Club (hereinafter known as ‘The club’) which may also be known as O&DRC, will be affiliated to The British Horse Society.
2. Club Structures / Legal Structures
The Club is an unincorporated community group as at April 2022.
3. Aims & Objectives
The aims and objectives of the club will be to undertake the following within the Oldham area:
- To promote participation in horse riding as a sport and recreational activity within the local community.
- To provide lectures, opportunities for coaching and competitive events within the amateur sport of horse riding.
- To promote good fellowship amongst riders.
- To improve and maintain the standard of riding and horsemanship.
- To support and co-operate with organisations that promote equestrianism in all forms.
- To concern itself with any matter which will benefit the horse and horse user in the local community.
- To provide suitable facilities to further the aims of the club.
4. Membership
a. Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in horse riding, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
b. Senior membership shall consist of persons who have attained the age of eighteen years and Junior membership shall consist of persons aged seventeen years and under and, having been accepted by the committee, have paid the due subscription for the current period. Honorary membership may be conferred by the committee upon any person deemed by them to have rendered notable service to the club.
c. To become a member, persons shall complete an application form via the British Riding Clubs Membership website and pay the annual membership fee thereafter. An additional processing fee of £1.50 is charged by BRC on top of the membership fees listed in item d below.
d. The membership will consist of the following categories:
|
Senior Member |
aged 18 or over |
£29.50 |
|
Senior Plus Member |
aged 50 or over |
£29.50 |
|
Junior Member |
aged under 18 on the date of joining the club. |
£29.50 |
|
Honorary Member |
see paragraph 4b above |
Free |
|
Non-Riding Member |
can attend social activities and Camp as a chaperone |
£26.50 |
e. The committee may refuse or remove membership only for good cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the club, the sport, or The BHS into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to a committee of members established for the purpose. However, refusal of membership due to the lack of available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
f. All members will be subject to this constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and any codes of practice that the club has adopted, including any rules as stated in the current year’s event schedule. All those attending ODRC events are required to co-operate with the organisers and stewards on the showground. Failure to do so may result in competitors being asked to leave the showground.
g. Membership will run for a full year from the date of joining, and renewal will be necessary on the anniversary of the joining date. For example, if a member joins on 4 April, then their membership will require renewal on 4 April the following year
h. On the approach of the membership end date, members will receive a reminder from British Riding Clubs that their membership is due for renewal. Once membership has lapsed, their name will be removed from the membership list and all communications from the Club will cease.
5. Sports Equity
a. The club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:
Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.
b. The club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality, or social/economic status.
c. The club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment, and abuse.
d. All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.
e. The club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.
6. Committee
a. The affairs of the club shall be conducted by a committee which shall consist of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and a minimum of 5 other committee members up to a maximum of 20. Six members shall form a quorum.
b. The officers of the committee shall be elected at the AGM.
c. All committee members must be members of the Club.
d. If agreed, the committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its members.
e. Members shall be elected on an annual basis and be eligible for re-election each year.
f. If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.
g. The committee will be responsible for adopting new policies (including with regard to Safeguarding, Health and Safety and Disciplinary matters), codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
h. The committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
i. The committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings. The decisions of the committee shall be final unless over-ruled at a General Meeting. The committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the rules and for anything relating to the club not provided therein, and their decisions shall be binding on the members.
j. The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held on the third Monday of every month excluding December, but the date may be altered if circumstances dictate.
k. Only the posts listed at paragraph 6a above will have the right to vote at committee meetings.
l. No junior member may be a voting member the club.
7. Finances
a. The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
b. The financial year of the club will run from 1 January and end on 31 December in each year.
c. All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.
d. An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
e. Any cheques, BACS or other electronic means of payment (PayPal etc.) drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of or be authorised by the treasurer or one of up to two other officers.
f. All members of the club shall, if it is not an incorporated organisation, be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the club.
g. All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties other than in respect of charitable donations at the discretion of the committee.
8. Annual General Meetings / Extraordinary General Meetings
a. General meetings are the means whereby, subject to any other constitutional provisions, the members of the club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.
b. The club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of either October or November to:
- Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
- Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
- Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
- Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts.
- Elect the members on to the committee. (The Chair, Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer shall be elected annually by the committee from amongst their number)
- Agree the membership fees for the following year.
- Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
- Deal with other relevant business.
- Confirm details of Insurances.
c. Notice of the AGM will be given by the club Secretary with at least 28 days’ notice in writing stating the location of the meeting, its time and a brief description of the business to be transacted shall be given to all members.
d. Except in exceptional circumstances, all the members of the committee shall retire at the meeting. Retiring members shall be eligible for re-election.
e. Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them at least 7 days in writing before an AGM.
f. All members have the right to vote at the AGM.
g. The quorum for AGMs will be 12 members or 25% of the membership, whichever is the smaller number.
h. The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.
i. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing at least 14 days before the appointed date to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The committee shall also have the power to call an EGM on 14 days’ notice by decision of a simple majority of the committee members. Members shall be sent details of the subject of business of such an EGM.
j. All procedures for EGMs shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.
9. Amendments to the constitution
This constitution will only be changed through agreement by a simple majority vote at an AGM or EGM.
10. Discipline and Appeals
a. All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedures of the Club which shall be approved yearly. The Club Welfare Officer (CWO) is the lead contact for all members in the event of any safeguarding concerns.
b. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.
c. The committee will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership, provided that they call upon him/her for an explanation of their conduct and provide a proper opportunity of answering the allegations against them.
d. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.
e. There will be the right of appeal to the committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within [30] days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.
11. Liabilities, Indemnities and Insurance
a. Depending upon the Constitution of the club, the committee members may have personal liability for all liabilities and indemnities of the club. They shall consider carefully their obligations in this regard. If the club is formed with its own legal identity, liabilities will be limited to the value of the shares or membership held by individual members of the club.
b. Whilst affiliated to the British Horse Society, the club shall be entitled to benefit from Public and Employer’s Liability Insurance as per the BHS Schemes of Insurance. It may also take out Property, Directors and Officer’s Liability and other insurance as required, and shall present details of such insurance to its AGM each year. The club shall seek to take out appropriate schemes of insurance, particularly with regard to potential property damage or personal injury claims to which the club may be subject based on its ordinary club activities, and confirmation as to the details of the schemes of insurance held shall be presented to each AGM of the club.
12. Dissolution
a. A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.
b. In the event of dissolution, provided that the club is solvent, all debts should be cleared with any club funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will be transferred not to the committee but, as resolved by the EGM or AGM, to alternative equestrian facilities, charitable bodies which support or promote horse riding or horse welfare or rider welfare, or other suitable Not for Profit organisation or the British Horse Society, at the discretion of the committee acting on behalf of its members.