SAD Constitution

NAME: The name of the club shall be the “Swindon And District Wargamers”, commonly abbreviated to “SAD Wargamers”.

AIM: The club is a non-profit making club that exists to provide a safe, friendly and secure environment for anyone in the Swindon and surrounding area who wants to play wargames. The club will introduce new players and educate them in the rules and ethics of wargames and the historical context in which they are set. , and we will fight to make sure that all are welcome, regardless of age, race, creed, colour, gender, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

MEMBERSHIP: Membership will be open to all, as stated in the above paragraph. Anyone visiting the club, whether a member or not, must be 14 years of age or over, or, if under 14 years old, accompanied at all times by an adult.

MEMBERSHIP FEES: Membership Fees are charged, as decided at the Annual General Meeting. This is currently £50 per year which may be paid in two instalments of £25 in February and March or one single payment.  Students and anyone aged 14 or under paying half fees (£25 per year). Any non-member may attend up to two weekly sessions without payment (this is two sessions total, not two sessions a year). Non-members may attend weekly sessions for £3 for each session ( or £1.50 for students and anyone aged 14 or under ).

ORGANISATION: The club belongs to the members, but at each Annual General Meeting a Committee will be elected. The Annual General Meeting may decide the exact composition of each Committee, but each Committee will have at least a Chairman, Secretary, and a Treasurer. Each Committee will serve from 1 st February each calendar year.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: The Annual General Meeting will be held during January each year, when the following business will be conducted:

• The Chairman will report on the activities of the year;

• The Treasurer will account for the club Funds for the year; and

• A new Committee will be elected.

CLUB FUNDS: the Treasurer will account for Club funds. Club funds belong to the members of the club and may only be spent with the express permission of the members of the club. The Treasurer will keep accounts of all monies paid and received, and will report this at the Annual General Meeting. The accounts will be audited each year by an independent auditor. by ..

VOTING: In all cases where a vote is required, the proposition must be proposed by a club Member and seconded by a club Member. The Chairman, if present, will preside over the vote, otherwise a Committee member will do so. All club members present may vote by a show of hands unless at least two members ask for a secret ballot, when the Chairman, or Committee member presiding, may allow a vote by secret ballot. A simple majority will decide votes unless expressly stated elsewhere in this constitution. The Chairman, or Committee member presiding, will conduct the vote and record the votes for and against.

QUORUM: In any vote that has implications for club funds or assets, at least a third the active members of the club must be present and voting to approve expenditure over £150. A simple majority and more than 10 members present for expenditure less than £150.

ASSETS: The club, as part of its activities, will accrue assets. These are the responsibility of the Committee, although the Chairman may appoint a Committee member to be responsible for the club assets specifically.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION : All attendees at the club must behave responsibly , moderate their language in front of under 14s and respect the venue and the property of other attendees. Failure to do so will lead initially to a verbal warning from a Committee member . A second or subsequent breach of this rule may lead to exclusion from the club . A vote for exclusion may only be called with the approval of the Committee. The member who is the subject of the vote will be given a full opportunity to mount a verbal defence. Exceptionally, and provided the Committee is unanimous, a member who has committed a gross violation of the spirit of the club rules may be nominated for expulsion for a first offence. on the vote of a majority of the committee. (or however we agreed to handle this earlier this year!)

CONSTITUTION : This Constitution may be amended at the Annual General Meeting . Amendments at the Annual general Meeting require a simple majority. The Constitution may also be amended by an Exceptional General Meeting.

EXCEPTIONAL GENERAL MEETING : Any member of the club may, with the support of at least five other members, call an Exceptional General Meeting. The member calling for the Exceptional General Meeting must state , in writing, the business of the Exceptional General Me e ting and this will be the only business of the Exceptional General Meeting. There must be at least a week ‘ s notice before the Exceptional General Meeting takes place. The quorum for an Exceptional General Meeting will be one third of the active members of the Club.