1. The Club shall be called Ryde Rowing Club

2. The Club flag shall be Dark Blue with a Gold (Yellow) Maltese cross upon it.

3. The objects of the Club are primarily to encourage and provide facilities for rowing and to foster good sportsmanship.

4. a. Regular ( or Rowing ) - Men & Women of the age of 18 years and upwards, who shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club, to speak and vote at its General meetings.

b. Social Rowing (formerly non-boating) - Men and Women of the age of 18 years and upwards, who shall be entitled to all the privileges of the club, to speak and vote at its General meetings. They shall be entitled to use the Club boats, equipment and training facilities. See rule 7 ref. participation in races.

c. Country Members - Men & Women of the aqe of 18 years and upwards, who do not normally reside in the Isle of Wight, and who shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club, to speak and vote at its General meetings.

d. Cadet Members - Boys & Girls under 18 years of age. They shall not be entitled to take part in the business proceedings of the club.

e. Honorary Life Members - Only persons who at the sole discretion of the Club in Annual General Meeting of the Club assembled, who have rendered conspicuously valuable service to the Club shall be nominated as Honorary Life Members. They shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club. The number of such members shall not at any time exceed six.

f. Honorary Members - Persons whom the Club in Annual General Meeting assembled consider it would be in the interest of the Club to have as members. They shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club. The number of such members shall not at any one time exceed twelve.

g. Bona fide members of visiting Clubs taking part in competition with the club shall be admitted and entitled to all the privileges of the Club during their visit. ( Licensing Act 1964, section 49 applies ).

h. Associate Members - Men and Women of 18 years and upwards who shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Club except the use of the Club boats, bathing, changing and training facilities. They shall be entitled to sign in visitors and to speak and vote at its General meetings. They shall be entitled to hold office and become a committee member.

i. Temporary Members - Temporary Members shall during their term or membership be entitled to all the privileges of the Club except the use of Club boats, changing and training facilities. They shall be entitled to speak and vote at its General meetings, but shall not be entitled to sign in visitors. They should be proposed by a member of the Club and may be granted membership by the Captain or Secretary. There must be a delay of at least two clear days between application and admission as a member.

5. All candidates for membership, except for Temporary Members in rule 4(i) above, shall be proposed and seconded by two members of the Club (not Associate members) and the nomination form shall contain a declaration by the candidate that if elected he/she will observe the Rules of the club for the time being in force. The nomination form of a Cadet member under 16 must be signed by a parent or guardian and contain a declaration regarding the ability of said cadet to swim. A notice of nomination shall be placed on the Club notice board and after expiration of at least seven days the candidates name shall be submitted to the committee, who shall be empowered to elect the candidate after taking in to account any objections that may have been received by the secretary. Favourable votes from the majority of the committee present are necessary to elect a candidate. No candidate shall present himself for re — election for six months and if twice rejected shall not be presented again. The committee may meet on Sundays in the season for the purpose of electing new members only. Each applicant shall pay the appropriate subscription upon application for membership. Should the application be refused the subscription will refunded in full.

6. Such entrance fee (if any) as the committee may determine shall be payable by the candidate who has been elected a member and shall be paid with the first subscription.

7. The annual subscription shall be as follows:

£ £

Catagory of Membership Full rate Rate if paid by May 1st

Regular (Rowing or Full) 85 60
Social Rowing 45 35

(NB. In addition £6 payable per Regatta entered plus normal Regatta fees)

Country 45 35
Cadet Under 18 45 35
Cadet Under 16 25 15
Associate 10 10
Non-Rowing Cadet 3 3

8a. No candidate who has been elected a member shall be entitled to the privileges of membership until payment of his/her entrance fee (if any) and first year subscription has been made. If such entrance fee and subscription have not been paid within one month of notice of election being sent to the candidate the committee may declare such election void. Any member elected after 31st October shall pay the full entrance fee (if any) and a proportionally reduced subscription decided by the Financial secretary. Subsequent subscriptions shall be paid in advance on the 1st March in each year. Subject to the above, any member whose subscription is in arrears 3 months shall be notified by the Honorary secretary and if the amount due is not paid within one month, the Honorary Secretary has the power to publish his/her name as a defaulter and the committee shall have the power to suspend him/her and remove their name from the list of members, subject to their right to reinstate him/her if satisfied as to the cause of the default and payment of arrears.

8b. In the event of the Club becoming accountable to H M Customs and Excise for Value Added Tax, then Members of all classes shall pay to the Club as an addition to the current subscription Value Added tax at the appropriate rate in force on date the subscription became due.

9. Any member may resign by giving notice to the Honorary Secretary in writing and any member making use of the club after April 1st shall be liable for the years subscription and storage fees (if applicable). With any notice of intention to resign, the resigning member shall return any Club house keys he/she may be holding.

10. Any member guilty of gambling, unbecoming behaviour or the use of improper language on the club premises, or if in the opinion of the committee, any member has made himself obnoxious to the Club, or has been guilty of conduct whether on or of f the Club premises, calculated to bring discredit upon or injury to the Club, or behave in a manner subversive to its discipline, such member shall be given seven days clear notice to appear before the committee and explain his conduct, and failing satisfaction, such member may be expelled from the Club by the committee and his/her name be removed from the list of members. At any meeting at which the question of expulsion shall arise, not less than nine members must be present and vote, the resolution must be passed by a two thirds majority of those present. Any members expelled from the Club, shall not be entitled to a refund of subscription and shall be disqualified from entering or being entertained in the Club premises or property.

ll. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November in every year and fourteen days notice of such a meeting shall be given to each member entitled to speak and vote at such a meeting.

The business of such a meeting shall be as follows:

a) Presentation of the Honorary Secretary’s report for the year ending October 31st.

0b) Honorary Financial Secretary’s Interim report.

c) Election of officers, committee and Honorary Auditors for the ensuing year.

d) Any other business sanctioned by the committee or requested by any ten members of which fourteen days notice shall have been given to all members.

The may at any time, and shall within one month after delivery of a requisition by any ten members stating the business for which it is required, convene a Special General meeting for any specific purpose. At least fourteen days notice shall be given to every member and it shall be posted on the Club Notice board and every notice shall state the business to be transacted and none but such business shall be discussed or dealt with at the meeting.

At all General meetings the Senior Officer present shall preside and every question (Unless otherwise expressly provided for by these rules) shall be decided by a majority of votes. Every member entitled to vote shall have one vote and in the event of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting vote. The qurom at all General meetings shall be ten members.

l2. There shall not be more than four Trustees of the club. The property of the club (other than cash that shall be under the control of the Financial Secretary) shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the committee shall from time to time direct (an entry in the minute book shall be regarded as conclusive evidence of such direction) . The trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of club property. The Trustees shall hold office until death, or resignation, or until removed from office by resolution of the committee who may for any reason that may seem sufficient to a majority of them present and voting at any meeting remove any Trustee or Trustees from the office of Trustee. Where by any such reason of death, resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the committee that a new Trustee shall be appointed or if the committee consider it expedient to appoint an additional Trustee or Trustees the committee shall by resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new Trustee or Trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the Captain is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the club within the meaning of section 36 of the Trustees Act, 1936 and shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the committee as the new Trustee or Trustees of the club and the provisions of the Trustees act, 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any deed of appointment shall in favour of such a person dealing bona fida and for value with the club or the committee be conclusive evidence of the facts stated.

13. The officers of the Club shall consist of a President, one or more Vice Presidents, Captain, Vice Captain, Honorary Financial Secretary, Honorary Secretary and Assistant Honorary Secretary. All officers shall be elected annually at the Annual general meeting and shall hold office for until their successors are appointed. Any vacancy occurring after the Annual General Meeting shall be filled at a succeeding General Meeting.

14. The Management of the Club shall be in the hands of the committee which shall consist of the President, Captain, Honorary Financial Secretary, Honorary Secretary, Assistant Honorary Secretary and eight members (five at least shall be Rowing Members elected at the Annual general meeting. The committee shall have the power to make, amend and repeal such by-laws as they think fit for regulating the affairs of the Club and matters relating to the use of the boats and equipment belonging to the Club, the housing of private boats belonging to the members, but such by-laws shall not infringe or be inconsistent with these rules. Such by laws shall be published by posting on the Club notice board. The committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees from their members and to add to its members for special purposes, by co-opting any Members they think desirable. Any vacancy occurring after the Annual General Meeting may be filled at a succeeding General Meeting.

14b. The management of the bar and the keeping of records thereof shall be in the hands of a bar committee, which shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, Bar Manager, Assistant Manager and one further member. All the above shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the club by all members entitled to vote in accordance with these rules, provided that they shall be over the age of eighteen years at the date of the meeting. In addition to the above elected members the Captain, Honorary Financial Secretary and Honorary Secretary of the Club shall be Members of the bar committee by virtue of their office. Any vacancies occurring in the Bar Committee shall be filled any succeeding General Meeting.

15. For the election of Officers, Members of the committee and Auditors, every candidate willing to stand shall be proposed and seconded by two members and the nomination paper delivered to the Honorary Secretary at least 14 days before the time of holding the meeting or adjourned meeting (as the case may be) at which the election is to take place. Every notice shall be posted on the Club notice board within three days after it receipt by the secretary, and shall remain so posted for ten days. If there is no nomination for any office the Captain shall call for nominations for a member to fill the office.

16. Two Auditors (not being members of the Committee) shall be appointed annually at the Annual General meeting for the ensuing year, and such Auditors shall audit the accounts of the club prior to their submission at the next Financial General meeting. Retiring Auditors shall be eligible for re-election.

17. The Offices of President, Vice Presidents, Captain, Honorary Financial Secretary, Honorary Secretary, Assistant Honorary Secretary and Honorary Auditors shall be for one year and those of the elected members of the committee for two year, subject always to Rules 10, 18 & 25. A retiring officer may be re-elected or elected to a new post. In the yearly election of members of the committee, the four members of the committee elected two years previously shall retire from office at each general meeting and shall be regarded as eligible for re-election unless they have given due notice to the Honorary secretary stating that they do not wish to stand for re election.

18. Any Off icer or Member of the committee may be removed by the vote of an Annual General meeting or Special General Meeting upon due notice being given that such a motion will be brought forward.

19. The Captain shall superintend the management of the clubhouse and all questions relating to the accommodation and housing of Club boats and private boats shall be referred to him. The Captain shall look after all matters relating to rowing and care of boats and also decide the priority of work to be done to the boats and Club house.

20.  The Vice Captain shall deputise for the Captain in his absence. He shall be responsible for the training of crews and instruction of cadet members in seamanship and swimming. He shall also see that the Club racing log is fully recorded each season.

21. The Honorary Financial Secretary shall receive all monies payable to the club. He shall make all necessary payments connected with the club. He shall not incur any liability exceeding £500 nor make any payment exceeding £500, other than normal trading expenses, except with the consent of the committee. Payments under £50 may be made out of proceeds of cheques drawn down for petty cash, but in no case out of money that has not passed through the club’s Banking Account. All cheques drawn by the Financial Secretary shall be signed by him/her and any of the following:- Captain, Vice Captain, Honorary Secretary. The Financial secretary shall keep an account of all receipts and disbursements with vouchers for the latter, prepare a statement of account for the financial year terminating on the last day of December each year and shall present the aforesaid statement to the general committee within 21 days of this.

22. The Honorary Secretary shall take and keep minutes of every meeting and a record of club affairs, of which he shall draw up a report at the end of the year and present it after the adoption by the committee (with any alterations and amendments the committee may require) to the Annual General meeting. He/she shall be responsible for the safe keeping of all agreements and policies and keep posted on the club premises an up to date list of names and addresses of club members. He shall furnish every newly elected member with a notification of election. In addition to notices required by the rules, he shall together with the assistant secretary of the club conduct the necessary written correspondence of the club.

23. The duties of the committee shall be as follows:

a. To manage the affairs of the club in accordance with the rules.

b. Not to incur a debt for any one item during the financial year exceeding £5000 without the money first being voted in an Annual General meeting.

c. To hear the appeals from the decisions of any officer affecting any member of the club.

d. To ensure the Club Boats are provided with adequate equipment and are seaworthy.

e. To ensure the Club building is kept in good order.

f. To elect sub committees as provided for in the Rules.

24. Meetings of the committee may be convened by any officer of, or any two committee not being officers. The Quorum at Committee Meetings shall be five. At all times the Senior Officer present shall preside. If votes are equal the vote of the Senior officer shall count twice.

25. Any Officer or member of the committee who shall be absent from three consecutive committee meetings may be called upon to resign his/her office and shall there upon resign. The vacancy so occurring shall be filled in accordance with Rule 14.

26. The selection and control of all Club crews and equipment (including any launch, trailor, Club transport and land training equipment), shall be in the hands of a sub committee elected annually and hereinafter called the Rowing sub committee. Such sub committee shall consist of the Captain, Vice Captain and at least two other members of the club, and with the power to co-opt as they think fit. The Rowing sub committee shall meet at least once per calender month during the racing season. The Vice Captain will normally take the chair at such meetings

27. All races are to be held in strict accordance with the Rules that may from time to time to be laid down by the Hants & Dorset ARA or such controlling rowing association to which the Club may be affiliated. No member shall take part in any race which is not promoted by the Club, under the name of the Club, except with the approval of the Rowing Sub committee referred to in the rules.

28. All social functions and catering arrangements shall be in the hands of the Social sub committee, elected annually by the General Committee. Such Social committee may number up to eight members with Officers of the club Ex-Offico. All monies received shall be passed to the Financial Secretary who shall pay it in to the clubs bank account. All expenditure over £25 is to be approved by the general committee.

29. All damages to the property of the club caused wholly or partly by the wilful act of negligence of a member shall be made good by or at the expense of the member or members causing or responsible for the damage. If any question or dispute shall arise as to the liability of a member under this rule, it shall be referred to the committee or such persons ( being members of the club ) as shall be nominated by the committee for the purpose, who’s decision shall be final. The committee or other person or persons aforesaid shall have the power to hold more than one person to be responsible for the damage, to apportion for and liability in such a manner as they think fit. For the purpose of this rule, a visitor shall be deemed to be a member but subject to paragraph (c) of rule 30.

30. Members shall be entitled to introduce visitors subject to the following conditions and any bye-laws that may be imposed.

a. The Visitors name and address and the name of the member shall be entered in the visitors book to be kept for this purpose.

b. The member must remain in the company of the visitor during the visit.

c. Members shall be responsible for all expenses incurred on behalf of or damage caused by, their guests. This will include the purchase of intoxicants at the bar.

d. Such visitors must not have been rejected or struck off the list of members for non payment of subscription or any other cause.

e. Such visitors must not be introduced more than six times in any one year except by written permission of the committee.

31. All monies received for and on behalf of the club shall be paid into a Bank or Building Society Account agreed upon by the committee or trustees by the financial secretary at the earliest opportunity. All cheques should be made payable to “ Ryde Rowing Club and crossed.

32. All notices required to be given to members shall be deemed to be good and sufficent if delivered or sent by pre-paid letter post, addressed to the member at his/her last address in the club books or by electronic mail to the last electronic mail address advised to the Club.

33. A copy of the rules and bye-laws for the tine being in force shall be available at the clubhouse. Every member shall be deemed to have notice thereof and any member who wilfully and persistently commits a breach of or fails to observe the rules and bye-laws shall be liable for expulsion under rule 10, or suspension under rule 40. Copies of the rules and bye laws may be purchased at £1 per copy.

34. No alteration or addition to these rules shall be made except by resolution carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting the notice of which shall have contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition. Any member wishing to propose an alteration or addition to these rules must state the nature of such alteration or addition in writing to the Hon.Secretary, on or before October 1st in each year, and the HornSecretary shall give notice of the proposed alteration or addition in the circular convening the Annual General meeting. The Hon.Secretary shall as soon as possible and in any case within 28 days of the making of such alterations or addition to these rules give notice to the Chief officer of Police and to the Clerk of the local authority of the district in which the club is situated.

35. The permitted hours for the supply of excisable liquor shall be such as may from time to time be determined by the committee in accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Act 1964 and as notified to the Magistrates clerk, providing that if an order is made under section 5, sub-paragraph (3) and (4) of the said act, the proviso to sub-section (8) shall apply.

36. The Club shall be open between the hours of 0900 and 2315 or such time as decided by the committee.

37. If at any time the club in a General Meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the committee to borrow money, the committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purpose of the club such amount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such interest rate and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall be decided by the committee or shall be specified in such resolution and thereupon the Trustees shall at the direction of the committee make all such dispositions of the club property or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest. All members of the club whether voting on such resolutions or not and all persons becoming members of the Club after the passing of such a resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the game as if they had voted in favour of such resolution.

38. A General meeting of the club shall be held in February every year to pass the club accounts and fourteen days notice of such a meeting shall be given to each member entitled to speak and vote at such meetings.

39. In the event of the dissolution of the club, any remaining assets will be distributed to a similar non-profit making organisation, to be decided on by the General committee of the club or the Trustees in the event of the General committee not functioning.

40. Any member who, in the opinion of any officer of the club is in breach of Club rules or Bye-Laws, or is guilty of gambling, unbecoming behaviour, or the use of any improper language on the club premises, or if any member has made him/her self obnoxious to the club, or has been guilty of conduct whether on or off the club premises, calculated to bring discredit upon or injury to the club,or behave in a manner subversive to its discipline, can be, at the discretion of that officer be issued with a verbal warning to improve his/her conduct. If the offence, or related offence is repeated, the member will be issued with a formal written warning from the committee, and if the offence, or a related offence is again repeated, within one year of the written warning, the said member will be subject to the full disciplinary procedure in accordance with Rule 10. Verbal and written warnings are to recorded in the minutes of the next committee meeting. Should an officer of the Club consider a members misconduct as defined in this rule, to be of a serious nature the officer has the authority to suspend that member from entering the club or the use of its facilities and equipment for a period of up to 30 days, or until the next committee meeting, at which the members position could be considered in accordance with Rule 10. Any member disciplined under this rule has the right to appeal to the next committee meeting, whose decision will be final.

41 There may be admitted to the Club premises persons attending any social

function held with the prior approval of the committee other than members and their guests and intoxicating liquor may be sold to such persons by or on behalf of the club for consumption on the premises only. Such social functions shall not exceed 12 in any one year and shall be restricted to functions by or in support of Sporting, Literary, Social, Philanthropic or Charitable purposes.

Notes to rule 41.

1) Any gaming machine on the premises must be switched off during a public day.

2) No off sales are allowed to the public but are still allowed to members.

3) If there is to be entertainment a public entertainments licence is required.

4) The Police must be informed at least at least 7 days before any Public day.

5) Magistrates must be informed if an extension of licensing hours is required.

42. The Club accepts the policy and procedures relating to child protection, as set out by the Amteur Rowing Association and requires all members to accept them as a condition of membership. In accordance with the ARA's policy and rules relating to Child Protection Procedures the committee shall appoint:-

(i) A Junior Organiser who has gained one of the ARA's Coaching Awards to be responsible for the Clubs Juniors on a day to day basis.

(ii) A seperate and senior "person in charge" to whom concerns or allegations regarding inappropriate treatment of Junior may be made. It will be his/her duty to understand the requirements of the ARA Child protection procedures and to act on them as necessary. He/She must also ensure there is a well established complaints procedure and that that parents and children have the relevant information and thus easy access to it.

[Note. refer to - Amateur Rowing Association publication - Child Protectection Procedures in Rowing].

43. The Club shall ensure that the talents and resources of all members are utilised to the full and that no member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, handicap, marital status, creed, social class, colour, ethnic group, age or sexual orientation or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.

44. The Committee shall appoint a member to act as Safety Advisor whose duty it will be to understand the requirements of the Amateur Rowing Association Code of Practice for Water Safety and advise on their prominent display, their observation and their implmentation at all times. Water Safety will be an Agenda item at General Committee Meetings and Rowing Sub Committee Meetings.

Adopted, with latest amendments, at the Clubs Annual General Meeting of 23rd November, 2001.

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