Wareham Camera Club Constitution

WAREHAM CAMERA CLUB
www.warehamcameraclub.co.uk

CONSTITUTION

1. CLUB TITLE & AIMS

1.1. The club shall be called the “Wareham Camera Club” (WCC).

1.2. The aim of the WCC shall be to encourage the art and science of photography.

1.3.This aim shall be achieved largely by the holding of near-weekly club meetings from early
September through to early May

1.4.Additionally, the WCC will usually hold an Annual Exhibition each summer, and other
“special events” may be arranged at the discretion of the Committee.

1.5. The Constitution shall be published on the club website, and a printed copy given to all new
club Members.

2. MEMBERSHIP

2.1. Membership is open to any person, subject to legal requirements (e.g. adult
accompaniment of persons under 16). The Committee has the right to refuse membership
or expel club Members.

2.2. The WCC shall not be responsible for the loss or damage to property belonging to those
persons attending a club event.

3. GUESTS

3.1. Guests are welcome to attend ordinary club meetings, up to four times in a season, and
shall make a contribution to club funds as decided by the Committee and verified at the
AGM. If a guest subsequently joins the club, then the amount to be paid as subscription
shall be reduced by the amount that that person has already paid as guest contributions
that season.

4. GENERAL MEETINGS

4.1. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall normally be held in May.

4.2. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) may be called by the Committee, by the President,
or by a group of club Members petitioning the Club Secretary. In the latter case, at least
15% of the Membership shall be signatories

4.3. At an AGM or EGM, which must be attended by the President and/or at least one
Committee Member, 30% of the Membership shall form a quorum.

4.4. Committee Members are eligible for re-election each year. The Chairman will not be eligible
for more than two consecutive years in this capacity, but may serve in any other capacity.

4.5 The Club Secretary shall distribute notification of and the agenda for Annual General
Meetings, giving at least four week’s notice. In the case of Extraordinary General Meetings,
at least seven clear days notice shall be given.

4.6. No alteration shall be made to this Constitution except at a quorate AGM or EGM. A change may be approved via a simple majority vote from those club Members present at the meeting.

4.7. If exceptional circumstances cause non-compliance to any of the above, the Committee
shall notify the Membership with a proposed course of action and seek the Membership's
agreement thereto.

5. COMMITTEE

5.1. A Committee, consisting of at least the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Club Secretary,
Treasurer, Programme Secretary, and Competition Secretary, shall be elected at the AGM.
Other Committee Members may, during the year, be co-opted by the Committee to fill
vacancies or to take on additional roles, as found necessary.

5.2. At Committee Meetings, a quorum shall be formed by the attendance of 50% of the
Committee Members.

5.3. A President shall be elected at an AGM. The President shall monitor that the activities of
the club are in line with the stated aims of the club, and may also be called upon to
represent the club in outside activities.

5.4. The Club Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and conduct correspondence.

5.5. The Treasurer shall keep accounts of all monies received and paid out, and present the
audited balance sheet at the AGM. The club’s financial year shall run from the 1st April to
the 31st March of the following year.

5.6. The Committee may from time to time award lifetime Honorary Membership (i.e. not subject
to either the annual subscription or the weekly attendance fee) in recognition of services to
the club.

5.7. The Committee, as the club's elected executive, has the responsibility and the authority to
implement on a day-to-day basis the stated aims of the club including the use of club
financial resources in achieving those aims.

6. FINANCE

6.1. The annual subscription shall be determined by the Committee and approved at the AGM.
Payment is normally expected by no later than one month after the start of the season.
Subscriptions paid after Christmas may, at the discretion of the Committee, be reduced,
roughly on a pro-rata basis.

6.2. In addition to the annual subscription, a weekly attendance fee shall be charged to every
club Member attending a club meeting, the level of which shall be determined by the
Committee and approved at the AGM.

7. DISSOLUTION

7.1. Any decision to dissolve the WCC may only be taken at a General Meeting. In the case of
dissolution, and after all debts and liabilities have been discharged, the remaining assets
are to be given to a voluntary organisation having similar objectives to those of the WCC, or
to a charity approved at the General Meeting.

MAY 4th 2021