Setting up a Club - Things to think about
Discussion
Just bouncing some ideas around - Other comments from the rest of the club appreciated
Got this info from T'interweb... adjusted it somewhat to suit our needs more, but you get the idea... Additional info appreciated, and more will follow... Obviously funding, costs and banking need to be looked at but it's a start.
The Steering Committee should consist of people who will carry out essential organisational tasks i.e. Chairman/Secretary, Treasurer and a small number of others (possibly two), and act as the Management Committee until the first Annual General Meeting of members.
It is important to start by laying down aims, objectives and a strategy of the proposed club.
1. Where and how often to meet.
2. How to raise funds and meet expenses.
3. Relevant safety regulations.
4. How members will be recruited.
5. Whether the club should be affiliated to a governing body i.e. VCA
6. The date of the first A.G.M. and agenda.
All constitutions differ, but the following are basic guidelines for key areas to be considered:-
1. Name
The name of the club .............................................................................
2. Status
The club shall be affiliated to the governing body where appropriate and shall consist of those classes of members as in Rule 4.
3. Objects
The objects of the club are ..........................e.g. 'mutual friendship', 'recreation for the benefit of the club', 'charity fundraising' .
4. Eligibility & Terms of Membership
a) Ordinary membership is available to .................... e.g. Owners of Vipers, & Some chosen enthusiasts.
b) Types of membership are ................... e.g. Owner, VCA & Owner, Enthusiast/Associate, etc.
c) Prospective members should .................. e.g. fill in application form, be proposed by a current member, be seconded by a current member, be approved by the committee, etc.
d) Only ...................... members are entitled to vote e.g. fully paid-up, annual, etc.
e) Subscriptions should be paid ................... e.g. annually, quarterly, seasonally, on joining annually on January 1st, within an agreed period of acceptance, etc.
f) Members are/are not required to pay a joining fee.
The Management Committee consists of those elected at the A.G.M. for an agreed term and the minimum number required at any one meeting (quorum) to render decisions valid.
The Committee will meet ........................... e.g. quarterly and has the power to appoint sub-committees for specific functions e.g. social, fund-raising, special events.
All club business is directed by this committee other than matters when a full vote at an A.G.M. is required under the club rules.
The annual subscriptions should be determined by the Management Committee in agreement with the Treasurer and whether or not a joining fee should be levied.
A.G.M. - Annual General Meeting shall be held in .................... (month) of each year. The date and time of the A.G.M. shall be notified to each member ............. days in advance of the meeting. The initial A.G.M. should agree a minimum number of members (quorum) to be in attendance before the meeting is recognised. A special/extraordinary/general meeting can be called at any time when all members shall have full voting rights.
The rules of the club may be amended by the agreement of a 2/3 (or as agreed) majority of the members present at the A.G.M.
The club can be dissolved with the agreement of 2/3 (or as agreed) of those paid up members present and voting at the A.G.M. .
Following the agreement of the appointed Trustees the club shall take appropriate action to convert any assets into money and pay off debts. The use of the remaining finances should be indicated.
These points provide a basic framework for a club constitution, but do not cover all matters, for example, rights of guests, settlements of disputes etc. It may be a good idea to ask an established club to view their constitution as an example. (Possibly we could try speaking to the Corvette Club for assistance/guidance as they have a large, established club)
Once the constitution and management committee are set up, you have the basis of how the club organisation will function.
Got this info from T'interweb... adjusted it somewhat to suit our needs more, but you get the idea... Additional info appreciated, and more will follow... Obviously funding, costs and banking need to be looked at but it's a start.
How to set up a club or association
Step 1 - Set up a steering committee
The Steering Committee should consist of people who will carry out essential organisational tasks i.e. Chairman/Secretary, Treasurer and a small number of others (possibly two), and act as the Management Committee until the first Annual General Meeting of members.
It is important to start by laying down aims, objectives and a strategy of the proposed club.
Step 2 - Decide or consider
1. Where and how often to meet.
2. How to raise funds and meet expenses.
3. Relevant safety regulations.
4. How members will be recruited.
5. Whether the club should be affiliated to a governing body i.e. VCA
6. The date of the first A.G.M. and agenda.
Step 3 - Establish the club constitution or rules
All constitutions differ, but the following are basic guidelines for key areas to be considered:-
1. Name
The name of the club .............................................................................
2. Status
The club shall be affiliated to the governing body where appropriate and shall consist of those classes of members as in Rule 4.
3. Objects
The objects of the club are ..........................e.g. 'mutual friendship', 'recreation for the benefit of the club', 'charity fundraising' .
4. Eligibility & Terms of Membership
a) Ordinary membership is available to .................... e.g. Owners of Vipers, & Some chosen enthusiasts.
b) Types of membership are ................... e.g. Owner, VCA & Owner, Enthusiast/Associate, etc.
c) Prospective members should .................. e.g. fill in application form, be proposed by a current member, be seconded by a current member, be approved by the committee, etc.
d) Only ...................... members are entitled to vote e.g. fully paid-up, annual, etc.
e) Subscriptions should be paid ................... e.g. annually, quarterly, seasonally, on joining annually on January 1st, within an agreed period of acceptance, etc.
f) Members are/are not required to pay a joining fee.
4. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Management Committee consists of those elected at the A.G.M. for an agreed term and the minimum number required at any one meeting (quorum) to render decisions valid.
The Committee will meet ........................... e.g. quarterly and has the power to appoint sub-committees for specific functions e.g. social, fund-raising, special events.
All club business is directed by this committee other than matters when a full vote at an A.G.M. is required under the club rules.
5. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The annual subscriptions should be determined by the Management Committee in agreement with the Treasurer and whether or not a joining fee should be levied.
6. MEETING OF THE CLUB
A.G.M. - Annual General Meeting shall be held in .................... (month) of each year. The date and time of the A.G.M. shall be notified to each member ............. days in advance of the meeting. The initial A.G.M. should agree a minimum number of members (quorum) to be in attendance before the meeting is recognised. A special/extraordinary/general meeting can be called at any time when all members shall have full voting rights.
7. CHANGES IN CONSTITUTION
The rules of the club may be amended by the agreement of a 2/3 (or as agreed) majority of the members present at the A.G.M.
8. DISSOLUTION
The club can be dissolved with the agreement of 2/3 (or as agreed) of those paid up members present and voting at the A.G.M. .
Following the agreement of the appointed Trustees the club shall take appropriate action to convert any assets into money and pay off debts. The use of the remaining finances should be indicated.
Additional Guidance
These points provide a basic framework for a club constitution, but do not cover all matters, for example, rights of guests, settlements of disputes etc. It may be a good idea to ask an established club to view their constitution as an example. (Possibly we could try speaking to the Corvette Club for assistance/guidance as they have a large, established club)
Once the constitution and management committee are set up, you have the basis of how the club organisation will function.
Edited by GTSDave on Wednesday 3rd February 10:57
Banking for clubs and societies
Thinking about starting up a club, society or community organisation? If so, you're in good company. According to the Charity Commission, by the end of December 2008 there were 168,354 registered charities in Britain, with a total annual income of £48.4bn. Most of these groups are small organisations with an income of £10,000 or less.
Charitable saving: charities must prove they are of benefit to society.
Rules and regulations
A club or society is defined by the Charities Commission as a means by which people share a common interest and create a formal structure through which they can pursue it.
Setting up a small organisation is simple, but there are rules and regulations to follow, as well as financial responsibilities to adhere to.
Since April 2008 charities have had to prove 'public benefit' to the Charity Commission. 'Public benefit' is the legal requirement that every organisation set up for one or more charitable aims must be able to demonstrate that its aims are for the public benefit if it is to be recognised, and registered, as a charity in England and Wales.
The Charity Commission regulates charities of all sizes and forms. In order to gain charitable status, your group has to fulfil one of the following functions: to provide relief for the poor, handicapped and/or disabled; assist the advancement of education; further the promotion of religion or make other beneficial contributions to the community.
The financial set-up
The basic structure of clubs and charities is the same. There will be a chairperson, secretary and treasurer. The treasurer is responsible for the organisation's finances, including finding a bank account. The club or society should appoint an auditor or independent examiner to check the accounts.
It is worthwhile registering your organisation as a charity. As well as making it easier to raise money, you will be eligible for advice and help from the Charities Commission in areas including tax and VAT. Additionally, when you come to look for a bank account, you will be able to choose from accounts specifically for community groups. These will generally offer cheaper, more straightforward banking than ordinary business bank accounts.
Your club or society needs a bank account to deal with the flow of finances. Once it starts to grow, donations will come in and payments may need to be made. The club should choose a bank account by passing a resolution at a committee meeting.
It is useful for the treasurer to set up the financial situation so that more than one person can sign cheques. Money should be banked immediately, receipts and books maintained in an orderly fashion. The person who opens all the mail and records monies received should be different from the treasurer.
Finding a bank account
Once you have chosen a treasurer, he or she will need to shop around for a bank account. Staying with the same bank indefinitely may cause problems, because needs change over time. A study by private bank Cater Allen found that charities are losing out on up to £5,000 a year in interest payments by not shopping around for the most competitive bank.
Most High Street banks now offer low-cost, simple current accounts for clubs and societies. Accounts from the bigger banks include Barclays' Community account for societies with turnover less than £100,000, HSBC's 'Treasurer' service and the NatWest Clubs, Societies and Charities account.
not to dampen your spirits, but isnt it a bit of a waste of time when there's only 30 of us ? even with new people joining and others moving on it would be a slow growth
though im sure none of us wouldnt mind chipping in to cover Pauls costs, Paul and I have chatted about this previously and he does seem happy with the current arrangement
though im sure none of us wouldnt mind chipping in to cover Pauls costs, Paul and I have chatted about this previously and he does seem happy with the current arrangement
Edited by Viper on Wednesday 3rd February 17:54
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