The name of the Club shall be "Acacia Bridge Club, Ewell" hereinafter called "The Club".

The venue of the Club shall be "Ewell Court House, Lakehurst Drive, Ewell
Surrey KT19 0EB", hereinafter called "Venue".

The object of "The Club" shall be to provide facilities for the playing of Contract Bridge.

The management of "The Club" shall be vested in a general committee consisting of the Chairman, the Club Secretary, the Treasurer, the Membership Secretary and up to three other members, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of "The Club" and shall hold office until the conclusion of the next AGM.

Candidates for election to the general committee shall be those members of the retiring committee who offer themselves for re-election and such other members of "The Club" who have agreed to accept office if elected and whose nominations, duly proposed and seconded by members of "The Club", shall have been sent to the Club Secretary not later than seven days prior to the date fixed for the AGM.

If the number of candidates for election exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, the elections shall be by ballot of paid up members present at the AGM.

Should a casual vacancy on the general committee arise for any reason, the general committee may co-opt a member to fill the vacancy until the next AGM.

The general committee shall have power to deal with the funds and property of "The Club" and may draw on the funds of "The Club" to meet any expenditure approved by the general committee. However, no single item of expenditure exceeding £250 may be entered into without the approval of the members in general meeting.

The general committee shall have the power to make such Laws and Rules, in accordance with these constitutions and regulations, as it thinks fit as to the management of "The Club" property and for the organisation of "The Club" activities and competitions in accordance with the objects of "The Club".

The general committee shall meet as required, but at least once per financial year. Three members of the general committee shall form a quorum, the Chairman or Club Secretary being in attendance. Emergency meetings of the general committee may be called if the Chairman and Club Secretary consider this essential and desirable. The general committee shall have the power to delegate any of its powers and duties to a sub-committee drawn from members of the general committee or members of "The Club", as it thinks fit.

The Club Secretary shall keep a minute book in which shall be entered a record of all general meetings and all meetings of the general committee.

The general committee shall have power to co-opt any member of "The Club", who is willing to serve, to the general committee or any sub-committee.

The general committee may govern its proceedings and establish any guidelines and regulations for the conduct of its duties as it thinks fit, but shall be subject always to any regulations laid down in the Constitution as approved by the members of "The Club" in general meeting.

Every candidate for membership of "The Club" shall attend on three occasions before being proposed by one member and seconded by another. The full name and address of the candidate for membership shall be submitted to the Membership Secretary. If ten or more members object then the candidate shall not be eligible of membership.

The membership of any member who does not attend at least once during "The Club" year will lapse unless the committee agrees dispensation.

Each member shall notify the Membership Secretary of any change of postal address, phone number or email address.

The committee has the power to terminate membership of any member of "The Club" after three warnings for misconduct, the third warning to be in writing. A member may be summarily dismissed from membership for serious misconduct provided that the general committee is in unanimous agreement that the circumstances warrant such measures to be taken. Any member who has their membership terminated by the Committee shall have the right of appeal at the next following general meeting and a special committee may be appointed to hear the appeal if the members in the general meeting so agree.

The financial year of "The Club" shall be from the 1st of April to the 31st of March.

The general committee shall control the finances of "The Club".

"The Club"'s bankers shall be the Abbey, part of the Santander Group.

Members shall pay an annual fee. The level of the annual fee shall be determined at the AGM. This fee is £8 per person in 2008 - 9.

Members shall pay a table fee per session of such amount as the general committee determines subject to ratification at the AGM. This fee is £2.00 in 2008 - 9.

Visitors shall pay an additional fee to the general table fee. The level of the additional fee to be determined at the AGM. This additional fee is £1.00,  so visitors shall pay £3.00 per visit in 2008 -9.

The AGM will be held in the month of May or such other month as the general committee determine provided always that no more than 15 months shall elapse between the holding of one AGM and the next.

The AGM shall be convened and notice shall be deemed to be given to all members of "The Club", the final announcement to be made not more than fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the meeting. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) may be called in a similar manner but two announcements shall suffice the last being not more than seven days prior to the meeting.

The Club Secretary shall convene an EGM on written demand signed by five members giving twenty eight days notice to the Club Secretary of the date of the meeting. The demand and notice of the meeting must state the business for which the meeting is called, and only that business shall be transacted.

Proceedings at any general meeting of "The Club" shall not be invalidated by failure of any member to receive notice of the meeting, notice having been duly given in accordance with the rules set out above.

Voting on any matter raised at general meetings, including the election of members of the general committee shall be by a simple majority of those present and voting on a show of hands. The chairman’s declaration of the result of such a vote shall be conclusive. However, any five members present may demand that a secret ballot is taken. The result of any secret ballot achieved by a simple majority of those present and voting, shall supersede the outcome of a show of hands.

The quorum of any general meeting shall be twenty members of "The Club".

Competitions shall be held at such times and under such conditions as the general committee or any sub-committee shall determine.

Any suggestions or complaints regarding the arrangements of "The Club" shall be submitted in writing and handed to the Club Secretary or any member of the general committee and shall be considered at the next committee meeting.

"The Club" accepts no responsibility whatever for the property or belongings of any member or visitor whilst at the "Venue" of "The Club".

Any matter not provided for in these regulations and all questions arising regarding their construction or implication shall be decided by the general committee.

The Chairman, Treasurer, Club Secretary and Membership Secretary,  and members of the general committee, shall not be responsible, either individually or jointly, for any liabilities incurred by "The Club". All members shall be equally responsible for any liabilities incurred during their time of membership.

Alterations, additions or amendments to these regulations and constitution cannot be made except by a resolution at a general meeting.

These regulations and constitution were adopted at the Annual General Meeting held on xxx.