1. The club shall be called “The Goring Heath Bridge Club”.  The object of the club shall be to play Duplicate Contract Bridge under the laws of The World Bridge Federation.  The club will normally meet weekly from September through to May at the Goring Community Centre.

2. Membership of the Club is limited to 18  playing pairs.  This number is to try and encourage an average number of 6-7 tables per evening.  In the event of 7 or more tables playing then the chairman will decide if a limited movement should be implemented.

3. Application for membership shall be made by a playing pair to the Secretary on an application form and countersigned by two members.  The applicants will be asked to come as visitors for two evenings to allow the committee to assess their standard of play and knowledge of the proprieties of the game.  Their acceptance shall be subject to the approval of the committee whose decision shall be final.

4. Subject to the approval of the secretary or chairman, members may bring a substitute for their partner or may bring along a playing pair as visitors provided there will be room for them. (see para.3).  Such visitors will pay a subscription as agreed at the last Annual General Meeting.  Any visitor who subsequently becomes a member of the club will not have their visitor’s fees reimbursed.

5. The Secretary will maintain a waiting list of people wishing to join the club in the event of the membership being full.  In the event of an existing member losing their playing partner then the remaining member may introduce a new partner ( subject to Rule 3 ).  This new playing pair will take precedence over other pairs on the waiting list to join the club.  A period of 10 weeks will be the maximum time for an existing member to introduce a new playing partner.

6. The committee shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, normally elected at an A.G.M. for a maximum of three years.  The committee shall have the power to co-opt an additional member if they so desire.  The chairman shall have the responsibility of organising club evenings and selecting the directors.  The Secretary shall deal with all correspondence including that with the Goring Community Centre Committee and advance booking of the hall.  The Treasurer shall collect subscriptions, fees, and any other monies, and pay any outstanding debts or bills, and prepare the club’s annual accounts.

7. The club year shall commence in September each year and the Annual General Meeting, of which the Secretary shall give two weeks’ prior notice to all members, shall be held before the end of October.

The AGM shall:

1. receive the Chairman’s Report;
2. receive and approve the audited accounts;
3. elect the Committee, if necessary by ballot;
4. appoint an Honorary Auditor;
5. set the annual subscription and fees;
6. discuss any other business with the approval of the Chairman

A quorum at the AGM shall be 12 members.

8. The annual subscription will be payable on joining and by 31 October in subsequent years.  Members not paying by this date will be deemed to have resigned.

9. Cheques drawn on the Club’s banking account shall be signed by any two of the Committee members.

10. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club must be called by the Secretary on the written request of 10 members.  This request shall set out the matter(s) to be discussed.  Two weeks’ written notice must be given to all members before an EGM.

11. This Constitution may be amended at an AGM

12. If the membership shall decide that the Club shall be disbanded, the committee shall be empowered to dispose of all material assets, pay off any debts and divide any residual monies equally among the remaining members.