1. NAME
The Club shall be called THE TWYFORD BRIDGE CLUB
2. OBJECTS
The object of the Club shall be to provide facilities for its members for playing Duplicate Contract Bridge in a friendly and courteous atmosphere.
3. LOCATION
The club will meet in suitable rented accommodation as available at any given time.
4. AFFILIATIONS
The Club is not currently affiliated to the English Bridge Union. However if a majority of members decide that they wish to affiliate to EBU this may happen in the future.
5. MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to Bridge players who play to at least a reasonable club level at the discretion of the Committee.
Any person wishing to become a member of the Club shall apply for membership by completing and forwarding to the Membership Secretary (or other Committee Member) such form as may be prescribed from time to time by the Committee.
All members are deemed to have accepted the club rules and codes of conduct adopted by the Club.
The Committee will keep a register of members which will include details of their names, addresses and contact details. Any information that the club holds will be held in such a way that the club complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018.
In considering applications for membership the Committee shall have regard to the playing facilities available, and may from time to time decide that the Club shall be closed to new applications for membership for such period as it may decide.
A member shall cease to be a member of the club immediately if expelled from the club for poor behaviour, non payment of dues or upon resignation. Any complaints about a member should be addressed to the Committee.
A member whose subscription has not been paid shall cease to be a member on the expiration of the period of two months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment.
A former member of the Club who wishes to rejoin as a member may do so without the necessity for a further formal application for membership, (if there is capacity) unless the Committee decides otherwise.
If at any time player numbers exceed that which is deemed safe under the prevailing circumstances the Committee reserve the right to limit numbers. Priority will be given first to members on a first come basis and thereafter to member's guests and then visitors on the same basis.
6. OFFICERS
The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman/Co-Chairmen, Secretary and Treasurer.
Each of the Officers of the Club shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, and shall retire annually at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election.
In the event of a vacancy arising during the year in the office of any Officer of the Club, the Committee shall choose one of their number, or co-opt a club member, to fill such vacancy until the ensuing Annual General Meeting.
7. COMMITTEE
The Committee of the Club shall consist of the Officers of the Club, together with at least three other members of the Club, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, and shall retire annually at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election.
The Committee may from time to time coopt further members of the Club to serve on the Committee until the ensuing Annual General Meeting, whether to fill a vacancy arising, or as additional members, except that the total number of members of the Committee (including Officers) shall at no time exceed ten. Co-opted members shall be entitled to participate fully in the proceedings of the Committee.
A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be four members of the Committee, including at least one of the Officers.
Proceedings of Committee meetings will be recorded in the Minute Book.
The Committee shall make a report or reports to each Annual General Meeting of the Club concerning the affairs of the Club since the previous Annual General Meeting.
8. MANAGEMENT
The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Committee, and the Committee shall have power to determine any issue arising in connection with the affairs of the Club.
9. GENERAL MEETINGS
Except in exceptional circumstances, an Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in each year no later than four months after the end of the financial year.
Notice of Annual General Meetings of the Club shall be given to all members of the Club no later than two weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
A quorum for an Annual General Meeting is 25% of the active paid up membership 24 hours before the meeting including at least one Officer and two Committee Members.
A Special General Meeting of the Club shall be convened by the Committee if a request for such a meeting signed by at least ten members of the Club is delivered to the Committee. This can be held before play at the usual venue on any normal Club meeting day without notice.
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Committee on its own initiative at any time. This can be held before play at the usual venue on any normal Club meeting day without notice.
10. MEETING AGENDA
The agenda for any AGM, Committee Meeting, or other meeting will be sent to participants or published on the Club Website before the meeting.
11. NOMINATIONS
Nominations for the posts of Officers or Committee members shall be in writing, and shall be signed by a proposer and a seconder, both of whom shall be members of the Club, and also by the person nominated.
Nominations must reach the Committee no later than one week prior to the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting.
12. SUBSCRIPTIONS and FEES
Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription, the basic amount of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. Subscriptions shall be due for payment by September 1st in each year in respect of the year to the following August 31st. Unless the Committee decides otherwise, any member whose subscription remains unpaid after the due date shall pay table money at the rate applicable to visitors until his subscription has been paid in full.
Each member of the Club, and each guest and visitor, shall pay table money on each occasion when he plays at the Club, the basic amounts of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
The Committee may determine variations on the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money for members, guests and visitors in different circumstances, and may waive subscriptions or table money in the event of hardship or for any other good cause.
The Annual General Meeting may authorise the Committee to increase the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money prior to the ensuing Annual General Meeting.
13. ACCOUNTS
The Committee shall arrange for accounts to be prepared in respect of the financial affairs of the Club for each year ending on 31st April.
The accounts for each year shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the Club for approval.
14. GUESTS and VISITORS
Any member may invite a guest to play at the club at any time, but in the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members.
Visitors may be permitted to play at the Club at any time, but in the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members and the guests of members.
The Committee may from time to time place a limit on the number of occasions on which a non member (whether a guest or a visitor) may play at the club without being required to apply for membership.
15. MEMBERS’ BEHAVIOUR
Each member of the Club shall be required, whether at or away from the bridge table, to conform to the standards of fair play, courtesy and personal deportment including the fundamental principle set out in the EBU’s “Best Behaviour at Bridge”.
The Club through the Committee shall have the powers and the procedures for the enforcement of the requirement of good behaviour set out in the above paragraph.
Members are expected to act as "Host" at regular intervals unless exempt at the discretion of the Committee.
Members are also expected to assist with setting up before and clearing up after play.
16. ALTERATIONS TO THE RULES
The Committee shall have the power from time to time to alter, repeal or make new Rules provided that such changes are consistent with good governance and the objectives of the Club stated in paragraph 2 above. Any such changes will be subject to ratification by the membership at a General Meeting.
17. WINDINGUP
If a resolution that the Club shall be wound up is passed, the Committee shall be responsible for winding up the affairs of the Club, and unless the winding up has been initiated with a view to amalgamating the Club with some other club (in which case any surplus assets and funds may be transferred to such other club), any surplus assets and funds shall be divided equally among the paid up members at the time of the winding up or to a Registered or recognised charitable body.
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