1.1         The name of the Club shall be “Heathercroft Bridge Club” hereinafter called “The Club”

2.1         The objects of the Club shall be to provide, at suitable premises, facilities for the playing of Contract Bridge and to undertake any other activities not inconsistent with this main activity.

3.1         All persons over eighteen years of age are eligible for membership.

3.2         Every candidate for membership shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another, and the proposal giving the full address of the candidate shall be submitted to the Secretary. The names, but not the addresses of the proposed members(s) shall be displayed on the Club’s website for at least fourteen clear days during which time any objections may be made by a member to the Secretary in writing. The Committee will then decide whether the candidate shall be granted membership.

3.3         The Committee shall have the power to refuse any application for membership without disclosing a reason. The Secretary will notify the applicant(s) of the Committee's decision.

3.4         When an elected candidate has paid the entrance fee, if any, and first annual subscription, they shall become a member of the Club and be entitled to all the privileges of membership.  They shall be deemed to be bound by this constitution and by any Regulations and Rules made in accordance with its provisions.  Unless such entrance fee and first annual subscription are paid within one month of notification of election, such election shall be void.

3.5         Should any member refuse or neglect to comply with this constitution or any Regulations or Rules made in accordance with its provisions, or be guilty of any conduct which in the opinion of the Committee is either unworthy of a member or injurious to the interests of the Club they shall be liable to expulsion.  The Committee shall call upon the member for an explanation and shall give the member an opportunity to defend themselves or to resign their membership. Should the Committee be in favour of expulsion by a vote of not less than three-quarters of the Committee members present, their decision will be final.

3.6         If any member’s subscription is in arrears, they shall be sent a notice requesting payment within fourteen days.  If not complied with, the Committee may  remove the members name from the list of members, and they shall thereupon cease to be a member. The Committee can decide to restore a member to membership upon payment of all arrears.

3.7         Each member shall notify the Secretary of any change of address, telephone number or email address, as appropriate.

3.8         The Club at a General Meeting may, on the recommendation of the Committee, elect any person “honoris causa” to be an Honorary Member of the Club.

3.9     All members of any opposing team visiting the Club’s premises to play in a match shall be considered to be Temporary Members for the day or days on which the match is played.  Any person who visits the Club’s premises for the purpose of playing in any match or competition organised by the EBU, the WCBA or the Club shall be granted temporary membership on the day or days in question.  The Temporary Members are entitled to all privileges of the Club other than voting or introducing visitors as guests.

3.10     A member may introduce a visitor by accompanying them to the Club’s premises, but the same visitor may not be introduced to the Club more than six times in any year commencing on 1st April.  The Club may also admit as a visitor any member of a recognised Bridge Club. The Committee may refuse to admit any visitor without disclosing a reason.

4.1         The management of the club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of not less than seven nor more than ten members. The members of the Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting of the members of the Club.  The Committee shall, at the first Committee Meeting subsequent to each Annual General Meeting, elect from their members, by ballot if necessary, a Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer and any other officers considered necessary.

4.2         The Committee shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting when all its members shall retire. Candidates for election to the 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 Secretary not later than four weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.

4.3         If the number of candidates for election exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, the election shall be by ballot.

4.4         Should a casual vacancy on the Committee arise due to death, resignation or other reason, the Committee may co-opt a member to fill the vacancy.  Such co-opted member shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting when they shall retire and may seek election to the Committee.

4.5         The Committee shall have the power to administer the affairs of the Club according to this constitution and shall make such Regulations and Rules as they think fit for the proper management of the Club’s premises and property and for the organisation of the Club’s activities in accordance with its objects.

4.6         The Committee shall meet at least four times a year and at least seven days notice shall be given to all members of the Committee. Four members of the committee shall form a quorum.  Emergency meetings of the Committee may be called if the Chairman and Secretary consider this desirable.

4.7         On any resolution being put to the vote each member of the Committee shall have one vote.  In the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.

4.8    The Secretary or Chairperson shall keep a physical or digital Minute Book in which shall be entered a record of all General Meetings and all meetings of the Committee.

4.9     The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees and shall appoint one of its members as Chairperson of any sub-committee. The committee may co-opt members of the Club to any sub-committee.

5.1         At each Annual General Meeting the Club shall appoint an Auditor, whose duty it will be to audit the financial statements of the Club for the year then current.

6.1         The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st April until 31st March.

6.2         The finances of the club shall be controlled by the Committee.

6.3         The Treasurer shall present to the Committee, for incorporation in the notice convening the Annual General Meeting, a duly audited financial statement up to 31st March each year.

7.1         The entrance fee payable by a member on election shall be such sum, if any, as the Committee may from time to time determine.

7.2         The annual subscription of such amount as the Committee shall from time to time determine shall be payable in advance, and is due on 1st April each year for the year ending 31st March next.

7.3         A member joining on or after 1st October shall pay one-half subscription for the remainder of the year.

7.4         Members and visitors playing bridge on Club premises shall pay a table fee per session of such amount as the Committee may from time to time determine

8.1         The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on a date to be fixed by the Committee, provided that the date fixed shall not, in any event, be later than 30th September in any year.

8.2         Nominations and all other items for inclusion in the agenda of the meeting must be submitted in writing to reach the Secretary not later than four weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

8.3         An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club shall be convened by the Secretary on the written demand of at least fifteen members. The demand must state the business for which the meeting is called. The meeting must be called within thirty days of the receipt of the demand.

8.4         An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called if the Committee determine that special circumstances demand this.

8.5         A notice convening any General Meeting shall include a copy of the agenda and shall be sent to each member not less than fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

8.6         Fifteen members or one-half the total number of Club members, whichever is the smaller, shall be present in person to form a quorum at a General Meeting.

9.1         The Club accepts no responsibility whatever for the property of any member or visitor while on Club premises.

10.1         The members at an Annual General Meeting may upon, and only upon, the recommendation of the Committee, elect a member or past member of the Club as President of the Club.  The recommendation of the Committee to elect shall be made only in respect of a person who has performed an excellent service or services to the Club in any capacity.  The position of President shall be held until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.  No person shall be eligible for election as President after holding the position for the last three consecutive years.

10.2         The President shall be entitled to receive notice of all Committee meetings and to attend and speak on any matter.  They shall not be entitled to a vote.

11.1         Any suggestions or complaints regarding the administration of the Club shall be submitted in writing, signed by the member making them, and handed to the Secretary or to any member of the Committee, or shall be emailed by the member making them to the Secretary or to any member of the Committee. These suggestions or complaints shall be considered at the next meeting of the Committee.

11.2         Any matter not provided for in this Constitution and all questions regarding their construction or implication shall be decided by the Committee.

11.3         Alterations, additions or amendments to this Constitution cannot be made except by a resolution at a General Meeting that has been included on the agenda for the meeting and which is passed with the sanction of at least two-thirds of the members present.

11.4         The President, Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, any other officers and the members of the Committee shall not be either individually or jointly responsible for any liabilities incurred by the Club.

11.5         All members of the Club shall be equally responsible for any liabilities incurred during the time of their membership.

12.1         The Club shall be wound up only by a resolution passed by two-thirds of the members present at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose.  In such event, the assets of the Club shall be realised and the proceeds, after payment of all expenses and liabilities, shall be distributed among the then members of the Club in proportion to the number of successive annual subscriptions they shall then have paid, subject to all those founder members of the Club who shall have had an uninterrupted membership being credited, for this purpose, with one additional annual subscription.  However this method of distribution of the net proceeds of the realisation of the Club’s assets shall not be used if a resolution is passed by two-thirds of the members present at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose to use the net proceeds in any way for the benefit of Bridge in Birmingham, Warwickshire or the West Midlands or for charitable purposes.

Adopted by members of the Club at an Annual General Meeting held on 9th July 2024.