Constitution


1. The name of the club shall be "The Trentham Rugby Union Football Club".

2. The objects of the club shall be to play, encourage and provide facilities for the game of Rugby Union Football and to maintain and conduct a clubhouse for the accommodation of member and their guests. The game shall be played and the club administered in accordance with the Rules and Bye-Laws of the Rugby Football Union and the Club shall be in membership with the Rugby Football union and such other Associations as the Committee may from time to time decide.

3. The property of the club shall be vested on four Trustees who shall be appointed by the Members of the Club at an Annual General Meeting. Any General meeting shall have the power to remove any of the Trustees and all vacancies occurring by removal, resignation or death shall be filled at the same or the next general meeting. The liabilities of the Club shall rest upon the officers and Members of the Club and the Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Club property or otherwise by the Officers and members.

4. A General Committee (hereinafter referred to as "The Committee") shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting to administer all the affairs of the Club not reserved by these Rules for the Club in General Meeting

5. The Committee shall consist of the President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain, Bar Committee Chairman, Staffordshire R U Representative, Deputy Presidents (three) and eight other members. Only full voting Members shall be eligible for election to the Committee.

6. The Officers of the Club shall be President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Captains and Vice-Captains of each XV, Team Secretaries, Fixture Secretary, Social Secretary, Bar Committee Chairman, Publicity Secretary, Staffordshire Representative, and such other Officers as the Club in General Meeting may form time to time determine.

7. The purchase and supply by the Club of intoxicating liquor shall be the responsibility of a Bar Committee, consisting of a Chairman and four other members elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

8. The Committee may from time to time elect such Sub Committees as it may deem necessary or expedient any may depute to any Sub-Committee such powers and duties as it may determine. All Resolutions and Recommendations of any of the Sub-Committees shall be subject to confirmation by the Committee except in those cases in which full executive powers have been given to any Sub-Committee. The Chairman of the Committee shall be an ex-official Member of all Sub-Committees.

9. The Chairman of the Club or his nominee shall take the chair at all Meetings of the Committee and Sub-Committees and shall have a second or casting vote.

10. At Meetings of the Committee seven Members shall form a quorum and at Meetings of the Bar Committee and Sub-Committees one half of the Members shall form a quorum.

11. The Committee shall normally meet once in each calendar month but this may be varied in accordance with the conditions appertaining. The Bar Committee and the Sub-Committees shall meet at such time or times as circumstances may require.

12. The Committee is empowered to make, alter or repeal such Bye-Laws (not inconsistent with the Rules of the Club) as they may consider desirable for the well being of the Club. Notice of all Bye-Laws so made shall forthwith be posted and remain on the Club Notice Board for a period of three months.}

13. The five classes of Membership shall be: Life Members Playing Members Vice-Presidents Social Members Honorary Members

14. The subscriptions payable by Playing Members, Vice-Presidents and Social Members shall be determined by the Committee. Life Members and Honorary Members shall be entitled to all the facilities and privileges of the Club without payment of any subscriptions.
15. Life Membership may be conferred for outstanding services to the Club or to the game of Rugby Union Football. Such Membership shall be proposed through the Committee and approved at the next Annual General Meeting.

16. Every candidate for Membership of the Club as a Playing Member, Vice-President or Social Member shall be proposed by an existing full voting member who shall deliver to the Secretary a form of Application completed by the candidate and signed by the proposing member. The Proposer shall supply in writing to the Secretary such additional information concerning the candidate as the Committee may require and if so requested by the Committee, shall introduce the candidate to such Officers or members of the Club as may be specified by the Committee. The completed form of Application shall be posted by the Secretary on the Notice Board in the Club House where it shall remain for at least two clear day and shall thereafter be considered by the Committee.

17. Honorary Members shall be:- a) the members of the party of a visiting team for the duration of their visit and b) the Husband of Wife of a Member when in their company

18. The annual subscription shall fall due on April 1st in each year and any member whose subscription has not been paid by September 1st shall be liable for suspension of privileges as a Member of the Club

19. Members wishing to resign from the Club shall give notice in writing to the Hon. Secretary before 31st March otherwise the Member shall become liable for the subsequent year's subscription.

20. Each Member shall be entitled to entertain not more than two guests in the Club house on any one day, the names of such guests and the name of the Member introducing them shall be entered in the Visitors' Book kept in the Club house for that purpose. No guest shall be so introduced on more than five occasions in any calendar year.

21. The Clubhouse shall be available for the use of Members at any time between the hours of 10.00 am and midnight unless otherwise decided by the Committee PROVIDED ALWAYS that at least one Member of the Committee or Bar Committee or other Officer of the Club shall be present during the time the Clubhouse is in use.

22. The permitted hours for the supply and consumption in the clubhouse of intoxication liquor shall be in accordance with the Club Licence held by the Club at any time.

23. Subject to any condition which may be imposed by the Licensing Justices for the district and to any restrictions which may from time to time be imposed by the Committee, the following shall be entitled to purchase intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises: a) Life Members, Playing Members, Vice -Members, Social Members and Honorary Members. b) Persons attending organised functions as approved by the Committee, at the clubhouse premises in whatever capacity. c) Club employees.

24. The Committee may cancel the Membership of any Member: a) whose conduct in the opinion of the Committee is prejudicial to the good name of the Club either on the field of play or elsewhere, or b) who has not paid his subscription by 31st December in any year. Any member whose membership is cancelled must be informed in writing to that effect within seven days and shall have the right to appear before the Committee at its next meeting to make any submission that he might wish.

25. Every Member shall be entitled to a copy of the Rules of the Club and shall be deemed to be conversant with and be bound by the Rules and Bye Laws in force for the time being. The decision of the Committees to the interpretation of any Rule or Bye-Law shall be final and conclusive.

26. At all General Meetings the Chairman or his nominee shall take the chair and shall have a second or casting vote

27. Only Life Members, Playing Members and Vice-Members shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings, except that in the election of Captain or Vice-Captain only current and past Playing Members of Trentham RUFC and current officers of the Club shall be entitles to vote.

28. The General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of May in each year and shall be called by a Notice specifying the business to be transacted and the time and place of the Meeting which shall be posted in the Clubhouse and sent to every Member to his registered address at lease seven days prior to the date of the Meeting. The accidental omission to send such Notice to any Member shall not invalidate any Resolution or proceedings of such Meeting.

30 . At the Annual General Meeting there shall be elected the Officers of the Club, the Committee, The Bar Committee and such Trustees as shall be required to bring the number up to four. The Officers, Members of the Committee and Bar Committee shall hold appointment until the next Annual General Meeting when they shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.

31. Any vacancies occurring on the Committee or Bar Committee during the year may be filled by the Committee and the persons so appointed shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.

32. Any member of the Club shall have the right to propose and second nominations for Officers, Trustees or Membership of the said Committees provided that the nominee is a Member of the Club entitled to vote at that General Meeting of the Club and who shall have been a Member for a least two years.

33. Where a nominee for Officer, Trustee or Membership of the said committees has been a member for less than two years then he must be a member of the Club, entitled to vote at that Annual General Meeting and he must be both proposed and seconded by Members entitled to vote at that Annual General Meeting and who themselves shall have been members for at least two years.

34. Alterations to these Rues shall only be made at an Annual or Special General Meeting shall be submitted to the Hon. Secretary not less than fourteen days before the day of the Annual or Special General Meeting and shall bear the names of the Proposer and Seconder both of whom must be Members entitled to vote at the General Meeting.

35. The Committee may convene a Special General Meeting when any questions of urgent importance shall arise, and shall be bound to do so within thirty days of receiving a Requisition signed be twenty Members or one fifth of the total number of Members of the Club entitled to attend and vote at a General Meeting whichever be the less. The Requisition shall clearly state the nature of the business to be transacted and any Resolution or Resolutions to be moved at such Meeting. The Committee shall give the Members of the Club Notice of a Special General Meeting in the manner prescribed for an Annual General Meeting