RNKA Constitution - UPDATED 24 NOVEMBER 2009

NAME OF THE CLUB

1. The Club will be called the Royal Navy Kayak Association.

CLUB MISSION

Purpose

2. The Club exists for the promotion of military efficiency through the pursuit of kayaking, canoeing and associated activities.

3. It shall be achieved by:

     a. Encouraging and assisting individuals to attain relevant qualifications and experience.

     b. Providing information, advice and services for members.

     c. Organising a full range of kayaking activities in which members can participate.

     d. Supporting and advising in competition disciplines and expeditions.

4. The Club is committed to:

     a. Exercising the correct duty of care during all activities.

     b. Enhancing members kayaking skills and leadership abilities.

     c. Developing and maintaining a high level of safety amongst its members.

     d. Ensuring its members understand the risks inherent in kayaking.

     e. Promoting and following an ethical kayaking/conoeing policy.

     f. Representing the views of its members to the BCU.

Participation

5. The Club recognises that kayaking and canoeing are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement. However, through the fostering of good practise, encouragement of individuals to attain relevant qualifications and experience and the exercising of the correct duty of care during all its activities, the Club strives to ensure these risks are appropriately and safely managed.

MEMBERSHIP

6. Application for Membership shall be made in writing or via email to the Membership Secretary. Membership is subject to eligibility and the discretion of the Committee. All members will be required to submit a membership form.

7. The Membership Secretary is responsible for ensuring that new Members are welcomed to the Club and provided with general joining information.

8. All members will be encouraged to join the RN Sports Lottery.

Current Categories of Membership

9. The following categories of Membership are available for new applicants, depending upon eligibility:

     a. Full Member. Full Membership is open to both serving and retired Members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and associated Naval Services.

     b. Associate Member. Associate Membership is open to the immediate family of Full Members and other such individuals as the Committee may decide. Associate Members have no voting powers or other voice in the management of the Club.

     c. Honorary Member. The Committee may offer Honorary Membership to any one who has distinguished themselves in the service of the Club. Honorary Members enjoy the same rights and privileges as Full Members.

Termination of Membership

10. Under exceptional circumstances the Committee may unanimously decide that a Member's continuing membership no longer serves the best interests of the Club. When this occurs the Chairman will write to the Member concerned advising him/her accordingly and inviting them to consider their position.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

11. The club shall remain free from subscription.

12. The committee may introduce a subscription charge for membership should it suit the best needs of the club, this should be proposed and agreed at the AGM.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB

13. The Officers of the Club will be:

14. The management of the Club shall be by Committee, which shall comprise:

The Director of Naval Physical Training & Sport and the Secretary of the RN & RM Sports Control Board or their representatives are ex-officio members of the Committee.

15. The Chairman, who is normally to be an Officer of Commander RN or Lt Col RM rank, is elected by invitation of the retiring Chairman in consultation with the Committee. The Chairman will normally serve for a maximum of four years.

16. The Secretary will normally be Officer of Lt Cdr or Lt Rank and will be appointed by the Chairman in consultation with the Committee.

17. Full Committee Members will normally serve for two years unless the Committee decides that it is to the particular advantage of the Club that an individual should remain on the Committee, in which case a further year may be served. This will be subject to ratification at the AGM. On completion of a 2 year rotation, the post shall be advertised for volunteers for election at the AGM.

18. In the interest of continuity, on completion of his/her term in office, the Honorary Secretary will automatically become a member of the Committee for one year.

19. A Committee quorum shall consist of the Chairman or Honorary Secretary and three other Members of the Committee. Proposals involving significant or contentious expenditure, however, shall not be adopted without first consulting the Chairman and Honorary Treasurer.

20. The President, who is normally to be an Officer of not less than two star rank, is elected by invitation of the retiring President in consultation with the Club Chairman.

21. The Committee will normally invite membership, but any Full Member may propose candidates, or nominate him/herself, for election to the Committee, by giving notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary. All available posts will be advertised in the newsletters. The Committee will vote on prospective candidates and the names of successful candidates will be announced at the AGM.

22. Those serving on the Committee should represent as wide a spectrum of Membership as possible. There should be at least one Royal Marine and a fair balance of officers and ratings.

23. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional non-voting members.

24. The Committee shall have the power to set or change Club rules.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

25. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in conjunction with the Inter-Services Cano Polo competition, normally on the third weekend in November.

26. Subscription introduction must be passed at the AGM by a minimum of two thirds of those entitled to vote. The Committee will decide which other issues and changes to the Constitution warrant a vote at the AGM.  All Constitution changes will be announced in the newsletters, allowing members to comment.

27. Any Member wishing to propose a motion must give notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary four weeks in advance of the meeting.

THE AL RAMSEY AWARD

28. Each year, a Member is awarded the Al Ramsey Award for outstanding service to the Club. The main qualities required to win the Award are selflessness, infectious enthusiasm and a clear organisational ability, with prospective candidates ranging from those who lead major expeditions to those who ensure the day to day administrative well being of the Club. As a result of the Award winner's endeavours, the Club will be richer by offering greater opportunity for Members to progress. Any Member can nominate another Member for the Award and nominations should be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary. In proposing candidates, achievement does not need to be confined to the preceding 12 months. At the Committee meeting immediately preceding the AGM, the Committee considers all nominations and conducts a vote. The Chairman then announces the winner at the AGM.

FUNDS OF THE CLUB

29. The Club funds will be administered by the Honorary Treasurer, who will apply them as directed by the Committee. Funds can be used for any purpose furthering the aims of the Club.

30. The Honorary Treasurer shall draw up the accounts of the Club at the end of September each year and present them to the AGM. The accounts are subsequently to be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary in audited form, for presentation to the RN & RM Sports Control Board by the end of November.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE CLUB

31. The office of the Honorary Secretary shall be deemed to be the headquarters of the Club. For tax purposes the Club headquarters is c/o ADNSR, DNPTS.

AFFILIATION TO THE BRITISH CANOE UNION

32. The Club shall be affiliated to the BCU.

INSURANCE

33. All Members participating in club activities are required to have third party liability cover. In addition, all Members are advised to arrange personal insurance cover for themselves whilst on authorised events and/or expeds, particularly when overseas.

EXPEDITION GRANT APPLICATIONS

34. Grants applications for expeditions will be considered based on the following cost breakdown: one third personal contribution, one third public money (AT grants etc), one third non-public money (Sports Lottery, Club funding etc). The adventurous element of the expedition, the availability of Club funds and the number of AT qualifications held within the team will also be taken into consideration.

DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB

35. The Club may be dissolved by a three quarters majority vote of the members, carried out subject to the requirement for notice contained in article 27, whereupon the Committee will arrange to distribute any assets of the Club equally amongst all Members. Any current liabilities of the Club, at the date of dissolution, shall be the joint responsibility of all the Members.