DENMEAD STRIDERS CLUB CONSTITUTION

 

(Revised Jan 2009)

 

1.         Name

            The club shall be called ”The Denmead Striders”.

 

2.         Objectives

            The objectives of the club shall be

 

(a)               To provide a medium through which people can engage in running and exercise as a means of improving their general fitness in an enjoyable atmosphere regardless of whether they have taken part in any sport before.

 

(b)               To enable people to take part in such exercise according to their abilities and requirements to offer appropriate advice and guidance in running via the club coaches.

 

(c)               To support club teams in road races and cross country.

 

(d)               To support individual runners of all abilities.

 

(e)               To structure coaching to enable runners to reach their full

            potential.

 

(f)                 To raise money for the purpose of promoting the aims and objectives of the club.

 

(g)               To arrange social activities for members of the club.

 

(h)               To exercise a duty of care for the safety of all members at club sessions.

 

3.         Membership

            Membership shall be open to all people over the age of 18 years at the discretion of the club.

 

4.         Management

            (a)       The business of the Club shall be vested in a Management Committee, who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).  Five to form a quorum.

 

            The following Honorary Officers shall be elected from the Committee at the AGM:

(1)               Chairman

(2)               Vice Chairman

(3)               Treasurer

(4)               Club Secretary

(5)               Membership Secretary

(6)               Club Captain

(7)               Cross Country Rep

(8)               Social Secretary

(9)               Club Kit Rep

(10)          News Letter Rep

 

(b)               The position of Head Coach will be appointed by the Management Committee. The Head Coach is an ex-officio member of the executive.

 

(c)               The Club should be affiliated to the SEAA and the HAA plus any other appropriate Athletic Association (at the discretion of the committee) to enable all members to participate in events governed by those associations.

 

(d)               The Committee may form Sub-Committees and co-opt members

 

(e)               There must be an AGM each January of which all members must be given notice.

 

(f)                 Amendments to the constitution may be secured by a simple majority at the AGM provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been circulated in the manner proposed in (d) above to all members prior to the meeting.

 

(g)               An extra-ordinary general meeting shall be convened at the request of at least 10 members.

 

5.         Finance

      (a)       The Treasurer shall present audited accounts at each AGM.

 

      (b)       The subscription shall be paid annually on the 1st January.  The amount shall be decided at the AGM.

 

6.         Dissolution

If the Management Committee shall at any time recommend that “The Denmead Striders Club” shall be dissolved, a special general meeting of the Club shall be convened to consider their recommendation.  If this recommendation is endorsed, then the Club shall there upon dissolve. Cash assets remaining to the credit of the Club shall be disposed of to an appropriate charity to be determined at the special general meeting.

 

7.         Rules

            (a)       Membership of the Club is confined to Amateurs as defined by UK Athletics.

 

(b)      The Committee Shall have the power to expel any member whose subscription is 6 months in arrears, provided a months notice in writing has been sent to the member by a recorded delivery letter, addressed to his/her last know address, informing him/her of the proposed action of the Committee (The Black Book Rule)

 

(c)        Members must give 3 months notice of resignation in writing to the Club Secretary.

 

(d)       Members will only be covered by Third Party insurance when at an official Club Session run by a level 2 coach on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.

 

8.         Club Discipline Procedures

           

            First Stage

            Club member to be invited to a committee meeting to be issued with a verbal warning over his/her actions.

 

            Second Stage

                        Send the Club Member a letter of warning by recorded post.

 

            Third and Final Stage

                        Send the Club member a letter of expulsion by recorded post.

 

9.         Procedure for allocating guaranteed London Marathon places

            Guarantee entries for the London Marathon will be awarded to individual paid up club members who have been selected on the following basis:

 

            (a)       Must be a paid up member from 1 July of that year

 

            (b)       Formal entry for the relevant year’s race must have been officially refused

 

            (c)        Proof of rejection is required

 

            (d)       Selection will be made by drawing qualified members names from a hat

 

            (e)       Two separate draws will take place on the same evening for the following categories

                                    (1)       Members who have never competed in the race

                                    (2)       Members who have competed in the race before

                       

            (f)         Candidates only qualify for one category

 

(g)       If members gained a club place in previous year’s draw, they cannot be considered in the following year’s draw as a previous competitor.

 

            (h)        The quantity of guaranteed places will be split evenly between each category (if an odd number of places is allocated preference will go to category (1)

 

(i)                 The draw must be carried out by a member of the committee and over seen by a paid up member not entered in the draw

 

            (j)         The location and date for the draw will be communicated on at least two separate Wednesday evening training sessions

 

(k)        In the event that more places are available than qualified members in a draw category, the subsequent excess entries will be made available for the remaining category

 

(l)            Where a surplus of entries exists on completion of both category draws, a further draw open to all paid up Club members will take place

 

(m)       If on completion of the above procedure a surplus still remains they will be available on a first come basis

 

10.       Club Championships

 

(a)       The Club will hold two championships races each year.

1)     The Denmead 10k

2)     A Half Marathon or 10 mile race from the HRRL.

 

(b)               The committee reserve the right to change races and nominate

suitable alternatives.

 

(c)               To qualify for the Club Championship events athletes must:

                                                                        1)      Be a fully paid up member of the club.

                                                                        2)      Enter in the race as a Denmead Strider.

                                                                        3)      Race in the official Club Kit.

 

11.       Annual Awards

            The following awards will be given annually to paid up members

qualifying for each category.  The awards sub-committee will sit,

review and judge recommendations against performance criteria.

The decision will be based on a majority vote were necessary,

individual awards sub-committee members not able to attend the

review will be allowed to submit their recommendations in writing prior

to the review.

 

NB.  It is up to the individual club members to ensure that they record and submit their race results throughout the year to a committee member for club records, this information is a fundamental part of the

assessment process.

 

Categories

            (1)       10k Club Championship

                        Male and Female

                        Senior - under forty, Vet - over forty, Vet - over fifty

 

            (2)       Half Marathon Club Championship

                        Male and Female

                        Senior - under forty,  Vet - over forty, Vet - over fifty

 

            (3)       Most improved Athlete throughout the year

                        Male and Female

 

            (4)       Club Captains Trophy

                        Male and Female

 

            (5)       Best Performance

                        Male and Female

 

            (6)       Mead End Handicap Trophy

                        Minimum of three races completed to qualify

Male and Female

                        First, second & third

 

            (7)       Burtonian Trophy

Award given by the committee to a club member for service to the club (not necessarily athletic achievement)

The Burtonian Trophy would be arranged by the awards committee. A short list will be offered to the members at the Awards Evening and a ballot taken. In the event of a tie, the Vice Chairman has the casting vote.

 

(8)       Joyce Burton Trophy

Award to be in the “gift” of the Club Chairman in office relating to the year of the awards.

 

(9)               Striders League.

Encompassing both the Today’s Runner Cross Country and the HRRL races.  The competition is based on a points system and is designed specifically to encourage Club Members of differing ability to compete on a regular basis on level terms with the Club’s “elite” athletes.

 

Male and Female

 

First, second and third positions within the league after the final race of the HRRL.   

 

Other awards may be presented at the discretion of the award committee.