Club Rules – General.
1. The Club shall be called Hereford Couriers Running Club (“The Club”) and its object is to promote running and to provide the opportunities to train and compete.
2. The Club colours are Red top with Yellow text.
3. Club Members must be 16 years old or over, our membership is open to everyone.
4. The Club subscriptions for ordinary members is decided annually at the AGM and is payable from the time a membership application form is submitted to the following 31 March. If a member joins after 1 January then the club subscription will cover the following 31 March plus one year. In addition to the club subscription the member may also optionally choose to pay a registration fee to England Athletics. Members joining after 1 January, but before 31st March, are liable during that period only for any registration fee payable to England Athletics or other such equivalent body.
5. The Club year shall date from 1 April of each year when annual subscriptions become due.
6. The Committee (as defined in Rule 10) shall have the power to expel any member whose subscription is 12 months in arrears, providing one months’ notice in writing or by e-mail shall have been sent to such a member to his/her last known address informing him/her of the proposed action of the committee.
7. Members should distinctly understand that in competing membership forms they bind themselves to abide by the rules of the Club and if the conduct of any member be inconsistent with the character and interests of the Club, the Committee shave have the power to expel such members, The expelled member shall at once cease to have any interest in the Club, or its funds, and shall not be elected by any future vote.
8. If any member wishes to retire from the Club, (s)he shall give notice in writing to the Secretary (as defined in Rule 10) Every member so giving notice thereby forfeits all interest in the Club funds and property thereof.
9. Each ordinary member will be made aware of the Club rules when (s)he joins; these rules will be posted on the Clubs website.
10. The general management of the Club is vested in a committee. (“the Committee”) consisting of Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and Social Media Secretary together with a least one other member elected to the committee.
11. The Committee shall meet as often as deemed necessary.
12. Members are reminded that they must not represent the Club in unauthorised races, either as individuals or in a team.
13. The Committee shall have the power to establish sections such sections to be under the control of the managing body of the club.
14. An Annual General Meeting shall be held before the end of March each year to receive from the Secretary and Treasurer the Report and Statement of the Club accounts, to pass the same and to elect other officials for the forthcoming year.
15. Hereford Couriers Running Club is a not for profit organisation, any income or profit is to be only used to reinvest into the Club.
16. Any change of contact details should be forwarded to the Secretary, and the member must ensure that they are amended on the UKA website.
17. The club should appoint at least one Welfare Officer, preferably two, one male and one female and they should notify England Athletics of the name and email address for each Welfare Officer. This can be done via the Club Secretaries Portal or re-affiliation paperwork
18. All retiring officials are eligible for re-election.
19. The income and property of the Club shall be applied solely to its stated object and no member of the club shall receive payment for his/her services, as a member.
20. In the event of dissolution of the Club any income or property remaining shall be distributed at the discretion of a two thirds majority of the paid up or life members.
21. The Committee declines any responsibility for damage, injury or loss sustained by members during club activities, or when representing the Club at Races
22. All club officers and committee members should ensure that relevant club personnel attend recommended training in welfare and safeguarding and comply with requirements to obtain an Enhanced DBS where appropriate. It is the responsibility of the club (not just the Welfare Officer) to ensure that there is a volunteer recruitment process in place which includes a volunteer reference form and that all volunteers/helpers are recruited using this process.’ ‘A two thirds majority of the paid up or life club members attending and entitled to vote’ is required to change a rule.
23. No rule shall be added or altered without a proposer and seconder and the consent of a two thirds majority of the paid up or life club members attending and entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting duly convened by the Committee if deemed necessary with at least one month’s notice of the meeting circulated via members preferred method of communication with full details of the Proposition(s) for rule alteration(s) or addition(s) , and any proposed alteration(s) and or addition(s) be given in writing to the Secretary at least 6 weeks before the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
Life Club Membership.
Life Club Membership may be conferred on Member for outstanding service to the Club, where it is proposed by the Committee and agree at General Meeting of the Club. Life Membership will entail the waiving of the annual Club subscription but not the optional levy administered by England Athletics.
Second Claim Membership
1. An athlete who is a first claim member for another affiliated club may become a second claim member of the Club on payment of the standard annual Club subscription.
2. Second claim membership is primary for social and training purposes only represent their second claim if the terms and conditions of the competition explicitly allow. Second claim members will be listed on club records, rankings or leader boards.
3. If the first claim club of the athlete is also participating in a competition, then the athlete must represent their first claim club.
Hereford Couriers Running Club Club Data Protection Policy.
In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation that comes into force 25/5/18, Hereford Couriers Running Club require members’ agreement to collect, keep and destroy certain information about them as described here. The information in question will be name, date of birth, gender, email address, address, telephone number. The Club may :
• Share data with club coaches or officials to administer training sessions.
• Share data with club team managers to enter events.
• Share data with leagues, county associations and other competition providers for entry in event
• Share data with committee members to provide information about club activities, membership renewals or invitation to social events.
• Use data in processing of membership forms and payments.
• Use data in publishing of race and competition results.
• Use data in website management.
• Share data with England Athletics if member chooses to register with this body If a Club member has not renewed membership for three years since joining, all data on him/her possessed by the Club will be destroyed.
Club Policy with regard to the Club’s London Marathon place(s)
1. The existence of any club place(s), and their number, will be circulated to the members by the Secretary as soon as information is available to the Club.
2. Initial preference will be given to those members who applied for and failed to gain a place in the London Marathon ballot.
3. Should there be more applicants than places, preference will begiven to those have not received a club place in the previous year, and who have been paid up Club members for the last 12 months.
4. If more applicants than places remain, members who, in the view of the Committee, contribute the most to the Club activities (I.e. participation in training nights, representing the Club in competition, assisting at Club promoted events etc.) will receive a place.
5. If it is still not possible to decide between two or more applicants, a draw will be held at the earliest Committee meeting to select those who will receive Club place(s)
Club Welfare Roles & Responsibilities
Welfare covers a range of issues such as safeguarding and protecting children, anti-bullying, poor practice in coaching and disciplinary matters. It encompasses policies and procedures to set out minimum standards of expectations,such as codes of conduct, procedures to follow for dealing with child protection concerns, other welfare issues or complaints, and to ensure that England Athletics, clubs and associations meet their statutory responsibilities to safeguard and protect childrenand adults. Welfare is essential to contribute to good practice within athletics, develop performance and to ensure the safety and enjoyment of athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect the welfare of all those who participate in athletics.
The key roles and responsibilities are set out below. England Athletics affiliated athletics & running clubs
•Every athletics club should appoint at least one Welfare Officer, preferably two, one male and one female and they should notify England Athletics of the name and email address for each Welfare Officer. This can be done via theClub Secretaries Portal or re-affiliation paperwork.
•ALL club officers and committee members have responsibility to uphold the club’s policies and procedures, to adhere to good practice and to support the club Welfare Officer to respond to any suspected breaches. This is NOT thesole responsibility of the Welfare Officer.
•Under the Welfare Policies and Procedures, if there is any concern about child abuse the Welfare Officer should be informed immediately. If the Welfare Officer is not available, the person with concerns should report the matterto the UK Athletics Lead Safeguarding Officer, please refer to England Athletics Reporting Flowcharts available at http://www.englandathletics.org/clubs-and-facilities/club-support-services/compliance-wellbeing/club-safeguarding-and-disciplinary-processes/.
•The Welfare Officer, club officers and committee members should ensure that information is available at the club and to all club officers, team managers, coaches, officials and athletes regarding contact details for local Children’sservices, the police and the NSPCC. For more details please see http://www.englandathletics.org/clubs-and-facilities/club-support-services/compliance-wellbeing/useful-links-and-signposting/
•The club officers and committee members should ensure there are club disciplinary procedures to deal with issues of misconduct which are not child abuse. More information is available at http://www.englandathletics.org/clubs-and-facilities/club-support-services/compliance-wellbeing/club-safeguarding-and-disciplinary-processes/
•All club officers and committee members should ensure that relevant club personnel attend recommended training in welfare and safeguarding and comply with requirements to obtain an Enhanced DBS where appropriate. It is the responsibilityof the club (not just the Welfare Officer) to ensure that there is a volunteer recruitment process in place which includes a volunteer reference form and that all volunteers/helpers are recruited using this process
