CONSTITUTION & RULES
ARBROATH AREA FULL BORE GUN CLUB
1. The name of this association shall be "Arbroath Area Full Bore Gun Club".
2. Object of the Club - is to further the sport of full bore shooting in a safe and instructive environment, and to help members qualify for local and national events.
3. Entrance fee and subscriptions - The Club will be funded by annual subscriptions and attendance or range fees. The amount of such fees payable on membership of the Club shall be such sums as the Committee may fix prior to the Annual General Meeting.
4. Membership
(a) All prospective members of the Club shall require to undertake a minimum of a 6 month probation period, which will include training, before becoming "full" members. Candidates for membership of the Club shall be proposed by one member and seconded by a second member who knows the applicant personally. Both proposer and seconder must be "full" debt free members of the Club. Candidates who are already members of another full bore gun club may be adopted as "full" members at the discretion of the committee without a probationary period.
(b) The only permissible membership classes are:
i. Full member - from the age of 18 at the date of (re)joining.
ii. Family members – one full member and up to 2 dependant children who are between the age of 14 and 17 years old at the date of (re)joining.
iii. Student member - for those who do not qualify for family membership but remain between the age of 18 and 25 years old at the date of (re)joining and can provide the committee proof of full time education.
(b) The power of admitting members shall be vested in the committee.
(c) A committee may in its absolute discretion and without giving any reason refuse to admit a prospective member.
(d) Membership of the club shall cease in all or any of the following circumstances:
iv. If the committee shall resolve that the member may be expelled as from the date of the resolution.
v. If a member by notice in writing to the club resigns his or her membership as from the date specified in the notice or at expiration of his or her current year of membership whichever is earlier.
vi. Any club member who does not attend Club events for 8 consecutive weeks without notice to the Club secretary will require to attend a committee meeting to explain his/her absence which if not accepted may mean the termination of that members Club membership. Members must attend a minimum of 6 events in any one year.
vii. If the annual subscription of a member shall be more than “30 days” in arrears as from the expiration of such period of 30 days (unless the committee resolve to extend such period) in which event the membership shall expire at the end of the extended period.
viii. If any member shall wilfully refuse or neglect to comply with any of the club rules or shall be guilty of any conduct objectionable to other members of the club or to the interests of the club they shall be liable to expulsion by resolution of the committee provided that no less than one weeks’ notice in writing shall be given by the secretary to any such member of the intended resolution and of the nature of the allegations made against him/her and the other members shall be entitled at this option to give any explanation in writing or to attend a meeting of the committee at which such resolution is to be considered and to give such explanation or to make such defence in person as he/she may think fit but the committee shall have absolute and unfettered discretion to accept or reject any such explanation or defence and its decision to expel any member be final and conclusive.
(e) A joining fee, the price of which will be set by the committee before the AGM each year, is to be paid when a person is approved for Probationary Membership. The joining fee is also applicable for an existing member who has failed to pay membership fees by the deadline set at the Annual General Meeting.
5. General Meetings
(a) The Club shall in each year hold a general meeting as its Annual General Meeting not later than 14th February, in addition to any other meetings in that year and shall specify the meeting as such in the notice calling it. The Annual General Meeting shall be held at such time and place, as the committee shall appoint. If for any reason the Annual General Meeting is not held in February it shall be held in the following month.
(b) There shall be laid before the Annual General Meeting accounts for the year.
(c) All general meetings other than Annual General Meetings shall be called Extra-Ordinary General Meetings.
(d) The committee may whenever they think fit convene an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting and an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall be convened on requisition by one third of the members in writing addressed to the secretary.
(e) The Annual General Meeting shall be called by 21 clear days’ notice in writing. The note shall be exclusive of the day on which it is served or deemed to be served and of the day for which it is given and shall specify the place, the day and the hour of meeting and in the case of special business the general nature of that business and shall be given in manner as may be prescribed by the Club in general meeting.
6. Officials and Management
(a) The business affairs of the Club shall be under the sole management of the committee of management hereinafter referred to as "the committee" consisting of chairman, secretary, treasurer and 5 committee members. Five will form a quorum. No person whether a member of Arbroath Area Full Bore Gun Club or otherwise shall normally (at the Committee’s discretion) be eligible for election to the Committee of Arbroath Area Full Bore Gun Club for at least one year after joining. Only fully paid up members of the Club shall hold official positions in the Club.
(b) The committee may from time to time and at any time appoint any member of the Club as a committee member to fill a casual vacancy. Any person appointed under this article shall retain his/her office only until the next Annual General Meeting but he shall then be eligible for re-election.
(c) The committee shall meet at least quarterly.
(d) Election of officers and committee members retiring at the Annual General Meeting in every year shall be by a show of hands or ballot conducted in accordance with the following provisions:
i. All members of the committee will retire at the Annual General Meeting. Those retiring are eligible for re-election. Only fully paid up members of the Club in attendance at the Annual General Meeting shall have the right to vote.
ii. In the event of the number of candidates duly nominated or deemed to have been nominated as aforesaid being greater than the number of vacancies for which they are nominated voting will be by show of hands or ballot.
(e) Treasurer - The treasurer shall pay all monies received by the club from any source whatever without any deduction for any purpose to the credit of an account opened in name of the Club at such bank and in such manner as the committee may direct, and further, shall keep such accounts and pay such debts of the Club as the committee shall direct and shall when required to do so, render to the committee at a general meeting an account of all monies received and expended by him. He shall keep a subscription book or books in which he shall record the payments of members and prepare trading accounts, income and expenditure accounts, and balance sheets and submit same to the auditor or auditors appointed. All Club cheques will require to be signed by the treasurer and chairman.
(f) Secretary's General Duties - The secretary shall attend all meetings (if possible) and arrange to take minutes of all said meetings. He shall carry out the directions of the committee.
(g) Disqualification of Committee Members - Any officer or committee member shall be deemed to have vacated his office:
i. if he becomes of unsound mind
ii. if by notice in writing to the club he resigns his office
iii. if he ceases to be member of the club
iv. if he is absent from three consecutive meetings of the committee without notification to the secretary or chairman and the committee resolve that his office is thereby vacated
7. Proceedings of Committee
(a) The Committee members may meet together for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise resolve their meetings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In the case of equality of votes the chairman shall have a second and casting vote. A committee member may, and the secretary on the requisition of a committee member, at any time summon a meeting of the committee members with a minimum of 7 days’ notice given. It shall not be necessary to give notice of a meeting of committee members to any committee members for the time being absent from the U.K.
(b) The quorum necessary for the transaction of business of the committee shall be five.
(c) The chairman of the Club shall be chairman of their meetings but if at any meeting the chairman is not present within 5 minutes after the time appointed for holding the same the committee members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
(d) The Committee members may delegate any of their powers to a subcommittee consisting of such a member or members of their body as they think fit, any sub-committee so formed shall in exercise of the power so delegated conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the committee.
(e) A sub-committee may elect a chairman of its meetings, if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within 5 minutes after the time appointed for holding the same members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
(f) A sub-committee may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and in the case of equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
(g) All acts done by any meeting of the committee members, or of a subcommittee of committee members, or by any person acting as a committee or sub-committee member shall not withstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such committee or sub-committee member or persons acting as aforesaid or that they or any of them were disqualified be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be committee or sub-committee member.
(h) A resolution in writing signed by all the committee members, for the time being entitled to receive notice of a meeting of the committee members shall be valid as if it had been passed at a meeting of the committee members duly convened and held.
8. Bye Laws – The committee shall have power to make such Bye Laws as may be considered necessary for the good governance and order of the Club, providing that no such Bye Laws shall conflict with any of the rules. A copy of all such Bye laws shall be given to each and every member or prospective member. The Bye Laws will contain the rules and orders applicable to shooting matters and gun safety.
9. Change of Rules - No rules shall be altered or shall any new rule be made except by a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present at a General Meeting of the Club.
10. Auditors - An auditor may be appointed by the Club at the Annual General Meeting.
11. Dissolution - In order for a resolution that the Club shall be dissolved or merged to have effect at least two-thirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in favour, and in addition the number of votes cast in favour of the resolution must exceed one half of the number of members of the Club entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting at which the resolution is put. If a resolution that the Club shall be dissolved is effectively passed, the Committee shall be responsible for winding up the affairs of the Club. The date of dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution. The property and assets of the Club shall be converted into cash and distributed amongst the members of the Club in direct proportion to the number of complete years of continuous full club membership. Probationary members at the time of winding up shall not be entitled to any share of the Club's property and assets. Family members will receive only the single share of the adult member, in direct proportion to the number of complete years of continuous full club membership. Student membership of the Club shall qualify for a share of such distribution calculated based on the percentage of subscription fee paid in previous years. In the case of a member with non-continuous membership only the latest period of continuous membership shall qualify for a share in such distribution.
BYE LAWS
ARBROATH AREA FULL BORE GUN CLUB
1. Shooting on Arbroath Area Full bore Gun Club ranges:
a. All shooting will be overseen by a “range officer” appointed on the day. This “range officer” will be an experienced club member and preferably NRA or equivalently qualified. A "range officer" may request any attending members to assist in his duties.
b. Club range rules will be used.
2. Shooting on military ranges:
a. All shooting will be overseen by a NRA or equivalently qualified "range officer" who must be an experienced Club member and whose decision will be final on gun and range discipline. A "range officer" may request any attending members to assist in his duties.
b. Local range rules will override any conflicting club rules.
3. Shooting at other ranges:
a. Customarily, all shooting will be overseen by a NRA or equivalently qualified "range officer" provided by the range.
b. Local range rules will override any conflicting club rules.
4. The committee may terminate the membership of any members who do not comply with such Bye Laws in accordance with Article 8 of the membership rules.
5. Members must sign the club register on arrival and pay fees applicable.
6. Personal Protective equipment - ear protection is mandatory during shooting for everyone in attendance. Eye protection is discretionary, but recommended, for adult members, and compulsory for junior family members.
7. Firearms are not to be loaded other than at the firing point and only on the range officer's command.
8. All firearms must be shown to be clear after firing and before leaving the firing point.
9. Firearms must be kept covered when not at firing point.
10. Any firearm malfunction must be cleared at a firing point and must be shown to the Range Officer. At the termination of firing all marksmen should show the firearm is clear prior to vacation of the firing point.
11. All firearms when out of cover at the range should be kept pointing down range. Pointing of a firearm loaded or unloaded will be regarded at the Range Officer's discretion as a disciplinary matter and the marksmen may be excluded from the range.
12. Consumption of alcohol or drugs is totally prohibited at a designated range and any member who in the opinion of the "Range Officer" is under the influence of either drugs or alcohol will be required to leave the range. Such conduct may also be referred by the Range Officer to the committee as a disciplinary matter.
13. At the termination of firing each and every member who does not hold the relevant Firearms Certificate will require to make a range declaration and return unfired ammunition.
14. Potential members may only use firearms with factory loaded ammunition.
15. All members using handloaded / reloaded ammunition must ensure that all load ‘recipes’ & methods fully comply with manufacturers published load data and loading best practices. Members will attach the club provided ammo box label stating the exact components / weights used
16. Clay pigeon shooting
a. All those participating in clay pigeon shooting must supply proof of adequate and appropriate insurance, hold a valid Shotgun Certificate and be able to demonstrate the safe handling of a shotgun.
b. The right to determine attendance and cartridge fees is reserved to the club committee who shall also take account in the determination of any additional costs borne by the club in supporting clay pigeon activities.
c. Access to the club clay pigeon ground is restricted to designated clay pigeon shooting sessions. No member shall have right of access to the grounds at any other time except for scheduled work parties.
d. Club members have no shooting rights the ground other than for designated clay pigeon activities.