Club Constitution

1. This Club shall be known as CycleOut (the “Club”). 
2. The objective of the Club is to provide an encouraging, social and friendly environment for LGBTQIA+ people and their friends to participate in recreational cycling (the “Objective”). 
3. The Club shall be affiliated to one or more appropriate bodies that will help it deliver its Objective, as determined by the Management Committee from time to time and as reported to members at each Annual General Meeting (“AGM”). 
4. The Club shall be managed by a Management Committee (the “Management Committee”) consisting of the Club Officials plus up to four other members, all to be elected annually. Management Committee members may stand for re-election each year.
5. The Club Officials shall be: Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary. 
6. The Management Committee shall meet as necessary, but at least twice annually, to transact the Club's business. Five Management Committee members shall constitute a quorum, of whom at least two must be Club Officials. If an insufficient number of members stand for election to the Management Committee, or a Management Committee member resigns, then the Management Committee may co-opt Club members to fill the vacancy until the next AGM. 
7. All Club activities will take place under the authority of the Management Committee. 
8. The Management Committee will provide notice of Club activities and notices of meetings (see sections 19 and 26) to members through an online application (currently Spond) and / or the Club’s website and / or social media (currently the Club’s Facebook page) and / or by email. 
9. Membership of the Club shall be open to all people aged 18 and over, who support the Objectives of the Club and who agree to abide by this Constitution. 
10. Membership becomes valid upon the Club's receipt of a completed application form and appropriate subscription. 
11. The annual subscription for members will be reviewed when necessary and decided at the AGM.  
12. Members wishing to resign shall notify the Membership Secretary. Members will be deemed to have resigned if they do not pay their membership fees within one month of becoming due. 
13. The period that non-members may attend day rides as invitees is at the discretion of the Management Committee. Non-members may not attend residential events which involve overnight stays, except with the permission of the Management Committee.  
14. A General Meeting of the club may bestow lifetime honorary membership on any member it considers to have rendered exceptional service to the Club. Honorary members will be exempt from membership fees but will have all the rights of a full member. 
15. Members taking part in Club events shall be responsible for their own safety. Neither the Club, nor any Management Committee member shall be liable for death, injury, loss or public liability sustained by a member, which occurs directly or indirectly as a result of any event connected with the Club. 
16. Members shall be solely and personally responsible for any injuries they, or any third party, may sustain in an accident and for any damage to property they may cause. Members are encouraged to insure themselves appropriately. For trips overseas, members are required to obtain travel insurance.
17. Consistent with the Club’s Objective, members are required to behave towards each other, and towards third parties, in a sociable and friendly manner at all times, both in person and online, and to comply with the Club’s social media guidelines. Members are also required to ride in a safe and responsible manner. Members shall be liable to disciplinary action for conduct which is inconsistent with the preceding two sentences or which is prejudicial to the interests of the Club or which is inconsistent with the Club’s Objective. The Management Committee shall have disciplinary powers and may, in appropriate cases, terminate a member’s membership of the Club. 
18. The Club's financial year shall commence on 1st. January and end on 31st December after which date the Treasurer shall prepare the Balance Sheet and subsidiary accounts (the “Accounts”). The Accounts shall be presented at the AGM. 
19. The AGM shall be held annually, after the end of the financial year. At least thirty days' notice of such meeting shall be sent to the members. A call for agenda items and nominations for the Management Committee will be included in the meeting notice covering the period.
20. The Club will maintain bank accounts opened in the name of the Club. All expenditures will require two signatures, both of whom shall be Club Officials. 
21. Club funds will not be used to subsidise individual members to take part in either Club or external events, unless funding has been raised specifically for such purpose. 
22. The Management Committee may not run the club in debt, nor shall it commit to expenditure greater than its assets. . 
23. Items for the Agenda of any General Meeting must reach the Secretary at least 21 days before the relevant meeting. 
24. Members unable to attend a General Meeting may cast their vote by returning a ballot paper, either by post or by email, to the Secretary at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. 
25. Those wishing to stand for election to the Management Committee should submit their nomination to the Secretary, with a proposer and seconder, at least 21 days before the relevant meeting. 
26. An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (“EGM”) may be called by the Management Committee or by the Chair, upon receipt of a request signed by at least ten percent of members with a copy of the Agenda attached, subject to at least fourteen days' notice being given to the members. 
27. No alterations or additions to this Constitution shall be made except by a motion at a General Meeting. Such motions will be carried only if two thirds or more of votes cast are in favour. 
28. General Meetings shall be quorate when at least ten percent (10%) of the ordinary (non-Committee) membership is present or have submitted a ballot paper in advance, unless there are constitutional changes in which case the percent will be fifteen percent (15%). 
29. The Club may be dissolved by a ballot of all members, a simple majority being required but two thirds of members must cast a vote. Upon the dissolution of the club, all debts and liabilities of the Club shall be settled. If any property remains, it shall be given to one or more other organisations which have objectives similar to the Club. The recipients shall be decided by a motion passed by a General Meeting at the dissolution of the Club.
30. Any matter not provided for in this Constitution shall be dealt with by the Management Committee, but ultimate authority will lie with an AGM and / or EGM. 
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