1.Title

The title is Dunstable Road Runners Club, DRR, (hereafter: the club).  

2.Object of the Club

The object of the club is to promote the participation of the whole community in the sport of road, trail and cross-country running.

3.Home

The main location is Creasey Park, Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable, LU6 1BB

4. Non-profit making

Any surplus income or gains must be reinvested in the club.  

5. Mission statement

The club caters to athletes to enhance their potential in road, trail and cross-country running.  The club aims to support the members. The activities of the club strive to provide enjoyment and challenging competitive opportunities, which are based on a socially responsible foundation.  

6. Objectives

  1. Encourage active involvement in and development of the sport of road, trail and cross-country running.
  2. Promote a culture of inclusion and equality for all athletes in road, trail and cross-country events.
  3. Provide leaders where possible at the club’s scheduled running sessions in road, trail and cross country running available to all members.
  4. Promote and organise competitive events in road, trail and cross-country running for all members.
  5. Organise teams to represent the club in the area and regional championships, leagues and other competitions, and endeavour to cover runners entry costs for these events depending on the clubs’ financial situation. Members will be informed at the time of advertising;
    1. XC season
    2. Fairlands Valley Relay
    3. Greensands Relay
  6. The club will be fully inclusive in all its activities, operating in an open, honest, and transparent way.
  7. The club will hold a bank account through which all its financial transactions will be managed.

7. Membership

Membership of the club shall be open to all persons irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs, or of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of road, trail and cross-country running as a particular sport.

All members will be amateurs as defined by UK Athletics, and any other governing body which may supersede it.

All members must sign the Code of Conduct on a yearly basis and abide by the code.

All members must complete emergency contact details on ‘Spond’ or an equivalent system to ensure all runners have access to the emergency contact. The age section can be deleted if preferred. This information should not be shared and is only for use for the intended purpose.

The minimum age of entry is 16 years.  Each applicant for membership must complete the official application form.  All applications shall be considered and subject to approval by the Committee. 

Under 16 can be members as part of a family membership.  They can take part in track/hills only with a parent in attendance Max 3.1 miles.

16 and 17-year-olds can take part in track/hills/club sessions and be members with explicit parental consent and understanding our leaders are not responsible for them any more than they are for any other runner, and not all are DBS checked. Max distance 10k. They must complete a Young Persons Code of Conduct in addition to the standard Code of Conduct.

If a situation arises that only two runners are on a session which includes an under-18, then the session would not take place, as a safeguarding issue.

Potential members who have not run with the club previously can attend sessions for up to one month, a trial period, then membership must be completed.  Anyone who has previously run with the club must be a member before attending sessions, they cannot attend as a trial.

The Committee may refuse membership to any potential member.  Any potential member, who wishes to protest against membership refusal by the Committee, has the right to appeal.  Appeals against such a decision will be heard at a meeting of club members and decided by a majority vote.

The Secretary may waive membership fees for any applicant or member who is suffering extreme hardship, subject to ratification of the Committee.

Only club members or those in the trial period are able to take part in club Run, hills, and training sessions.

Only club members are able to take part in ‘special event runs’ for example (but not limited to) any event on ‘Spond’, Hot Cross Bun Run, Mince Pie Run etc. Any special event publicised by the club will be clear on whether non-members can attend.

There will be three categories of membership, namely;

1) Full members (including families). Active members will be registered with the relevant association(s) and will have full access to the club’s nominated events. Full members can be on the committee.

UKA membership is favourable to support national athletics, a benefit including reduced race fees. The London Marathon (dependant on numbers) may issue one place, if this occurs, the place is placed in a ballot for UKA members only, the criteria for entry to the ballot include having run regularly in club colours, being fully paid member, and have volunteered at least one DRR event.

2) Second Claim members. members who run with the club as a second claim, this means they are fully paid-up members for another similar running club but choose to run as a 2nd claim with DRR. They cannot run for DRR at an event if the first claim club is participating in that event unless they are explicitly released from these duties by the first claim club.

 

3) Life members (Full Member). The club shall have the power to elect life-full members. The qualification for life membership is distinguished services rendered to the club. The life members must complete the code of conduct on a yearly basis. If the code of conduct isn’t renewed their membership will be closed.

8. Management

The management of the club shall be vested in a variety of positions. Some roles form a Committee, made up of Executive Officers and section representatives, some positions do not have to be on the committee:

  • Chair (Executive Officer)
  • General Secretary (Executive Officer)
  • Treasurer (Executive Officer)
  • Welfare Officer (Committee)
  • Event Coordinator (Committee)
  • Captain (Committee)
  • Membership Secretary (Committee)
  • Results Administrator (Committee)
  • Kit Officer(Committee)
  • Social Secretary
  • Website Administrator
  • Facebook Administrator
  • Vice Captain
  • Vice Chair
  • Coaching Coordinator
  • Awards Coordinator
  • Funding Coordinator

 

All the listed Committee positions are elected at the Annual General Meeting.

The Committee will establish an Executive consisting as a minimum of the following officers: – Chair, General Secretary and Treasurer.

A quorum shall consist of more than half the members of the Committee and must include a minimum of two members of the Executive.  The Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies if and when they arise.

The Committee shall also have the power to co-opt members for particular projects, but co-opted members shall not have a committee vote.

The Committee will meet on a minimum 2-monthly basis, ideally on a monthly basis, with the Executive dealing with any issues that require addressing on an ongoing basis, with committee members attending at least 75% of the meetings.  The Executive will update the Management Committee on ongoing decisions made at Committee meetings.   The Management Committee will be held in person or via a virtual meeting platform.

The Committee will prepare an agenda which must include progress reports from the relevant officers and section representatives on the day-to-day running of the club. Minutes of Management Committee meetings will be made available to all club members.

Should the normal operation of the club require suspending due to extreme events curtailing that operation, then the Committee shall meet to determine the interim arrangements to allow the club to operate until such time as normal operation can resume.

The Committee will make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

9. Discipline and behaviour

The Committee will hear any complaint made against a member of the club for inappropriate behaviour or conduct or character likely to bring the club into disrepute.  Following discussions with all parties the Committee may suspend any member for any period or expel them from membership having heard the complaint against the member.  The affected member has the right to appeal against the decision of The Committee for permanent or temporary suspension from the club.  Appeals against such a decision will be heard at a meeting of club members and decided by a majority vote. If the member involved is part of the committee they will not be able to vote or attend the vote.

10. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in November or within two months of the end of the club’s financial year for the purpose of:

  1. Confirm the minutes of the previous AGM and any Extraordinary General Meetings held since the last AGM.
  2. Receiving the annual report of the Committee from the Secretary.
  3. Receiving the audited statement of accounts and balance sheet from the Treasurer.
  4. Electing the auditors for the ensuing year.
  5. Electing the Executive Officers and remaining members of the Committee for the ensuing year. Should there be any vacancies for members of the Committee they can be filled on the night with a Proposer and Seconder.
  6. Considering any amendments to the constitution and rules of which due notice has been given to all members.
  7. Reviewing subscription rates and agreeing on them for the ensuing year.

The AGM notice giving the date venue and invitation for nominees must be posted 4 weeks in advance of the AGM. At least 28 days’ notice must be given for any amendments to the constitution, nominations for Executive positions and the remaining Management Committee members. The remainder of the Committee members will be assumed to be standing unless they notify the General Secretary in writing of standing down. At least 21 days’ notice shall be given to members of the date, venue, and agenda items for the AGM.  Each fully paid-up club member over 18 years of age on the day of the meeting and present at the meeting shall be eligible to vote.

Decisions made at an AGM shall be by a simple majority of votes from those club members attending the meeting.  In the event of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

When the AGM cannot be held in person, then the Committee can recommend using an appropriate virtual meeting platform.

11. Affiliation

The club shall seek to be affiliated with the relevant governing bodies in order to carry out the objectives of the club.

12. Subscriptions

Members pay an annual subscription fee on or before the 1st April each year. The level of the fees for full members and associate members may be adjusted at the AGM.  Life members must sign the code of conduct on a yearly basis.  New members must pay the appropriate fees with their application for membership, within one month of the trial period.

13. Non-payment of subscription

Members who have not renewed their subscription before the deadline (and completed the code of conduct) will be automatically resigned from the club unless prior arrangements have been made for late payment. They will be removed from communication and all social media.

Once a member has resigned from the club, they will no longer be registered with the appropriate affiliated body(s), and should they wish to compete will be unattached and will need to pay the appropriate fee.  Resigned members cannot represent the club in any event.

A member who has resigned from the club may, at any time, rejoin providing a membership application is made, the code of conduct agreed and the relevant membership fee is paid.

14. Resignations  

Any member wishing to resign should do so in writing addressed to the Chair or General Secretary. 

15,.Extraordinary General Meeting

The General Secretary or Chair shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting within one month of the receipt of a requisition signed by at least 20 members stating the purpose of the meeting.  The Committee also have the right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting.  At least 14 days’ notice shall be given to all fully paid-up members of the date, venue and purpose of an Extraordinary General Meeting.

Decisions made at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Club Members attending the meeting.  In the event of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

No other business shall be conducted at such a meeting.

When the Extraordinary General Meeting cannot be held in person, then the Management Committee can recommend using an appropriate virtual meeting platform.

16. Constitution amendments

No constitution rule may be altered, added to, or deleted except at an Annual General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose, then only by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.  In all other matters, the club will be governed by the current rules of the governing bodies.  The Committee shall decide all questions as to the interpretation of the aforementioned constitution.

17. Dissolution of the club

If, at any Committee meeting of the club, a resolution is passed calling for the dissolution of the club, the General Secretary shall immediately convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.

If, at that Extraordinary General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the fully paid-up members present at the meeting, the Management Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the club.

In the event of the dissolution of the club, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the club but shall be given or transferred to one or more of the following approved sporting or charitable bodies:

  1. A registered charitable organisation(s)
  2. Another club which is a registered CASC
  3. The sport’s national governing body

Amended November 2023