SPONSORED BY
LIVING WITH THE LIONS
Newcastle Falcons
Supporters Club
Newcastle Falcons Supporters Club Constitution
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Newcastle Falcons Supporters Club shall be:
1. To provide activities and services for the benefit of those who support the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club, and specifically:
(a) To assist supporters wishing to travel to away fixtures through the provision of transport;
(b) To organise and promote social facilities and activities;
(c) To engage in charitable fund-
(d) To undertake other appropriate activities.
2. To promote the interests of supporters and foster constructive cooperation and mutual understanding through liaison with the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club and other relevant bodies.
3. To support teams and players representing the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club both on and off the field.
4. To foster good relations with rugby supporters throughout the world.
Membership
5. Subject to Clause 9 hereof, Membership of the Supporters Club shall be open to all.
6. The membership year shall run from 1 August to 31 July.
7. An applicant for membership shall complete a membership application form and pay the appropriate annual Membership Fee: membership shall commence on acceptance by the Management Committee of the application.
8. The Membership Fee shall be reviewed annually and any changes shall only be instigated once approved by the Annual General Meeting, on advice from the Management Committee.
9. The Management Committee shall have the right to refuse membership to any proposed member whom it shall deem inappropriate to be a member, subject to the right of appeal to a committee comprising three persons nominated by the Board of Directors of Newcastle Rugby Limited.
10. A Register of Members shall be kept by the Management Committee.
11. Members must at all times behave in an orderly and acceptable manner. If they fail to do so the Management Committee may caution them as to their future conduct, suspend them for a period of time or expel them from the Club, subject in all cases to a right to appeal to a committee comprising three former members of the supporters Club Management Committee.
Management Committee
12. The activities of the Supporters Club shall be managed by a Management Committee comprising seven members elected annually at an Annual General Meeting.
13. All Members of the Supporters Club shall be eligible to stand as candidates for
membership of the Management Committee. Members who were previously on the Management
Committee shall be eligible to offer themselves for re-
14. All nominations for membership of the Management Committee shall be in submitted in writing on the designated Nomination Form, which shall be signed by the candidate, the proposer and the seconder, and must be received by the Management Committee not less than fourteen days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.
15. The Management Committee shall have the power to co-
16. The Management Committee shall, at its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting, appoint from their number a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and may from time to time assign responsibilities for matters within its remit as it deems appropriate.
17. The Management Committee shall meet as often as deemed appropriate, and in any event at least twice a year, all meetings being convened by no less than seven days notice.
18. The quorum for a meeting of the Management Committee shall comprise four elected members.
19. In the absence of the Chairman of the Management Committee at any meeting, those Committee Members present shall elect from their number a person to act as chairman for the meeting.
20. All matters presented to a Management Committee meeting may be determined by a simple majority of the Management Committee Members voting thereon. In the case of a vote resulting in no majority, the Chairman shall have a second casting vote.
21. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings.
General Meetings
22. There shall be an Annual General Meeting each year, to be held as soon as practicable after the end of the rugby season, with no more than fifteen months elapsing between one Annual General Meeting and the next.
23. The Management Committee may convene a Special General Meeting, and shall convene
one within fourteen days of a written request to do so by not less than twenty Supporters
Club Members, such meeting to take place not less than twenty-
24. The quorum for a General Meeting, being either a Special or the Annual General Meeting, shall comprise twenty Supporters Club Members.
25. All General Meetings shall be convened by means of a written notice conveyed
to all Members by being posted on the Supporters Club Notice Board and sent to Members
by post or email in the form of a letter or Newsletter, such notice to be given not
less than twenty-
26. The Chairman of the Management Committee shall chair the Annual General Meeting and any Special General Meeting convened in accordance with these rules, but the Chairman shall have the right to appoint another Member present at the meeting to chair all or part of the meeting.
27. In the absence of the Chairman of the Management Committee, those Supporters Club Members present shall elect from their number a person to act as chairman for the meeting.
28. The Annual General Meeting shall receive a report on the activities of the Supporters Club in the year, receive annual statements of account, approve the Membership Fees for the following year, elect a new Committee, and consider such other matters as may be deemed appropriate by the Management Committee.
29. All Members of the Supporters Club shall be entitled to vote on matters presented to the Annual General Meeting, or to any Special General Meeting, whether in person or by proxy vote. Where a proxy vote is exercised this shall take the form of a General proxy with the Member appointing as a proxy either another Member of the Supporters Club or the Chairman of the meeting to vote on such matters as are presented to the meeting in such manner as the proxy has been instructed to vote or in the absence of instruction as the proxy deems appropriate. Completed proxy forms must be lodged with the Club Secretary at least 48 hours before the time of the meeting.
30. All matters presented to a General Meeting shall be determined by a simple majority
(except in the case of a vote under Clause 40 hereof when a two-
31. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings.
Financial Management
32. The Management Committee shall ensure that proper books of accounts are kept and that accounts showing the financial position of the Supporters Club are presented to the Annual General Meeting.
33. The financial year of the Supporters Club shall run from 1 June to 31 May.
Away Travel
34. The Supporters Club shall make arrangements as appropriate to enable Members to travel to away matches and other events.
35. The cost of travel shall be determined and all travel arrangements shall be made by the Management Committee.
36. On any trips arranged by the Supporters Club, any member under sixteen years of age must be accompanied by an adult who will be personally responsible for the welfare of such under sixteen throughout any period of travel and at any away fixture.
37. Guests may travel only on being invited by a member and only if space is available and is surplus to the requirements of the members, with an additional charge, and any member bringing a guest shall be responsible for that guest's behaviour.
38. Transport arrangements will be posted on the Club Notice Board which is located in the Kingston Park Clubhouse and will be strictly adhered to, and no responsibility will be accepted for any member who is not at the departure point at the appointed time and consequently fails to catch the transport arranged.
39. Travel costs (and, where appropriate, match admission charges) must be paid for on or before the date of travel. Any member or guest who fails to travel after booking their seat may be asked to pay a surcharge on their next booking.
Dissolution
40. In the event of the dissolution of the Newcastle Falcons Supporters Club, any income or property remaining will be allocated to clubs or societies with similar objectives, or to a charitable purpose associated with the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club.
Changes to the Constitution and Membership Rules
41. Any alterations or additions to this Constitution shall be made only at an Annual General Meeting of the club, or at a Special General Meeting convened in accordance with this constitution, and shall be determined by a simple majority of the Members voting thereon, either in person or by proxy,