Rules of Gloucester Rowing Club

RULES OF GLOUCESTER ROWING CLUB

Subscriptions

1. Subscriptions may be paid in advance by monthly Standing Order or by a single payment to cover one year starting from 1st April. If a Standing Order payment is missed the balance of the annual subscription will immediately become due. Patrons pay a single fee, set by the Annual General Meeting, for lifetime membership.

2. Members who resign from the Club remain liable to pay a subscription for the month in which their resignation takes effect. Members who are removed from the membership list by the Committee will be deemed to have given one months notice of resignation on the later of the day that their subscription expired or the day on which they last used the Club’s facilities and be liable to pay a subscription accordingly.

3. Recognisable bodies of students may pay their subscriptions by academic year.

4. a) A family, consisting of 2 Senior Members and their 2 or more children who are Junior members, will be entitled to pay a reduced rate of subscription - the subscription for the second child will be half the appropriate rate and for the third and subsequent children one quarter of the appropriate rate.

b) The rate of subscription for a new member will be one twelfth of the annual subscription multiplied by the number of months remaining until 31st March next from (and including) the month in which the application for membership was made.

c) The Committee may reduce the subscription payable by members who are suffering financial hardship.

5. Persons who are or have been members of the Club and have, in the opinion of the Committee, rendered good service to the Club may be offered Senior Membership for life by the Committee, for a sum agreed by both parties. Such Members will be entitled to full use of the Club’s facilities.

6. The individual levy imposed from time to time by the British Rowing shall be added to the Members subscription then appertaining.

7. No member shall be allowed to use the Club’s boats or boating facilities if their subscription is in arrears. The Membership Secretary will post, in the Clubroom, a list of those members who have paid and their class of membership. A list of members whose subscription is in arrears will be presented to each committee meeting.

Organisation of Rowing

8. A Rowing Committee appointed by and at the discretion of the Captain shall assist him/her in organising, selecting and coaching crews during the season.

Care and use of boats

9. The member pulling the stroke oar in any boat shall have command of the crew unless another member has been designated by the Captain.

10. No member shall be entitled to the use of more than one boat at a time, nor to remove any boat from the Boathouse, except for bona-fide immediate use, or to retain such a boat unless he/she remains personally in charge of it. Any dispute regarding the use of any particular boat or boats shall be settled by the Captain.

11. Members shall only use such class of boats as the Captain shall from time to time deem them qualified to use.

12. Associate and Patron Members and Visitors to the Club may use the Club’s boats and/or boating facilities with the Captain’s permission. Such persons shall pay a fee determined by the Annual General Meeting. No visitor shall be permitted to use Club equipment to the exclusion of a member of the Club.

13. All members before taking a boat (including a coaching launch) out shall enter in the book provided for that purpose at the Boathouse their names, the time, name of boat used, and the name of any persons who may accompany them who are not members of the Club. When returning the boat to the Boathouse the book must be signed to show that the outing has been completed. 14. Any damage to boats or other equipment shall be noted in the book provided.

15. Any person breaking or injuring anything belonging to the Club by negligence or improper usage shall pay a sum to repair or replace the same as may be directed by the Committee.

16. The boats shall be returned to the Boathouse the same night but the Captain may make any special order with reference to the return of the boats.

17. Every member on landing from a Club boat, or boat being used by the Club, shall assist in cleaning and housing such boat and in doing so shall follow the directions of the responsible officer present or Boatman.

18. Club blades shall not be used until painted in Club colours.

Public Races

19. Regatta uniform shall be the Racing Strip of the Club.

20. No member shall represent the Club in any public race without first obtaining the sanction of the Captain. No member whose subscription is in arrears shall represent the Club in any public race.

21. Members are responsible for their own race entry fees and shall pay fees before they race. No member whose race fee payments are in arrears shall represent the Club in any public race.

22. The Captain shall be responsible for entering the crew to compete in any race. The General Committee shall decide what expenses, if any, of such crew shall be paid by the Club.

Access to the Boathouse

23. The Committee will publicise the normal opening hours of the Club and ensure that the Club is open at those times.

24. The Secretary will issue keys to all members of the Committee and to any other member who regularly needs access to the Club for Club business eg re-stocking the bar. Members who store privately owned boats at the Club may apply for a set of keys to access the boathouse and changing facilities. A deposit of £20 will be payable for these sets of keys.

25. Other members may apply for keys if their circumstances dictate that they cannot use the club regularly during normal opening hours. The Committee will consider each case on its merits. A deposit of £20 shall be payable for any sets of keys issued.

Privately owned equipment

26. Privately owned boats and other equipment may only be stored in the Boathouse with the approval of the Captain; a racking fee, payable in advance, may be charged as determined by a General Meeting of the Club called for that purpose. It is stored at the owner’s own risk and the owner is responsible for insuring the equipment (including adequate Public Liability insurance). Proof of insurance shall be produced within 14 days of a written request made for it by the Captain or Secretary.

27. Privately owned boats and other equipment shall be removed from the Boathouse if the owner ceases to be a member of the Club or if racking fees are unpaid. If the equipment is not removed, the Committee shall be entitled upon giving one month’s written notice to the owner, at their last known address shown in the register of members, to sell or, if not saleable in the opinion of the Committee, dispose of the equipment and to deduct any monies due to the Club (whether by way of arrears of subscription, disposal costs or otherwise) from the net proceeds of the sale before accounting for the balance (if any) to the owner. Any balance not claimed within six years will be used to further the objectives of the Club. The owner will continue to be liable for any debts (eg arrears of subscriptions, disposal costs) not covered by the proceeds of the sale of equipment.

Members’ Responsibilities

27. During each year, every member shall help run at least one event organised by the Committee and every member over 18 years of age shall undertake bar duties. Alterations to the Rules

28. The Committee may make temporary changes to these rules at their discretion. Temporary changes shall be displayed for at least 10 days before they take effect. Temporary changes shall be submitted to the next General Meeting of the Club for approval.

29. Permanent changes to these Rules shall not be made without the consent of a simple majority of the members present and voting at a General Meeting called for that purpose. Proposed changes to these rules must be displayed for a minimum of 10 days before the General Meeting at which they are to be discussed.

Last changed: 5th September 2016