Our Constitution

Raw Photographic Camera Club Constitution

1. Name

a) The name of the Camera Club shall be known as RAW Photographic Camera Club, hereafter referred to as the ”Club”.

2. Club meetings

a) Monthly Club meetings are normally held in the Bridge Community Centre, Lisburn on the first Tuesday of each month, September to June. The Club also has the option to conduct its meetings virtually via Zoom and on these occasions members will be advised in advance. In addition to the regular meetings monthly day-trips are normally arranged for Club members. When a regular meeting date falls on a Public/Bank holiday, an alternative date shall be notified to the members.

3. Aim

a) To meet like-minded people within a social environment in order to foster and promote an interest in the art of photography within the local community.

4. Club Objectives

a) To provide help and encouragement to further the expertise of members by arranging and promoting guest speakers, tutorials, demonstrations, outings and competitions and to form classes of instruction so as to bring about a widespread and thorough knowledge of the principles of photography;

b) To promote the wellbeing of the Club’s Membership and for all members to work together irrespective of age, sexual orientation, gender, race, physical ability, religion, political view or photographic ability; and

c) To work closely with the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA), Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, and other public bodies in the promotion of the Club.

5. Management of the Club

a) Management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the following principal office holders:-

Chairperson
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
NIPA Council Member and up to four Club Members.

b) All members of the Committee shall be elected by the Club membership at an initial Annual General Meeting (AGM). Election of any members to future vacant Committee posts shall only take place at an AGM.

c) Nominations to fill vacancies on the Committee should be made to the Club Secretary in writing within one week of the date of the AGM being announced. Each nomination is subject to Committee approval and must be accompanied by a proposer and a seconder.

d) Committee Members shall generally serve not less than three and not more than five consecutive years.

e) Four members of the Committee, one of which must be a principal office holder, shall constitute a quorum;

f) The Committee shall make decisions determined by a majority vote;

6. Powers of the Committee

The Committee has the power (only in pursuing the Aims and Objectives of the Club) to:-

a) provide/promote activities, services, information, guidance and resources;

b) iaise with other like-minded organisations and to affiliate to or take membership of such bodies as the Committee decide are appropriate to further the Club’s aims and objectives.

c) acquire/hire/borrow and dispose of property and to raise funds (except by taxable trading);

d) appoint an Asset Co-Ordinator who shall be responsible to the Committee for arranging the safe storage of equipment held by the Club and for maintaining an Asset Register. Club Members may borrow such equipment by making arrangements with the Asset Co-Ordinator who will maintain detailed records of the loan/return. Members are liable for any damage, on a repair or replacement basis of any equipment they borrow from the Club;

e) apply for external funding or set aside funds for special programmes/initiatives or as reserves;

f) set the amount of and collect the yearly subscription fees from members and operate bank accounts using financial instruments;

g) co-opt a Member or Members to join the Committee during the Club year. Such co-option shall only have effect until the next AGM where the post will be declared vacant and nominations sought in advance to fill the vacancy (see also paragraphs 5c & 10e);

h) form a sub-committee from within the Club membership to research/ examine a particular task/initiative and to make recommendations to the Committee. The sub-committee will not have delegated authority to implement its recommendations or incur costs;

i) manage, promote and control the use of the Club’s social media platforms and to appoint a Club Member/Members to keep the Club’s external facing social media content up to date;

j) draw up an annual programme of meetings/workshops/guest speakers and outdoor activities. A detailed copy of the programme shall be made available to Club Members through the Club’s private Facebook page and an abridged version posted on the Club’s website and public Facebook page;

k) reserve the right to impose a limit on membership numbers when it is felt that an oversubscription might affect the Club’s ability to function or meet its aims and objectives;

l) place new applications for membership on a waiting list so that they can be informed when places become available;

m) remove from display any image that it deems inappropriate, offensive or not in the Club’s best interest.

n) undertake any other activity conducive to the promotion of the Aims and Objectives of the Club; and

o) ensure that the Club is adequately insured to cover public liability, property and its membership.

7. Committee Meetings

a) The Committee shall meet at least quarterly or as required;

b) The Chairperson shall take the chair at all meetings of the Club. In their absence the meeting shall elect a member to take the chair;

c) The Club Secretary shall keep a note of all Committee meetings and of the annual (and any special) general meetings;

d) in all matters requiring a vote, a majority vote by the Committee members shall be sufficient. In all cases the Chairperson shall have the casting vote;

8. Financial Management

a) The Club Accounting year shall run concurrently with the Club year;

b) Any monies acquired by the Club, from fees, donations, external funding etc., shall be paid into an account in the name of the Club at an established bank or building society;

c) The Committee shall authorise the Treasurer and two members of the Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the Club. All cheques must be signed by no less than two of the three authorised signatories;

d) A Club auditor shall be appointed to audit the accounts before they are presented at the AGM. The auditor shall be a member of the Club but not a member of the Committee;

e) No expenditure shall be incurred without the authority of the Committee which is accountable to the Club membership to ensure funds are utilised effectively and that the Club stays within budget;

f) The Treasurer shall maintain a detailed record of all income/expenditure and provide a financial update for each Committee meeting or at any other reasonable time as required by the Committee. In addition, the Treasurer shall provide the necessary financial information to the Club Auditor to enable them to audit the accounts and report their findings to the AGM

9. Club Membership

a) Membership of the Club is open to all members of the public irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, physical ability, religion, political view or photographic ability. Anyone under the age of eighteen years must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to all Club activities;

b) Membership of the Club implies an undertaking to comply with and abide by the Club rules as outlined in the constitution. Members will be expected to adopt the “not for profit” ethos of the Club and as such, refrain from using membership of the Club for personal financial gain;

c) A Members’ register shall be kept by the Club’s Secretary;

d) For subscription purposes, the Club year shall run from 1st September to 30th June;

e) Club members shall be required to pay the full yearly subscription fee by 30th September;

f) New members may be admitted during the year at the discretion of the Club Committee. Membership shall commence when the applicant has confirmed in writing that they undertake to comply with and abide by the Club rules as outlined in the constitution. Subscription fees for members joining mid-year shall be calculated on a pro rata basis for the remainder of the club year and will become due no later than 30 days from their membership commencement date;

g) Members have the amenities, rights and obligations described within this constitution;

h) Members should advise the Club Secretary if they wish to resign from the Club and upon doing so must return any equipment borrowed from the Club or cover the costs of replacing such equipment. Upon resigning members will be removed from the Club’s private Facebook page;

i) The Committee reserves the right to terminate an individual’s membership because of the non-payment of their Club subscription fees in full or part and in accordance with paragraphs 9e and 9f above or, if in the opinion of the Committee, it is felt that his/her continued membership is considered contrary to the Club’s best interests. In these circumstances the Member shall have the opportunity to present his/her views and can appeal against the Committee’s decision. The appeal shall be considered by the Committee and the outcome shall be decided by a majority vote of the Committee members present.

10. Annual General Meetings (AGM) & Special General Meetings

a) Where circumstances dictate, all meetings including public meetings may be held virtually using the Club’s Zoom account. Club members and where appropriate, members of the public, shall be notified accordingly;

b) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held approximately fifteen months from the date of the previous AGM and the date, venue and time of the meeting shall be notified to members by a post on the Club’s private Facebook page at least one month before the date of the meeting. The Agenda for the AGM and any supporting papers will be circulated to members in a timely fashion;

c) Members wishing to put forward items for discussion at the AGM should do so in writing to the Club Secretary within one week of the date of the AGM being announced. No business outside the agenda will be transacted at the AGM;

d) Only members who have paid their subscription fees in full shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Club;

e) Where a Committee post has been declared vacant, election of Member/Members to vacant posts shall be carried out in accordance with paragraphs 5b and 5c.

f) A special general meeting shall be convened by the Club Secretary within one month of receipt of a written request for such a meeting signed by not fewer than 10 Club members outlining the purpose for which the meeting is required. The Committee also has the power to summon a special general meeting of the Club. The notice convening such a meeting shall be posted on the Club’s private Facebook page at least 7 days beforehand and shall be accompanied by the full agenda. No business outside the agenda can be transacted at such a meeting.

11. Policy for safeguarding children and adults at risk or in need of protection

a) The Club is committed to policies which promote good practice and protect children and vulnerable adults from harm and shall adopt the Northern Ireland Photographic Association’s (NIPA’s) Policy in this respect;

b) A Club member shall be appointed to oversee the Safeguarding Policy.

12. Dissolution of the Camera Club

a) In the event of the Club being dissolved there shall be no financial or other benefit to any Member of the Club. The Club’s assets shall be sold and the proceeds distributed to a local Charity or a number of local Charities. The members of the Committee shall oversee the sale and the distribution of sale funds

13. Alteration or amendments to the Constitution

a) The Committee will approve and present any proposed amendments/updates to the Constitution for adoption at the AGM or a special general meeting. Members wishing to put forward amendments to the Constitution should submit the full text of the amendments to the Club Secretary, for Committee approval, at least three weeks before the date of either meetings. The proposed amendment must be supported by a proposer and a seconder

14. Constitution

a) This updated Constitution document was adopted by the Club’s membership at the AGM on 12 October 2023 and afterwards posted on the Club’s social media platform.

Appendix 1