Rules Of Bedford Harriers Athletic Club
(Last amended April 20^th 2005)

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1.   TITLE

The name of the Club is Bedford Harriers Athletic Club.

2.   HEADQUARTERS

The headquarters of the Club is Bedford International Athletic Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford.

3.   OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Club is the promotion of amateur athletics, including road running, track, cross country, multi‑terrain events and triathlon, in accordance with the rules of the relevant governing bodies. All members wishing to participate in the various multi‑event sports must ensure that they are members of the applicable governing body in order to ensure that they are fully insured on their own and any third party's behalf. The Club will endeavour to encourage runners and non‑runners of all abilities irrespective of sex, race, creed or colour by providing coaching programmes to facilitate their improvement. The Club, while looking after the individual needs of the runner, will also seek to foster a positive club spirit, through athletic team events and social activities.

4.   MANAGEMENT

The management of the Club is vested in a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary and at least seven (7) other elected members (the maximum being at the  discretion of the Annual General Meeting), all of whom will be elected annually. Six (6) members are required to form a quorum at Committee meetings. The Committee has the power to co‑opt any member to the Committee as it deems necessary.  Any committee member failing to attend three committee meetings in a single annual period of election will be obliged to offer to resign from the committee.

5.   MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Club is confined to amateurs as defined by the Amateur Athletic Association and Women's Amateur Athletic Association:

'A amateur is one who has never competed for a money prize or monetary consideration in any athletic sport or game or been in any way interested in a staked bet or wager made in connection with any athletic competition in which he or she was an entrant or competitor; who has never engaged in, assisted in or taught any athletic exercise for pecuniary consideration, or in any way exploited his or her athletic ability for profit; and who has never taken part in any athletic competition with anyone who is not an amateur'.

A candidate for membership must complete the membership application form and forward it to the Membership Secretary with the appropriate fee. The application will be put forward at the next committee meeting and then the new member added to the current members database.  Renewal of subscription will be due after twelve months.

6.   SUBSCRIPTION

The annual subscription of the Club will be decided each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The Committee shall have the power to expel any member whose subscription is six (6) months in arrears providing one (1) month's notice has been sent to that member, at his or her last known address and by registered letter or recorded delivery, informing him or her of the action proposed by the Committee. The name and last known address of any person so expelled from the Club will be sent to the Honorary Secretary of the appropriate governing body who shall enter his or her name in a book (this is called the 'Black Book' and kept for this purpose). Every person whose name has been so entered in a 'Black Book' will be suspended from competing at any meeting held under the relevant governing body's laws until the liability causing the expulsion, which shall not exceed one (1) year's subscription, has been discharged. Additionally, no member whose subscription is in arrears will be eligible to take part in any competition promoted by the Club.

7.  CLUB COLOURS

Club colours consist of the following:

Vests ‑ gold with black diagonal stripe. Shorts ‑ black.

8.   RESIGNATION

Any member intending to withdraw from the Club shall give notice in writing to the Membership Secretary. His or her membership will terminate on the date of that notice except where he or she is financially indebted to the Club when the Committee may withhold acceptance of the resignation until that liability is discharged. A member not having tendered his or her resignation prior to 31 March shall be liable for the year's subscription.

9.   MEMBERS CONDUCT

Any member who is the subject of disciplinary action by either a governing body or the Committee may be expelled from the Club. This expulsion may only be as a result of a Committee decision.

10.   ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

A General Meeting shall be held annually, on the last Wednesday in March if possible, to receive the Committee's report and financial statement, elect officers and Committee members and deal with any other business specified on the agenda. The Honorary Secretary must give every fully paid member twenty one (21) days notice of the meeting. Notice of any business to be placed on the agenda must be given to the Honorary Secretary, in writing, at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting. Thirty five (35) members or fifty one per cent (51%) of the membership, whichever is the lesser, will be required at an AGM to form a quorum.

11.   SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

A Special General Meeting must be called by the Honorary Secretary within twenty one (21) days of the receipt of a request, in writing and signed by ten (10) members of the Club, stating the business to be brought before such a meeting. The Honorary Secretary shall give at least fourteen (14) days notice of any Special General meeting with the time, place and details of the business to be dealt with at such a meeting. Thirty five (35) members or fifty one per cent (51%) of the membership, whichever is the lesser, will be required at any Special General Meeting to form a quorum.

12.   ALTERATIONS TO RULES

No alteration or addition shall be made to the Rules except by an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for this purpose. Notice of any proposed amendment must be given as provided for in rules 10 and 11.