Guild of Railway Ringers

Rules

1. NAME:

The Guild shall be called "The Guild of Railway Ringers".

2. OBJECTS:

To advance and improve the art and exercise of bell ringing in the service of the church and to promote harmony and fellowship among ringers especially in the railway industry.

3. CONSTITUTION:

The membership shall consist of full members, associate members and Honorary Life members

a) A Full Member shall be any ringer who is an active or retired employee, a spouse, widower or dependent of an active or retired employee of a public or private railway company or a railway industry contractor. 'Employee' means either a paid employee or a volunteer.
Full members only may vote, in person, at meetings.
Full members only may hold office.
When a full member is proposed for election at a meeting or prior to a peal attempt, it shall be the responsibility of the proposer to satisfy the meeting that the new member fulfils the foregoing requirements.

b) Ringing friends of full members may be elected to associate membership.
Associate members may take part in meetings only with the consent of the chair but have no voting rights other than on votes regarding future venues of meetings.

c) Honorary Life Members may be elected in recognition of service to the Guild and/or representing the rail industry in the ringing community.
Honorary Life Members can only be proposed at an AGM by an elected officer and elected by a two-thirds majority vote of those present at the AGM.

4. AREAS AND GROUPS:

To promote fellowship among ringers residing or working in a specific area or having a common professional interest, members may at their own request form Areas or Groups within the Guild.
An Area or Group may be formed at the request of eight or more members either at a meeting or in writing to the secretary, giving the proposed name of the Area or Group.
The Area or group shall cease to exist if its membership falls below five.
Any member may upon election to membership or at any other time elect to join an Area or Group or transfer to another Area or Group. No member may belong to more than one Area or Group.
The membership of each Area and Group shall elect an Area or Group co-ordinator from their membership. Area and Group Co-ordinators shall be elected on the formation of each Area or Group and subsequently annually, prior to the Annual General Meeting.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS:

Subscriptions shall be determined by ordinary resolution (a simple majority) at an Annual General Meeting to take effect from the commencement of the following calendar year.
Associate members shall pay the same subscription as full members.
Full and Associate members under the age of 16 or aged 65 or over shall only be required to pay a subscription of half the normal rate.
Members who allow their subscriptions to fall more than two years in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned from the Guild.

6. ADMINISTRATION:

The administration of the association shall be in the hands of:
a. A Chairman or Chairwoman who shall chair all meetings of the Guild or Standing Committee and is not entitled to vote except as a casting vote;
b. Honorary Secretary/Treasurer;
c. Publicity Officer;
d. Area Group Co-ordinators.
The above officers shall form a standing committee, which shall meet as necessary to administer the affairs of the Guild.
Additionally, an independent examiner shall be elected. This will not form part of the standing committee.

7. MEETINGS:

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held. The date, time and place of the AGM shall be determined if possible at the previous AGM. The purpose of the AGM shall be the election of officers (apart from any Area or Group Co-ordinators elected prior to the AGM), determination of the subscription, transaction of any other pertinent business and united practice for the improvement of bell ringing.
Other gatherings of the Guild shall be held as considered appropriate. Areas and Groups may organise meetings and other suitable activities as decided by their members.

8. FUNDS:

All funds shall be banked in the name of the Guild and operated by the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer, who shall present a statement of accounts at the AGM.
Areas and Groups shall not hold funds separate from those of the Guild.

9. PEALS:

Peals shall be rung in accordance with the rules of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.
Full and Associate members may be elected prior to a peal attempt provided at least 75% of ringers present are full or associate members. Such elections are subject to ratification at the first business meeting following the attempt. The member proposing such new members shall be responsible for ensuring the payment of the new members' subscription, whether or not the peal attempt is successful.

10. AMENDMENT OF RULES:

These rules shall only be altered by motion at an AGM. Notice of motion must be received by the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer at least four weeks prior to the AGM. The motion will only be carried by a two thirds majority of the full members present.

End.

These rules were updated following the 2009 AGM and are current until the proposal of any rule changes at a future AGM. Members will be issued with an updated set of rules in the event of an update at any future AGM.

Tony Manktelow
Secretary
27th June 2009.