Constitution of the Old Whitgiftian Association

1. Name and Colours

The Association shall be called the "Old Whitgiftian Association". Its colours shall be

the heraldic colours 'azure', 'argent', 'sable', and 'or' in stripes of such arrangement and

proportion to each other as are shown in a pattern registered by the Association.

2. Objects

The objects of the Association shall be:-

1. To encourage communication between Old Whitgiftians and to maintain their

interest in the School.

2. To organise functions for, and gatherings of, Old Whitgiftians.

3. To aid and encourage the activities of Old Whitgiftian clubs and societies.

4. To maintain a register of Old Whitgiftians.

5. To promote the interests of Old Whitgiftians and of the School.

3. Membership

(a) Categories

The Association shall comprise the following categories of membership:

1. Registered

2. Magazine

3. Full

4. Honorary Life

5. Family Associate

6. Associate

(b) Eligibility

1. Registered, Magazine and Full membership of the Association shall be open to

Old Whitgiftians, members and former members of the teaching staff at the

School and to members and former members of the Court of Governors of the

Whitgift Foundation.

2. Family Associate membership of the Association shall be open to the wives,

widows, parents, children, brothers and sisters of Old Whitgiftians and to the

parents, brothers and sisters of present Whitgiftians.

3. Associate membership of the Association shall be open to any person.

(c) Election

i. Election to any class of membership shall be by the Committee.

ii. The name and address of any person applying for membership must be posted

on the Association's noticeboard for not less than two clear days before the

application for Membership is considered by the Committee.

iii. An applicant for Registered, Magazine, Full or Family Associate membership

shall be elected by the Committee unless those present and voting at the

meeting which considers the application are unanimously of the opinion that

there are special circumstances which make the applicant's election

undesirable.

iv. An applicant for Associate membership shall be proposed and seconded by

Full members of the Association and the application shall be endorsed by two

members of the Committee (not being the proposer or the seconder) knowing

the applicant personally and being prepared to recommend his election. The

applicant shall not be elected except by the unanimous vote of those present

and voting at the meeting of the Committee which considers the application.

v. The Committee may confer Honorary Life Membership.

(d) Rights

Subject to the provisions of section 4(c) and (d) below and to the provisions of any

scheme having effect under section 4(f) below:

i. Registered members: The rights to wear the colours and ties of the

Association, to receive the Annual Report and Accounts and to receive notice

of and to attend and vote at general meetings.

ii. Magazine members: All rights enjoyed by Registered members and the right

to receive The Whitgiftian.

iii. Full members: All rights enjoyed by Registered members and:

a. the right of membership of the constituent Clubs of the Association on

payment of an appropriate subscription

b. the right to use the Association's clubhouse

c. the right to receive the Association's newsletter

d. the right to receive The Whitgiftian provided the appropriate additional

subscription is paid.

iv. Honorary Life members: All the rights of Full and Magazine members but

without any registration fee or subscription.

v. Family Associate members and Associate members:

a. the right to use the Association's clubhouse

b. the right to receive the Annual Report and Accounts and to receive

notice of and to attend general meetings but with no right to vote

except on the election of the Bar Committee.

(e) Expulsion and Suspension

i. The members shall have power, but only by a resolution at a general meeting,

to expel a member subject to there being a majority for expulsion of at least

three quarters of those present and voting. The Committee shall have the

power to expel any Associate member or Family Associate member without

giving reasons for such expulsion.

ii. The Chairman may suspend any member from the enjoyment of some or all of

his rights of membership for such a period as the Chairman thinks appropriate

if the member in the opinion of the Chairman has behaved himself in a manner

detrimental to the interests or reputation of the Association. Any such

suspension shall be reported to the next meeting of the Committee who may

endorse, vary or revoke the Chairman's decision.

4. Subscriptions

(a) Scale

Members shall pay such sums by way of registration fee and annual subscription as

the Association shall from time to time determine by resolution passed at a general

meeting. Members joining as Full, Family Associate or Associate members on or after

1st March in any year shall be liable only for one half of their subscription for that

financial year ending 31st August.

(b) Payment

All subscriptions shall become due and payable on such date or dates and in such

manner as the Committee shall from time to time decide.

(c) Late Payment

Any member who shall not have paid a subscription due from him within two months

of the due date (or, in the case of a Magazine member, six months) shall cease to

participate in any of the rights of membership accruing from that subscription. The

Committee shall have power to reinstate such rights upon payment of the subscription

(d) Part Payment

Any member who has paid only a part of a subscription due from him shall be entitled

to such reduced rights as the Committee may determine

(e) Direct Debiting Scheme

The Association may participate in a direct debiting scheme as an originator for the

purpose of collecting subscriptions for any category of membership and/or any other

amounts due to the Association. In furtherance of this object, the Association may

enter into any indemnity required by the banks upon whom direct debits are to be

originated. Such an indemnity may be executed on behalf of the Association by the

Hon Treasurer and any other Officer authorised so to do by the Committee. Annual

Subscriptions may be paid under the authority of a direct debiting mandate lodged

with a member's bank and expressed to be in favour of the Old Whitgiftian

Association.

(f) Advance Payments

The Committee may make, amend or revoke a scheme whereunder subscriptions are

paid on behalf of present Whitgiftians in advance of their election to membership.

5. Management

(a) Officers

i. The Officers of the Association shall be the President, the Immediate Past-

President, the Senior Vice -President, the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the

Hon Secretary and the Hon Treasurer.

ii. There shall be Vice-Presidents of the Association.

(b) Committee

The Association, the Clubhouse and the premises shall be under the overall

management of the Committee which shall comprise:

i. The Officers or their authorised deputies

ii. Four members elected annually who shall be Full members of the Association.

(c) Election of Officers, Vice-Presidents and Committee

The Committee shall nominate candidates for election as Officers, Vice-Presidents

and members of the Committee and the names of the candidates shall be given to the

members of the Association in the notice convening the Annual General Meeting.

Members may by notice in writing to the Secretary before 1st January (or such later

date as the Secretary shall allow) propose for consideration by the Committee the

names of candidates for nomination as Vice-Presidents but shall not themselves

nominate candidates for election. Members, other than Family Associate and

Associate members, may nominate candidates for election as Officers and members of

the Committee by giving notice in writing to the Secretary not less than seven clear

days before the date of the Annual General Meeting and he shall post the names of

such candidates on the Association's notice board and place them before the Annual

General Meeting for a proposer and a seconder.

(d) Casual Vacancies

In the event of a vacancy in any office arising during the year, the Committee may

appoint a person to hold that office until the next Annual General Meeting. Casual

vacancies amongst elected members of the Committee may similarly be so filled by

the Committee.

(e) Report and Accounts

The Committee shall each year send to members copies of the Report and Audited

Statement of Accounts for the last financial year for approval or otherwise at the

Annual General Meeting.

(f) Officers' Election and Powers

1. The President shall be elected annually. He shall not serve for more than one

term unless the Association resolves in general meeting that there are

exceptional circumstances which make it desirable for him to be re-elected for

a second or subsequent term. The President shall take the Chair at any meeting

of the Association and at the Association's Annual Dinner.

2. (ii) The Chairman shall be elected annually. He shall not serve for more than

three consecutive terms unless nominated for re-election for a further term or

terms by the unanimous resolution of those presentand voting at the meeting

of the Committee which considers his nomination. The Chairman shall take

the chair at any meeting of the Committee and shall be ex-officio a member of

any sub-committee. He shall, subject to the Committee, be responsible for the

day to day management of the Association, the Clubhouse and premises.

3. (iii) The Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer shall be elected annually.

4. (iv) Subject to the approval of the Committee, any Officer may appoint a

deputy to undertake such functions as the Officer may delegate to him,

including attendance at meetings.

6. Meetings

(a) General Meetings

i. There shall be an Annual General meeting of the Association which shall be

held after the end of March but before the beginning of August in each year.

ii. An extraordinary general meeting of the Association may be called by the

Committee or at the request of not less than thirty members who shall have

signed a request stating the object of such a meeting, which request shall be

sent to the Hon Secretary. the notice of the meeting shall be given within

twenty eight days from the receipt by the Hon Secretary of a request.

iii. At least fourteen days' clear notice of a general meeting shall be given to each

member, stating the date, time and place of the meeting and the business to be

placed before it.

iv. A matter coming before a general meeting shall be decided by a majority of

the members present and voting thereon and in the case of an equality of votes

the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

v. The quorum for a general meeting shall be twelve members excluding

Associate and Family Associate members.

(b) Committee and Sub-Committees

i. The Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees and may arrange for

the discharge of any of its functions by a sub-committee so appointed. A subcommittee

may include persons who are not members of the Committee or of

the Association.

ii. The Committee and any appointed sub-committee may co-opt any person to

its membership.

iii. The Committee may establish procedures for the calling and conduct of its

meetings and of any appointed sub-committees. The Committee shall meet not

less than four times in each calendar year and the quorum for a meeting shall

be five members including at least one Officer.

7. Bar

(a) Control

The purchase, supply and sale of intoxicating liquor by the Association at the

Clubhouse shall be managed by the Committee consisting of not less than three

members of the Association who shall be elected annually at the Annual General

Meeting. The provision of Section 5(c) above shall apply to the nomination of

candidates for election to the Bar Committee as it applies to candidates for election to

the Committee save that Associate and Family Associate members may also nominate

candidates.

(b) Hours and Restriction

i. Members, their guests and bona-fide visitors shall be admitted to the

Clubhouse and the supply and sale to, and the consumption of, intoxicating

liquor by them shall be permitted. The Clubhouse Bar may be open during

such hours as the Committee shall from time to time determine providing that

they do not exceed the permitted hours for the time being authorised by the

licensing justices or any other authority having jurisdiction over opening hours

at the clubhouse. The opening hours as determined for the time being by the

Committee shall be posted on the Association's notice board.

ii. the Committee may prohibit or restrict the admission to the Clubhouse or any

part thereof during opening hours of guests under the age of 16.

8. Auditors and Accounts

At the Annual General Meeting auditors shall be appointed to audit the accounts of

the Association, and a statement of the accounts for the year ending 31st August

prepared by the Committee and certified by the auditors shall be included in the

Annual Report and Accounts.

9. Constituent Clubs and Affiliated Societies

(a) Constituent Clubs

i. The Association may by resolution passed at a general meeting form or

dissolve a club as a constituent club of the Association. The following clubs

shall be deemed to have been so formed:

• Old Whitgiftian Cricket Club

• Old Whitgiftian Rugby Football Club

• Old Whitgiftian Squash Rackets Club

• Old Whitgiftian Swimming Club

• Old Whitgiftian Hockey Club

• Old Whitgiftian Association Football Club

ii. The management of each constituted club shall be in accordance with the rules

made by that club being in any case rules which are consistent with this

Constitution.

iii. Full members, and, if elected by the club, Family Associate and Associate

members, shall become members of a constituent club upon payment of the

additional subscription appropriate to the relevant category of membership of

that club. The provisions of Section 4 above shall apply in regard to additional

subscriptions.

(b) Affiliated Societies

The Committee may approve a society as being an affiliated society and may

withdraw such approval. The following societies are deemed to have been so

approved:

• Old Whitgiftian Fencing Club

• Old Whitgiftian Golfing Society

• Old Whitgiftian Rugby Fives Club

• Old Whitgiftian Tennis Club

• Whitgiftian Benevolent Society

• Old Whitgiftian Biologist Association

• Old Whitgiftian Linnaean Society

• Old Whitgiftian Musical Society

• Old Whitgiftian Prayer Fellowship

• Old Whitgiftian Chess Club

• OWA Corps of Drums Society

• Whitgift veterans Rifle Club

10. Constitution

(a) Notification

A copy of the Constitution of the Association shall be posted on the Association's

notice board and shall be sent to any member on his written request.

(b) Alteration

The Constitution shall not be altered except by resolution passed at a general meeting.

Notice of a proposal to alter the Constitution must have appeared in the notice

convening the general meeting.

(c) Interpretation

1. Any dispute concerning the construction or application of the Constitution

shall be determined by the Committee whose decision shall be final.

2. In this Constitution, unless the contrary intention appears, words importing the

masculine gender include the feminine and words in the singular include the

plural and words in the plural include the singular.

(d) Notices

Where the Constitution requires a copy of the Annual Report & Accounts to be given

to a member, such notice or Annual Report & Accounts may be given either by way

of an email to the member’s last known email address or by placing a copy of the

same on the Association’s website. A member may request that a copy of any such

notice or Report be sent to him by post, but delivery in this way shall not affect the

validity of any notice given by email or by posting on the website.

Immunity and Indemnity

1. Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed so as to impose a personal

liability upon any Officer or member of the Committee.

2. Officers and members of the Committee shall be indemnified by the

Association in respect of any costs incurred by them and any damages

awarded against them (including any sums paid under a reasonable settlement)

being costs or damages incurred or awarded in respect of anything done or

omitted to be done by them in the exercise or purported exercise of their

function under this Constitution provided that they shall have acted reasonably

and in good faith