CONSTITUTION
of
THE BISHOP BEVERIDGE CLUB
South Street
Barrow upon Soar
Leicestershire
LE12 8LZ

  1. NAME
    The name of the club shall be the BISHOP BEVERIDGE CLUB (hereinafter called and referred to as ‘the Club’).
  2. OBJECT
    The object of ‘the Club’ shall be to promote the welfare of the aged in any manner which is now or hereafter may be deemed by law to be charitable, within the parish of Barrow upon Soar
  3. MEMBERSHIP
    Membership of ‘the Club’ is open to all those aged 60 years and over resident within the parish of Barrow upon Soar and also those who reside within a three mile radius provided that the parish of residence does not itself make provision for senior citizens through a similar club.
  4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
    An Annual General Meeting of members of ‘the Club’ shall be held within three months of the end of each financial year for the purpose of
    i. Receiving the Annual Report of the Committee
    ii. Consideration of the Audited Accounts
    iii. Election of Honorary Officers, Auditors and Members of the Committee
  5. ORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
    The Chairman or the Committee may at their discretion call an ordinary general meeting within fourteen days of receiving written request signed by not less than twenty members
  6. HONORARY OFFICERS
    At the Annual General Meeting the members of ‘the Club’ shall elect a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and other officers as they may decide. Casual vacancies among the officers shall be filled by the Committee until the next annual election of officers
  7. PAID OFFICERS
    The Committee may appoint and dismiss such paid officers as they consider necessary.
  8. THE COMMITTEE
    ‘The Club’ shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the Honorary Officers and ten members of whom two shall be on the nomination of ‘the Club’ members aged 65 and over from their number and eight from among such people as are interested in the objects of ‘the Club’ irrespective of age elected at the Annual Meeting.
    In addition each voluntary organisation and statutory authority mentioned in the first schedule hereto shall be entitled to appoint one or more persons to be members of the Committee. The Committee shall have power by a Resolution passed at a properly convened meeting by a simple majority of those present and voting to remove the name of any organisation or statutory authority from the first schedule hereto, or to add the name of any other organisation or statutory authority to the first schedule.
    The Committee may co-opt not more than two persons with special knowledge or experience of the needs of the elderly. All members of the Committee shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual Meeting to the conclusion of the Annual Meeting next following when they shall be eligible for re-election or fresh co-option.
  9. PROCEDURE AT MEETINGS
    i. The Chairman or person presiding at any meeting shall have a second or casting vote
    ii. A quorum at any General meeting of ‘The Club’ shall be fifteen and at any Committee meeting shall be seven
    iii. The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings of ‘The Club’ and of the Committee
  10. FINANCE
    i. The financial year shall be from 1st October to 30th September
    ii. The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of ‘the Club’
    iii. Members shall pay such subscription as the Committee may decide
    iv. The income and property of ‘the Club’, wheresoever derived, shall be applied solely toward the promotion of the object of ‘the Club’ as set out in Clause 2 and no payment shall be made to any member or honorary officer except reimbursement of out of pocket expenses
    v. At the end of each financial year the accounts shall be audited by one or more qualified auditors
  11. TRUSTEES
    The committee may appoint and may determine the appointment of a custodian trustee or a trust corporation of not less than three people to act as trustees for the purpose of holding any monies and property belonging to ‘the Club’. If individual trustees are appointed they shall be a resident of the parish of Barrow upon Soar and their appointment shall be terminated upon their ceasing to reside in the area of benefit.
  12. DISSOLUTION
    If the Committee decide that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is desirable that ‘the Club’ shall be dissolved, it shall call a Special General Meeting of ‘the Club’ by giving twenty one days’ notice in writing to each Club member stating the terms of any Resolution to be proposed thereat. If it is decided at the meeting by a simple majority of those present and voting that ‘the Club’ should be dissolved the Committee shall wind up ‘the Club’s’ affairs. Any assets remaining after satisfaction of any liabilities properly payable thereout shall not be distributed amongst members but shall be given to such other charitable organisation or organisations for the benefit of the elderly as the Committee shall, with the approval of the Charity Commissioner decide.
  13. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
    This Constitution may be amended by a Resolution passed by a simple majority of those present and voting at any general meeting of ‘the Club’ provided that notice of the meeting in writing, stating the terms of the Resolution to be proposed thereat, shall have been sent to all members of ‘the Club’ not less than fourteen days before the date of the meeting. Provided that no amendment to clause two shall be made without approval of the Court of the Charity Commissioners or other authority having jurisdiction under the Charities Act 1960.

 

Attachment

Notes to the constitution (not a formal part thereof)

This Constitution was adopted at a meeting held on 27’h July 1965 at the Old Vicarage, Barrow upon Soar and amended at the Annual Meeting held on 26th October 1971. Re-typed 10th June 2007/22nd January 2009.

This current copy was retyped on 27 November 2017 together with the following supplementary explanation:-

It has not been previously recorded in the constitution that the club is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission, registered number 244408. On 30 June 2017 the Charity Commission was appointed, under the power given in sections 69 and 90 of the Charities Act 2011, Official Custodian of the Bishop Beveridge Club. This was subsequently registered with the Land Registry who confirmed (11 October 2017) that the title was forthwith registered in the name of the Official Custodian under Title Deed Number LT427164. The actual title deeds continue to be held on behalf of the club by Nelsons Solicitors, Provincial House, 37 New Walk, Leicester, LE1 6TU.

Following the above changes consultation with a retired solicitor confirmed that it was not considered necessary to alter the club constitution as paragraph 11 (entitled TRUSTEES) makes provision for appointment of a custodian trustee.

A review of the constitution in October 2017 gave rise to the removal of the First Schedule from the constitution as allowed under section 8, paragraph 2 by a resolution of the committee.