Club Constitution

1. Name 

The Club will be called Pershore Plum Plodders and will be affiliated to England Athletics. 

2. Aims and Objectives 

The aim of the Club shall be to encourage and promote running within a social atmosphere for adults aged 18 or over. We wish to provide a welcoming environment for adults who want to start running for the first time and create an opportunity for existing runners who want to join a social group and further develop their running potential.  We also wish to ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club. 

In summary the Pershore Plum Plodders exist to: 

• Offer coaching and structured training. 

• Encourage competitive opportunities. 

• Encourage team event participation. 

• Encourage and provide for recreational runners. 

• Organise Club races. 

• Promote the club within the local community. 

3. Membership 

The minimum age for membership is 18. 

Membership will consist of two types, PPP Social or England Athletic and PPP Social combined.  Both types of membership managed via the England Athletic portal and by becoming a member you are adhering to their code of conduct and policies.  

The Club will ensure all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment. 

Adult membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested running regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis. 

All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept the constitution and these regulations / policies and codes of practice that the Club has adopted.  

Applications for membership shall be made via England Athletics’ portal managed by the Membership secretary. 

The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct of character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the PPP Secretary in writing. 

The Committee may elect to grant life membership to deserving members. No subscription is payable for those members with life membership, but they are required to meet the cost of an England Athletics membership if required.  

4. Membership Fees 

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Committee in advance of the 1st April, and will be notified out to all members.   

Fees will be due annually on 1st April and this must be paid before the member can compete for the Club. (English Athletics affiliation remains separate).    

Membership fees are non-refundable and shall not be returned on a pro rata basis for any reason.  

The Club will keep PPP Social Membership subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. 

Once a participant has attended trial Club runs, they will be expected to decide whether they want to join the Club and if so, pay their membership fees and purchase PPP kit.  

The Committee will have no responsibility to members who have had their England Athletics Affiliation withdrawn due to late payment to the Club for their Competition Licence. 

5. Club Colours 

The Club colours shall be a purple shirt / vest with white writing. 

Club kit should be worn, if available, by all members representing the Club at events.    

6. The Club Committee 

The Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the Chairperson, Club Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Officer and DBS Verifier and not more than 12 other Members elected at the AGM.  Some of the roles can be represented by a single person except for Chair and Treasurer which must have a clear division of responsible person. 

The Committee may nominate functional roles to be carried out by members of the Committee and the number of such roles may be increased or decreased, and functions may be allocated or reallocated at the discretion of the Committee. 

Any First Claim or Non-competing Pershore Plum Plodder are eligible to put their name forward for election to the Committee by the notified date. Election for Committee positions will be made at the next AGM. In the event of more than one person seeking to stand for the same functional role, election will be made by a show of hands by all members present at the AGM (except for the Chairperson). In the event of a tie the Chairperson shall have the casting vote. 

The Committee shall remain in office until the next AGM. All Committee members will stand down each year, but will be eligible for re-appointment at the AGM. 

The role of Chairperson will be elected by the Committee, with eligible candidates submitting their name to the Committee by the notified date. 

Club Committee meetings will be convened on no less than a quarterly basis.   

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be any four Committee members, which must include the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary as a minimum. 

The Club Committee will be responsible for adopting new Policies, Codes of Practice, Health and Safety reviews and rules that affect the organisation of the Club. 

The Committee will have powers to appoint subcommittees in order to meet specific Club objectives. 

The Club Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Club rules/regulations/constitution/policies and will be responsible for taking any action following such hearings. 

Any member of the Committee may resign by notice given to the Secretary or Chairperson. 

The Committee may appoint a member to fill any casual vacancy until the next AGM. 

The office of Committee member shall be vacated: 

  • By resignation, or 
  • Expelled having found to be in major breech of Club rules or ethical conduct, or 
  • If he or she shall be absent for half or more Committee meetings held between 1st April and 31st March the following year without the explicit consent of the Committee. 

7. Property and Funds 

The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members, other than as reasonably allowed by the rules and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the Club. 

The Club may provide sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover and other ordinary benefits. 

The Club may also, in connection with the sports purposes of the Club: 

  • Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment. 
  • Indemnify the Committee and members acting properly in the course of running the Club against liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets). 

8. Finance 

All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club and the Committee will be responsible for controlling the finances, which shall be used solely for furthering the aims of the Club. 

The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club. 

Two signatures from the Treasurer, Secretary and/or Chairperson shall be required to approve all payments and to withdraw any monies from the account.  

The financial year of the club will run from 1st March to 28th February (dependant on a leap year). 

The independently examined statement of the annual accounts will be presented by the Club Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. 

9. Annual General Meetings 

An Annual General Meeting will take place within two months of the end of the financial year (30th April). All Club Committee Members are expected to attend. 

AGM attendance is open to all paid up members of the Pershore Plum Plodders. These members have the right to vote at the meeting. 

Not less than 21 days’ Notice of Annual General Meetings (AGM) will be given by the Club Secretary. 

The AGM will receive reports, either written or verbal from Members of the Club Committee. The Treasurer will provide a statement of the audited accounts. 

Election of Committee Membership is to take place at the AGM. 

The Club Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) outside the AGM. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM. 

10. Conduct of Members 

By becoming a member of Pershore Plum Plodders you are agreeing to adhere to the England Athletics and Pershore Plum Plodders Code of Conduct whilst attending any Club events and runs.  Details can be found on the Pershore Plum Plodders website and England Athletics portal.  Under these Codes of Conducts, all Club members shall act in a fit and proper manner towards each other. Violence and/or inappropriate behaviour or foul language will not be tolerated. Inappropriate conduct is covered under the “Discipline and Appeals” section of this Constitution. 

Members will compete under the rules laid down by England Athletics and its governing body. Serious violation of EA competition rules is covered under the “Discipline and Appeals” section of this constitution. 

Members, whilst competing wearing a club vest, will conduct themselves in a proper manner.  Serious violation is covered under the “Discipline and Appeals” section of this Constitution. 

Members entering written communication with other clubs and officials will do so as independent individuals and it must be made clear that they are not representing the views of the Club, unless under the express authority of the Club Committee. Serious violation is covered under the “Discipline and Appeals” section of this constitution. 

During training sessions, members are expected to stay with the group that they have elected to train with for the duration of the training session. Members wishing to cut short their session must inform the run leader of their intentions. Members leaving the group intentionally without informing the group leader are liable to action under the “Discipline and Appeals” section of this constitution. 

Members using Pershore Plum Plodders social media platforms should employ common sense, protect themselves and their privacy, not say anything that is dishonest, untrue or misleading and not post material that is offensive, harassing, discriminatory, embarrassing, intimidating, sexually explicit, bullying, hateful, racist, sexist or otherwise inappropriate. 

11. Discipline and Appeals 

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted promptly to the Club Secretary. 

All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of vulnerable people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately. 

The Club Committee will meet to hear complaints within ten days of a complaint being lodged.  The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership. 

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within ten days of the hearing. 

Any member who offends against the Club Constitution or whose conduct is prejudicial to the objects of good governance of the Club may be expelled from the Club by a majority decision of the Committee. Before any such member is expelled, the Secretary shall give that member 28 days’ written notice to attend a meeting of the Committee and shall inform that member of the complaints made against him or her. No member shall be expelled without first having an opportunity to appear before the Committee and answer those complaints. 

There is a right of appeal to the Club Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The Committee should consider the appeal within ten days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. 

12. Dissolution 

A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the PPP club members. 

Following a decision to dissolve the Club, an Extraordinary General Meeting shall take place no later than 4 weeks from the General Meeting where members of the PPP Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club. 

Any surplus assets remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be disbursed to a running not for profit organization (e.g. parkrun) or a chosen charity as the Committee discretion. 

13. Amendments to the Constitution 

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM. 

14. Declaration 

The Pershore Plum Plodders Running Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members. 

Signed:   

Chairperson: Suzanne Price 

Secretary: Emma Wilson 

Version: 5.0 

Date: 19/03/24 

Review date 31.03.2025