Club Rules and Insurance

1.        Title

The Club shall be named “Chanctonbury Probus Club”.

2.         Aims and Objects

2.1       The object of the Club shall be to promote fellowship amongst retired professional and business men.

2.2       The Club shall be non-political and non-sectarian.

 3.       Membership

3.1       Membership shall be open to all professional and businessmen who have fully or partially retired from their normal business or profession and who are not members of another Probus Club.

3.2       The total membership of the Club shall not exceed forty-five, excluding Associates and Honorary Members.

3.3       Subject to vacancies being available, applicants may come to the Club either by being sponsored by an existing Member or by direct application through the Club Website – in the latter case the Vice Chairman will act as sponsor. Applicants will be invited to attend one luncheon as a guest, with his sponsor.  If wanting to join, he shall then complete an application form and be invited to a second lunch meeting, again with his sponsor, when he will brief members on his career, interests and residence.

3.4       The Management Committee will then debate his application.  If invited to join, the Secretary will write giving the Committee’s decision. At the applicant’s third luncheon the Chairman will formally welcome him to the Club and present him with a Club tie, a Probus lapel badge and a personal name badge.

3.5       Partners of deceased Members; Members who no longer feel able to participate in the usual activities of the Club (e.g. by reasons of poor health); or Members who have moved away from the locality may be entitled to become Associates by invitation of the Management Committee and shall be entitled to attend any social functions to which members’ partners are invited.  Associates shall be given advance notice of such events in the Club Diary and by email/post.

3.6       Associates, who shall be free from annual subscriptions, shall neither have voting rights nor shall they be entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting.

3.7       Honorary Members, who shall be free from annual subscriptions, but may attend meetings and pay for lunches, shall have voting rights and be entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting.  They are appointed at the discretion of the Management Committee and endorsed by all members at a Club meeting.

3.8       Data Protection – under the ‘General Data Protection Regulations’ that came into force on 25th May 2018, all members, associates and applicants will have to sign the ‘Consent for Personal Data Retention and Processing’ form.

4.        Management Committee

4.1       The Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, immediate Past Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman of the Social Committee all of whom shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting.

4.2       Tenure of office for Chairman shall not exceed one year.  Other officers should generally not serve for more than three consecutive years.

4.3       Nominations for office should be made to the Secretary not less than 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.  Nominations must be supported by two members other than the nominee and the nominee must confirm his acceptance of the nomination.

4.4       The Management Committee shall meet as and when required, but not less than four times in each year.

4.5       Four members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.

4.6       The Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to fill any vacancy that may occur during the year.

4.7       The Management Committee may appoint Sub-committees with powers as the Management Committee may determine.

4.8       The accounts for the financial year of the Club, ending 31 March, shall be prepared by the Treasurer and after audit, presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting.

4.9       The Management Committee shall appoint the Club’s bankers. Cheques shall be signed by any two of the following Officers:- Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Past Chairman.

4.9.1   The Committee will also authorise the Treasurer as Primary user for Internet and Telephone Banking with the sole authority to make payments, view and download transactional data and transact the banking affairs on behalf of the Club. In addition, the Treasurer will also have authority to appoint a Secondary user(s) for the purpose of Internet Banking and Telephone Banking having first obtained authority from the Committee.

4.9.2   The Vice Chairman will be made a Secondary user of internet banking with the ability to view only the activity on the bank account. A daily limit on electronic payments will be set on the bank account at application time and this can be revised as necessary by a majority vote at a Management Meeting. Notifications from the bank account will be directed to the Vice Chairman of all electronic payments exceeding the figure initially set by the Management Committee.

4.10     Reasonable and proper expenses incurred by members shall be reimbursed.

5.         Monthly Meetings

5.1       Meetings of the Club shall be held on the first Thursday of each month, unless members have been notified otherwise.

5.2       Apologies for absence from a meeting must be notified to the Lunch Organiser, by signing the Absence Book at a previous meeting, or by telephone, email or letter.

5.3       Failure to give at least 48 hours’ notice could entail the member being charged the price of the meal.

5.4       At any time the Management Committee may review the membership of any member absent from six monthly meetings in any financial year, taking into account any relevant reasons for such absence, with authority to terminate such membership, if it so decides.

5.5       Visitors and prospective members, accompanied by a Member, or members of other Probus Clubs, will be welcomed at meetings of the Club, other than the Annual General Meeting, providing they give not less than 48 hours’ notice to the Lunch Organiser and accommodation being available.

5.6       No guest may attend more than three times in any one financial year.

6.        General Meetings

6.1       The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on the date of the May ordinary meeting in each year and the Secretary shall give not less than 21 days’ notice of such a meeting.

6.2       A Special General Meeting may be called by the Chairman or by a request, containing the reason, being sent on behalf of at least ten members to the Secretary.

6.3       The Secretary shall, in either case, give members not less than 21 days’ notice of such a meeting including the reason for its being called.

6.4       Voting shall be by show of hands or by ballot of those present if considered necessary.

6.5       The Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote in order only to establish a majority.

6.6       The rules of the Club may be revoked, added to or amended by a majority, comprising not less than two thirds of those members present and voting, at an Annual or Special General Meeting provided that the number voting for the amendment is at least one half of the Club’s total membership.

6.7       Where any amendment to the rules is proposed then the precise terms of the amendment shall be incorporated in the notice of the meeting.

 7.       Subscriptions

7.1       Annual Subscriptions and joining fees for the forthcoming year shall be determined by the Management Committee and approved by members at the Annual General Meeting.

7.2       Annual Subscriptions shall be come due on the date of the Annual General Meeting.  Failure to pay within 28 days may be construed as relinquishment of membership.

7.3       New members shall pay a joining fee, together with the Annual Subscription, immediately after election to membership.

7.4       A member joining after the 1 January shall only pay one half of the Annual Subscription for that financial year, in addition to the joining fee.

8.        Social Events

All events must be paid for at the time of booking.  In the event of cancellation and if the booking can be re‑sold, a refund can be given.  If it cannot be re-sold, payment for the booked event must be made.

9.        Dissolution of the Club

Should the Club be dissolved at any time, the assets of the Club, then remaining, shall be donated to a local charity chosen by those who are members at the meeting resolving such dissolution.

Most recently updated at the 3^rd May 2018 Annual General Meeting.

Updated 21^st November 2020 to include new clauses 4.9.1 and 4.9.2.

Club Insurance

This Club holds a Probus Insurance Plan Policy with Fidentia Insurance Brokers Limited - members should contact the Club Secretary for details of that insurance policy. 

Please note the policy offers “financial protection against legal costs involved in the event of a liability claim(including bodily injury and third-party property damage) being made by a club member or the public”