Aquaholics Scuba Diving Society Constitution

1 Name of Club
The club will be called Aquaholics Scuba Diving Society (Hereinafter will be referred to as
The Club) and may also be known as Aquaholics.

2 Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:
To offer a community for divers to explore new places and dive
To promote the club within the local community
To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

3 Membership
(a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching,
volunteering, or participating in Scuba Diving, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity,
nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or other beliefs.

(b) All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will
be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.

(c) Individuals shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings
or partake in the planning of dive trips.

4 Sports Equity
(a) This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its
development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following definition of sports
equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognizing inequalities

and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of
sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

(b) The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone
equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity,
religious belief, sexuality, or social/economic status.

(c) The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment
free from threat of intimidation, harassment, and abuse.

(d) All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behavior and promote
equality of opportunity.

(e) The Club will deal with any indecent or discriminatory behavior seriously, according to club
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 disciplinary procedures.
5 Committee
(a) The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the Chair
(Tayla Kalkwarf), Vice chair, and Secretary, who shall be elected at the Annual General
Meeting.

(b) All committee members must be members of the Club.

(c) The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

(d) If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an
election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the
succeeding Annual General Meeting.

(e) The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that
affect the organization of the club.

(f) The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the
club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action
of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

(g) The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less
than 3 times per year.

(h) Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at committee meetings.

6 Finances
(a) All members of the club are required to be responsible for their share of the costs for any
diving activity that they partake in as a part of the club.

(b) Members are also required to rent and/or buy their own equipment.

7 Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

(a) General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their
democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

(b) The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of March to:
Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
Elect the officers on the committee.
Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
Deal with other relevant business.

(c) Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 30 days’ notice to
be given to all members.

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 (d) Nominations for officers of the committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM.

(e) Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who
shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.

(f) All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

(g) The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and
committee meetings.

(h) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the
Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The committee shall also
have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members.

(i) All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

8 Amendments to the constitution

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

9 Discipline and appeals

(a) All complaints regarding the behavior of members should be presented and submitted in
writing to the Secretary.

(b) The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 20 days of a
complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary
action including the termination of membership.

(c) 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 7 days of the
hearing.

(d) There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action
being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 7 days of the Secretary
receiving the appeal.

10 Limit of liability and risks

(a) Aquaholics Scuba Diving Society will not be held liable or responsible in any event of loss, theft,
damages, injury, or death resulting from partaking in any activities or outings arranged by the
society.

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 11 Declaration
Name Position Chair

Sign Date

Name Position Vice Chair

Sign Date

Member Name Date Signature

Aquaholics Scuba Diving Society hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current
operating guide

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