The Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Association
For serving and ex members of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service
The
THE
Objects
1.
The
Association shall be called the RAF Mountain Rescue Association (RAFMRA)
2.
The
objects of the Association shall be to:
a.
Maintain a contact with and foster an interest in the RAF Mountain
Rescue Service (RAFMRS), its history and achievements
b.
Continue the comradeship that members found in it
c.
Compile a register of members of the Service
d.
Encourage, and where appropriate arrange, reunions and offer other
events
e.
Record, and where appropriate publish, material about the Service
past and present
f.
Support the continuance of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service
Membership
3. The full membership of the
Association shall consist of those who are either past or present members
the RAFMRS and who pay an annual subscription. The Association may appoint
as an associate member a person not qualifying for full membership but who
has been associated with and given assistance to the MRS and/or a particular
team past or present. Such a
member will normally pay an annual subscription and not be eligible to vote
at AGM’s. However, the
Association may agree to waive the subscription where the person’s
contribution has been significant in which case associate membership would
be for life. Proposals and
voting to associate membership status can only take place at a general
meeting and nominations – with a written justification (approx 1/2 page of
A4) –must be received by the Secretary at least 3 months beforehand.
The widow of a former full member automatically qualifies for
Associate membership.
4.
The
Association may make the following honorary appointments:
a.
A Patron, who holds office for an indefinite period.
b.
From the full membership an Honorary President, holding office for at
least two years in recognition of
significant past service;
and Honorary Members who have made an outstanding national contribution to
the RAFMRS.
Candidates
for these appointments shall be proposed and seconded by members.
When elected they will enjoy the privileges of membership but will
not pay an annual subscription while in office.
Management
of the Association
5.
The management of the Association and its affairs shall be vested in
an Executive Committee (hereinafter called the Committee) consisting of the
following: a Chairman, Secretary, a Treasurer, a Membership Secretary, an
‘On the Hill’ Editor, a Newsletter Editor, a Welfare Co-ordinator, a
Public Relations ‘Officer’ and a Website Manager with up to 2 other
persons each of whom may be given a designation.
The above shall be appointed by a General Meeting of the Association
and hold office until a subsequent General Meeting of members of the
Association, resignation or postal election of a successor.
In the event of any post becoming vacant the Committee shall have
delegated powers of election, subject to the approval of the membership,
having been notified in writing at the earliest opportunity.
In addition, each existing RAF Mountain Rescue Team shall be invited
to nominate a representative for liaison with the Committee.
Such representatives shall be regarded as the Association’s link
with individual teams. The Committee shall, on appropriate matters, keep in
touch with the competent staff officers concerned with the administration of
the RAFMRS.
6.
A quorum for the Committee shall be 4.
Telephone or e-mail meetings shall be deemed acceptable. The
Secretary shall keep a record of proceedings of such meetings and of action
taken ex-committee, when members of the Committee are consulted about
individual matters.
7.
The Committee shall have powers to regulate the admission of new
members of the Association, which shall be based on the acceptance of a
statement regarding membership of the RAFMRS.
8.
There shall be no entrance fee, but the Committee shall determine the
rate of annual subscriptions, the sum of which shall be designed to meet the
costs of administration and organisation including publications.
The name of any member not paying their annual subscription may be
removed from the membership list after one year, though in the case of a
serving member, the Committee shall have regard to the exigencies of the
Service. Reinstatement may be
allowed later at the discretion of the Committee in any case.
9.
Within the limits of the objectives set out above, the Committee
shall decide the policies of the Association but being always accountable to
a subsequent General Meeting of the Association.
10.
The committee’s expenditure is limited to £500 in respect of any
one item.
General
Meetings of the Association
11.
A General Meeting of the Association shall, where possible, be held
at the same time as a national reunion of members. Between meetings the
Secretary shall conduct a policy of informing, seeking feedback and, where
appropriate, approval from the membership.
A General Meeting shall consider such matters as are put to it by the
Committee or members in relation to the management of the Association as
outlined below. The Secretary
shall give notice of such meeting to every paid-up member.
Matters raised by members are to be submitted to the Secretary at
least two weeks before the meeting and will be placed on the agenda in the
order in which they are received.
12.
For voting purposes a quorum shall consist of 10% of the paid up
membership. However, where in
the opinion of the committee any proposal is fundamental to the aims of the
association and the committee deems that the membership is insufficiently
represented they may refer the final decision on the proposal to a full
membership ballot. Proxy voting is allowed.
13.
The Chairman or, in his absence, a delegated member of the Committee
shall chair a General Meeting.
14.
At each such meeting shall be considered the election of Honorary
Officers, the receipt of their reports and in the case of the Treasurer, his
statements on the income and expenditure of the Association since the
previous meeting, and any other competent business.
15. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee at
any time on receiving a request in writing to that effect signed by any 20
members regarding an urgent matter which they believe requires
consideration. Such a meeting
shall be competent to deal only with the business for which it has been
called.
Amendments
16. Any proposed alterations to this constitution shall be put to a
General Meeting for discussion. Acceptance will be subject to a vote in
favour by at least two thirds of members present and voting thereon provided
that a quorum has been achieved.
Data
Protection Act
17. The Association qualifies for exemption from the Data Protection Act
(hereafter called The Act) under Exemption 7.
This exemption to the Act is conditional on the continued
confidentiality of data stored i.e. names addresses and all the personal
details. All such data held by
committee members is not to be released to any third parties without the
prior written approval of the subject.
Revision
dated 11th June 2005
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