In article , Jane
Chatter writes
Hi
I'm trying to find a handbook on the essential requirements (legal and
non-legal) for setting up a club or society that takes membership money.
I can't seem to find anything that will give guidelines on, for example,
setting up a club constitution, being audited and how to run the committee.
Would anyone be able to give me help on this? I'm sure I'm overlooking
something very simple indeed!
Many thanks!

Ok - a start:

Constitution:

Name of club
Purpose
Who is eligible for membership and how they apply and are accepted
How the membership fee is decided (don't specify the fee itself else
you'll be forever updating the constitution)
How you are managing the money
Decision making - eg committee, quorum for decisions

Give it a version number and date so it's easy to tell whether it's the
current version you're looking at.

Money:
keep it in an interest paying account, require two signatures for any
withdrawal

Committee:
chairman, secretary (minutes, arranging meetings, ordering bulk
supplies, correspondence in general), treasurer. If you get big you
might need separate membership committee. Publicity officer is useful.

Succession planning is important - you need to know that you're not
going to be secretary for the next 25 years, and you won't be able to
attract anyone to take over unless they can see they're not going to be
saddled with it for life.

Publicity - get into your local paper - if you half write the article
for them so it's easy for them, they will usually be happy to send a
photographer along. Aim for news articles when you're setting it up, at
the inaugural meeting, and any time you do anything remotely newsworthy.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm