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!
Jane

--
"I think, therefore I am single"

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

In article , Jane
Chatter writes
--
"I think, therefore I am single"

Don't you mean "I think, therefore I am childless"? ;-)


--
Kay Easton

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

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

In article , Jane
Chatter writes
--
"I think, therefore I am single"

Don't you mean "I think, therefore I am childless"? ;-)


--
Kay Easton

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

That's great, Kay. Thanks very much!
Do you know of anywhere I can get written information about the legal
requirements of this? For example the need for auditing and so on?
Jane

"Kay Easton" wrote
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

"Kay Easton" wrote
Don't you mean "I think, therefore I am childless"? ;-)


Another of my favourites is
'I'm a great housekeeper. Every time I divorce I get to keep the house'.
:-)

"Jane Chatter" wrote
That's great, Kay. Thanks very much!
Do you know of anywhere I can get written information about the
legal
requirements of this? For example the need for auditing and so on?
Jane

Here a few sites that have info about setting up various types of
clubs - perhaps not all of them are exactly what you need, but there
might be some points of interest :

http://www.uclunion.org/clubs_societ...up/index.shtml

http://www.timeoutdoors.com/walk/clu...H01110503E.htm

http://www.cbpp.org.uk/bpclubs/settingclub.jsp?level=1

Jenny

The message
from "Jane Chatter" contains these words:

Another of my favourites is
'I'm a great housekeeper. Every time I divorce I get to keep the house'.
:-)

Mercadian Redundancy: in English translation it's 'Every time I divorce
I keep the house.'

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

"JennyC" wrote in message
...
:
: "Jane Chatter" wrote
: That's great, Kay. Thanks very much!
: Do you know of anywhere I can get written information about the
: legal
: requirements of this? For example the need for auditing and so on?
: Jane
:
: Here a few sites that have info about setting up various types of
: clubs - perhaps not all of them are exactly what you need, but there
: might be some points of interest :
:
: http://www.uclunion.org/clubs_societ...up/index.shtml
:
: http://www.timeoutdoors.com/walk/clu...H01110503E.htm
:
: http://www.cbpp.org.uk/bpclubs/settingclub.jsp?level=1
:
: Jenny

Jenny, I hope you don't mind me asking but I'm intrigued as you always come
up with so much info for people. Do you have a bottomless
favourites/bookmark file or do you google when people ask questions?

K
:
:

"K" wrote
"JennyC"
: "Jane Chatter" wrote
: That's great, Kay. Thanks very much!
: Do you know of anywhere I can get written information about the
: legal requirements of this? For example the need for auditing and
so on?
: Jane
:
: Here a few sites that have info about setting up various types of
: clubs - perhaps not all of them are exactly what you need, but
there
: might be some points of interest :
:
: http://www.uclunion.org/clubs_societ...up/index.shtml
:
: http://www.timeoutdoors.com/walk/clu...H01110503E.htm
:
: http://www.cbpp.org.uk/bpclubs/settingclub.jsp?level=1
:
: Jenny

Jenny, I hope you don't mind me asking but I'm intrigued as you
always come
up with so much info for people. Do you have a bottomless
favourites/bookmark file or do you google when people ask questions?
K

I cannot resist a quick google :~))
Plus it's always interesting to look up and read about things that I'd
never think of myself :~)

I used to work on a software helpdesk and at present work behind the
scenes at the Rotterdam Police call centre. Maybe I just have a
natural urge to look stuff up and find answers/solutions :~))

Jenny

In article , Jane
Chatter writes
That's great, Kay. Thanks very much!
Do you know of anywhere I can get written information about the legal
requirements of this? For example the need for auditing and so on?
Jane

No, sorry. This is just the common ground of the clubs I'm involved in
(a network of recreational clubs at work, a civic society, and a nature
Park management committee)

I would add, though, that - obviously you do anything that you're
legally required to do - but even if you're not legally required, things
like auditing, two signatories to cheques, a written constitution etc
are sensible. It's not just a matter of being honest and above board,
you need to set things up so that you are *seen* to be honest and above
board - that there's no way you can be otherwise. Saves a lot of hassle
and unpleasantness, and gives protection to those who are doing the
nitty gritty of running the club, even though it seems a hassle at
times!

Likewise, always maintain an 'audit trail' - ie written records of all
decisions and payments. So you need to minute your meetings (you don't
need a verbatim account, just a record of decisions, though sometimes
the arguments leading to that decision are helpful for later reference)
and a written track of all money coming in and out. Even if you make
decisions by telephone, write a quick note of what was decided, date and
sign it and add it to the records.

--
Kay Easton

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

In article , JennyC
writes
Jenny, I hope you don't mind me asking but I'm intrigued as you
always come
up with so much info for people. Do you have a bottomless
favourites/bookmark file or do you google when people ask questions?
K

I cannot resist a quick google :~))
Plus it's always interesting to look up and read about things that I'd
never think of myself :~)

I used to work on a software helpdesk and at present work behind the
scenes at the Rotterdam Police call centre. Maybe I just have a
natural urge to look stuff up and find answers/solutions :~))

Jenny's secret is she's very good at thinking of what auxiliary words to
search on so she doesn't come up with a list of 24,000 mainly irrelevant
sites.
--
Kay Easton

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

Jane Chatter wrote in message ...
That's great, Kay. Thanks very much!
Do you know of anywhere I can get written information about the legal
requirements of this? For example the need for auditing and so on?
Jane

There is usually no legal requirements for auditing, but if there was
ever a question about the finances, say a disgruntled member decided to
make trouble, then without audited accounts you would be in a very
difficult position. I would also suggest that you use a qualified
professional, preferably not one of the club members. Perhaps someone
knows a retired accountant who would be happy to do it for a bottle of
wine, or something else, it needn't be too expensive.

The RHS have many gardening clubs affiliated to them and they should
also have model rules for clubs.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk

"Kay Easton" wrote
JennyC writes
Jenny, I hope you don't mind me asking but I'm intrigued as you
always come
up with so much info for people. Do you have a bottomless
favourites/bookmark file or do you google when people ask
questions?
K

I cannot resist a quick google :~))
Plus it's always interesting to look up and read about things that
I'd
never think of myself :~)

I used to work on a software helpdesk and at present work behind
the
scenes at the Rotterdam Police call centre. Maybe I just have a
natural urge to look stuff up and find answers/solutions :~))

Jenny's secret is she's very good at thinking of what auxiliary
words to
search on so she doesn't come up with a list of 24,000 mainly
irrelevant
sites.
Kay Easton

Praise will get you everywhere Kay :~))
Jenny