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Resolution
That this association extends and fosters comradeship amongst its members
and serving and ex-serving members of its ships HMS Bulwark, Albion &
Centaur past and present.
Rule 1 - Name and Address of the Association
The name of the Association shall be the "HMS Bulwark, Albion & Centaur
Association" and also known for special reference as the "HMS Bulwark
Association", "HMS Albion Association" or " HMS Centaur Association"
hereafter known as the "Association". The official address of the Assoc. shall be that of the
Secretary unless otherwise notified by the Committee.
Rule 2 - Legal Context
In these rules, unless the subject or context shall be otherwise required,
"Assoc." shall mean "Association". As formed in accordance with the law
set out at 1st August 1978 and relevant statutory provisions in force
thereafter.
Rule 3 - Authority
The Assoc. is formed in accordance with the authority contained in a
resolution at the inaugural meeting held, at the Sunshine Inn, Portsmouth
on the 14th February 1979.
Rule 4 - Objective of the Association
The Assoc. affords all persons who have served on and/or have an interest
in the Assoc., facilities for contact and meeting together for the purpose
of fostering comradeship; gained through service on the ships of the
Assoc. and/or interest in them.
Rule 5 - Constitution
The Association is a member Assoc. and shall be under the control of a
Committee, which will be elected tri-yearly for this purpose.
Rule 6 - Membership
the Assoc. shall consist of the following member categories:
| a. Full |
b. Associate |
c. Life |
d. Honorary |
e. Temporary |
Rule 7 - Full Member
A Full member shall be a person who has applied for membership and has
been accepted into the Assoc. and who has paid any fee in force for such
membership. That person shall have served on HMS Bulwark, Albion & Centaur
as RN ships company, NAS, RM or other service or civilian personnel so
attached and therein conforms to Rule 4. In the event of the application
for membership being rejected, no explanation need be given for that
rejection, to the applicant.
Rule 8 - Associate Member
An Associate member is a person with an interest in the Assoc. and its'
ships; who has applied for membership and been accepted into the Assoc. at
the discretion of the committee. The applicant must also have paid any fee
in force for such membership. Only a maximum of 40% of the total
membership may be Associate members. They will have all the rights and
privileges of Full members with the exception that they may not serve as
Officers of the Association.
Rule 9 - Temporary Member
Temporary members shall be members of a team or organized party visiting
the Assoc. in connection with any sport/game/contest/dance or any other
social activity. In accordance with the decision reached at the AGM in 2003,
all serving Officers, Senior rates and Junior rates of HMS Bulwark (L15) and
HMS Albion (L14) are entitled to be temporary members of the Assoc. without
payment of any joining/subscription fee in force. Temporary members are not
afforded voting rights and may not serve on any committee of the Assoc.
Rule 10 - Life/Honorary Members
- Life Members - shall be those Full members who at the
discretion of the committee and confirmed at an AGM; haven given
outstanding service to the Assoc. through their dedication and/or deeds.
They will retain the rights and privileges of Full members without
payment of any fee in force.
- Honorary Members - shall be persons who are Not Full
members and are Associate members or other persons who at the discretion
of the committee and confirmed at an AGM/EGM; have rendered the Assoc.
outstanding service through their dedication and/or deeds without
payment of any fee in force. Honorary members will retain the rights
and privileges of Associate members.
Rule 11 - Subscriptions
The annual Subscriptions for Full and Associate members shall e such a sum
as the committee may define; and confirmed by those members present at an
AGM or EGM. Subscriptions shall fall due on the 1st May each year and are
to be paid within 3 months of that date. Any member who fails to pay their
subscriptions within 3 months of the aforesaid date shall be deemed to be
a lapsed member until such time as the due sum has been paid.
Rule 12 - Conduct
Any member whose behaviour is considered contrary to the interests of the
Assoc. may at the discretion of the committee be suspended from the Assoc.
In the event of the behaviour being in the eyes of the committee being
serious the offending member may be asked to resign.
An Officer and any two members of the committee shall have the power to
suspend immediately the membership of any member whose conduct they
consider contrary to the best interests of the Assoc. Any member suspended
shall have seven days to appeal against suspension. The appeal shall be
heard within thirty days of the offence. In the case of non-appeal the
facts also will be given to full committee within thirty days. In both
cases the aforesaid member shall be told of the committees actions as
regards the offence within thirty days of the committees meeting.
Any member who has been suspended or requested to resign shall be entitled
to attend the aforesaid committee for the purpose of making a statement
and shall be given at least seven days notice in writing the date and time
of the meeting.
Rule 13 - Committee
Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Committee shall consist where
possible of a President, Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer (hereafter
known as the Officers). The Officers must be Full or Life members of
the Assoc. A number of Ordinary committee members may be elected at the discretion of
the Officers and confirmed at an AGM/EGM by those members present. Honorary or
Associate members may not total more than 2 at any one time and may not serve as
Officers of the Assoc. Temporary members may not serve on any committee of the Assoc.
Committee members shall normally serve for a term of 3 years at which
time committee members may be re-elected to that or other post in accordance with Rule 13 (para1).
Under exceptional circumstances, for the benefit of the Assoc. and at the Full
committee's discretion; committee members may serve beyond the 3-year term
and only until the next AGM or EGM is called. The committee may at the Full committee's discretion,
co-opt members to assist the committee temporarily and for specific purposes. Those persons so co-opted
shall not require a vote at an AGM/EGM.
In accordance with the vote at the AGM in 2002, incumbent Commanding Officers of HMS Bulwark (L15) &
HMS Albion (L14) are entitled to be Honorary Vice-Presidents of the Association, as ratified at the AGM
in 2003.
Regional representatives may be established in areas of the UK and overseas and shall be agreed by those
present at an AGM/EGM. Representatives shall serve as committee members to assist all members in their
region with Assoc. matters.
The committee shall be responsible for enforcing the Rules of the
Association. The power to amend or repeal these Rules shall be invested in
the Committee and confirmed by an AGM or EGM of the membership. The
Committee shall meet at least 4 times a year; a quorum of the committee
shall be a minimum of at least 3 members including 1 officer.
Rule 14 - Accounts
All money received shall be handed to the credit of the Assoc. This
account shall be designated the "HMS Bulwark Association". The statement
of accounts shall run from1st January until 31st December each year. A
leeway of 28 days either side will be allowed with the committee's
consent.
Members appointed by the committee shall audit the accounts.
Rule 15 - Annual General Meeting (AGM)
There shall wherever possible, be an Annual General Meeting to be held in
the first 6 months of the accounting period, at a date decided at the
previous AGM.
Notice of such a meeting and of any resolutions to be moved thereat shall
be given at least 28 days before the meeting and of any resolutions to be
moved thereat shall be given 28 days before the meeting by a notice or
sent by post to all members. The business of the AGM shall be :-
- Receive the balance sheet and the accounts of the Association.
- To receive a report of the committee as to the general condition and
the progress of the Assoc. throughout the previous year.
- To elect the officers and members of the committee
- Voting at all meetings shall be by a show of hands, except in the
case of a contested election when it shall be by ballot or where a
majority of those present demand a poll or ballot.
- To transact any other business relating to the affairs of the Assoc.
of which due notices has been given.
Rule 16 - Extraordinary General Meeting
The Secretary shall summon an Extraordinary General Meeting at :-
- The discretion of the committee
- On the requisition in writing of one fifth of those entitled to
attend and vote at General Meeting. The date of the meeting shall be
within 14 days of the receipt of the Secretary or requisition mentioned
above and not earlier than ten days after notice of this meeting has
been displayed or sent out by post as in Rule 15. No other matter shall
be discussed at the meeting.
Rule 17 - Procedure an an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting
At an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting, decisions of the
Association shall be voted by those members present but not less than a
quorum of a least two officers of the Association and those Full, Life,
Associate and Honorary members present.
Any member proposing any change to the Constitution or making any other proposal,
for the agreement by an AGM/EGM, must present the proposal in person or be supported
by any other member attending the AGM/EGM and acting on his behalf.
Rule 18 - Bye-Laws
The committee may from time to time make, vary and revoke any bye-laws
(not inconsistent with these rules) for the regulation of the internal
affairs of the Assoc. and for the conduct of members and the bye-laws for
the time being in force, shall be binding on all members.
Rule 19 - Alteration of Rules
No rules shall be altered or rescinded or a new rule made until it has
been discussed at a meeting of the committee. The committee may summon a
special meeting of the Assoc. after giving seven days notice to members.
It will require the vote of at least two-thirds of the members then
present to alter, rescind or make the new rule.
Rule 20 - Gaming to Raise Funds
Without prejudice to the carrying on of other lawful gaming on the premises,
all lawful gaming designed to raise funds for the Assoc. must be carried out
in accordance with this ruke and not otherwise. Without prejudice to the
legality of the above, no person shall take part in any game or raffle unless they are:-
- Over 18 years of age.
- A member of the Assoc.
- A bona-fide guest of an Assoc. member.
Rule 21 - Rights of Members
Full and Life members shall be entitled to be Officers of the Assoc. and
sit as Committee members on any committee.
Associate members (and those Associate members made honorary members)
shall have the rights and privileges of Full members but cannot serve as
Officers of the Association.
Honorary (and not Temporary members) and temporary members shall have
the rights and privileges of Associate members.
Temporary members may not vote at any meeting of the Association or serve on any committee of the Association.
All members in any category of membership shall be subject to the Rules
of the Assoc. as set out in the Constitution and any bye-laws so
determined by the committee as in Rule 18.
Rule 22 - Dissolution
If the number of Full members of the Assoc. falls at any time below twenty
five (25). Or at any time the Assoc. passes at a General Meeting, by a
majority comprising two-thirds or more of the members present, who are
entitled to vote at resolution, (in this Rule called the First
Resolution), of its intention to dissolve. the committee shall take
immediate steps to convert into money all property of the Assoc. with the
power to postpone or delay the conversion of any particular assets at
their discretion.
This Constitution of the HMS Bulwark, Albion & Centaur Association has
been set out in accordance with the law on 1st August 1978, as amended at
the Annual General Meeting of 5 April 2003.
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