Revision of 1974 Amended 1983

1. Title

The Club shall be called the CHICHESTER RIFLE AND PISTOL CLUB.

2. Object

To encourage and facilitate the development and participation in the sport of Target Shooting.

3. Constitution

The officers of the Club shall be, the President, such Vice Presidents as the members shall elect, the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer

The Club shall be administered by a committee elected annually at the A.G.M. comprising of the Chairman, Vice—Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, the three section captains who will be elected by their respective sections, and six members of the Club. One Committee Member to be elected by the Committee as Vice—President. Vacancies in the offices and/or the Committee may be filled by co—opting members. The President has a casting vote at the A.G.M., and the Chairman has a similar vote at any Committee Meeting.

Five Members shall constitute a quorum for any Committee Meeting. Any Committee Member failing to attend three consecutive meetings, for any reason save illness, without informing the Secretary shall be considered to have resigned the Committee.

The Hon. Secretary may convene a Committee Meeting when required, by giving seven days notice.

4. Membership

Applicants shall complete a form, and upon payment of a fee and following approval shall become in the first instance, probationary members for a minimum period of three months. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may waive this period, but all fees, Probationary, Entrance, and Annual, shall be paid before Membership is granted.

At the end of the probationary period, the Committee will review the application with a view to granting full membership. If approved, the applicant will be informed, and upon payment of the correct dues, Membership will be granted, The Committee is not bound to give any reason for refusal of an application. Probationary Members, and Junior Members (under 18 years) enjoy full use of the Club’s facilities but have no voting rights.

The committee shall review the membership of all members annually and reserve the right to refuse to renew any existing membership where the person concerned has failed to attend the Club regularly, has not taken part in the Clubs shooting activities or has taken no active part in the Club or its welfare.

5. Subscriptions

All subscriptions, levies, and dues shall be decided by the Committee and displayed upon the notice board in the Clubhouse. There shall be four types of subscriptions — ADULT, JUNIORS, and FULL BORE. All subscriptions will be paid on the 1st April each year, but members joining after November of any year may pay a sum agreed by the Committee.

Members who are more than 2 months in arrears with their subscription may be required to pay the current entry fee, in addition to the annual subscription. Members who allow their membership to lapse, may at the discretion of the Committee be allowed to rejoin the Club during any period up to three years, and if so shall pay the full subscription for the lapsed years. THIS DOES NOT apply to Members who notify the Secretary in writing of the resignation from the Club. A member may resign at any time, provided the Secretary is notified in writing.

The Club will not refund any subscription.

Visitors may only shoot as guests in accordance with current firearms statutes. All visitors to the Clubhouse shall sign the Visitors Book and pay the current fee. Visitors attending outdoor events shall pay the current fee and this fee will be over and above any other levy

The club does not operate a day or temporary membership scheme.

6. Administration

The Club shall affiliate to the N.R.A. and the N.S.R.A. and unless specifically mentioned, the business of the Club shall be conducted in accordance with the rules, and regulations of these bodies. In addition, the Club may affiliate to any organisation that the Committee deems necessary. A copy of the Rules and Regulations of the Club, and any of the bodies to which it is affiliated, shall be readily available to Members.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the second Monday in May. A quorum for the A.G.M. will be fifteen or twenty-five percent of the adult membership, whichever is the larger.

The Accounts shall be audited to the 31st March each year. The Hon. Treasurer will prepare a statement of receipts, and expenditure, and a balance sheet, both of which shall he presented at the A.G.M.

A copy of these accounts shall be available to every member at the Meeting. Surplus funds shall be invested in the Clubs Deposit Bank account or otherwise invested at the discretion of the committee

The Hon Treasurer shall receive and be responsible for all monies belonging to the club and shall make payments on behalf of the club.

Cheques shall be signed by two of the following — the Chairman, the Hon. Secretary, and Hon. Treasurer

The Hon Treasurer shall keep such books of accounts as the Committee directs.

Life Members

The Committee shall have powers to elect Honorary Members, and Honorary Life Members.

The small-bore range will be available only at the time displayed, and will be in the charge of a Duty Officer. Duty Officers will be on rota duty, and will be appointed by the committee, and they will be responsible for the equipment, and the discipline. Any Member disobeying a Duty officer will be reported to the Committee.

No equipment will be removed from the range without the permission of the Hon. Secretary, who will enter details of the equipment loaned in the book provided If a Member’s behaviour is such that the reputation of the Club is imperilled, then the Committee have the power to expel the offending Member. Any Member so expelled shall forfeit any prizes due to him.

Should an expelled Member be aggrieved at the action taken by the Committee, then he may demand a Special General Meeting, provided the support of two other paid up adult members can be obtained. At such a meeting, the aggrieved member may state a case to the Club at large, and the result being decided by ballot.

The Committee may make byelaws, and regulations, and also draw up conditions of shooting, handicapping, and allocation of prizes. Such byelaws shall be published, by being exhibited on the notice board, and shall have the force and effect of these rules. Confirmation of rules etc., so made, will be carried out at the next Annual General Meeting.

The Committee may make, alter or repeal any rule. Such changes must be displayed on the Club Notice Board for 21 days. Should a member object to such changes he must object in writing to the Secretary, who will then convene a General Meeting of Members.

Closure of the Club

In the event of the Club being wound up, the property, and the assets shall not belong to members, but shall be made over to the officers or for the time being to the N.S.R.A. to be applied by them either in developing the work of the Association itself, or for the benefit of some other institution with similar objects to those of the Club, as the officers of the aforesaid Association may determine, or to any other institution recognised by law as a charity, which the Committee of the Club in its sole discretion may direct.

Indemnification

The Club through its officers, and Members, hereby undertakes to indemnify any Trustee appointed by its officers, and Members who carries out any acts authorised by them viz: signing of the Clubhouse lease, against all actions, proceedings, demands, costs, and payments which any such Trustee may incur or have claimed against him in consequence of carrying out any such authorised acts.

7. Conduct of Shooting

Shooting will only take place at the stated times in the presence of the Duty Officer. The Duty Officer will be responsible for the shooting on the small bore range, to be in accordance with N.S.R.A. Rules & Regulations where the Club Committee specifically varies them. He will also be responsible for range discipline, and security. Only suitable target ammunition not exceeding .22 cal will be used on the small-bore range.

Ammunition will be on sale at the range. The Club reserves the right to charge Members bringing ammunition to the range corkage, of not less than the profit the club would gain.

No member may take ammunition away from the range unless he is in possession of a valid Firearms Certificate authorising him to do so. A member wishing to take part in an out of club event shall inform the appropriate team captain before making an entry.

All Club competition results shall he confirmed by the Committee, and no prize list, will be valid without confirmation. Members in arrears with subscriptions or entry fees or both, shall forfeit any prizes and the next highest scorer will be awarded them.

Small Bore Regulations

Only weapons and ammunition for which the range is authorised shall be used. No weapon exceeding .22 cal is allowed. No sporting ammunition is allowed

The actions of all weapons will be kept in the open or safety position when off the firing point.

All weapons will be laid on the firing point with the action open and breech plugs/flags in place when the targets are being changed

Nobody will proceed beyond the firing point unless the warning light is on.

Snapping of actions or pointing a weapon in any direction except up the range is strictly prohibited - Members so doing will be reported to the Committee

Smoking is prohibited in the Club premises.

Only the Range Officer, and any other help he authorises will be permitted on the range during practices.

There shall be no entry or exit to and from the range whilst firing is in progress.

Members will ensure that there is no conduct, which may distract or interfere with the shooting, either in the Clubroom or on the range.

All shooting is under the supervision of the range Officer who will ensure that shooting is carried out in accordance with the N.S.R.A. Rules, and other conditions specified. In addition, he will, be responsible for the safety measures being observed, and the security of the range at the conclusion of shooting.

Empty cases should be deposited in the bin provided. Misfires will be handed to the Range Officer for disposal. They MUST NOT be put in the bin.

The Range Officer will inspect actions on completion of a detail, BUT always will inspect ALL actions after a time limit detail

These Rules & Regulations are the result of many years experience in this Club, and others. They may appear irksome, but they all add up to SAFETY. Over a million rounds of small-bore ammunition are fired in Britain each week, and accidents are very rare. Help to keep it so. Any member who has helpful criticism for the improvement of our Club is invited to put the suggestions in writing to the Hon. Secretary, who will then place them before the Committee for consideration.