RACS Constitution 2024-2025

Name

The branch shall be known as The Real Ale Club of Sawbridgeworth (RACS),

A fully-affiliated branch of SPBW.

Aims and Objectives (these are important)

To stimulate the brewing of beers from the traditional ingredients, without artificial additives, and naturally conditioned in the cask.
To encourage the serving of these beers by gravity direct from the cask, or drawn by hand or electric pump.
To denigrate the manufacture and sale of keg beers and keg lagers and to discourage the use of extraneous carbon-dioxide in the serving of the beer.
To promote positively the consumption of traditionally brewed and served beers. To lend support to those brewers and publicans who, by their policy, assist in the implementation of SPBW’s aims. (Basically, in English, to drink as many different real ales as can be had and to sneer sarcastically at all keg and lager drinkers.)

Rules and Orders

The branch officers shall comprise:

CHAIR who can drink the most

VICE CHAIR who stands in when the chair falls over and holds the watch for timing Meetings

TREASURER who pays for it everything, collects the cash and still remembers where it was put the next morning

SECRETARY who can write and still spell correctly when drunk and decides what RACS want and also what they wear and tries to buy it as cheaply as possible then sell it at a reasonable profit for RACS funds

RAFFLE ORGANISER who collects unwanted Christmas and birthday presents and recycles them in the monthly raffle

TRAVEL ORGANISER who books suitable transport when trips away are arranged

CAMRA LIAISON OFFICER who can interact with THE other official beer drinking club

WEBMASTER who organises the internet site for RACS and bails out the SECRETARY when they have a technological problem

These Officers shall be elected for a term of ONE YEAR at every AGM of the branch. In the event of the office of CHAIR falling vacant during any term, it shall be filled for the unexpired portion by the VICE CHAIR whose place will then be taken by a Member who will be co-opted by the remaining serving Officers. Any other office falling vacant shall be filled for the remainder of the term by a Member similarly co-opted. Such other Officers as are deemed necessary may be elected at Ordinary Monthly Meetings.

PRESIDENT and LIFELONG MEMBERS and YEAR-LONG HONORARY MEMBERS shall be appointed at the AGM, if deemed suitable by the Members. They shall be entitled to free copies of the Monthly Minutes and copies of RACSQ when issued — if wished. They shall be entitled to go on any trip with the Club, but shall be requested to contribute their fare.

Attendance

Ordinary Monthly Meetings shall be held at welcoming pubs in and around Sawbridgeworth, usually the last Wednesday of the month. Apologies for absence should be notified to the SECRETARY.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held on a suitable Wednesday in May. All resolutions for consideration at the AGM MUST be submitted in writing to the SECRETARY no later than 14 days before the date of the Meeting.

Extraordinary General Meetings of the branch may, by popular vote (at least 5 (FIVE) Members), elect to convene, with at least 14 days notice, to consider a specific question or questions.

Decisions as to the correct forum (ie Ordinary Monthly Meeting/AGM/Extraordinary Meetings) for consideration of a particular subject shall rest with the Officers (depending on how many beers it takes to bribe them).

Voting

All motions considered at any branch Meeting shall be proposed and seconded by Members present, with at least a quorum (5 (FIVE) Members) voting. The CHAIR shall exercise a casting vote in the event of a tie. Voting shall be by a show of hands, unless a written ballot is requested by the Members. No proxy votes will be accepted.

Subscriptions

The subscription per person per year shall be £5 payable at the AGM. These funds will be used to forward the aims of the Club (ie brewery trips, beer festival visits and beer-related outings).

Funds and Finances

The financial year shall run from April 1st to March 31st for auditing purposes.

Funds shall be kept under the TREASURER’s mattress, or failing that in a reputable financial institution. In the event of the TREASURER telephoning from a secret location on holiday, the branch shall curl up its toes and die.

Dress

Optional, but to save embarrassment, Members are requested to wear at least a RACS T-shirt or sweatshirt on branch outings.

THIS CONSTITUTION SHALL SUPERCEDE ALL PREVIOUS EDITIONS AND SHALL BE BINDING ON ALL MEMBERS.

IT SHALL BE REVIEWED EVERY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.