Below are the Club Rules, by payment of your annual membership fee you agree to abide by these rules. Failure to comply with these rules may result in a disciplinary procedure being brought by the Club's Committee, this procedure can end in the expulsion of the offending member from the club.


1. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB

The management of the Club is vested in a committee. There are four permanent positions on the committee which cover the following job titles:
- President
- Club Secretary
- Financial Secretary

Additional committee members are elected annually at the AGM by the club's members. The Committee has power to fill any vacancy which may arise throughout the course of a year.

2. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CLUB

Membership of the Club is confined to Amateurs as defined by the British Athletic Federation in the UKA Rules for Competition book.

A candidate for membership must apply in writing using the club Registration Form. Membership of the club is confirmed upon receipt of your Club Membership Card.

The committee withholds the right to refuse membership to the club where they believe that:
a) The candidate may damage the club's reputation
b) The candidate is under 18 years of age
c) The club coaches feel that they are unable to offer the candidate the attention they require
d) The club coaches feel that the amount of time required of them to ensure a safe running environment for the candidate will result in them not being able to fulfil their responsibilities to the other athletes they are responsible for

3. RESIGNATION FROM THE CLUB

Members are not required to inform us in writing if they intend to withdraw from the club but they should be aware that no pro-rata refund will be given to them against any outstanding period of membership they may already have paid for.

4. MEMBERSHIP FEES

The annual membership fee is payable on registration and subsequently on the 1st of April each year there after.

5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

The Annual General Meeting is normally held during the month of April.

At the AGM the Club Committee will report on the years activities and submit to members a financial statement.

In advance of the AGM the club will request from its members nominations for new committee members for the year ahead and any issues they wish to add to the AGM's agenda.

6. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

The Club Secretary must call a Special General Meeting within 14 days of the receipt by him/her of a request in writing signed by at least ten members of the club, stating the business to be brought before such a meeting.

The Club Secretary shall give to every member at least seven days notice of the time and place of any Special General Meeting along with the business to be dealt with at any such meeting.

7. RULES FOR THE DRAW OF THE CLUB'S GUARANTEED ENTRIES INTO THE LONDON MARATHON PLACES

a) Background:
As part of our club's affiliation to UK Athletics we receive a number of guaranteed entries into the London Marathon each year based on the number of members we have. To confirm you will still have to pay London Marathon the normal entry fee for them.

To ensure that these places are fairly allocated we gather the names of all eligible runners and then draw the required number of names from a hat. This is normally done around the Christmas prior to the London Marathon in question.

b) Eligibility:
To be eligible for entry into the draw for the places you must have:
i. Been a registered active club member prior to the 1st April within the year when the places will be drawn (not the year of the marathon in question)
ii. Entered the London Marathon in question through the normal route and had your entry application rejected

c) Exclusions that apply:
i. If you won a club place for any of the last three London Marathons you shall be excluded from entry into the current years draw (previous winners can enter in the 4th draw)

d) Collecting your place if you win:
Our Club Secretary holds the places and will pass to the winners of the draw all the paper work they need to claim their place.

IMPORTANT:
The Club Secretary will not hand over the paperwork to claim your place unless you can produce your rejection letter from the organisers for the year in question. If you are unable to produce a valid rejection letter or prove to our satisfaction that you did apply for a place then we will redraw the place and award it to another eligible club runner.

e) In the interests of fairness:
Due to the low chances of being accepted into the London Marathon through the normal entry system our club places are in high demand and can give rise to situations of debate over people's motives in accepting one of them when they are already injured.

With this in mind we ask all runners who feel they are eligible for the draw to consider the following:

"If you are injured prior to the draw for the club's places and you are in two minds as to your ability to run the marathon then please do not enter the draw. Let those who are fit and able to run have the chance of doing it. The winners of the draw will be excluded from the draw in the following year and therefore not affect your chances of winning a place next time round."

8 ALTERATIONS TO THE RULES

Alterations to the rules/ “major changes” will be raised at either AGMs or a Special General Meetings (subject to 10 or more members making a request in writing-see rule 6).

The proposal will then be put to members via letters to their last known address. The matter will then be approved/rejected by the highest number of votes received but subject to at least 70% of the membership responding.

The committee will decide what constitutes as a “major change”.

9. ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE UNDER UKA RULES

All competitions held under the Rules of the UK Athletics (UKA) are confined to amateurs under the following definitions (hereinafter termed amateurs under UKA Rules):

a) Definition of an Amateur
An amateur is a person who abides by the eligibility rules of the Federation.

b) Restriction of Competition to Amateurs
Competition under Federation Rules is restricted to amateur athletes who are under the jurisdiction of a Member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (I.A.A.F.) and who are eligible under the rules laid down by the British Athletic Federation.

c) Ineligibility to Compete
The following persons are ineligible to take part in competitions under Federation Rules:
Any persons who:

i) are taking part in any competition in which any of the competitors in any of the events were to their knowledge ineligible to compete under Federation Rules.
(NOTE: This does not apply to any athletics meeting which is solely restricted to the Veteran age group)
ii) are ineligible to compete in competitions under the jurisdiction of any national governing body of amateur athletics affiliated to the I.A.A.F.

iii) take part in any athletics meeting which is not sanctioned by the Federation or one of its Member Associations.

iv) take part in any competition outside the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which is not sanctioned, recognized or certified by the Member Association of the I.A.A.F.

v) have competed, or are competing in any sport for pecuniary reward other than as permitted by I.A.A.F. Rules which have been accepted by the Federation.

vi) are suspended or banned for a doping offence under Rule 24 (15) or (16), or by the Governing Body of any other sport.

vii) ask for, or receive directly or indirectly, any monetary consideration reward or employment for becoming, or continuing as a member of a Club or any other athletic organisation.

viii) use the services of an Athletes Representative other than one approved under Rule 11.

ix) have been suspended or banned for being in breach of Rules 16 or 17 (Advertising and Sponsorship or Clothing).

x) have committed any acts or made any statements either verbally or in writing, or have been responsible for any breaches of the Rules, or other conduct which in the opinion of the Council of the Federation is considered to be insulting, improper, or likely to bring the sport and/or the Federation into disrepute.

Unless the period of ineligibility is stated in the relevant Rule or Regulation of the I.A.A.F. or the Federation those ineligible under this Rule shall be deemed ineligible for a period set down in guidelines produced by the Council of the Federation, or in the absence of such guidelines, for such a period as that Council shall decide.

d) Eligibility to Compete
An athlete does not cease to be an amateur under Federation Rules:

i) by the receipt of fees or expenses for acting as an official in any other sport.

ii) by achieving a performance of merit in a competition and becoming eligible for a training grant or subvention donated by a sponsor or organizer. All monies awarded will be administered in a manner approved by the Federation. Any promoter wishing to award training grants or subventions must obtain clearance, in advance, from the Federation (see Rule 12).

iii) by accepting assistance in the form of equipment and services for training and competition, subject to the control of the Federation. Such assistance may include the following items:
- Sports equipment or clothing.
- Insurance cover for accidents, illness, disability and personal property.
- Cost of medical treatment and physiotherapy.
- Cost of coaching.
- Cost of accommodation, food, transport, education and professional training.

iv) by competing in a Fell Hill race which is un-permitted.