Swindon College Old Boys RFC Club Constitution

1. Name

The club shall be called Swindon College Old Boys Rugby Football Club (SCOB RFC) (hereafter referred to as “the Club”).

2. Objects

The objects of the Club shall be to:

• Promote, foster, and play the game of rugby union in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the regulations of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
• Provide facilities for, and encourage participation in, the sport of rugby union for adults over 18 in Swindon and the surrounding area.
• Support the health, wellbeing, and social inclusion of members through rugby, training, and related activities.
• Operate on a non-profit basis, reinvesting all income into rugby and the community.

3. Affiliation

The Club shall be affiliated to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Dorset & Wilts RFU, and shall adopt and comply with their rules and regulations.

4. Membership

4.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons over the age of 18 regardless of age, ability, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status.
4.2 Categories of membership shall include:

• Playing Members
• Non-Playing / Social Members
• Honorary Members
  4.3 All members shall pay subscriptions as determined annually by the Committee.
  4.4 The Club offers free membership to students, NHS staff, police, fire services, and military personnel.

5. Officers

The Officers of the Club shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and shall include:

• Chair
• Vice-Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Club Captain
• Fixture Secretary
• Safeguarding Officer (where appropriate)
• Other Officers as deemed necessary

6. Committee

6.1 The Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the Officers and up to six elected members.
6.2 The Committee shall meet monthly (or as required).
6.3 A quorum shall consist of at least four members, including one Officer.
6.4 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members as required.

7. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

7.1 The AGM shall be held annually, no later than 30th June.
7.2 The Secretary shall give members at least 21 days’ notice.
7.3 The business of the AGM shall include:

• Presentation of reports by the Chair, Treasurer, and Captains.
• Election of Officers and Committee members.
• Setting of subscriptions.
• Consideration of proposals submitted in writing.

8. Finance

8.1 The Club’s funds shall be kept in a bank account in the name of the Club.
8.2 The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts, which shall be independently examined annually.
8.3 All cheques, payments, and online transactions shall require approval in accordance with financial controls set by the Committee.
8.4 The Club is a non-profit organisation. Any surplus shall be reinvested into the Club for the benefit of rugby and its members.

9. Discipline

9.1 The Club shall adopt the RFU’s disciplinary procedures and safeguarding policies.
9.2 Any member whose conduct is considered detrimental may be subject to disciplinary action by the Committee, with a right of appeal.

10. Dissolution

If the Club is dissolved, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of debts and liabilities shall be transferred to the RFU or another rugby club/charitable body with similar objectives.

11. Amendments

This Constitution may only be amended at a General Meeting of the Club, with a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

 

Swindon College Old Boys Safeguarding Policy     

Swindon College Old Boys (SCOB) Rugby Football ClubSafeguarding Policy

1. SCOB Rugby Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children involved in [club name] from

2. SCOB RFC confirms that it adheres to the Rugby Football Union’s Safeguarding Policy and the procedures, practices and guidelines and endorse and adopt the Policy Statement contained in that document and any successor policy.

3. A child is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any rugby union However, where a 17 year old male player is playing in the adult game it is essential that every reasonable precaution istaken to ensure his safety and wellbeing are protected.

4. The Key Principles of the RFU Safeguarding Policy are that:

• The welfare of the child is, and must always be, paramount to any other
• All participants regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, race, faith, culture, size, shape, language or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse or
• All allegations or suspicions of abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly, fairly and
• Working in partnership with other organisations, statutory agencies, parents, carers, children and young people is essential for the welfare of children.
• Children have a right to expect support, and personal and social development delivered by an appropriately recruited, vetted and managed in relation to their participation in rugby union, whether they are playing, volunteering or officiating in the community or professional areas of the sport.

5. SCOB RFC recognises that all children have the right to participate in sport in a safe, positive andenjoyable environment whilst at the same time being protected from abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice. SCOB RFC recognises that this is the responsibility of everyone involved, in whatever capacity, at the club.

6. SCOB RFC will implement and comply with the RFU Code of Conduct and the Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Spectators and Officials as

7. The Club Safeguarding Officer is [Darren Astley - Email: chairman@scobrfc.com Phone: 07766 857366 ] . If you witness or are aware of an incident where the welfare of a child has been put at risk you must, in the first instance, inform the Club Safeguarding Officer. They will then inform the CB Safeguarding Manager and the RFU Safeguarding Team. If an incident involves the Club Safeguarding Officer you should inform the [Darren Astley ] and either the CB SafeguardingManager or the RFU Safeguarding Team.

8. All members of SCOB RFC who work with children in Regulated Activity must undertake an RFU Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in accordance with RFU Regulation 21.

9. SCOB RFC will ensure that all its members, whether they are coaches, parents, players or officialswill comply with the Best Practice Guidance as issued by the RFU. In summary, the following are NOT acceptable and will be treated seriously by the club and may result in disciplinary action being takenby the club, the CB or the RFU:

• Working alone with a
• Consuming alcohol whilst responsible for
• Providing alcohol to children or allowing its
• Smoking in the presence of
• Humiliating
• Inappropriate or unnecessary physical contact with a
• Participating in, or allowing, contact or physical games with
• Having an intimate or sexual relationship with any child developed as a result of being in a‘position of ’
• Making sexually explicit comments or sharing sexually explicit

11. SCOB RFC manages the changing facilities and arranges for them to be supervised by two DBS checked adults of the appropriate gender for the players using the facilities. SCOB RFC ensures that all its coaches, parents, officials and spectators are aware that adults must not change at the sametime, using the same facilities as children.

12. SCOB RFC will ensure that its coaches [and team managers] will receive the support and training considered appropriate to their position and role.

13. Any events held on SCOB RFC premises must comply with this Policy and if appropriate a Safeguarding Plan should be discussed and circulated to those affected. Any tours, overseas or domestic, undertaken by SCOB RFC must comply with the relevant RFU Regulations and Guidancerelating to tours.

There may be a number of other points clubs may wish to add to this policy to take into account any matters which are specific to their club, ie if it is on a public site there may be additional safety issues.Clubs should not delete any of the above.

 

This must be adopted in accordance with the club constitution.

Signed …Darren Astley…………….

Date …2^nd March 2022……..……….

	Name: Heather Wright			Name: Darren Astley
	Role: Safeguarding Officer (CSO)			Role: Deputy Safeguarding Officer (CSO)
	Email:safeguarding@scobrfc.com			Email: president@scobrfc.com
	Phone No: 07827814644			Phone No: 07766 857366

Swindon College Old Boys ahear to the England Rugby Safeguarding Policy which can be found at https://www.englandrugby.com/governance/safeguarding