SOMERSET BOWLS ASSOCIATION BENEVOLENT FUND (November 2018)
(known as Somerset County Bowling Association Benevolent Fund)
Trustees:
J. D. Durston (Clevedon Bowling Club)
C. S. Westlake (Winscombe Bowling Club)
Mrs L Greeves (Clevedon Promenade Ladies Bowling Club)
Committee Members:
D. R. Wederell (Isle of Wedmore Bowls Club)
G. Starr (Bloomfield Bowling Club)
Mrs S. Wederell (Isle of Wedmore Bowls Club)
P. Cast (Winscombe Bowling Club)
Dr M. Martin (Yeovil Bowling Club)
Mrs. D. Barnaby (Bloomfield Bowling Club)
Secretary: R. Turnbull (Bloomfield Bowling Club)
Treasurer: A. Chappell (Bath Mens Bowling Club)
Benevolent Co-ordinator: Mrs D. Barnaby (Bloomfield Bowling Club)
1. The Fund is a Charity set up for the purpose of
(a) providing a small gift, up to a prescribed maximum value, to members, in the case of sickness, bereavement or other similar misfortune.
(b) awarding grants to members who, subject to qualifying under Paragraph 6, are in need of financial help.
2. The Fund shall be administered by three trustees and six other members, their appointments being approved by the Association Executive Board and ratified at the Association AGM. All shall have a vote.
3. The General Secretary, Treasurer and Welfare Officer of the Association shall be members of the Committee, none of whom shall have a vote.
4. The Trustees and Committee members shall meet at least once a year and other meetings shall be convened as and when necessary. The Chairman shall be the senior Trustee, or in his/her absence one of the other Trustees or in the absence of a Trustee the senior Committee Member. Four voting members will form a quorum and in the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have a casting vote. All business transacted at these meetings shall be recorded by the Secretary.
5. Funding will be provided on a voluntary basis by an annual donation from Affiliated Clubs. These will be received by the Treasurer and will be banked in a separate account.
6. Those who are eligible to benefit from the Fund are those who are either members of a Club affiliated to the Association which is currently regularly contributing to the Fund or for one year only, were members of a Club who regularly contributed but withdrew from the Fund or were members of a Club which regularly contributed and who ceased to be an affiliated member of the Association.The Year to commence from the date the Association General Secretary received notification from the Club, either of its intention to withdraw from the Fund or to de-affiliate from the Association or the date its affiliation from the Association was withdrawn. Should a club fail to notify it has withdrawn from the Fund, the year shall commence from the date the last contribution was made.
7. A Club joining the Fund or a Club rejoining after withdrawing, may not apply for a grant on behalf of a member in accordance with Rule 1(b) until 3 years have elapsed from the date of joining or rejoining. This restriction shall not apply to those Clubs, who on the amalgamation of the Benevolent Fund with the Benevolent Social Fund, transferred their annual donation from the latter to the former.
8.(a) Applications for small gifts in accordance with Rule 1(a) above shall be made to the Social Administrator. The value of the gift, up to the prescribed maximum, shall be at the discretion of the Social Administrator.
(b) Applications for grants from the Fund in accordance with Rule 1(b) shall be made, on the subscribed form, to the General Secretary of the Association through the Secretary of Affiliated Clubs. Such applications shall be supported by a letter from the Secretary of the Club establishing the need for the grant. This detail must include general information as to the financial circumstances of the applicant.
9. All applications for grants in accordance with Rule 1(b) shall be put before the Trustees and Committee of the Fund who shall decide, on its merits, whether the application will be granted and if so shall also determine the amount of the award.
10. Any awards for an application made under Rule 1(B) will be by cheque, signed by the Secretary and Treasurer of the Association and delivered personally by the Welfare Officer, either to the recipient or his next of kin. The Welfare Officer will report back to the Committee as to the circumstances of the recipient together with his opinion as to the adequacy of the award.
11. The accounts giving details of receipts and expenditure shall be made up by the Treasurer of the Association annually to 30th September. These accounts will be presented to the AGM after certification by an authorised examiner as determined by the preceding Association AGM.
12. Any surplus funds remaining on the dissolution of the Fund shall be applied to charitable purposes.
13. The right to make amendments or additions to these rules shall be under the control of the Trustees and the voting members of the Committee. All such amendments or additions shall be reported to the Association General Secretary.
“Affiliated Club” means a Club that is affiliated to the Somerset Bowls Association
“Association” means Somerset Bowls Association
“Member” in Rule 6 includes their widow or widower