Rules

The Rules of the Association, amended at the 2014 Annual General Meeting and subsequently approved by the Charities Commission, are set out below.

As well as tidying them up there are two fundamental changes to the old rules.

1. The charitable purpose of the Association is extended to include education and the provision and maintenance of the museum to commemorate the achievements of those who served in RNPS.

2, The classes of membership are amended so that executive posts of the Association can be filled by ordinary members who did not serve in RNPS.

 

THE PURPOSES. PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES OF THE ROYAL NAVAL PATROL SERVICE ASSOCIATION ARE:

1. The Objects of the Association shall be to preserve the memory of the achievements of those men and women with the Royal Naval Patrol Service during the years 1939 to 1946 and to assist them and/or their widows and direct dependents still living who are in conditions of need, hardship, sickness or distress.

2. The preservation of the memory of the achievements is accomplished by the RNPS Museum and the RNPS Memorial. The maintenance of the memorial is the responsibility of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission but that of the Museum is the RNPS Association.

Membership shall fall into three categories:

3. Served members: of RNPSA is available to men and women of all ranks, and all auxiliaries who served and worked in HMS Europa or any establishment attached to HMS Europa, up to the cessation of the Royal Naval Patrol Service.

4. Member of RNPSA: is available to all those who do not fall into 2. (above) but who wish to support the objects of the Association.

5. Honorary Member: of RNPSA may be granted by the Executive of the Association to anyone who by their interest gives assistance to the Association, including widows/widowers of any Served member or Member.

Note: Only Served members and Members shall be eligible for election to the executive or have the right to vote at any local or general meeting. Co-option is covered under 6c.

Administration

6a. The administration of the Association shall be in the hands of the National Committee, elected annually from the Served members and Members. The Committee shall comprise the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer (who together shall comprise the Executive) and a minimum of three others who will be directly elected by the voting members .

6b. A Vice-Chairman may be elected by the Committee members from the remaining members of the Committee and will be a member of the Executive. The Committee will set the rates for subscriptions and oversee the administration of the Association.

6c. The Executive shall have the power to co-opt any Served member or Member to fill a vacancy on the Committee, or any person for their specialist knowledge or expertise.

6d. All members of the Committee will retire at the Annual General Meeting but will be eligible to stand for office again.

Subscriptions & Finance

7. The annual subscription for each grade of membership shall be such sum as the Committee shall determine from time to time, payable on the 1st day of January in each year.

8. 10% of all subscriptions received, together with all interest from any Investment Account, shall be paid into the Benevolent Fund in January in each year.

9. The Treasurer will maintain records of both the General and the Benevolent funds and report them quarterly to the Executive and annually to the whole membership. Signatories to Association bank accounts will be the Executive, any two members to sign.

10. The General fund will be used for the day to day running expenses of the Association. The Benevolent fund will meet the expenses that arise when assisting Served members and their widows/widowers in need and the expenses of preserving the memory of the achievements of RNPS, as indicated in the Objects.

Rules

11a. No rule of the Association shall be repealed or altered, and no new rule shall be made, save by a majority of the members present at a General Meeting.

11b. Every proposed alteration to the rules shall be notified to the Secretary by (one month before Spring Newsletter) or (one month before Autumn Newsletter). This will enable the Secretary to inform every voting member via the Newsletter to their last known address so that they may attend the AGM to vote or submit a proxy vote.

Proviso:
No alteration, amendment or addition shall be made to these Rules, the effect of which would cause the Association to cease to be a charity in law.

 

Click here for a downloadable text only version of the RNPSA rules