The name of the club shall be "Acacia Bridge Club, Ewell", hereinafter called "The Club".

The venue of "The Club" shall be "Ewell Court House, Lakehurst Drive, Ewell, Surrey KT19 0EB", hereinafter called "The Venue".

The objective of "The Club" shall be to provide facilities for the playing of Duplicate Contract Bridge in accordance with the principles of "Best Behaviour at Bridge".

The management of "The Club" shall be vested in a general committee consisting of four Officers: the Chairman, the Club Secretary, the Treasurer, the Membership Secretary, and up to three other members. All Officers, and other members, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of "The Club" and shall retain their role until the conclusion of the next AGM.

Candidates for election to the general committee shall be those Officers and members of the retiring committee who offer themselves for re-election, and such other members of "The Club" who have been members of "The Club" for at least one full financial year, and who have agreed to accept Office or membership of the committee if elected and whose written nominations, duly proposed and seconded by members of "The Club", shall have been received by the Club Secretary not later than seven days prior to the date fixed for the AGM.

If the number of candidates for each Officer role, or for membership of the committee, exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, the elections shall be by ballot of paid up members of "The Club" present at the AGM.

Should a casual vacancy on the general committee arise for any reason, the general committee may co-opt a club member to fill the vacancy until the next AGM.

The general committee shall have power to deal with the funds and property of "The Club" and may draw on the funds of "The Club" to meet any expenditure approved by the general committee.

The general committee shall have the power to make such Laws and Rules, in accordance with this constitution, as it thinks fit as to the management of "The Club" property and for the organisation of "The Club" activities and competitions in accordance with the objectives of "The Club".

The general committee shall meet as required, but at least once per financial year. Three members of the general committee shall form a quorum, the Chairman or Club Secretary being in attendance. Emergency meetings of the general committee may be called if the Chairman and Club Secretary consider this essential and desirable. The general committee shall have the power to delegate any of its powers and duties to a sub-committee drawn from members of the general committee or members of "The Club", as it thinks fit.

The Club Secretary shall keep a minute book in which shall be entered a record of all general meetings and all meetings of the general committee.

The general committee shall have power to co-opt any member of "The Club", who is willing to serve, to the general committee or any sub-committee.

The general committee may govern its proceedings and establish any guidelines and regulations for the conduct of its duties as it thinks fit, but shall be subject always to any regulations laid down in the Constitution as approved by the members of "The Club" in general meeting.

Every candidate for membership of "The Club" shall attend on three occasions before being eligible for membership. The full name and address of the candidate for membership shall be submitted to the Membership Secretary on the Application for Membership form of "The Club". The general committee reserves the right to refuse any application for membership.

Membership of "The Club" shall be limited to eighty four people. Once this limit is achieved, subsequent applications for membership, after a visitor has played on the requisite three occasions, shall go on a waiting list. The candidate shall be invited to join "The Club" only when a vacancy arises. All invitations to join "The Club" shall be issued strict order according to the date of receipt of the original application.

Membership of "The Club" is renewed annually, and shall be paid no later than two months after the AGM of each financial year. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the membership of the member of "The Club" lapsing. The membership of any member who does not attend at least once during "The Club" year will lapse unless the general committee agrees dispensation.

Each member shall notify the Membership Secretary of any change of their postal address, phone number or email address.

In support of the principles of "Best Behaviour at Bridge", all members of, and Visitors to, "The Club", shall be issued with a copy of the "Bridge Etiquette" and "Call the Director!" documents. Failure to observe the principles contained therein may be construed as misconduct, as determined by the Director.

The financial year of "The Club" shall be from the 1st of April to the 31st of March.

The general committee shall control the finances of "The Club".

The bankers of "The Club" shall be Abbey, part of the Santander Group.

Members shall pay an annual fee. The level of the annual fee shall be determined at the AGM.

Members shall pay a table fee per session of such amount as the general committee determines, subject to ratification at the AGM.

Visitors shall pay an additional fee to the general table fee. The level of the additional fee is to be determined by the general committee, subject to ratification at the AGM.

In the event of deterioration in the finances of “The Club”, or other extenuating circumstances, the general committee shall be authorised to amend the amount of the table fee for members of “The Club”, and for Visitors, at any time throughout the financial year.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in the month of May, or such other month as the general committee determine, provided always that not more than 15 months shall elapse between the holding of one AGM and the next.

The AGM shall be convened and notice shall be given to all members of "The Club" via a notice on the noticeboard of “The Club”, and via a notice on the website of “The Club”, and by announcement at “The Club” on at least three occasions, the final announcement to be made not more than fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the meeting. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) may be called in a similar manner but two announcements shall suffice the last being not more than seven days prior to the meeting.

The Club Secretary shall convene an EGM as required by the general committee; or, on written demand signed by ten members, giving twenty eight days notice to the Club Secretary of the date of the meeting. The demand and notice of the EGM must state the business for which the meeting is called, and only that business shall be transacted.

Proceedings at any general meeting of "The Club" shall not be invalidated by failure of any member to receive notice of the meeting, notice having been duly given in accordance with the rules set out above.

Voting on any matter raised at general meetings, including the election of Officers and members of the general committee, shall be by a simple majority of those members of "The Club" present and voting on a show of hands. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote. The chairman’s declaration of the result of any vote shall be conclusive. However, any five members of "The Club" present may demand that a secret ballot is taken. The result of any secret ballot, achieved by a simple majority of those members of "The Club" present and voting, shall supersede the outcome of a show of hands.

The quorum of any general meeting shall be twenty members of "The Club".

Competitions shall be held at such times and under such conditions as the general committee or any sub-committee shall determine.

Except at the Christmas party, alcohol shall not be consumed by any person whilst playing at “The Venue” of “The Club”.

Any suggestions or complaints regarding the arrangements of "The Club" shall be submitted in writing and handed to the Club Secretary, or any member of the general committee, and shall be considered at the next committee meeting.

"The Club" accepts no responsibility whatever for the property or belongings of any member or visitor whilst at the "Venue" of "The Club".

Any matter not provided for in these regulations and all questions arising regarding their construction or implication shall be decided by the general committee.

The Chairman, Treasurer, Club Secretary and Membership Secretary,  and members of the general committee, together with all other members of "The Club", shall be equally responsible for any liabilities incurred during their time of membership.

Alterations, additions or amendments to these regulations and constitution cannot be made except by a resolution at a general meeting.

These regulations and constitution were adopted at the Annual General Meeting held on 6th May 2009.