Wigan Walking Football Club
Wigan Athletic Academy Building, Stadium Way, Wigan, WN5 0UN
Committee Members 2024/25
Chair: Phil Charnock
Secretary: Dave Heyes
Treasurer/Funding: Ian Barlow
Vice Chair (Media/Publicity) Jeff Rourke
Team(s) Management: Alan Hosie
Membership Secretary: Jim Moss
Grant co-ordinator: Steve Holdsworth
Welfare Officer: Andrew Prescott
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External representation: Wigan Athletic Community Trust
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Ex-Officio:
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CLUB CHARTER
1. Name
Wigan Walking Football Club will be known as ‘Wigan Walkers’ hereafter referred to as ‘The Club’
2. Aims & Objectives
To play, contribute to the development of, and promote the game of Walking Football and to organise other social activities for the benefit of its members or its wider community.
Working with and other local community organisations, the Club aims to improve the health & wellbeing of its members & reduce social isolation by offering the opportunity for over 50's and those with restricted physically ability, to keep active and to play the 'beautiful game' at a pace more suited to older age.
In pursuit of its Aims and Objectives the Club will: -
2.1 Organise and participate in tournaments & events for the benefit of its members and to promote the Club whilst encouraging fair play, sportsmanship and a spirit of unity.
2.2 Generate funds and source external funding and sponsorships to subsidise its activities and assist with the day-to-day running of the Club.
2.3 Collect subscriptions and, where necessary, tournament or event fees from its members.
2.4 Seek to use Club funds in the best interest of its members and its local community.
2.5 Not unfairly discriminate against its members, or those interacting with the Club, based on their lifestyle, religion, beliefs, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status or any other minority views.
2.6 Strive to become self sufficient with a strong membership base, promoting courses for its members to gain qualifications (e.g. coaching badges, refereeing qualifications, first aid training ) in order to improve knowledge and experience within the Club.
3. Club Committee
The structure of the Club is decided by its members; subject to 3.3 (below) its Committee shall consist of Club members, elected annually at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting of its members as determined by the Committee.
3.1 Day-to-day management of the affairs of the Club shall be delegated to the Committee including, but not limited to, decisions on strategy, governance and legal matters.
3.2 The Committee shall consist of Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, team manager, a media officer and such other officers, including a membership secretary and grant co-ordinator as the Committee deem appropriate in accordance with 3.3 (below).
3.3 During the year the Committee may replace elected members where they no longer wish to serve for whatever circumstance; Committee shall also have the right to co-opt further members as the need arises, but only to fulfill a specific role(s). The Committee may also invite external representation where this is deemed in furtherance of the Club’s objectives. Any continuing representation at Committee level should though be approved by Club members at Special or Annual General Meetings.
3.4 A minimum of 4 (four) Committee members will form a quorum to make decisions at Committee Meetings.
3.5 In the absence of the Chair at any meeting the Secretary shall preside. In the event of the absence of both the Chair and Secretary the members present may elect one of their number to preside.
3.6 Each Committee Member is entitled to one vote on issues at Committee Meetings, unless they have a vested interest in the issue, whereupon they must abstain. The Chair or member presiding will have a casting vote in the event of the Committee being tied over any specific issue.
3.7 All meetings are to be minuted and formally adopted by the members present at the next subsequent meeting of the Committee.
4. General Meetings
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held each calendar year during the month of April or as soon thereafter as is practically possible.
4.1 The date and agenda of the AGM or any Special or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be circulated as widely as possible at least 7 (seven) days before the Meeting to Club members except in extremis.
4.2 At the AGM the Committee will stand down & may stand for re-election together with any member of the Club who wishes to serve, whereupon the meeting will elect its Committee for the forthcoming year. Nominations for any new member must be made in writing to the Secretary in advance of the meeting and must be proposed and seconded. However, where there is a shortfall in Committee membership the meeting may elect members proposed from the floor.
4.3 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time upon receipt by the Secretary of a written request signed by not less than 12 (twelve) Club members stating the purpose for which the Meeting is required and the proposed resolutions. The business of that meeting will be restricted to the agenda relating to the issues raised in the written request.
4.4 The Chair, or in their absence a member selected by the Committee, shall preside at all such aforementioned meetings. Each member present shall be entitled to vote and resolutions shall be passed by majority decision; the Chair, or elected member, will have a casting vote in the event of the Meeting being tied over any specific issue.
5. Finance
5.1 The Financial Year for the Club shall be from 1st April to 31st March annually.
5.2 Club members shall pay a subscription from 1st April annually of an amount as agreed from time to time by General Meetings. New members subscribing part way through a year may be offered a reduced subscription as determined from time to time by the Committee.
5.3 A bank account shall be maintained in the name of the Club; 2 (two) signatories will be required to issue cheques. A minimum of 3 (three) cheque signatories shall be retained as determined from time to time by the Club Committee.
5.4 The income and assets of the Club shall be applied only in furtherance of the Aims & Objectives of the Club. The Committee shall have the executive power to authorise the payment of remuneration or expenses to any person(s) for services provided to the Club.
5.5 All monies received and payable by the Club shall be recorded by the Treasurer in suitably maintained books of account with receipts and payment records filed separately for inspection.
5.6 The Treasurer shall prepare an annual Financial Statement which should be audited along with the records of account by a firm of accountants or a suitably qualified Club member.
6. General Provisions
6.1 Club membership fees are non-refundable, therefore any member resigning from the Club or expelled from the Club for misconduct (as determined by the Committee) shall not be entitled to recompense, except in extenuating circumstance.
6.2 The Club shall enter for such cup competitions and tournaments as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee. Any financial support for competitive games shall be at the discretion of the Committee having regard to the distance of travel, the importance of the fixture and the kudos attached to it whilst always having regard to the financing of events for the wellbeing of the Clubs wider membership.
6.3 From time to time the Club will organise its own competitions and/or festivals. Such events impact on the reputation of the Club and its position in the wider community, including the Walking Football community. The Committee shall again have authority to approve any financial support for such events, including venue costs, the cost of trophies, medals, etc., the appointment of officials and any catering requirements or related entertainment expenses.
7. Dissolution
7.1 The Club may be dissolved by special resolution passed by not less than a two-thirds majority of members voting at a Special meeting convened for that purpose.
7.2 Any assets remaining after the settling of any debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable bodies within the Wigan area, which have similar aims to those of the Club.
Signed....................................... Phil Charnock Chairman
Signed …………………………. Dave Heyes Secretary
Signed …………………………. Ian Barlow Treasurer
Dated ………………………….