GBMCC Club Rules

Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club Rules

1. The club shall be called "Gay Bikers MotorCycle Club" (GBMCC) and is referred to in the rules as ‘the Club’.

Objectives

2. The main objectives of the Club shall be:
   1. to promote and represent the interest of LGBT+ motorcyclists
   2. to promote social, recreational and educational facilities for all its Members; and,
   3. to do any such things as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to these objects

Affiliations

3. The Club shall be affiliated to such organisations as shall be determined by the members at a general meeting.

Membership

4. Ownership of a motorcycle shall be a condition of membership except in the case of ‘Non-Motorcycling’ membership. Membership shall otherwise be open to any person regardless of whether they identify as part of the LGBT+ community or as an ally.
5. Full Membership: Anyone owning a motorcycle shall be eligible to join or renew membership under this category.  Full members have the following rights.
   1. to receive proof of current membership
   2. to be affiliated to other organisations to which the Club subscribes
   3. to hold office as a club official
   4. to vote and speak at the annual general meeting
   5. to introduce or second propositions and/or nominate or second nominations for club officials
   6. to participate fully in club events (local and national) subject to place availability and payment of the event fee
   7. to apply to attend International events as organised by member clubs of GLME.  GBMCC rules agreed AGM May 2012

6. Joint Membership: A ‘full’ or ‘Non-Motorcycling’ member may sponsor one person to this category of membership subject to payment of the membership fee.
   1. the person is a partner of a ‘Full’ or ‘Non-Motorcycling’ Member
   2. joint members shall receive proof of current membership and shall have the rights of a full member
7. Non-Motorcycling Membership: A long-standing full member, (10 years minimum), ceasing to own a motorcycle, who maintains an interest in the Club may renew their membership under this category with committee approval.
   
   Non motorcycling members shall have the rights of a ‘full member’ excluding Rule 5g.
    
8. Members shall be deemed to have agreed to these rules and to be bound by them and by any changes that may be subsequently made to these rules under the provision of Rule 24.
9. Payment of the subscription shall be a condition of membership.
10. There shall be no dress code.
11. The Committee, may, by a majority vote, decline an application for membership or for renewal of membership without being required to give its reasons or to refund subscription.

Subscriptions

12. The level of the annual subscription fee for membership shall be fixed at the AGM.
     
13. The annual subscription fee shall be payable in full on being accepted as a member and shall be renewed by payment every twelve months. Subscription shall be non-refundable.
     
14. A member whose subscription has not been paid within two months after the sending of a renewal reminder shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club.

Guests

15. Guest and other non-members may be admitted to the activities of the Club as decided by the committee. The committee shall have the power to exclude any non-member from participation in any particular activity of the Club.

Committee

16. The management of the Club other than as provided for in these rules shall be deputed to a committee elected by the members at an AGM. It shall include eight national officers namely:
    1. Chair
    2. General Secretary
    3. Treasurer
    4. Website/Online Officer
    5. Membership Secretary
    6. International Secretary
    7. Diary
    8. Event Co-ordinator

together with the local Area Contacts.

17. Committee members terms of office and process for voting as agreed at AGM 2025
    1. All committee positions, national officers and area reps, have a 3-year term of office
    2. A national officer can only have 2 consecutive terms in the same position. (They are permitted to stand for another role at that point, if they wish)
    3. Area reps do not have a limitation on the number of consecutive terms they can serve
    4. The positions of Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership, International require a minimum period of 2-years of active club membership to stand, due to their access to sensitive, personal information
    5. Ideally the position of treasurer should have finance experience, or similar (i.e. Budget manager)
    6. Voting for national officer positions will be carried out by an election call to all members in advance of the AGM. A 2-week call for nominations, followed by 2-week voting period. Results of that ballot will be announced at the AGM
    7. Voting for area reps will be open only to area members. Results also announced at AGM
    8. Chosen area reps will automatically become committee members.
    1. Any committee member can step down at any time short of their 3-year term if needed and an immediate election will be carried out for a replacement
    10. The elected replacement from a mid-term vote will complete the term of the person they replace, but it will not count as 1 of any applicable consecutive terms’ restriction. For example. If Events Officer steps down after 18 months, their replacement will serve the remaining 18 months and can still stand for that post 2 more times
    11. A mid-term vote for a committee member position with an incumbent can be called during their term of office provided, minimum 10% of the relevant membership, (national for national officer, region for area rep) will add their name to that call which should be sent to the Chair and the Secretary
    12. Should a national officer finish 2 terms and no-one steps forward to run for the role, they will be invited to remain in post for another year and the post will be open again at the next voting cycle.
18. The committee shall have the power to make, amend and repeal rules for the conduct of its business.
    
    Five members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
    
    At any one time the maximum number of ‘non-motorcycling’ members of the committee (officer/area contacts) cannot exceed two persons (GBMCC rules agreed AGM May 2012).
19. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held no later than the 30th day of June each year for the purpose of receiving the report and accounts, electing the officers and committee members, setting the annual subscription and deciding on any resolution put to the meeting.
20. The committee shall at any time call a special general meeting of the Club upon the written request of not less than 10% of the paid-up members of the Club stating the purpose of the meeting.
21. General meetings shall be notified to the members in writing no less than 3 weeks before the date of the meeting together with details of any resolutions to be put to the meeting.
22. Members may vote electronically (When offered), in person, in writing or may in writing appoint another member to attend and vote as proxy on their behalf.
23. Members may submit resolutions for consideration at AGMs or special general meetings in sufficient time to allow them to be circulated to members in accordance with rule 21. Nothing in this rule maybe interpreted as preventing resolution being proposed from the floor during a general meeting of the Club.

Amendment Of The Rules

24. These rules or any item may be added to, amended or repealed at any general meeting provided that the proposed alteration shall be notified to members at the time of notification of the meeting.  A majority of 60% of those paid-up members voting shall be required to make alterations of these rules.

Dissolution

25. In the event of the Club being dissolved at a general meeting the committee shall realise the assets of the Club and after discharging all liabilities, both actual and contingent, pay the residue of the funds to any such organisation or body as shall be determined by the members voting at a general meeting.  Upon completion of such action the Club shall be dissolved.
    
     

UPDATED 1 JUNE 2025