1. The rules and charter as issued on formation of the Association, and amended by the Annual General Meeting of the Association on 3 October 2009, are void and are superseded by the rules and charter hereunder as amended by Annual General Meeting of the Association on 15 October 2010.

2. The title of the Association shall be ‘The Association of Royal Air Force Regiment Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’.

ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS

3. The administrative headquarters of the Association shall be the home of the RAF Regiment, Royal Air Force Honington.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

4. The aims and objectives of the Association shall be:

a. To enjoy, foster and maintain the RAF Regiment spirit of friendship and comradeship among members and enable them to keep in touch with each other and to assist them in maintaining close liaison with the RAF Regiment.

b. To provide an opportunity for reunion social functions for serving, retired or former Warrant Officers and SNCOs of the RAF Regiment at least once per year.

c. To facilitate service by members one to another by introduction and information, for those seeking advice, business contracts and contacts, employment and assistance in any welfare matters.

MEMBERSHIP

5. Membership shall be open to:

a. Serving Warrant Officers and SNCOs of the RAF Regiment and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment.

b. Retired or former Warrant Officers and SNCOs of the RAF Regiment (including Ground Gunners prior to 1942).

c. Serving, retired or former Warrant Officers and SNCOs of other trade groups and other arms, who are or have been on the posted strengths of RAF Regiment units, whilst holding those ranks.

STATUS OF MEMBERSHIP

6. Members shall be eligible to vote at any meeting of the Association that may be called from time to time and to serve on the Executive Committee of the Association.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

7. There are no subscriptions for membership of the Association.

OFFICIALS

8. The officials of the Association shall be:

Patron: Air Marshall Sir Graham Stacey KBE CB RAF

The Committee will, when required, seek a new patron who will be a Serving or Retired Senior RAF Regiment Officer.

President: OC Combat and Readiness Force, RAF Global Enablement
OC C&RF RAF GE) by invitation.

Chairman: A RAF Regiment WO, consequent upon election by the members of the Committee, and after consultation with the President.

Vice-Chairman: Usually a RAF Regiment Warrant Officer or Flight Sergeant, where possible at the home of the RAF Regiment, elected by the Committee and after consultation with the President.

Treasurer: A Warrant Officer or Flight Sergeant at the home of the RAF Regiment elected by the Committee and after consultation with the President.

Honorary Secretary: A Warrant Officer or Flight Sergeant at the home of the RAF Regiment elected by the Committee and after consultation with the Commandant of the home of the RAF Regiment. Alternatively, a retired WO or FS who served in the regular RAF Regiment, and preferably was a former serving committee member, elected by the Committee and after consultation with the President.

MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTS

9. The general management, conduct and direction of the affairs of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee to comprise
The Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Treasurer
Honorary Secretary

Members – (To be elected by a full meeting of the Association):

Four (or more) serving WOs or SNCOs.
Two (or more) retired members.

10. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to co-opt such additional membership as may be required to conduct or execute any particular aspect of their affairs.

ACCOUNTS

11. The funds of the Association are to be divided into two areas; a working sum (£500.00) held in the RAF Honington Convenience Fund for incidental transactions. The balance of the fund will be held in a community account with a high street bank. This account shall require two of the three signatories to authorise any transactions. Those signatories shall be:

Chairman
Treasurer
Honorary Secretary

12. The Chairman or his deputy, together with 3 members of the Executive Committee, shall form a quorum and be empowered to expend a sum of up to £300.00 from Association funds at any one time. The total sum authorised for expenditure by the Executive Committee should not exceed £3,000.00 in any fiscal year. Any expenditure beyond this must be approved, in advance, by the members at the Annual General Meeting.

13. As and when the opportunity arises, the Executive Committee may be empowered to divert some of the Savings and Investment account into further Investments in order to maintain a level of income to the fund, subject to approval by members vote at the Annual General Meeting.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

14. The Chairman shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee at least once in each Audit Period.

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS

15. The Executive Committee shall arrange (subject to availability of accommodation) as a minimum, one social function each year.

16. The Executive Committee shall be empowered, on behalf of the Association, to invite official guests to each social function. The Executive Committee will, however, consider the suggestions of members regarding official guests.

17. The Executive Committee shall also be empowered to arrange such additional or special functions as may be considered desirable, providing that members of the Association have been previously notified and reasonable support has been promised.

18. The Executive Committee shall determine the sum to be paid by each Association member towards the cost of social functions, and members notified accordingly. Each such function should be self-supporting; except where the costs of entertaining official guests of the Association may be attributed as a charge to Association funds, losses are not to be so chargeable and should be proportionately shared among those members attending the function.

DUTIES OF THE HONORARY SECRETARY

19. The Honorary Secretary shall act on behalf of the Chairman and the Executive Committee in accordance with the Minutes of the Executive Committee meetings and such other instructions as he may receive from the Chairman from time to time.

20. The Honorary Secretary shall conduct the Association’s correspondence and maintain appropriate records.

DUTIES OF THE TREASURER

21. The Treasurer of the Association shall maintain the convenience account of the Association at the home of the RAF Regiment: OC Accounts Flt being responsible for supervision of the convenience account. The convenience account is not subject to audit but will be maintained in accordance with the current Royal Air Force regulations for non-public accounts. The Community account shall be managed by a high street bank and monitored by the Treasurer on behalf of the membership. This account shall require two of the three signatories to authorise any transactions.

22. A Balance Sheet shall be drawn up in each audit period, to be examined and approved by the Executive Committee and subsequently published for the information of all Members of the Association.

DUTIES OF THE STANDARD SECRETARY

23. The Standard Secretary is to be any Serving or Retired member of the association, elected by an Annual General Meeting of the association.

24. The Standard Secretary shall be responsible for the organisation, coordination and movement of the association standard as it is paraded in accordance with the Association Standard Parade Schedule.

25. The Standard Secretary shall be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the standard, together with all associated equipment such as the base stand, harness, and bearer’s gloves.

26. The Standard Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that the standard is at all times presented and paraded in an appropriate manner, by a correctly dressed Standard Bearer. These details can be found in the Association Standard Parade Schedule.

GENERAL

27. The Executive Committee, after consultation with the President of the Association, shall be empowered to vary or extend these rules for the benefit of the Association.

28. All communication and enquiries should be addressed to:

The Honorary Secretary
The Association of RAF Regiment WOs and SNCOs
RAF Honington
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP31 1EE