Royal Naval Patrol Service Association

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

1. The Object of the Association shall be to unite all those men and women who served with the Royal Naval Patrol Service during the years 1939 to 1946. To assist them and their widows and dependants who are in conditions of need, hardship, sickness or distress.

2. Membership is for men and women of all ranks, and all auxiliaries who served and worked in all establishments attached to H.M.S. Europa, up to the cessation of the Royal Naval Patrol Service; Trawler Section World War I; Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

   Honorary and or Associate Members  The Association has power to co-opt to the membership as honorary members, those who by their interest assist in giving beneficial help to the well being of the Association.

3. Branches to be formed wherever possible. Branches to consist of not less than 20 members; when less than 20 members, then those members have the right to join the branch of their own choice, or stay with Headquarters.

   Affiliation of Branches  Affiliation certificates will be supplied from Headquarters together with Rules upon written application to the Secretary, Lowestoft. A list of members names, official number, age and full postal address to be sent to Headquarters so that a record may be kept of all members.

4. Subscriptions  The annual subscription shall be such sum as the Committee shall determine from time to time and the Committee shall in so doing have power to make special provisions for old age pensioners, sick and handicapped personnel and World War I veteran trawler section.

5. Subscriptions  The annual subscription of ordinary members shall be payable on the 1st day of January in each year. The first subscription of affiliated Branch Members shall be paid to Lowestoft Headquarters. So that each member may participate in the benefit of the Benevolent Fund BRANCHES may make A DONATION to the MAIN BENEVOLENT FUND, in lieu of Affiliation FEE, according to their means.

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

6. Widows  Any widow of any person, who by virtue of their War Service in the Royal Naval Patrol Service and/or holder of the Silver Minesweeping Badge, automatically becomes an Honorary member of the Association.

   Such Honorary Members do not have any voting rights on any resolution that may be discussed at any General Meeting.

7. Expulsion of Members  To expel a member from the Association notice shall be sent to the Secretary signed by three members acquainting him with the circumstances that give rise to such notice. The Secretary shall then communicate with such member (so that he may have the opportunity of explaining or withdrawing from the Association) and shall call a meeting of the Committee who are empowered to decide the question. If a two thirds majority of the members of the Committee present vote for his expulsion the member shall be expelled. Any member, so expelled shall have the right of appeal to an Extraordinary General Meeting to be summoned within 21 days of his expulsion when a majority of those present shall be required to confirm the expulsion. If the expulsion be not confirmed, the member shall be reinstated.

8. Ladies Section  Ladies may be accepted as members of the Association provided they qualify by having been attached to Europa, Lowestoft (Auxiliaries included) and wives of members may be accepted as Honorary Members. The decision of the Committee shall be final in respect of qualifications required.

   The Section will be bound by the Rules and Regulations of the Association and will have no voting rights at any meetings but they may organise their own Section subject as aforesaid.

9. Alteration of Rules  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; and at least (One calendar months) notice of the intention to propose any new rule or alteration shall be given to the Secretary who shall send notice of the same to every member to his address in the Association register at least (14 days) before the General Meeting.

   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.

10. Committee Members  If a Committee member shall be absent from five consecutive meetings then such member shall be regarded as having resigned from the Committee unless such absence is due to sickness or other unavoidable reasons acceptable to the Committee. The Committee shall have power to appoint a member to fill any casual vacancy on the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting and any such member so appointed shall retire at the next Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for election as a member of the Committee at such meeting.

Signed:
J. J. Dunn
Honorary Secretary.

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