RAA Plymouth

Membership

Of The

Royal Artillery Association

2008

Membership of the RAA. The categories of members shown above are deemed to be members of the RAA as a whole and may attend meetings and social functions of any Branch or Ladies’ Section as visitors.

b. Any person who has served on the posted strength of a Royal Artillery unit or Headquarters.

c. Wives and husbands who were married to their spouses during their spouse’s commissioned or enlisted service with the Royal Artillery.

d. Wives and husbands currently married to their spouses who had previously been commissioned or enlisted into the Royal Artillery.

Full Members. Annual and life members are sometimes referred to as ”Full Members” or, when relevant, ”Fully Paid-up Members”.

Application for Membership. Any Gunner may apply to become an annual or a life member. He or she should apply to his or her local branch secretary or to the General Secretary at Artillery House either directly, or by means of the RAA application forms. In the case of an applicant under the category of 23b above, the Branch Committee will decide whether or not to accept the application. If forwarded direct to Artillery House it will be necessary for the application form to show it has the Branch Committees approval.

b. Annual Members. Each branch decides the level of its annual members’ subscriptions.

c. Life Members. The annual Assembly recommends the level of the life membership fees to the Board of Management.

Serving Members. Gunners (as defined in Rule 1) who subscribe to the RACF are Serving Members of the RAA whilst they are serving, and are deemed to be paid-up annual members of their local branch, or Headquarters Branch, for one year after they retire. Other serving individuals as defined under Rule 23b, who do not subscribe to the RACF, may be required to pay an annual membership fee as set by their branch.

Serving Members who have subscribed to the RACF for a period of at least 6 years are entitled, when they leave the Service, to life membership of the RAA without further payment.

Honorary Members. Honorary membership of a Branch may be conferred on local dignitaries or other persons whose membership may be of benefit to the Branch.

Honorary members shall have no voting rights nor be required to pay subscriptions.

Associate Members. Associate membership of the RAA is open to anyone, 18 years old or over, not eligible for Annual or Life membership, and who fulfils at least one of the following criteria:

The granting of Associate membership shall be at the discretion of the Branch. Associate members shall have the same voting rights and pay the same subscriptions as Annual members.

Associate members shall be eligible to hold any Branch office except those of President or Chairman. These posts may be held by Associate members exceptionally if extenuating circumstances exist.

Associate members may represent up to a maximum of 30% of the total Branch membership as at the end of each calendar year. Should the percentage of Associate members exceed 30% owing to a decrease in Full members, then the branch must decide by ballot or other means, which Associate members suspend their voting rights in order to reduce their numbers to 30% of the total Branch membership. A member whose voting rights are suspended in this way may remain a member of the Branch but must have the situation explained to him or her by the Chairman of the branch.

Royal Artillery Charitable Fund (RACF). Eligibility for assistance from the RACF is restricted to members and ex-members of the Royal Artillery, their widows and dependants as laid down in the RACF’s Memorandum of Association.

Full members who are not cap-badged Gunners who may require financial welfare assistance should be referred to Artillery House, who will, in turn, refer them to their relevant Regimental or Corps Benevolent or Charitable Fund.

Refusal of Membership. Any branch committee is entitled to refuse membership to any person, subject to appeal by either party to the National Executive Committee.

Cessation of Membership. Membership may be terminated by resignation, expulsion, or falling into arrears with annual membership fees.

Expulsion. Any branch committee is entitled to expel a member of that branch by a resolution of the branch. Any member so expelled is entitled to appeal to the National Executive Council and subject to that appeal make representations to the Trustee.

Re-Admission. Members who resign, or whose membership has fallen into arrears, may subsequently apply for re-admission. Annual members will be liable to subscribe from the date they are re-admitted.

Powers of Members. The members of the RAA, through their branch delegates at the annual Assembly, have the following powers:

a. To examine, and if approved, adopt the Précis of the Proceedings of the previous Assembly.

b. To examine, and if approved, adopt the annual accounts of the RAA Central Fund.

c. To appoint three members to the Board of Management of the RACF in accordance with the Articles of Association of the RACF.

Members of the RAA may also express their views through Regional and District Committees, and deal direct with Artillery House on routine administrative matters and welfare.