Constitution

1. Main Purpose

Out Velo’s aims are:

1. To build a national community of LGBTQ+ and allied adventure cyclists, through organising community-led rides in our wild spaces, National Parks and National Landscapes.
2. To bring the community together across all the different clubs and organisations involved in running LGBTQ+ cycling events, and seek to build consensus for a long term, structured approach to LGBTQ+ cycling group collaboration, in whatever form that might take.
3. To act as a network of support for those who want to build local communities in LGBTQ+ cycling, either within Out Velo or independently.

2. Principles of Inclusivity

Membership shall be open to everyone. To achieve our aims we should be inclusive of:

1. Geography. We are for everyone in the UK. We believe LGBTQ+ cycling shouldn't just be for those in big cities, or those with a car.
2. The LGBTQ+ spectrum, gender diversity, and our allies.
3. Age. We must work hard to appeal to all ages from 18 to 70+.
4. Fitness. We will run rides for members at intermediate and more advanced levels of fitness. We will work with local clubs to support beginner rides.
5. Ride style. We will support road, bikepacking and gravel riding. MTB can be considered subject to insurance arrangements.
6. The wider community. We believe in full collaboration with other communities where they intersect with ours, especially other LGBTQ+ cycling clubs, but also LGBTQ+ fitness and outdoors groups, ordinary local cycling clubs, and adventure and gravel groups. Members should reach out to other groups and invite them to collaborate with us.
7. Our members' creativity. We should celebrate the experience and local knowledge of our Ride Captains, and their event running skills. We should encourage as many members as possible to become Ride Captains.

3. Governance

1. Our Principles of Governance are:
   1. To be governed by our Ride Captains and our most active members.
   2. To be lightweight, agile, flexible, and low cost.
   3. To remain informal, and as much as possible, remain a group of friends.
2. Members should adhere to our Code of Conduct as published on our website and updated from time to time.
3. A Gathering will be held to govern the Club at least annually.
4. A non-executive Steering Group, akin to a non-executive board, will be formed each year from any and all interested members at the Gathering. Principally, this will be formed of our Ride Captains, though any member can join.
   1. Steering Group members must have attended at least one event in the last year (rolling basis)
   2. Steering group members' names will be listed on the Club’s website and updated after each Gathering.
   3. Steering Group members will be deemed to have stepped down if they do not attend the Gathering, and then do not request to remain when contacted immediately thereafter.
   4. Ride Captains will be formally invited to join the Steering Group by the Club Manager once they have led one event that they have planned and instigated. They can then join at any time, even between Gatherings.
5. A small executive of Club Officers will be elected every 2 years from within the Steering Group, by the Steering Group, at the annual Gathering. These Officers will run the Club. Ordinary members’ main point of contact will be with Club Officers.
6. Club Officer roles will be as proposed by the Club Manager from time to time, and approved by the Steering Group via a valid vote, but should constitute at a minimum:
   1. Club Manager, responsible for all day to day running of the Club, (delegating sub roles to other Steering Group members as Officers where they deem appropriate). The Club Manager should be elected with a written or presented two year strategy for the club
   2. Treasurer, responsible for seconding any purchases by the Club Manager (or vice versa), and reviewing and reporting on the club’s income and expenditure, via as brief a statement as possible.
   3. Welfare Officer, with primary responsibility for impartially handling complaints, including with respect to the Club Manager and Treasurer.
7. If the Club Manager is proposing an individual to the Steering Group for election to an Officer role, they should have made every effort to open that role up to the whole of the Steering Group in advance, and encourage competitive votes.
8. All members are eligible to become a Ride Captain which allows them to run and publish rides, once they have attended one ride with us. Ride Captains are to be appointed immediately (within 24h) by the Club Manager upon application by the member, unless the Club Manager and Steering Group both have serious and valid concerns, which must be explained to the member, ideally with reference to the Code of Conduct. Ride captains will be stood down as admins on Spond after not attending an event for over one year (rolling basis).
9. Only the current Steering Group as listed on our website at the time of a vote are eligible to vote in Club elections, stand as Officers and nominate Officers. The aim of this is to provide stronger, more engaged governance with more transparency.
10. Votes should be instigated by the Club Manager (or the Welfare Officer when votes are in respect of the Club Manager).
11. Valid votes are a simple majority of the Steering Group, provided at least two thirds of listed Steering Group members, or all Steering Group members present at a Gathering, have voted. Votes via Whatsapp or other apps are valid provided that threshold is met. The Club Manager holds the casting vote in the event of a tie.
12. This Constitution may be amended only by a valid vote at a Steering Group Gathering.
13. The Club is designed to be agile, and may be merged or partnered into another organisation subject to a valid vote of the Steering Group.
14. Dismissal and removal of all types of member can be considered when they are in breach of our Code of Conduct:
    1. Club Manager, Club Officers and Steering Group members can be dismissed via a valid vote of the Steering Group.
    2. Ordinary members can be removed from the Club by simple majority vote of the Club Officers. Appeals can be made to the Steering Group via the Welfare and Inclusion Officer. The Steering Group will vote whether to reinstate the member, or not.
15. Members may be removed from our events and comms platforms after 2 years of membership without attending a ride, if deemed required by the Club Manager to maintain performance of our systems. They will be informed before removal via a message on our events platform.

4. Finance

1. Club expenditure must be kept to a minimum. The club should aim to keep primary expenses to:
   1. Club Insurance from British Cycling or Cycling UK (one of)
   2. Web hosting and domain

   For example, these primary expenses totalled £125 a year upon the Club’s foundation in 2023, 80% insurance, 20% web hosting and domain.

2. Donations to the Club should first be used for the Club’s basic running expenses as detailed above.
3. The Club Officers should propose uses for any surplus, which should be put to a vote of the Steering Group. All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties, other than to another organisation that fulfils all or part of our main purpose defined in clause 1.
4. Free to use digital systems should be used in an agile and intelligent way to deliver the Club’s events.
5. The Club may occasionally handle payments for accommodation on its events via its bank account/s.
6. The Club should ideally not charge a membership fee, seeking to deliver a club free to casual or occasional members. Instead, sponsorship and voluntary donations should be sought. If a membership fee is deemed required by the Club Officers, it should only be used for essential insurance and minimal web hosting as above, and only paid by the most active members of the Club. This should be voted upon by the Steering Group.
7. All Club expenditure should be jointly reviewed by both the Club Manager and Treasurer.
8. All Club roles are unpaid and voluntary, and expenses will not be available for any undertakings.
9. No one involved in the Club should personally profit from the activities they run for the Club (for example, travel agency). This is as stated in the Code of Conduct. Members seeking to profit may be subject to removal from the Club in accordance clause 3.13.
10. Upon dissolution of the club any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to a registered CASC, a registered charity or the sport’s governing body for use by them in related community sports.