Become a member of the RNPSA

THE CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE ROYAL NAVAL PATROL SERVICE ASSOCIATION AND MUSEUM 1. The Objects of the Association shall be, through its museum, to preserve the memory of the achievements of those men and women who served with the Royal Naval Patrol Service during the years 1939 to 1946 and to assist them and/or their widows and their direct dependents (see note 1) still living who are in conditions of need, hardship, sickness or distress. 2. The preservation of the memory of the achievements is accomplished by the RNPS Museum and the RNPS Memorial. The maintenance of the memorial is the responsibility of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission but the Museum is run and administered by the RNPS Association. Membership shall fall into three categories: 3. Served members: of RNPSA is available to men and women of all ranks, and all auxiliaries who served and worked in HMS Europa or any ship or establishment attached to HMS Europa, up to the cessation of the Royal Naval Patrol Service. 4. Member: of RNPSA is available to all those who do not fall into 3. (above) but who wish to support the objects of the Association and its museum. 5. Honorary Member: of RNPSA may be granted by the Executive of the Association as a mark of recognition to anyone who has given substantial voluntary service or assistance to the Association and/or its museum (see note 2). An Honorary member has no power within the Association but they may join as a Served member (if they qualify) or as a Member if they wish to play an active role. Administration 6a. The administration of the Association and its museum shall be in the hands of the National Committee, elected annually from the Served members and Members. The Committee shall comprise the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer (who together shall comprise the Executive) and a minimum of three others who will be directly elected by the voting members. 6b. A Vice-Chairman may be elected by the Committee members from the remaining members of the Committee and will be a member of the Executive. The Committee will set the rates for subscriptions and oversee the administration of the Association 6c. The Executive shall have the power to co-opt any Served member or Member to fill a vacancy on the Committee, or any person for their specialist knowledge or expertise. 6d. All members of the Committee will retire at the Annual General Meeting but will be eligible to stand for office again. 6e. The National Committee have the power to run and operate the museum for the benefit of both the membership and the general public and to accurately record, conserve and display or store appropriately all items within the museum. 6f. The Curators shall accurately record each and every item in the museum and maintain the data base on a regular basis and ensure the museum, with help from volunteers, is kept in a clean, organised and presentable condition for visitors. Subscriptions & Finance 7. The annual subscription for each grade of membership shall be such sum as the Committee shall determine from time to time, payable on the 1st day of January in each year. 8. 10% of all subscriptions received, together with all interest from any Investment Account, shall be paid into the Benevolent Fund in January in each year. 9. The Treasurer will maintain records of both the General and the Benevolent funds and report them quarterly to the Executive and annually to the whole membership. Signatories to Association bank accounts will be the Executive, any two members to sign. 10. The General fund will be used for the day to day running expenses of the Association and its museum. The Benevolent fund will meet the expenses that arise when assisting Served members and their widows/widowers in need and the expenses of preserving the memory of the achievements of RNPS, as indicated in the Objects (1 above). Rules 11a. No rule of the Association shall be repealed or amended, and no new rule shall be made, save by a majority of the members present at a General Meeting. 11b. Every proposed alteration to the rules shall be notified to the Secretary at least one month before Spring Newsletter or one month before Autumn Newsletter. This will enable the Secretary to inform every voting member via the Newsletter, by email or by post to their last known address so that they may attend the AGM to vote or submit a proxy vote. 11c. No alteration, amendment or addition shall be made to these Rules, the effect of which would cause the Association and its museum to cease to be a charity in law. Notes: 1. Direct dependents shall be limited to the sons and daughters of anyone who would have qualified as a 'Served member' whether they are/were an Association member or not. Each case will be considered on its own merits. 2. 'Life membership', 'Honorary membership' and/or 'Honorary Life membership' of the Association has been extended to many people in the past, some for the current criteria, others as widows/widowers of veterans and some for no direct support of the Association other than that of the office they held at the time. These grades are not withdrawn but will now only be awarded in very exceptional situations only. Amended at 2025 AGM