We are run along classical English society lines with a Chairman, Main Committee and Finance sub-committee.

The Main OVS committee meets three times per year. Election to a committee is by invitation but volunteers are always welcome.

Membership is automatic to any pupil leaving the school if they have paid subscriptions whilst at the school. We reserve the right to decline membership in exceptional cases. Teachers with three or more years of service are automatically OVS members on leaving the College.

Annually an OVS team challenges the current College 1st Xl at Hockey, Cricket and Rugby. Use the OVS Committee and Contacts link if you would like to play.

Below are the proposed new OVS Rules. There will be a vote on the new rules at the 2007 AGM. If you have any comments please e-mail them to ben@benefitz.co.uk

OLD VIKING SOCIETY RULES

These rules were revised on 18th December 2006

1.      NAME       

The Society shall be called “The Old Viking Society”. (OVS)

2.      OBJECTIVES    

The OVS is a society that associates ex-students of Shiplake College. (College)

The objectives of the Society are:

The objectives of the Society are:

a. Attempt to maintain social   contact among OVS members,     including circulation of a newsletter at least once per annum.

b. To arrange a variety of sporting and social OVS reunion events, based on an annual or anniversary basis, either at the College and at other locations if deemed necessary.

c. To use an excess of funds in projects to the benefit of the College.

3.      OFFICERS   

The officers of the Society shall consist of a Chairman, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer, the Headmaster, and Committee Members. The Committee has the right to co-opt any members they think fit for any Committee meeting, and to invite to such meetings any Honorary Members they wish. 

A total of three OVS Committee shall resign en-bloc each year, and may stand for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for election and re-election shall come from a quorate committee meeting.

4.      MEMBERSHIP         

Ex-pupils and persons associated with the College shall be eligible for one of the following tiers of OVS membership:

1. Honorary OVS Membership

a. Teachers having been at the College for more than 3 years shall be invited to become Honorary OVS Members.

b. Governors of the College shall be invited to become Honorary OVS Members.

c. The Committee has the right to offer Honorary OVS membership to any person.

3- Full OVS Members

a. Full OVS membership can only be granted to students who have attended Shiplake College for one year.

b. Full OVS membership is subject to the payment of an appropriate subscription. (Section 5 subscriptions.)

 

All memberships of the OVS Society shall be subject to the following conditions:

a. The Chairman and the Headmaster jointly have the right to withhold membership for any period to any student leaving the school.

 

b. The Committee has the right to withdraw the privileges of OVS Membership.

5.      SUBSCRIPTION

a. The OVS subscription fee is collected as part of the termly fees charged to students by the College and runs for the duration that a student attends the College.

b. Full OVS membership will only be given to a College leaver after a minimum of one year OVS subscriptions have been collected.

c. The OVS subscription fee will be set by the Committee and reviewed from time to time. It will normally be set to the same level that the College collects from students in lieu of OVS fees.

d. The OVS subscription fee will be raised annually in line with the published RPI rate. Additional changes to the subscription fees can be made with written permission from the Headmaster or Bursar of the College, with approval from the College Governors.

e. An Honorary member is not required to pay a membership fee.

6.      MANAGEMENT

The general management of the Society is entrusted to the committee. Such management is expected to be conducted in a legal, honest and professional manner.
The role of the Chairman is to control the conduct, related to the Society, of the OVS Committee and the decision mechanism of committee meetings.

7.      MEETINGS

The committee shall meet at least twice per annum. A general meeting of the Society shall be held annually (AGM). 

The Committee shall present to the AGM a report of the transactions and general concerns of the Society, with a set of accounts for the prior year.
The quorum level of the OVS committee shall be seven. There is no quorum level for any General Meeting, Annual or Extraordinary.

8.      OVS RULES

Changes to the OVS rules may be proposed by the OVS Committee and made at a General Meeting with two-thirds majority of the members present, provided that the membership has been circulated (in the newsletter) of the intention to change the rules.

9.      FINANCE

All money belonging to the Society shall be in the hands of the Treasurer who shall keep an account of the name of the Society. 

The Society shall nominate a Finance sub committee of a minimum of 3 Committee Members (includes the Chairman and the Treasurer). 
The "Finance Sub Committee" has the authority to:

a- To make OVS payments up to the amounts minuted in the OVS committee meetings.

b- To make payments for expenses, gifts and costs which are related to OVS business, up to the sum three quarters of a current College students five year subscription payment.

The financial year shall run 1st September to 31st August.

OVS MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Deferred OVS Membership

No OVS benefits  

Honorary OVS Membership

Annual News Letter 
Invitation to Annual OVS events
Voting rights at the OVS AGM

Full OVS Membership

Annual News Letter 
Invitation to Annual OVS events
Voting rights at the OVS AGM
At the discretion of the College, discount on fees for sons or daughters attending Shiplake College