Welcome

Thank you for finding your way to the website of the Czech and Slovak community living in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand.

The purpose of the club is the preservation of the Czech and Slovak cultural heritage, language and folklore customs alive. The club also acts as a social network to support expatriates living in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions.

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What we do

Since its founding in 2012, the club has focused on the advancement and promotion of the language and support of the Czech and Slovak community.

However, over time, and with the growing number of people in our region, our activities have grown further. Whether it is social or sports events, a celebration of traditional festivities, you will certainly find something interesting.

And if you have an interesting idea that you would like to realise, then let us know. We look forward to hearing from you.

Community

If you are new to this area and wish to connect with other people from the Czech or Slovak community, talk to us and we will help you.

Education

The Czech school and playgroup are an indispensable part of the club. Language classes take place, formally or informally, at class or at camps.

Events

Are you attracted by the snow-capped mountains, or would you like to show your children how to "burn witches", paint Easter eggs, or who turns up with an angel and an imp? Join us.

Culture

Even culture enthusiasts will get their money's worth. We like to go to the cinema, we celebrated the founding of the first Czech and Slovak republic, we commemorated the date of the burning of Lidice or the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.

Selection of our activities

The following examples are not an exhaustive overview of all activities.

Traditional festivals

We regularly present Czech and Slovak culture to New Zealand audiences. We also have traditional costumes available.

Children's book

Annie and Johny's Diary bilingual book with stories from the environment of New Zealand. The book is still available for purchase. Contact us

Library

The club has a library with Czech and Slovak literature for children of all ages, traditional fairy tales and new quality literature to support the language. Library

Family stays

Every year we organize, support or participate in family holidays in NZ organized for our community and families.

Sport Event

The Czech Republic and Slovakia have been represented by footballers at the Ethkick amateur tournament for several years.

Cooperation

We cooperate on events and other activities with other Czech clubs in New Zealand.

Language and Friends

Friendship and language development go hand in hand. Children learn from their peers at interesting events such as wall climbing, roller blading or a day at Waimarino.

Support

The sun does not shine every day. The club has good relations with the Czech consulate in Sydney and through them we can help you in your life's difficulties.

The club is here for you. Sign up, it has great benefits.

The club has over two hundred members, including partners and children, living mostly in and around Tauranga, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

Most of us are young and middle-aged. The oldest settlers in our community have been here in New Zealand for about twenty years. But as this region expands, there is a steady supply of newcomers.

Therefore, even if you are new to our region or New Zealand, or have been living here longer, you will surely meet a friendly soul among us. We will be happy to advise you on what and how and help you settle down. There are a lot of handy people among us, so you never know what they can help with.

Contact us or register directly on the registration form so that we can let you know about planned events for the whole family.

Among the membership benefits are discounted admission to club events, preferential reservations for club events, such as skiing, etc. or free rental in the club library. Registration for membership in the Czech and Slovak Club Tauranga is FREE.

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Contact us

If you would like to be kept in the loop on events we are planning, please visit our page on Facebook. If you have other questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Are you new here and would you like to meet new people?

Would you like to help us in running the club or school?

Need to find something and don't know where to begin?

Do you need help in an official capacity with an unexpected life event?

Is something not working on our website as it should?

Something else...?

Official address

29a Heron Avenue East
Matua
Tauranga, 3110

Bank account

Bank: KiwiBank
Account number: 38-9014-0327371-00

Committee

The administration of the club is in the hands of an experienced team who rely on your help in organising events and activities.

If you have an idea and would like to realise it, let us know and we will be happy to help you with its implementation, both with our expertise and financially. The club has a number of financial resources, which we are happy to invest in interesting events for club members.

Klara Luxford-Rulisek

President

Amy Benfell

General Secretary

Anka Bailey

Financial Officer

Linda Foukalova

Committee Member

Kamila Lyons

Committee Member

Jana Benfell

Committee Member

Would you like to get involved?

Do you have a bunch of ideas on how to diversify the activities of the club? Contact us and join the team.

Club rules

The club is an Incorporated Society with Societies NZ and a Registered Charity under Charities NZ.

The operation of the society is regulated by its Rules and regulations. The club committee handles administrative matters on behalf of registered members.

The Club
1. The name of the society is Czech and Slovak Club Tauranga Incorporated ("the Society").
2. The Society is constituted by resolution dated 25.10.2012.
3. The Society is a non-profit organisation.
4. The name of the society is Czech and Slovak Club Tauranga Incorporated ("the Society").
5. The Society is constituted by resolution dated 25.10.2012.
6. The Society is a non-profit organisation.
The Seat
1. The legal seat of the Society is the City of Tauranga.
Purposes of the Society
1. The purposes of the Society are:
  1. To maintain good relations amongst members of the Czech and Slovak communities in New Zealand and promote friendship with New Zealand people, as well as building reputation by promoting Czech culture, language and heritage to the public;
  2. To provide open and public education in Czech and Slovak culture and language, through a structured language programme run by the Society;
  3. To maintain contact with similar organisations in New Zealand and abroad;
2. Pecuniary gain is not a purpose of the Society.

Organising Committee
1. The Society shall have a organising Committee (“the Committee”), comprising the following persons:
  1. The President;
  2. A General Secretary;
  3. A Financial Officer;
  4. Such other Members as the Society shall decide.
2. Only Members of the Society may be Committee Members.
3. There shall be a minimum of three Committee Members.
4. The Committee has all of the powers of the Society.
5. Decisions of the Committee shall be by majority vote at Committee meetings.
6. Committee meetings may be held via video or telephone conference, or other formats as the Committee may decide and as often as necessary.
7. No Committee Meeting may be held unless more than half of the Committee Members attend.
8. The President shall chair Committee Meetings, or if the President is absent, the Committee shall elect a Committee Member to chair that meeting.
Appointment of Committee Members
1. At a Society Meeting, the club Members decide by majority vote:
  1. How large the Committee will be;
  2. Who shall be the Committee Members.
  3. Whether any Committee Member may hold more than one position as an officer;
2. All appointments for the Committee last one term.
  1. A Term is defined as a time period between one Annual General Meeting of the Society to the next.
  2. There will be no restriction on the number of terms a Committee member can serve on the Committee, subject to a re-election at an AGM.
3. If the position of any Committee Member becomes vacant between Annual General Meetings, the Committee may appoint another Society or Committee Member to fill that vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.
4. If the position of any Committee Member becomes vacant between Annual General Meetings, the Committee may appoint another Society Member to fill that vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.
Role of the Committee
1. Subject to the rules of the Society (“The Rules”), the roles of the Committee are to:
  1. Administer, manage, and control the Society;
  2. Carry out the purposes of the Society, and use money or other assets to do that;
  3. Manage the Society’s financial affairs, including approving the annual financial statements for presentation to the Members at the Annual General Meetings;
  4. Delegate responsibility and appoint members where necessary;
  5. Keep a register of all members of the Society;
  6. Ensure that all Members follow the Rules;
  7. Decide the times and dates for Meetings, and set the agenda for Meetings;
  8. Deal with all the correspondence on behalf of the Society;
  9. Hold the Society's records, documents, and books;
  10. Advise the Registrar of Incorporated Societies of any rule changes;
  11. Make regulations.
  12. Manage club’s assets.
Roles of Committee Members
1. The President is responsible for:
  1. Ensuring that the Rules are followed;
  2. Receiving and replying to correspondence as required by the Committee;
  3. Chairing Meetings, deciding who may speak and when;
  4. Overseeing the operation of the Society;
  5. Providing a report on the operations of the Society at each Annual General Meeting.
  6. Forwarding the annual financial statements for the Society to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies upon their approval by the Members at an Annual General Meeting;
  7. Advising the Registrar of Incorporated Societies of any rule changes.
  8. Moving team member motions for a discussion and a vote at Committee Meetings.
2. The General Secretary is responsible for:
  1. Recording the minutes of Meetings;
  2. Sending committee meeting minutes to club members in a timely manner;
  3. Convening Meetings and establishing whether or not a quorum (half of the Committee) is present;
  4. Keeping the Register of Members;
  5. Holding the Society's records, documents, and books except those required for the Financial Officer’s function;
3. The Financial Officer is responsible for:
  1. Keeping proper accounting records of the Society’s financial transactions to allow the Society’s financial position to be readily ascertained;
  2. Preparing annual financial statements for presentation at each Annual General Meeting. These statements should be prepared in accordance with the Society’s accounting policies;
  3. Providing a financial report at each Annual General Meeting;
  4. Providing financial information to the Committee as the Committee determines.
  5. Assisting and advising on the preparation of event budgets.
Cessation of Committee Membership
1. Persons cease to be Committee Members when:
  1. They resign by giving written notice to the Committee;
  2. They are removed by majority vote of the Society at a Society Meeting.
  3. If any Committee Member is absent from three consecutive meetings without a leave of absence the Chair/President may declare that person’s position to be vacant.
  4. If any Committee Member is absent from six consecutive meetings with or without a leave of absence the Chair/President may declare that person’s position to be vacant.
2. If a person ceases to be a Committee Member, that person must within one month give to the Committee all Society documents and property.
Committee Meetings

Committee meetings may be held via video or telephone conference, or other formats as the Committee may decide.
No Committee Meeting may be held unless more than half of the Committee Members attend
The President shall chair Committee Meetings, or if the President is absent, the Committee shall elect a Committee Member to chair that meeting.
Decisions of the Committee shall be by majority vote.
The President or person acting as President has a casting vote, that is, a second vote.
Only Committee Members present at a Committee Meeting or participating via an online meeting may vote at that Committee Meeting.
Subject to these Rules, the Committee may regulate its own practices.
The President or his nominee shall adjourn the meeting if necessary.
Adjourned Meetings: If within half an hour after the time appointed for a meeting a quorum is not present the meeting, shall be dissolved; in any other case it shall stand adjourned to a day, time and place determined by the President of the Society, and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present the meeting shall be dissolved without further adjournments.

Types of Members
1. Membership is open to any person of Czech or Slovak descent or any person irrespective of his/her descent who is contributing to the activities of the club.
2. Members have the rights and responsibilities set out in these Rules.Members have the rights and responsibilities set out in these Rules.
Admission of Members
1. To become a Member, a person (“the Applicant”) must:
2. The Committee shall have complete discretion when it decides whether or not to allow the Applicant become a Member. The Committee shall advise the Applicant of its decision, and that decision shall be final.
The Register of Members
1. The General Secretary shall keep a register of Members (“the Register”), which shall contain the names and the postal addresses of all Members, and the dates at which they became Members.
2. If a Member’s contact details change, that Member shall give the new postal address to the Secretary.
Cessation of Membership
1. Any Member may resign by giving written notice to the General Secretary.
2. Owing to expulsion due to actions prejudicial to the Club. Each case of expulsion shall be specially decreed by the President.
Obligations of Members
1. All Members (and Committee Members) shall do nothing to bring the Society into disrepute.

Money and Other Assets
1. The Society may only use Money and Other Assets if:
  1. It is for a purpose of the Society;
  2. It is not for the sole personal or individual benefit of any Member; and
  3. TThat use has been approved by the Committee or by majority vote of the Society.
2. There shall be no subscriptions for the membership of the Society.
3. The Society shall not have the power to borrow money.
4. The sources of the Society's funds shall be provided by fundraising, donations and grants.
5. No private pecuniary profit shall be made by any member of the Society, except that:
  1. Any member may receive full reimbursement for all expenses properly incurred by that member in connection with the affairs of the Society;
  2. The Society may pay reasonable and proper remuneration to any member of the Society in return for services actually rendered to the Society. Provided however that any member, or any person associated with a member, who is to receive remuneration in accordance with this clause shall not by virtue of that member's capacity in any way determine or materially influence the amount of the remuneration to be paid.

Society Meetings
1. A Society Meeting is either an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.
2. The Annual General Meeting shall be held once every year in May. The Committee shall determine when and where the Society shall meet within those dates.
3. Special General Meetings may be called by the resolution of the Committee or on requisition of 10 or more members.
4. The Secretary shall:
  1. Give all Members at least 7 days written notice of the agenda to be conducted at any Society Meeting;
  2. Notify all members of any General Meeting at least 10 days before its date. If the Secretary sent notifications to all members in good faith, and some members did not receive the notice, General Meeting shall be still held;
  3. Provide a list of Nominees for the Committee for Annual General Meeting.
5. All Members may attend and vote at Society Meetings.
  1. Decisions are made by majority of votes. In case of an equity of votes the Chair will have a casting vote.
6. All Society Meetings shall be chaired by the President. If the President is absent, the Society shall elect another Committee Member to Chair that meeting. Any person chairing a Society Meeting has a casting vote.
7. The President or his nominee shall adjourn the meeting if necessary.
8. Adjourned Meetings: If within half an hour after the time appointed for a meeting a quorum is not present the meeting, if convened upon requisition of members, shall be dissolved; in any other case it shall stand adjourned to a day, time and place determined by the Chair/President of the Society, and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present the meeting shall be dissolved without further adjournments.
Motions at Society Meetings

Any Member may request that a motion be voted on (“Member’s Motion”) at a particular Society Meeting, by giving written notice to the Secretary at least 20 days before that meeting. The Member may also provide information in support of the motion (“Member’s Information”). The Committee may in its absolute discretion decide whether or not the Society will vote on the motion. However, if the Member’s Motion is signed by at least 10 eligible Members:
It must be voted on at the Society Meeting chosen by the Member; and
The Secretary must give the Member’s Information to all Members at least 14 days before the Society Meeting chosen by the Member; or
If the Secretary fails to do this, the Member has the right to raise the motion at the following Society Meeting.
The Committee may also decide to put forward motions for the Society to vote on (“Committee Motions”) which shall be suitably notified.

Common Seal
1. The Society shall have a Common seal. The General Secretary shall have custody of the common seal, which shall only be used by the authority of the Committee. Every document to which the common seal is affixed shall be signed by the President and countersigned by one other member of the Committee.

Altering the Rules
1. No addition to or alteration of the aims/objects, payments to members clause or the winding-up clause shall be approved without the approval of Inland Revenue. The provisions and effect of this clause shall not be removed from this document and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document.
2. The Society may alter or replace these Rules at a Society Meeting by a resolution passed by a majority of votes.
3. When a Rule change is approved by a Society Meeting and Inland Revenue when applicable, no Rule change shall take effect until the Secretary has filed the changes with the Registrar of Incorporated Societies.

Winding Up
1. If the Society is wound up the General Meeting shall authorise the disposal of any funds and property of the Club according to the provisions in the Incorporated Societies Act 1908.
2. If a decision is made to wind up or dissolve the organisation and any property remains after the settlement of the organisation’s debts and liabilities, that property must be given or transferred to another organisation for similar charitable purpose or purposes as defined in section 5(1) of the Charities Act 2005.

Definitions and Miscellaneous matters
1. In these Rules
  1. “Majority vote” means a vote made by more than half of the Members who are present at a Meeting and voting at that Meeting upon a resolution put to that Meeting;
  2. “Society Meeting” means any Annual General Meeting, or any Special General Meeting, but not a Committee Meeting;
  3. “Written Notice” means communication by post, electronic means (including email, and website posting), or advertisement in periodicals, or a combination of these methods.

Change of rules June 2021

Download rules (PDF|5.1MB)

Minutes of annual meetings of club members

As a duly incorporated company with Societies NZ and a registered charity under Charities NZ, the club has an annual obligation to give club members the opportunity to comment on the company's operations.

This obligation is fulfilled by holding the Annual General Meeting in May each year. In exceptional cases, a special meeting of the members of the association gives the members of the club another opportunity to vote on proposals reserved for the members of the club. The minutes of these meetings are fully available to you.

AGM 2024 - Teacher's report

PDF | 71.3KB

AGM Minutes - 16th May 2024

PDF | 178.3KB

Financial Report - AGM 2024

PDF | 46.7KB

Playgroup report - AGM 2024

PDF | 55.7KB

President’s Report 2024

PDF | 63KB

AGM Minutes - 11th May 2023

PDF | 179.9KB