Organisation structure

Voices have been raised, confusion is abroad - “We used to have just the Hawks’ Club, and now we have this committee, and that committee - what does it all mean?”. With the aid of this diagram, and some words of explanation we hope to make all clear:

The centrepiece is, of course, The Hawks’ Club, numbering some 5,000 world wide, and in residence ranging between circa 100 at the beginning of the academic year, to 220 or so by its end. It is governed by a President and Committee, elected by the members in residence at the end of the year, to take up office the next year. The Committee is responsible particularly for the election of new members. The Committee is overseen and guided by (currently) two Trustees, both “senior” Hawks, who are responsible for the finances of the Club in residence, and represent its interests on other bodies.

The London Dinner Committee organises the annual dinner which is held on the eve of the Varsity Rugby match.  From 1936 until 1987, when the new Clubhouse project got under way, this organisation provided the chief contact to graduate Hawks worldwide. It remains the most significant event of the year for many Hawks once they have gone down. The current President and one of the Trustees normally sit on this Committee.

We are aware that some countries have their own organisations for keeping in touch with local Hawks. Your editor would be interested to hear from any such, and will publicise them in these pages.

The Hawks’ Company Ltd was formed to raise funds for, to manage the refurbishment of, and now to manage the day-to-day affairs of , The Clubhouse.  The Company is owned wholly by Hawks. The Trustees hold its two Ordinary Shares (“golden” shares) which grant them ultimate control. In addition, there are 3,200 odd £1 Redeemable Ordinary Shares linked to £500 Loan Notes. Some 72% of these are now owned by The Hawks’ Club. including those held by other individuals who have waived their right to repayment. The Company has a liability in respect of the 757 Loan Notes held by other individuals, but has no other borrowings and the property is worth considerably more than the balance. The Club’s income is used to purchase additional shares, and thereby increase its proportion of the whole - the aim being to enable the Club to wholly own the Company, and hence the premises.

The Company has a Board of Directors. There are currently 10 Directors, including, as a welcome recent recruit, the Secretary of the London Dinner Committee. The Board meets 2-4 times per year. The current Club President and one of the Trustees will normally attend.

The Board delegates responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Clubhouse and its commercial activities to a Management Committee, comprising representative Directors of the Company, a Club Trustee, the current Club President, a representative of the Dining Rights Club, the Club Steward, and such other expertise as the committee requires from time to time. The Management Committee normally meets monthly.

The Hawks’ Charitable Trust, was set up in 1996 on the back of a substantial bequest from David Jennens. In the short time since, it has grown to become the biggest single source of sporting bursaries in the University. There are five Trustees, all Hawks, and all Directors of the Company. A representative of the Ospreys' attends the meeting at which awards are made.

Under the umbrella of the Clubhouse there is The Hawks’ Dining Rights Club, membership of which is open to men and women in the Cambridge business and professional community   Besides providing income to the Clubhouse, this provides a useful link to the professional life of Cambridge. It has its own Committee, on which sits one of the Directors of the Company, and whose Chairman sits on the Board of the Company.

It is worth recording positively that none of the officers of these various bodies (save for the Steward and Administrator of the Clubhouse) receive any remuneration for the time that they devote to these causes.