1. NAME
The Club shall be known as “Woodbury Woodturners”.2. OBJECTS
The Objects of the Club shall be to encourage, develop, and promote the art, science and craft of Woodturning, and to that end:-
(a) To establish and maintain contact with other interested associations.
(b) To hold private and public meetings for discussion, display of work, and instruction (by lecture, display, demonstration or otherwise).
(c) To hold, and to participate in the holding by others, of private and public exhibitions.
3. CLUB NOT FOR PROFIT
(a) The income and property of the Club, however derived, shall be applied towards the promotion of the Objects of the Club as set forth in this Constitution, the Committee may also use club funds to subsidise Social Events providing that such events are open to all members whether on payment or not. The Committee may also from time to time, with due regard to club finances, make donations to the club's chosen charity - Hospice Care.
(b) No portion of the income or property shall be paid or transferred, by way of dividend, bonus, or by any other way of profit to the Members of the Club other than as provided in this Constitution.
(c) No Member shall be paid expenses other than those agreed by the Committee.
(d) No Member is entitled to incur any debt on behalf of the Club without the express permission of the Committee.
4. PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP
(a) The Privileges of Membership shall include the right to attend all Meetings of the Club, to use and enjoy the facilities of the Club upon such terms as the Committee may from time to time determine, and subject to the provisions of these articles, to submit any matter, and to vote on any matter submitted to the decision of any Meeting or Poll of the Club.
(b) The right to and privileges of Membership shall not be transferable and shall cease upon the termination of Membership.
5. MEMBERSHIP
There shall be three categories of Membership, Honorary, Ordinary and Junior Membership.
Junior membership was proposed and accepted under the condition that a Members under the age of 18 be accompanied by an adult who takes responsibility for them.
6. ELECTION OF HONORARY MEMBERS
(a) A Member of the Club, or other person who has made an outstanding contribution to the Club, may be elected as an Honorary Member of the Club.
(b) A Member wishing to propose a candidate for election to Honorary Membership shall inform the Committee prior to the Annual or Special Meeting.
(c) The proposal that a person shall be elected as an Honorary Member will be placed before the Membership at an Annual or Special Members Meeting and must be carried by a majority of two thirds of the Members present at that Meeting.
(d) An Honorary Member shall enjoy all the privileges of Membership but shall not be required to pay any fees associated with that Membership.
7. ELECTION OF ORDINARY MEMBERS
(a) Every candidate for Membership shall furnish such information and details as the Committee shall require.
(b) A candidate for Membership may attend a Meeting as a Guest or Visitor without subscription but will be required to apply for Membership before attending further meetings.
(c) A candidate shall become a Member of the Club upon being elected by the Committee.
(d) The Club, through the Committee reserves the right to refuse Membership without giving reason.
(e) A Copy of this Constitution shall be given to each person upon election to the Club. By acceptance of election to the Club each Member agrees to be bound by this Constitution.
8. SUBSCRIPTION
(a) Subscriptions to the Club shall be due on or before the third Thursday of January of each year.
(b) The subscription of a New Member will be pro rata for the months remaining of the current year.
(c) The subscription shall be set by the Committee having regard to the forecast of expenditure in the forthcoming year.
(d) A reminding letter will be sent to a Members address when a subscription has not been paid. If however that person’s subscription is still not paid by the third Thursday in February in any year then they will be deemed to be no longer a Member of the Club.
(e) A Member resigning is asked to inform the Committee. Refund of subscription will not be made.
9. MANAGEMENT
(a) The elected Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and at least three other positions as determined from time to time by the Committee.
(b) The general management of the Club shall be vested in the Committee.
(c) The Committee shall meet at least every two months. A quorum of 5 members is required.
(d) The Committee shall have the power of filling by invitation any vacancy which may occur during the current year.
(e) The Committee shall have the power to appoint a sub-committee which shall be chaired by a Member of the Committee.
(f) The Committee shall have the power to make such rules or regulations as they may deem to be necessary for the well-being of the Club provided such rules or regulations are not inconsistent with the articles of this Constitution.
(g) The Officers and Members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Members Meeting. If at the Annual Members Meeting it is seen that there is only one proposed Member for a post then the Meeting Chairman may ask the Membership to accept the Candidate as elected. Where there is more than one proposed Candidate for any post then election will take place by secret ballot. All Candidates and their proposer’s must be Members of the Club.
(h) The Officers and Members of the Committee shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.
(i) The Annual Members Meeting shall be held in the Autumn of each year.
(j) The Committee may, at its discretion, call for a Special Members Meeting at any time. The Committee shall call a Special Members Meeting within twenty one days of being served notice signed by more than five Members. Notice of a Special Members Meeting, together with the agenda, shall be posted to all Members prior to such Meeting.
10. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT
The Committee may propose to the Membership at a Members Meeting that a person be elected to the Honorary Office of President of the Club. Such election must be approved by a majority vote of two thirds of the Members present.
11 FINANCE
(a) Prior to the Annual Members Meeting of each year a non elected member of the Club will be invited to scrutinise the accounts for the previous year ending 31st December. The Accounts shall be presented to the Annual Meeting for approval.
(b) The Treasurer shall maintain an accurate records of the income, expenses, and assets of the Club.
(c) In the event of dissolution of the Club then any tangible assets will be sold by the Committee within two months of the dissolution and, together with remaining funds after all debts have been paid, be equally distributed to the current Members of the Club.
12. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
Should the Committee decide that the conduct of a Member is prejudicial to the interests of the Club then a special Members Meeting shall be convened to decide the case for expulsion of that Member by giving no less than twenty one days notice in writing. Any Expulsion shall be carried by a vote of more than two thirds of the Members Present.
13. INTERPRETATION AND BINDING EFFECT
(a) The Committee shall be sole authority for the interpretation of the Constitution and the decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any other matter not provided for by the Constitution shall be final.
(b) Every Member of the Club shall by virtue of his Membership be bound by the provisions of the Constitution (and rules and regulations if there be any).
14. DATA REGISTRATION ACT 1998
To facilitate the administration of the Club the Committee shall be empowered to maintain a Computerised Database of Membership details. By accepting Membership of the Club each Member agrees that their details may be so held, and further agrees that their name, address, and telephone number (if provided) may be circulated amongst the Members of the Club.
