NAME

The Friends of Snape Wood Nature Reserve & Ashton Park (hereafter referred to as “The Friends of SWAP”)

AIM

The overall purpose of The Friends of SWAP is to:

• Create a secure environment in which everyone can enjoy the benefits of the park facilities
• Enable and encourage informal and formal activities for those of all ages who live and work in the neighbourhood
• Promote and encourage the protection, conservation and sympathetic enhancement of the Nature Reserve by way of good environmental practices.

OBJECTIVES

The Friends of SWAP intend to fulfil this purpose by:

• Involving local people in improving the area
• Liaising with the police, council and any other relevant bodies
• Carrying out and promoting both environmental improvement and practical conservation, to educate, encourage and support the local population in environmental practice by working with statutory and non statutory agencies
• Promoting sport, community recreation and play facilities, impacting on crime reduction

POWERS

We can hire, lease, rent or purchase premises and equipment in order to carry out the group’s activities.

The Management Committee cannot be paid but can be reimbursed for any legitimate expenses they incur in carrying out the business of the group.

We can make leaflets, booklets or other information materials and give or sell them to people.

We can open a bank account to hold the funds of The Friends of SWAP.

We can keep extra money in the bank until we need it and earn interest on our account.

We can join other organisations or charities that have similar or related aims and objectives and work with other groups and organisations on projects of joint interest.

We can buy insurance to cover the Management Committee and volunteers.

We can pay expenses and the cost for setting up and running The Friends of SWAP

We can carry out any other legal activity that supports or furthers the aims of the group.

MEMBERSHIP

There shall be three tiers of membership, namely:

FULL MEMBERSHIP

Any person over 18, living or working in Snape Wood or the surrounding area who supports the aims of the group. Full members may vote.

AFFILIATED MEMBERSHIP

Any group or organisation that supports the aims and objectives of the Friends of SWAP. Affiliated groups may have one voting representative at meetings.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Any individual supporter who supports the Friends of SWAP but who is not eligible for full membership. Associate members cannot vote at meetings.

The rights of any member cannot be transferred to another person, group or organisation.
There shall be no annual membership fee, but members will be invited to make a small donation should they choose to do so.

Membership of The Friends of SWAP can be ended by :

• A person writing to the Secretary at any time
• A Committee decision with reasons supplied to the member in writing. The member concerned may appeal against this decision in writing to the Secretary. In this case an Appeal Panel of at least two committee members will meet with the member in question and a friend or supporter of their choice within two weeks to try and resolve the matter. The decision of the Appeal Panel will be final.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

Members and supporters of The Friends of SWAP will be invited to Annual General Meetings.

The Friends of SWAP must hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year.

Members must be told in at least 14 days in advance that there will be an Annual General Meeting.

The group’s financial accounts for the previous year will be presented at the AGM.

All members serving on the Management Committee will stand down at the AGM and tell the Secretary whether or not they wish to stand for re-election.

Other members who wish to stand for election at the AGM must inform the Secretary at least 7 days before the meeting.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

All members of the management committee will be Full members.

A Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and up to ten other committee members will be elected at the AGM to form the Management Committee.

Committee members will run the group and make any rules as they see fit.

Minutes will be kept of all the Management Committee meetings.

Co-opted members can join the committee for a specific length of time related to a particular project or piece of work or as an ongoing arrangement.

The management committee can co-opt up to ten other people to the committee at any time. Co-opted members will not be able to vote. People can only be co-opted for the period up to the next AGM.

A quorum is the minimum number of voting committee members that must attend a committee meeting in order for it to carry out its business, make decisions etc. If a meeting does not have that number of people attending then any decisions have to be postponed to the next meeting. A quorum of the managing committee of The Friends of SWAP shall be at least three.

The management committee will meet when needed, but no less than four times per year.

CONSTITUTION

Any changes to this constitution will need to be approved by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at the AGM.

Any proposed change of this Constitution must be received by the Secretary in writing at least seven days before the AGM.

FINANCE

All the money raised by The Friends of SWAP will be used for the objectives written in the constitution.

All cheques must be signed by two committee members.

Cheque signatories must not be married, related or live in the same household.

DISSOLUTION

If the Management Committee by a simple majority recommends that it is necessary to dissolve The Friends of SWAP it will call a special general meeting (SGM) of all members giving them at least 14 days notice.

If this is approved by a simple majority of the members present and voting at the SGM the Committee has the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of name of group. The assets will be donated to a local charitable or community group with similar or related aims.

Constitution accepted on 26 March 2009

signed

Clayton Hayward (Chair)
Diane Good (Vice Chair)
Liz Connolly (Secretary)
Irene Healy (Treasurer)