CLUB CONSTITUTION DECEMBER 2018

​
 

The Derbyshire Dales Woodcraft Club is a group of people who share an interest in many aspects of woodcraft. The Club's committee are all unpaid volunteers who give their time for the benefit of the Club and its Members.

The Club is run by a Committee who organise the renting of the building where the Club meets. It has no control of the heating, power, water supplies and toilet facilities. If any of these are out of order the Club Members will be informed and given the choice of attending despite the problem or missing the meeting. The committee cannot provide any alternative form of heating, power, water or toilets. It cannot provide additional clothing, food or other sustenance that may be required by a Junior or vulnerable person.
Some Members of the Club volunteer to demonstrate various woodcraft skills. A number of the woodturners have undergone Tutor training by The Association of Woodturners of Great Britain, and wear a badge on their smocks to show this. All other crafts are demonstrated by Members who have some experience at a craft and are willing to share their knowledge with other Members. The information they provide is based on their previous experience, what works for them and what they consider to be safe.

The Committee is unaware of any Member's ability to provide any form of help as First Aiders, Paramedics, Mental Health Counsellors, Child Minders or Social Workers and cannot offer any of these services.
1 Aims and Objectives
a) To foster a greater awareness of the Woodworkers Arts and Crafts.
b) To provide a forum to encourage communication and an exchange of views amongst Woodworkers.
c) Arrange meetings, exhibitions, demonstrations and to encourage all to produce and aim for a higher quality of work.
d) To provide an opportunity for Woodworkers to meet socially.
e) To encourage others to take up woodwork as a hobby and to help and develop the skills of newcomers.
f) To act us a body representative of the interests of woodworkers particularly in the Derbyshire Dales.
2 Membership
a) Membership of the Derbyshire Dales Woodcraft Club (hereafter referred to in the document as the "Club") shall not be restrictive, is open to any member of the public. They may join the Club by giving their name, agreeing to the bound by the Club's Constitution, paying the yearly subscription and the charge at each meeting that they attend.
b) Membership entails the acceptance of responsibility for maintaining the good name of the Club at all times and furthering the aims of the Club.


c) Membership of the Club automatically entitles the member to any support benefits provided by the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (hereafter referred to in the document as the A.W.G.B.) to Associated Clubs.
d) Resignation from the Club shall be in writing after fulfilling all obligations to the Club or by defaulting annual subscription following one reminder. The Committee shall have the discretionary power to remove the name of any individual from its list of members of the club.
e) Only full members will be entitled to club benefits such as, but not exclusively, discounted wood and consumable supplies, access to book & DVD library and tool loans.

Member’s Information
f) Members are not required to give any other details than their name, but they will not receive notification of changes to meetings or other useful information if they do not give an address, an email address or phone number. The Club does not require Members to reveal any details of their private life.
 

Member’s information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
 

3 Constitution
a) All paid up members shall have the opportunity of entering into the activities of the Club, to attend the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.), to vote on constitutional matters and to serve on the Committee of the Club.
b) The Committee elected annually at the A.G.M shall manage the affairs of the Club.c)The Committee shall consist of: ‑
 

Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Librarian
Ordinary Members, and other specific appointments agreed to be desirable to
ensure continued operation of the Club.
 

d) The Chairman shall be elected at the A.G.M. and shall be elected annually.
e) Junior membership (over 11 years of age and under 18) is free, but juniors are only admitted to club meetings if accompanied by a parent or guardian who must be a paid-up member of the club, have signed The Guardian's Responsibilities Acceptance and shall he be responsible for the safety and conduct of the junior at all times.
f) Visitors attending a club meeting for the first time may do so free of charge. Only one visit will be permitted before the guest is required to become a full member. Any guest visiting the club with the sole intention of attending a demonstration will be charged a fee of £10.00 per visit or a sum as specified by the committee. Exceptions to the above will be at the Chairman's discretion.
g) The Secretary shall be elected at the A.G.M. and shall be elected annually.
h) The Treasurer shall be elected at the A.G.M. and shall be elected annually.
i) The Librarian shall be elected at the A.G.M. and shall be elected annually.
j) Ordinary Members and other specific appointments shall be elected annually.
k) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt other members to all vacancies, which may arise, or to offer guidance on specific matters.
l) The Committee shall meet at intervals determined by the business of the Club. The Secretary in conjunction with the Chairman shall convene the meeting, although a meeting can be convened at any time on demand of 3 or more Committee members.
m) If any official of the Committee is not present then the Membership can elect from amongst their number, a member to act on behalf of the missing official.
n) The Chairman shall exercise a second or casting vote if any voting at Committee shall otherwise be equal.
o) A quorum of the Committee shall be 4 members to include one official.
p) The Committee shall be empowered to appoint Sub Committees to act on their behalf as and when necessary, but with consultation.
q) Cheques of the Club will require 2 signatures of 4 elected signatories.
r) Any amendment to this Constitution shall require the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of the members at the A.G.M. or at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for this purpose.
s) Proposed changes to the Constitution must be notified in writing to the members of the Club at least 21 days in advance of the meeting of the Club.
t) Dissolution of the Club shall require the same conditions as amendments to the Constitution. Assets of the Club shall be donated to a charity agreed by Club members.
u) The Club will have a Safeguarding Policy in place to protect children (under 18) and vulnerable adults. A copy of this policy to be displayed on the Club notice board. There will also be a Safeguarding Officer and Assistant Safeguarding Officer in place. The number of safeguarding issues to be declared at the AGM.

Meetings of the Club
a) An Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) shall be called be called between the 1st of December and the 31st December. The close of the financial year shall be the 30th November. Subscriptions due for the year must be paid by the 7th February annually.
b) The ordinary business to be transacted at each A.G.M. shall be: -
I) To receive and adopt the Treasurers report and statement of accounts covering the "Clubs" previous year and to appoint an Auditor.
ii) To receive and adopt the Chairman's report of the previous years working.
Iii) To elect Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian, ordinary Committee members, (and other specific appointments), who will take office after the ballot is completed.
iv) Any other business the Committee shall see fit.
c) Notice of time, date and place of the A.G.M. shall be circulated via the Annual programme to all paid up members not less than 21 days before the date of the A.G.M.
d) An extraordinary meeting may be convened by a resolution of the Committee or on receipt of a written request of at least 7 members of the Club.
e) The annual subscription for the coming year will be recommended by the Committee and will automatically make members (eligible for any benefits provided by the A.W.G.B to Associated Clubs).


Constitution as amended on the 1st December 2018