Gloucestershire Outdoor Group

Constitution

  1. NAME

The name of the Group is Gloucestershire Outdoor Group.

  1. OBJECTS

The objects of the Group shall be to:

  1. Organise a regular programme of outdoor events with a primary focus on longer walks at weekends, and shorter walks on midweek daytimes and summer evenings.
  2. Organise other events such as weekends away, meals out, theatre visits, and other social events.
  1. AFFILIATIONS and INSURANCE

At this time the group has no organisational affiliations. Proposals for organisational affiliation can be raised and voted on at a General Meeting, provided the proposed affiliation is consistent with the objects of the Group.

The group will obtain annual Sports Club insurance from whichever insurance supplier offers the most appropriate and good value cover, to be determined and arranged by the Group Chair and Treasurer.

  1. MEMBERSHIP
  1. Membership of the Group shall be open to anyone aged 18 years or older, and who agrees to abide by the rules of the Group.
  2. A list of members shall be maintained by the Committee of the Group.
  3. The Committee shall have the right to refuse, expel, or suspend any person from membership at any time without stating a reason. Any such person shall have the right of appeal to the Group at an Extraordinary General Meeting called in accordance with clause 6.
  1. All members shall pay an annual fee which shall be decided at a General Meeting. Committee Members may waive payment of this fee during their term of office, if they wish.
  2. Prospective members may attend events for three months without joining the Group, but must then pay the membership fee in order to participate in further events.
  1. The membership year shall run from 1 January to 31 December in the same year. Members joining after 1 June will only be required to pay half the normal membership fee.
  2. Members may occasionally bring their own child(ren) on walks, but this is at the discretion of the walk leader. The member is responsible for the behaviour of their child(ren), and also for the ability of the child(ren) to complete the walk.
  3. Members may generally bring their well-behaved dog(s) on walks on a short lead, but it is solely at the discretion of the walk leader as to whether dogs are allowed, and no more than two in total will be allowed on any walk. Members should be familiar with and abide by the Countryside Code and its provisions with respect to dogs and the countryside.
  1. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
  1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held each calendar year on a date to be decided by the Committee. At least 21 days notice of the date, time and place of the meeting shall be given to the Group by the Committee.
  2. A quorum for the Meeting shall be 10% of the membership.
  1. If the Chair of the Group who was elected at the last AGM is unable to attend then the members present at the meeting shall elect a chair for that meeting.
  1. Motions shall be carried by a simple majority of the members present. The Chair will not have a vote except in the event of a tie when he/she will have the casting vote.
  2. The Annual General Meeting shall:
  1. Receive a report by the Chair of the Group.
  2. Receive a report from the Membership Secretary.
  3. Receive the Statement of Accounts.
  4. Elect a Committee to hold office during the period up to the end of the next Annual General Meeting.
  5. Appoint an auditor or auditors.
  6. Discuss any other business connected with the affairs of the Group.
  1. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
  1. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Group may be called by the Committee, or may be requested in writing by a quarter of the members of the Group who will need to state the reason for the Meeting.
  2. In either case the Committee shall give at least 21 days notice of the purpose, date, time and place of the meeting to the Group.
  3. A quorum for the Meeting shall be 10% of the membership.
  4. If the Chair of the Group who was elected at the last AGM is unable to attend then the members present at the meeting shall elect a chair for that meeting.
  5. Motions shall be carried by a simple majority of the members present. The Chair will not have a vote except in the event of a tie when he/she will have the casting vote.
  1. MANAGEMENT
  1. The Committee shall comprise a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and such other members as are agreed by the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
  2. The Committee shall be able to co-opt members on to the Committee of the Group to assist in the management of the Group at any time.
  3. No member of the Group can be elected to any position on the Committee at more than 3 consecutive Annual General Meetings.
  4. Vacancies in the membership of the Committee occurring during the year may be filled by the Committee without calling a General Meeting.
  5. The Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Group.
  1. FINANCE
  1. The funds of the Group shall be derived from such sources as are determined from time to time by the Group at a General Meeting.
  2. The funds of the Group shall be spent on activities which support the objects of the Group. If the assets of the Group are considered to be in excess of that needed for the future running of the Group then the excess, or part of it, can be donated to charitable organisations whose objects are compatible with the objects of our Group, for example those which exist for the purpose of maintaining footpaths and/or promoting walking in the countryside in areas where we organise walks.
  3. The financial year shall run from 1 October in one year until 30 September in the following year.
  4. It is deemed to be a term of every contract entered into that the funds of the Group are liable only for debts, obligations, or engagements incurred or entered into with the approval of the Group. Allocations from the funds of the Group, up to such limits as are agreed by a General Meeting from time to time, shall be approved by the Committee, or by any 2 members of the Committee, or by a General Meeting.
  5. A proper record of income and expenditure shall be maintained by the Committee. These records shall be audited each financial year by the auditor or auditors appointed by the Annual General Meeting.
  6. If the auditor or auditors is unable, or unwilling, to audit the accounts of the Group then the Committee can appoint a substitute without requiring approval at a General Meeting.
  7. The funds of the Group shall be held only in the name of the Group in a bank account which has been opened for that purpose.
  1. AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION

The Constitution can be varied or amended from time to time, but only at a General Meeting.

  1. DISSOLUTION OF THE GROUP
  1. The Group may be dissolved by a resolution of not less than three quarters of the members of the Group present and voting at a General Meeting of the Group called for that purpose.
  2. In the event of the dissolution of the Group any assets remaining after all liabilities have been met shall be given to an organisation whose objects are similar to those of the Group, as noted in section 8b.