HELLESDON HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION

Constitution approved at the AGM 2023
1st pending amendments (in italics)
1. Title
The name of the association shall be the “Hellesdon Horticultural Association,” hereinafter referred to as the Association.
2. Objectives
The objectives of the Association are:
• To bring together people with an interest in gardening in Hellesdon and the surrounding district.
• To provide a discussion forum in respect of gardening and gardening-related issues.
• To arrange regular meetings for Association members that include guest speakers on gardening or gardening-related topics or any other subjects of general interest.
• To arrange visits to places of gardening and horticultural interest.
• To hold, as a minimum, an Annual Horticultural Show.
All profits arising from the general business of the Association and all subscriptions received shall be used for the accomplishment of the objectives of the Association.
3. Membership
Membership of the Association shall consist of such persons whose application for membership is approved by the Committee as hereafter defined and who shall have fully paid their subscriptions.
The membership year shall run from 1st January to 31st December.
The Association’s Treasurer and Membership Coordinator shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names and contact details of all members.
This register should meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act and be used exclusively by named officers in pursuance of their Association roles and to ensure accurate addressing in communications with members.
Membership subscriptions shall be payable on joining the Association and shall be of such amount as determined each year by the AGM.
Membership shall automatically be cancelled if a member’s subscription is more than three months in arrears.
A member may resign from the Association by sending written notice to the Treasurer. Any subscription paid by such member for the year in which resignation is made shall be forfeited.
Any member aggrieved by the action(s) of the Association Committee may appeal to the next Annual General Meeting giving notice in writing to the Chair at least 30 days prior to the AGM. The appeal shall be upheld if two thirds of members present vote in favour.
Any member changing their address shall notify the Association Treasurer in writing (email or letter).
4. Expulsion of Members
A General Meeting may, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote, expel any member for conduct detrimental to the Association, provided that a notice specifying the conduct for which it is intended to expel is sent to the member as entered in the register of members at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting.
5. Committee
The Association shall have an ex-officio President and Vice Presidents who are appointed by the membership as a whole in recognition of their major contributions to the life and work of the Association.
The management, organisation and activities of the Association shall be conducted by a Management Committee that shall consist of Association members elected each year at the AGM. Terms of office shall run from 1st January to 31st December. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting each November.
The Management Committee is a cooperative body and shall elect officers from within its number to help it carry out its work.
Current Officer titles are:
• Chairman - to conduct the Committee and General meetings of the Association in a fair, transparent and honest manner and ensure collective decision-making.
• Secretary - to record the decisions, actions and outcomes of the Association and the Committee and provide all associated administration.
• Treasurer - to manage the finances of the Association
Each member of the Committee shall undertake an organising role on behalf of the membership and/or shadow a role to act in the event of absence.
Additional Committee Roles are:
• Events - to manage speakers, visits and arrangements for all events
• Shows - to manage and administrate any and all shows originated by the Association compliant with the requirements of the RHS and this Constitution.
• Refreshments - to provide and manage refreshments
• Table Sales - to organise and manage sales on items on the Sales Table
• Raffles - to organise and manage raffles .
• Photographic Competition - to organise and manage the Annual Photographic Competition
Vice, assistant and shadowing roles:
• Vice Chairman - to act in the absence of the Chairman
• Assistant treasurer - to act in the absence of the Treasurer
• Shows assistant - to manage and administrate any and all shows originated by the Association compliant with the requirements of the RHS and this Constitution.
• Events assistant - to act in the absence of the Events assistant
Committee roles and the activities they cover may change due to changing circumstances and will be recorded in Committee minutes.
6. Committee Meetings
The Association Committee shall meet on the first Monday of each month at 7.30pm. Five members to form a quorum.
The Minute Secretary shall notify all Committee members of the date, time and place of all Committee meetings giving at least seven days’ notice of such meetings and circulating the agenda for the meeting.
At all meetings of the Committee each agenda item requiring a vote shall be decided by a simple majority vote, one vote per Committee member. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast both ‘for’ and ‘against’, the Chairman shall have the casting vote. In the event of the Chairman being absent, the Vice Chairman shall preside.
In the event of an emergency, the Chairman plus one other Officer may make an executive decision where it is not practicable for the issue to be addressed at a regular or special Committee meeting. Details of the action will be recorded for presentation at the next regular meeting of the Committee.
7. Regular Meetings and the Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The Minute Secretary or other designated Committee member shall circulate programmes on a regular basis giving details of meetings, outings and any other relevant information.
General meetings are to be held on the third Monday of each month. Notice of meetings, outings, etc., shall be posted on the Association web site and updated on a regular basis by the Committee.
The AGM shall be held in November each year, details of which will be in the Programme circulated to all members. The business transacted shall include but not be restricted to:
• Chairman’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report including presentation of the audited Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for the preceding financial year (1st October to 30th September)
• Election of Committee to take up their position from the 1st January the following year.
Following the AGM there will be the presentation of awards.
A Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be called whenever the Association Committee deems it expedient or when requested in writing by at least ten members. Ten members shall form a quorum.
The Chairman shall normally preside at all meetings and a quorum shall be 10 members or 25% of the membership, whichever is the greater.
Payment of the annual subscription shall be a pre-requisite condition to members’ entitlement to vote at any AGM or SGM.
All motions at any AGM or SGM shall be disposed of by a show of hands.
The Agenda, including changes to the Constitution, for an AGM or an SGM will be sent by email or letter if needed, 30 days prior to the AGM.
8. Finance
The Treasurer shall have responsibility for all financial aspects of the Association and shall bank all monies (except petty cash) in the name of the Association.
The Treasurer shall give financial statements at all Committee Meetings.
The Treasurer shall close the Accounts on 30th September each year and prepare Income and Expenditure statements and a Balance Sheet for examination by the Auditor for presentation to the membership at the AGM in November.