Constitution

1. Name

The name of the group shall be Wild about Bath

2. Aims

The aims of Wild about Bath will be:

• To encourage people in the Bath area to appreciate nature.
• To promote recreational and educational natural history activities in the local community.
• To conserve and protect local wildlife.
• To build and strengthen our community ties.
• To preserve Christian principles and values without discriminating against those from other or no faiths.

3. Membership

Membership is open to anyone who meets the following criteria:

• Lives in Monkton Combe, Combe Down, South Stoke or the surrounding area; and
• Supports the aims of Wild about Bath.

Further characteristics of membership are as follows:

• There is no formal membership list held at any time, but for practical purposes, those who meet the criteria above and who participate in our social media platforms, sign up for our newsletter and/or attend events are considred to be members.
• There is no membership fee.
• Members may sign up to the aligned social media groups/pages (Facebook and Instagram) and are held to the standards set by those social media platforms and rules.
• Members may also sign up to receive a monthly email newsletter via the website at any time.

3.1 Ceasing to be a member

• Members may unsubscribe from the email list at any time.
• Members may leave social media accounts at any time.

Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further events. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

4. Equal Opportunities

Wild about Bath will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.

A full Equal Opportunities Document can be found on our website at https://wildaboutbath.org/equality-and-diversity/

5. Officers and Committee

The business of Wild about Bath will be carried out by an unelected Committee.

The Committee will consist of at least five committee members, including three officers. Additional members may be co-opted onto the Committee at the discretion of the Committee.

The officers’ roles are as follows:

• Chair, who shall chair both Annual General Meeting and Committee meetings.
• Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers.
• Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts

In the event of an officer standing down during the year, a replacement will be elected at the discretion of the Committee.

Any Committee member not attending a meeting without apology for three months will be contacted by the Committee and asked if they wish to resign.

A current list of Committee members can be found at https://wildaboutbath.org/about/

6. Meetings

6.1 Annual General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM.

All members will be notified in writing (via social media and newsletter) at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time.

At the AGM:

• The Committee will present a report of the work of Wild about Bath over the previous year.
• The Committee will present the accounts of Wild about Bath for the previous year.
• Any proposals given to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.

6.2 Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least eight other members giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda.

6.3 Committee Meetings

The Committee will meet at least quarterly.

7. Rules of Procedure for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote

8. Finances

An account will be maintained for Wild about Bath at the Mayden Foundation. Payments will be made from this account at the request of the Treasurer and at least one other Committee member (not from the same household as the Treasurer).

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer.

All money raised by or on behalf of Wild about Bath is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

9. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present.

10. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.

If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.