Constitution

NAME

The name of the organisation shall be The Eastern Region Textile Forum.

FOCUS

Textile art is often defined as using plant, animal or synthetic fibres to construct practical or decorative objects.  This is our starting definition.  While their art works may incorporate other media, members are required to use textiles/fabrics and/or stitch as a significant element in work submitted for all ERTF events.

AIMS

The aims of the Group shall be to:

  1. Promote textile art and member artists within the region.
  2. Support the development of its members by engaging relevant speakers for 2 conferences a year.
  3. Organise and manage at least one exhibition every 18 month to which members can submit their work.
  4. Provide a website as a platform to promote the work of the organization and its members.

POWERS

To further these aims the committee shall have power to:

(a) Obtain, collect and receive money or funds by way of subscriptions, fees, donations, grants and any other lawful method towards the aims of the Group.

(b) Open bank accounts as necessary.

(c) Organise conferences, courses, exhibitions of work and events.

(d) Exchange information with other groups as it sees fit.

(e) Do all such lawful things as will further the aims of the Group.

MEMBERSHIP

Voting membership shall be open to anyone over the age of 18 who lives with the counties of Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and who is interested in supporting the Group in achieving its aims, willing to abide by the rules of the organization and to pay any subscription agreed by the management committee.

  • Membership shall be available to anyone without regard to gender, race, nationality, disability, sexual preference or belief.
  • Each individual member shall have one vote at general meetings
  • The Management Committee shall have the power to approve or reject applications for membership or to terminate the membership of any member, but the member shall have the right to be heard by the committee within 28 days of the notification of the Committee’s decision and before the decision is made final.

MANAGEMENT

A Management Committee elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall manage the Group.

  • The officers of the Committee shall be the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
  • The committee shall consist of a chair, secretary, treasurer, and not more than 9 other voting members.
  • The committee shall meet at least 3 times each year.
  • The chairperson will chair all meetings of the Group or in exceptional circumstances nominate another officer to chair in their absence.
  • The Committee may, by 2/3 majority, and for a good and proper reason remove any committee member. That person has the right to be heard by the Committee within 28 days of notification of the decision and before the decision is made final.
  • The Committee may co-opt another member of the group to fill a vacancy.
  • At least 4 Committee members must be present at a committee meeting to be able to make decisions.
  • A proper record of all transactions and meetings shall be kept.

DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

  1. The duties of the Chairperson are to:
  • Chair the meetings of the Committee and the Group.
  • Represent the Group at functions/meetings that the Group has been invited to.
  • Act as spokesperson for the group when necessary.
  1. The duties of the Secretary are to:
  • Take and keep minutes of the meetings.
  • Prepare the agenda for meetings of the Committee and Group in consultation with the Chairperson
  • Deal with correspondence
  • Maintain the membership list
  • Collect and circulate any relevant information within the Group
  1. The duties of the treasurer are to:
  • Supervise the financial affairs of the Group
  • Keep proper accounts showing all transactions involving money collected and paid out by the group
  • Promptly pay invoices and expense claims as they arise

GENERAL MEETINGS

  1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 13 months of the date of the adoption of this constitution and each year thereafter.
  2. Notices of the AGM shall be published at least 2 weeks beforehand and a report on the Group’s financial position for the previous year will be made available at the same time.
  3. A Special General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the committee, or not less than one quarter of the membership. A notice explaining the place, date, time and reason shall be sent to all members three weeks beforehand.
  4. One quarter of membership being present shall enable a General Meeting to take place.
  5. Proposals to change the constitution must be given in writing to the secretary at least 28 days before a general meeting and approved by a two thirds majority of those present and voting.
  6. The business of the AGM shall include :
  • Receiving a report from the Chairperson on the Group’s activities during the preceding year.
  • Receiving a report from the Treasurer on the finances of the Group.
  • Election of the Management Committee.
  • Any other business.

ACCOUNTS

The funds of the group including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account in the name of the Group operated by the management committee. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by the treasurer and the Chairperson. The Secretary shall also have the power to sign cheques as a proxy for the Chairperson or the treasurer should they not be available. Payments may be made by BACS but approval for such payments must be made in writing before payment is finalized. Email approval is sufficient to the treasurer by the chairman.

  • The funds belonging to the group shall be applied only to further the aims of the group.
  • A current record of all income, funding and expenditure will be kept.

DISSOLUTION

(a)     The Group may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a simple two-thirds  majority of those present and voting at a Special or Annual General Meeting.

(b)     If confirmed, the committee shall distribute any assets remaining after the payment of all bills to other charitable group(s) or organisation(s) having aims similar to the Group or some other charitable purpose(s) as the Group may decide.

Signed by Chair……………………………     Date……………………….

Signed by Secretary……………………….     Date……………………….

Signed by Treasurer……………………….      Date……………………….