THE FRIENDS OF PICKERINGS PASTURE

             (and Hale Duck Decoy)   CONSTITUTION

          Members of the Friends of Pickerings Pasture

         1   take an active interest in the care, control and development of the

               wildlife and the management of the reserves. 

         2    work with HBC departments, through involvement in projects that help

               maintain, develop and promote the reserves. 

         3   support public and educational activities on the reserves.

THE MEMBERSHIP

• Membership is open to any individual who is interested and wishes to register their support.
• It can be registered at the Pickerings Pasture office or with any member of the committee. A name and address is required.
• Members have the right to attend and contribute to any committee meeting.
• Members are encouraged to become actively involved in tasks and projects on the reserve.
• Minutes of committee meetings and information regarding planned activities will be made available, for collection by members, at the reserve’s office.
• Membership gives individuals, with an attendance recorded at 4 or more, out of the 6 committee meetings, the right to vote-in the officers of the committee and any constitution changes at the AGM.
• Membership lapses if no formal contact is made with the Friends of Pickerings Pasture for more than a year.

THE COMMITTEE

• It is made up of a Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, and up to nine other members, voted into office annually, at the AGM.
• The role of the Chairperson is to lead meetings or designate someone else to do so, to ensure that records of committee meetings are kept and to provide a contact address for communications regarding the Friends of Pickerings Pasture.
• The role of Treasurer is to ensure that funds made by or donated to the Friends of Pickerings Pasture are banked promptly, to keep detailed and accurate records of all financial transactions undertaken on behalf of the Friends of Pickerings Pasture and to present a written Treasurers Report at the AGM.
• The role of the secretary is to take minutes at committee meetings and to make them available, for collection by members, at the reserve’s office.

MEETINGS

• The committee shall aim to meet every other month.
• An Annual General Meeting will be held in April of each year.
• Further meetings will be held when required.
• Committee members, only, have voting rights at committee meetings.
• Committee members may register a vote in writing, to the Chairperson, when unable to attend a committee meeting in person.
• All issues require a quorum, of at least four voting committee members, to be carried, including at least one officer of the committee.
• The Chairperson is a non-voting member of the committee, except where there is a tied vote, at which time the Chairperson shall have the casting vote.
• All actions on site, at either reserve, are subject to agreement by a representative of HBC.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

• All funds raised will be kept in a Friends of  Pickerings Pasture bank account.
• Withdrawals require at least two signatures from the nominated signatories.
• The committee will agree four signatories; with additions, if it becomes necessary.
• The use of funds must be agreed by a majority vote of committee members.
• Costs incurred by individual committee members, in carrying out agreed roles and activities, up to a maximum of £10, can be claimed, directly from the Treasurer, without prior approval of the committee.
• All funds raised are for the benefit of Pickerings Pasture.  
• If the Friends of Pickerings Pasture is disbanded, any funds left in the account will be donated to nominated charities, agreed by members at an Emergency General Meeting.

  Updated April 2010