Constitution

1. Name

Sherwood Community Garden

2. Aims

To promote the health and environmental benefits of sustainable, locally grown, organic food within the Sherwood community using local green spaces
Promoting the health and environmental benefits of locally grown organic food
Increasing awareness of the effects of climate change
Supporting local people to learn about gardening and growing
Improving unused community green spaces
Incorporating natural habitats in our gardens for wildlife benefits
Provide opportunities for all those within the local community to be involved in gardening either as plot holders or volunteers

3. Objectives

To organize regular open working parties to help maintain the gardens.
To organize events and workshops to promote sustainable food growing, share skills and bring communities together
To provide a friendly, open and supportive environment
To encourage the use of permaculture principles in the gardens
To establish links with other local groups with similar aims, for mutual benefit. E.g. Sherwood Open Gardens, Nottingham Growing Network. Notts Wildlife Trust, Sharing Sherwood, Nottingham Open Spaces Forum
Actively encourage involvement of people from diverse ethnic origins, and all ages and abilities.
Provide opportunities for volunteers to learn gardening skills and help to maintain the gardens
To share produce from communal areas with volunteers, Friends and other community food schemes
Maintain good relationships and partnerships with Sherwood Community Centre, Nottingham City Homes and Nottingham City Council

4. Membership

Membership is open to residents in the Sherwood area who are plot holders, volunteers or registered Friends.

(It is free for volunteers and there is a small annual charge for plots at the gardens)

A list of all members will be kept by the committee.

Members may resign at any time by contacting the committee.

It shall be a condition of membership that members conduct themselves in a reasonable manner at meetings, events, activities, facilities, on social media or other gatherings of the association or when representing the organisation at outside meetings or events.

Any member may be suspended from membership for breach of this condition or for any conduct which is detrimental to achieving the aims of the association. The suspension shall be decided upon by members at a general meeting by a majority vote.

5. Equal Opportunities

Sherwood Community Garden will not discriminate on the grounds of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Any member contravening the Equal Opportunities Policy may be asked to resign.

6. Officers and committee

The business of the group will be carried out by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year.

The Committee will normally consist of at least 6 members and be composed of 3 officers and 3 committee members. Maximum term is normally 3 years

Officers roles can be job shared as required

Chair, who shall chair both general and committee meetings
Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and communication with members
Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts

Committee members may take on specific roles as required either temporarily, full term, shared or individually, such as social media, representing SCG at external meetings, meeting prospective plot holders, organizing working parties, supervising volunteers.

In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement may be co-opted until elections at the next AGM.

The Committee meetings will be open to all members who are welcome to join in discussions but would not have voting rights.

7. Meetings

Annual General Meetings

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

All members will be notified at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time.

Nominations for the committee may be made to the Secretary before the meeting.

The quorum for the AGM will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.

At the AGM

The Chair will present a report of the year’s work.

The Treasurer will present the accounts for the previous year.

The officers and Committee for the next year will be elected.

Any proposals given to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.

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,

The quorum for the Special General Meeting will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.

Committee Meetings

Committee meetings may be called by the Chair or Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least 7 days before the meeting.

The quorum for Committee meetings is three Committee members.

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. 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. Minutes of meetings will be distributed to all members

8. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a bank agreed by the committee. Decisions concerning expenditure to be taken at Committee meetings. Three cheque signatories will be nominated by the Committee (one to be the Treasurer). The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.

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

The group will consider the ethical and environmental record of the organisations that it trades with or applies to for funding.

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 and entitled to vote.

10. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to disband 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.

This constitution was agreed at the meeting on:

Date …………/…………/…………….

Name ………………………………………….………………………………………….

Position in group ………………………………………….………………………………………….

Signed ………………………………………….………………………………………