MAIDENHEAD and DISTRICT TALKING NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION (Registered Charity Number 289813)

 

CONSTITUTION

As amended at the Annual General Meeting on 18th September 2005 (changes shown in blue).

1. The name of the Association is 'The Maidenhead & District Talking Newspaper Association', hereinafter referred to as the Association.
2. The object of the Association is to relieve the blind, or partially sighted, or those labouring under some temporary or permanent incapacity or disability which makes reading a strain, by the provision of recorded tapes. In furtherance of this object, but not otherwise, the Association through its Committee shall have the following powers:
   1. To take and accept any gifts of property, whether subject to any special trusts or not.
   2. To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation or otherwise, provided that the Committee shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said object.
   3. To seek authorisation from the Post Office to use the free postage facility available under the Post Office Regulations, and, if such authority is granted, to use this facility for the distribution of tapes to those people to whom the Regulations currently apply.
   4. To distribute the tapes by means other than the use of the free postage facility mentioned in 2(c) above to people other than those covered by the Post Office Regulations related to this facility.
   5. To do all such other things as shall further the object of the Association.
3. Membership of the Association shall be available:
   1. Automatically to those blind, partially-sighted or disabled people in receipt of the Association's tapes, and
   2. By invitation of the Committee to those actively involved in the running of the Association, until such time as their involvement ceases.
   3. By invitation of the Committee to those who make a regular contribution by way of subscription, donation or otherwise.
4. 1. The Committee of the Association shall consist of:
      1. A maximum of twelve elected members, at least one of whom shall be a visually impaired, or disabled, recipient of the Associations tapes. Five of these members shall be Officers holding the following posts, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Engineer and Chief Editor.
      2. A maximum of three co-opted members with full voting rights.
   2. Members of the Committee shall act in the best interests of the Association and shall not by word or deed bring the good name of the Association into disrepute.
   3. The above Officers shall hold office until retirement, or removal, by resolution of an AGM or EGM of the Association. Any vacancy in such office shall be filled by resolution of the Committee.
   4. Ordinary members of the Committee shall be elected at the AGM of the Association. Retiring members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.
   5. The Committee duly elected shall act as Trustees to the Association.
5. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association shall be held in the month of September each year and every member shall receive at least fourteen days notice of such meeting. Extraordinary meetings may be convened by the Committee, or three members of the Committee, or three members of the Association, upon a similar notice, which shall state the business to be considered at the meeting. The quorum at the AGM shall be ten.
6. At the AGM or EGM every member, including the Chairman, shall have one vote, and in the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
7. The Committee of the Association shall meet once every three months and additionally as required. Members of the Committee shall be required to attend a minimum of two Committee Meetings in each year. Each member of the Committee including the Chairman shall have one vote and in the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
8. All sums received pursuant to paragraph 2(b) shall be handed over to the Treasurer who shall pay the sum into the bank account in the names of the Trustees at the Maidenhead Branch of the NatWest Bank. Cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and either the Chairman or the Secretary for the time being in office.
9. The Treasurer shall invest in the name of the Association any monies not required for the immediate purposes of the Association in securities in which Trust Monies may by law be invested with power from time to time to transpose such investments.
10. Any property purchased by the Association shall be vested in the Committee.
11. The Committee shall with such consent as is by law required deal with the property so vested in them by way of sale, mortgage, lease or otherwise howsoever as directed by the Association. Such direction shall be given by a resolution of the members of the Association, passed by a majority of the members present at a duly convened meeting of the Association, and when so passed shall in favour of a subsequent purchaser, mortgagee, chargee, lessee, or grantee, be binding upon all members of the Association. A certificate purporting to be signed by the Chairman for the time being of the Association shall in favour of a purchaser, mortgagee, chargee, lessee or grantee be conclusive evidence that such a direction was duly given.
12. In the event of dissolution of the Association, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to a charitable organisation or organisations similar to the Association.
13. The Constitution maybe amended by a three fourths majority of the members present at the AGM or EGM provided that 14 days notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members, and provided that no alteration is made the effect of which would cause the Association at any time to cease to be a Charity in Law, and no alteration to Clause 2, 12 or this Clause is made without previously consulting the Charity Commissioners.