The Woodcraft Folk – South West Area Network
CONSTITUTION
Adopted 5th March 2006
1 Name:
1.1 The name of the organisation is “The Woodcraft Folk – South West Area Network”
2 Objects:
2.1 The object of the organisation is to support the work of The Woodcraft Folk
throughout the South West of England.
2.2 The objects of the Woodcraft Folk are to educate and assist young people so as to
develop their physical and mental potential so they may grow to full maturity as
individuals and members of society and that their conditions in life may be improved
2.3 In furtherance of the above, but not otherwise, The Woodcraft Folk seeks to work as
an educational movement for children and young people, to develop their self-confidence
and activity in society with the aim of building a world built on equality, friendship, peace
and co-operation.
3 Geographical Area of Operation:
3.1 The organisation shall operate in the counties of: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and
Somerset; in addition to the unitary authorities of: Bath and North East Somerset,
Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire; and including parts of the county
of Hampshire.
4 Members:
4.1 All members of the registered charity ‘The Woodcraft Folk’ living in the geographical
area of operation of the organisation shall be deemed to be members of the
organisation.
5 Annual Meeting:
5.1 The organisation will hold an annual meeting, open to all members, during the months of
March or April. The meeting shall be called the South West AGM.
5.2 The meeting will be convened by the Area Committee, who will give at least four weeks
notice to all centrally registered districts and groups of The Woodcraft Folk in the area
of operation.
5.3 The annual meeting may comprise workshops, training sessions, and plenaries. The Area
Committee will present an annual report, and financial accounts, for the preceding year.
6 Area Committee:
6.1 The organisation will be administered between annual meetings by a committee to be
known as the South West Area Committee.
6.2 The Area Committee shall comprise a maximum of eight elected members. Steps shall
be taken to ensure, as far as possible, that all age groups and all parts of the
geographical area are represented.
6.3 There shall be a seat on the Area Committee for a representative nominated by the
South West Co-Operative Group.
6.4 There shall be a quorum of the Area Committee when half of the elected members,
including either the Chair or Vice Chair, are present.
6.5 The Area Committee shall meet at least three times between each annual meeting.
6.6 Members of the Area Committee shall serve for a period of two years, half of the
members retiring each year. Retiring members of the Area Committee will be eligible
for re-election.
6.7 Members of the Area Committee will be elected by the annual meeting, with each
member of the organisation present eligible to vote. If the number of candidates
nominated for election is such that the total number of elected members (including
current members of the committee who are not standing down) will be eight or less, all
candidates will be deemed elected without a vote.
6.8 The Area Committee shall have the power to co-opt up to two additional members
during the year. Co-opted members will have full rights to participate in Area
Committee business.
7 Chair:
7.1 At its first meeting after each annual meeting the Area Committee will elect from its
members a Chair and Vice Chair to serve for the forthcoming year.
7.2 The Chair shall ensure that meetings of the Area Committee are held sufficiently
regularly for the business of the committee to be completed, and that all members of
the Area Committee have reasonable notice of the time and place.
8 Finances:
8.1 The organisation shall have the power to raise and use funds for special and general
purposes, provided that all such funds will be devoted to the objects of The Woodcraft
Folk. Monies and assets acquired will be held by the Area Committee on behalf of The
Woodcraft Folk (registered charity no. 1073665).
8.2 The Area Committee shall ensure that one of its members is appointed as treasurer of
the organisation.
8.3 The Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that proper accounts are maintained.
Annual accounts will be drawn up (on a calendar year basis) and will be audited in
conjunction with the auditing process of the central accounts of The Woodcraft Folk;
with which, for the purposes of charitable law, they will be consolidated.
9 Role of the Area Committee:
9.1 The Area Committee shall seek to promote the work of The Woodcraft Folk in its
geographical area of operation by encouraging the development of new districts and
groups, and ensuring the continuation and development of existing districts and groups.
9.2 The Area Committee shall also seek to promote the work of The Woodcraft Folk
externally by making contact, as deemed appropriate, with local authorities, voluntary
organisations, and other organisations and individuals in its geographical area of
operation.
9.3 In acknowledgment of the close historical links between The Woodcraft Folk and the
co-operative movement, the Area Committee shall seek to maintain relationships with
retail co-operative societies and other co-operative bodies operating in its geographical
area of operation.
9.4 The Chair, or such other member of the Area Committee as shall be deemed
appropriate, shall provide an informal support role for any locally based employee of The
Woodcraft Folk working (wholly or in part) to develop The Woodcraft Folk in the
geographical area of operation of the organisation.
10 Extraordinary Meetings:
10.1 An extraordinary meeting of the organisation may be called at any time by the Area
Committee, by the General Council of The Woodcraft Folk, or by a written request to
the Chair by duly authorised representatives of not less than 25% of the registered
Woodcraft Folk group within the geographical area of operation of the organisation.
11 Alterations to this Constitution:
11.1 Alterations to this constitution may be considered at the annual meeting or
extraordinary meeting of the organisation. If approved by two thirds of the members
attending that meeting, the alteration(s) will be submitted for ratification to the
General Council of The Woodcraft Folk.
11.2 The first sentence of the objects clause of this constitution (2.1 above) shall not be
changed. The remainder of the objects clause (2.2 and 2.3 above) shall be identical to
that of The Woodcraft Folk.
