1. Name

The name of the Association shall be The Stratford-upon-Avon & District Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA).

 2. Object

The object of the Association shall be to promote and further the craft of beekeeping, particularly in the area constituting the local government district of Stratford-on-Avon.

 3. Affiliation

The Association shall be affiliated to the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA).

 4. Membership categories and benefits

The Association shall consist of Honorary Life Members, Full Members, Partner Members, Country Members, Associate Members, Student Members and Friends.  All categories of member shall be entitled to attend meetings.

Members under the age of eighteen must provide written consent from their legal parent or guardian before undertaking beekeeping activities in the absence of the parent or guardian.

The benefits for each category of membership shall be as follows:

Full Members:

·          Shall have full voting rights in the affairs of SBKA.

·          Shall automatically become ‘Registered Members’ of the BBKA and shall receive the appropriate benefits of that membership.

·          Shall be entitled to receive benefits from Bee Diseases Insurance Limited (BDI) in accordance with the appropriate BDI scheme.

·          Shall receive the Association newsletter.

Partner Members:

·          Must reside at the same address as a Full Member.

·          There can only be one Partner Member at the same address as a Full Member.

·          Shall have full voting rights in the affairs of SBKA.

·          Shall automatically become ‘Partner Members’ of the BBKA and shall receive the benefits of ‘Registered’ membership of the BBKA at a reduced rate, but
    without the provision of newsletters and other communications.

·          Shall be entitled to receive benefit from Bee Diseases Insurance Limited (BDI) in accordance with the appropriate BDI scheme.

·          Shall not receive the Association newsletter.

Country Members:

·          Are individuals not active in beekeeping, but who wish to support and be involved with SBKA and BBKA.

·          Shall automatically become ‘Country Members’ of BBKA and shall receive the appropriate benefits of that membership.

·          Shall have full voting rights in the affairs of SBKA.

·          Shall receive the Association newsletter.

Associate Members:

·          Must reside at the same address as a Full Member.

·          Shall not have any voting rights in the affairs of SBKA.

·          Shall not be eligible to participate in insurance or other co-operative schemes arranged by the Association.

·          Shall not be eligible to benefit from the Association's affiliation to the British Beekeepers’ Association.

·          Shall not receive the Association newsletter.

Student Members:

·          Must be in full-time attendance at an educational establishment.

·          Shall not have any voting rights in the affairs of SBKA.

·          Shall not be eligible to participate in any insurance schemes arranged by the Association.

·          Shall not be eligible to benefit from the Association's affiliation to the BBKA.

·          Shall receive the Association newsletter.

N.B. Student members under the age of eighteen wishing to obtain insurance cover may elect to become full members by paying a full subscription, including the BBKA capitation fee; BBKA will then extend cover to their parent or guardian, being the adult responsible for the activities of the young person.

Friends:

·          Are individuals not active in beekeeping, but who wish to support SBKA.

·          Shall not have any voting rights in the affairs of SBKA.

·          Shall not be eligible to participate in insurance or other co-operative schemes arranged by the Association.

·          Shall not be eligible to benefit from the Association's affiliation to the BBKA.

·          Shall receive the Association newsletter.

Honorary Life Membership:

·          May be conferred in any category of membership by a General Meeting in recognition of long and valuable service to the Association.

·          Such members shall receive the benefits appropriate to the category of membership conferred.

·          Any BBKA capitation fees payable for an Honorary Member shall be met from Association funds.

5. Subscriptions

Subscription rates for the following financial year shall be determined at a General Meeting to be held in the month of September.  Any person who joins the Association within the last four months of the Association’s financial year may during that time receive the benefits appropriate to their membership category on payment of that portion of the annual subscription for which the Association is liable to other organisations, plus one half of the remaining portion of the annual subscription currently payable for their category of membership.

Members who do not pay their subscription by the 31 December of the current year shall be deemed to have resigned from the Association.

6. Organisation

President and Vice-Presidents

A President shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting which may, at its discretion, appoint one or more Vice-Presidents.  Non-members shall be eligible to serve as President or Vice-President.  They shall hold office until retirement or until such appointment is revoked by a resolution duly passed by a General Meeting.

Committee

The management of the Association shall be carried out by a committee elected from full or partner members and comprising: Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Newsletter Editor, and five members.  The committee members shall serve for a period of one year and be elected at the Annual General Meeting; retiring members shall be eligible for re-election.

Four committee members shall constitute a quorum.

The committee shall have power to fill any vacancy that might occur in any office or in the committee, and to appoint sub-committees or to co-opt members to carry out special duties.

Accounts

The Association’s financial year shall run from 1 October to 30 September.  The accounts of the Association shall be audited by a suitably qualified person who shall not be a member of the Association.  An Auditor for the following financial year shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.  The meeting may at its discretion delegate the appointment to the committee.

7. Annual General Meeting

An Annual General Meeting shall be held during the month of November.

Members shall be given a minimum of 14 days notice of the date of the meeting.

The annual reports and audited accounts of the Association for the year ended 30 September shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.

8. Extraordinary General Meetings

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the committee or by any member, provided that the request be signed by that member and by ten other members.  The meeting shall take place within 28 days of a valid request being received.

Members shall be given a minimum of 14 days notice of the date of the meeting.

9. Conduct of Members

The committee shall have the right to refuse any application for membership and to terminate the membership of any person who in the opinion of the committee shall have acted contrary to the interest of the Association.

The Association has formally adopted the BBKA policy on Child Protection and Health and Safety; members will be expected to comply with the principles set out in these documents.

10. Trustees

The assets of the Association shall be vested in the names of three Trustees who shall be nominated by the committee and approved by a General Meeting.  Trustees so approved, or the survivors of them, shall hold office until retirement or until such appointment is revoked by a resolution duly passed by a General Meeting.

11. Alteration of Rules

No alteration to these rules shall be made except by an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.  Details of the proposed alteration shall be sent to all members, except Associate or Student Members, at least fourteen days before the meeting.

12. Voting

All voting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present at the meeting except that a two-thirds majority of those present at the meeting shall be required to change these rules.