THE CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The name of the Society shall be "The Isle of Wight Family History Society".

2. OBJECTS

The objects of the Society shall be:

(a) To promote and encourage the public and private study of family history, genealogy, heraldry and local history with particular reference to the Isle of Wight.

(b) To promote the preservation, security and accessibility of archival material.

(c) To promote and to engage in educational activities including the issue of a regular journal and the publication and sale of other appropriate material.

(d) In furtherance of the above objects, but not further or otherwise, the Society shall have the following powers:

(i) to hold lectures and discussions and organise research visits for Society members and interested members of the general public;

(ii) to hold and maintain a library of printed and other works for the use of Society members and members of the general public;

(iii) to preserve and transcribe or publish original source materials including documents and monumental inscriptions;

(iv) to pursue collaborative actions with similar societies and with established supportive bodies, such as churches, libraries, record offices and educational institutions;

(v) to support the activities of the Federation of Family History Societies in its pursuit of these and similar objects.

3.AFFILIATION

This Society shall be a member of the Federation of Family History Societies and shall have the power to affiliate with other organisations whose objects are deemed compatible and mutually supportive.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(a) Membership of the Society shall be open to all persons showing genuine interest in the support of the Society's objects excepting those who have been suspended from membership under clause 4 (d)

(b) Classes of membership shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the Society and may include such categories as Ordinary, Joint, Honorary and such other categories as the Executive Committee may consider appropriate.

(c) Subscription shall be payable at the time and at the rate determined by the Executive Committee of the Society, subject to the approval of members at a general meeting.

(d) The Executive Committee of the Society may suspend from membership any member of the Society whose activities, in their opinion, are determined to be prejudicial to the Society. Such members will have the right of appeal to the next following AGM of the Society or an Extraordinary General Meeting convened in accordance with the procedure outlined in Clause 6 (b) below.

5. ADMINISTRATION

(a)The society shall be administered by an Executive Committee consisting of not less than 8 and not more than 12 members. The honorary officers of this committee shall be the chairman, secretary and treasurer. These officers shall be elected by the committee at the first committee meeting following the A.G.M. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of 6 members.

(b) The Officers and other Committee members shall be elected annually by the membership and their terms of office shall commence with the declaration of the election results at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations should be submitted in writing not less than 28 days before the beginning of the month in which the Annual General Meeting is to take place. If insufficient nominations have been received to fill the vacancies, the chairman of the meeting may, at his discretion, take nominations from the floor.

(d) Only fully paid-up members of the Society present shall be entitled to vote at the General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall determine specific voting rights of different classes of membership.

(e) All Executive Committee members shall be eligible for re-election upon completion of their terms of office.

f)One or more financial scrutineer shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to carry out audit duties referred to in clause 8c) below.

6. GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held during the month of May, when the Officers shall present their reports. Notice in writing of this meeting shall be given to members at least 28 days prior to the event.

(b) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at the request of 6 members, with prior written notice furnished to the members at least 56 days before the meeting, setting out the business to be discussed.

(c) A quorum at a General Meeting shall consist of not less than 10% of the membership (or 50 members) whichever is the smaller. Except as specified in clauses 7 & 9 below, decision at the meeting shall be by simple majority.

7. CONSTITUTION

The constitution can be altered or amended only at an AGM or an EGM of the society at which proper notice has been given and then only if the proposed alteration or amendment receives at least two-thirds of the votes of the Society members present and eligible to vote at the meeting. Proposals for constitutional amendments shall be submitted to the Society Executive Committee at least 56 days prior to the first day of the month in which the AGM is to be held.

8. FINANCE

(a) All income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion and execution of the objects of the Society as defined in Clause 2 above, and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly in any manner by way of profit to any member of the Committee or the society providing that nothing herein shall prevent reimbursement of reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.

(b) The Executive Committee shall cause proper books of accounts to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Society and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditures take place.

c) The society's accounts shall examined annually by one or more financial scrutineer. A copy of the examined accounts shall be available to all members of the society.

9. DISSOLUTION

The Society may be dissolved by a resolution passed by not less than three-quarters of those members present with voting rights at either an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose and for which twenty eight days prior notice has been given in writing. Such a resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by the Society after all debts and liabilities have been paid, the balance left to be transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having objectives similar to those of the Society.

10. TRUSTEES

The Executive Committee may appoint not less that three persons (and not more than six persons) to hold any property held by or in trust for the Society.