ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF RECTORY PARK
We are a voluntary group who work closely with Kirklees to realise our aims of restoring and regenerating the park to make it useable for the local community.
We were formed in May 2010 at a meeting at the Savile Arms in Thornhill in response to local concern about the decline of the Park and its facilities.
The Committee is made up a Chair, Vice Chair, treasurer, secretary and further ordinary committee members.
As at 2022 our Chair is Rhoda Andruchow andruchowr@outlook.com, vice chair is, Treasurer is Jean Sengelow, and our secretary is Jayne Wood – thorndale3ajr@tiscali.co.uk
We welcome new committee members, please contact Jayne as secretary if you wish to join us. Committee meetings are held roughly every six weeks, Jayne has details. Our AGM is held every September – all are welcome, please see our FB page for the exact date. .
The CONSTITUTION OF “THE FRIENDS OF RECTORY PARK THORNHILL”
(1)NAME
The name of the organisation shall be the “Friends of Rectory Park Thornhill”(hereafter referred to “Friends”)
(2)AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives of the Friends shall be:
(i) To provide a forum to which the public views about Rectory Park can be aired and discussed.
(ii) To lobby and work for improvements to facilities in Rectory Park and for the provision of amenities and activities which should be available to visitors.
(iii) To promote initiatives which will safeguard community safety in and around Rectory Park.
(iv) To harness the educational value of the park and encourage the different local communities, organisations and businesses to take an active part in shaping its future.
(v) To provide an opportunity to improve the quality of life of local people and promote a positive image for Rectory Park in the area.
(vi) To conserve and improve the natural history and heritage value of the park together with the protection and extension of wildlife and botanical habitats.
The Friends recognise the value of working in partnership in order to achieve their objectives. This includes working with groups and individuals who use the park as well as local and central government bodies.
(3)POWERS
In order to achieve its aims the Friends may:
(i) Raise money.
(ii) Open bank accounts
(iii) Take out insurance
(iv) Engage with contractors
(v) Organise courses and events
(vi) Work with similar groups and exchange information and advice with them.
(vii) Do anything that is lawful which will help it to fulfil its aim.
(4)MEMEBERSHIP
(i) Membership of the Friends shall be open to any person or any organisation.
Organisation membership is to be by a nominated person. Organisations will have one vote only.
(For clarification if a couple register as Friends, i.e. Mr and Mrs – then there would be two members, two votes.)
(ii) Membership of the Friends shall be open to any individual without regards to disability, political or religious affiliation, race, sex or sexual orientation who is:
(a) Interested in helping the Friends to achieve its aim
(b) Willing to abide by the rules of the Friends and
(c) Willing to pay any subscription agreed by the Management Committee.
(iii) The membership of any member may be terminated for good reason by the Management Committee: Provided that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Management Committee, accompanied by a person of their choosing, before a final decision is made.
(iv) Eligibility to vote at the Annual General meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be dependent upon having been a member of the Friends for a period of at least three calendar months prior to the meeting.
(5) MANAGEMENT OF THE GROUP
(i) Management of the Friends will be organised by a management committee,
which will be made up of members of the Friends, aged 18 or over.
(ii)The Management Committee shall meet no less than three times a year and comprise of the Officers of the Committee: the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer plus a minimum of three members of the Friends. Other members may attend committee meetings but shall not have a vote. At least four members of the management committee must be present for a management committee meeting to take place.
(iii) The Officers and Members of the Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the friends. All Officers will be eligible for re-election.
(iv) The Chair or in his/her absence the Vice Chair shall preside at meetings of the Friends and the Committee. In the absence of both the meeting shall elect a chair to preside at the meeting. Each Committee member shall have one vote and the Chair shall have a second, casting, vote in the event of a tied ballot.
(v) The Secretary shall be responsible for the making or authorising of public and media statements regarding the work and the deliberations of the Friends.
(vi) The Secretary shall:
(a)Issue Notice of the meetings of the Friends
(b)In consultation with the Chair, prepare the agenda for meetings
(c)Be responsible for the recording of the minutes of the meetings
(vii) The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping proper accounts of the Friends and for reporting same to appropriate meetings.
(viii) The committee shall be empowered to co-opt members of the Friends onto the Committee including filling the posts of Officers where necessary.
(ix) Apologies shall be required from committee members who are unable to attend a meeting. Failure to offer apologies on three consecutive occasions will mean that his/her place on the committee shall be lost. The Committee has the power to waive this at its discretion.
(6)MEETINGS OF THE FRIENDS
(i) The Friends shall determine the frequency of its ordinary general meetings.
(ii) The Chair in consultation with the Committee may call Extraordinary General Meetings should the need arise. One third voting members may request the calling of an Extraordinary General Meeting.
(iii) There shall be an annual general meeting for the following purposes:
(a)To receive nominations for and to elect the Officers and Committee Members
(b)To receive the Annual reports from the Chair, the Secretary and the
Treasurer
(c)To transact other such business as shall have been included in the
notice of the meeting
(d)28 days public notice shall be required prior to the AGM
(iv)Amendments to the Constitution can only be made at the AGM or at an
Extraordinary General Meeting.
(v)Each member shall have one vote at any meeting of the Friends and the
Chair of the meeting shall have a second, casting, vote in the event of a
tie. Members with a financial interest in the topic under discussion must
declare and give up voting rights for that item.
(v) The Committee may establish such Working Groups as it may deem necessary for the fulfilment of its duties, and such groups shall be subject to the terms of this constitution with the exception of a quorum which will not be necessary.
(7)FINANCIAL MATTERS
(i) A bank account shall be opened and operated in the name of the “Friends of Rectory Park Thornhill”.
(ii) The friends may seek funding, sponsorship, donations and contributions in kind to support it in pursuing its objectives and may enter into contracts with others for the delivery of any project and scheme which it is itself promoting.
(iii) The organisation will not be allowed to distribute income or profit to its members or Officers. No bonus, profit or dividend may be issued to any individual in any circumstance.
(iv) At least three members of the management committee, including the Treasurer, will be nominated to act as financial signatories, and any cheques issued shall be signed by at least 2 of theses people but not of the same household or family.
(v) The finances of the friends shall be subject to independent annual check in line with current regulations which will be reported to the AGM.
(vi) The Friends may pay reasonable out of pocket expenses to members or Management Committee members.
(8)ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Any changes to this Constitution must be agreed by at least two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting.
(9)DISSOLUTION
The Friends may be wound up at any time if agreed by two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting. Upon dissolution of the Friends after all debts have been paid, assets owned by the Friends shall be donated to a local (Kirklees) group with similar interests/objectives.
24th September 2025
This constitution was amended and adopted on: