Constitution and Rules (March 2025)
1) Name
1.1) The Society shall be known as The East Midlands Orchid Society
1.2) The East Midlands Orchid Society shall be a member of The British Orchid Council.
1.3) The Society shall be affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society
2) Objects
The advancement of horticulture and in particular to promote the cultivation and preservation of all orchid species and cultivars’.
In furtherance thereof, but not otherwise, The Society shall have power to:-
2.1) Collect and disseminate information on all matters concerning the cultivation of orchidaceous plants.
2.2) Arrange shows and visits to Nurseries and Botanic Gardens
2.3) Do all things necessary to the attainment of the above objects
3) Membership
3.1) Membership shall be open to all persons interested in the study and cultivation of orchids.
3.2) The subscription shall be due on the 1st September. A General Meeting shall have the power to raise or lower the subscription or impose an entrance fee.
3.3) Any member joining after the 1st June shall not be required to pay another subscription for the following year beginning on the 1st September.
3.4) The name of any member who has given outstanding services to The Society may be submitted to the Committee for election by the Committee for Life Membership. Life Members shall be exempt from the payment of the annual subscription.
3.5) Applications for membership shall be sent to the Treasurer accompanied by the amount of the subscription or a Bankers Order for the same in lieu, who will notify the Secretary.
3.6) Members who do not renew their subscription by the 31st December, or after a reminder has been sent, will be deemed to have resigned from The Society. Reminders will be placed in the monthly newsletter.
3.7) A complete up-to-date record of the names and addresses of current members shall be kept by the Secretary.
4) Management
4.1) The Trustees of the Society are the Treasurer and a Mangement Committee Member to be appointed at the AGM.
4.1a) The affairs of The Society shall be conducted by a Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Librarian, Programme Secretary and up to ten elected members.
4.2) The Management Committee at the meeting following the Annual General Meeting shall appoint a Chair and Vice-Chair to serve for the ensuing year.
4.3) The day-to-day business of The Society shall be carried out by the Executive Management Committee, namely the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and the appointed Trustee.
4.4) The members of the Management Committee are to be elected yearly at the Annual General Meeting and all retiring Management Committee Members will be eligible for re-election.
4.5) The Management Committee may delegate any of its powers to a Sub-committee, with the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer being ex-officio members at any Sub-Committee. Full and prompt reports shall be made of all acts and proceedings of the Sub-Committee to the Management Committee.
4.6) The proceedings and decisions of all Committee meetings are to be recorded by the Secretary and agreed by the Management Committee as a correct record.
5) Meetings
5.1) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called for a specific purpose by the Chair or if requested by at least twenty members.
5.2) Meetings for all members are normally held on the third Sunday of each month or as otherwise required.
5.3) Extra meetings of members for the purpose of visits to other Societies, Nurseries and Botanical Gardens may be arranged as considered desirable by the members.
5.4) Meetings of the Management Committee may be held when and where they decide or remotely via the Internet.
5.5) At all Management Committee meetings one third of the Management Committee shall constitute a quorum.
5.6) Because of distance involved, members of the Management Committee may conduct urgent or trivial business by telephone or remotely by the Internet, but this must be ratified by the Management Committee as soon as possible.
6) Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of September, fourteen days notice having been given to all members. The business of the Meeting shall be to receive the annual report of the Management Committee and the annual statement of accounts; to appoint Honorary Officers, and one Trustee and to accept resignation of members of the Management Committee and to discuss any other business of which the Secretary has been given written notice.
7) Voting
7.1) Each member may have one vote.
7.2) The Chair has the casting vote.
7.3) A motion may be carried at a General Meeting by a majority decision of the members present.
8) Finances
8.1) The Society shall open a banking account.
8.2) Cheques are to be signed by any two of the Treasurer, Chair, Vice-Chair and the Show Secretary.
8.3) A cash book is to be maintained by the Treasurer. A Balance Sheet and Income and Expenditure Account is to be produced for each year ending on the 31st August for acceptance at the Annual General Meeting. This is to be audited by the 31st December and made available for inspection at a monthly meeting.
8.4) Raffles and other activities may be held to raise funds for The Society.
9) Shows
9.1) An Annual Spring Show and any other Show may be held at the discretion of the Management Committee at times and places considered suitable for all members.
9.2) Shows are to be organised by a Sub-committee.
9.3) Shows are to be conducted under the rules and regulations of the British Orchid Council.
9.4) Displays of orchids may be provided to other functions in the area at the discretion of the Management Committee.
10) Publicity
10.1) The Newsletter Editor is required to disseminate information of meetings, visits, films, forthcoming events and cultural articles to all members of The Society. Such information as appropriate is to be notified to the Society.
10.2) Members of the Management Committee are responsible to notify publicity information to:
a) The British Orchid Council
b) The Orchid Review
c) Secretaries of those interested Orchid Societies who are members of The British Orchid Council.
d) Social media
e) Local press
11) Interpretation of the Rules
If any question shall arise as to the applicability of these Rules, or as to any matter not covered by these Rules, it shall be decided by the Management Committee, whose decision shall be final. The Constitution and Rules may be amended, if required, by a General Meeting.
12) Alterations
The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at an Annual or Special General Meeting called for that purpose, fourteen days notice having been given to all members. No amendment shall be made which would cause The Society to cease to be a Charity at law.
13) Dissolution
In the event of the winding up or dissolution of The Society, accepted by a two-thirds majority present and voting at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, the remaining assets after the payment of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid or transferred to any member or members of The Society but shall be transferred to such charitable organisation or organisations having similar objects as The Society with the approval of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.