Name
The name of this Unincorporated Association is ‘Pens of the Earth’. It can be abbreviated to ‘Pens’.
Aims
To spread awareness of positive environmental initiatives and to explore our interconnection with nature through creative writing, workshops, talks, publications and performances.
To work in partnership with local and national environmental advisors to publicise and support their work. Where appropriate to use our creative output and performances to raise money for environmental charities.
To create an atmosphere of hope and to empower people to act on behalf of the environment.
To work in partnership with other like-minded organisations and practitioners.
In furtherance of these aims, to raise funds from public and private sources to do all such lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of these aims.
Membership
Members shall be all active volunteers with Pens of the Earth, as named on our Who’s Involved website page. If any volunteers prefer not to be named on the website the secretary will maintain a private list of these members
Membership will be reviewed and updated on a yearly basis. Inactive volunteers will be removed from the website after two years. New volunteers will be added to the website as they join us.
Committee
A Management Committee will, amongst other things, assume the following duties and responsibilities:
- Leadership
- Review of long term strategic direction
- Management of Pens of the Earth activities
- Management of finances
- Maintenance of records
- Resolution of disputes and other issues
- Ensuring that actions are implemented in the spirit of the Pens of the Earth ethos of ‘positive environmental creative writing’
- Be accountable to the other volunteers and Pens teams
- Seek appropriate consultation where required
The committee will comprise from 3 to 5 members. Committee members must have at least two years experience in volunteering with Pens of the Earth prior to election.
Election will take place at a General Meeting. Committee members will be approved for a three year term.
The committee will include the following officers approved at a General Meeting: Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary. Additional committee members up to the limit may be co-opted at any time.
A committee member may step down at any time. If an officer steps down, an acting officer will be co-opted by the committee until the next General Meeting.
This acting officer can be co-opted from within the committee. Where this involves this committee member taking on a second role, an additional committee member should be co-opted within six months to take over these responsibilities.
Consultants
Consultants will join the committee on an advisory basis, as required. They will not be eligible to vote on committee issues.
Pens Teams
Teams of volunteers will take responsibility for various areas of Pens of the Earth activities. These teams will be formed and disbanded at need. Names of team members will be listed on our Who’s Involved website page.
Pens teams will work according to committee priorities. Requests for additional expenditure and issues arising outside the initial agreement with the committee should be addressed to the committee.
Pens teams will report back to the committee at least quarterly and at the completion of their actions.
Meetings
General Meetings
Annual General Meetings will be held within three months of the financial year end (April 5th) and with at least 7 days public notice.
They are open to all members and invited guests.
AGMs can be held online.
Annual General Meetings will include reports on achievements of all actions during the year, a formal statement of the accounts, and provision for members’ questions to be raised and answered. Officers for the coming year will be approved, with elections where necessary.
Where it is appropriate, the Committee may offer members the opportunity to vote via email.
In cases of emergency, any member can call an Extraordinary General Meeting. At least 24 hours notice must be given to all members.
Committee Meetings
Committee Meetings are closed meetings, though the committee may invite others to attend where appropriate.
If the chairperson is absent, those committee members present will agree an acting chairperson for that meeting.
All matters will be determined by a simple majority of votes of the committee members present. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairperson of the meeting will have the casting vote.
A quorum of half of the committee members is required when taking decisions with any spending implications, intervention in Pens Teams, and other such important matters.
The secretary will place a read-only record of each meeting in an online shared location and notify committee members that it is available within fourteen days of each meeting.
Pens Team Meetings
Pens Team Meetings may be held as appropriate.
Finance
The Treasurer will be responsible for the administration of all funds which will be held in a bank account in the name of Pens of the Earth with committee members as signatories.
The Treasurer will maintain clear and detailed records of income and expenditure for the group, supported where possible by receipted invoices.
No member of the committee may benefit financially: any expenses will be strictly at cost and approved in advance by the committee.
The Association’s Financial Year will end on 5th April. While our turnover is less than £25,000 we don’t officially need to ratify our accounts. However, we will ask an independent tax consultant (or two volunteers who are not on the committee) to do this for us, so that everyone knows Pens is financially sound.
Amendments to the Constitution
This constitution may only be amended at a General Meeting and with approval by two thirds of the members present.
If changes to the constitution have been discussed at an AGM, attendees will be allowed to vote on these changes outside the AGM.
Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the group, any remaining funds will be disposed of by the committee in accordance with the decision reached at a General Meeting. This decision may need to consider the return of any unused funding given as grants. No member of the committee may benefit from the disposal.
This constitution was reviewed at a general meeting on 11th July 2023. A number of modifications were discussed and minuted. Voting to amend the constitution and vote on it outside the AGM was unanimous. The updated constitution was made available online for a period of 7 days to all attendees, and was accepted via electronic vote on 21 July 2023.