Constitution

Shaftesbury Home Grown - Constitution
Name: Shaftesbury Home Grown (SHG)

Aim: To move Shaftesbury towards a sustainable model of local food production and consumption, by growing food locally for local people.

Objectives:

To grow and produce as much of our daily diet as possible from the fields and open spaces around Shaftesbury;
To produce food that is at a fair price, of good flavour, quality, and of local origin;
To produce food in a way that protects the environment by the minimal use of chemicals;
To encourage Shaftesbury residents to buy locally-produced food;
To promote and demonstrate high standards of food safety and animal welfare;
To encourage people in Shaftesbury to grow and eat wholesome healthy locally-grown food;
To promote and demonstrate active consideration of food miles and support the efforts of local producers;
To encourage and foster other communities to “feed themselves”;
To support the employment of local people within the project.
Membership: “Membership of SHG will be open to all residents of the Shaftesbury area and visitors, who have an interest in sustainable food production.
 
All produce of SHG will be available to the residents of Shaftesbury and members of SHG to purchase. SHG members will be able to purchase the produce at a reduced rate.

Two types of membership are available; either by annual membership fee or by donation of an agreed number of voluntary work hours across one year.

Membership fee, work hours and discounts on produce to be set annually.

Progress meetings will be held from time to time, and will be advertised widely and held in accessible venues. Membership may be terminated where it is considered that an individual’s membership would be detrimental to the aims and objectives of SHG and when an open meeting has voted to terminate membership. Appeals will be heard at the next open meeting. Members may not receive produce as payment or in return for work/volunteering.

Committee: A committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, of whom a majority should be Members. At its first meeting after the AGM, the Committee shall appoint a Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer from amongst its number. As required, the Chair (in conjunction with the Secretary) shall write such letters as are agreed by an open meeting or a Committee meeting. The Secretary shall ensure room bookings and notices of meetings are carried out. The Treasurer shall collect donations, pay for room hires, manage the finances and make reports to the Committee and to Supporter and Membership meetings as required. Two signatures shall be required for all financial transactions, there shall be only one signatory from any one household, and signatories may not sign cheques payable to themselves.

Additional sub-committees may be formed if and when required, examples of which may include (but are not limited to):

Finance and Funding Sub-committee;
Field and Produce Sub-committee;
Publicity & Marketing Sub-committee;
Membership & Volunteer Management Sub-committee
Constitution: Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at the AGM or at an Extraordinary General Meeting open to all supporter members, for which fourteen days notice has been given. A proposal to amend the constitution of SHG will only be carried if agreed by two thirds of the members present.

Dissolution: SHG may only be dissolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting to which all supporter members are invited and informed that a decision about the future of SHG will be on the agenda. A proposal to dissolve SHG will only be carried if agreed by two thirds of the members present. All outstanding bills will be paid, and the remaining funds will be assigned to such not-for-profit organisation whose work most closely aligns with SHG’s aims and objectives and which is determined by the membership at an EGM.

Shaftesbury Home Grown founded 2009
Constitution adopted xxxxx 2009.

Office: c/o Swans Trust, Swans Yard, High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JQ
Chair: Clive Warwick Secretary: Dianna Harris Treasurer: XXXXX
Email address: info@shaftesburyhomegrown.org.uk