Charlbury Refugee Action Group (CRAG)

Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF CHARLBURY REFUGEE ACTION GROUP

As revised 11th July 2022

1 Name

The name of the Charity shall be Charlbury Refugee Action Group (CRAG).

2 Aims

The Aims of the Charity shall be, for the public benefit, to:

a. Relieve need, poverty, sickness and distress of persons forced to leave their home by reason of armed conflict, natural disaster, human rights violations, or other conditions making normal life unsustainable (hereafter, ‘refugees’);

b. Promote the wellbeing of refugees in the local Charlbury community and elsewhere; assist in helping them adapt to life in their new environments,

c. Raise public awareness about the circumstances and needs of refugees.

3 Powers

In order to achieve its aims the Charity may:

a. Organise and participate in the organisation of hosting and community sponsorship schemes to bring refugees to the UK and to aid refugees in the UK;

b. Make collections of clothes, hygiene items, medical equipment and other items to be provided to refugees in the local area and (through charitable partners agreed by trustees) elsewhere in the UK, Europe and if appropriate, further afield;

c. Raise funds, through collections, sales, events and other activities;

d. Open bank accounts;

e. Take out insurance;

f. Organise meetings, courses and events;

g. Work with other groups to further the aims of the charity and exchange information;

h. Prepare and disseminate letters, press releases, publications, reports and other educational and campaigning materials;

i. Make grants to UK-registered charities and other bodies which satisfy the management committee on (i) their governance; (ii) their practical help to refugees in the UK, Europe and if appropriate, further afield; (iii) their aid to public understanding of refugee issues, in line with criteria defined by the management committee and with our charitable objectives;

j. Make grants to individual refugees or refugee families to enable them to travel to the UK and/ or for their support and integration in the local community, in accordance with criteria defined by the management committee and with our charitable objectives;

k. Make payments for services rendered for the administration of the charity, save that trustees shall not be remunerated for such services. (Expenses incurred by trustees and agreed by the management committee shall be reimbursed.)

i. Do anything that is lawful and incidental to the achievement of our charitable objectives.

4 Membership

(a) Membership of the Charity shall be open to any person over 16 who is interested in helping the Charity to achieve its aims and willing to abide by its rules; and who applies to the Secretary for membership. A subscription will be payable if the Management Committee levies one.

(b) Membership shall be available to anyone over 16 without discrimination.

(c) Members are entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings.

(d) The membership of any member may be terminated for good reason by the Management Committee but the member has a right to be heard by the Management Committee before a final decision is made.

5 Management

(a) The Charity shall be administered by a Management Committee of the Officers and no more than eight other members elected or re-elected at the Charity's Annual General Meeting (AGM) or co-opted under 5 (h) below.

(b) The Officers of the Management Committee shall include: the Chairperson, the Treasurer, the Secretary, the Minutes Secretary, the Fundraising and Events Officer and the Education Officer.

(c) The Management Committee shall meet at least 4 times a year. Meetings may be in person, remote or hybrid.

(d) The Chairperson shall normally chair all meetings of the Charity. In the Chairperson's absence, the Management Committee may elect a member of the Committee to chair that meeting.

(e) The quorum for Management Committee meetings shall be 5 members.

(f) Voting at Management Committee meetings shall be by show of hands. If there is a tied vote then the Chairperson shall have a second vote.

(g) The Management Committee may by a two-thirds majority vote and for a good and proper reason remove any Committee member, provided that person has the right to be heard before a final decision is made.

(h) The Management Committee may appoint another member of the Charity as a Committee member to fill a vacancy or otherwise, provided the maximum number of committee members is not exceeded.

(i) The Management Committee may constitute sub-committees as required.

6 Duties of the Officers

These duties may be shared with or delegated to other members of the Management Committee or of the charity as required,

(a) The duties of the Chairperson are to:

• chair meetings of the Committee and the Charity,

• represent the Charity at functions/meetings to which the Charity has been invited,

• to act as spokesperson for the Charity when necessary.

(b) The duties of the Secretary are to:

• take and keep minutes of meetings,

• prepare the agenda for meetings of the Committee and the Charity in consultation with the Chairperson,

• maintain the membership list,

• deal with correspondence,

• collect and circulate any relevant information within the Charity.

(c) The duties of the Treasurer are to:

• be responsible for the financial affairs of the Charity

• keep proper accounts that show all monies collected and paid out by the Charity

(d) The duties of the Fundraising and Events Officer are to:

• raise money to assist in the fulfilment of the Aims.

• maintain records of all monies raised and to render those monies and records to the Treasurer.

• promote and organise awareness-raising events to assist in the fulfilment of the Aims.

(e) The duties of the Education Officer are to:

• educate and inform the public on the circumstances and needs of refugees;

* respond to misinformation and prejudice surrounding refugees;

• educate local and national authorities regarding refugee rights and needs.

(f) The duty of the Minutes Secretary is to take and keep minutes of meetings.

7 Finance

(a) All and any monies obtained by the Charity shall be used only in furtherance of the Charity's charitable objectives.

(b) Any bank accounts opened for the Charity shall be in the name of the Charity.

(c) Any two of three nominated officers may issue and sign cheques, and authorise bank transfers.

(d) The Charity's accounts shall be drawn up to 31st August each year and will be subject to an Independent Examination.

8 Annual General Meeting

(a) The Charity shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 3 months of the year end.

(b) All members shall be given at least fourteen days' notice of the AGM and shall be entitled to attend and vote. The quorum for an AGM shall be at least six members. Meetings may be in person, remote or hybrid.

(c) The business of the AGM shall include:

(i) A report from the Chairperson on the Charity’s activities over the year,

(ii) A report from the Treasurer on the finances of the Charity,

(iii) The election of the Management Committee and

(iv) Consideration of any other matter as may be decided.

9 Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be called by the Management Committee or by any six members to discuss an urgent matter. The Secretary shall give all members fourteen days' notice of any Special General Meeting together with notice of the business to be discussed. All members shall be entitled to attend and vote. Meetings may be in person, remote or hybrid.

10 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 Special or Annual General Meeting.

11 Dissolution

The Charity may be wound up at any time if agreed by two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting. In the event of winding up, any assets remaining after all debts have been paid shall be given to another Charity with similar aims.

This constitution was adopted at a general meeting of the Charity on 11th July 2022. 

Signed by:

Chairperson:

Secretary:

Other members present:

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