Constitution and Policies

Constitution of ...The Friends of Broadmead Pond

Name

The name of the group shall be the Friends of Broadmead Pond

Aim

To conserve, protect and manage Broadmead Pond and the surrounding area for the benefit of wildlife, plants and visitors.

Objectives

The group will fulfil the aim by:

Involving local people in improving the Pond and surrounding area. Working together as a team to look after Broadmead Pond.
Carrying out environmental and conservation tasks to improve the Pond and surrounding area as a thriving wildlife habitat.
Carrying out tasks that create an accessible and inclusive space for local people to enjoy.
Raising funds and receiving contributions where appropriate to finance the work.
Publicising and promoting work.
Working with other local community groups and professional bodies to exchange information, expertise and mutually support each other.
Taking any action that is lawful, which would help it to fulfil its aims.

Membership

Membership of Friends of Broadmead Pond shall be open to anyone who is interested in helping the group to achieve its aim and willing to abide by the rules of the group. They will live within the local Trowbridge Area. A list of members will be kept by the committee Secretary. Members must be over the age of 18.
Every member shall have one vote at an AGM.
The Management Committee shall have the power to refuse membership to an applicant, where it is considered such membership would be detrimental to the aims, purposes or activities of the group.
Registration and termination of membership.
1. Any member of the group may resign their membership at any time by writing to the Committee Secretary.
2. Any offensive behaviour, including but not limited to racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further meetings or to resign from the group if an apology is not given or the behaviour is repeated. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the management committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.
3. Any children involved in volunteering for the group must always be accompanied by a responsible adult. Families will be encouraged to attend.

Equal Opportunities AND POLICIES

The Friends of Broadmead Pond are an inclusive group we will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age. The group will hold policies regarding Safeguarding and Health and Safety.

Committee

The Friends of Broadmead Pond shall be administered by a Committee of not less than 3 and not more than 9 members.
The Committee roles are:

The Chair – who will chair meetings

The Secretary – responsible for taking minutes and other administrative tasks

The Treasurer – responsible for finance matters

And such other officers that the group shall deem necessary at the Meeting.

Quorum At least three Committee Members must be present for the Management Committee meeting to take place. Minutes of any meeting will be circulated to Friends of Broadmead Pond.

Meetings

Any meeting may be held in person, online or a mixture of both.

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM. All members will be notified in writing, by email or online at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue and/or login details, date and time. Nominations and seconders for committee posts should normally be made to the Committee Secretary at least 24 hours before the AGM, or they may be made at the meeting at the discretion of the Committee.

At the AGM:

The Committee will present a report of the work of the Friends of Broadmead Pond over the year.
The Committee will present the accounts of the Friends of Broadmead Pond for the previous year.
The Officers and Committee for the next year will be elected.
Any proposals given to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.
1. General Meetings

General Meetings are open to all members and will be held as deemed necessary by the Committee.
All members will be given one week’s notice of a meeting via email, or online announcement.
Members unable to physically attend due to genuine needs who notify the committee in advance will have provision made for their views to be included and votes counted where possible.
1. Meeting Rules
  All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find a general solution that everyone present agrees with. If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present in person or online. Reasonable provision will be made to include members unable to attend.

Finance

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Friends of Broadmead Pond by Trowbridge Town Council for any Grant money received and by Friends of Broadmead Pond for any monies collected.

Any money obtained by the group shall be used only for the group,
Any bank accounts opened for the group shall be in the name of the group.
Any payment issued shall be signed / approved by two of the three nominated signatories.
Nominated signatories are the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
The Management Committee will ensure that the group stays within the budget.
Records of income and expenditure will be kept.

Alteration of the Constitution

Amendments to this constitution, or dissolution must be delivered to the committee in writing.
Amendments can only be made at the AGM or in a general meeting. The secretary, in conjunction with all other officers, shall then decide on the date of a forum meeting to discuss such proposals, giving at least four weeks clear notice.
Any changes to this constitution must be agreed by a least two thirds of those members present in person or online and voting at any general meeting.

Dissolution

The group may be wound up at any time if agreed by two thirds of those members present in person or online and voting at any general meeting. If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

Adoption of the constitution

This constitution was agreed and adopted at the first general meeting of the Friends of Broadmead Pond.

Date ……21/07/2022…………….

Name and position in group …Chris Corden Chair…………………………….

Signed ………………………………………….

Name and position in group …Moya Strachan Secretary……………………………………….

Signed ………………………………………….

Name and position in group …Joan Harrington Treasurer……………………………………….

Signed ………………………………………….

Friends of Broadmead Pond Health and Safety Policy

It is the general policy of the Friends of Broadmead Pond to provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our activities:

We will provide, maintain and oversee safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all member.
We will provide such information, training and supervision as is needed for this purpose.
We will ensure safe handling and use of hazardous substances, in line with COSSH regulations.
We will ensure that all members are competent to do their tasks.
Our policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding are outlined in our Safeguarding Policy.

This policy will be reviewed and revised as necessary.

Responsibilities

Day to day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to the Lead Member at any given event. This person will be identified by the Management Committee prior to any event.
All members have a duty to:
- co-operate with the committee on health and safety matters
- not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety
- take reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety
- use equipment correctly in accordance with training and instructions
- report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person.

Risk assessment

Risk assessments of our activities will be will be carried out annually by the committee. Responsibility for observing the decisions made in the risk assessment lies with all members.
The committee will check at quarterly intervals that the action/s have been taken and the risks have been removed/reduced.
Risk assessments of each activity will be carried out by the Lead Member who is planning that activity. That member is responsible for ensuring hazards are dealt with as outlined in the risk assessment.

First aid and accidents

A first aid kit will be brought to any activity by a member who is a trained First Aider. The management committee is responsible for ensuring that there is a first aid kit and a trained First Aider available at any activity.
The management committee Secretary will hold a list of members who have up to date first aid training.
All accidents are to be recorded in the Accident Book which will be held together with the first aid kit.

Reasonable level of risk

We will take steps to avoid unnecessary risk and very high levels of risk. However, some activities inherently involve some risk. We therefore aim to protect members from unnecessary and high risk.

Friends of Broadmead Pond Safeguarding Policy

Safeguards are measures that an organisation should put in place to help reduce the risk of children, young people, vulnerable adults and other adults from being harmed. Safeguarding refers to the action taken to protect specific children, vulnerable adults or other adults from abuse (including bullying) or neglect. A safeguarding response may be necessary in any case where a child or young person under the age of 18 or an adult may have been abused or may be at risk of abuse or bullying. This should include policies, processes, procedures and measures to guide staff and volunteers in what to do if they are concerned that a child or young person may be at risk, and to empower children, young people, vulnerable adults and/or their families to seek help if they are worried about anything.
We will ensure that all children and young people, vulnerable adults or other adults involved in any of our activities are safeguarded as much as we are able to ensure this.
We will ensure that all committee members have received training in safeguarding awareness before becoming involved in activities where children and vulnerable adults are involved.

We will engage with any interested parties, whether families with children or single participants equally and ensure that all activities follow strict safeguarding guidelines.
We will ensure that our activities have had a risk assessment before being undertaken.
We will ensure that any children and young people are accompanied by a responsible adult / family member while attending any of our activities.
We will ensure that each activity we undertake has a Lead Member responsible for Health and Safety and Safeguarding.
We will ensure that we have an environment where any bullying is unacceptable.
This policy will be reviewed and revised as necessary

Responsibilities

There will be a designated Safeguarding Lead for the organisation.
Day to day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to the Lead Member at any given event / activity. This person will be identified by the Management Committee prior to any event or activity.

All members have a duty to:
co-operate with the committee on safeguarding matters
not interfere with anything provided to safeguard children and vulnerable adults
report all safeguarding concerns to an appropriate person

Concerns/Allegations/Disclosures

All members are responsible for reporting any concerns or allegations made
If a disclosure of concern or harm is made to any member by a child or vulnerable adult;
Listen, be non-judgemental, do not say that you will not tell anyone.

Reporting
If immediate harm is suspected call the Police on 999.

Wiltshire Council is responsible for Safeguarding matters. During working hours the number to call is 0300 456 0111 outside working hours call the Social Services Emergency Duty Team on 0845 6070888.
If either the Police or Wiltshire Social Services have been called, advice is needed in the first instance, or there are other concerns contact or inform the organisation’s designated Safeguarding Lead.
Act as soon as there’s a problem or concern. Report it within 24 hours, or sooner if it’s an e urgency or there’s an immediate risk of harm.

Friends of Broadmead Pond Equal Opportunities Statement

There is no specific Equal Opportunities Policy as the Equal Opportunities statement included within the Constitution was deemed to be sufficient.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND POLICIES