ACJR Constitution

ACJR RULES AND CONSTITUTION

1. Name

1.1 The Association shall be called 'Association of Children of Jewish Refugees', and in this constitution shall be hereafter referred to as 'the Association'.

2. Objects

2.1 The Aims of the Association are:
(a) to bring together people with a common background as children of refugees from Nazi persecution, and
(b) to promote social, cultural and intellectual activities for its Members.

3. Membership

3.1 Membership of the Association shall be open to all children of Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution. The Committee may at its discretion terminate the membership of any person.

3.2 Categories of Membership

i) Member. Full membership is open to anyone having at least one parent who was a refugee from Nazi Europe (before, during or after World War II).
ii) Country Member. A person who lives outside the Home Counties (to be defined and decided at the Committee’s discretion) and who would have difficulty attending events more than once a year. Half the full annual membership fee is payable.
iii) Friend. A person neither of whose parents was a refugee from Nazi Europe may join as a Friend. This includes people whose grandparents were refugees. Full membership fee is payable. A Friend does not have voting rights, but may be co-opted to the Committee as a non-voting member.
iv) Associate Member. A person or organisation who is not eligible for membership, but has an interest in receiving the Newsletter, e.g. AJR, parent or relative of a member. Associate members cannot be members of the Committee and do not have voting rights. The membership fee payable is at the discretion of the Committee.
Constitution amendment: Section 3.2 added November 2000

4. Subscriptions

4.1 The annual subscription and other fees for all Members shall be decided by the Committee. Annual subscriptions shall be payable on or before October 1st in each year. The subscription of a Member shall be reduced in case of hardship at the discretion of the Committee.

5. Visitors

5.1 Members shall be entitled to introduce a maximum of two guests to activities of the Association on any one occasion. The Committee may at its discretion limit the number of times a guest may attend. Members introducing guests shall be responsible for signing the guest list provided and both the guest's name and the name of the Member introducing the guest shall be recorded. Members introducing guests shall be expected to accept full responsibility for the conduct of such guests.
5.2 Persons eligible for Membership who have contacted a member of the Committee in advance shall be admitted to activities of the Association at the discretion of the Committee Member concerned.

6. Committee

6.1 The Officers of the Association shall be the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Membership Secretary, Administrative Secretary, Treasurer and Newsletter Editor, and they together with up to six additional Committee Members shall make up the Committee of the Association (hereafter known as 'the Committee'), subject to the proviso in Paragraph 11.2. The Committee is to be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
Constitution amendment: Newsletter Editor added to Officers, October 1997

6.2 Nominations for the Committee are to be made by a Member and seconded by another Member. Nominations must be made in writing and submitted to the Administrative Secretary not less than 21 clear days before the Annual General Meeting.

7. Annual General Meeting

7.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held during the month of September or October in each year. Twenty-eight clear days' notice of this Meeting shall be given to all Members. At the Annual General Meeting the following shall be transacted:
(a) The Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting shall be read and confirmed.
(b) Presentation and Adoption of the Annual Report and Balance Sheet.
(c) Election of the Committee for the following year.
(d) Motions and Proposals for the Annual General Meeting.
These Motions and Proposals must be submitted in writing by Members to the Administrative Secretary at least 14 days before the Meeting.
7.2 At the Annual General Meeting only the members present shall be entitled to vote. Non-members shall not be entitled to vote nor have any rights in relation to the Annual General Meeting. A simple majority shall determine any votes at the Annual General Meeting and the Chairperson shall have the casting vote.

8. Special General Meeting

8.1 A Special General Meeting for any purpose shall be convened by the Committee at any time or upon a requisition being made in writing by no less than 15% of Members. Twenty-one days' notice shall be given of such a Meeting and the purpose thereof and only that business shall be discussed at the Meeting.

9. Committee Quorum

9.1 A Quorum of the Committee shall consist of not less than one half of its Members of whom not fewer than two shall be Officers.

10. Sub-committees

10.1 The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees as required and co-opt Members thereon as it may deem necessary. Any decision of a sub-committee shall be subject to ratification by the Committee.

11. Committee Meetings and co-option

11.1 Committee Meetings shall be called by the Administrative Secretary. Each Committee Member shall be entitled to vote on any proposition put by the Chairperson, who shall have a casting vote if necessary. In the event of the Vice-Chairperson having to take the Chair at a meeting, s/he shall, in the event of a vote being taken, have a casting vote if necessary. The duties and responsibilities of Committee Members shall be determined by the Committee who shall have power to suspend any Committee Member who fails to perform her/his duties in a satisfactory manner.
11.2 It is provided that the Committee shall have power to co-opt additional Members of the Association to the Committee at its discretion during its year of office. Co-opted Committee Members shall be permitted to attend all Committee Meetings and take part in discussion, but they shall have no voting powers.

12. Winding Up

12.1 The Association shall be wound up only at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for the purpose, at which 75% of Members must be present. The motion put to the Meeting shall be carried by a two-thirds majority vote of those Members present. All assets of the Association at the date of winding up shall be disposed of as decided at the said Extraordinary General Meeting.

13. Alteration of Rules

13.1 These Rules shall be altered only by a two-thirds majority vote of a Special General Meeting or by a two-thirds majority vote of an Annual General Meeting.

14. Liabilities

14.1 All liabilities of the Association shall be equally shared amongst all Members at the time of the winding up of the Association.

15. Charitable Donations

15.1 The ACJR Committee may make donations from ACJR general funds for charitable purposes totalling up to £50 in any one ACJR year (an ACJR year being understood to run between two AGMs, and it also being understood that fund-raising events may be held specifically to raise further moneys for charitable causes).
15.1 added Oct 97

16. Additional Powers

16.1 The Committee shall have the power to deal with anything not provided for in these Rules.

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