Name
The Society shall be called “The Brentwood Wine Society” (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”).
Object
The object of the Society shall be to promote and to encourage interest in, and knowledge of, wine amongst members of the Society. This shall be achieved by the organisation of regular wine tastings and other events as organised by the Society’s Committee.
Licensing Act 2003
The Society shall conduct its affairs to comply with the Licensing Act 2003, and such that it does not require a licence for the regular wine tastings. In the event that a licence may be required for a special event, the Society shall make application in accordance with the law.
Membership
Any member of the public over the age of 18 years is eligible for Full Membership on payment of the annual subscription as approved by the Annual General Meeting of the Society. The annual subscription will run from 1st January to 31st December.
Subscriptions and RightsFull members have full rights and benefits under the Society’s rules, and shall pay an Annual Subscription in one sum, which becomes payable on 1st January. If they join after 31st March they will pay a pro-rata fee for the remainder of the year.
Full members can attend the Annual General Meeting of the Society and have the right to vote.
The Society may decline to grant Full Membership on a majority vote of the Society’s committee. Where the reason is that the number attending tastings is regularly reaching the capacity of the meeting room, or the number of Full Members has reached the insurance limit of the Society, prospective members may join a waiting list. The Society may withdraw Full Membership on a majority vote of the Society’s Committee.
Guests
A Full Member may bring the occasional guest to a tasting, and prospective members are welcome at meeting with prior notice in both instances to the chairman or other member of the Committee. No charge shall be made to the guest or prospective member at the first tasting. A signature and other details may be required.
At that first tasting the guest or prospective member may apply, or at least 48 hours prior to the next meeting he or she wishes to attend, must apply to become a Full Member and pay the Joining Fee.
Membership Data
Addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of Members and guests may be held by the Society, but may not be transmitted to a third-party without the permission of the Membership given at Annual General Meeting.
Events
Non-Members may attend events at the discretion of the Committee on payment of a suitable event fee at or above that charged to Full Members, with priority to Full Members, and subject to Licensing Act 2003 requirements.
Committee
The Society shall be managed by a Committee of up to nine Full Members. If, however, it is not possible to meet this number then the minimum number required to form a Committee may be seven Full Members. The Committee shall comprise a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Programme Secretary and between two and four other Full Members, as the case may be, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with the Society’s rules. The presence of five voting members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member of the Society to fill a vacancy arising during the course of the year through resignation of a current member, or other reason. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes; the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
Termination of the Society
It is intended that the Society will continue to operate in perpetuity. In the event that the Committee becomes aware at any time of any circumstances that, after due consideration, would result in the Society:
- Being unable to comply with all applicable United Kingdom law or
- It is not possible to form a Committee as required by Rule 9 of the Society’s Rules, or
- The number of Members has fallen to a level where income generated from subscriptions coupled with cash reserves is not sufficient to permit the continued operation of the Society on an economically viable basis.
Members shall be notified of such event, and an Extraordinary General Meeting called to consider,
- The proposal to formally wind up the affairs of the Society; and, if the proposal is passed,
- The appointment of a Termination Committee comprising of the then Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. The Termination Committee shall be given authority to manage, in consultation with the Auditor, the orderly closure of the Society’s affairs and, after all liabilities have been met, the disbursement of any remaining funds.
Life President
An Honorary Life President to the Society may be appointed at an Annual General Meeting, so that the Society may give recognition to a Member who has given meritorious service to the Society over an extended period.
Meetings
The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting each year; not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of one Annual General Meeting of the Society and the next. At the Annual General Meeting the Committee shall be elected for the coming year and any general business shall be transacted.
Nominations for Chairman, other Officers, and Members of the Committee shall be given in writing to the Secretary and shall be received at least eight days prior to the AGM. All nominations must be signed by the proposer and seconder and have the consent of the nominee. Each member of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election except that Officers shall not be elected to an office they have held for three consecutive years. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless there is more than one nomination for a post when it will be by ballot of those present. The new Committee will take office at the end of the Annual General Meeting.
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened when necessary by a majority of the Committee or upon the written request of not less than fifteen members of the Society. Such requests must state the object of the meeting. No other business shall be transacted at that meeting.
All General Meetings shall be called with fourteen days’ notice in writing. Such notice may be served by hand, by post or by email and shall be served on all members of the Society. Fifteen full members shall form a quorum at the General Meeting. Voting at the General Meetings is restricted to full members of the Society. The Chairman shall have the casting vote at all General Meetings.
Audited accounts for each year shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting shall appoint honorary auditors.
Alterations to Rules
No alterations shall be made to these Rules without the consent of at least two-thirds of those members present at and entitled to vote at a General Meeting. Details of the proposed amendments shall be included in full in the notice convening the General Meeting.