The Society shall be called The Writing Equipment Society.
The aims of the Society shall be to encourage, and to provide opportunities for:
The acquisition, exchange, study, use and conservation of writing instruments, accessories and associated ephemera;
The acquisition, study, recording and dissemination of information relating to writing instruments and accessories.
Membership of the Society shall be open to all those with an interest in writing instruments and accessories.
The appropriate membership subscription shall be payable annually on the anniversary of the member's joining the Society and shall be recommended by the Council and determined at the Annual General Meeting. Categories of members shall be as follows:
Ordinary Membership. Note: A person living at the same private address as an ordinary member shall be entitled to register as a Family Member and thereby to attend all general meetings and gatherings of the Society but not to vote.
Young WES Membership for those in full time education under the age of 18. A concessionary membership rate may be applied to this category of membership at the discretion of Council.
Honorary Membership, conferred by Council during the first 25 years of the life of the Society.
Corporate Membership, open to organisations involved with manufacturing, retailing or otherwise promoting writing equipment. A special arrangement will exist for advertising for these members, which will be determined by Council from time to time. One nominated person shall represent the organisation for the purposes of voting at the AGM.
The Society shall be managed by a Council consisting of: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 8 further Officers as Council shall deem necessary with roles determined by Council. Such roles will have a specification drawn up by Council. Role titles as determined by Council will appear on the ballot paper prior to the Annual General Meeting as set out at point 7e) to be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The term of office of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be for three years before compulsory re-election is required, with staggered re-election dates. All other Officers shall remain in office for one year. Any post can be subject to termination; any Officer shall be eligible for re-election. The Council may fill any vacancy occurring before the Annual General Meeting and may co-opt. A Council quorum shall be 50% of Council size.
The Council may appoint a President who shall have a non-voting right to attend Council meetings. The Council may also appoint as many Vice- Presidents as thought fit to reward exceptional service to the Society. Vice- Presidents will not be eligible to attend Council meetings.
Accounts shall be drawn up to the 31st March each year.
A General Meeting shall be held in every year, not later than the 1st December, to transact the following business:
to receive and, if approved, to adopt a statement of the Society’s accounts;
to consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration of the Constitution;
to appoint officers and other members of the Council;
to appoint auditors;
to deal with any special matter which the Council desires to bring before members and to receive suggestions from the members for consideration by the Council.
Notice convening the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to members not less than twenty-one days before the meeting, and shall specify the matters to be dealt with. A quorum shall consist of not less than twenty members. The Chairman shall have a casting vote.
A special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Council, and shall be convened within twenty eight days from the receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than twenty members specifying the object of the meeting, for any of the following purposes:
to consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration to the Constitution;
to deal with any special matter which the Council may desire to place before the members;
to receive the resignation of the Council or to remove any member or members thereof from office and fill any vacancy caused thereby;
to deal with any special matter which the members requiring the meeting desire to place before the Society.
Notice convening a special General Meeting shall be sent to members not less than twenty-one days before the meeting, and shall specify the matters to be dealt with. A quorum shall consist of not less than twenty members. The Chairman shall have a casting vote.
The Council is empowered to expel any member whose conduct has, in the opinion of the Council, rendered him or her unfit for membership of the Society. Any member against whom a complaint has been made shall be informed of the details of the complaint and shall receive at least twenty-one days notice of the Council meeting convened to consider the issue. He or she has these rights if he or she chooses to exercise them:
to attend a meeting of the Council which shall hear the complaint;
to answer the complaint. (The Council shall be under a duty to review all the evidence available).
No decision to expel shall be valid unless at least a majority of the Council members approve it.
Amended 20.11.16 in line with proposals adopted at 36th AGM held 19.11.16 G.E.Harrison, Secretary.
