Constitution

1. Name

2. Aims

• To bring together people from the LGBTQ+ communities in Bristol and surrounding areas who have a passion for singing.
• To support members in demonstrating and maintaining their skills.
• To facilitate connections amongst lonely or isolated LGBTQ+ people in the community.
• To use music (and dance) to share culture and experiences.

3. Membership

• is aged over 18 years old; and
• lives in Bristol or the surrounding area; and
• supports the aims of Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus.

Membership will begin on the first of the following month after having passed a successful voice assessment and first monthly payment has been received.

There will be a monthly membership fee of £35 (concession available for students/retired and low earners). A membership fee will be payable by all members.

A list of all members will be kept by the membership secretary.

Ceasing to be a member

Members may resign at any time in writing to the secretary.

Any member who has not paid their membership fee for one month will be contacted by the committee, who will then decide whether that member is deemed to have resigned.

Any offensive behaviour, including 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 rehearsals 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.

4. Equal Opportunities

Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.

5. Officers and committee

The business of the group will be carried out by a Committee of founding members. The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year.

The Committee will consist of 3 members. Up to 2 additional members may be co-opted onto the committee at the discretion of the committee.

The officers’ roles are as follows:

• Matthew Bolton: Chair, who shall chair meetings. He will also act a Secretary, who shall be responsible for taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers
• Ronan de Burca: MD, who shall be responsible for learning and teaching as well as maintaining control over any sub-committees (such as performance group)
• Christian Wismann: Membership secretary, who shall be responsible for keeping records of members as well as Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts

In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement will be elected by the next General Meeting of members.
Any committee member not attending a meeting without apology for three months will be contacted by the committee and asked if they wish to resign.

The Committee meetings will be open to any member of Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus wishing to attend, who may speak but not vote.

6. Meetings

6.1 Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least eight other members giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

All members will be given two weeks notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, and notice may be by telephone, email or post.

The quorum for the Special General Meeting will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.

6.2 General Meetings

General Meetings are open to all members and will be held at least once every 6 months or more often if necessary.

All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, and notice may be by telephone, email or post.

The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10% of the membership or 5 members, whichever is the greater number.

6.3 Committee Meetings

Committee meetings may be called by the Chair or Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least 7 days before the meeting.

The quorum for Committee meetings is three Committee members.

7. Rules of Procedure for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

8. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a bank agreed by the committee. Three cheque signatories will be nominated by the Committee (one to be the Treasurer).  The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.
All money raised by or on behalf of Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

9. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

10. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.

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.

This constitution was agreed at the Inaugural General Meeting of the Bristol Gay Men’s Chorus on:-
Date 19/September/2019