CONSTITUTION

1.    Name 

The name of the group shall be Listening Ear And Positive Support, also known as LEAPS.

2.    Objects  

The objects of Listening Ear And Positive Support are to relieve the mental and emotional suffering of those who are unwaged, through the provision of peer support, advice, counselling/psychotherapies and by any other means charitable.

3.    Area of benefit

North Shields and surrounding areas

4.    Powers

To further the objects, Listening Ear And Positive Support has the power to:

4.1    Recruit volunteers and employ and pay staff.

4.2  Work in partnership with other organisations.

4.3    Invest funds in any lawful way.  Professional advice should be taken when necessary.

4.4    Raise funds by any lawful means except permanent trading

4.5    Accept gifts either for the general purposes of Listening Ear And Positive Support or for a specific purpose within or connected with the objects.

4.6    Do anything else within the law which promotes or helps to promote the objects.

5.           Membership

5.1    Membership is open to any individual aged 18 or over or organisation that agrees with the objects.  Each member has one vote.

5.2    The committee may set up a youth membership and any other types of membership that they decide.

5.3    The committee must keep an up to date list of the members of Listening Ear And Positive Support.

5.4    A member may resign by written notice to the group.

5.5    If the committee considers that a member’s conduct is harmful to the group:

                   5.5.1      The committee should ask the member concerned, or someone on behalf of the member concerned, to put his or her case to a committee meeting.

                   5.5.2      If after hearing the member’s case the committee decides that the member should leave the group, they may terminate the membership by written notice.  That notice is final.

6.    The committee

6.1    The group shall be managed by a committee of not less than three and not more than twelve members.  All committee members must be members of the group.

6.2    Committee members shall stand from the end of the AGM that they were elected at to the end of the next AGM.

6.3    The committee's officers shall include:

          6.3.1      a chair – elected at the AGM.

                     6.3.2       a secretary – elected or co-opted by the committee at a committee meeting.

                     6.3.3       a treasurer – elected or co-opted by the committee at a committee meeting.

                   6.3.4      any other officers that the committee decides.

6.4    A committee member can only fill one position.

6.5    The committee shall meet a minimum of four times a year, and must keep a formal record of all meetings.

6.6    The quorum for a management committee meeting is three members.

6.7    Each member has one vote, and if the vote is tied, the chair has a second casting vote.

6.8    The committee has the power to co-opt up to three members on to the committee to fill vacant places until the next annual general meeting.  Each co-opted member has one vote.

7.    General meetings

7.1    The secretary must give 21 days notice of a general meeting to all members.

7.2    All members are entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.

7.3    The quorum for a meeting is five members, or a tenth of the membership, whichever is the greater.

7.4    A formal record of a general meeting shall be kept.

7.5    The annual general meeting (AGM) shall be held in October each year, or as soon as possible afterwards. 

7.6    The AGM will:

n  Receive nominations for the chair and other committee members.

n  Elect the chair and other committee members.

n  Receive a report of the year’s activities.

n  Receive the year’s accounts.

7.7    The chair and other committee members will be elected on a show of hands and serve from the end of the AGM to the end of the next AGM.

7.8    The committee can call a special general meeting (SGM) at any time.  If five members request a SGM in writing, the secretary must call one.

3.    Finance

8.1    All funds belonging to or raised for Listening Ear And Positive Support must be used in furthering the objects.

8.2    The treasurer shall keep an account of all income and expenditure and shall present examined accounts at the AGM.

8.3    An independent examiner, who is not a member of the group, shall be appointed to examine the accounts.

8.4    There shall be one or more bank or building society accounts in the name of the group.  Cheques must be signed by two committee members, who must not be related.

8.5    Committee members may claim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses on terms approved by the committee.  No other payments can be made to members of the group.

4.    Changes to the constitution

This constitution can only be changed at a general meeting.  The secretary must give 21 days notice of the meeting to all the members, along with details of the proposed changes to the constitution.  For the constitution to be changed over half of the members present at the meeting must agree.

5.    Dissolution

10.1  Listening Ear And Positive Support can only be dissolved at a general meeting.  The secretary must give 21 days notice of the meeting to all the members, along with details of the proposed dissolution.  For the group to be dissolved over half of the members present at the meeting must agree.

10.2  If the members agree that the group should be dissolved, any assets remaining after the clearing of all debts and liabilities shall be given to a group with similar objects, or, if this cannot be done, to any charitable purpose.

6.        A copy of this constitution shall be available to all members.

         This constitution was adopted on this date 21/10/2009

Chair                           David Taws

Secretary:                   Craig McVay

Founder:                     Amanda Normand

Advertising Assistant:  Aimee Wilson