| NAME The name of the Society shall be The Chesterfield and District Family History Society. |
| AIMS of the Society shall be as follows: |
| 1. To promote among all citizens of Chesterfield and surrounding districts a knowledge and understanding of Family History. |
| 2. To assist and encourage members of the Society (and others) in individual research and the study of Family History and to promote joint projects among members researching, transcribing, recording, calendaring and indexing genealogical resource material relating to the Society's area. |
| 3. To devise and maintain for members a programme of educational and social activities connected with the study of Family History and to produce a newsletter or magazine containing information and articles periodically. |
| 4. To negotiate with various statutory and other bodies for the provision of improved genealogical research. |
| 5. To provide money by receipt of subscriptions, grants, gifts or any other form of fund-raising as the Society may so determine from time to time so that the Society will be financially self-supporting. |
| RULES GOVERNING THE AFFAIRS AND BUSINESS. |
| 6. Membership of the Society shall be open without question to any person accepting the statement of aims on the understanding that his or her membership is dependent on their agreeing to pay an annual subscription, such sum to be fixed at the Annual General Meeting on receiving a recommendation from the Committee. Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid three months after it is due. |
| 7. Joint Membership of the Society shall be open without question to any family not exceeding two adult members providing they accept the statement of the aims and on the understanding that joint membership is dependent on payment of the annual membership fee of one and a half times the amount of single membership. |
| 8. All members and representatives shall have one vote each excepting joint members who shall have two( one vote each) |
| 9. Committee Meetings of the Society controlling the affairs and business of the Society shall be as, when and where Committee members so determine, vesting authority to so organise and manage the affairs of the Society in the Officers appointed. |
| 10. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held not later than two months after the end of the Financial Year which will be 30th July each year, to which Officers shall report on their activities during the previous year, as well as reporting on current and planned activities. The Treasurer's report, accompanied by audited Balance sheet shall be written and circulated at the A.G.M. to all members present. Copies of the Balance Sheet will be included in the first newsletter after the A.G.M. |
| Any member wishing to resign from the Committee at the A.G.M. must give at least 28 days written notice of their intent to the Secretary. Nominations for election to the Committee must be in writing, proposed and seconded, with the consent of the Nominee, also handed to the Secretary before the A.G.M. |
| The A.G.M. shall elect the Officers of the Society, namely Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, by means of a simple majority vote. |
| The Committee shall consist of the Officers and not more than nine elected Members. |
| 11 Any member co-opted to the Committee at a meeting other than the Annual General Meeting shall be required to seek re-election at the next Annual General Meeting following their co-option. |
| 12 Notices of specially convened meetings concerning the affairs and business of the Society shall be sent to all members not less than 14 days before the meeting takes place. |
| 13 No membership may be terminated by Officers without a majority of two thirds of the voting members present at a General Meeting. |
| 14 Any ten members of the Society may serve in writing on the Chairman or Secretary to convene a meeting of the Society members within 28 days providing any such notice actually states the nature of the business to be required to be placed on the Agenda of any such meeting. |
| 15 The Quorum for Committee Meetings shall be at least two Officers and four Committee Members. |
| 16 All matters of the Society will be (excepting the provisions in rules 14,15,and 18) decided by means of a simple majority and voting, in the case of a tied vote the Chairman shall have the casting vote even if he or she has already voted. |
| 17 These rules may only be changed at a special rules revision meeting of the Society for which notice of not less than 14 days shall be given to all members, any changes in the Society shall require the support of at least two thirds of the votes cast. |
| 18 The Society's name shall not be used by any person for any purpose other than on the Society's business or in connection with the Society's activities. |
| 19 Dissolution. The Society may be dissolved by a resolution passed by not less than three quarters of those members present with voting rights at either an Annual or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose and for which 28 days' notice prior to the meeting has been given in writing. Such a resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held in the Society's name after all debts and liabilities have been paid, the Balance left to be transferred to some other institution or institutions having similar objectives to those of the Society. |
| Amended July 1995 |