Wycombe Abbey Seniors Association Rules
Objects
1. The objects of the Association are:
a) To promote the education of girls at Wycombe Abbey School.
b) To support the charitable purposes of the Peckham Settlement.
c) To subscribe to other such charities, charitable trusts or charitable purposes as may be decided by the Executive Committee.
Qualifications for Membership
2. Former pupils of Wycombe Abbey School in the following categories shall be members of the Association:
a) Those who are members of the Association on the date when these rules come into effect.
b) Former pupils of the school who have left the school and by whom or in respect of whom subscriptions have been paid as provided by these Rules.
c) Former pupils of the school who are not qualified under either of the foregoing categories but having attained the age of 18 apply to become members of the Association, and whose applications are accepted by resolution of the Executive Committee.
Honorary Members
3. Any member of the staff of Wycombe Abbey School may be invited by the Executive Committee to become an honorary member. Honorary members shall not be liable to pay any subscription to the Association.
Members’ Subscriptions
4. Subscriptions shall be paid by or on behalf of members or prospective members of such an amount and in such a manner as the Executive Committee shall from time to time by resolution determine. The payment of subscriptions in accordance with such resolution shall entitle members to life membership of the Association.
Circles
5. (i) Members are and will be grouped at the date of leaving the school into Circles of approximately 30 members for the purpose of maintaining their interest in the School and in the objects of the Association. Each Circle shall have a Secretary and an Assistant Secretary.
(ii) The first secretary and Assistant Secretary of each Circle shall be appointed by the Headmistress of the School. On a vacancy occurring by the resignation of a Secretary or Assistant Secretary or otherwise her successor shall, subject to the approval of the General Secretary, be nominated by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary so resigning, or in default of such nomination, by the member of the Executive committee then representing the group of Circles in which that Circle is included.
(iii) Any member who has lost touch with her Circle Secretary should get in touch with the General Secretary, care of Wycombe Abbey School.
Officers
6. a) The officers of the Association, who shall be members of the Association, shall be:
(i) The President, who shall be elected at the General Meeting and shall hold office until the conclusion of the General Meeting held in the fifth calendar year after that at which she was elected, when she shall retire. Exceptionally she may be asked, by a majority of the members present and voting at a General Meeting of the Association, to continue in office on an annual basis for a further period not exceeding three years.
(ii) Vice-Presidents who shall be elected at the General Meeting on the nomination, with their consent, of the Executive Committee and shall hold office for life.
(iii) The Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, and Assistant Honorary Treasurer who shall be appointed at the General Meeting and shall hold office until the conclusion of the General Meeting held in the second year after that at which they were respectively appointed, when they shall retire but shall be eligible for re-appointment.
(iv) The Honorary Secretary of the Bursary Committee, the Seniors’ Editor, the Regional Organiser, a representative for the Peckham Settlement, and the Overseas Secretary, each of whom shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and shall hold office until the Committee appoints her successor.
(v) The Executive Committee shall have power to fill any casual vacancies and to determine the order of retirement of the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer and the Assistant Honorary Treasurer in office at the date on which these rules take effect.
The Executive Committee
7. a) The business of the Association shall be managed by the Executive Committee which shall have power to deal with all questions affecting the Administration of the Association and to administer funds of the Association, except those matters which under these Rules are to be dealt with by the Association in General Meeting or by the Bursary Committee.
b) The Executive Committee shall elect from its number a Chairman who shall hold office for four years and shall then retire and shall be eligible for re-election.
c) The Executive Committee shall appoint and determine the terms of service of a General Secretary.
d) The Executive shall have the power to appoint sub-committees whether or not consisting of or including members of the Executive Committee.
e) The Executive Committee shall consist of :
(I) The President;
(ii) No fewer than one and not more than three Vice-Presidents who shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and shall hold office for such periods as the Executive Committee shall determine;
(iii) The Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, and the Assistant Honorary Treasurer;
(iv) Two representatives of the Advisory Committee nominated by the Advisory Committee who shall hold office for such periods as the Executive Committee shall determine; and
(v) Not more than four co-opted members who shall hold office for such periods as the Executive Committee shall determine,
(vi) Provided that no person shall be a member of the Executive Committee if she holds office as General Secretary or any other officer in respect of which remuneration is paid by the Association.
(f) The General Secretary shall or in her absence the Honorary Secretary shall be the Secretary of the Executive Committee.
(g) Subject to the provisions of these Rules, the Executive Committee may regulate its procedures as it thinks fit. A member of the Executive Committee may, and the General Secretary at the request of a member of the Executive shall, call a meeting of the Executive Committee. Questions arising at a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be determined by a majority of members of the Executive Committee present and voting. The Quorum for the transaction of business of the Executive Committee may be fixed by the Executive Committee and unless so fixed at any other time shall be three.
(h) The members of the Executive Committee or a sole member of the Executive Committee may act notwithstanding any vacancies in the Executive Committee, but if the number of members of the Executive Committee is less than the number fixed as the quorum the member or members of the Executive Committee may act only for the purpose or calling a General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
The Advisory Committee
8. a) There shall be an Advisory Committee whose function shall be to consider and advise the Executive Committee on all matters relating to the business of the Association;
(b) The Advisory Committee shall consist of:
(i) The Vice-Presidents who are not members of the Executive Committee;
(ii) The Honorary Secretary of the Bursary Committee;
(iii) The Senior’s Editor;
(iv) The Regional Secretary;
(v) The representative of the Peckham Settlement appointed under Rule 6 a) (iv);
(vi) The Overseas Secretary;
(vii) Representatives for Circles, namely one for all Circles whose members are over the age of 70, and one for each group of approximately 10 of the other Circles, such as representatives to be appointed by the Executive Committee to hold office for such periods as the Executive Committee shall determine; and
(viii) Not more than four co-opted members who shall be chosen by the Executive and shall hold office for such period as the Executive Committee shall determine.
c) The General Secretary, or in her absence the Honorary Secretary, shall be the Secretary of the Advisory Committee.
d) Subject to the provisions of these Rules the Advisory Committee may regulate its proceedings as it thinks fit. A member of the Advisory Committee may and the General Secretary, at the request of a member of the Advisory Committee, shall call a meeting of the Advisory Committee.
Questions arising at a meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be determined by a majority of members of the Advisory Committee present and voting. The quorum for the transaction of the business of the Advisory Committee may be fixed by the Advisory Committee and unless so fixed at any other number shall be five.
The Bursary Committee
9. a) It shall be the responsibility of the Bursary Committee:
(i) To make recommendations to the Trustees of the Memorandum of the Trust dated 20th March 1954 and the Trust Deed supplemental thereto dated 1st February 1955 as varied by the Deed of Revocation and Declaration of New Trust dated 22nd September 1971 concerning the Wycombe Abbey Seniors Bursary Fund regarding the awarding of Bursaries to the daughters and descendants of Seniors and others, and otherwise as to the application of income by the Trustees of those Trusts.
(ii) To apply in furtherance of the objects of the Association such funds of the Association as shall be allotted by the Executive Committee to the Bursary Committee. At least £ 100 a year shall be allotted to the Bursary Committee who shall apply it towards founding or supporting bursaries at the school.
b) The Bursary Committee shall consist of:
(i) The Headmistress;
(ii) The Trustees of the Bursary Fund (3);
(iii) The Honorary Secretary of the Bursary Committee;
(iv) The Seniors’ Honorary Treasurer;
(v) Four members appointed by the Executive Committee;
(vi) The Bursary Committee has the power to co-opt up to two members, including one from the Dove-Bowerman trust, unless otherwise stated.
c) The Bursary Committee shall elect from those appointed by the Executive Committee a Chairman and an Honorary Treasurer; they being appointed at different times, each of whom shall hold office for a period of four years and shall then retire, and shall be eligible for re-election.
d) The remaining two members appointed by the Executive Committee shall hold office for four years and retire alternately, they having been appointed in different years.
e) Should a member or officer cease to be a member or officer before the expiry of her period of membership or office holding, the Bursary Committee shall co-opt a member or nominate an officer from the Bursary Committee for the balance of the unexpired period of membership or office holding.
f) the Bursary Committee may co-opt members to fill any vacancy arising by reason of a nomination under (e) above, such co-opted members to remain in office for the unexpired period of the vacancy filled.
Subscriptions and Finance
10. a) The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection and keeping of accounts of the funds of the Association, which shall be under the control of the Executive Committee.
b) The Executive Committee shall allot at least £ 100 a year to the Bursary Committee to be applied by them towards founding or supporting bursaries at the School.
c) the Executive Committee shall defray the expenses of the Association and shall from time to time apply the surplus either by way of investment for the provision of future income, by way of allotment to the Bursary Committee or otherwise in furtherance of one or more of the objects of the Association.
d) the Executive Committee shall cause the accounts of the Association to be audited once a year by a duly qualified Auditor and such accounts shall be submitted for approval to the General Meeting.
e) the Executive Committee may make arrangements enabling subscriptions or further contributions to be made by Deed of Covenant. Further contributions or donations may be earmarked for any particular purpose of the Association.
General Meetings
11. a) A General Meeting shall be held every year in the autumn. This shall take place at Wycombe Abbey School in even years, and details of the time will be published in the Seniors’ Supplement. Information regarding the location and time of meeting in the odd years will be published in the Seniors’ Supplement.
b) The General Secretary shall on the instructions of the Executive Committee, or on the requisition signed by not less than twenty members, convene a Special General Meeting by sending a notice thereof to each member, such notice further stating the matters to be discussed thereat.
c) At a General or Special Meeting thirty ordinary members shall form a quorum, at least twenty Circles being represented.
d) Notice of motions or proposals to be brought forward at any meeting must be in the General Secretary’s hands two months before the meeting so that a full agenda of the business may be prepared. The notice calling the meeting shall be printed in the Gazette and Seniors’ Supplement.
e) Unless otherwise provided in the Rules, all motions and proposals shall be determined by a majority of members present and voting on each question.
Investment Powers
12. a) Any part of the funds of the Association requiring investment shall be invested in such a way as to comply with the requirements of the Trustee Investments Act 1961.
b) The Executive Committee shall have power to permit any monies, investments or other property belonging to or in the hands of the Executive Committee to be registered and/or held in the name or names of any nominee or nominees within the United Kingdom on behalf of the Executive Committee and at any time to employ as a professional investment manager any person who is authorised to carry on relevant investment business under the provisions of the Financial Services Act 1986 or any similar legislation for the time being in force and to delegate to any such manager (“the Manager”) the exercise of all or any of the Executive Committee’s powers of investment on such terms and at such reasonable remuneration as the Executive Committee may think fit but subject always to the following conditions:
(i) any powers to delegate shall be exercised only within clear policy guidelines drawn up in advance by the Executive Committee and within the powers of investment conferred by these Rules;
(ii) every transaction carried out by the Manager under delegated powers shall be reported to the Executive Committee as soon as practicable; and
(iii) the Executive Committee shall be entitled at any time and with or without notice to review, revoke or alter the delegation of the terms thereof.
c) The Executive may at any time and from time to time delegate all or any of their powers under this Rule to a Finance Committee consisting of such number of members of the Executive Committee and holding office for such period as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine.
d) Any income of the Association which is not actually spent in a particular year may, until it is actually spent, be invested as if it were capital and any further income resulting from such investment shall be applicable as income of the Association.
e) The Executive Committee may apply the whole or any part or parts of the capital of the Association (as well as the income thereof) for the objects of the Association subject to the provision of these Rules.
Alteration of Rules
13. These Rules, with the exception of Rule 1, may be altered by a notice passed at a General Meeting of the Association by at least two thirds of the members present and voting.
General
14. a) The terms on which bursaries are available to the daughters or descendants of Seniors may be obtained from the Honorary Secretary of the Bursary Committee.
b) No appeal shall be issued in the name of the Seniors, or shall be circulated through the Gazette, the Officers or Circle Secretaries or by any other means, except with the sanction of the Executive Committee.
c) The General Secretary shall keep a geographical list of Seniors grouped in Counties or in Countries overseas so that group meetings can be called if so desired.
d) Notices inserted in the Gazette or Supplement shall be considered as equivalent to posting separate notices to each Senior.
e) News for the Gazette and Supplement should be sent to the Circle Secretaries so that it will reach the Editor before the 1st of December for the Supplement and 1st August for the Gazette. Changes of name and address should be printed clearly in block letters, surname first.
f) The Address list and Rules shall be published at regular intervals.
g) Members will receive a free copy of the Supplement and a list of changes of address annually.
Suspension of Membership
Members who have failed to notify a change of address, and whose letters have been returned by the Post Office, shall be suspended from membership, but shall be re-admitted on applying to the General Secretary.
