Our Mission

Our Trustees

At the 2026 Annual General Meeting, a new group of eight trustees were elected, following the retirememt of David and Cath Allwood, Liz Marhall and Jonathan Lindley. They were cordially thanked for keeping the BCAC going for the past ten or so years.

The new trustees are:

Mark Bradshaw (Chair/Convener)

David Speake (Secretary)

Philip Taylor (Treasurer)

Mike Astell

Charlotte Farrell

Sylvia Jones

Di Shimell

Lynn Winspear

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The trustees have formed two sub-groups to look at programming ideas, the MUSIC and ART groups are hoping to announce a series of events and activities during the summer for 2026 and 2027.

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We currently have around 30 individual members, and 5 (TBC) affiliate members.

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Our Constitution

Up to 24 April 2026 (Changes proposed for 2026)

Bamford Community Arts and Crafts

Registered Charity no: 1095436)

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1          NAME

1.1      The name of the charity is Bamford Community Arts and Crafts (Herein after called ‘the Charity’)

2          ADMINISTRATION

2.1      Subject to the matters set out below the Charity and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by the members of the executive Committee (hereinafter called ‘the Committee’), constituted by paragraph 8 of this constitution.

3          OBJECTS

3.1      The charity’s objectives are the provision of facilities for education, recreation and leisure activities in the interests of the social welfare with a view to improving the conditions of life of the inhabitants of Bamford and the surrounding area in particular arts of crafts activities.

 4         POWERS

4.1      The Committee shall have the powers to carry out the objects of the Charity and in particular power to:

a)        raise funds and invite and receive contributions provided hat in raising funds the committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;

b)        buy or take on a lease or in exchange any property or equipment necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;

c)        subject to any consents required by the law to sell, lease or dispose of all or any part of the property of the Charity;

d)        subject to any consents required by law to borrow money and to charge all or any part of the property of the Charity with repayment of the money so borrowed;

e)        employ such staff (not members of the committee) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects;

f)         co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them;

g)        establish or support any charitable trusts, charity or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;

h)        appoint and constitute such advisory committee as the Committee may think fit;

i)          hold community events such as festivals, exhibitions, displays, performances and workshops;

m)       do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.

5          MEMBERSHIP

5.1      Subject to paragraph 7 below, membership of the Charity shall be open to all persons interested in furthering the objects in the area of benefit who have paid the annual subscription laid down from time to time by the Committee, and shall be of 4 kinds.

a)        Full Member: aged 20 or over who shall have one vote;

b)        Junior member:  aged under 20.  Junior members shall not have the right to vote at members meetings but may elect from among themselves up to 2 junior representatives to the Committee aged 18 or more, but no more than shall constitute one fourth of the committee who shall have a right to vote in committee and general and special meetings if they were full members;

c)        Affiliated members: an organisation or group of organisations (eg Bamford churches) whose purpose is not primarily commercial.  Each affiliated member shall have the right to appoint an individual to represent it and to vote on its behalf at meetings of the Charity, and may appoint an alternate to replace its appointed representative at any meeting of the Charity if the appointed representative is unable to attend;

d)        Sponsor member: Each sponsoring organisation shall have the right to appoint an individual to represent it and to vote on its behalf at general meetings of the Charity, and may appoint ant alternate to replace its appointed representative at any general meeting of the Charity if the appointed representative is unable to attend.  Sponsoring members shall to be eligible for election to the Committee;

5.2      Each affiliated or sponsor member shall notify the name of the representative appointed by it and any alternate to the Secretary.  If the representative or alternative resigns from or otherwise leaves the member organisation, he or she shall forthwith cease to be the representative of the member organisation.

6          SUBSCRIPTION

6.1      The annual subscription for each category of membership shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.  Subscriptions shall be due on 1st October in every year.  The subscriptions should be moderate and not such as might reasonably deter any person from joining , but having regard to the Charity’s expected financial position.

6.2      The Convenor shall keep a record of members and of subscriptions paid

7          TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

The Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any member, provided that the member or member’s representative concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

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8          EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Management

8.1      The Charity shall be managed by a Committee of not less than 6 nor more than 10 full Members and up to 2 Junior members being:

a)        The Honorary officers specified in paragraph 14 below, and

b)        Not less than one and not more than 10 full member., and

c)        Up to 2 Junior Members

Who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting by their relative constituencies each year and , subject to termination of office by resignation or otherwise, shall remain in office from the conclusion of the meeting until their successors are elected at the Annual General Meeting next following their election

8.2      The Committee shall have powers to fill any vacancy that may occur.  The retiring members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.

8.3      The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members who shall be members of the Charity provided that the number of co-opted members does not exceed one -third of the total of elected and ex-officio members.  Each appointment of a co-opted member shall be made at a special meeting of the Committee called under Paragraph 11 and shall take effect from the end of that meeting  unless the appointment is to fill a place which has not been vacated in which case the appointment shall run from the date when the post became vacant.

8.4      All members of the Committee shall retire from office together at the end of the annual general meeting next after the date on which they come into office but they may be re-elected or re-appointed

5.5      The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number or by any failure to appoint or defect in the appointment or qualification of a member.

Eligibility

8.6      Nobody shall be appointed as a member of the Committee who is aged 20 or under except duly elected Junior Member representatives, or who would if appointed be disqualified under the provisions of the following paragraph

8.7      No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Committee whether on a first or on any subsequent entry into office until after signing in the Minute book of the Committee a declaration of acceptance and willingness to act in the trusts of the Charity

8.8      A member of the Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she:

a)          Is disqualified from acting as a member of the Committee by virtue of section 45 of the Charities Act 1992 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision),

b)        becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing or administering his or her own affairs;

c)        is absent without the permission of the Committee from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the Committee shall resolve that his or her office must be vacated; or

d)        notifies to the Committee a wish to resign (but only if at least 4 members of the Committee will remain in office when the notice is to take effect)

Limitations and Interests

8.9      All income and property held on behalf of the Charity shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the Charity.  No member of the Committee shall acquire any interest in the property belonging to the Charity (otherwise than as a trustee for the Charity) or receive remuneration other than is allowed by the Charity Commission’s rules

8.10   Committee members must declare any interests they have as individuals in any proposed contract which the Committee may let

8.11   The Committee shall be free to enter into an agreement with any Committee member to further the Charity’s objects, provided the member does not participate in the contractual decision or benefit from it financially or in kind and provided that at no time shall a majority of the members of the Committee benefit under this  provision and that a member of the Committee shall withdraw from any meeting at which his or her instruction or remuneration, or that his or her firm is under discussion

9          SUB-COMMITTEES

9.1      The Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees consisting of two or more members of the committee for the purpose of making any inquiry or supervising or performing any function or duty which in the opinion of the Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a sub-committee provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub-committee shall be promptly and fully reported to the Committee

9.2      Any sub-committee may co-opt other persons to assist it, provided they are members of the Charity

10       MEETINGS

General Meetings

10.1   There shall be at least 2 general meetings of the Charity a year, one of which shall be the Annual General Meeting which shall be held in the month of March in each year or as soon as practicably thereafter.  The Annual General Meeting shall transact the following business:

a)        To receive and if approved to adopt a Statement of the Group’s accounts to the end of he preceding year;

b)        To consider and if approved, sanction and duly make alteration of the rules;

To appoint the Officers and other members of the Committee;

c)        To appoint an independent examiner or auditor of accounts, as legally required;

To receive and if approved adopt a schedule of proposed and future activities and matching budget;

d)        To deal with any special matter which the Committee desire to bring to before the members and to receive any suggestions from members for consideration by the

e)        to receive and, if approve, adopt a schedule of proposed future activities and matching budget,

f)         to deal with any special matter which the Committee desire to bring before the members and receive any suggestions from the members for consideration by the Committee.

10.2   Every Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Committee.  The Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of the annual general meeting to all members of the Charity.  All members of the Charity shall be entitled to vote at the meeting

10.3   Nominations for election to the Committee must be made by members of the Charity in writing and must be in the hands of the Secretary of the Committee at least 14 days before the annual general meeting.  Should nominations exceed vacancies, elections should be by ballot.

Special Meetings

10.4   A special Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee and shall be convened within 21 days from receipt of the a requisition in writing signed by no less than 2 voting Committee members specifying the object of the meeting for any of the following purposes:

a)        To consider and if approved to sanction any duly made alteration of the rules

b)        To deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to place before members

c)        To receive the resignation of the Committee or to remove any member of members thereof from office and to fill the vacancy or vacancies caused thereby; and

d)        To deal with any special matter which the members requiring the meeting may place before the Charity

Committee Meetings

10.5   The Committee will meet as often as business requires and no less than 3 time a year in addition to other meetings of the Charity

11       NOTICES

11.1   Public notice of every annual general meeting or special meeting  shall be given in the area of benefit at least 21 days before the date thereof by affixing a notices to some part of the Group’s premises or registered office or other conspicuous place in an area of benefit and by such other means, including electronic communication, as the convenors of the meeting think fit.  Such notice shall specify the matters to be dealt with.  Accidental omission to give a member notice of a meeting does not invalidate that meeting

11.2   The Committee may call a Special general meeting of the Charity at any time.  If at least 6 members request such a meeting in writing stating the business to be considered the Secretary shall call such a meeting.  At least 21 days notice must be given.  The notice must state the business to be discussed.

11.3   Any resolution can be passed in writing , providing a copy of the resolution is signed by a quorum of all members who are entitled to vote.

11.4   Any notice required to be served on any member of the Charity shall be in writing and shall be served by the Convenor or the Committee on any member personally or by sending it through the post in a pre-paid letter addressed to such member at his or her last known address in the United Kingdon, and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received within 10 days of posting.

12       BYE-LAWS

12.1   The Committee shall have the power to make bye-laws for regulating the conduct and affairs of the Charity provided that the same are not inconsistent with these rules.  Such bye-laws shall be posted in some conspicuous part of the Charity’s premises of registered office and shall be binding on all members.

13       OFFICERS

13.1   The Annual General Meeting shall elect such Honorary Officers of the Charity (including as a minimum a Convenor, Secretary, and Treasurer) as it may from time to time determine and such Honorary Officers shall be ex-officio members of the Committee and of any sub-Committee appointed by the Committee

13.2   The Secretary shall be responsible for calling meetings, for full minutes of the proceedings at the meetings of the Committee and any sub-committee, in books kept for the purpose, and for preparation and distribution of agendas.  The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Charity, according to legal requirements relating to its status.  The Convenor shall be responsible for oversight of all other matters relating to the Charity.

14       CHAIR AT MEETINGS

14.1   The Convenor of the Charity shall chair general, annual general and special meetings of the Charity.  In the absence of the Convenor, one of the other officers of the Committee shall chair the meeting

14.2   At committee meetings members of the Committee present shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting before any other business is transacted

15       QUORUM

15.1   There shall be a quorum at committee meetings when at least one third of the number of voting members of the committee for the time being or 3 members of the committee, whichever is greater are present.

15.2   At any general meeting there shall be a quorum when at least one tenth of the number of members of the Charity for the time being or ten members of the Charity whichever is the greater are present.  Junior members other than those elected to the Committee may attend general meetings, but may only vote through their elected representatives, and they shall not be counted as part of the necessary quorum

16       VOTING

16.1   Every matter shall be determined by the majority of the members present voting by show of hands on questions, but in the case of equality of votes the Chair of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote

16.2   Any member with voting rights may appoint a proxy to vote on behalf of that member provided that written proof of the appointment of such a proxy is received by the convenor before the meeting, to enable validity of the proxy to be checked

17       FINANCE

17.1   The Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1992 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to

a)        The keeping of accounting records for the Charity

b)        The preparation of annual statements of account for the Charity

c)        The Auditing or independent examination of the statement of account of the Charity, and

d)        The transmission of the statements of account of the Charity to the Commissioners.

17.2a The Committee shall maintain a forward budget for the Charity’s activities and set subscriptions consistent with that budget and with the need to maintain financial via and sufficient operating reserves.  Subscriptions should be no greater than necessary to meet this objective.

17.2b The Committee shall make and keep up to date a statement of policy relating to prudent borrowing for the objects, and undertake any borrowing including bank overdraft arrangements solely within its terms

17.3   All monies raised by or on behalf of the Charity shall be applied to further the objects of the Charity and for no other purpose

17.4   The funds of the Charity, including all donations, contributions, and bequests shall be paid into an account operated by the Committee in the name of the Charity at such bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide.  All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least 2 members of the committee

17.5   The committee shall have the power to appoint as holding trustees no less than 3 individuals to hold and/or lease property and equipment on behalf of the Charity.  Holding trustees may be removed by the committee at their pleasure and shall act with the lawful directions of the Committee.  Provided they act only in accordance with the lawful directions of the Committee, the holding trustees shall not be liable for the acts and defaults of Committee members.

18       ANNUAL REPORT AND ANNUAL RETURN

18.1   The Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1992 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to the preparation of an annual report and its transmission to the Commissioners

18.2   The Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1992 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to the preparation of an annual return and its transmission to the Commissioners

19       DISSOLUTION

19.1   If the committee decides that it is necessary to dissolve the Charity it shall call a Special meeting of all members of the Charity who have the power to vote, of which not less than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given

19.2   If the proposals is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting the Committee shall have the power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Charity

19.3   Any assets remaining after satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Charity as the members of the Charity may determine or failing that shall be applied for some other charitable purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area of benefit.  A copy of the statement of accounts or accounts and statement, for the final accounting period of the Charity must be sent to the Commissioners

20       ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

20.1   Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph the Constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting at a general meeting.  The notice of the general meeting must include notice of the resolution setting out the terms of the alteration proposed

20.2   No amendment may be made to Paragraph 1, Paragraph 3, subsections 8.9. 8.10, and 8.11, Paragraph 19 or this paragraph without the prior written consent in writing of the Commissioners.

20.3   No amendment may be made which would have the effect of making the Charity cease to be a Charity at law.

20.4   The Committee should promptly send to the Commissioners a copy of any amendment made under this paragraph.