CONSTITUTION OF: Cornwall Eco Projects... ADOPTED ON: 15h December 2019
Name : The name of the Group shall be: Cornwall Eco Projects
Aims : Aims Ethos and Principles of the Group shall be:
Aims
To restore and give greater resilience to eco-systems
To continually inform ourselves and others
To build better communities.
To support families and individuals to make changes
To encourage people to reconnect with nature
A result of all this we believe will be greater wellbeing for the planet, our environment and ourselves Ethos To care, listen to and support each other and the wider community, to be aware and respectful of other’s needs, points of view, and differences and to be inclusive of all. And a great life mantra, to be kind, helpful and courageous!
Principles Everybody is on an eco-journey.
If we clarify what we can do to combat ecological degradation and climate change then it becomes manageable. We can see our journey as having four areas or threads. How fast anyone travels down any thread, and the particular route that thread takes is up to her/him. Different people will find the suggestions within each thread challenging to different degrees. It doesn’t matter where anyone is on the journey, if they are aware of the threads and make informed choices about where to go next, they will make a difference.
Crucially, we all need to be better informed, the answers aren’t simple and we must be ready to change tack and priorities. At all times we should practise cognitive dissonance: the practice of questioning our own beliefs. At all times we should support others, regardless of how their journey differs to ours. The journey will also be one of better wellbeing and the joy of reconnecting with nature and the mental stimulation of understanding the complexity of eco-systems, and our place in each of them.
The four threads are The yellow thread: Sustainable Living This is about looking at eco-friendly changes we can make in our own lives and building communities to support each other. See ‘thought sort’ of areas The green thread: Local Eco-Restoration Projects This is about recognizing the complexity of eco-systems and approaching restoration from microbes up to us (as largest predators left!) to the part of water and land. Setting up our own projects where we find it is useful and also supporting ones established. See ‘thought’ sort of areas The red thread: Lobbying for Change This is about using a variety of techniques to get authorities, organizations, companies and institutions to make changes for the better. E.g. handing in letters to garden centres requesting that they don’t sell peat. See ‘thought sort’ of areas The blue thread: Supporting the Protection and Restoration of Eco-systems globally. This is about giving support to people globally who are trying to protect and restore their local areas. Again the techniques vary from sharing a post, to boycotting products, to donating to a cause. See ‘thought sort’ of areas
Clarification of the structure of our team To solve the ecological crisis we need to change how our society is run, we need to be less hierarchical and more of a community -communicating fully. I think the structure of this team reflects that and the very fact that roles overlap mean that people need to talk, to share their projects and ideas and to listen to each other. It needs everybody’s help to make this work. We have a team well-being facilitator to make sure no-one is left alone or confused about what they are doing. There are 3 main sections to our team, the admin team, the finances team and the strategy team.
General Team Roles All roles are intended to not to be overwhelming and to be supported by our team community through connections and overlaps.
Anchor Group: Strategy Co-ordinator, Admin Co-ordinator & Finance Co-ordinator helping to fulfil the following roles which may be added to at any time, as new positions become relevant and required. Members can define and earn role titles when they begin to actively contribute to that role and attending team meetings if they are actively filling a role and working on at least one project for that team.
Team wellbeing facilitator* -mostly about wellbeing: ensures everyone is happy with role, points people in direction of right member of team to find the help they need…keeps database up to date if possible but database manager can also do this.
Meeting facilitator* -formulates agenda, runs WhatsApp meetings to follow agenda and to ensure discussions are kept to time
Diary and minutes admin* -summarises discussion at meetings, decisions made and updates given by all team members …and keeps online diary up to date
Building partnerships with organisations –contacts organisations we may be able to work with, benefit from.
Building partnerships with businesses -contacts businesses for help and items we need.
Spreading the word co-ordinator –getting the general public to know about us and what we offer in terms of families and groups
Resources -sourcing items needed for wherever
Database management –checking databases in order, helping team members fill out ones relevant to them
Website coordinator –developing website, making changes
General admin: form filling and letter writing
Librarian of books and seeds –keep library newly stocked with books and reports –cataloguing seeds and sourcing seeds
Social media –whatever means felt useful –keeping it up to date with our projects etc
Art and Publicity design –producing posters, images etc as needed by team members
Photojournalist and media contact –attending events with camera and keeping media informed
Project Supporter –general help for those running projects who may need another pair of hands/brain
Education/schools/talks –developing and going into schools and groups to share information
Events co-ordinator –assist with all aspects of events that project coordinators need, refreshments, database of venues offered to us
Accounts * -keeping ingoing and outgoing up to date and auditing
Sourcing and assigning funds –finding grants etc and applying
Assessing cost of projects –an objective eye on projects
North Cornwall coordinator –these roles will develop –initially just getting us known in your area and spotting places to go on our databases e.g. local produce shops
South East Cornwall coordinator
West Cornwall coordinator
Mid Cornwall co-ordinator
3 Powers In order to achieve its aims the Group may: a. Raise money b. Open bank accounts c. Take out insurance d. Employ staff e. Acquire and manage buildings f. Organise courses and events g. Work with other groups and exchange information h. Do anything that is lawful which will help it to fulfil its aims
4 Membership (a) Membership of the Group shall be open to any person over 18 who is interested in helping the Group to achieve its aims, willing to abide by the rules of the Group as agreed by the Anchor Group. (b) Membership shall be inclusive and available to anyone without regard to gender, race, nationality, disability, sexual preference, religion or belief. (c) Every individual member and each organisation shall have one vote at General Meetings. (d) The membership of any member may be terminated for good reason by the Anchor Group but the member has a right to be heard by the Anchor Group before a final decision is made.
5 Management (a) The Group shall be administered by an Anchor Group of the Officers elected at the Group`s Annual General Meeting (AGM).together with the General Team (as described above) (b) The Officers of the Anchor Group shall be: Strategy Co-ordinator, Admin Co-ordinator & Finance Co-ordinator with further Team roles available to any member and can be appointed at any time throughout the year. (c) The Anchor Group shall meet at least once a year and stay in contact via email in the interim. (d) The Strategy Co-ordinator shall Chair the meetings of the Group if a meetings co-ordinator has not been appointed and will chair the AGM. (e) The quorum for Anchor Group meetings shall be 3 members. (f) Voting at Anchor Group meetings shall be by show of hands. If there is a tied vote then the Strategy Co-ordinator shall have a second vote. (g) The Anchor Group may by a two-thirds majority vote and for a good and proper reason remove any Anchor Group member, provided that person has the right to be heard before a final decision is made. (h) The Anchor Group may appoint another member of the Group as a Anchor Group member to fill a vacancy.
6 Duties of the Officers (a) The duties of the Strategy Co-ordinator are to facilitate the wider team in the following: • chair meetings of the anchor team, the AGM and Group if meetings coordinator is not present • Act as spokesperson for the Group when necessary
(b) The duties of the Admin Co-ordinator are to facilitate the wider team in the following: • take and keep minutes of meetings if a meetings coordinator is not present • prepare the agenda for meetings together with other members of the Anchor team and the Group in consultation with the Strategy Co-ordinator • maintain the membership list. • Deal with correspondence together with other members who may take on these roles • collect and circulate any relevant information within the Group alongside other members of the Team (c) The duties of the Finance Co-Ordinator are to Facilitate the wider team in the following: • supervise the financial affairs of the Group • Keep proper accounts that show all monies collected and paid out by the Group, report on the accounts at the AGM
7 Finance (a) Any money obtained by the Group shall be used only for the Group and its projects. (b) Any bank accounts opened for the Group shall be in the name of the Group. (c) Any cheques issued shall be signed by the Finance Co-ordinator and one other nominated official.
8 Annual General Meeting
The Group shall hold an Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.)
(b) All members shall be given at least fourteen days’ notice of the A.G.M. and shall be entitled to attend and vote. The quorum for an AGM shall be 3 members. (c) The business of the A.G.M. shall include: (i) receiving a report from the Strategy Co-ordinator on the Group`s activities over the year together with reports from other Team and project coordinators. (ii) Receiving a report from the Finance Co-ordinator on the finances of the Group (iii) Electing a new Anchor Team and (iv) Considering any other matter as may be decided.
9 Special General Meeting A Special General Meeting may be called by the Anchor Group or by any Members to discuss an urgent matter. The Admin Co-ordinator shall give all members fourteen days’ notice of any Special General Meeting together with notice of the business to be discussed. All members shall be entitled to attend and vote.
10 Alterations to the Constitution Any changes to this Constitution must be agreed by at least two-thirds of those Members present and voting at any General or Special General Meeting.
11 Dissolution The Group may be wound up at any time if agreed by two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General or Special General Meeting. In the event of winding up, any assets remaining after all debts have been paid shall be given to another Group with similar aims.
This constitution was adopted at a the meeting of the Group on 15th December 2019