Society rules 1. Name The Society shall be known as the “Winchester Horticultural Society”. 2. Objects The objects of the society are the promotion and advancement of the practice and science of horticulture by- - Holding periodic meetings for the purpose of hearing lectures - Holding meetings for the demonstration of horticultural practice -Holding exhibitions of flowers, fruit, vegetables, produce and other items of horticultural interest periodically during the year and at monthly meetings, subject to rules agreed by the Committee - Organising visits to gardens and places of horticultural interest - Holding society and other events of interest or benefit to Members - Holding fund-raising events amongst Members or the general public for Society purposes. Fund raising for other purposes must be approved by the Committee. - Any other means approved by the Committee. 3. Members The Members shall be all those who have paid the appropriate annual subscription, the amount of which shall be recommended by the Committee and agreed at the AGM. 4. Meetings Members’ meetings – these shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month or on any other day that may be necessary or desirable for the purpose of furthering the objects of the Society as set out above. Annual General Meeting (AGM) – the Society’s financial year shall end of 31st December each year and an AGM shall be held on the same day as the Members’ meeting to be held in the March immediately following. The ordinary business to be conducted at the AGM shall be the President’s and Chairman’s Reports, the Treasurer’s Report on the audited accounts of the Society for the year, the Murray Cup results and presentation, and the election of the Officers and other Committee Members. Any other business not requiring prior notification may be transacted at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting. Special General Meeting – on receipt of a written requisition, signed by no fewer than twelve Members of the Society, the secretary shall call a Special General Meeting to discuss and vote on any special business connected with the Society; such meeting to be called within forty-two days of requisition and shall specify the purpose for which it is called. The quorum at Annual and Special Meetings shall be the lesser of twenty Members or one-third of the membership including the President or Chairman or Vice-Chairman. Any adjournment necessary shall be to the date of the next Members’ meeting unless otherwise agreed. Notice of any meeting or resolution to be put to any Annual or Special Meeting shall be deemed to have been properly given if announced to Members and available to them in writing at the Members’ meeting in the month before that for which the meeting is to be called. 5. The Committee and Officers The direction and management of the Society shall be vested in the Committee which shall comprise the Officers and up to ten additional elected Members. The Society President and Vice-President(s) shall be ex officio Members of the Committee. They shall be nominated annually by the Committee for ratification at the AGM (if not so ratified the matter is passed back to the Committee for subsequent resolution). The President and Vice-President(s) shall serve for a maximum of three consecutive years. The Committee may from time to time appoint Life Vice-Presidents who shall be persons who have served the Society particularly well. Life-Vice-Presidents shall have no duties and shall not be Members of the Committee whilst holding this office, which shall continue while they are Members of the Society. The Officers of the Society who shall be ex officio Members of the Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretaries. Nominations for the Officers shall be made to the AGM by the Committee. The Officers shall be elected and (if willing) stand for re-election at each AGM. If any Officers nominated by the Committee are not elected at the AGM, then another suitable candidate(s) shall be nominated by the Committee and shall stand for election at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman may serve for a maximum of three consecutive years. Elected Committee Members may stand for re-election. Vacancies on the Committee may be filled by appointments made by the Committee. Any Members joining the Committee after the AGM shall serve until the next AGM and may then stand for election without the need for nomination. Additional Members may be invited to attend for part or all of one or more Committee meetings but may not vote at these meetings. A quorum at Committee meetings shall be the President or Chairman or Vice-Chairman and four other Committee Members. Nominations for new Committee Members must be made in writing by two Society Members, together with the written consent of the candidate and be received by the Secretary not later than fourteen days before the date of the AGM. 6. Society Funds These may only be applied for purposes in aid of, or in connection with, the objects of the Society unless authorised by the Committee. The Society shall keep proper books and records and the Treasurer shall present the audited accounts to the AGM each year. 7. Murray Cup Competition Members may enter one exhibit in the competition at each Members’ meeting. Exhibits may be flowers, fruit, vegetables, produce or any item suitable for inclusion in the Society Show Schedule. Each exhibit shall be identified only by the membership number and must have been created by the Member or raised or cared for by the Member during the whole of its life or for three months whichever is the lesser. Points shall be awarded up to a maximum of ten for each exhibit by a judge appointed by the Committee. The winner of the Cup shall be the Member with the highest number of points from any eight exhibits staged during the year. 8. Alterations of Rules Notice in writing of any motion re alteration of the Rules must be in the hands of the Secretary forty-two days before either the AGM or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. (Adopted 13 March 2002)