The WCF Alumni Association
The Rules of the Association1. The WCF Alumni
The Name of the Society shall be the “The WCF Alumni Association" or WCFA for short.
2. Aims and Purpose
(a) To provide and facilitate contact, fellowship and interaction between alumni past, present and future of all of the Worshipful Company of Farmers courses
(b) To provide a means of continuing and developing the educational and developmental experience of alumni after their course and into the future
(c) To provide connections and facilitate mentoring and support for alumni from other members of the alumni and members of the Worshipful Company of Farmers
(d) Create opportunities for members of the organisation to be able to help others benefit from the courses the Worshipful Company of Farmers offers
(e) To foster a strong relationship between the alumni and the Worshipful Company of farmers to the benefit of the members of both organisations and to future delegates of WCF courses.
3. Membership
Membership of the organisation is restricted to those individuals who have attended an educational course organised by the Worshipful Company of Farmers – including but not exclusively ACABM, CRL, BGC, MBA Cranfield (WCF supported), Any other courses that the WCF shall subsequently introduce and to such Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Farmers as the organising committee of the WCF Alumni shall decide and approve unanimously.
Delegates of future courses, commencing January 2018, shall be automatically recruited as members of the organisation and will receive the first year of membership free of any fee or subscription, on the completion of their course and provision of a Direct Debit mandate for activation on January 31st in the year following their course completion
4. Election
Proposed members of the organisation not eligible by right through attending a course must be elected to the organisation by the Committee – the Committee must approve the election of such members. To become members of the organisation they must be
a) Proposed and seconded by members of the organisation
b) A Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farmers
c) Unanimously approved by the committee
5. Subscriptions
a) PAYMENT. Subscriptions shall be payable on an annual basis for a 12 month period.
b) RESIGNATION. A Member who desires to resign shall notify the Secretary in writing and shall not be entitled to any refund of subscription monies
c) TERMINATION. The WCF Alumni reserves the right to terminate the membership of any member who in the view of the committee brings the reputation of the WCF Alumni. The Worshipful Company of Farmers, or the agricultural industry into disrepute. Such termination shall be by a unanimous decision of the committee.
6. Management
a) Shall be vested in the Committee who shall have full executive power to conduct all business of the organisation
b) The Committee shall consist of the following Officers:
- i. Chairman
- ii. Secretary
- iii Honorary Treasurer
c) There must at all times be at least one member of the Committee of the WCF Alumni who is a Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Farmers. This member may, but may not necessarily, also hold one of the official positions in the WCF Alumni. This member of the committee is charged with the responsibility of liaising with the Worshipful Company of Farmers through the Company’s Masters Committee
d) There shall be no more than 10 and no less than a total of 6 committee members at any one time
7. Committee Powers and Responsibilities
a) The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies on the Committee arising during any year, but the election of such Committee Members will be subject to the normal re-election procedure at the next Annual General Meeting
b) Members of the Committee who fail to attend at least 50% of the Committee meetings in any year, without good cause, shall not continue on the Committee
c) The Committee may remove any Members of the Society from membership by a resolution carried by two-thirds or more of those present and voting at a Committee meeting.
d) The Committee shall act under 7(c) when satisfied that the conduct of any Member of the Society is inconsistent with the objective and well-being of the organisation or injurious to the interests of the industry.
e) The Committee shall have power to elect Life and Honorary Members – the fee for Life membership shall be agreed by the committee from time to time. Honorary Members shall pay no annual subscription
f) The Committee may appoint such Sub-Committees from amongst its own members as it shall deem fit, with power to co-opt such person or persons as it may consider desirable providing such sub-Committees will be always chaired by a main committee member
g) Committee meetings will be chaired by the Chairman, or in his absence the Vice Chairman. In the case of neither being available then by a Committee member chosen by mutual consent of those present.
8. Meetings
The Committee shall arrange meetings and Members events on such dates as may be convenient
9. Quorum
The minimum number of attendees at any official meeting shall be defined as follows:
Committee Meeting – 4 Members
10. Membership
a) A Membership badge is issued to all new Members and should be worn at all meetings
b) Members failing to wear badges may at organisation events, at the discretion of the Chairman, be asked by the Treasurer to contribute to a charity of the Chairman’s choice
c) On membership ceasing for any reason, badges should be returned to the secretary.
11. Alterations To Rules
a) Rules may be altered, or added to, only at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose
b) 21 clear days notice of any proposed alterations or additions shall be sent by the Committee to every Member stating the place and time of the meeting at which they will be proposed
c) Any alteration or addition to Rules to be effective must be carried by at least two-thirds of those voting personally or by proxy at such Extraordinary General Meeting
d) Members desiring to propose changes in the Rules shall give 14 clear days’ notice in writing of their proposal to the Committee
e) If a two-thirds majority of the Committee shall approve their proposal, then the Committee shall arrange for submission of such proposals to an appropriate meeting under Rule 13(b)
f) An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the demand in writing of Members representing not less than one-tenth of the total membership
12. Termination of the Organisation
The WCF Alumni may be terminated only at an Extra Ordinary General Meeting called specifically for the purpose. All members must be notified at least 21 days in advance and a two thirds majority of those present and the proxies counted at the EGM must approve of the decision.
13. Proxies
Members desiring to vote by proxy at Extraordinary General Meetings shall nominate a proxy and submit this name in writing to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting
Each Member (including Life and Honorary members) has one vote
In the event of equal votes being cast the Chairman, of any meeting, has a second and casting vote.
13. Data Protection
The organisation will process information provided by its Members during the course of application and the duration of membership, and this information will be used only for the administration of the organisation and of the Worshipful Company of Farmers for the management of events and meetings held by the organisation or the Company and by joining the organisation Members agree that the organisation may hold computer records and such personal information for the above purposes
The organisation shall at all times obey relevant data protection legislation and follow current best practice to protect and preserve the information of its Members
Members are entitled to view, on request, personal data held about them by the organisation on computer and in manual records and to have any inaccuracy corrected. Such request should be in writing, and arrangements will be made for the Member to view the records, or if more appropriate to receive copies, within 14 days of receipt of the request
Under no circumstances may a Member of the organisation make use of any information held by the organisation about himself or any other Member for any commercial purpose or personal gain.