NAME OF THE GROUP
The Friends of Farthing Downs and Happy Valley

AIMS
To enhance the heritage and leisure value of Farthing Downs and Happy Valley

To promote awareness and interest through events and activities for all ages and communities in accordance with Equal Opportunity and Health and Safety regulations

To protect the integrity of the Downs by working with the City of London (Farthing Downs) and London Borough of Croydon (Happy Valley) to engender a wider sense of ownership

The above aims will be met by organising local talks and walks associated with Heritage and Natural History, supporting local environment projects, encouraging community/visitor involvement, keeping members appraised of activities and issues through regular Newsletters, Leaflets and our Website and fundraising including grant applications to support these activities.

MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to anyone who wishes to promote the aims of the Friends by payment of an annual subscription payable from the 1st of January. Members may be individual members or groups. Once the committee recommends the amount of the subscription to the membership at the annual general meeting, the members present may decide to vote for the recommended amount or decide otherwise. Membership will cease when subscription are two years in arrears. The committee has power to waive subscriptions for an individual should the need arise. The secretary of the Friends will keep the master copy of the membership list while another committee member will hold another copy.

THE COMMITTEE
The committee, in association with City of London (City Commons) and LB Croydon, will manage the affairs of the Friends. It will include a chairperson, a secretary, a treasurer and one or more representatives of City Commons and LB Croydon. The committee will meet at least four times a year but also may decide on holding extraordinary general meetings as well as the annual general meeting. All committee members serve in an honorary capacity.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The AGM may be held as a separate event or immediately before or after the opening of a public event (e.g. visiting speaker). Members will be notified of the forthcoming AGM in a newsletter not less than three weeks beforehand. Its purpose is to receive an annual report by the chairperson or his or her representative, to decide on the subscription for the ensuing year, to receive and adopt a statement of accounts, preferably audited, for the previous calendar year and to elect a committee. Assuming there is an auditor or independent examiner appointed at the AGM for the ensuing year, he or she will examine and sign the accounts as correct.

PAYMENTS AND FUNDS
Cheques or electronic transactions payable to other bodies are to be signed or authorised by two Committee appointed members. Funds are to be held in a bank or building society account except for an appropriate amount of cash-in-hand. The treasurer will report to the committee at every committee meeting.

DISSOLUTION
If a committee fails to be elected or if a two-thirds majority attending the AGM decide to dissolve the Friends, the Friends shall be wound up and its funds passed to a suitable charitable organisation.


November 2017