LINCOLN HF WALKING GROUP
CONSTITUTION
As Amended at the Annual General Meeting 24th January 2026
1. NAME
The Name of the Group shall be LINCOLN HF WALKING GROUP
2. OBJECTIVES
The Objectives of the Group shall be to encourage and promote:
The healthy enjoyment of walking in the countryside.
The appreciation and respect of the resources of the natural environment.
The social interaction & friendship of walking with a group of people.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Group shall be open to all whose interests are in accordance with the Objectives of the Group.
Prospective members may attend two events before joining the group.
The Committee reserves the right to have the power to refuse, suspend or cancel any person’s membership.
4. SUBSCRIPTION
The Annual Subscription shall be at a level determined by the Committee and ratified at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and shall be payable as from 1st. January in any year.
5. GROUP ACTIVITIES
Members and others taking part in Group Walking Events shall act in accordance with the directions of the “Walk Leader” and are asked to advise the walk leader if they intend to leave the walk.
All Members of the Group shall be entitled to take part in any organised Group activity and may invite non-members to attend social events e.g. Christmas Lunch, subject to any capacity limitations etc.
6. MANAGEMENT
The Group shall be managed by a Committee consisting of Chairman; Vice Chairman; Secretary; Membership Secretary; Treasurer, and up to six other Members. The Committee are empowered by the Membership to make rules or changes to any existing rules that facilitate the Group’s activities in accordance with its objectives. Proposed changes to the Constitution must be put to and ratified by the Membership, usually at the AGM.
All the Committee Members shall be elected at the AGM to serve for a period of one year. There will be no limit on the length of time any Committee Member can serve, subject to being elected annually. Any Committee Member not fulfilling their role may be asked to stand down following a majority vote by the remaining Committee Members and will be ratified at the next AGM. For the Committee Meetings to be “quorate” at least 50% of the Committee Members should be present.
The Committee may fill any necessary vacancies that occur throughout a term of office with a member who will act in an interim capacity until ratification at the next AGM, but will be entitled to be reimbursed for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, the same as all Committee members.
7. FINANCE
GENERAL
The Group shall be non-profit making, any available funds being used for the promotion and welfare of the Members, in accordance with the Objectives of the Group, and for donations to relevant organisations as recommended by the Committee and ratified at the AGM.
The Committee shall be collectively responsible for the stewardship including the management and control all the funds of the group in accordance with the objectives of the group. The treasurer will be responsible for income and expenditure in accordance with the objectives and day to day organisation of the group and shall present financial reports to the committee at regular meetings and to the membership at the AGM.
ACCOUNTS
The financial year of the Group shall be from 1st. January to 31st. December. Copies of audited accounts shall be presented to Members attending the AGM. The accounts of the Group shall be audited by a person, who is not a member of the committee, appointed each year at the AGM.
8. MEETINGS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held in January each year, but in any event shall not be held later than the end of February. At the Annual General Meeting, the Chairman shall present a brief report on the year’s activities, and the Treasurer an audited Income and Expenditure Account approved by the appointed auditor. The Committee members will be elected by a majority of the members present at the meeting. Any item which Members desire to be included in the Agenda shall be notified to the Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be notified to members by means of inclusion in the “walks programme” and by email as necessary.
EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee and / or from a written request to the Committee of not less than a minimum of 10% of the Membership and shall be held within twenty-one days from the date of receipt of such a request. The notice convening the meeting shall state that it is an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, and specify the purpose for meeting.
9. CONSTITUTION AND RULES
Any addition or alteration to the Constitution made by the Committee shall be ratified at an Annual General Meeting or an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, of which proper notice has been given to the Members. Any addition or alteration shall be effective only if approved by a majority of the voting members present at such a meeting.
10. DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of the Lincoln HF Walking Group any surplus funds shall be distributed, or used, as recommended by the Committee in accordance with the objectives of the group and approval by a majority of the membership present at an Annual General Membership or an Extra-ordinary Annual General Meeting, adequate notice of which will be communicated to all members.