The Orchard Players Constitution

1. The Society shall be called The Orchard Players Trust

2. The objectives of The Orchard Players shall be:

   1. To stage theatrical performances viz pantomime, plays, variety evenings and other activities to be decided by the Committee.

   2. To promote social and fundraising activities.

Membership

3. Application for membership can take one of the following forms:

   1. Adult membership – being a person over the age of eighteen years

   2. Junior membership - being a person between the ages of nine (or lower at the discretion of the director) and eighteen years. Also, a student in fulltime education or training.

   3. Associate membership - being an active but non-performing member.

   4. Honorary lifelong member - awarded to non-performing members in recognition of their service to the Society.

   Membership can only be granted on completion of an application form and the first annual membership has been paid.

   Members’ information will be retained by the membership secretary only for the year it remains valid and disposed of each year in line with GDPR.

4. The voting rights and eligibility to stand for committee are as follows:

   1. All adult members are eligible to stand for committee and are able to vote at meetings.

   2. Junior members are not able to stand for committee and have no voting rights.

5. Any member who fails to pay the annual membership by the due date may be deemed by the committee to have forfeited membership and their entitlement to perform.

6. Adult members and junior members will be entitled to receive notices of general meetings and all events and activities.

7. Any member/members wishing to put forward a suggestion/grievance/complaint in the furtherance of the objectives of The Orchard Players shall write formally to an appointed member of the committee of The Orchard Players or to the Committee as a whole.

   Such letters shall clearly identify the nature of the suggestion/grievance/complaint and shall be signed by the member/members concerned. The committee will decide what action is appropriate and will notify the members to whom it relates accordingly.

Executive Committee

8. The Orchard Players shall be governed by an Executive Committee consisting of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer (who shall be the officers) and at least four other members, all of whom shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (“the AGM”).

9. An officer, if re-elected, may remain in office for a period not exceeding five years but this period may be extended on an annual basis for a specific individual provided that he/she is elected by a two-thirds majority of those members present at the AGM.

10. Committee meetings shall be called by the Chairman of the Executive Committee or any two Officers.

11. A quorum shall consist of four members, at least one of whom must be an officer of the Society. Any Committee member acting, with the approval of the Committee, as Chair for a specific meeting, shall have authority to undertake any activity appropriate to the Chair for the period prior to the next Committee meeting, with all associated delegated powers.

    1. A quorum shall consist of four members, at least one of whom must be an officer of the Society. Any Committee member acting, with the approval of the Committee, as Chair for a specific meeting, shall have authority to undertake any activity appropriate to the Chair for the period prior to the next Committee meeting, with all associated delegated powers.

12. Minutes shall be kept of all committee meetings and approved minutes and financial reports shall be available to members on request. Approved minutes and financial reports shall be retained on the organisation’s one drive for 3 years.

13. The Committee may appoint a replacement from the existing committee in the event of the resignation of any officer prior to the AGM.

    1. In the event of no nominations being received from the existing committee members, then the wider membership will be asked to nominate suitable and willing candidates. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will be called to deal with any such nominations received.

    2. In the event of no suitable and willing candidates being identified, then the remaining officers and committee members will agree on coverage of the responsibilities of the vacant post until the next Annual General Meeting.

14. Any Committee member who fails to attend 3 consecutive meetings of the Committee without good cause and apology eg sickness or working out of the area, shall be deemed to have stood down from the Committee. The Chairman will advise the member accordingly.

15. The Committee may co-opt members of The Orchard Players to serve on any committee where appropriate. Any member may be invited to attend a committee meeting to observe or discuss a specific issue. No voting rights shall ensue from such an invitation.

16. The Committee shall select the script and director for each production and also agree a production team to assist the director in staging the next relevant production.

    1. Where more than one proposal is submitted to the committee for consideration, then the following process will apply;

       1. Each proposer will be invited, in turn, to present their script and proposal to the committee and answer questions for a maximum of 30 minutes.

       2. The committee will meet shortly afterwards and each member will cast a vote, in secret, for their preferred option.

    NB Committee members who may be, or who may be seen to be, compromised in any way will not be permitted to vote.

17. Auditions will normally be held for the purposes of selecting cast and shall take place at dates, times and places notified in advance to members. The audition panel shall consist of the duly appointed director and production team and one other member of The Orchard Players appointed by the Committee, who does not intend to audition for a principal part.

18. Should a member of the production team audition for a principal part, that member shall not be present at the subsequent deliberations of the audition panel regarding the casting of that part and shall not be part of the decision-making process in respect of that part.

Meetings

19. The Annual General Meeting of The Orchard Players shall be held no later than eight weeks following the society’s financial year end. The business to be transacted is:

    1. to approve the minutes of the previous AGM and EGMs;

    2. to receive the Committee’s report;

    3. to receive the audited statement of The Orchard Players’ accounts for the preceding year;

    4. to consider and, if approved, sanction any properly proposed alteration to the Constitution (item 22)

    5. to elect the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and other members of the Committee

    6. to conduct any other business as approved by the newly elected Chairman eg consider any proposed increase in membership rates.

20. Notice convening the AGM, together with Committee nomination forms shall be sent to all members not less than two weeks before the meeting.

21. Completed nomination forms for Officers and Committee members must be received by the Chairman at least one week prior to the AGM.

22. Any member wishing to call an Extraordinary General Meeting must obtain the support of eight members and notify the Chairman in writing of their request.

23. Alterations to the Constitution of The Orchard Players may only be made at General Meetings. Any proposed alterations must be submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than fourteen days prior to the meeting. The Committee shall be empowered to draft any consequential alternations.

24. The quorum of Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings shall be ten members, two of whom must be Officers of The Orchard Players.

Finance

25. The membership rates for adult and junior members shall be fixed at the AGM for the ensuing year commencing 1st March. The approved membership rate shall fall due on 1 March and shall be paid by adults annually on or before 30 April (Option B) or within 1 month of start of rehearsals (Option C -payment per show). Junior membership shall be paid per show within 1 month of start of rehearsals. Where an adult member is not in full-time employment, the Committee shall have the power to reduce the membership rate which will not affect the voting or other rights of the member. Juniors who become adults during a membership period will pay the adult rate with effect from the following membership period but will be entitled to vote at an AGM/EGM during the inter-regnum.

    Family membership will be available, at reduced rates, for a family group of at least 3 members. A reduction of £1 per person will normally be applied.

26. The financial year of The Orchard Players shall be the first day of March to the last day of the following February.

27. All the monies received on behalf of The Orchard Players shall be given into the care of the Treasurer or other designated Committee member and deposited in the building society or bank.

28. The funds of The Orchard Players shall be applied to the constitutional objectives of The Orchard Players under the supervision of the Committee.

29. Members shall only receive payment for any legitimate expenses incurred by or on behalf of The Orchard Players and with the consent of the Committee.

30. The accounts shall be checked as soon as possible after the end of the financial year by an independent person appointed by the Committee.

31. In the event of the dissolution of The Orchard Players:

    1. any remaining assets after the deduction of any outstanding debts shall be passed to an organisation(s) with similar aims and objectives to The Orchard Players or to a registered charity as agreed by the members.

    2. any outstanding debts shall be met equally by the adult members. Insurance has been taken out to cover this eventuality.

April 2025