THE CONSTITUTION
1. The name of the Association is “The North Norfolk Talking Newspaper Association (The Mardler)” hereinafter referred to as the Association.
2. The object of the Association is to relieve the blind, or the partially sighted or those labouring under some temporary or permanent incapacity or disability which makes reading a strain, by the provision of recorded audio material. In furtherance of this object, but not otherwise, the Association through its Committee shall have the following powers:
a) To take and accept any gifts of property, whether subject to any special trusts or not.
b) To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation or otherwise; provided that the Committee shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said object.
c) To seek authorisation from the Post Office to use the free postage facility available under Post Office Regulations, and, if such authority is granted, to use this facility for the distribution of recordings to those people to whom the Regulations currently apply.
d) To distribute the recordings by means other than the use of the free postage facility mentioned in 2(c) (above) to people other than those covered by the Post Office Regulations relating to this facility.
e) To do all such other things as shall further the object of the Association.
3. Membership of the Association shall be available:
a) Automatically to those blind, partially-sighted or disabled people in receipt of the Association’s recordings and to those actively involved in any capacity in the running of the Association; and
b) By invitation of the Committee, on an annual basis, to those who make a regular contribution by way of subscription, donation or otherwise.
4. The members of the Association:
a) shall appoint three Trustees.
b) shall be empowered to appoint a President and Vice-Presidents.
5. a) The Committee of the Association shall consist of:
(i) the following officers: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and other officers as the Association shall from time to time determine.
(ii) a maximum of six elected ordinary members, at least one of whom shall be a blind, partially-sighted or disabled recipient of the Association’s tapes.
(iii) the three Trustees as ex-officio members.
b) The above officers shall hold office for four years or until retirement or removal by resolution of an AGM or EGM of the Association. Any vacancy in such office shall be filled, until the next AGM, by a resolution of the Committee.
c) Other members of the Committee shall be elected at each AGM of the Association.
d) Officers and Committee members shall be eligible for re-election.
e) The Committee shall have powers to establish Sub-Committees, to determine their terms of Reference and duration of their membership.
f) The Committee may co-opt up to 3 additional members to serve until the next AGM.
g) A quorum of the committee shall comprise five people, at least one of whom shall be an officer.
6.a) The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in May or June.
b) An Extraordinary Meeting shall be convened by the Secretary upon a requisition by five members of the Committee or ten members of the Association, such requisition shall state the business to be considered at the meeting.
c) Not less than fourteen days notice of the AGM (or of any Extraordinary Meeting) shall be given, published either by individual notice or by notices in the press or on local radio.
7. At the Annual General Meeting every member, including the Chairman, shall have one vote and in the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
8. The Committee of the Association shall meet at least four times a year and additionally as required. Each member of the Committee including the Chairman shall have one vote and in the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
9. a) All moneys received shall be handed over to the Treasurer or other Committee member nominated by the Treasurer who shall pay the sum into the bank account in the name of the Association at such banks as the Committee may from time to time determine.
b) Cheques shall be signed by two of the following the Chairman, the Treasurer or one other member of the Committee as determined by the Committee.
10. The Trustees shall invest in their names any monies not required for the immediate purposes of the Association in securities in which Trust Monies may by law be invested with power from time to time to transpose such investments.
11. Any property purchased by the Association shall be vested in the Trustees.
12. The Trustees shall with such consent as is by law required deal with the property so vested in them by way of sale mortgage lease or otherwise howsoever as directed by the Association. Such direction shall be given by a resolution of the members of the Association passed by a majority of the members present at a duly convened meeting of the Association and when so passed shall in favour of a subsequent purchaser mortgagee chargee or grantee be binding upon all members of the association. A certification purporting to be signed by the Secretary for the time being of the Association shall in favour of a purchaser mortgagee chargee lessee or grantee be conclusive evidence that such a direction was duly given.
13. On the winding-up of the Association, any assets remaining after the payment of outstanding debts or liabilities shall not be given to or distributed amongst members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having similar objects.
14. These rules other than Rule 2, Rule 13 and this Rule may be altered, repealed or added to by a resolution passed by a three-fourths majority of the members of the Association who are present in person or by proxy at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for that purpose and of which notice has been served upon every then member of the Association at his last known address in the United Kingdom.
1988 – updated June 1994, Sept 1996 and June 2009.