Constitution


1       The title shall be Roe Valley Bee-Keepers Association

2       The aims of the Association are the furtherance of proficiency and interest in bee-keeping

3       (a) Adult membership of the Association will entail the payment of an annual fee unless honorary         membership has been granted. The amount of such fee shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting
         (b) Junior membership of the Association will not entail the payment of an annual fee

4       (a) Honorary Membership may be granted if two-thirds of members at an Annual General Meeting who have voting rights so declare.
         (b) A member who has given outstanding service to the Association may be appointed to the position of Honorary Life President if two thirds of those attending the AGM and who have voting rights support such a nomination.

5       A member shall be considered in default if his or her annual fee remains unpaid at 30th April in that year and whilst in default shall not vote or otherwise tke part in Association activities

6       An Annual General Meeting shall be held between 1 January and 28 February each year. Each member shall be notified of the date, time and place of such meeting and the proposed agenda

7       The business of the AGM will include:
        (a) a report from the outgoing officers
        (b) the appointment of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and an Auditor.
The function and duties of these offices shall be drawn up in writing from time to time by Committee

8       The Committee shall consist of the officers of the Association and at least three other members.

9       No business will be conducted at an Annual General Meeting unless a quorum of 7 members is present

10     All appointments and decisions, unles otherwise stated in this Constitution, will be made by way of majority vote with the Chairman having an additional casting vote if required.

11    The Committee may co-opt any person for ad-hoc purposes and the Committee may decide to appoint sub committees to deal with specific projects eg Honey Show

12    A member shall not, unless in exceptional circumstances, hold the same office for a continuous period greater than five years. 

13   Meetings of the Association will be held at dates, times and places as shall be determined by the committee

14   Committee meetings will be held as and when considered necessary

15   An Apiary Manager shall be appointed by the committee to be responsible for the control, maintenance and organisation of the Association apiary. The committee shall draw up guidelines for these purposes

16   A Press Officer shall be appointed from within the Committee. No formal statement shall be made on behalf of the Association by anyone unless such a statement has been approved by the Press Officer.

17   An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association will be held if one-third of all members so declare. A reasonable period of notice shal be given to all members with the date, time, place and proposed agenda of such meeting.

18   Dissolution of the Association may be effected at an Annual General or Extraordinary General meeting if approved by two-thirds of all Association members
       (a) In this event, the physical assets of the Association shall be disposed of in a manner to be determined at that meeting
       (b) The total assets of the Association, after all liabilities have been met, shall be equally divided between all living honorary and paid-up members at the 1st May in the previous year.
       (c) Honey Show trophies and silverware to be passed for safe-keeping to a body such as Limavady District Council, the local Agricultural Society or other Bee-keeping Association

19   Ammendments to this constitution may be effected at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting provided two-thirds of those members present so decide.

20   This constitution shall commence on 1st January 1998


Following the proposal by Leo McGuinness which was seconded by Liam Patton the above Constitution was dopted at the Annual General Meeting held on 21 st January 1998.