Adopted on 8 July 2010; modified on 19 December 2016
1. Name
The name of the group shall be Abundance London.
2. Objectives and Aims
The objectives of the group are to:
- Harvest surplus fruit and vegetables that would otherwise not be used and distribute this food to people and projects where it can be made good use of and is needed; or to sell it to local retailers, with any profits to be given to participating charities (eg.schools, community groups), or used to further the educational and environmental aims of the group, thereby reducing waste and the carbon footprint of the city’s food supply by using what is freely available locally rather than bringing food in from hundreds of miles away.
- To plant orchards and guerrilla garden neglected spaces.
- To create beautiful spaces, mainly through planting but also through art.
The aims of the group are to:
- Highlight the potential for cities to provide more of their own food, and the benefits of doing so.
- Educate schoolchildren and others about local food, fruit, vegetables and nature.
- Reconnect urban participants with their food supply.
- Promote fruit harvesting as a fun and healthy activity available to all.
- Make local produce available to local restaurants, grocers, bakers and makers of preserved and juiced products.
- Carry out the above activities on a strictly not-for-profit basis.
- Encourage the planting and cultivation of fruit trees.
- Enjoy nature and try to protect it in an urban setting.
- Create beauty, usually through planting, but also through art.
3. Powers
In order to further the aims, the group shall have the power to:
- Raise funds and receive contributions by subscription, donation and otherwise.
- Encourage membership. Members are individuals who agree with the aims and objectives of the group (see above) and participate in any three activities of the group.
- Use paid freelance agents or unpaid agents, staff or advisers on such terms and conditions of employment as the group shall determine.
- Co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them.
- To establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objectives.
- Do anything else within the law that promotes or helps to promote the objectives.
4. Membership
Only members may participate in decision making processes.
5. Officers
The Officers of the group shall include Co-ordinators and Treasurer. The Officers shall be decided by the meeting at which this Constitution is adopted and will stand until the first Annual General Meeting (AGM). Thereafter Officers shall be decided by proposal by two members at the AGM or a General Meeting, or by co-option by existing Officers between meetings if necessary. All Officers shall retire from office at the AGM but may be requested to take office again at the same AGM.
The Treasurer shall keep an account of all income and expenditure and shall present accounts at the AGM. The Co-ordinators shall keep records of meetings and hold details of the membership. The Co-ordinators will also give members notice of the Annual General Meeting and of any Special General Meetings.
The Co-ordinators will support the flow of communication within the Group and ensure that General Meetings are held.
6. General Meetings
General Meetings of the group shall be held at least twice a year. A formal record of the meetings shall be kept. Three members shall be quorum. Decisions shall normally be made by consensus.
A General Meeting may resolve to terminate the membership of an individual or group. This decision must be communicated to the member, who must be given the opportunity to put their case to a subsequent General Meeting. Termination of membership shall not have effect until the decision is ratified at this subsequent meeting.
7. Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting shall usually be held every year. The Co-ordinators shall give all members 7 days notice of an AGM. A report of the year’s activities and the accounts shall be presented. Nominations for officers shall be made at the AGM. Officers will normally be chosen by vote. Officers shall usually serve from the end of the AGM to the following AGM or from the General Meeting where it is decided they will stand until the following AGM. All members shall be entitled to attend the AGM.
8. Special General Meetings
A Special General Meeting may be called at any time if two members give a request to call one to the Co-ordinators. The Co-ordinator must give 7 days notice of a Special General Meeting to all members.
An accidental omission to give a member notice of a meeting does not invalidate that meeting.
9. Finance
There shall be a bank account in the name of the group. Four members shall be authorised by the AGM, or in exceptional circumstances by a General Meeting, to sign cheques. Each cheque must be signed by two of these signatories, who must not be related.
The income and property of the group shall be applied only in furtherance of the objectives.
10 Reserves Policy
A Reserves policy has been set so that Reserves can be maintained at a level which ensures that Abundance London’s core activity can continue for the foreseeable future. This takes into account the planned activity level and the organisation’s commitments. These reserves are maintained in a readily realisable form and reviewed annually.
11. Amendments
The Constitution may be amended at an AGM or a Special General Meeting, provided that 7 days’ notice of the amendments has been communicated to all members. Decisions on amendments shall be made by consensus. If an agreement cannot be reached by consensus a decision shall be postponed until a further meeting.
12. Dissolution
A decision to dissolve the Group may be made at a General Meeting provided that 21 days’ notice of this resolution has been communicated to all members. In the event of dissolution, any assets remaining after the clearing of all debts and liabilities shall be given to a group having similar aims, or, if this cannot be done, to any charitable purposes.
This Constitution was approved by the Officers on: 8 July 2010. Revisions agreed 19 December 2016.
Co-ordinators: Sarah Cruz, Karen Liebreich. Treasurer: Karen Wyatt
Abundance London – joint winners of The Observer’s Ethical Award 2010 for Best Grassroots Project