Wolsey Orchestra: Constitution

The name of the society shall be the Wolsey Chamber Orchestra, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

The object of the Society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts; and for the general purposes of such charitable bodies or for such other purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the Committee may from time to time decide.

The members of the Society shall be those who pay the annual subscription at the appropriate rate or rates as shall be determined by the Committee, all subscriptions being payable in advance.

The management of the Society shall be in the hands of a Committee consisting of the following Officers:

  • Chairman
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer

and at least two other members: the Officers and the other Committee members shall be elected by and out of the Society’s members at the Annual General Meeting; they shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting and be eligible for re-election.

All the arrangements for the concerts and other events and the control of finance shall be in the hands of the Committee.

In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise, the Committee may exercise the following powers:

  1. power to raise funds and to invite contributions provided that in raising funds the Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to the relevant requirements of the law;
  2. power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
  3. power subject to any consents required by law to borrow money and to charge all or part of the property of the Society with repayment of the money so borrowed;
  4. power to employ such staff (who shall not be members of the Committee) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of pensions and superannuation for staff and their dependants;
  5. power to 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;
  6. power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;
  7. power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the Committee may think fit;
  8. power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of objects.

No individual shall be excluded from membership of the Society or de-barred from any official capacity on the Committee on the grounds of sex, race, colour, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation.

  1. The financial year shall end on the 31st August.
  2. A banking account shall be opened in the name of the society and cheques shall be signed by any two of the Officers.
  3. The Society shall receive donations, grants in aid and financial guarantees. Tickets for any or all of its concerts and other events shall be offered for sale to the public.
  4. The income and property of the Society whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Society as set forth above and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any member or members of the Society except in payment of legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.

In the event of the Society being wound up, any assets remaining upon dissolution after the payment of proper debts and liabilities shall be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of the Society.

Within three months of the end of each financial year the members shall be summoned to an Annual General Meeting of which at least fourteen days’ notice in writing shall be given.

An Extraordinary General Meeting of at which at least fourteen day’s notice in writing must be given to members may be called for by the Committee or upon written request to the Secretary signed by at least three members of the Society.

The financial accounts shall be audited or examined to the extent required by legislation or, if there is no such requirement, scrutinized by a person who is independent of the Committee, and then submitted to the members at the Annual General Meeting.

The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the members present at any Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting, provided that fourteen days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment which shall have the effect of the Society ceasing to be a charity.

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Last Updated: May 1998