Bristol and District Lapidary Society

OBJECTIVES AND RULES

1. OBJECTIVES

1.1 The Bristol and District Lapidary Society (hereinafter called ‘the Society’) has been established to increase the knowledge and interest of its members in the science and practice of Lapidary, together with its associate sciences, i.e. Geology, Mineralogy and Gemmology.

1.2 The Society will function as an educational establishment only and will become affiliated to a National Association if and when such an Association is founded, and will endeavour to promote good relations and to exchange information with other Lapidary Societies.

1.3 The Society will not undertake to train its Members to attain recognised educational standards in any of the subjects aforementioned but will endeavour to provide instruction to as high a standard as Instructors and facilities allow.

2. ADMINISTRATION

2.1 The affairs of the Society will be administered by a Committee democratically

elected by its Members and will comprise as follows:

President

Chairman

Vice-Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

and up to seven other Members

2.2 A Quorum will consist of not less than 5 members of the Committee.

2.3 Sub-Committees may be formed to assist the Committee at any time for a specified duration (on recommendation by the Committee) at any General Meeting.

2.4 The President will be elected by Members at an Annual General Meeting. He will normally be appointed for life, but he may be removed from office if a majority of Members at a General Meeting should decide that his conduct has been contrary to the interests of the Society. All other Officers and Members of the Committee shall be nominated and elected by Members at an Annual General Meeting which shall be held in November of each year. The Committee so elected shall commence its duties immediately after the Annual General Meeting

Officers and Members of the Committee prepared to serve for a second or succeeding year must offer themselves for re-election at the appropriate Annual General Meeting.

2.5 In the event of a vacancy occurring in the Committee during its year of office, the vacancy may be filled by co-option of a member by the Committee.

3. SECTIONS AND CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

3.1 The membership is to be divided into 4 categories as follows:

i. FULL MEMBERS may be of either sex over the age of 16 years wishing to take full advantage of all the Society's facilities, which will include the use of grinding and polishing machines and other workshop equipment, provided that they have familiarised themselves with the safety and operating regulations concerned. They will be eligible to attend monthly meetings, lectures and expeditions organised by the Society.

ii. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS as above, but they may not use the Society’s workshop facilities, machines etc. but they may attend the Workshop to view work in progress. An Associate Member may become a Full Member at any meeting on payment of the Full Member's fee.

iii JUNIOR MEMBERS must be over the age of 10 years and accompanied by an adult. They will have the benefits of Full Membership with the following reservation:

A Junior Member will only be allowed the use of workshop facilities when they have proved themselves conversant with the use of the machines and have given proof that they are conversant with the operating and safety regulations concerning same; and then only under supervision by a competent Full Member, recognised as such by the Executive Committee.

iv. FAMILY MEMBERS: Where a couple living together are both Members they and their children may be accorded such a reduction in the subscriptions otherwise due as may be determined by a General Meeting in accordance with Rule 4,5.

4. MEMBERSHIP FEES

4.1 Renewal of all Annual subscriptions will become due on the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting and will be paid by 31 March of the following Year.

4.2 Prospective new members may visit the Society's premises on one evening free of charge except fees for coffee etc. On the second visit if they wish to continue to use the Society’s facilities they must pay annual subscriptions calculated as per Rule 4.3.

4.3 The first annual subscription for a new member will be calculated on a pro-rata basis from the date of joining. For this purpose, the subscription will be:

Annual Subscription X Number of weeks to the next AGM

52

4.4 The same formula as in Rule 4.3 shall be used in calculating the first subscription payable by an Associate Member on transferring to Full Membership.

4.5 Membership fees will be reviewed by the Executive Committee and announced at the Annual General Meeting or, it circumstances demand, on the recommendation of an extraordinary General meeting specially convened to discuss the Society's financial affairs.

4.6 All fees payable by Members will be published as an Appendix

to the Rules of the Society. The Appendix will be up-dated from time to

time as necessary.

5. FINANCE

5.1 The Society will undertake to ensure that all monies received from fees, fund-raising etc. will be used exclusively for the requirements of the Society, i.e. rent of premise, insurance, purchases and maintenance of workshop equipment and Secretary's expenses. All such expenditure to be approved by the Committee.

5.2 The Society’s Treasurer will undertake to record all income and expenditure connected with the functioning of the Society, and will present a certified Statement of Accounts annually at the Annual General Meeting.

5.3 The Treasurer may demand a reasonable period to prepare his Annual Statement of Accounts, from the end of the financial year. The financial year shall normally run from November to the following 31 October.

6. GENERAL

6.1 Member may not use the title "Bristol Lapidary Society" in connection with any business enterprise in which they may be involved, for the purpose of sales promotion unless the consent of the Executive Committee is obtained.

6.2 The Society will not enter into any agreement with any business organisation which may result in a restriction of choice in the purchase of goods and equipment by the Society or in any manner imperil the Objectives of the Society.

6.3 If the need should arise for the Society to disband, the Executive Committee shall inform the Members at a General Meeting. The General Meeting may empower the Committee to dispose of the Society's assets as a majority of Members present at the General Meeting may think fit.

These Rules were approved by the Members present at the Annual General Meeting of the Society held on … November 2025

SIGNED ……………………………... PRESIDENT (ACTING CHAIRPERSON)

SIGNED………………………… Secretary

Bristol and District Lapidary Society

APPENDIX TO THE RULES

The Fees payable by Members shall be as follows from the Annual General Meeting held on … November 2025 until further notice.

1. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Full Members £ 25.00 p.a. per individual

Associate Members £ XX.00 " " "

Junior Members (in full time education) £ XX.00 " " "

Family Members £ XX.00 " couple, children in full time education to pay the Junior rate.

2. MISCELLANEOUS FEES

Use of room £7.00 per evening

Machinery £X.XX " "

Coffee £X.XX " cup

Use of Slab Saw £X.XX " square inch of cut

Trim Saw £X.XX " lineal " "

This Appendix to the Society's Rules was approved by the Members present at the Annual General Meeting of the Society

held on … November 2025

SIGNED •••••••PRESIDENT (ACTING CHAIRPERSON)

SIGNED •••••••• SECRETARY

END OF APPENDIX TO THE SOCIETIES RULES