Constitution

Organ­iz­ation Name

The organ­iz­ation name is the Letter­press Printers’ Guild.

Aim of the Letter­press Printers’ Guild

The aim of the Guild is to promote, support and sustain the craft and art of letter­press printing.

Membership

Applic­ation and Membership Levels

Any indi­vidual over 18 years of age may apply for membership of the Guild.  Members will be admitted at three grades –

  • Devil Member: Printing members who are working towards ‘member’ status.
  • Printing Member: Printing members who have been admitted by the Management Committee.  Printing members are obliged to support devil members by sharing their know­ledge of letter­press
  • Subscribers: Non-printing members

The Management Committee will define in detail the grades, benefits and oblig­a­tions of each grade of member, and these may be changed from time-to-time.

Membership Fee

The membership year begins on 24 August.  Membership fees must be paid in the form prescribed by the Management Committee.  Fees are due on 24 August each year and the fee covers membership for one year.  Members joining after 24 August are required to pay the complete fee, but their next year of membership will begin on 24 August.  No refunds will be made for portions of yearly membership.

Joining Process

The Management Committee will define a process and form for membership applic­a­tions.  On receipt of a valid applic­ation, this will be considered by the Management Committee, or their delegate, and the applic­ation will be accepted at one of the three grades described or rejected.

Ceasing to be a Member

Where a member fails to pay the membership fee before 24 November, membership will cease on that day.  Except through dissol­ution of the Guild, an individual’s membership may only be terminated by a resol­ution of the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

Equality of Opportunity

The Guild will not discrim­inate on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexu­ality, disab­ility, reli­gious or political belief, martial status or age.

Management Committee and Officers

The officers of the Guild shall be an Honorary Chairman, Clerk to the Guild, Treasurer, Publicity Secretary and Membership Secretary who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a period of two years; more than one of these offices may be held by the same person.  Officers may only be appointed from the printing members of the Guild.

The Management Committee shall be made up the Guild’s officers plus up to six printing members of the Guild appointed at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.  The Management Committee is appointed for a term of two years.  In the event of a vacancy or vacancies, due to the full number of members of the committee not having been elected, the committee shall never­theless be deemed fully consti­tuted and all acts and proceedings thereof shall be deemed valid in all respects, notwith­standing such vacancy or vacancies. No business shall be trans­acted at any committee meeting unless a quorum is present when the committee proceeds to business. For all purposes the quorum shall be three members of the exec­utive committee present. The committee may elect or appoint from their number sub-committees or repres­ent­atives for any special purposes and shall have the power to co-opt any other members of the Society.

Annual General Meeting and Other Meetings

Annual General Meeting

The Guild shall hold a general meeting in every calendar year at such time and place as may be determined by the committee, notice having been despatched to members at least twenty-one days before the meeting.  An Annual General Meeting must be held within fifteen months of the last Annual General Meeting.

Committee Meetings

The Management Committee will meet at least twice each year.  Minutes of each meeting will be made available to all members.  Agendas for Management Committee meetings will be made available to all members, and the meetings will be open for members to observe proceedings.

Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting will be called when six or more printing members or devil members document their propos­ition each sign the document and then pass it to the Clerk to the Guild.  A meeting will be called within fifty-six days and notice will be  despatched to members at least twenty-one days before the meeting.

Rules of Procedure

Agendas will be issued for each meeting at least three clear days before each meeting.  The agenda will be agreed between the Clerk to the Guild and Chairman (or other officers).  Propos­i­tions by members will be included on the next prac­tical agenda unless it is dealt with under Extraordinary General Meeting (above).

Where consensus cannot be reached, resol­u­tions will be carried by a majority of those eligible to vote.  Resol­u­tions will be docu­mented by the Clerk to the Guild.

Finances

A bank account will be main­tained on behalf of the Guild by the Treasurer.  The Guild’s officers will be signat­ories to the account.  Each cheque will require the signature of two officers.

The Treasurer will maintain records of income and expenditure.  A financial statement will be presented to each Management Committee meeting.

A statement of accounts will be presented to the Annual General Meeting.

Any funds of the Guild will be directed solely to the objects of the Guild as defined in this constitution.

Changes to Constitution

Only a propos­ition made to the Annual General Meeting or a propos­ition in calling an Extraordinary General Meeting may modify this consti­tution.  A two-thirds majority of those present at that meeting will be required to resolve that the changes be adopted.  Notice to members of the propos­ition will be provided on the basis described in Rules of Procedure, above.

Dissol­ution

A propos­ition to dissolve the Guild may be made to the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.  A two-thirds majority of all printing members and devil members will be required to resolve that the Guild be dissolved.  Notice to members of the propos­ition will be provided on the basis described in Rules of Procedure, above.

Any assets in the custody of the Guild will be disposed of in the following sequence –

  • Items (but not funds) on loan or donated to the Guild will be returned to their original owner
  • Items or funds will be donated to the St. Bride’s Institute, then other MLA-accredited museums in the UK
  • Items or funds will be offered through other letter­press printing organ­iz­a­tions in the UK, as defined by the Management Committee from time-to-time