Update: Minutes of ANUK AGM 2015

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Aniridia Network UK will be held at: Thistle Hotel, Neville Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5DF on 26 September 2015 to transact the following business.

Agenda

1. ANUK AGM minutes 2014
   to be agreed
2. Matters arising.
3. Reports & Accounts
   To receive and consider the accounts for the year ended 2015 and the reports of the charity trustees
4. Resolution to:
   “To register Aniridia Network UK as a charity – creating a new charitable incorporated organisation and dissolve the existing unincorporated association.”
5. Any other resolutions received.
6. Appointment of charity trustees
   To (re-)appoint the following as trustees until the 2016 Annual General Meeting (tbc): Katie Atkinson, James Buller, Ben Rendle, and others who may be nominated
   Details of how to submit nominations
7. Any other business

By order of the Trustee Board
Sarah Hargraves, Secretary

Proposed resolutions should be sent to the Secretary by 10am on 24 September 2015

The AGM 2015 will be a session at Conference 2015. Members may come to the AGM for free but to attend other sessions the conference ticket fee must be paid.

Resolution to register Aniridia Network UK as a charity – creating a new charitable incorporated organisation and dissolve the existing unincorporated association

Aniridia Network UK notes

1. Aniridia Network UK (ANUK) is an ‘unincorporated association’ (UA) herein referred to as ANUK-UA.
2. ANUK-UA is registered with HMRC as a charity enabling it to collect Gift Aid on donations.
3. ANUK-UA is not registered with the Charity Commission because until recently this was not feasible due to its size and status.
4. Charities must register with the Charity Commission if their income is more than £5,000 per year.
5. ANUK-UA’s income in the financial years 2013/14 and 2014/15 was over £5,000.
6. The Charity Commission’s guidance for registering a UA with members (like ANUK-UA), is to set up a new legal entity of the type ‘charitable incorporated organisation’ (CIO) and dissolve the UA.
7. There are grants and discounts that are only available to registered charities.
8. The Board has circulated a proposed constitution for a ANUK-CIO, based on the Charity Commission’s model document and guidance.

Aniridia Network UK believes

1. The proposed ANUK CIO constitution is similar in spirit to that of the ANUK-UA Constitution.
2. Registering with the Charity Commission would:
   1. give us access to new sources of funding and discounts  – enabling better services for beneficiaries.
   2. raise the profile and stature of ANUK – and so increase the income from fundraising, enabling better services for beneficiaries.
   3. bring ANUK’s status and constitution into line with today’s legal standards.
   4. entail prudent and not onerous annual reporting requirements.

Aniridia Network UK resolves

1. To mandate the Trustee Board to set up and register a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the name “Aniridia Network UK” with the Charity Commission.
   1. It’s constitution must be substantially the same as that circulated before this meeting, subject to:
      1. amendments’ made at this meeting,
      2. amendments as may be agreed between the Board and Charity Commission to permit registration,
   2. Its founding trustees must all be from among those elected to be trustees at this General Meeting
2. To mandate the Trustee Board, that if the above instructions have been completed, to, with as little impact on beneficiaries and as soon as possible:
   1. transfer all assets, liabilities, agreements, responsibilities and memberships of ANUK-UA to the ANUK-CIO,
   2. dissolve ANUK-UA in accordance with clause 5 of its constitution.

Proposed and seconded by James Buller and Sarah Hargraves, on behalf of the Trustee Board.