Cambodian Society
in the United Kingdom

a.) The Society is established:

I.) To advance the education of the public in the United Kingdom about any aspects of Cambodia, including its people, history, culture and traditions.

II.) To provide relief for any persons of Cambodian origin in the United Kingdom who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress.

b.) In furtherance of the said objects but not further or otherwise the Society shall have the following powers:

I.) To arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for the holding of exhibitions, meetings, lectures, classes, seminars and courses.

II.) To collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the said objects and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects.

III.) To procure to be written and print, publish, issue and circulate gratuitously or otherwise such papers, books, periodicals or other documents as shall further the said objects.

IV.) To purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property and any rights and privileges necessary for the promotion of the said objects.

V.) To accept gifts and subject to such consents as may be required by law to borrow or to raise money for the said objects on such terms and on such security as shall be thought fit.

VI.) To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription donation and otherwise provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its charitable objects.

VII.) To invest the monies of the Society not immediately required for the said objects in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law.

VIII.) To do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objects.

a.) Full membership of the Society shall be open to persons of Cambodian origin of 18 years and over residing in the United Kingdom.

b.) Associate membership shall be open to any persons over 16 years old who are interested in furthering the objects of the Society.

c. Honorary members may be appointed by the Society in General Meeting upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

d.) ‘Benefactor Membership’ shall be open to any person who has made donation to the Society of an amount not less than that specified in the Society’s Standing Orders.

e.) The Executive Committee shall have the right, for good and sufficient reason, to terminate the membership of any member PROVIDED that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the said Committee before a final decision is made.

f.) Only full members of the Society who have paid their membership fees have the right to vote.

a.) The policy and general management of the affairs of the Society shall be directed by an Executive Committee, which shall meet as often as it deems necessary, but not less than once in every three months.

b.) The members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a period of one year. Members shall be eligible for re-election. All full members who have paid their annual subscription to the Society are eligible to stand for election.

c.) The Committee shall consist of not less than five members and shall include a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, an Adviser and a Secretary.

d.) The President of the Committee shall be elected separately by secret ballot. The candidate securing an absolute majority of the votes cast shall be elected. In the event of a second ballot being necessary, the two candidates securing the highest number of votes cast in the first ballot shall stand in the second ballot. If the second ballot is inconclusive, lot shall determine the winner.

e.) The other members of the Committee shall be elected by a single secret ballot. The President shall appoint the elected members to the various offices.

f.) Any casual vacancy in the Committee may be filled up by the Committee, and any such person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Society and shall be eligible at that Meeting.

g.) The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election, appointment or qualification of any member.

h.) The Committee may appoint any special committee that it deems necessary and shall determine its terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of any such special committee shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible.

i.) The quorum of any meeting of the Committee shall be more than half of its members. All questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority but, in case of an equality of votes, the President shall have a second or casting vote.

j.) Minutes shall be kept of all Committee meetings.

k.) The Committee shall have the power to adopt and issue Standing Orders for the Society. Such Standing Orders shall come into operation immediately PROVIDED ALWAYS that they shall be subject to review by the Society in General Meeting and shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

a.) The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in the month of September or October of each year. At least five weeks notice of the Meeting shall be given by the Secretary to each member. At such Annual General Meeting the business shall include the election of full members to serve on the Committee; the consideration of the accounts; and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be necessary.

b.) A Special General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time at the discretion of the Committee and shall be called within 21 days after receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing to that effect signed by at least one third of the full members. Every such request shall specify the business for which the Meeting is to be convened and no other business shall be transacted at such a Meeting.

c.) A quorum at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall be one quarter of the members.

d.) Unless otherwise provided all resolutions brought forward at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. In case of an equality of votes the President shall have a second or casting vote.

a.) All monies raised by the Society shall be applied to further the Society’s objects and for no other purpose PROVIDED THAT nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Society not being a member of the Executive Committee or the repayment of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.

b.) Full and Associate members shall pay an annual subscription of such amount as shall be fixed by the Society from time to time in General Meeting.

c.) The treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Society.

d.) A Bank Account or Banking Accounts shall be kept in the name of the Society. Cheques shall be signed by at least two persons so authorised by the Executive Committee, which persons shall be members of the Executive Committee.

Alterations to this constitution shall receive the assent of two-thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. A resolution for the alteration of the constitution must be received by the Secretary of the Society at least 21 days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. At least 14 days’ notice of such a meeting must be given by the Secretary to the membership and must include notice of the alteration proposed. Provided that no alteration to clause 2, clause 8 or this clause shall take effect until the approval in writing of the Charity Commissioners or some other authority having charitable jurisdiction shall have been obtained and no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Society to cease to be a charity in law.

The Association may be dissolved by a Resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 21 days’ notice shall have been given to the members. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Society, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Society but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Society as the Society may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.

Any notice may be served by the Secretary on any member by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his or her last known address, and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received within 10 days of posting.