1. Name.
The Society shall be called ′The Channel Islands Specialists′ Society′ with the sub- description “For the study of stamps, postal history, ephemera and postcards of the Channel Islands”.
The Society is a non-profit organisation. Any surplus funds are applied to the benefit of the membership through the publication of Journals, monographs and books covering the studies of stamps, postal history, ephemera and postcards of the Channel Islands.
2. Membership.
Membership shall be open to all persons interested in the stamps, postal history and postcards of the Channel Islands and shall be of the following classes:
- Adult Electronic membership: those Members worldwide who opt to receive electronic versions of the Society’s Journal and are aged 18 years or over.
- Adult Electronic membership: those Members worldwide who opt to receive electronic versions of the Society’s Journal and are aged 18 years or over.
- Adult UK and Channel Islands paper membership: those Members within the UK or Channel Islands who opt to receive a paper version of the Society’s Journal.
- Adult Rest of World paper membership: those Members outside the UK and Channel Islands who opt to receive a paper version of the Society’s Journal.
- Junior membership: those members who are under 18 years of age.
3. Application for Membership.
Applications for membership may be received via the submission of a completed online application form along with their annual subscription payment, or a request in writing to the Treasurer or Secretary requesting an application form and returning same along with their annual subscription.
4. Resignation.
Any member may resign from the Society by giving one month′s notice in writing to the Treasurer or Secretary and shall upon the date of such notice cease to be entitled to the benefits of membership but shall, however, remain liable for any unpaid subscriptions or other dues owing to the Society.
5. Termination of Membership.
The Committee shall in its absolute discretion have the power to terminate the membership of any Member and such decision shall take effect from the date of dispatch of a notice of this, by recorded delivery post, to the Member at their last known address. A Member whose membership has been terminated under this Rule shall be refunded a due proportion of their subscription, at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
6. Subscriptions.
The annual subscription shall be subject to amendment by the Executive Committee as and when conditions require. Subscriptions shall, as provided in Rule (3), be paid in full on first election to membership and subsequently on 1 January each year. When Members join the Society, they will receive copies of all Journals published during the current year unless they have opted for electronic copies of the Journal, whereby they can access current and past copies of the Journal via the Society’s website. Subscriptions shall be paid to the Treasurer. Members joining after 1 November of any year will automatically receive free membership for the following year. However, such Members will only receive the December Journal after joining together with all the Journals for the following year. All Members who receive the Journal by post can also access back copies of the Journal via the Society’s website.
7. The Society′s year.
The Society′s year shall be a period of twelve months ending on 31st December.
8. Management.
- The day-to day management of the Society shall be vested in an Executive Committee which shall consist of the Officers who are: The Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Journal Editor and the Auction Secretary, who shall meet as required at a time and date determined by said Executive Committee.
- There will be a Full Committee consisting of those Officers of the Executive Committee, the Packet Secretary, Competitions Secretary and the Advertising and Press Officer, who will meet once a year at a time and date agreed prior to the date of the Channel Islands Specialists’ Society Annual General Meeting and, in addition, as required at a time and date determined by the Executive Committee.
- All Officers of the Full Committee, as stated in Rule 8(b) above, will retire each year, and those members to fill these places shall be elected at the time of the Annual General Meeting. All members of the Full Committee shall be eligible for re-election.
- The President of the Channel Islands Specialists’ Society shall hold a non-executive role within the Society and shall be entitled to attend any of the Executive or Full Committee meetings as a voting member. The President shall serve for a maximum of five years before re-election.
- The Chairman shall chair meetings and be responsible for the working of the Executive and Full Committees. In the absence of the Chairman the said Committee will appoint one of their Officers as temporary Chairman. In the event of a tied vote at an Executive or Full Committee meeting the Chairman, will have the casting vote. In the event of a tied vote at an Annual General Meeting the President will have the casting vote.
- The Secretary shall convene all meetings of the Society and shall keep minutes of all business sessions of General meetings, Special General Meetings, Executive and Full Committee meetings; and if from time to time Sub Committees or Regional Committees are formed, they shall appoint Committee Secretaries who shall keep such minutes and provide copies to the Society Secretary.
- The Treasurer shall, under the Authority of the Executive Committee, manage the financial affairs of the Society and, at the Annual General Meeting each year shall submit an unaudited statement of Income and Expenditure for the previous financial year, upon which there is an independent Financial Review Report.
- The Treasurer shall collect the annual subscriptions which may be owing to the Society and, on receiving the same, shall be responsible for the proper disposal of the money.
- The Executive and Full Committees shall have power to fix their own quorum.
- The Executive Committee shall have the power to arrange such services (including the holding of auctions, the circulation of packets and the publication of books and monographs) as may seem beneficial to the Membership. It shall further have the power to make the rules and regulations for the operation of these services and appoint Members to run them. The financial arrangement for these services shall be under the control of the Treasurer.
- The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the proper custody of the property of the Society.
- The subscriptions shall be fixed by the Executive Committee subject to approval by the Members at the next Annual General Meeting.
- The Executive Committee may permit at each meeting of the Society the operation of a bourse, the number of vendors being set by the Executive Committee at its discretion. Any such bourse may not be in operation during the presentation of displays by Members or Guests of the Society
9. Annual General Meeting.
An Annual General Meeting shall be held once in every year, and included in the business of any such meeting, a financial statement should be presented by the Treasurer, followed by the election of Honorary Officers for the Executive and Full Committees of the Society. The Secretary shall give 14 days notice, either in writing, via email and/or through a notice in the Society′s Journal to each Member of The Society of the intention to hold an Annual General Meeting. The quorum necessary for the transaction of business at an Annual General Meeting shall be ten, including Committee Members and non-committee members present, and any member attending via Zoom or other conferencing medium.
10. Extraordinary General Meeting.
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be requested by a minimum of five Members who must state clearly the business to be transacted at the meeting. The Honorary Secretary will then convene a meeting at the earliest possible date after giving notice, either in writing, via email and/or the Journal.
11. Alteration of Rules.
No alteration of these rules shall be made, except at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting specifically for that purpose. The proposed alterations shall be clearly set out in the notice convening the meeting.
Ratified 6 July 2024