1. NAME
The name of the Society shall be Brightwater Horticultural Society.

2. PURPOSES
a) To foster and encourage the growing and exhibiting of horticulture in all its branches.
b) To use Society funds to maintain the Society. As funds are available, donate to the local community or similar horticultural groups.

3. CONTACT PERSONS
There shall be three contact persons: President, Secretary and Treasurer.
The primary contact person shall be the Society’s Secretary.

4. FINANCIAL YEAR
The Society’s financial year shall commence on 1 April each year and end on 31 March.

5. MEMBERS, SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEES
Membership of the Society shall be open to all persons prepared to foster the objects of the Society.
Types of membership:
a) Single
b) Couples
c) Junior (under 16 years of age)
d) Affiliated Groups
e) Life Members
A list of members’ names and contact addresses shall be held by the Secretary.
The annual members’ subscription and any other members’ fees shall be set by resolution at an Annual General Meeting.
The annual members’ subscription shall be due on the first day of April each year and is for the period from 1st April to 31st March the following year.
Membership entitles the member to vote at General Meetings and to free admission to all Society Shows.
The Society’s Management Committee has the power to remove any member from the Society’s membership.

6. LIFE MEMBERS
Life Members of the Society shall not be liable for payment of any subscription.
The Society may, at an Annual General Meeting, elect any member as a Life Member for special service rendered to the Society.

7. GENERAL MEETINGS
Members shall be notified of a General Meeting at least 20 working days before the meeting.
Seven financial members attending a General Meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Only financial members may speak or vote at a General Meeting.
All questions shall be decided by a simple majority of those financial members in attendance. The President or acting Chairperson shall have the casting vote when needed.
Any member may request that a motion be voted on. This will be known as a Members’ Motion.
A Notice of Motion must reach the Society’s Secretary at least 60 working days before the meeting.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings.

8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
An Annual General Meeting shall be held once a year on a date and location determined by the President and Secretary.
The AGM must be held no later than six months after the end of the Society’s financial year.
All Office Bearer positions and payments are to be confirmed at an AGM.
General Meeting rules shall apply to an AGM.

9. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
Special General Meetings may be called at any time by a resolution of the Management Committee.
At least 7 working days’ notice must be given to all members, together with details of the resolution.
The Special General Meeting shall only consider and deal with the business specified in the Management Committee’s resolution.
The resolution must state the business that the SGM is to deal with.
General Meeting rules shall apply to a Special General Meeting.

10. OFFICERS
Officers are to be elected at the AGM.
If an office position becomes vacant during the year, the Management Committee may elect another person to that office.
An Officer ceases to hold office if they resign by written notice to the Secretary.
There is no time restriction on the term of Office Bearers, President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer.
The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined.

11. PATRON
The Society shall elect a Patron at the AGM.
The Patron may be a non-member.

12. HONORARY AUDITOR OR REVIEWER
An Honorary Auditor or Reviewer shall be appointed at the AGM.

13. WEBSITE MANAGER
A Website Manager shall be appointed at the AGM.

14. SHOW SET UP MANAGER
A Show Set Up Manager shall be appointed at the AGM.

15. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Members of the Management Committee shall be appointed annually at the AGM.
The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be ex officio members of the Management Committee and any Sub-Committees.
There shall be a minimum of two other Financial Members and a maximum of five other Financial Members.
Four members of the Management Committee shall constitute a meeting quorum.
The Society’s President shall chair meetings.
Meeting dates, times and venues shall be decided by the President and Secretary.
The Secretary shall notify all Management Committee members of meetings and provide the meeting agenda five working days or more before the meeting, unless a shorter period of notice is required in cases of urgency.
Minutes of meetings shall be taken by the Secretary.
The Management Committee shall meet as often as considered necessary to maintain the running of the Society.

16. OFFICERS’ DUTIES
President
The President shall chair all meetings and provide leadership and guidance for the Society.
Secretary
The Secretary shall liaise with the President regarding the organisation of meeting dates and venues.
The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Society and keep minutes of all meetings.
The Secretary shall prepare meeting agendas and notify members of meeting information.
The Secretary shall conduct the Society’s inward and outward correspondence.
The Secretary shall work with the Management Committee to arrange all aspects of the Society’s shows.
The Secretary shall liaise with the Treasurer regarding the recording of membership and shall maintain the members’ register.
Treasurer
All Society funds are to be held in a recognised bank.
The Treasurer shall be a bank signatory for the Society together with at least one other authorised member.
Bank signatories are to be confirmed at the AGM.
The Treasurer shall liaise with the Secretary regarding the collection of membership subscriptions and fees.
The Treasurer shall bank all monies and pay expenses that have been duly passed for payment.
The Treasurer shall provide the AGM with an Annual Financial Statement showing receipts and expenditure.
The Financial Statement is to be audited or reviewed before presentation to the AGM.

17. ALTERATIONS TO THE BHS CONSTITUTION
The Society may amend or replace this Constitution at a General Meeting.
The proposed resolution and meeting must have been advertised to all members at least 20 working days before the meeting.
General Meeting rules shall apply to this meeting.

18. DISSOLUTION OF THE BRIGHTWATER HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
The Society may be dissolved by resolution, passed at a General Meeting by a majority vote of those financial members present.
The proposed resolution and meeting must have been advertised to all members at least 20 working days before the meeting.
The Society shall not be dissolved until all debts have been settled.
Any remaining funds or assets of the Society shall then be disposed of as determined by a majority vote of Financial Members present at a further General Meeting.
The meeting to determine the disposal of the remaining funds or assets must have been advertised to all members at least 20 working days before the meeting.
This second meeting must not take place less than 90 working days after the first meeting.

CERTIFICATION
This is the Constitution for the Brightwater Horticultural Society, which was formed on 2 November 2025.
Approved on 19 July 2026 at the BHS AGM by the following signatories – President: Mike Smith, Vice President: Megan Brown, Secretary: Wendy Molloy, Treasurer: Lisa Crerar, Patron: Arch Crerar, and the Management Committee 2026-27: Sue Taplin, Kevin Molloy, Megan Brown, Tich R Kenning, Raylee Shakes.