1. Aims and objectives:
a) The name of the Association shall be “The Old Coopers’ and Coborn Association” and its primary purpose and objectives shall be the fostering, continuation and strengthening of the ties of friendship between and among those educated at the former Coborn School for girls and The Coopers’ Company School and The Coopers’ Company and Coborn School and those presently or heretofore holding teaching appointments at those Schools.
b) The continuation of an annual prize formerly known as ‘The Old Boys Essay Prize’ but hereinafter referred to as ‘The Essay Prize’ upon such terms and conditions as the Board may from time to time determine.
c) The continuation of a Benevolent Fund (hereinafter called ‘The Benevolent Fund’) for the benefit of former pupils of the Schools, upon such terms and conditions as the Board may from time and time determine.
2. The following shall be eligible for membership of the Association upon payment of the appropriate subscription.
a) Former pupils of the Coopers’ Company School,
b) Former pupils of the Coborn School for Girls,
c) Former pupils of the Coopers’ Company and Coborn School,
d) Members of the Sixth Forms of the Coopers’ Company and Coborn School,
e) Members of the teaching staff (past and present) of any of the foregoing Schools.
3. Subscription charges for membership shall be recommended by the Treasurer, approved by the Board and promulgated to members with the Announcement of each Annual General Meeting. At the Annual General Meeting it will be ratified, provided any increase in cost receives the support of at least two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote. Without such support the existing charges will continue. Subscription charges will be effective from 1st October next following each Annual General Meeting. For the year commencing 1st October 2002, the rates of subscription for membership shall be £10.00 for a period membership of three years and £30.00 for a period membership of ten years, except that for 5th and 6th Form leavers the initial subscription shall be £7.00 for 3 years.
4. The overall financial and general control of the affairs of the Association shall vest in a Board of members (hereinafter called ‘the Board’) comprising a President, an Immediate Past President, two Vice-Presidents, an Honorary Treasurer and up to 10 further members elected annually at the AGM
5. a) The President shall be elected at the AGM which shall be held in the Spring and shall serve in that Office for a period of one year herefrom, or as such period as may be deemed necessary up to a maximum of 3 years.
b) Two Vice-Presidents shall be elected at the AGM and shall continue in Office for one year thereafter, or as such period as may be deemed necessary up to a maximum of 3 years.
c) The Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually at the AGM, shall be a Fll voting member of the Board, be charged with the responsibility of keeping the accounts of the Association in proper form and reporting to the Board thereon when necessary or when directed by the Board. The Honorary Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election.
d) An Honorary Auditor (who shall not be a person elected to serve as an Officer or member of the Board) shall be elected at the AGM and shall beeligible for re-election.
6. The President for the time being shall preside over meetings of the Board and shall continue as an ex-officio member of the Board in the year following as‘Immediate Past President’ with power to move resolutions and vote.
7. Secretarial assistance to the Board shall be provided by an Honorary Secretaryand a Memebership secretary whose appointments shall be the responsibility of the Board which may also determine the appointments. The duties of the Membership Secretary are defined in Rule 15 hereof.
8. The quorum for Board meetings shall be four members.
9. An account or accounts shall be kept at such bank as the Board may from time to time decide into which monies receivable by or on behalf of the Association shall be paid and from which payments shall be signed by any two members of the Board as shall from time to time be registered on the Bank Mandate.
10. a) The financial year for the Association shall end on 30 September each year and audited copies of the accounts for the past year shall be presented to members for adoption at the following AGM.
b) The accounts of the Association shall be made available for inspection by any member upon fourteen days notice in writing addressed to the Honorary Treasurer.
11. a) An Extraordinary General Meeting (hereinafter called an ‘EGM’) of the Association shall be held if a requisition therefore signed by the Board, or by not less than twenty members (which requisition shall state the business proposed to be dealt with at the EGM) is sent or handed to the Honorary Secretary.
b) Any such EGM shall be held within two months of the receipt by the Honorary Secretary of the requisition therefore.
c) In connection with such EGM members unable to attend in person shall be entitled to vote by a proxy appointed in writing.
12. The Board may arrange such functions as it may deem desirable and appear to be in the general interest of the membership.
13. Insofar as the Association, by transfer to it of the obligations and Responsibilities of the former Old Coopers’ Association and the Coborn Old Girls Association, has assumed the responsibility for the carrying out of covenants, bequests etc. for particular purposes or on behalf of particular classes of membership, the following procedures shall be adopted.
a) Administration shall be effected by way of consideration of the Board.
b) To facilitate the effective and proper carrying out of this procedure, documents appertaining to any such covenant, bequests etc. as is covered by this rule shall be kept by the Honorary Secretary.
14. Without prejudice to the terms of Rule 2 as concerning their eligibility to become full members of the Association the Head of the Coopers’ Company and Coborn School shall be entitled to exofficio membership (but without power to move resolutions or vote) of the Association.
15. An Honorary Membership Secretary shall be responsible for the compilation and keeping up to date a list of members of the Association which shall be made available for inspection at the Honorary Membership Secretary’s convenience, If so required.
16. At least fourteen days notice of meetings of the Association shall be given to members.
17. Alterations to, amendments or deletions from the foregoing Rules if put forward at the instance of the Board, may be dealt with at the AGM, but in all other cases they must form the subject of a requisition for an EGM in accordance with Rule 11 of these Rules
