Key Policies: Constitution

Constitution of PEM Friends

Charitable Incorporated Organisation Foundation model constitution

Date of constitution (last amended):

14th February 2024

Name
National location of principal office
Object[s]
Powers
Application of income and property
Benefits and payments to charity trustees and connected persons
Conflicts of interest and conflicts of loyalty
Liability of members to contribute to the assets of PEM Friends if it is wound up
Charity trustees
Appointment of charity trustees
Information for new charity trustees
Retirement and removal of charity trustees
Taking of decisions by charity trustees
Delegation by charity trustees
Meetings of charity trustees
Membership of PEM Friends
Informal or associate (non-voting) membership
Decisions which must be made by the members of PEM Friends
General meetings of members
Saving provisions
Execution of documents
Use of electronic communications
Keeping of Registers
Minutes
Accounting records, accounts, annual reports and returns, register maintenance
Rules
Disputes
Amendment of constitution
Voluntary winding up or dissolution
Interpretation

1. Name

The name of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation is PEM Friends.

2. National location of principal office

The principal office of PEM Friends is in England

Sweet Briars Cottage, Hoggeston, Buckingham, MK18 3LQ

3. Object[s]

The object of PEM Friends is:

To relieve the needs of individuals diagnosed with Pemphigus and Pemphigoid, and by extension their families and carers, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of support and information relating to these autoimmune diseases and by raising awareness amongst the wider public.

Nothing in this constitution shall authorise an application of the property of PEM Friends for the purposes which are not charitable in accordance with [section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005] and [section 2 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008].

4. Powers

PEM Friends has power to do anything which is calculated to further its objects or is conducive or incidental to doing so. In particular, PEM Friends has power to:

(1) borrow money and to charge the whole or any part of its property as security for the repayment of the money borrowed. PEM Friends must comply as appropriate with sections 124 and 125 of the Charities Act 2011, if it wishes to mortgage land;

(2) buy, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property and to maintain and equip it for use;

(3) sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the property belonging to PEM Friends. In exercising this power, PEM Friends must comply as appropriate with sections 117 and 119-123 of the Charities Act 2011;

(4) employ and remunerate such staff as are necessary for carrying out the work of PEM Friends. PEM Friends may employ or remunerate a charity trustee only to the extent that it is permitted to do so by clause 6 (Benefits and payments to charity trustees and connected persons) and provided it complies with the conditions of that clause;

(5) deposit or invest funds, employ a professional fund-manager, and arrange for the investments or other property of PEM Friends to be held in the name of a nominee, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the trustees of a trust are permitted to do by the Trustee Act 2000.

5. Application of income and property

(1) The income and property of PEM Friends must be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects.

(a) A charity trustee is entitled to be reimbursed from the property of PEM Friends or may pay out of such property reasonable expenses properly incurred by him or her when acting on behalf of PEM Friends.

(b) A charity trustee may benefit from trustee indemnity insurance cover purchased at PEM Friends’s expense in accordance with, and subject to the conditions in, section 189 of the Charities Act 2011.

(2) None of the income or property of PEM Friends may be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit to any member of PEM Friends.

(3) Nothing in this clause shall prevent a charity trustee or connected person receiving any benefit or payment which is authorised by Clause 6.

6. Benefits and payments to charity trustees and connected persons

(1) General provisions

No charity trustee or connected person may:

(a) buy or receive any goods or services from PEM Friends on terms preferential to those applicable to members of the public;

(b) sell goods, services, or any interest in land to PEM Friends;

(d) receive any other financial benefit from PEM Friends;

unless the payment or benefit is permitted by sub-clause (2) of this clause or authorised by the court or the prior written consent of the Charity Commission (“the Commission”) has been obtained. In this clause, a “financial benefit” means a benefit, direct or indirect, which is either money or has a monetary value.

(2) Scope and powers permitting trustees’ or connected persons’ benefits

(a) A charity trustee or connected person may receive a benefit from PEM Friends as a beneficiary of PEM Friends provided that a majority of the trustees do not benefit in this way.

(b) A charity trustee or connected person may enter into a contract

for the supply of services and/or goods to PEM Friends where that is permitted in accordance with, and subject to the conditions in, sections 185 to 188 of the Charities Act 2011.

(c) A charity trustee or connected person may receive interest on money lent to PEM Friends at a reasonable and proper rate which must be not more than the Bank of England bank rate (also known as the base rate).

(d) A charity trustee or connected person may receive rent for premises let by the trustee or connected person to PEM Friends. The amount of the rent and the other terms of the lease must be reasonable and proper. The charity trustee concerned must withdraw from any meeting at which such a proposal or the rent or other terms of the lease are under discussion.

(e) A charity trustee or connected person may take part in the normal trading and fundraising activities of PEM Friends on the same terms as members of the public.

(3) In sub-clause (2) of this clause:

(a) “PEM Friends” includes any company in which PEM Friends:

(i) holds more than 50% of the shares; or

(ii) controls more than 50% of the voting rights attached to the shares; or

(iii) has the right to appoint one or more directors to the board of the company;

(b) “connected person” includes any person within the definition set out in clause [30] (Interpretation).

7. Conflicts of interest and conflicts of loyalty

A charity trustee must:

(1) declare the nature and extent of any interest, direct or indirect, which he or she has in a proposed transaction or arrangement with PEM Friends or in any transaction or arrangement entered into by PEM Friends which has not previously been declared; and

(2) absent himself or herself from any discussions of the charity trustees in which it is possible that a conflict of interest will arise between his or her duty to act solely in the interests of PEM Friends and any personal interest (including but not limited to any financial interest).

Any charity trustee absenting himself or herself from any discussions in accordance with this clause must not vote or be counted as part of the quorum in any decision of the charity trustees on the matter.

8. Liability of members to contribute to the assets of PEM Friends if it is wound up

If PEM Friends is wound up, the members of PEM Friends have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities.

9. Charity trustees

(1) Functions and duties of charity trustees

The charity trustees shall manage the affairs of PEM Friends and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of PEM Friends. It is the duty of each charity trustee:

(a) to exercise his or her powers and to perform his or her functions in his or her capacity as a trustee of PEM Friends in the way he or she decides in good faith would be most likely to further the purposes of PEM Friends; and

(b) to exercise, in the performance of those functions, such care and skill as is reasonable in the circumstances having regard in particular to:

(i) any special knowledge or experience that he or she has or holds himself or herself out as having; and,

(ii) if he or she acts as a charity trustee of PEM Friends in

the course of a business or profession, to any special knowledge or experience that it is reasonable to expect of a person acting in the course of that kind of business or profession.

(2) Eligibility for trusteeship

(a) Every charity trustee must be a natural person.

(b) No individual may be appointed as a charity trustee of PEM Friends:

• if he or she is under the age of 16 years; or

• if he or she would automatically cease to hold office under the provisions of clause [12(1)(e)].

(c) No one is entitled to act as a charity trustee whether on appointment or on any re-appointment until he or she has expressly acknowledged, in whatever way the charity trustees decide, his or her acceptance of the office of charity trustee.

[(d) At least one of the trustees of PEM Friends must be 18 years of age or over. If there is no trustee aged at least 18 years, the remaining trustees may only act to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee.]

(3) Number of charity trustees

Option 1

(a) There must be at least three charity trustees. If the number falls below this minimum, the remaining trustee or trustees may act only to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee.

(b) The maximum number of charity trustees is [12]. The charity trustees may not appoint any charity trustee if as a result the number of charity trustees would exceed the maximum.

(4) First charity trustees

The first charity trustees are as follows and are appointed for the following terms] – for 4 years

Isobel Davies

Kalpesh Patel

Ingrid Thompson

Trina Harris

Umber Khairi

Julie Martin

Laurence Gallu

10. Appointment of charity trustees

(1) Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years, by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

(2) In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of PEM Friends.

11. Information for new charity trustees

The charity trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment:

(a) a copy of the current version of this constitution; and

(b) a copy of PEM Friends latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts.

12. Retirement and removal of charity trustees

(1) A charity trustee ceases to hold office if he or she:

(a) retires by notifying PEM Friends in writing (but only if enough charity trustees will remain in office when the notice of resignation takes effect to form a quorum for meetings);

(b) is absent without the permission of the charity trustees from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the trustees resolve that his or her office be vacated;

(d) in the written opinion, given to PEM Friends, of a registered medical practitioner treating that person, has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a trustee and may remain so for more than three months;

(e) is disqualified from acting as a charity trustee by virtue of sections 178-180 of the Charities Act 2011 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision).

(2) Any person retiring as a charity trustee is eligible for reappointment.

[(3) A charity trustee who has served for three consecutive terms may not be reappointed for a fourth consecutive term but may be reappointed after an interval of at least one year.

13. Taking of decisions by charity trustees

Any decision may be taken either:

• at a meeting of the charity trustees; or

• by resolution in writing or electronic form agreed by a majority of all of the charity trustees, which may comprise either a single document or several documents containing the text of the resolution in like form to which the majority of all of the charity trustees has signified their agreement. Such a resolution shall be effective provided that

• a copy of the proposed resolution has been sent, at or as near

as reasonably practicable to the same time, to all of the charity trustees; and

• the majority of all of the charity trustees has signified agreement to the resolution in a document or documents which has or have been authenticated by their signature, by a statement of their identity accompanying the document or documents, or in such other manner as the charity trustees have previously resolved, and delivered to PEM Friends at its principal office or such other place as the trustees may resolve [within 28 days of the circulation date].

14. Delegation by charity trustees

(1) The charity trustees may delegate any of their powers or functions to a committee or committees, and, if they do, they shall determine the terms and conditions on which the delegation is made. The charity trustees may at any time alter those terms and conditions, or revoke the delegation.

(2) This power is in addition to the power of delegation in the General Regulations and any other power of delegation available to the charity trustees, but is subject to the following requirements:

(a) a committee may consist of two or more persons, but at least one member of each committee must be a charity trustee;

(b) the acts and proceedings of any committee must be brought to the attention of the charity trustees as a whole as soon as is reasonably practicable; and

(c) the charity trustees shall from time to time review the arrangements which they have made for the delegation of their powers.

15. Meetings of charity trustees

(1) Calling meetings

(a) Any charity trustee may call a meeting of the charity trustees.

(b) Subject to that, the charity trustees shall decide how their meetings are to be called, and what notice is required.

(2) Chairing of meetings

The charity trustees may appoint one of their number to chair their meetings and may at any time revoke such appointment. If no-one has been so appointed, or if the person appointed is unwilling to preside or is not present within 10 minutes after the time of the meeting, the charity trustees present may appoint one of their number to chair that meeting.

(3) Procedure at meetings

(a) No decision shall be taken at a meeting unless a quorum is present at the time when the decision is taken. The quorum is two charity trustees, or the number nearest to one third of the total number of charity trustees, whichever is greater, or such larger number as the charity trustees may decide from time to time. A charity trustee shall not be counted in the quorum present when any decision is made about a matter upon which he or she is not entitled to vote.

(b) Questions arising at a meeting shall be decided by a majority of those eligible to vote.

(4) Participation in meetings by electronic means

(a) A meeting may be held by suitable electronic means agreed by the charity trustees in which each participant may communicate with all the other participants.

(b) Any charity trustee participating at a meeting by suitable electronic means agreed by the charity trustees in which a participant or participants may communicate with all the other participants shall qualify as being present at the meeting.

for meetings, including chairing and the taking of minutes.

16. Membership of PEM Friends

(1) The members of PEM Friends shall be its charity trustees for the time being. The only persons eligible to be members of PEM Friends are its charity trustees. Membership of PEM Friends cannot be transferred to anyone else.

(2) Any member and charity trustee who ceases to be a charity trustee automatically ceases to be a member of PEM Friends.

17. Informal or associate (non-voting) membership

(1) The charity trustees may create associate or other classes of nonvoting membership, and may determine the rights and obligations of any such members (including payment of membership fees), and the conditions for admission to, and termination of membership of any such class of members.

(2) Other references in this constitution to “members” and “membership” do not apply to non-voting members, and nonvoting members do not qualify as members for any purpose under the Charities Acts, General Regulations or Dissolution Regulations.]

18. Decisions which must be made by the members of PEM Friends

(1) Any decision to:

(a) amend the constitution of PEM Friends;

(b) amalgamate PEM Friends with, or transfer its undertaking to, one or more other CIOs, in accordance with the Charities Act 2011; or

must be made by a resolution of the members of PEM Friends (rather than a resolution of the charity trustees).

(2) Decisions of the members may be made either:

(a) by resolution at a general meeting; or

(b) by resolution in writing, in accordance with sub-clause (4) of this clause.

(3) Any decision specified in sub-clause (1) of this clause must be made in accordance with the provisions of clause [28] (amendment of constitution), clause [29] (Voluntary winding up or dissolution), or the provisions of the Charities Act 2011, the General Regulations or the Dissolution Regulations as applicable. Those provisions require the resolution to be agreed by a 75% majority of those members voting at a general meeting, or agreed by all members in writing.

(4) Except where a resolution in writing must be agreed by all the members, such a resolution may be agreed by a simple majority of all the members who are entitled to vote on it. Such a resolution shall be effective provided that:

(a) a copy of the proposed resolution has been sent to all the members eligible to vote; and

(b) the required majority of members has signified its agreement to the resolution in a document or documents which are received at the principal office within the period of 28 days beginning with the circulation date. The document signifying a member’s agreement must be authenticated by their signature, by a statement of their identity accompanying the document, or in such other manner as PEM Friends has specified.

The resolution in writing may comprise several copies to which one or more members has signified their agreement. Eligibility to vote on the resolution is limited to members who are members of PEM Friends on the date when the proposal is first circulated.

19. General meetings of members

(1) Calling of general meetings of members

The charity trustees may designate any of their meetings as a general meeting of the members of PEM Friends. The purpose of such a meeting is to discharge any business which must by law be discharged by a resolution of the members of PEM Friends as specified in clause [18] (Decisions which must be made by the members of PEM Friends).

(2) Notice of general meetings of members

(a) The minimum period of notice required to hold a general meeting of the members of PEM Friends is [14] days.

(b) Except where a specified period of notice is strictly required by another clause in this constitution, by the Charities Act 2011 or by the General Regulations, a general meeting may be called by shorter notice if it is so agreed by a majority of the members of PEM Friends.

(c) Proof that an envelope containing a notice was properly addressed, prepaid and posted; or that an electronic form of notice was properly addressed and sent, shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given. Notice shall be deemed to be given 48 hours after it was posted or sent.

(3) Procedure at general meetings of members

The provisions in clause 15 (2)-(4) governing the chairing of meetings, procedure at meetings and participation in meetings by electronic means apply to any general meeting of the members, with all references to trustees to be taken as references to members.

20. Saving provisions

(1) Subject to sub-clause (2) of this clause, all decisions of the charity trustees, or of a committee of charity trustees, shall be valid notwithstanding the participation in any vote of a charity trustee:

• who was disqualified from holding office;

• who had previously retired or who had been obliged by the constitution to vacate office;

• who was not entitled to vote on the matter, whether by reason of a conflict of interest or otherwise;

• for whom there is a technical defect in their appointment as a trustee of which the trustees were unaware at the time;

if, without the vote of that charity trustee and that charity trustee being counted in the quorum, the decision has been made by a majority of the charity trustees at a quorate meeting.

(2) Sub-clause (1) of this clause does not permit a charity trustee to keep any benefit that may be conferred upon him or her by a resolution of the charity trustees or of a committee of charity trustees if, but for sub-clause (1), the resolution would have been void, or if the charity trustee has not complied with clause 7 (Conflicts of interest).

21. Execution of documents

(1) PEM Friends shall execute documents either by signature or by affixing its seal (if it has one).

(2) A document is validly executed by signature if it is signed by at least two of the charity trustees.

(3) If PEM Friends has a seal:

(a) it must comply with the provisions of the General Regulations; and

(b) the seal must only be used by the authority of the charity trustees or of a committee of charity trustees duly authorised by the charity trustees. The charity trustees may determine who shall sign any document to which the seal is affixed and unless otherwise so determined it shall be signed by two charity trustees.]

22. Use of electronic communications

PEM Friends will comply with the requirements of the Communications Provisions in the General Regulations and in particular:

(a) the requirement to provide within 21 days to any member on request a hard copy of any document or information sent to the member otherwise than in hard copy form;

(b) any requirements to provide information to the Commission in a particular form or manner.

23. Keeping of Registers

PEM Friends must comply with its obligations under the General Regulations in relation to the keeping of, and provision of access to, a (combined) register of its members and charity trustees.

24. Minutes

The charity trustees must keep minutes of all:

(1) appointments of officers made by the charity trustees.

(2) proceedings at general meetings of PEM Friends;

(3) meetings of the charity trustees and committees of charity trustees including:

• the names of the trustees present at the meeting;

• the decisions made at the meetings; and

• where appropriate the reasons for the decisions;

(4) decisions made by the charity trustees otherwise than in meetings.

25. Accounting records, accounts, annual reports and returns, register maintenance

(1) The charity trustees must comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 with regard to the keeping of accounting records, to the preparation and scrutiny of statements of account, and to the preparation of annual reports and returns. The statements of account, reports and returns must be sent to the Charity Commission, regardless of the income of PEM Friends, within 10 months of the financial year end.

(2) The charity trustees must comply with their obligation to inform the Commission within 28 days of any change in the particulars of PEM Friends entered on the Central Register of Charities.

26. Rules

The charity trustees may from time to time make such reasonable and proper rules or byelaws as they may deem necessary or expedient for the proper conduct and management of PEM Friends, but such rules or bye laws must not be inconsistent with any provision of this constitution. Copies of any such rules or bye laws currently in force must be made available to any member of PEM Friends on request.

27. Disputes

If a dispute arises between members of PEM Friends about the validity or propriety of anything done by the members under this constitution, and the dispute cannot be resolved by agreement, the parties to the dispute must first try in good faith to settle the dispute by mediation before resorting to litigation.

28. Amendment of constitution

As provided by sections 224-227 of the Charities Act 2011:

(1) This constitution can only be amended:

(a) by resolution agreed in writing by all members of PEM Friends; or

(b) by a resolution passed by a 75% majority of those voting at a general meeting of the members of PEM Friends called in accordance with clause 19 (General meetings of members).

(2) Any alteration of PEM Friends’ objects, of any provision of PEM Friends’ constitution directing the application of property on its dissolution or any provision of PEM Friends’ constitution where the alteration would provide authorisation for any benefit to be obtained by charity trustees or members of PEM Friends or persons connected with them, requires the prior written consent of the Charity Commission.

(3) No amendment that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Charities Act 2011 or the General Regulations shall be valid.

(4) A copy of every resolution amending the constitution, together with a copy of PEM Friends’ constitution as amended must be sent to the Commission by the end of the period of 15 days beginning with the date of passing of the resolution.

29. Voluntary winding up or dissolution

(1) As provided by the Dissolution Regulations, PEM Friends may be dissolved by resolution of its members. Any decision by the members to wind up or dissolve PEM Friends can only be made:

(a) at a general meeting of the members of PEM Friends called in accordance with clause 19 (General meetings of members), of which not less than 14 days’ notice has been given to those eligible to attend and vote:

(i) by a resolution passed by a 75% majority of those voting, or

(ii) by a resolution passed by decision taken without a vote and without any expression of dissent in response to the question put to the general meeting; or

(b) by a resolution agreed in writing by all members of PEM Friends.

(2) Subject to the payment of all PEM Friends’ debts:

(a) Any resolution for the winding up of PEM Friends, or for the dissolution of PEM Friends without winding up, may contain a provision directing how any remaining assets of PEM Friends shall be applied.

(b) If the resolution does not contain such a provision, the charity trustees must decide how any remaining assets of PEM Friends shall be applied.

(c) In either case the remaining assets must be applied for charitable purposes the same as or similar to those of PEM Friends.

(3) PEM Friends must observe the requirements of the Dissolution Regulations in applying to the Commission for PEM Friends to be removed from the Register of Charities, and in particular:

(a) the charity trustees must send with their application to the Commission:

(i) a copy of the resolution passed by the members of PEM Friends;

(ii) a declaration by the charity trustees that any debts and other liabilities of PEM Friends have been settled or otherwise provided for in full; and

(iii) a statement by the charity trustees setting out the way in which any property of PEM Friends has been or is to be applied prior to its dissolution in accordance with this constitution;

(b) the charity trustees must ensure that a copy of the application is sent within seven days to every member and employee of PEM Friends, and to any charity trustee of PEM Friends who was not privy to the application.

(4) If PEM Friends is to be wound up or dissolved in any other circumstances, the provisions of the Dissolution Regulations must be followed.

30. Interpretation

In this constitution:

“connected person” means:

(a) a child, parent, grandchild, grandparent, brother or sister of the charity trustee;

(b) the spouse or civil partner of the charity trustee or of any person falling within sub-clause (a) above;

(c) a person carrying on business in partnership with the charity trustee or with any person falling within sub-clause (a) or (b) above;

(d) an institution which is controlled –

(i) by the charity trustee or any connected person falling within sub-clause (a), (b), or (c) above; or

(ii) by two or more persons falling within sub-clause (d)(i), when taken together

(e) a body corporate in which –

(i) the charity trustee or any connected person falling within subclauses (a) to (c) has a substantial interest; or

(ii) two or more persons falling within sub-clause (e)(i) who, when taken together, have a substantial interest.

Section 118 of the Charities Act 2011 apply for the purposes of interpreting the terms used in this constitution.

“General Regulations” means the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012.

“Dissolution Regulations” means the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) Regulations 2012.

The “Communications Provisions” means the Communications Provisions in [Part 9, Chapter 4] of the General Regulations.

“charity trustee” means a charity trustee of PEM Friends.

A “poll” means a counted vote or ballot, usually (but not necessarily) in writing.

Appendix 1 Use of electronic communications

To PEM Friends

Any member or charity trustee of PEM Friends may communicate electronically with PEM Friends to an address specified by PEM Friends for the purpose, so long as the communication is authenticated in a manner which is satisfactory to PEM Friends.

By PEM Friends

(a) Any member or charity trustee of PEM Friends, by providing PEM Friends with his or her email address or similar, is taken to have agreed to receive communications from PEM Friends in electronic form at that address, unless the member has indicated to PEM Friends his or her unwillingness to receive such communications in that form.

(b) The charity trustees may, subject to compliance with any legal requirements, by means of publication on its website:

(i) provide the members with the notice referred to in clause 19(2) (Notice of general meetings);

(ii) give charity trustees notice of their meetings in accordance with clause 15(1) (Calling meetings); [and

(iii) submit any proposal to the members or charity trustees for decision by written resolution or postal vote in accordance with PEM Friends’s powers under clause 18 (Members’ decisions), 18(4) (Decisions taken by resolution in writing), or [[the provisions for postal voting] (if you have included this optional provision, please insert the correct clause number here)].

(i) take reasonable steps to ensure that members and charity trustees are promptly notified of the publication of any such notice or proposal;

(ii) send any such notice or proposal in hard copy form to any member or charity trustee who has not consented to receive communications in electronic form.