About us

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The Chelmer Valley Woodturners are an enthusiastic club who meet in Chelmsford, Essex.

The main aim of the Branch is to encourage good, original woodturning and to help with this we have demonstrations and a members display table each month. We also have “hands on days” where our more experienced members are able to help and guide other members.

Overview

  • Professional or Expert demonstrators

  • Well stocked shop with sandpaper, pen blanks, books, finishing products amongst other thing

  • Friendly members with years of experience (willing to share it!)

  • Affiliated member of the AWGB (Association of Woodturners Great Britain)

History of the club

The club was founded in 1997 by a few members who wished to become affiliated with the AWGB and run sessions in Chelmsford. Founding members include Charlie Day who provided the first lathe and was the first Chairman, (which was a TimeCub), Derek Handley who was the treasurer for a number of years, and found the club premises where the club still resides to this day. Gabor Lacko, Brian Partridge, John Austin also with ten others giving a starting membership of fifteen to begin with. All of whom are very passionate people who gave vibrancy to the club and helped it attain a good amount more members.

They originally met in the small meeting room where the tea and coffee is held currently, holding discussions, demonstrations and delving into everything woodturning. The cohort soon outgrew the small meeting room and started having demonstrators in the larger hall where demonstrations as still held. The club also started a small shop just after moving into the hall.

The club also started the ‘Turn Essex’ event which happened in 2001, 2003 and 2005. 2007 was planned but due to the financial situation of that time (of the whole economy) the event did not take place, with 2005 being the last time the event happened.

The club applied for a lottery grant, which happened around 2008 for new equipment. Main items were a for the audio visual equipment that is in effect today, giving two larger screens with respective projectors as well as a larger lathe.

Today, the structure remains the same, where we have demonstrations from experts in their fields, from professionals to club members. Each session session is varied, an one is bound to take something new away with them each session.

Our Rules of Association are found below. You can also download a copy at the following link.

Rules of Association downloadable PDF

RULES OF ASSOCIATION

1) The Club shall be a Branch of The Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (AWGB) and shall be called “CHELMER VALLEY WOODTURNERS”. The Club shall in all matters be guided by the AWGB Handbook. The purpose of the Club is to promote and further the interest of woodturning in all its aspects. The Club is based at The Methodist Hall, Lime Walk, Moulsham Lodge, CM2 9NJ and serves the Chelmsford area and surrounds

2) Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in woodturning on application to the Committee regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs subject to them also joining or being a member of the AWGB.


a) The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.

b) The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules and all surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the Club.

c) The Committee shall have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection.

3. Members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened General Meeting.

a) The Committee shall then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.

b) After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining in the manner decided on at the General Meeting.

CLUB OFFICIALS

4) Officials of the Club and Committee shall be elected or re-elected each year at the Annual General Meeting.

a) Club Chairman shall be elected for a term of three years.

b) Any official not wishing to stand for re-election shall inform the Secretary in writing at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting.

c) Members wishing to stand for election shall be nominated by one member and seconded by another and the nomination shall be submitted to the Secretary one month before an Annual General meeting.

5) The Committee shall be constituted as follows:

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

Events Secretary

Up to 6 elected Club members


a) It shall be the responsibility of the Committee to generally control and administer the funds, property and affairs of the Club subject to report to the General Meeting.

b) Any Club member handling money on behalf of the Club shall produce an account and submit this together with supporting evidence to the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall collect or have delivered to him all monies due and shall verify these accounts prior to preparing the Club’s Annual Statement of Accounts for submission to the auditor and presentation at the Annual General meeting.

c) The Events Secretary shall organise a program of demonstrations to take place on the third Wednesday evening of each month. The Events Secretary shall also organise any additional events that arise and are authorised by the Committee.

d) The Committee shall have power to deal with all business that may arise affecting the Club, provided a quorum of five committee members is present at the meeting.

e) The Chairman shall conduct the meeting and be entitled to vote on all matters and in the event of a tie shall have the casting vote.

f) Committee meetings shall be arranged quarterly by the Secretary to discuss Club matters or more often at the discretion of the Secretary.

g) The Secretary, when convening a Committee meeting, shall consider the business to be discussed and request the attendance, in a non-voting capacity, of such other members as the Secretary considers necessary.

h) A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she fails to attend two consecutive meetings without prior apology to the Secretary, ceases to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice or is removed by the Committee for good cause after the member has been given a chance of putting his or her case to the Committee. The Committee may elect another Club member to serve on the committee for the remaining period of office.

i) An AWGB branch representative shall be elected from Club members.

MEMBERSHIP

6) There shall be three levels of membership, namely, Junior, Senior and Honorary Life.

Junior 11 to 22 years – no attendance fee (if under 22 years on the 1st January)

Senior Over 22 – paying monthly attendance fee

Honorary Life No attendance fee

a) All members shall also be AWGB members either by subscription or as AWGB life members.

b) An annual subscription shall be paid for AWGB membership. The amount of this subscription shall be determined by the AWGB Annual General meeting.

c) A monthly attendance fee shall be paid. The amount of this fee shall be determined by the Club’s Annual General Meeting.

d) A prospective new member shall be allowed a free visit to allow them to consider the Club before applying for membership.

e) Becoming a member shall be taken as conclusive assent to all the Club’s Rules.

ADMINISTRATION

7) The financial year shall end on the 31st December.

a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held in January each year or as soon as is practicable thereafter on a date to be determined by the Secretary:

1) To receive reports of various officials on the past year.

2) To receive statement of accounts to the end of the previous financial year and to determine fees for the forthcoming year.

3) To elect officials and Committee members for the forthcoming year.

4) To revise the Clubs Rules of Association

5) Any other business.

b) The Secretary shall ensure that notice of this meeting is sent out at least 28 days prior to this Annual General meeting. Notice of any proposed addition or amendments to these Rules shall be given to the Secretary in writing at least three weeks before the date of the meeting and shall appear on the agenda paper. The Secretary shall ensure that the Agenda is sent out at least 14 days before the meeting.

c) Any member wishing to call a General Meeting shall notify the Secretary of the reason, who shall then convene a Committee Meeting to decide whether a Special General Meeting is necessary. A General Meeting shall be called at the written request of not less than TEN members. Such request shall be made to the Secretary, stating the reason. Only that motion will be considered at any special meeting.

d) No amendments or additions shall be made to these Rules, except by authority of the Annual General Meeting of the Club or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. The quorum for such meetings shall be 30 members or 25% of the membership of the Club, whichever is the lower.

e) Any such amendments shall require a majority of 2/3rds of the eligible members present and voting.

Revised on the 15th October 2018