2022 ADHD Aware Annual General Meeting: Wednesday 9th November
Invites, agenda and link to hybrid zoom event will be to our mailing list.
ADHD Aware became a charity in November 2021, so exactly how different is it from being a constituted organisation? Co-Chair, Linda Saltwell, has a look at what to expect from our first AGM as a Charity.
As someone who has been involved with ADHD Aware since before we formalised as an organisation in 2015, it’s an absolute joy to finally write out our name followed by a charity number. We have worked hard to get into this position: dedicated committee members, some with particular roles; volunteers planning and running sessions; a business plan for the coming 3 years; and fundraising at a level to be sustainable for another year. As a constituted community group we have been able to fundraise but this charity status means we can access different types of funding ….and legally ‘shake a bucket’ at events!
As a constituted community group we were required to formally document an Annual General Meeting and we have successfully done this for 6 years, growing every year in attendance and ‘membership’ (those who have registered to vote). We have given a verbal report of the year, introduced committee members (voting people on and retiring those who step down), presented audited annual accounts and in addition enjoyed some entertainment and discussions about our services. Up to now it has been acceptable to vote for our chair, treasurer and secretarial roles from amongst the committee at the next meeting and in fact that will not change.
Indeed, much of this will stay the same as we run our AGM as a new charity. The language will change a bit: our committee becomes a Board and it’s members our Trustees. We are required to abide by certain requirements and will upload our audited accounts and an Annual Report onto the Charity Commission site, along with our AGM minutes and any changes to our Trustee Board. We have a different, lengthy and detailed CIO Constitution (Charitable Incorporated Organisation – ‘Association’ Model) which will be available to read ahead of the meeting and subsequently adopted at the AGM.
How to vote at the AGM
If you would like to vote at the AGM, you can register on our website and your application goes to the Board for ratification. You are then registered formally as a member who can vote. Therefore make sure you register well ahead before the Board meeting preceding the AGM. This cannot happen on the night.
You can apply to become a member here.
Finally, as a new charity, our Trustees are responsible for the trustworthy organisation and running of ADHD Aware, and as such do not take these roles on lightly.
As long as we do all this formal ‘business’ in the AGM there is no reason why we can’t have some entertainment as usual, l and this year we have adapted some filming we did over the summer for fundraising purposes.
Our 2022 AGM will be on Wednesday 9th November – we will post invites, a detailed programme, a copy of the new constitution, agenda and links to a hybrid zoom event in an email to our mailing list a few days before the event.
Looking forward to seeing you there!