Constitution | Constitution |
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The Muslim Doctors and Dentisits Association UK (M.D.D.A. UK) 1. Name The name of the Association is Muslim Doctors and Dentists Association UK (the Association) 2. Objects and powers 2.1 The objects of the association shall be:- 2.1.1. To advance the Islamic religion in the practice of medicine in the United Kingdom 2.1.2. To advance medical education in relation to the doctrines, practices and traditions of the Islamic religion. 2.1.3. To promote research in various aspects of medical science and to disseminate and publish the useful results of such research. 2.1.4. To promote the preservation and protection of the good health of Muslims in the United Kingdom. 2.2. In furtherance of such objects but not otherwise the Association may: 2.2.1. Serve as a forum of the exchange of ideas between Muslim Doctors and Dentists concerning matters relating to medical practice and ethics. 2.2.2. Establish contacts with other countries and exchange ideas with medical bodies in the United Kingdom or abroad on matters of mutual interest. 2.2.3 Purchase take on lease or in exchange hire or otherwise acquire any property and any rights and privileges necessary for the promotion of such objects and construct maintain and alter any buildings or erections necessary for the work of the Association: 2.2.3.1. Make regulations for any property which may be so acquired: 2.2.3.2 Subject to such consents as may be required by law sell let mortgage dispose of or turn to account all or any of the property or assets of the Association: 2.2.3.3 Subject to such consents as may be required by law accept gifts and borrow or raise money for such objects on such terms and on such security as shall be thought fit: 2.2.3.4 Procure contributions to the Association by personal or written appeals public meetings or otherwise: 2.2.3.5 Invest the money of the Association not immediately required for such objects in or on such investments securities or property as may be thought fit subject nevertheless to such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law: 2.2.3.6 Do all such other lawful things as are necessary for to the attainment of such objects. 2.2.4. Employ and pay any person or persons to supervise organise and carry on the work of the Association and make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of pensions and superannuating to or on behalf of employees and their widows and other dependants: 2.2.5. Bring together in conference representatives of voluntary organisations government departments statutory authorities and individuals: 2.2.6. Promote and carry out or assist in promoting and carrying out research surveys and investigations and publish the useful results of such research surveys and investigations: 2.2.7. Arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for the holding of exhibitions meetings lectures classes seminars and training courses: 2.2.8. Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting such objects and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects whether in this country or overseas: 2.2.9. Undertake, execute, manage or assist any charitable trusts which may lawfully be undertaken, executed, managed or assisted by the Association 2.2.10. Procure to be written and print publish issue and circulate gratuitously or otherwise such papers books periodicals pamphlets or other documents or films or recorded tapes as shall further such objects; top of page 3. Membership 3.1. Full membership of the Association shall be open to: 3.1.1. All Muslim Doctors and Dentists of 18 years and over who are interested in furthering the work of the Association and who have paid the annual subscription as laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee mentioned below, and 3.1.2. National, International and local voluntary or other non-profit distributing organisations whether corporate or uncorroborated which are interested in furthering such work and have paid their annual subscription: 3.2 Each member organisation may appoint the individual person to represent it and vote on its behalf at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. In the event of such individual person resigning or otherwise leaving an organisation he or she shall immediately cease to be a representative of such organisation: 3.3 Each member organisation may appoint: 3.3.1. A deputy to replace its appointed representative if the appointed representative is unable to attend any particular meeting of the Association: and 3.3.2. Observers (who shall not be entitled to vote) to attend such meetings: 3.4. For the purposes of regional representation and National Health Service, regional boundaries will be observed. 3.5. The member organisation representatives shall meet periodically as a Council and shall report the result of their activities to the Executive Committee. 3.6. Associate Membership may be offered to Muslims in health care professions other than the medical and dentists� professions at the absolute discretion of the Executive Committee. Such Associate Members shall pay the subscription for the time being to the Association as a fee for the use of the facilities of the Association but shall not have the right to vote at any meeting of the Association nor to be appointed as officers of the association or members of the executive committee. 3.7. Junior membership shall be open to those under the age of 18 years who are interested in furthering the work of the Association. Junior members shall not be entitled to vote. 3.8. Honorary members may be appointed at the discretion of the executive committee. Honorary members shall not be entitled to vote. 3.9. The Executive Committee shall have the right: 3.9.1. To approve or reject applications for membership: and 3.9.2. For good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any individual or organisation provided that the individual member concerned or the individual representing such organisation (as the case may be) shall have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee before a final decision is made. top of page 4. Honorary Officers 4.1. At the Annual General Meeting mentioned below the Association shall elect a Chairman a Vice Chairman a Treasurer and such other honorary officers as the Association shall from time to time decide: 4.2. Unless the Executive Committee as defined in Clause 5 unanimously agree otherwise the Chairman and the honorary officers of the association shall hold office until the conclusion of the second Annual General Meeting of the Association after their election (not including the Annual General Meeting at which the said Chairman and honouree officers were elected) but shall be eligible for re-election provided that no Chairman or honorary officer shall be elected to hold office for more than four consecutive years. 4.3 At the first Annual General meeting of the Association after the Annual General Meeting at which any Chairman for the time being of the Association is elected the Association shall elect a Chairman elect who (unless the Association decide otherwise) shall be elected as Chairman at the second Annual General Meeting of the Association at which the said Chairman for the time being is elected. 4.4. The Chairman, the immediate past Chairman, the Chairman elect and the honorary officers shall be ex officio members of the Association and Executive Committee and any other committee, 4.5. The Association shall appoint one or more qualified auditors and may determine their remuneration (if any). top of page 5. Executive Committee 5.1. Subject as mentioned below the policy and general management of the affairs of the Association shall be directed by an Executive Committee (the Committee) which shall meet not less than four times a year and when complete shall consist of not less than ten members 5.2. The members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association in accordance with Clause 7 5.3. Election to the Committee shall be for two years. One-third of the membership shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election the members so to retire being those who have been longest in office since the last election but not reckoning ex officio members. As between members who have been in office the same length of time those due to retire shall be chosen by lot 5.4. In addition to the members so elected and to those serving by virtue of Clause 4.3 the Committee may co-opt up to five further members who shall be full members of the Association whether individual or representative or a combination of both and who shall serve until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting after individual co-option provided that the member of co-opted members shall not exceed one-third of the total numbers of members of the Committee in accordance with Clause 5.1 Co-opted members shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the Committee; 5.5. Any casual vacancy in the Committee may be filled by the Committee and any person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General meeting of the Association and shall be eligible for election at that meeting; 5.6. The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election appointment co-option or qualification of any member: 5.7. The Committee may appoint a Secretary and (if it is considered necessary) fix the remuneration of the Secretary and of all such other staff as may in its opinion be necessary provided that no paid member of the Association�s staff shall be a member of the Committee: 5.8. The Committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference powers duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such special or standing committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible. top of page 6. Meetings of the Association 6.1. The first general meeting of the Association shall be held not later than the thirtieth day of April 1987 and once in each year subsequently an Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at such time (not being more than 15 months after the holding of the preceding Annual General Meeting) and place as the Committee shall determine. At least 21 clear days notice shall be given in writing by the General Secretary to each member. At such Annual General Meeting the business shall include the election of honorary officers the election of full members to serve on the Committee the appointment of an auditor or auditors the consideration of an annual report of the work done by or under the auspices of the Committee and of the audited accounts and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be necessary. 6.2. The Chairman of the Committee may at any time at his discretion and the General Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving a written request so to do signed by not less than fifty full members whether individual or representative and giving reasons for the request call a Special General Meeting of the Association. top of page 7. Nominations of honorary officers and committee members 7.1. Only full members of the Association whether individual or representative shall be eligible to serve as honorary officers or members of the Committee: 7.2. Nominations for honorary officers or members of the Committee must be made by full members of the Association in writing and must be in the hands of the General Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting. Should nominations exceed vacancies election shall be by ballot or a system of postal voting (the arrangements for which shall b made by the Committee) provided that the first members of the Committee shall be elected by personal vote at the first general meeting of the Association. top of page 8. Rules of procedure at all meetings 8.1 Quorum The quorum at a meeting of the Association or the Committee or of any committee appointed under Clause 5.8 shall be one-third of the total membership of the Association the Committee or committee (as the case may be) or such other number as the Association may in general meeting from time to time determine. 8.2 Voting Save as otherwise provided all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. Arrangements for proxy voting may from time to time be made with regard to Clauses 11 and 12. No person shall exercise more than one vote notwithstanding that he or she may have been appointed to represent 2 or more interests but in case of an equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. 8.3 Minutes Minute books shall be kept by the Association Committee and all other committees and the appropriate secretary shall enter in the minute book a record of all proceedings and resolutions. 8.4 Standing orders and rules The Committee shall have power to adopt and issue standing orders and/or rules for the association. Such standing orders and/or rules shall come into operation immediately provided that they shall be subject to review by the Association in general meeting and shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution. top of page 9. Finance 9.1. All money raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association and for no other purpose provided that nothing contained in this constitution shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Association or the repayment of reasonable out of pocket expenses: 9.2. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association. 9.3. The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditor or auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting: 9.4. An audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting. 9.5. A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Association with Lloyds Bank Plc. At such Branch or branches as may be thought appropriate or with such other bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide. The Committee shall authorise in writing the Treasurer, the General Secretary of the Association and 2 members of the Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the Association. All cheques must be signed by not less than 2 of the 4 authorised signatories. top of page 10. Trust property The total of all real or personal property which may be acquired by or on behalf of the Association shall be vested in a corporation lawfully entitled to act as custodian trustee or in not less then three or more than four individual persons (not being members of the Committee). top of page 11. Alterations to the constituation Any alteration of the Constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two-thirds of the full members of the Association whether individual or representative present and voting at a meeting specially called for the purpose provided that notice of any such alteration shall have been received by the General Secretary in writing not less than 21 clear days before the meeting at which the alteration is to be brought forward. At least 14 clear days notice in writing of such a meeting setting for the terms of the alteration to be proposed shall be sent by the General Secretary to each member of the Association provided that no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Association to cease to be a charity at law. top of page 12. Dissolution If the committee by a simple majority decides at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association who have the power to vote of which meeting not less than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If such decision shall be confirmed by a simple two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such meeting the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association as the Committee may determine and as may be approved by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales. top of page 13. Notices Any notice may be served by the General Secretary on any member either personally or on its appointed representative as the case may be or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his her or its last known address in the United Kingdom and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received with 10 days of posting. top of page 14. Interpretation For the interpretation of this constitution the interpretation Act 1978 shall apply as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament. top of page |