The name of the Association (in this Constitution called "the Association") is the Suffolk Healers Association.

The Association is an unincorporated association, composed of members of the classes listed in Article 7.

The Association is established to relieve sickness in the County of Suffolk and areas adjoining thereto by the use of spiritual healing, and to advance the education of the public in all aspects of spiritual healing.

For the purpose of this Constitution the term "spiritual healing" means the beneficial effect which a healer has on a patient when, motivated by their own beliefs and following their normal practice, they administer healing in contact through their hands or at a distance by thought transference or prayer.

In this Constitution the words "healer" and "healing" are intended to refer to a spiritual healer and spiritual healing respectively.

The members of the Association acknowledge the following principles governing their relations with the public and the medical profession:-

The paramount consideration in all healing activity is the welfare of the patient. Healers within the Association shall abide by the Code of Conduct issued from time to time by the British Alliance of Healing Associations.

The service of healers should be made available to all who are in need of it, without distinction of race, class, religious belief, or political affiliations.

The power to heal the sick is given to Man in many diverse ways, and no profession has a monopoly of it. Healers cannot and do not seek to take the place of qualified medical practitioners. They recognise that each has a part to play in the attack on disease and the alleviation of human suffering and that friendly relations with medical practitioners and others engaged on this task, should be maintained.

No person shall be debarred from membership of the Association or from participation in any of its activities by reason of race, class, religious belief, or political affiliations.

The Activities of the Association shall be directed exclusively towards the Object set out in Article 3 by

providing opportunities for members of the general public to receive spiritual healing;

improving the standard of spiritual healing available to members of the general public.

In particular, these activities may include for these purposes: -

providing, maintaining and conducting treatment and training centres;

purchasing, taking on hire, lease or exchange or otherwise acquiring real or personal property and any rights or privileges which the Association may think necessary or convenient for the promotion of its Object, and constructing, maintaining or altering any buildings or erections thought necessary or convenient for the work of the Association;

paying any premiums of insurance thought necessary or convenient for the purposes of the Association and in particular to pay premiums for Trustee Indemnity Insurance;

accepting any gifts, subscriptions (whether or not under any (deed of covenant), donations, bequests or devises of land, moneys, securities or other real or personal property which may be useful or available for any such activities of the Association, and utilising the same for such purposes;

taking such lawful steps by personal or written appeals, public meetings or otherwise as may from time to time be deemed expedient for procuring contributions to the funds of the Association;

printing and publishing, or procuring to be printed or published, and circulating or procuring to be circulated any newspapers, periodicals, magazines, books, pamphlets, leaflets or other documents that may be deemed desirable for the promotion of the Object of the Association.

borrowing or raising money in such manner or on such security as the Association may think fit;

investing any moneys of the Association not required for immediate use in such manner as may from time to time be determined, but so that moneys subject or representing property subject to the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioners shall be invested in such securities, and with such sanction (if any), as may be prescribed by law;

subscribing to any local or other charities for the relief of poverty (including any such charities set up or sponsored by the Association;

co-operation with, or affiliation to, or member-ship of, any charitable Association, Fellowship, Alliance or Federation with Objects similar to Article 3 and Activities similar to Article 6(1) and 6(2), provided that the affairs of the Association remain within the management of the Committee and no act is undertaken contrary to these Articles of Constitution;

defining a training schedule to be followed by probationary members, and a standard of practice to be met by applicants for Full Membership;

Provided always that no Committee Member, Officer or Member shall receive' financial benefit, or payment of (in part or in full) costs incurred from attendance at courses of personal training or instruction and the subsequent Registration Fee, except for reimbursement of reasonable and properly incurred expenses arising from performance of duties authorised by the Committee in pursuance of the Objects and Activities of this Constitution.

Membership of the Association shall be of the following grades

Registered Healer Membership;

Probationer Healer Membership;

Reiki Practitioner Membership;

Associate Membership;

Honorary Membership;

Ex-officio Membership.

Registered Healer Membership shall be open to those healers who satisfy the Committee that they are of good character and have reached the required standard as practising healers.

Probationer Healer Membership shall be open to those who are developing the gift of healing and can satisfy the Committee as to their good character and integrity of purpose in such development. Probationary Members shall not (unless the Committee decides that there are exceptional circumstances) be accepted into Registered Healer Membership until a period of at least two years has been served in a probationary capacity.

Reiki Practitioner Membership shall be open to those who satisfy the Committee that they are of good character and have reached the required standard as practicing Reiki healers.

Associate Membership is open to those who are interested in healing (Spiritual or Reiki) and wish to further its cause but without becoming actual practising healers; to those who were registered Spiritual Healer members or Reiki Practitioner members but have allowed their insurance to lapse; to those who have achieved 'Reiki-1'; and to those who have completed a Spiritual Healing Foundation Course but are not Probationers.

Honorary membership may be awarded to those who, whether or not they are practising healers, have given valuable service to the Association or have furthered its Object, by invitation of the Committee. Honorary Members, unless also practising healers, will not be required to pay annual subscriptions and will not be covered by insurance.

Every honorary officer, every member of the Committee shall, if not a Full Member, be an ex-officio member during the term of office.

Applications for Full, Probationary or Associate Membership shall be made on the appropriate form as prescribed from time to time, to the Membership Secretary, for submission to the Committee. The Committee may at its discretion and without being required to state its reasons, unanimously accept, reject, or defer any application.

Full, Probationary and Associate Members shall pay to the Association such Annual Subscription as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting on the recommendation of the Committee. Applicants for Full and Probationary Membership shall pay, at the time of application, such non-returnable Registration Fee as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the Annual General Meeting or Extra-ordinary General Meeting on the recommendation of the Committee. Note: Whether or not a Registration fee shall be payable by any grade of member is at the discretion of the Association

Annual Subscriptions shall fall due and be paid when application is made and in the event of the application being rejected this Subscription shall be returned in full to the applicant. Subsequent Annual Subscriptions shall fall due on the FIRST day of December each year.

If the Annual Subscription or any other payment due to the Association by a member shall be in arrears for ONE MONTH, a notice shall be sent or a general reminder published to the membership. If and when such Subscription shall be in arrears for THREE MONTHS a member shall ipso facto cease to be in membership but may, at the discretion of the Committee, be reinstated on the making of an application for that purpose and the payment of all arrears together with a new Registration Fee.

A member shall cease to be such:-

in the case of death;

on resignation in writing;

in the event mentioned in Article 8.3;

on expulsion in accordance with the next paragraph.

The Committee may at its discretion, by resolution passed at a meeting specially convened for the purpose and by the votes of at least three quarters of the Committee expel any member: but such member shall first be given reasonable opportunity to show cause to the Committee why he/she should not be expelled. Such opportunity shall be given in such manner as the Committee thinks fit and (without prejudice to any other method) shall conclusively be deemed to have been given if not less than SEVEN DAYS notice in writing and by registered post shall have been given, inviting such member to attend a meeting of the Committee, accompanied by a friend or adviser if he/she so desires, unless evidence satisfactory to the Committee of inability to attend the meeting shall have been furnished, or to reply in writing.

The termination (from whatever cause) of any person's membership shall not affect the right of the Association to recover all subscriptions and other payments due.

An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in each year at a place and on a date determined by the Committee.

The Committee may at any time at its discretion, and the Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving a written request signed by at least one third of the members stating the business to be conducted, call an Extra-ordinary General Meeting of the Association.

Every Annual General Meeting or Extra-ordinary General meeting shall be convened by giving to every member not less than 21 days notice in writing (exclusive of the day on which the notice is served or deemed to be served but inclusive of the day for which the notice is given) specifying the place, the day and the hour of the meeting. and in the case of special business, the general nature of that business. Such notice shall include any proposed resolution notice of which has been received by the Secretary not less than 42 days before the date fixed for the Meeting (exclusive of the day of receipt but inclusive of the day so fixed), from any two members entitled to vote at the Meeting. The accidental omission to give notice of a Meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice by, any person entitled to notice shall not invalidate the proceedings at any Annual General Meeting or Extra-ordinary General Meeting.

The Chairman of the Meeting may with the consent of any General Meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the Meeting) adjourn the Meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business sail be transacted at the adjourned Meeting other than the business left unfinished at the Meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a Meeting is adjourned for 28 days or more, notice of the Meeting shall be given as in the case of the original Meeting. Save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned Meeting.

The Chairman of the Association, whom failing the Vice-Chairman, whom failing some member of the Association chosen by the Committee, shall preside as Chairman at each Annual General Meeting or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, but if no such person is present at or within fifteen minutes of the appointed time for the start of the Meeting, the members present shall choose one of their number to be Chairman of the Meeting only.

No business shall be transacted at the Annual General Meeting or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time the Meeting proceeds to business: save as otherwise herein provided, eight members personally present and entitled to vote shall be a quorum. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the start of the Meeting a quorum is not present the meeting (if convened upon the requisition of members) shall be dissolved: in any case it shall stand adjourned to a suitable day and place within one calendar month at the same time and notified in writing to the members. If at the adjourned Meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed, the members present shall be a quorum.

The ordinary business of every Annual General Meeting shall be the consideration of the annual statement of accounts and the reports of the Committee and auditor, the election of Honorary Officers, members of the Committee and the auditor as herein provided, and such other business as it may, in the opinion of Chairman of the meeting, be proper to transact without advance notice. All business of an Annual General Meeting, other than as aforesaid, shall be a special business and shall not be transacted unless due notice has been given in accordance with Article 10(3).

Nominations for Honorary Officers and members of the Committee must be submitted IN WRITING to the Secretary be received not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. Nominations must be made by the proposer, supported by two other members, and agreed by the nominee. Nominees must have been in membership for at least one year.

Nominations may not be submitted at the Annual General Meeting.

In the event that nomination(s) for Honorary Officers or Committee member(s) are not received the serving officer(s) and Committee member(s) shall continue in office.

The Committee may co-opt other members to fill any vacancy arising from lack of nominations, resignations during a term of office, or to extend the scope and capability of the Committee, provided that the number of co-opted members shall not exceed one third of the total membership of the Committee.

Every member of the Association shall be entitled to attend and speak at an Annual General Meeting or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, and shall be entitled to one vote.

No member shall be entitled to vote at a General Meeting unless all moneys presently payable by him/her to the Association have been paid.

Any resolution put to the vote of a General Meeting shall be decided upon a show of hands unless a poll is demanded (before or on declaration of the result of a show of hands) by the Chairman of the Meeting or by at least 10 members present and entitled to vote, in which case two tellers must be appointed by the members present; and unless a poll is so demanded a declaration by the Chairman of the Meeting that a resolution has on a show of hands been carried or carried unanimously or by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the Minutes of the proceedings of the Association, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of, or against the resolution. If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the Chairman of the Meeting directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the Meeting at which the poll was demanded. A poll demanded on the election of the Chairman of the Meeting or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith; a poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such time and place as the Chairman of the Meeting directs. On a poll, votes may be given personally or by a proxy notified in writing to the Secretary before the start of the Meeting.

In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the Meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

The President shall be elected by the members of each Annual General Meeting, to hold office until the close of the next Annual General Meeting.

The Committee of the Association shall consist of:-

The principal Officers elected at the Annual General Meeting, namely: the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Treasurer, the Secretary, who shall be Honorary Officers (and any two of which three latter offices may be combined); such other officers as the Committee may from time to time recommend to the Meeting as necessary for the fulfilment of Committee business.

An Associate Members' representative, who shall be elected by the Associate Members present at the Meeting, to hold office until the close of the next annual General Meeting. Any vacancy in the office of Associate Members representative shall at the discretion of the Committee either be filled by co-option or left unfilled until the next Annual General Meeting.

Three Committee Members who shall be elected by the full (Registered Healer) Members and the Probationary Members present at the Meeting, to hold office until the close of the next Annual General Meeting. Any vacancies in the office of Committee Member shall at the discretion of the Committee either he filled by co-option or left unfilled until the next Annual General Meeting.

The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Committee acting jointly and in person, who may exercise all such powers of the Association as are not required by this Constitution to be exercised by the Annual general Meeting, subject nevertheless to any provisions of the law or of this Constitution and to such regulations and instructions (being not inconsistent with the said provisions) as may from time to time be prescribed by an Annual General Meeting or Extra-ordinary Meeting, but no such regulation or instruction shall invalidate any prior act of the Committee which would have been valid if that regulation had not been made or given.

The Committee must meet together for despatch of business at regular intervals.

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may delegate to any sub-committee consisting of such persons (whether or not members of the Committee) as the Committee thinks fit such of its powers and duties as the Committee thinks fit; any such sub-committee shall in the exercise of its function comply with all regulations and instructions that may be imposed on it by the Committee. Such a sub-committee shall have at least one member of the Committee on it.

The Annual General Meeting may from time to time, on the recommendation of the Committee, elect such person as it thinks fit to be Honorary Vice-Presidents of the Association. Honorary Vice-Presidents shall hold office for life or until resignation and shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership other than the rite to vote. Honorary Vice-Presidents, unless also practising healers, will not be required to pay annual subscriptions and will not be covered by insurance.

Persons of distinction in public life (whether or not locally or in some special province) who are interested in the furtherance of spiritual healing may be invited by the Committee to become Patrons of the Association.

The Committee shall cause Minutes to be made in registers provided for the purpose of:-

All appointments of Officers and Members of the Committee;

All appointments made by the Committee;

Names of Members present at each meeting of the Committee;

All resolutions and proceedings of Annual General or Extra-ordinary General Meetings, and of the Committee;

Copies of Minutes shall be provided after each meeting, prior to the next meeting, to the elected and co-opted members of the Committee and the President.

The Committee shall cause proper books of account to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Association and of the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditures take place, and of the assets and liabilities of the Association.

The Committee shall cause a statement of accounts, giving a true and fair view of the state of the Association's finances to be prepared at the end of each financial year, being 30th November, audited and laid before the Annual General Meeting together with a report on the work of the Association during the period to the statement of account relates, and the report of the Auditors.

Auditors shall be elected each year by the Annual General Meeting, or in default appointed by the Committee. Unless a professionally-qualified accountant is elected or appointed, the auditors shall be two in number who are experienced in accountancy matters, who are independent of the Committee.

A notice may be given by the Association to any member by giving to him/her personally or by sending it by post to him/her at the address last supplied to the Association for the giving of such notices. Where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter containing the notice, and to have been effected (if not actually received earlier) at the expiration of three days excluding Sunday and the day of posting after the letter containing the notice was posted.

This Constitution may be altered only by Special Resolution of an Annual General Meeting or Extra-ordinary General Meeting. Such Resolution shall not be considered unless written notice of the intention to propose the Resolution as a Special Resolution has been included in the notice which convenes the Meeting; and shall be considered carried only if two thirds of the votes validly cast on the Resolution are in favour. No alteration to this Constitution shall be valid if the effect thereof would be to impugn the status of the Association as a charity or to render the Object of the Association not wholly charitable. No alteration may be made to Article 3, Article 21, or this Article without previously consulting the Charity Commission.

The Association shall be dissolved on the passing of a Special Resolution, to which the provisions of the last foregoing Article shall apply; at a General Meeting convened for that purpose. Thereupon the assets of the Association shall he held by the Auditors upon trust, subject to due discharge of the liabilities of the Association: for the Objects of the Association as hereinbefore set out, with the power in their discretion (always subject to any direction given by the Resolution of Dissolution) to transfer the same to any other Fellowship, Association or Institution which is established for charitable purposes only and has Objects similar to those of the Association.