The name of the Association shall be - The Association of Defence Media Association or IDMA - hereinafter referred to as the Association.

OBJECTIVES

The Association shall have as its objectives:

1. The Association is to foster and enhance relations between members of the Association and key decision makers in the Ministry of Defence (MOD), armed services, defence/aerospace industry and publishing world to enhance the ability of the Association's members to perform their professional duties.

2. To provide a forum where members of the Association may meet and discuss topics of mutual interest.

3. Other activities to mutual benefit of members, as approved at an Association meeting.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Association is open to:

1. All working defence media journalists who are not salaried staff and who make a significant portion of their living from Defence related journalism [A].

2. Such other Defence media journalists as may be admitted by the membership of the Association [B].

3. Honorary membership may be granted at a regular meeting and has then to be confirmed at an emergency general meeting or Annual General Meeting, to former members of the Association who no longer qualify for membership conditions [A] and [B] above but who, in the opinion of a meeting of the Association, have rendered service during their membership to the Association. A honorary member will not be liable to pay an annual subscription.

4. Overseas membership may be granted to an applicant who is able to fulfil the conditions of membership described in [A] and [B] above.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS

1. Except in the case of Honorary Membership, a candidate for election as a member shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another member, to both of whom the candidate, and his or her professional status, must be personally known. Applicants will be required to complete the Association's membership application form.

2. Applications for membership must be forwarded to the Secretary for consideration by the next regular meeting. The name of each applicant must be made known to the membership through publication on the agenda. Members may provide the Secretary with written statements of support or opposition to any application, for consideration at the next meeting.

3. Election to membership carries with it an obligation to accept and abide by the constitution and rules of the Association.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

1. Immediately upon being notified of election to membership of the Association, a member will required pay an annual subscription, of £25 details of which are given in the form of application for membership.

2. Any member has the right to recommend alterations to the amount of the annual subscription for approval at the Annual General Meeting.

3. A member failing to pay the annual subscription on its due date in any year, shall be sent a notice by the Treasurer calling attention thereto, and if the subscription shall remain unpaid for 28 days thereafter, membership shall deem to have ceased and the member will be notified accordingly.

4. A member may resign from the Association by giving notice in writing to the Secretary and the member shall cease to have any claim on the Association or its funds.

EXPULSION AND SUSPENSION OF MEMBERSHIP

1. Meetings of the Association shall have the power to recommend the expulsion or the suspension of any member who it determines who has acted in a manner contrary to the constitution and rules of the Association, or in such a way as to bring the Association into disrepute.

2. Any such recommendation, whether it be for suspension or expulsion, must be initiated by at least two members who shall notify the Secretary, and bring their recommendation for expulsion to the next regular meeting.

3. The Secretary shall notify a member whose expulsion is sought, together with the grounds for whose expulsion or suspension is sought, together with the grounds for this recommendation, in writing.

4. A member whose expulsion or suspension is sought shall have the right to offer an explanation in writing in advance of the meeting or orally at the meeting.

5. Details of any proposed expulsion or suspensions, together with any explanation offered in writing in advance of the meeting, shall be made known to the membership by the Secretary, in advance of the meeting.

1. Administration of the Association shall be vested in the hands of its three office holders - the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

2. To be eligible to serve an officer a member shall nominated by another member

3. Election of officers shall take place at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

4. The officers of the Association shall remain in office until the following Annual General Meeting, when the officers shall be eligible for re-election to serve for a further period until the following Annual General Meeting.

5. The Treasurer and up to two other office holders shall have the power to authorise payments from the funds of the Association for any purpose connected with the Association's business or administration.

6. All communications to the Secretary shall be by E-mail.

7. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are primarily responsible for organising events or speakers.

ACCOUNTS

1. The Treasurer shall keep proper books of account and the Annual General Meeting shall appoint an auditor to audit such books of accounts in time for their presentation to the next Annual General Meeting.

2. The Treasurer shall have the power to open such bank accounts as is considered necessary. Cheques drawn on the Association's bank account(s) shall require the signature of the Treasurer and one other office holder.

MEETINGS

1. The Association will hold and Annual General Meeting, which shall normally be the first meeting of a new calendar year.

• Receive the Chairman's report
• Receive and adopt the accounts for the previous year
• Vote on any resolution submitted, by prior notice, by any member. Such resolutions may include amendments to the constitution and rules of the Association
• To elect the officers of the Association
• The annual meeting may additionally admit, suspend or expel members

2. The Association shall also hold regular meeting from time to time, and these admit, suspend of expel members.

3. An emergency general meeting may be convened at the written request of any six member of the Association. Such meetings may vote on resolutions submitted, by prior notice, by any member. Such resolutions may include amendments to the constitution and rules of Association. No business may be conducted at an annual or emergency general meeting unless a quorum is present throughout. A quorum shall be either the Chairman or Vice-Chairman, one other office holder and no less than eight other members of the Association. There shall be no quorum for a regular meeting. All decisions at meetings shall be by a simple majority vote.

4. A member unable to attend the Annual General Meeting or an emergency general meeting shall be allowed to nominate another member to vote on his/her behalf. Resolutions to be tabled at an annual general or emergency meeting should be submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than seven days before such meetings and circulated to members in advance of the meeting.

5. Three weeks notice of the intention to hold any meeting shall be given to members in wiring by the Secretary.

6. Minutes of all such meetings shall be kept by the Secretary and be available for inspection by any member.

DISSOLUTION

1. In the event of the dissolution of the Association its assets shall be divided equally between the paid up members.

2. Members shall undertake to contribute such amounts as may be required but not exceeding one pound to the assets of the Association in the event of its being wound-up. This proviso applies to those in membership at the time of winding-up and to former members within one year of their ceasing to be members. The amount so subscribed under this proviso will be used for the payments of debts and liabilities of the Association contracted before membership ceased and of the costs, charges and expense of winding-up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributors among themselves.