Bike Worcester Constitution

Drafted and approved at AGM 29th June 2020

Change log (updates)

Meeting

Aims, activities and outcomes

AGM November 2024

Membership rules

EGM June 2024

Name

The organisation will be known as Bike Worcester.

Principles

• Focus: We will focus on doing a few things well.

• Inclusivity: We want everyone to be able to benefit from our campaign(s).

• Listening: We will listen to the people of Worcester about their needs and issues. We will listen and learn from cycling experts.

• Approachability: We will engage with everyone and listen to those with different views. We will be easy to contact and responsive to queries.

Aims

The aims of the organisation are:

• To make cycling a popular choice in Worcester as people’s means of travel to work, school, and for leisure, improving health and reducing pollution and congestion.

• To make cycling feel safer and be safer, with a culture of considerate shared use of the city’s roads, paths, and public spaces.

• To advocate for better cycling infrastructure that provides end-to-end routes and facilities, offering a high degree of convenience and unbroken progress.

• To make cycling, as a form of sustainable travel, a high priority for local District and County councils.

• To facilitate and enable a community of cyclists, actively supporting all parts of society to get started and continue enjoying everyday cycling.

Activities

In pursuit of the above aims, Bike Worcester activities may include:

• Advocacy and lobbying: Working with local authorities, police, and other government and non-government organisations to bring about improvements in cycling infrastructure and shared infrastructure as well as encouraging safer driving behaviour.

• Promotion of cycling locally: Engaging with local media, social media, and other organisations to raise the profile of cycling as a safe, healthy means of everyday transport and as a leisure activity. Providing positive messages and commentary to counter negative stereotypes in local and national media.

• Data collection, surveys, and analysis: Gathering our own data and surveying the local cycling environment. Analysing data to provide hard facts and local insights in support of advocacy, lobbying, and promotion of cycling.

• Cycling events and activities: Running activities locally to enable and encourage more cycling. Engaging with other organisations to promote and run one-off and regular activities, including schools and local employers.

• Cycle training: Providing training to people locally so they cycle safely and confidently. Providing training in bike maintenance so people can keep their own bikes working safely and reliably.

• Affordable bikes and maintenance: Refurbishing bikes for sale at below-market prices to people who would otherwise struggle to buy a bike, focusing particularly on cycling for travel to work or school. Providing assistance with maintenance of bikes.

Outcomes

Outcomes for Bike Worcester include:

• Increased cycle rates in and around Worcester.

• Improved communication, cooperation, and networking amongst cyclists through in-person events, community programmes, website, and other social media.

• Making cycling a realistic and safe transport choice for a wide range of people.

• Encouraging cycling as a mode of transport and leisure activity in under-represented groups, including women, young people, elderly or disabled, and minority ethnic groups.

• Increasing fitness and wellbeing and saving on health costs for residents.

• Increasing volume and revenue for the local economy from cycling, including shopping local and from cycle tourism.

Structure

• Bike Worcester is an unincorporated organisation

• Bike Worcester has a steering group responsible for organisation and administration.

• The steering group shall include a Chair, Treasurer, Secretary (the officers), and other members as appropriate. Additional partners may be co-opted to lead specific project activities.

• Membership of the steering group will be reviewed annually at the annual general meeting or an EGM if necessary.

Meetings

• Steering group meetings shall be held at least quarterly or as required to plan, manage, and monitor the activities of the Group. Project groups will meet as required.

• Every year, an AGM will be held with 14 days’ notice given. The AGM will present an annual report, accounts, and balance sheets prepared by the Treasurer.

• An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be convened by the Secretary when requested by a member for appropriate matters. An EGM may also be called by the Steering Group.

Membership Rules

• You must register as a member to be eligible to vote at Bike Worcester's EGMs or AGMs.

• Membership will last 12 months from registration.

• For the AGM, all members must register by a specific date to be eligible to vote (e.g., all registered on 31st August will be eligible to vote in the AGM in October/November).

• For EGMs, only members who are registered when the EGM is announced will be eligible to vote.

• Members may have their membership revoked at the discretion of the majority of the trustees in agreement, with the chair casting the vote if there is a tie.

• You must be a registered member (by the dates specified above) to be eligible to stand as a trustee or other officer of Bike Worcester.

Scope

Bike Worcester will represent the interests of cyclists and cycling within the Worcester City boundary, but also existing and proposed housing and employment areas immediately adjacent to the City boundary in the Malvern Hills and Wychavon Districts. Routes that help the City connect with the area surrounding Worcester may also be included.

Diversity

Bike Worcester will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status, or age.

Dissolution

Dissolution shall require a unanimous decision by the committee. In the event of dissolution and after any debts and liabilities have been settled, any funds in Bike Worcester’s account shall be divided equally between active projects associated with Bike Worcester. If there are none, they shall be donated to Sustrans with the request that as far as possible the donated funds support cycling in Worcester.