The Bristol Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Forum is a Registered Charity that campaigns on behalf of its members, as well as of the LGBT Communities of Bristol and surrounding region.
All Charities are accountable to the Charity Commission, that registers and regulates Charities in England and Wales.
The Management Committee (MC) is the body that represents the Forum in an official capacity, much as a board of directors in a company. The members of the MC are drawn from that membership and elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), held once a year.
They are called Trustees, because they are entrusted with the management of the Forum and responsible in law in the same way that a board of Directors, in a Company.
Under the terms of our Constitution, only full members of the Forum can stand for election as a Trustee; they must have been members for at least 21, have no criminal convictions or undischarged Bankruptcies and must at no point have been disqualified from holding office as a company director.
To stand for election an eligible member must fill in an application form 28 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting so that their candidacy can be included in the paperwork that is sent to the membership, 28 days ahead of the AGM. At the meeting a vote will be held and the candidates must obtain a majority of 67% or more to be elected.
At the first MC meeting following the AGM Trustees will elect the Charity’s Officers:
- two Co-chairs
- two vice Co-chairs
- a Treasurer
Forum members can join the MC during the course of the year by applying in writing and will be invited to the following MC meeting, when Trustees will vote on their election as Co-optees. Co-optees can vote and count towards a quorum, the only difference is that, while Trustees can stand for up to 24 months without needing to stand again, Co-optees must be duly elected as Trustees, at the first possible AGM after they join the MC.