Organising a flower club
Organising a new Flower Club is a responsible undertaking. It is essential to make sure that there is local need for a Club and that there are enough potential members to guarantee that it will be financially viable.
It is recommended that a representative of the relevant Area of NAFAS be contacted at this stage who will be able to provide informed advice which will prove invaluable.
For information contact:
NAFAS Headquarters on 020 7247 5567 or via email at flowers@nafas.org.uk
Advantages of Affiliation
It is strongly advised that the new Club should affiliate to the Area Association and thereby to NAFAS, the advantages of which are many.
- Access to essential publications:
- The National List of Judges, Demonstrators, Speakers and Teachers
- The Area List of Judges, Demonstrators, Speakers and Teachers
- The Flower Arranger (the quarterly journal of NAFAS)
- Competitions Manual
- A wide range of instruction leaflets
- Several books on specialist subjects including the NAFAS Course
- Application forms for booking demonstrators, judges and speakers
- Access to NAFAS Enterprises Ltd, the trading subsidiary of NAFAS, which sells high quality stationary and gift items specially produced for the Association
- A mail order book service.
- The Area Association organises day schools, demonstrators', judges' and speakers' courses and tests, exhibitions and competitions, social events and regular meetings of Club representatives which encourage an inter-change of ideas.
- The Councils of all Area Associations are composed of representatives from their affiliated Clubs, where views on policies which affect them can be discussed.
- NAFAS organises annually a National Show open to the public and a residential Assembly for its affiliates. Study courses, social occasions and a Travel Club are open to members. Good communications are of prime concern and the National Office keeps the Areas in touch by circulating notices and information. NAFAS is a member of the World Association of Flower Arrangers and participates in international events.
- NAFAS recommends that all Clubs are insured through a reputable insurance company. Full details are available from Area Treasurers.
THE CONSTITUTION
At the first full Committee meeting after the formation of the Club one of the main duties should be to draw up a constitution. This is necessary to regulate the conduct of the Club and to provide for all eventualities. The following points should be considered for inclusion in the rules:
- Name of Club
- Objectives
- Procedure for membership
- Management and Policies:
- Size of the Committee
- Election of officers
- Terms and period of service for Chairman, other officers and Committee members
- Other appointments and sub Committees
- Financial year
- General meeting (i.e. when they will be held each year and the period of notice)
- Appointment of President, Vice President and/or Honorary Members (if this is agreed)
- Committee responsibilities: Powers to co-opt Right to act on behalf of the Club Right to approve financial commitments
- 5 Finance:
- Subscription and visitors fees
- Treasurer's responsibilities
- Bank account and signing of cheques
- Auditing of accounts
- Disposal of assets in the event of the Club ceasing to function
Notes: Other clauses may be considered for inclusion as local circumstances dictate.
A copy of the Constitution should be given to each member on joining.
The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies does not undertake to issue a standard form of constitution.
THE INAUGURAL MEETING
Before the Meeting
1 Book a hall and ascertain whether there are any regulations governing its hire in particular Health & Safety.
2 Ask an experienced person to take the chair at this meeting. An Area representative is usually willing to do this if invited and would also speak on NAFAS.
3 Invite all the people known to be interested.
4 Arrange for a short flower arranging demonstration by a NAFAS qualified demonstrator. This is always a great attraction.
5 Draw up a careful agenda; this is most important.
6 Give some preliminary thought to dates, times, venue, membership subscriptions and the title of the Club.
7 Arrange for a temporary secretary to record the proceedings and for a temporary treasurer to take subscriptions.
8 Make provisional arrangements at a bank for an account to be opened.
At the Meeting
The main purpose of the meeting is to form the Club and appoint a caretaker committee to run it until the first general meeting.
Appoint a Committee
It is important that Committee members should be prepared to work hard, although at this stage they have only caretaker status.
Appoint the Chairman of the Club and other Officers
A Chairman may be elected at the Inaugural Meeting, or if so agreed, at the first Committee meeting, when Committee members may elect one of their number to the Chair. It is also preferable that the Secretary and Treasurer be elected then, rather than at the Inaugural Meeting.
THE FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING
The first Committee meeting of the Club should take place as soon as possible after the Inaugural Meeting. An agenda of the business of the meeting should be drawn up in advance and sent to all members of the Committee. The agenda should cover the following:
- Any items shown on the suggested agenda for the inaugural meeting and not dealt with at that meeting
- Constitution (The regulations governing the conduct of the Club)
- Election of Chairman
- Election of Vice Chairman
- Election of Secretary
- Election of Treasurer
- Programme (A Programme Secretary may be appointed for this purpose)
- Appointment of Auditor
- Correspondence
- Any other business
- Date, time and place of the next meeting
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
This meeting must be held every year in the life of a Club. Many Clubs arrange a social attraction along with their General Meeting and find this guarantees a good attendance.
Suggestions for a notice and an agenda are set out below:
A Suggested Notice (Heading and date of issue)
1 Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the …. Flower Club be held at ….. (venue) on …(date) at …. (time) to elect the Officers and Committee and to pass the accounts.
2 Elections – insert here the details conforming with the Club's Constitution. Nominations for …… giving names and addresses, should be in writing and sent to the Secretary not later than……
The consent of the nominees must be obtained before submitting their names
3 Any Committee member wishing to resign, or not seeking re-election, should inform the Secretary in writing.
4 If a Club member wishes to raise any matter, other than the business of the meeting, due notice must be given in writing to the Secretary.
Note: The notice and agenda for this meeting should go out at least one month before the actual date of the meeting or at a period of notice laid down in the constitution.
Suggested Agenda Name of Club, date, time and venue to be given
- Apologies for absence
- Confirmation of the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on…
This item will not, of course, appear on the first AGM agenda - Matters arising
- Chairman's report
- Secretary's report
- Treasurer's report and presentation and adoption of audited accounts
- Appointment of Auditor
- Programme Secretary's report
- Resignations
- Election of:
- Officers
- Main committee
- Show committee
- Constitution - ratification of anyamendment
- Any other business
COMPILING A PROGRAMME
Having set up the administration of the Club at their first meeting the Committee must consider a programme usually delegating bookings to a Programme Secretary. It is advisable to keep meetings to a fixed day of the month.
It is important that the Club programme is drawn up one or two years in advance as many Demonstrators and Speakers are fully booked well ahead.
Demonstrations and Talks
The NAFAS Blue Form (obtainable from the Area Association) should always be used when bookings are made but most Programme Secretaries save time and unnecessary formalities by making an initial enquiry.
The cost of flowers cannot be forecast a year or more in advance, so the maximum allowance is often finally agreed just before the meeting. The other terms are binding and should be regarded as such by both parties. If the person being booked is VAT registered this should be made clear on the Blue Form. Two or three weeks before a meeting a reminder should be sent with a map showing the location of the hall and a telephone number for emergency use. All correspondence should be filed for reference.
Classes, Competitions and Exhibitions
Occasional practice classes at which members create exhibits, usually to a theme, can be introduced.
Having gained experience many members will enjoy entering a monthly competition, with a simple schedule and staging. Eventually, advanced and novice classes may become necessary. Most Demonstrators will judge and make helpful comments, but should be asked in advance. Small prizes may be awarded at the time or there could be a points system totalled at year end. A Committee member should supervise and keep records.
A Workshop covering a particular aspect of flower Arrangement may be organised with a suitably qualified tutor.
Consideration may be given to staging a competitive show or exhibition during the Club's first year. Such events even on a modest scale will create public interest and attract new members. The Area Association will be pleased to give helpful advice.
If appropriate any dates of classes, competitions and exhibitions should be included in the Club programme.
Printed Programme
When the programme has been finalised the details must be carefully checked before being collated for printing, and the names and telephone numbers of Club Officers added. The year's main National and Area events should also appear. A printed programme is given to each member on joining for the coming season and it can also serve as a membership card.
RUNNING THE MONTHLY MEETING
The business of the Club is conducted at Committee or general meetings and should be confined to those occasions, the main purpose of the regular members monthly meetings being the demonstration, talk or workshop.
Looking after the Demonstrator / Speaker / Teacher
The general custom is to appoint a Committee member to assist the Demonstrator / Speaker / Teacher.
The duties include:
- Setting the stage
- Providing suitable tabling to display the finished exhibits
- Reserving a car space near the entrance for ease of unloading and loading
- Helping to carry flower boxes and equipment into the hall
- Serving light refreshments on arrival and any further hospitality previously agreed on the Blue Form
- Checking cloakroom facilities and showing their location
- Organising help to re-load the car after the demonstration
- Confirming that the Treasurer has settled the Demonstrators / Speakers / Teachers account.
Where an adjustable spot light or microphone are being used they must be checked before the meeting.
Structure of Meeting
After an appropriate welcome the Chairman should give out any necessary notices so that members are kept informed on Club, Area and National activities and will gain full benefit from their affiliation fee.
In introducing the Demonstrator, Speaker or Teacher it is courteous for the Chairman to include relevant facts and qualifications.
By prior Arrangement a member is usually called upon to give the vote of thanks at the conclusion.
Publications/Trading
The appointed Committee member should have a display table at each meeting with essential publications, in particular The Flower Arranger (the quarterly journal of NAFAS), the order and distribution of which is their responsibility. Usually the same person sells the high quality gift items available from NAFAS Enterprises Ltd the trading subsidiary to NAFAS.
Library
This useful amenity can be launched by asking members to donate books and videos no longer needed. Further acquisitions could be made in due course.
Sales Table
A Club sales table is a popular and profitable feature, benefiting members and augmenting funds. Main reade is through specialist firms supplying a wide variety of flower Arrangement sundries. Prioces should be kept reasonable and fair.
