AYRS’ Constitution
Legally, the AYRS is a UK company limited by guarantee – which means that in the event of it being bankrupted the members have a limited liability of GBP 1.00. It has two governing documents (like most UK companies)
- A Memorandum of Association – which sets out the objectives of the organisation; and
- Articles of Association – which set out the rules by which the Society is run
These can be amended by a two-thirds majority vote at a General Meeting. They were last amended in 2020 to allow:
a) To shorten the period of notice required for AGM business to 31 days before the AGM date.
b) To permit the Committee to meet by video conferencing etc and to be quorate while so doing.
c) To permit the Society to give notice of general meetings by email and by posting business on the website instead of in the magazine or in letters.
The AYRS is a UK registered Educational Charity, No 234081, with a formal objective of promoting the study of yacht science.
Who runs AYRS ?
Technically, AYRS is managed by a Board of Trustees, who we call the Officers and Committee. Our Constitution allows for a President & Vice-Presidents, five Officers and up to 12 ordinary Committee members. The Committee is empowered to co-opt extra advisers as it feels necessary.
The Officers serve for a two-year term, which is renewable, and are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting (two one year, and the rest the next). The ordinary Committee Members are similarly elected at the AGM, and can serve for up to three years. The longest-serving third stand down each year and are eligible for re-election if they so wish.
AYRS Vice-Presidents
Dave Culp, – California, USA
R Michael Ellison – Torpoint UK
Officers
as at January 2024
Chairman – John Perry
S Devon, UK. Email: chairman@ayrs.org
Vice-Chairman – Jasper Graham-Jones
Email: office@ayrs.org
Honorary Treasurer & Membership Secretary – Mark Hillmann
E-mail: treasurer@ayrs.org
Honorary Secretary, – Vacant pending 2023 AGM
E-mail: office@ayrs.org
Honorary Editor – Vacant pending 2023 AGM
E-mail: editor@ayrs.org
Ordinary Committee Members, of whom there may be 12.
- Neils Dakin – Hampshire, UK
- Kim Fisher – Suffolk, UK
- Andrew Ford – Middlesex, UK
- Tim Glover – London, UK.
- Robert Biegler – Trondheim, Norway
- Chris Gould – Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
- Marcus Lee – Surrey, UK
- Mark Salvage – Gloucestershire, UK.
- Graeme Ward – Surrey, UK.
Nominations for new Officers and Committee Members need to be in the hands of the Secretary one month before the AGM (which is usually held in January, in or close to London, UK).
Regional Organisers
AYRS also has a number of volunteers who organise meetings for local groups of the Society. Details of these meetings will be found in the Events List
South-West UK – John Perry – S. Devon, UK. Tel: 01752 863730; Email: j_perry @ btinternet.com
North-West UK – Colin McCowen – Merseyside, UK. Email: nwuklocalgroup@ayrs.org
East Anglia – Kim Fisher – Ipswich, UK. Tel: 01473 625024; email: kim.fisher @ btinternet.com