Constitution

1. Name

Sherwood Community Food Gardens

(formerly Transition Sherwood)

2. Aims

To promote the health and environmental benefits of sustainable, locally grown, organic food within the Sherwood community using local green spaces

· Promoting the health and environmental benefits of locally grown organic food.

· Increasing awareness of the effects of climate change

· Supporting local people to learn about gardening and growing

· Improving unused community green spaces

· Incorporating natural habitats in our gardens for wildlife benefits

· Provide opportunities for all those within the local community to be involved in gardening either as plot holders or volunteers.

3 Objectives

· To organize regular open working parties to help maintain the gardens.

· To organize events and workshops to promote sustainable food growing, share skills and bring communities together

· To provide a friendly, open and supportive environment

· To encourage the use of permaculture principles in the gardens

· To establish links with other local groups with similar aims, for mutual benefit. E.g. Sherwood Open Gardens, Nottingham Growing Network. Notts Wildlife Trust, Sharing Sherwood, Nottingham Open Spaces Forum

· Actively encourage involvement of people from diverse ethnic origins, and all ages and abilities.

· Provide opportunities for volunteers to learn gardening skills and help to maintain the gardens

· To share produce from communal areas with volunteers, Friends and other community food schemes

· Maintain good relationships and partnerships with Sherwood Community Centre, Nottingham City Homes and Nottingham City Council in the running of each site

3. Membership

Membership is open to residents in the Sherwood area who are plot holders, volunteers or registered Friends.

(It is free for volunteers and the is a small annual charge for plots at the gardens)

A list of all members will be kept by the committee.

Members may resign at any time by contacting the committee.

It shall be a condition of membership that members conduct themselves in a reasonable manner at meetings, events, activities, facilities, on social media or other gatherings of the association or when representing the organisation at outside meetings or events.

Any member may be suspended from membership for breach of this condition or for any conduct which is detrimental to achieving the aims of the association. The suspension shall be decided upon by members at a general meeting by a majority vote.

4. Equal Opportunities

Sherwood Community Food Gardens will not discriminate on the grounds of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Any member contravening the Equal Opportunities Policy may be asked to resign.

5. Officers and committee

The business of the group will be carried out by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year.

The Committee will normally consist of at least 6 members and be composed of 3 officers and 3 committee members at least 1 from each garden site. Maximum term is normally 3 years

Officers roles can be job shared as required

· Chair, who shall chair both general and committee meetings

· Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and communication with members

· Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts

Committee members may take on specific roles as required either temporarily, full term, shared or individually, such as social media, representing SCFG at external meetings, meeting prospective plot holders, organizing working parties, supervising volunteers.

In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement maybe co-opted until elections at the next AGM.

The Committee meetings will be open to all members

who are welcome to join in discussions but would not have voting rights.

6. Meetings

Annual General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM.

All members will be notified at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time.

Nominations for the committee may be made to the Secretary before the meeting.

The quorum for the AGM will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.

At the AGM:

The Chair will present a report of the year’s work.

The Treasurer will present the accounts for the previous year.

The officers and Committee for the next year will be elected.

Any proposals given to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.

Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least eight other members giving a written request to the Chair or

Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda,

The quorum for the Special General Meeting will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.

Committee Meetings

Committee meetings may be called by the Chair or Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least 7 days before the meeting.

The quorum for Committee meetings is three Committee members.

Rules of Procedure for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement. If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by

a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote. Minutes of meetings will be distributed to all members

7. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a bank agreed by the committee. Decisions concerning expenditure to be taken at Committee meetings. Three cheque signatories will be nominated by the Committee (one to be

the Treasurer). The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

All payments will be signed by two of the signatories.

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.

All money raised by or on behalf of SCFG is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

The group will consider the ethical and environmental record of the organisations that it trades with or applies to for funding

8. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing.

The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

10. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to disband the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.

If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation.

The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

This constitution was agreed at the meeting

on:-

Date ………/…………/…………….

Name and position in group ………………………………………….

Signed ………………………………………….

Name and position in group ………………………………………….

Signed …………………………………

Children and Vulnerable Adults Protection Policy

Sherwood Community Food Gardens (SFCG)

CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS PROTECTION POLICY

Guidelines to Members 2021

Introduction

SCFG is committed to doing all that is possible to ensure the safety of all members, volunteers, and members of the public engaged in activities.

All or members are required to consider and action the following document relating to the protection of children and vulnerable adults.

SCFG want children and vulnerable adults to enjoy their involvement with us, we expect the behaviour of everyone who works with us to be above reproach.

While primarily intended to safeguard children and similarly vulnerable people*, our child welfare policy is also meant to protect members, volunteers and others working with us.

We cannot cover every possible eventuality in these guidelines but hope to cover most situations that you are likely to encounter.

*For the purpose of this policy and guidelines, the term child means any child or young person under the age of 18 and is inclusive of those volunteers and /or staff under the age of 18 as defined in the Children (NI) Order 1995. Vulnerable adults are people in need of Community Care Services because of mental disability or other disability, age or illness, and who are unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

We endeavour to ensure that children and vulnerable adults are protected from harm while they participate in our activities. We will do this by:

1. Making sure all members are aware of issues of child protection.

2. Taking all reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of any child or vulnerable adult in contact with SCFG.

3. Not physically, emotionally or sexually abusing any child or vulnerable adult in contact with SCFG.

4. Taking any reasonable steps to prevent any SCFG members, persons working with us or member of the public from putting any child or vulnerable adult in a situation in which there is an unreasonable risk to their health and safety.

5. Taking all reasonable steps to prevent any SCFG members, persons working with us or member of the public from physically, emotionally or sexually abusing any child or vulnerable adult.

6. Reporting to a Designated Officer any evidence or reasonable suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult has been physically, emotionally or sexually abused in contact with SCFG.

7. Implementing this policy in conjunction with our Health and Safety guidelines.

DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE

Neglect:

• The actual or likely persistent or significant neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, or the failure to protect a child or vulnerable adult from exposure to any kind of danger, including cold or starvation, or persistent failure to carry out important aspects of care, resulting in the significant impairment of the child's or vulnerable adult‘s health or development, including non-organic failure to thrive.

Physical injury:

• Actual or likely deliberate physical injury to a child or vulnerable adult, or wilful neglectful failure to prevent physical injury or suffering to a child or vulnerable adult.

Sexual abuse:

• Actual or likely sexual exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult. The involvement of children and adolescents in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent or that violate the social taboos of family roles.*

Emotional abuse:

• Actual or likely persistent or significant emotional ill treatment or rejection resulting in severe adverse effects on the emotional, physical and/or behavioural development of a child or vulnerable adult. All abuse involves some emotional ill treatment.

* Sexual activity involving a child who has achieved sufficient understanding and intelligence to be capable of making up his or her own mind on the matter, while illegal, may not necessarily constitute sexual abuse as defined for the purposes of this guide. One example, which could fall into this category, is sexual relationship between a 16-year-old girl and her 18-year-old boyfriend. The decision to initiate child protection action in such cases is a matter for professional judgement and each case should be considered individually. The police will of course, deal with the criminal aspects of the case.

CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS SAFETY AND WELFARE GUIDELINES

These guidelines apply to:

• Any situation involving children and young people up to age 18, whether or not accompanied by adults. SCFG also recognise that vulnerable people of any age will benefit from similar safeguards. Whenever the guidelines refer to children, this broader meaning applies.

GENERAL DUTIES OF ALL SCFG MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS

• To take all reasonable steps to protect children from hazards;

• To take appropriate action if an accident occurs;

• To strictly observe the code of behaviour given here;

• To take all reasonable steps to prevent abuse of children in contact with the group

• To report any incident or suspicion of abuse.

ADMISSION POLICY

Children are welcome at SCFG activities. Where unaccompanied children are concerned, SCFG members need to exercise discretion, where practicable contact details, for unaccompanied children, should be obtained at the point of entry in case of accident. The main factors to consider are:

• The nature of the site;

• Age and understanding. It would be unwise for instance, to let a young child roam unsupervised on a site with lots of water features, tempting heights or hiding places.

CODE OF BEHAVIOUR for all SCFG members.

You should always:

• Uphold the spirit and specific provisions of the Statement of Policy and these Guidelines.

• Do your best to behave in an open and friendly manner

• Avoid situations in which you are alone with children or similarly vulnerable people. If necessary, move to a place where you can both be seen by other colleagues or other adults.

• If a child is hurt or distressed, do your best to comfort or reassure them without compromising their dignity or doing anything to discredit your own behaviour.

• Try to avoid any physical contact or behaviour that could be unwelcome or misconstrued. Physical touch should only be in response to a child’s need and should respect their age and individual stage of development.

• Where you must rely on your own judgement, always treat the child’s welfare as paramount.

You have a strict duty never to subject any child to any form of harm or abuse. Failure to honour this will be treated as gross misconduct. This means that it is unacceptable for example:

• To distress a child by shouting at them or calling them derogatory names;

• To slap a child;

• To hold a child in such a way that it causes pain, or to shake them;

• To physically restrain a child except to protect them from harming themselves or others;

• To take part in horseplay or rough games;

• To allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any kind;

• To do things of a personal nature for children that they can do for themselves or an accompanying adult can do for them; this includes going to the toilet with a child unless another adult is present;

• To allow or engage in sexually suggestive behaviour within a child’s sight or hearing, or make suggestive remarks to or within earshot of a child;

• To give or show to a child anything which could be construed as pornographic;

• To seek or agree to meet children anywhere beyond normal visitor areas or off the SCFG site without the full prior knowledge and agreement of their parents or guardians.

If you witness or suspect abusive behaviour towards a child, contact the Designated Officer who will be able to provide you with the necessary advice.

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

(NSPCC) 24 HRS Protection Helpline 0808 800 5000

Nottingham City Council Children’s social care services 0115 915 5500

Notttingham City Council Adult social care services 0300 300 3333

Nottingham City Council Emergency Duty Team 0115 876 5600

Equal Opportunities Policy

Sherwood Community Food Gardens (SCFG) Equal Opportunities Policy

We fully accept and welcome that society consists of many diverse groups and individuals and this diversity is an asset to the community, we also recognise that certain groups and individuals are discriminated against and we are opposed to this. We recognise that we have a moral and legal responsibility to promote equal opportunities and we will pursue equality in all our work.

This document has been prepared to set out SCFG’s commitment and as a statement of its intent. The Policy will be reviewed annually to ensure effective implementation. We are committed to the development of policies to provide for equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work. We will work to ensure that all our services are provided in a way that promotes awareness of the rights and needs of people from minority groups and enables all people to access to them.

SCFG will take whatever steps are necessary including, if appropriate, use of the mechanisms laid out in the code of conduct, to enforce the Policy. In addition, anyone connected to our organisation, helper, staff member or volunteer who considers that he/she is suffering from unequal treatment on any grounds may use this policy to bring it to the committee’s attention for action.

The committee will bring to the attention of all members, staff and volunteers the provisions of the policy and will provide such training as is necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the Policy. The committee shall have responsibility for the operation of the Policy. However, all staff, volunteers and members have a duty to do everything they can to ensure that the Policy operates in practice.

Code of Conduct.

· People will be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion or age.

· People’s feelings will always be valued and respected. Language or humour that people find offensive will not be used, e.g. sexist or racist jokes or terminology that is deemed derogatory.

· No one will be harassed, abused, excluded or intimidated on the grounds of their race, sex, age, nationality, disability, religion or sexual orientation.

· Foul, insulting, abusive or racist remarks will not be tolerated from anyone associated with the organisation and behaviour of this type may lead to expulsion from the organisation.

Incidents of harassment will be taken seriously. If the matter cannot be resolved by way of an acceptable apology and an undertaking that the offence will not be repeated, the following action will be taken:

1. The person in question will be requested to attend a meeting of the full membership to explain their actions

2. In the case of a helper/volunteer, action may be taken as appropriate and if deemed necessary their involvement with the organisation may cease.

3. In a case involving a member of the organisation, membership to the organisation may be withdrawn. Any directly involved person has the right to appeal against a decision made by the committee, who will consider that appeal before a decision is made and that decision will be final.

Updated and adopted Jan 2020

Risk Assessment-Work Parties and individual gardeners

Personal safety

If possible make sure someone else knows where you are if working at the garden alone. Be aware of public access as people unknown to us may wander in. If concerned ring 101

Hand tools equipment left on ground.

Possible injuries from sharp tools.

Gloves to be worn when using tools. No open toed footwear. Long trousers advised. Tools to be stored in trugs.

Instruction on storing and using tools safely

Risk of falling in pond

(Edingley only)

Adult supervision of children required. If unaccompanied work party organiser to supervise. Consider netting and barriers

Warning signs for open days. Plan for low willow fence 2022/3.

Uneven ground

Keep paths clear at all times, warn visitors of difficult areas

Consider re constructing path at CC Garden. Strim long grass.

Stings bites scratches infections

Canes and sticks as supports

First aid kit with plasters and antiseptic. Hand washing encouraged. Encourage capping of canes and sticks with re used plastic bottles etc.

Check supplies and have to hand

Covid

See separate policy on working safely to avoid risks. Hand sanitiser and contact sheet

Extra hand sanitiser and contact sheet

Weather conditions, too cold /wet/sunny

Advise people to wear appropriate footwear, layers, waterproofs, gloves, hats, sunscreen

Provide seats in the shade on Open Days and gardening gloves

Muscle strain

Advise on correct posture, use kneeling mats etc. Demonstration of using tools and checking physical abilities

Emergency contact

Attendance sheet for phone no. At all working parties and events

Sherwood Community Food Gardens – Covid-19 Safety Measures- Work parties

General COVID-19 precautions

1. If you or family member feel ill please don’t come, even if you don’t think it’s Covid-19. Do not come if you or anyone in your household has been told to self-isolate following Track and Trace for example.

2. Wear a mask if using buses to get to the community garden. If able walk or cycle. It is not safe to share cars or give lifts other than within a household or ‘bubble’.

3. Sanitise hands at start of the session; after using the toilet when becomes available; before a break and before leaving the site. Will have sanitizer gel bottle/s available.

4. Avoid touching your face even if wearing gloves – gel your hands if you can’t avoid it.

5. Only bring essentials and keep money, phone, water etc., with you.

6. No public toilet is available at present at the Community Centre garden. This will be available on weekdays when the centre reopens – wash hands thoroughly before and after you use it, and gel hands when going in and out of the building.

7. Bring your own drink and snacks.

Organisation of work parties

1. Volunteer work party sessions will have only up to 6 people to start with, including the volunteer setting up the session. You need to reply to the email for each session arranged RSVP if planning to come to keep track of numbers.

2. Designated volunteer to run each session, unlock shed, clean surfaces, get tools ready, clean, put away, close and disinfect gate etc.

3. Records of names and contact details of the people coming to the community garden at each work party, in case of positive tests notified.

Using the Space

1. We will work at least 2m apart, and keep 2m apart while in the garden, including for breaks.

2. One person at a time in shed during volunteer sessions

3. There is no place to work undercover in rain, so you should wear suitable raincoats or miss the session if you are concerned. The session may be cancelled if really bad weather is forecast.

Tools and Equipment

1. Tools and equipment will only be used by one person on that day. You can bring your own tools to use yourself, not to be shared.

2. The hose, watering cans, additional tools, etc., must be used wearing gloves and cleaned after use.

3. Please bring your own gloves, keeping them with you at all times.