Trust Deed of VEGANZ:
The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust

1. The name of the society shall be VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust.

2. For the purposes of the society the definition of “vegan” shall be as follows:
   
   A Vegan is a person who knowingly chooses not to consume, use or wear any products produced from animals or which contain animal by-products; and avoids products that have been tested on animals or involves cruelty or abuse of animals in their research or production stages.
   Veganism stands for respect and compassion for all animals (including the human animal) and the environment.

3. VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust:

   RECOGNISES He Wakaputanga o Te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni 1835 (the Declaration of Independence 1835);

   ACCEPTS Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand;

   RECOGNISES Maori as Tangata Whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand; and COMMITS to the following Aims and Objectives:

   The aims and objectives of the society are as follows:

   3.1 To offer support and information to people interested in veganism in order to assist vegans and others to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

   3.2 To promote and increase awareness of veganism as a compassionate, healthy and environmentally beneficial lifestyle choice.

   3.3 To raise awareness of the cruelty and exploitation involved with the production of animal based products and that it is unnecessary to inflict suffering and death on animals in order to lead a healthy and happy life.

   3.4 To research information relevant to a vegan lifestyle and where appropriate to publish this information.

   3.5 To lobby for manufacturers to use non-animal based materials in their products.

   3.6 To support ethical alternatives to animal based and / or environmentally harmful research and production and where appropriate to lobby governmental and non-governmental bodies to change such practices.

   3.7 Promote respect and compassion towards all animals and the environment by appropriate means.

   3.8 To develop and maintain positive relationships with organisations with similar aims and objectives, and to offer such organisations support where appropriate.

4. A person may become a member of the society by:

   4.1 Sending a written application to the administrator of the society that includes payment of a membership fee. The Trust Board will then consider the application and decide whether to accept or deny the applicant membership.

   4.2 Upon unanimous decision of members present at an AGM, honorary membership may be conferred upon any person.

5. A person shall cease to be a member of the society by the following methods:

   5.1 The secretary receiving a written request by the member to resign from the society.

   5.2 If the member fails to pay their subscription to the society within 90 days of said subscription being due.

   5.3 If the member is expelled from the society. The procedure for suspension or expulsion is as follows:

7. 5.3.1 The committee may either call a Special General Meeting or raise the expulsion at an Annual General Meeting.

   5.3.2 Once notification has been given to the member of a meeting to discuss their possible expulsion from the society, their membership rights and privileges are automatically suspended until the outcome of the meeting has been decided.

   5.3.3 The member to be expelled shall be invited to attend this meeting or to submit written grounds to refute the expulsion.

   5.3.4 At the meeting all interested parties are given an opportunity to speak, and the member/s to be expelled shall be given an opportunity to defend themselves.

   5.3.5 Members present at the meeting shall vote on whether to expel the member or not.

   5.3.6 The member shall be informed in writing of the decision of the meeting.

6. Alteration, addition or rescinding of any aspect of this Charter may only be made at an Annual General Meeting and must have the approval of 97% of members attending the meeting.

7. Rules regarding meetings:

   7.1 Annual General Meetings
   

   An Annual General Meeting must be held once per calendar year, and may not be within 8 months of a previous Annual General Meeting.

   7.2 Special General Meetings
   

   A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the Trust Board or by at least 5 members petitioning the committee in writing for a Special General Meeting to be held.

   7.3 Summoning
   

   7.3.1 Members must be given at least 6 weeks notice of an Annual General Meeting, or 4 weeks of a Special General meeting.

   7.3.2 Notification must be given by a notice in the internal publication of the society or by postal notice to each member. Additional advertising of the meeting may also occur at the discretion of the Trust Board.

   7.4 Quorum
   

   At least 5 members must attend an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting in order for the meeting to proceed to lawfully conduct business.

   7.5 Notices of Motion
   

   Members may bring issues before a meeting by the following methods:

   • 7.5.1 Writing to the administrator of the society regarding the issue. The administrator must receive a written request at least 5 days prior to a meeting. An email may be regarded as a written request.

     7.5.2 Attending a meeting and requesting an issue is placed on the agenda. The Trust Board reserves the right to defer such requests until a later time if it is felt that the issue requires additional information or notification, or it is not appropriate to discuss the particular issue at that time.

   7.6 Method of Voting
   

   Members may vote at a meeting by either a show of hands or a secret ballot, to be decided by members at the meeting.

8.The Trust Board shall be comprised of the officeholder positions, the editor of the internal magazine of the society and any other persons voted onto the Trust Board by unanimous decision at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting. The Trust Board must be comprised of no fewer than 3 persons and no more than 7 persons. 8.1 Regional Groups and Regional Coordinators: 8.1.1The Trustb Board may appoint Regional Coordinators to represent the Society at a local or regional level. Upon the appointment of a Regional Coordinator, a Regional Group may be said to exist and may refer to themselves as a branch of Veganz: the Vegan Society of New Zealand. 8.1.2 Financial members may approach the Trust Board in writing asking to be appointed Regional Coordinator of a Regional Group. 8.1.3Appointment of Regional Coordinators shall be made by unanimous agreement of the Trust Board at any meeting or by written agreement from all trust Board members. 8.1.4The Trust Board will determine the geographical area covered by each Regional Group and may change the boundaries of each group dependent upon applications for Regional Group formation, population size, and any other relevant information. 8.1.5 Regional Coordinators and Regional Groups may act on behalf of the society so long as: • They abide by the Charter of Veganz: the Vegan Society of New Zealand • The Trust Board is kept informed of the activities of the Regional Coordinator and the Regional group. • Neither the Regional Coordinator nor the Regional group make public or media statements or produce material for publication in the name of the society, without the prior approval of the Committee. 8.1.6 Regional Coordinators and regional groups may organise collectively as they see fit and may enjoy autonomy of action within the conditions stipulated above. 9.Appointment of Officers The following officeholder positions are available within the society: Co-ordinator – ensures that the aims and objectives of the society are carried out to the best of the society’s ability. Additionally is co-signatory to the accounts and becomes a Trust Board member. Administrator – controls the finances of the society and maintains member correspondence. Additionally is co-signatory to the accounts and becomes a Trust Board member. Magazine Editor – oversees the production and timely release of the Society’s internal magazine. Additionally becomes a Trust Board member. Trust Board Representatives – individuals may become Trust Board Representatives only by unanimous decision at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting. Decision making by the Trust Board shall be by consensus. 9.1 Any member may become an officer of the society by the following process: 9.1.1 They nominate themselves or are nominated by another member in writing to the administrator of the Society or verbally at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting and…. 9.1.2 They are elected to the position by a majority vote at an Annual General meeting or Special General meeting 9.1.3 Election of officers may only occur at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting. If a position becomes available part way through the year due to illness, resignation or other instance, the Trust Board may appoint an interim officer to hold the position until the next Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting. 9.1.4 “None of the Above” as a candidate in elections: In any election where a simple majority of votes is required for victory, a candidate named “none of the above” shall be placed on the ballot paper and also in the verbal process for every position where at least one candidate stands. If this entry wins the most votes in any election, that election for that position is closed and a new election must be called for that position within 60 days. 9.2 A person may not become an officer of the society if: 9.2.1 They are under a suspension notice or have been expelled by the society. 9.2.2 They are not a practicing vegan or actively attempting to become a practicing vegan. 9.2.3 The member has been convicted of fraud within the last 7 years or been declared bankrupt within the last 2 years 10.The Common Seal of the Society shall be in the custody of either the Administrator or the Co-ordinator, and may only be used for official business of the Society. The Administrator and the Co-ordinator must agree on the use of the Seal before it may be used. 11.Control and Investment of the Societies funds. 11.1 The Administrator is responsible for the control of the Society’s funds including receipting and banking, and receiving and writing cheques. 11.2 The Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring the Society’s funds are not mis-used. 11.3 Both the Administrator and the Co-ordinator are responsible to the members in any instance of mis-appropriation of funds. 11.4 Both the Administrator and the Co-ordinator must be signatories on the accounts of the Society, and both signatures must be required before funds may be withdrawn by the Society. 12.Winding up of the Society and the disposition of its property. 12.1 A resolution in favor of winding up the Society must be passed by unanimous decision at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. 12.1 This resolution must be confirmed at a subsequent meeting held not earlier than thirty (30) days after the date on which the resolution so to be confirmed was passed. 12.2 The Administrator must then ensure that all costs, debts and liabilities have been paid by the Society. 12.3 Any properties, cash or assets that may exist after the satisfaction of 12.2 above must be given to an organisation with similar aims and objectives to the Society. 12.4 The decision as to which organisation is beneficiary to the Society’s assets shall be determined by a majority vote at the final meeting where the resolution to wind up the Society is confirmed. Amended and Ratified 03 October 2004 at the Annual General Meeting of the Vegan Society held at the Grey Lynn Community Centre. I, Sandra Joanne Murray, Co-ordinator and Trustee of the above Society, declare this to be a true and correct copy of the Trust Deed of VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand. Signed this 14 day of December 2004