Work continues on fast-tracking registration with the Charities Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. All sorts of apparently insignificant details have to be sorted, even down to getting a key to the jetty, an address for the jetty and a bank account. One of the cornerstones of the current activity is the writing of a Constitution specific to our unique needs.
Thames Maritime Heritage will not be meddling in the private affairs of any specific boat or its principals. The boats and their respective organisations come to the jetty as 'tenants' but the organisations themselves contribute centrally to the management of this charity, initially by providing 'trustees' to form the board of management. Swiftstone is first among equals here, followed by Massey Shaw and Portwey.Kenya Jacaranda is pencilled next provide they get organised and want to be part.
Thames Maritime Heritage may enable facilities and even major funding for individual but will do so only as an honest broker.
"MVSGreenwich" currently represented by Chris Brown, Eric Woodhouse, Danny Creedon and Shaun Wall will provide hands-on management of the project unless or until a better option presents itself.
Schedule 7 — Charitable incorporated organisations
Part 1 — New Part 8A of and Schedule 5B to 1993 Act
( 69B Constitution)
DEFINITIONS:
Board of Management: The management committee of the Charity through which all strategic decisions relating to the objects emanate.
Thames Maritime Heritage: the banner under which members engage in practice and by which their activities are known and recognised.
Corporate Member: an integral part of the Charity, defined in the Constitution and regulated at between four and six in number.
Ordinary Member: defined in the Constitution
Trustee: a member of the Board of Management, nominated by an appropriate corporate member and appointed by assent.
The primary function of trustees individually and collectively is to ensure that the Charity is run
in accordance with the provisions and requirements of the Charities Acts of 1993 and 2006
The Public: for purposes of this Constitution, any person who is not a de facto member of the Charity.
The Steel Jetty" The name of the facility provide by English Partnerships and the raison d'etre for the existance of the Charity
"The River" The name by which all watermen and knowledgeable waterside residents know The Thames.
(1) A CIO’s constitution shall state—
(a) The name of the charity shall be "Greenwich Peninsula Historic Ship's Harbour Trust" and its activities may be carried out as "Thames Maritime Heritage" .
(ba) The primary object of the trust shall be to maintain and manage the Steel Jetty so as to ensure the usefulness and useability of boats from the Historic Ship's Register and worthy vessels of such definition and to to so primarily at the "Steel Jetty" such that these boats continue to operate usefully in the service of the public rather than being allowed to rot away in some back-water. The trustees will report publicly and monthly as to the ongoing progress of this object. Steps shall be taken to ensure that the public, subject to conditions imposed by e.g. Health & Safety considerations, have access to the facility to be entertained and educated.
(bb) The secondary object of the trust shall be to permit people with existing marine skills to train a new generation of shipwrights and marine craftsmen in refitting, refurbishing and/or maintaining such craft so that old skills are not lost to future generations and to extend such transfer of knowledge to all matters marine. This may include working with apprentice schemes, colleges, councils, government departments, business interests, teachers and anything it takes to ensure that skills are passed on and received. The trustees will report publicly and monthly as to the ongoing progress of this object and steps shall be taken that the public, subject to such conditions as may be imposed e.g. by Health and safety considerations, have access to the facility to be entertained and educated.
(bc) The final object of the trust is to develop the the Steel Jetty to optimise participation in the previous objects and entertain and educate the public in the activities at the site. Within this object is inferred the preservation of the fabric and appearance of the jetty and it's development to meet all the objects of the trust. Within this object is the understanding that the active participation of the public in the activities is not only acceptable but is actively encouraged.
(bd) There shall be no other objects permitted under this constitution and if at any time it appears that this constitution is unsuited to new or different needs or becomes incapable of implementation the Greenwich Peninsula Historic Ship's Harbour Trust shall cease to function as a CIO.
(c) The charity shall maintain administrative offices and such workshops and buildings and equipment as is necessary to realise the objects outlined in (b) at No.1, Olympian Way, East Parkside, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 1TM. (This address while not fictitious is not yet (09/03/28) usable as the postcode is still in the making.)