About Us

Friends of the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green

WHO WE ARE

Our Facebook page link is https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Peoples-Palace-Winter-Gardens-Glasgow-Green-100373718106010/
Our Twitter handle is @foppwggg  (also check out hashtag #SaveTWG )

We are a Friends of Parks group. Friends of Parks groups play a vital role in enhancing local parks and open spaces, and help local people have a greater say in how their green spaces are maintained and developed. We are a constituted group governed by an elected committee of 7 volunteers. Anyone is welcome to join the group as an ordinary member. Members aim to protect, improve and promote the green space known as Glasgow Green and to preserve and promote the heritage associated with the historic site for the public benefit.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to care, renew and advocate for The People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green. We aim to preserve and enhance the park and its key assets The People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green.

OUR VISION

The People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green are important havens within the city of Glasgow, open to all where people can freely enjoy iconic buildings, green space, and heritage, and gather with others. In our vision, this great outdoor space and the jewel in its crown, The People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, will forever be a park of the highest level of excellence, open to all, supported by stewardship and working in partnership with Glasgow City Council.

STRATEGIC PLAN

In 2007, the Friends was set up as a volunteer structure, under the banner Friends of Glasgow Green. In June 2018, after more than 10 years, the Friends group went into abeyance. In September 2018, former members initiated the relaunch of the Friends group and formally requested Glasgow City Council to support the process. This process took some months and during this time, the iconic People’s Palace & Winter Gardens was closed indefinitely on December 31, 2018. During this time the group became increasingly concerned about the plight of the People’s Palace & Winter Gardens and its indefinite closure. In January 2019, a motion was successfully carried to change the name of the group to Friends of The People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green. In February 2019, Elspeth King became Chair of the Friends group and a new committee was elected. Elspeth King was curator of The People’s Palace and Winter Gardens from 1974-1991.
This is a pivotal time for Glasgow Green, its key assets, and the Friends. Now is the time to lay out an ambitious vision to engage the community and city in stewardship and advocacy, to raise additional funds, and to partner with Glasgow City Council to elevate and sustain the quality of care and stewardship this iconic place so needs, and deserves. People involved with the Friends group come from all walks of life and from different communities across the city. If you want to be part of this, be a Friend, join us!
We are working on developing our Strategic Plan: Four goals are cornerstones of the plan:

  • Build a strong base of support for the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green
  • Partner with the Glasgow City Council and other stewards to achieve excellence within these 3 areas
  • Revitalize the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green so that it meets the needs of its communities now and into the future
  • Be a robust and well-run Friends organization able too meet any challenges

STEWARDSHIP

The Friends plays a vital role in the stewardship of parks. We aim to work closely with other stewards to support, provide and fund the best possible care of the irreplaceable collections of trees, sculpture, fountains, listed buildings and structures, museum & botanical collections, all held in the oldest public green space in the UK. We also act as advocates, speaking out for the protection of these assets against misuse and encroachment and educating the public about such issues.

FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE’S PALACE, WINTER GARDENS  GLASGOW GREEN CONSTITUTION 

Updated March 2020

  1. Name

The name of the association shall be Friends of the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens & Glasgow Green

2. Aim

To protect, improve and promote the green space known as Glasgow Green and to preserve and promote the heritage associated with the historic site for the public benefit.

3.  Objectives

The association will fulfil the aim by:

a.  Promoting the health and well-being of the residents of the area and by working together as residents regardless of age, ethnic origin, ability, sex, belief or political affiliation recognising the value of our many differences.

b.  Involving local people in improving the area of Glasgow Green.

c.  To raise awareness of Glasgow Green, its heritage and biodiversity.

d.  To carry out and promote both environmental improvement and practical conservation, to educate, encourage and support the local population in environmental practice by working with statutory and non-statutory agencies.

e.  To assist with the regeneration of Glasgow Green as a whole, including its heritage and biodiversity.

f.  To promote sport, community recreation and play facilities at Glasgow Green.

g.  To raise funds and receive contributions where appropriate to finance the work.

h.  To publicise and promote work.

i.  To lobby for Glasgow Green on a local, national and international level.

j.  To make rules and standing orders for categories of members and their rights.

k.  To organise meetings, training courses and events.

l.  To work with similar groups and exchange information and advice with them.

m.  To take any action that is lawful, which would help it to fulfil its aims.

n…To open bank account(s).

o.  To take out insurance where required.

4.  Membership

Membership of the Friends of the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens & Glasgow Green:

a.  shall be open to anyone (from the age of 16 years upwards) who is interested in helping the association to achieve its aim, has paid the subscription and is willing to abide by the rules of the association.

b.  Persons under the age of 16 shall be eligible for free membership but without voting rights.

c.  Every member aged 16 and over shall have one vote at general meetings.

d.  The Management Committee shall have the power to refuse membership to an applicant, where it is considered such membership would be detrimental to the aims, purposes or activities of the association.

e.   and termination of membership: Any member of the association may resign their membership at any time.  The Management Committee may terminate or suspend the membership of any member if in its opinion their conduct is prejudicial to the interests and objectives of the organisation.

f.  The secretary will maintain a register of the Membership. Subscriptions for membership shall fall annually.

g.  Any personal information will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018.

5. Management Committee

a.  Members of the Friends of Glasgow Green shall elect a Management Committee. The Committee shall comprise of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and the Treasurer and up to 5 ordinary members.

b.  A rolling Chair may be agreed if required.

c.  The Committee shall determine the role, responsibilities and duties of the Chairperson, the Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and shall provide each with such information as is reasonably necessary to enable them to execute their duties effectively. 

d.  The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, the Treasurer and ordinary members shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

e.  At the AGM the office bearers will stand down but shall be eligible for re-election. The maximum number of consecutive years any person can hold office will not exceed five years

f.  The Management Committee shall meet at least four times a year.

g.  A quorate for Management Committee Meetings will be one third of the Committee Members

h.  The Committee shall have the power to co-op up to five persons to serve on the committee until the next AGM.  Any vacancy arising in the office bearers positions may be filed by decision of the Committee until the date of the next AGM when the person(s) can put themselves forward for election.

i.  Voting at Management Committee meetings shall be by show of hands on a majority basis. If there is a tied vote then the chairperson shall have the casting vote.

j.  The Management Committee may appoint sub-groups and work parties as deemed necessary who shall be accountable to the committee.

k.  The committee shall be accountable to the members at all times.

l.  All meetings must be minuted and available to any interested party.

m.  committee members shall be given at least seven days’ notice of a meeting unless it is deemed an emergency meeting.

6.   General Public Meetings

a.  The Management Committee will call at least one general public meeting each year. The purpose of these meeting is for the committee to account for its actions and consider the regeneration and development of Glasgow Green, according to the group’s objectives.

b.  The Management Committee can convene a general public meeting at any time (not limited to one per year referenced in 6a).

c.  The Chair of the group will normally chair these meetings.

d.  At least fourteen days notice of such a meeting must be given and advertised in at least four public places.

e.  All meetings, including AGMs will be minuted and these minutes will be made available to any interested party.

f.  The quorum for a General Public Meeting is six.

7.  Annual General Meeting

a.  The Friends of Glasgow Green shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at not more than 15 month intervals.

b.  Where possible members will be notified personally, otherwise notice will be deemed served by advertising the meetings in at least four public places giving at least fourteen days’ notice of the AGM.

c.  The business of the AGM will include:

       –  Receiving a report from the Chairperson of the association’s activities over the previous year.

       –  Receiving a report and presentation of the last financial year’s accounts from the Treasurer on the finances of the association.

     –   Electing a new Management Committee and considering any other matter as may be appropriate at such a meeting.

d.  The quorum for Annual General Meeting will be six.

8.  Finance

 a.  Any money obtained by the group will be used only for the aims of the association.

b.  Any bank accounts opened for the group will be in the name of the group.

c.  Any cheque issued shall be signed by at least two of any three nominated signatories.

d.  The Management Committee will ensure that the association stays within the budget.

e.  The accounts will be audited at least once a year by the auditor or auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

f.  The audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year will be submitted by the Management Committee to the Annual General Meeting.

9.  Alteration of the Constitution

a.  Proposals for amendments to this constitution or dissolution (see Clause 10) must be delivered to the secretary in writing. The secretary in conjunction with all other committee members will then decide on the date of a group meeting to discuss such proposals, giving at least four weeks’ notice.

b.  Any changes to this constitution must be agreed by a least two thirds of those members present and voting at any general public meeting.

10.  Dissolution

a.  The group may be wound up at any time if agreed by two thirds of those members present and voting at any general public meeting.  Any assets shall be returned to their providers, if they require it, or shall be passed to another group with similar aims.

11.  Adoption of the constitution

This constitution was adopted by the members present at the AGM held on  5 March 2020