Transformation to a Community Benefit Society

It's well known that our Railway Institute, throughout its history, depended quite significantly on the support of the various railway companies that patronised it and stepped in when its needs were greatest - for example when the North Eastern Railway Company built our current building. Since the railway industry left the town permanently in 1984 we've been left to get by on our own means and this is has been increasingly difficult, particularly through this last economically challenging half decade. Though we are well supported across the town and further afield, our building needs some significant investment to keep on serving you all for years to come.

At the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the Institute a motion was tabled, and passed, that the Institute should investigate organisational transformation. Then at a meeting of the Committee it was passed that, in line with the prescribed process for becoming a Community Benefit Society, an Organisational Transformation Steering Committee (hereafter called the Steering Committee) be formed to manage the reconstitution of the Institute. The objective is to become a recognised accountable modern form of non-profit organisation carrying forward the values that have been with us throughout our full 190 years, but in a way that makes us able to attract funding to develop our offering to the community of Shildon for the years ahead.

The transformation will be an open process, and though a Steering Committee was formed from Institute Members at a Special Meeting at 11:00am on Saturday 21st January 2023 it is still possible to become involved.

Schedule of Meetings of the Organisational Transformation Steering Committee

Saturday 4th February 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 11th February 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 18th February 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 25th February 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 4th March 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 11th March 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 18th March 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge
Saturday 25th March 2023 - 10:30am - Hackworth Lounge

Further meetings will be scheduled if procedings are not concluded by this date.

Current Steering Committee Members

Mr Dave Reynolds (Chair)
Mrs Christine Thompson (Vice Chair)
Ms Michelle Armstrong (Secretary)
Ms Jane Hackworth-Young
Ms Kelly Ambrosini
Ms Tracy Chappell
Mr Robert Merryweather
Ms Hazel Johnson
Mr Colin White
Ms Emma Pennington
Mrs Sue Clarke
Mr Andy Haines
Mr Paul Harle

Advisory Partnerships working with Shildon Railway Institute and the Steering Committee

Durham Community Action

The Plunkett Foundation

Briefing to the Steering Committee

Before the Steering Committee kick off meeting a briefing was issued to prospective members of the Steering Committee outlining the purpose of the group and principles surrounding its process. This can be accessed using the link below.

Steering Committee Briefing

Minutes from Steering Committee Meetings

Additional minutes documents will be added here as the process proceeds

Steering Committee Minutes 21 Jan 2023

Steering Committee Minutes 4 Feb 2023

Steering Committee Minutes 11 Feb 2023

Steering Committee Minutes 18 Feb 2023

Steering Committee Minutes 25 Feb 2023

Steering Committee Minutes 4 Mar 2023

Steering Committee Minutes 18 March 2023

Guidance Documents from our Advisory Partners

The following documents are part of the advisory package provided by our partners that are helping us to become a compliant Community Benefit Society. We will add additional documents here as we receive them.

How to set up a Community Business (This is a PDF document so will open in your browser. In our case we're already a community business, and have been since 1833 - but certain sections relate to the change we're making to become a recognised type)

Guidance Notes and Submission Checklist (This is a Microsoft Word document, so will download to your computer rather than be viewed in your browser)

Essential Documents Check LIst (This is a PDF document so will open in your browser.)

Membership Strategy Template and Guidance (This is a Microsoft Word document, see above)

Membership Strategy Example (This is a Microsoft Word document, see above)

Reserves & Distribution Policy Guidance (This is a Microsoft Word document, see above)

Draft Documents and Policies for the Reconstitution of Shildon Railway Institute for Members Consideration

Here we will place the proposed organisational definition documents and policy documents for the Reconstituted Shildon Railway Institute so that members and the current management committee can evaluate and consider.

Please note, where a document is shown as 'Draft' is has not yet been agreed by the Steering Committee, where a document is 'Approval' it is considered ready to present to the membership for agreement, and where it is shown as 'Final' it has been agreed by the membership (which may only happen after a special meeting of members to happen later this year)

Each document is presented with its most recent version number.

Progress Dashboard

Latest progress dashboard

1. Model Rules

Model Rules - Version 0.2 as of Sat 4 Feb 2023

Model Rules - Version 0.3 as of Sat 11 Feb 2023

Model Rules - Version 0.4 as of Sat 25 Feb 2023

Model Rules - Version 1.0 Baselined as of Wed 15 Mar 2023 (these are not yet adopted)

2. Committee Code of Conduct

Committee Code of Conduct - Version 0.1 (draft) as of Fri 3 Mar 2023

3. GDPR Statement

GDPR Statement Version 0.1 (draft) as of Thurs 2nd Mar 2023