Linking and supporting Scandinavian societies
Since 1950
Linking and supporting Scandinavian societies
Since 1950
Linking and supporting Scandinavian societies
Since 1950
Linking and supporting Scandinavian societies
Since 1950
Linking and supporting Scandinavian societies
Since 1950
Linking and supporting Scandinavian societies
Since 1950
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About us

CoScan acts as a coordinating body for societies which work for cultural exchange between UK and Ireland on the one hand and the five Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway, on the other.

CoScan was founded in 1950 and is an autonomous non-profit making organisation funded by subscriptions from its affiliated member societies and individual members, by voluntary contributions and fund-raising activities.

CoScan comprises about 30 member societies, representing over 30,000 individuals, bringing together those with an interest or family roots in any of the five Nordic countries.

Our member societies cover a wide range of cultural and social topics, providing a network of advice, support and social contact.

CoScan is run by an Executive Committee elected by affiliated societies at the Annual General Meeting. The AGM is held alternately in the UK, and in a Nordic country (the biennial CoScan ‘Conference’). The Honorary President is not elected.

Executive Committee

Nick Archer, MVO
President
Alexander Malmaeus
Chairman
Mark Elliott, CMG
Past President
Manja Ronne
Treasurer and Membership Secretary
Michael Davis
Secretary
Dr Eva Robards
Editor
Dr Kathy Holman

Constitution

CONFEDERATION OF SCANDINAVIAN SOCIETIES
OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
CONSTITUTION

1. NAME
The name of the Confederation shall be the Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland (COSCAN).

2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Confederation shall be

a) to support the Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland by acting as a coordinating body providing means of liaison between them, as well as between them and the Scandinavian countries;

b) to assist in the promotion of exhibitions, lectures, festivals, cultural exchanges, educational visits and other events;

c) to assist in the general promotion of knowledge of the Scandinavian countries in Great Britain and Ireland;

d) to hold meetings and conferences from time to time where members of Affiliated Societies and individual members shall have the opportunity of discussing the furtherance of these objectives.

3. MEMBERSHIP
Corporate membership

a) Affiliated Societies. The membership of the Confederation shall consist primarily of all Scandinavian, British Scandinavian and Irish Scandinavian Societies which wish to join. All individual members of such Societies will automatically be members of the Confederation and can participate in activities organised by the Confederation. The Confederation recognises the autonomy of each Affiliated Society.

b) Associates. Other bodies with related interests, which would like to support the objects of the Confederation, may be invited to join the Confederation as Associates. Any such invitation shall be approved by the Confederation at a General Meeting.
Individual membership

c) Honorary Members can be nominated by the Executive Committee and approved by the Confederation at a General Meeting.

d) Individual Members. Individuals, whether or not members of Affiliated Societies, may join the Confederation and receive personal copies of publications by the Confederation and communications from its Officers and Executive Committee.

4. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The following shall be elected at each General Meeting of the Confederation. They shall hold office until the next General Meeting when they shall retire and be eligible for re-election.

i) Chairman )
ii) General Secretary ) Honorary Officers
iii) Treasurer )
iv) Up to seven committee members
v) Honorary Auditor.

5. HONORARY PRESIDENT
The Honorary Officers may invite an individual of appropriate distinction to act as Honorary President of the Confederation. The President shall be entitled to attend General Meetings, Conferences and Executive Committee meetings, but the appointment shall not be for a fixed term or subject to approval by the General Meeting of the Confederation.

6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

a) The Executive Committee will carry out the general policy of the Confederation, and provide management of the affairs of the Confederation.

b) The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year. At least 21 days’ notice shall be given by the General Secretary of any meeting.

c) The Executive Committee may co-opt not more than four persons, who shall have full voting rights.

d) The Executive Committee may appoint officers, other than the three elected ones, from their own ranks, as the need arises.

e) Casual vacancies between General Meetings shall be filled by the Executive Committee.

f) The Executive Committee may delegate any of its powers to sub- committees, and any such sub-committee may be given power to co-opt, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The Honorary Officers shall be members of all sub-committees ex officio.

g) At meetings of the Executive Committee and any sub-committees, the quorum shall be not less than three of the voting members.

h) The Chairman shall have the power to act on behalf of the Executive Committee in urgent matters which may arise, provided that his/her action is reported to the next Executive Committee meeting or earlier to all Committee members direct.

7. MEETINGS OF THE CONFEDERATION AND REPRESENTATION OF MEMBERS

a) The General Meeting of the Confederation shall be held annually.

b) The Conference of the Confederation shall take place at intervals not exceeding two years, at a time and place to be decided by the Executive Committee taking into account the suggestions of the previous Conference. In a Conference year, the General Meeting shall normally be held during the Conference.

c) The business of the General Meeting shall include the adoption of the audited accounts of the Confederation, and the election (as set out in Article 4) of Officers and other members of the Executive Committee and of an Honorary Auditor for the ensuing year.

d) There shall be transacted at any meeting of the Confederation only those items of business specified in the notice thereof, and such items as the Chairman in his/her discretion may allow.

e) Affiliated Societies shall each nominate one person to serve as Representative with voting rights at the General Meeting. Individual members and observers shall be entitled to speak but not to vote.

f) Associated bodies will be invited to send observers to meetings of the Confederation.

g) Members of the Executive Committee have voting rights at the General Meeting.

h) The quorum at a meeting of the Confederation shall be not less than half of the Representatives. However if that figure is not achieved, the decisions of the meeting shall be communicated immediately to all those Affiliated Societies not represented. If a total of more than half the Affiliated Societies signify dissent from any decision of the meeting, within sixty days, that decision shall be invalid.

i) At least 60 clear days’ notice in writing shall be given by the General Secretary of any meeting of the Confederation.

j) The Agenda, Minutes of last General Meeting and request for nominations for Executive Committee posts shall be sent out to Affiliated Societies and individual members not less than 60 days before a General Meeting.

k) A Special Meeting of the Confederation may be called by the Executive Committee and shall be called on the written demand of not less than ten Affiliated Societies.

8. INVALIDATION
The proceedings of the Confederation shall not be invalidated by any failure to appoint or any defect in the appointment, election or qualification of any member or any Officer.

9. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
a) Alterations to the Constitution shall be made by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the Representatives present and voting at a properly convened meeting of the Confederation.

b) Notice of such proposed alterations shall be sent to Affiliated Societies at least 90 days before a properly convened meeting of the Confederation.

10. FINANCE
a) The Confederation shall have the power to raise money by means of affiliation fees from Societies, membership fees from individual members, association fees from other interested bodies, and contributions from other sources.

b) The income and property of the Confederation shall be applied solely towards the prosecution of the objects of the Confederation, as set out in the Constitution, and no portion thereof shall be transferred by way of profit to any member of the Confederation, provided that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any officer, or the repayment of out-of-pocket expenses.

c) The affiliation fee and individual membership fee for any financial year shall be decided at the immediately preceding General Meeting of the Confederation, and no Affiliated Society shall be liable for any further financial demands. The association fee shall be reviewed from time to time by the Executive Committee.

d) The Confederation’s financial year shall run from 1st January to 31st December. Once at least every year the accounts shall be audited by the Honorary Auditor.

e) Any assets remaining on dissolution of the Confederation, after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities, shall be used to further the objects of the Confederation in a manner which is exclusively charitable at law.

11. RESIGNATION
Any Affiliated Society has the right to resign from the Confederation at any time, taking effect from notice being given to the General Secretary of the Confederation. Any Society named to the Confederation by the Membership Secretary as not having paid its affiliation fee for the preceding two years can be deemed to have resigned.

12. DISSOLUTION
The Confederation may at any time be dissolved by a resolution passed by two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote at a Special or General Meeting of the Confederation. (Distribution of funds, see 10e.)

Adopted at the General Meeting of 24 September 1983, with amendments passed at the General Meetings of 20 April 1991 and of 13 October 2007.

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