Freegle Structural Change

There have been discussions since Freegle began about what sort of structure we should adopt as an organisation. Discussions and polls about this can be found in the following links:

September 2009 : Freegle is born as a fledgling network of independently run communities.

(note: 2 companies (07018079 & 07018127) were registered with Companies House on 14.9.09 by a moderator as a safeguard for the company name in case it was needed. The companies were dissolved on 24.1.12 when it was decided to go through the formal process of becoming an IPS)

31st May 2011: after a lot of open discussion on Structure Working Group, A formal Constitution is adopted which is charitable in its aims and formalises the organisation structure as an unincorporated association. Reps are elected by volunteers to run the national aspects of Freegle.

November 2012: At the 2012 AGM the Reps recommended that Freegle sets up a Trading Arm/Subsidiary, with the aim of raising income to sustain Freegle as an organisation. AGM 2012 Minutes#Strategy Report 2012. Structure Group were tasked with looking into this as a possibility.

Jan-Feb 2013: Structure Group set up a Trading Subsidiary Working (TSW) Team to look at the possibility of doing this.

3.6.13 2 companies are registered with Companies House in anticipation of adopting the emerging recommendations of the TSW Team. (reg. 08553626 and 08555917, Freegle Ltd and Freegle UK Ltd). The Directors are Saira Horner, Alison Redway and Richard Jenkin.

26.7.13 Presentation of final report from TSW Team to Structure [1]

6.8.13 Notification of poll on Structure on whether to recommend the proposals in the TSW Team report [2]

14.8.13 Notification from Structure recommendation of TSW Team report proposals and beginning of discussion period before poll [3]

28.8.13 Advising Central that poll will be held: [4], followed by the poll notification [5]

10.9.13 Notification of Central poll results [6] . Result - I agree that Freegle should convert to an IPS as proposed in the report, and the relevant constitutional changes should be put to a national full volunteer poll 84 votes, 89.36%

15.9.13 Request for informal interest to be logged of anyone willing to be a Director if the IPS is adopted [7]

19.11.13 Final notification to Central that a national poll will be held, with slight tweaks to the report that accompanies it and with a proposed start date of poll of 25th November 2013 [8]
Freegle IPS Full National Volunteer Poll Question. The final report is at Freegle Trading Subsidiary Team Final Report.

16.12.13 Initial result of Poll announced on Central [9]

26.12.13 Next steps in adopting a new IPS structure message posted on Central [10]

2.1.14 Role description posted on Central for Director of new company. [11]

14.1.14 Nominations sought for candidates for consideration as Director of IPS.

21.2.14 Election results for proposed Directors announced [12]

March 14 The founding Directors of the Freegle companies embark upon the legal process of converting Freegle Ltd into an IPS.

13.6.14 Freegle Limited is registered as an Industrial and Provident Society, 32410R https://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=32410&Suffix=R Saira Horner, Richard Jenkin and Alison Redway are registered as first Members of the IPS.

17.6.14 Freegle Ltd company (08555917) closed/converted as now an IPS. Companies House shows record of Registered Society under reg. IP032410

16.11.14 Bank account opened for Freegle Ltd, detail: Bank Account and Donation Methods

12.2.15 First invitation sent to all community owner addresses and on Freegle Central for Membership of Freegle Ltd [13]

11.3.15 HMRC confirms charitable registration of Freegle Ltd, using same reg. no. as Freegle UK - XT32865 [14]

April 2015 Board completes review of documents in preparation for full handover of assets from Freegle UK - Freegle Ltd Adopted Document Summary

May 2015 First AGM held of Freegle Ltd, AGM 2015, majority of funds transferred from Freegle UK to Freegle Ltd.

October 2015 Registered address for Freegle Ltd amended, see Rules - Amendments .

November 2015 Reps issue Freegle UK Final Report and hand over control of Freegle UK to Freegle Ltd Board, along with all assets and affiliations.

'September 2017 The Directors of Freegle UK Limited dissolve the redundant company.

November 2019 Accountants advise that the term IPS is no longer used, we should refer to ourselves as a Registered Society, which is registered with the FCA and recognised as a charity by the HMRC. (https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/registered-societies-introduction)

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