Guiding Principles

The London Freshwater Group does not have a formal constitution as such. Instead, it is run according to a set of guiding principles decided by the members present at the very first Group meeting, April 13th, 1973.

For the benefit of interested members the report of the first Group meeting is reproduced below: 

                 LONDON FRESHWATER GROUP 

                REPORT OF THE FIRST MEETING

The first meeting of the London Freshwater group was held in the afternoon of April 13th 1973 at Westfield College, University of London. Forty two members attended a widely varied programme and were guests of the Department of Botany for tea and later, for sherry. After sherry, twenty one members remained for a most appetising dinner.

After tea there was extensive and animated discussion on the formation and requirements of the group. The main points of decision are recorded below: 

1. It was decided to call the society “The London Freshwater Group”. 

2. The Group should meet three times a year; usually for half-day meetings. 

3. The group need not be affiliated to any other society at the present time.

4. A subscription of 50p per year will be charged for membership. This should cover expenses for all members to be circulated with the Group’s information and programmes etc. The Group will be non-profit making. 

5. In the first instance, notice of meetings will be communicated to the Biological Society bulletin and the Journal of the Institute of Biology. 

6. Meetings will circulate around various institutions in, and around London. For convenience, two of the three meetings per year should be in London. 

7. There will be no official committee. There will be a Secretary/Treasurer to supply information to members, co-ordinate meetings and attend to finance. A  Chairman/Local Organizer will be entirely responsible for the programme and organization of a meeting at his particular institution. 

8. The type of meeting should be determined by the Local organizer. There may be a theme for the programme or a wide variety of topics. Likewise, there can be either a  rigid programme or a mainly discussion-type programme at the Local organizer’s discretion. 

9. The main purpose of the Group is an informal social gathering with lively discussion and exchange of ideas in matters of mutual interest. 

10.There will be no publication of proceedings from meetings and contributors may feel at ease to discuss their work and difficulties rather than their results and conclusion. 

11.A short annual general meeting will be held for the election of secretary/Treasurer and three Chairman/Local Organizers for the subsequent three meetings.

Patrick Denny

(Secretary)

1st May 1973

Department of Botany

Westfield College

London NW3 7ST