We would love everyone to join us in improving the built environment, grounds and wildlife habitat of the Queen's Road Estates. 

In order to do this we have, in collaboration with Habitats & Heritage, drafted a constitution for the Supporters Group, which you can read in full below. This has already been approved by Habitats & Heritage and is now with the other interested parties (London & Quadrant, The Richmond Foundation and London Borough of Richmond upon Thames), without whose support we will not be able to succeed. Once we have this, we will then be open for membership.

Everyone is welcome to join. It doesn't matter if you want to help with the whole effort or just one part of it. It may be that you are most interested protecting the architecture. It could be that you like counting bats and bugs, badgers and birds, creating the wildlife corridor, cutting back brambles or planting trees. Or perhaps you are a creative happy to contribute ideas, to improving the website and lauching us on social media. Even if you don't have time to do any of this, but still want to lend your support by following our activity, you are most welcome.

To get in touch, email friendsofqueensroadestates@gmail.com 

Please fill in this form if you want to become a member

(please make sure you've read the constitution below before you apply)

QUEEN’S ROAD ESTATES RICHMOND

Supporters Group 

Draft Constitution

This constitution will inform the group’s operation in the absence of a full Friends Group formal constitution. Habitats & Heritage will provide structures to support your group to become established and self-managed within 12 months.

The Name and Location of the Supporters Group

  1. The Supporters Group name will be QUEEN’S ROAD ESTATES RICHMOND (hereinafter called QRER).
  2. The geographical area of the group is the area bounded by:
    1. Queen’s Road, Richmond (B353) in the west; 
    2. Richmond Cemetery and Richmond Park in the east; 
    3. Greville Road in the north; 
    4. the Amenity Land/Stafford Place in the south; 

The bulk of the area consists of land owned by the Richmond Foundation, on which there are three housing estates London & Quadrant Housing Trust under the terms of a 99-year lease “for their maintenance and good upkeep”, all in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. 

As well as the three estates, which are known locally as Phases 1, 2 and 3 Queen’s Road Richmond, the area also includes five sheltered accommodation buildings, collectively known as Kingsmead, also leased to and managed by London & Quadrant Housing Trust. More specifically dwellings on: 

Phase 1 - Queen’s Road (between Hobart Place and Stafford Place), Stafford Place, Sayer’s Walk, Hobart Place, Chisholm Road (between Hobart Place and the passageway behind Hobart Place), Reynold’s Place, Cambrian Road (between Reynold’s Place and the passageway behind Reynold’s Place)

Phase 2 – Greville Road, Jones Walk, Russell Walk, Pyrland Road, Charlotte Square

Phase 3 - Park Hill

Kingsmead (sheltered accommodation) – Fitzherbert House, Isabella Court, Damer House, Hilditch House and Eliot House

Vision and purposes of the Supporters Group

  1. To help protect, conserve and enhance the built environment, landscaped environments and natural environs of QRER, for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors .

Consistent with, and in furtherance of, the aims above: 

    1. To work with: 
      1. land owner The Richmond Foundation; 
      2. landlord London & Quadrant Housing Trust (hereinafter called L&Q); 
      3. the local council/London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (hereinafter called LBRUT); 
      4. other interested organisations; 
      5. residents,

to maintain the integrity of the built environment (including, but not limited to, that of the Phase 1 properties with Grade 2 listing status);

    1. to improve the quality and biodiversity of the landscaped and natural environment;
    2. to encourage the community to engage with all of the above;
    3. to encourage community access to the open spaces in the Area, creating an environment and, where applicable and desirable, events which benefit the whole community;
    4.   to help preserve the landscaped and natural area of QRER as an important local green space, enhancing it, increasing its biodiversity and resilience to the climate emergency and making it attractive and accessible to all;
    5. to protect, conserve, and enhance the Area for wildlife;
    6. to have an elected group representative to refer to on key issues and decision-making;
    7. to actively seek comments, views and suggestions from the local community.

 

  1. The Supporters Group can undertake any activity which it considers will promote the vision and purposes stated in paragraph 3 above. It may carry out the following specific activities:
    1. Practical conservation work (although day to day maintenance of the Area will remain with the Richmond Foundation and/or L&Q and/or LBRUT);
    2. Organisation and execution of events and activities for the benefit of the Supporters Group or other users of QRER;
    3. The raising of money to pursue the vision and purposes of the Supporters Group;
    4. Discussing, engaging, and exchanging information with other key stakeholders.

The Supporters Group’s structure

  1. The representative/s of QRER must be voted on by other supporters of the group. This can be done through an online poll which Habitats & Heritage will help organise. The elected representative will be the point of contact for the Richmond Foundation, L&Q, LBRUT and other stakeholders.
  2. The representative/s shall conduct the activities of the Supporters Group in line with point 4 above and holds the responsibility of keeping the supporters’ register up to date.
  3. Meetings: all supporters must be made aware of when meetings are occurring with a reasonable notification period.
  4. Meetings: any decisions made shall be decided by a simple majority vote. In case of an equality of votes the representative shall have a second or casting vote.

Members of the Supporters Group

  1. Member status of the Supporters Group shall be open to any person who is interested in supporting QRER and who is willing to abide by this Constitution.
  2. The Supporters Group will promote the opportunity to be a Member openly. Members will be referred to the Conduct of Members section in the constitution when they join.
  3. Register: all new Members will be added to a register and any communication lists. 
  4. Application: a simple application form will be made available to all either online or, if need be, in printed form - it must include contacts to Habitats & Heritage with the statement: “if you feel that your application to becoming a Member has not been fairly considered or responded to, please contact H&H at hello@habitatsandheritage.org.uk”.
  5. No payment is to be requested for being a Member, though the group may seek donations to support activities. However, there is no expectation that Members have to pay. 
  6. Decision making: all Members will be given the opportunity to vote in any decision making related to the organisation of the group.

Conduct of Members

  1. Every Member shall be required to treat everyone fairly regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, and mental or physical ability, whether at meetings or in any form of communication. 
  2. The representative/s, in consultation with Habitats & Heritage, may exercise their discretion to remove Members from the group. This would be in instances where Members are unable to adhere to the conditions of point 15 or would be detrimental to the group’s aims, activities or reputation. 
  3. Members will have the right to respond to decisions. Habitats & Heritage will support the representative to ensure that any process around removal is fair and thoroughly investigated.

Finance 

  1. Habitats & Heritage can in some circumstances accept, hold and spend funds on behalf of a Supporters Group, if the group:
  • has no bank account in its own name;
  • has no other options for managing its funds;
  • has aims within the charitable objectives of H&H; 
  • has a managing body, e.g. representative/s;
  • makes no remuneration to Committee members or to any H&H Trustee.

 

Typically, the need arises when the group has been awarded a grant or is expecting a donation and cannot accept it because the group has no bank account in its own name. The main aim of the facility is to help groups who are unable to accept funds because of the limitations of funding bodies in disbursing funds

Policies and insurance

  1. Groups must purchase their own insurance. Habitats & Heritage can provide more details about this and support to organise it.
  2. The group shall seek permission and approval from Habitats & Heritage and/or the Richmond Foundation and/or L&Q and/or LBRUT for any volunteer workdays or events being planned. 
  3. Groups must have a risk assessment for any events. Habitats & Heritage can offer risk assessment training to groups and support with writing the risk assessment. 

Publicity

  1. No member may speak on behalf of, or claim to represent, the Supporters Group unless with the prior consent of the whole group. 

Dissolution of the Supporters Group

  1. Dissolution of the Supporters Group may occur if:
    1. The minimum number of members (5) is not met;
    2. A representative is unable to be elected;
    3. The Richmond Foundation, L&Q, LBRUT or Habitats & Heritage become aware of serious operational mismanagement- this will result in the group’s activities being frozen.
  2. The group may be wound up and dissolved at any time by a Special Resolution passed at an Emergency General Meeting called expressly for that purpose, hosted online by Habitats & Heritage.
  3. Upon dissolution, any assets then remaining shall be devoted solely to an activity or a purchase for the benefit of QRER. 
  4. Habitats & Heritage and the representative/s will liaise with the Richmond Foundation, L&Q and LBRUT to ensure that any remaining assets are used in accordance with paragraph 32 above. 

Once agreed, the terms in this document shall take effect from [date] and has been signed, as evidence of acceptance, by the members of the Supporters Group.

Please fill in this form if you want to become a member