AGM

Trustees hereby notify members of the date for an Annual General Meeting to be held online due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic concerns, on Saturday 19th February 2021 at 10am. Login and registration details will be confirmed separately with the formal announcement and agenda for the AGM.

The vital administrative business of the charity benefits us by ensuring that we have Trustees who are able to support the development of our work. We cordially invite as many members as possible to attend. The AGM itself is expected (to be confirmed) to take place at 10:00am and will be followed by a workshop that will highlight aspects of the recent Surviving Separation course and other support guidance.

Discussions  
There will be an opportunity to:

• meet Trustees
• discuss work being done to recover support networks and services given the effect of Covid-19 on branch activities
• updates on the direction of family courts
• discuss the exciting plans for FNF in 2022-2025

We will provide further details of registration and participation separately. Please reserve the day in your diaries.

Trustees 
This challenging time is also a time of great opportunity to assist the charity in adapting to its changing environment and grow our services to Members and non-members alike.  We have built a strong reputation within the family law profession and with Government agencies such as Children and Family Court Advisory Support Services (CAFCASS), Child Maintenance Service (CMS).

We are now seeking volunteer Trustees to strengthen our board and address head on these challenges, and building back stronger post COVID. We seek professionals with desirable skills in fund raising, media (specifically social media), academic research, lobbying, charitable governance and critically a keen interest in the long term welfare of children post separation.

The skillset identified is desired, but it is not mandatory and candidates work may have other skills and knowledge that the Board will consider to benefit the Charity. It expected that Trustees can attend approximately 6-8 full Trustee meetings a year (usually online and in the evenings) and Annual General Meetings. However, they should ideally also be able to commit to participating on at least 1-2 days a month e.g. by joining specific Committees and working groups.  

Members may nominate someone to stand for election as set out below. Details of those who has been nominated will be circulated with the next formal announcement. As Trustees are required to seek an appropriate balance of skills, current Trustees, with experience of the needs of the Charity, will make recommendations to Members. The role of Trustees is to develop policies and ensure that the charity complies with legal requirements (for more details please see  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3). The legal requirements to becoming a trustee are that you are not legally barred from holding such a post, you have been correctly proposed and you are willing to hold the post.

FNF is an equal opportunities organisation and welcomes nominations irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, belief, sex or sexual orientation. Neither is it essential to have experience of family separation. 

Trustee Nominations 
Any Member who qualifies to vote can propose a Trustee. It is a qualification of voting that a member has been fully paid-up for the previous 12 months. The nominated person may be, but does not have to be, a Member of FNF, however, they do need to inform me of their willingness to accept the nomination and must provide the following information: 

Full Name (including any middle names) 
Residential Address 
Date of Birth 
Country/State of Residence 
Nationality 
Occupation
Confirmation from the candidate that they can legally be a candidate (see section 3 of the Government Guidance here).
A brief CV of approximately 600 words highlighting their personal and public experience with examples of why they believe they are suitable for the role.

The board are able to make rules and offer guidance as to who would be most welcome to join the board. To ensure that there is a healthy balance of experience on the board, the additional information requested may be shared with the Board and with members, in accordance with recommended good governance practice. With maintaining a balance in mind, the board have a rule that there should be at least 30%, but no more than 50% of Trustees who are branch/group officials.

Members can propose candidates or resolutions relating to the administration of the Charity. All such proposals or resolutions must be received by the Company Secretary, Paul O’Callaghan, not later than 14th January 2021 in order for candidates to be put to the membership in the notice of the annual general meeting.

All proposals and acceptances by nominees should be made in writing and sent by post to the company registered office or by email to admin@fnf.org.uk AND Paul.OCallaghan.trustee@fnf.org.uk. All applications/proposals received will be acknowledged.

There will be a separate formal notification by 28th January 2021 with further details of the AGM and registration.

A review of our activities and Annual Report and Accounts will be circulated with the agenda of the AGM. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association can be found here.

Thank you, on behalf of the Board of FNF, 

Paul O'Callaghan
FNF Company Secretary 
501 The Pill Box, 115 Coventry Road, London E2 6GG 
Charity number: 276899  
Company number: 01396139

30th December 2021

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Getting the Balance Right

One-Day workshop (09.00-17.00) Saturday 27 October 2018

Conference Room, Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

Organised by the Central London Branch of Families Need Fathers

Violence between adults and especially by an adult on a child, is repugnant. It is, of course, contrary to a child’s best interest. It should be dealt with robustly. Victims deserve support and it is right that this has been increased over the years, albeit almost entirely focused on women victims with male victims largely left to fend for themselves. This has also led to negative stereotyping to create a presumption of guilt or a need to prove innocence within safeguarding regime assessments. Such assessments often lack balance or fairness, and rarely take into account the role of mental illness which are not confined to one gender.

Domestic violence and abuse is an issue outside this charity’s remit unless it affects the post-separation relationships of children. Such relationships should never be restricted unless it’s for relevant, proportionate and adequately evidenced reasons, especially when a good and mutually loving relationship is already in place.

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