As a totally volunteer-run organisation, volunteers are integrated into leadership and run the Management Committee. Volunteers can make informal and formal suggestions to the Management Committee for improvements, developments, trying out new product lines and so on. As a small organisation communication is often informal and frequent.

The Shop is a Community Interest Company operating under the Model Rules developed by Plunkett UK (previously The Plunkett Foundation). The Society, ie the Shop, is registered in law as a society for the benefit of the community and is registered with the Financial Services Authority.  The Model Rules set out the way in which the Shop is owned, organised and governed. The Shop has Members: which is the means by which the Shop is owned by the community. Members have a voice in the Shop’s affairs by attending, speaking and submitting motions at Members’ Meetings; voting rights (one vote only per Member); and electing representatives to the Management Committee, which manages all the Shop’s affairs.

The Membership strategy of the Shop is that Membership is open to any person who is over 18, who supports the Shop’s purpose, pays for the minimum number shares required by the Rules (currently at 1).

The Shop holds an Annual Members’ Meeting (within six months of the close of the financial year) to which all Members are invited. The Meeting has several functions, to:

• receive the Annual Accounts

• receive reports on the Shop’s performance

• present current and future plans

• state the Membership position

• declare results of the elections of those to serve on the Management Committee.

The Annual Meeting gives the Members opportunities to raise points, ask questions, put forward ideas, interrogate the accounts and the Management Committee in a public forum.

The Management Committee comprises not less than 4 and no more than 12 people, who are mainly elected by, and from, the Members. No more than ¼ of the Management Committee may comprise co-opted persons. Elected members of the Management Committee hold office for three years, but anyone retiring from office is eligible for re-election, or re-appointment, with the approval of Members. At a meeting following the Annual Meeting, the Management Committee elects a Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer. 

All meetings and associated governance procedures are subject to the Model Rules, including mechanisms for removing Members or Management Committee personnel.

All meetings are minuted and are available for Members/anyone to see upon request, barring confidential discussions.