Members of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain wish to request an EGM. There have been concerns raised that the charity trustees are not fulfilling the charity’s aims and objectives, and that the charity is not being administered and governed effectively and professionally. At the EGM members will seek full and transparent explanations from the charity trustees for their recent actions and governance of the organisation. In order to formally request the Board of Trustees to call an EGM, 5% of members are required to request such a meeting. (This means in excess of 100 signatures).

Only requests from Gem-A members (this includes associate members) are valid to request an EGM

The issues which have been raised are:

• Postponement of the AGM without explanation or an alternative date

• All staff members instructed to have no contact with the CEO, without explanation

• Withdrawal of Corporate Social Responsibility programme from recent prospectus and website, without explanation (note CSR/ ethics and sustainability are core to the Charity's Aims and Objectives detailed in this Charity Commissions document)http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/SIR/ENDS55%5C0001109555_SIR_10_E.PDF

• Alleged resignation of the Chairman, without formal announcement or explanation

• Board has been non-responsive to formal enquiries and concerns, resulting in a lack of transparency and communication

• Lack of treasurer in recent months

• Refusal by the board to sign Conflict of Interest forms

• Staff have repeatedly asked for decisions to be explained and evidenced in writing and have been repeatedly ignored. Board have dictated action without due explanation

• Coercion of staff members

• The dismissal of the Human Resources manager. The replacement (brought in by the board) has not been properly introduced to all staff

If you would like to support the request for an EGM please enter your full name and email addressand hit 'Sign Now' .

Please note- to keep your name and details invisible on the online signature list please UNCHECK the box "Show my name in the online signature list" above the 'Sign Now' button.

On behalf of the nominees to the Board, who still await official recognition from the existing Board of their nominations we thank everyone who has supported this call for accountability to the members by the Board. We have exceeded our 100 signatures, so will be moving forward with a call for the EGM with the Board. We will request this at the earliest possible convenience as we recognise it is no ones interest for this to drag on. We regret having to do this, but after repeated efforts to get even basic information from the Chair, we felt we needed to act. The petition will be left open till Monday 15 5pm CEST, so please continue to sign to express your support for transparency and accountability at the heart of the Gemmological Association of GB.

15 June 2015

To, Jessica Cadzow-Collins and Members of the Board.

Ref: Motion calling for Extraordinary General Meeting of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain.With an excess of 5% of the members of Gem-A signing the online petition calling for an EGM, we are formally writing to you as acting Chair to announce, in accordance with article 7(1) of the Gem-A M&A’s, that an EGM take place at the earliest possible date. Thesesignatures in support of the motion have been counted and verified by Gem-A staff and have been logged with the office at Ely Place. Gem-A head office has verified that the total number of members supporting an EGM is in excess of 5% of the membership.

A minimum of 14-days notice needs to be given to the members that the meeting is taking place. Therefore we expect a meeting to be called during the week beginning the 6 July 2015. The nature of the meeting is to,

1. Directly question the Board's recent actions, communications and behaviour in regards to the governance of the organisation.

2. To allow members to address the evidence’s in hand as to the Board’s conduct.

3. To give the Board the right of reply to questions for the members as to their actions, in accordance with natural justice.

4. To allow the members to decide whether the Board's actions have brought the organisation into disrepute.

Upon receipt of your agreement to call an immediate EGM on behalf of the membership, we will submit our formal items for the agenda. We require that you acknowledge receipt of this letter by return and that you call the EGM date within three days of receipt of this letter. If you are unable to do this, or we do not hear from you within 3 working days (5pm 18 June 2015), we will move to call the meeting ourselves as is our right as members. Please direct your reply to Greg Valerio who is acting as facilitator for the EGM.

To conclude, we are very saddened that an EGM has had to actioned. It is now recognized that there is no alternative in the relationship with the Board but to take this course of action, as despite messages (both phone and email) requesting a dialogue, you as acting Chair of the Board have not taken up the offer. We remain open to constructive dialogue with you and the Board on other solutions. But, to date, in the event of no constructive communication from you, we are faced with no alternative but to move ahead with an EGM.

Yours respectfully,

Greg Valerio

on behalf of The Members of Gem-A who signed the petition.