We will be holding a British Canoeing General Meeting on the evening of Monday 25 November 2024.
In line with our environmental sustainability strategy, the General Meeting will be a fully virtual meeting, hosted on Zoom and using the LUMI voting platform.
Registration to attend the meeting, or to vote by proxy, closes at 7pm on Saturday 23 November 2024.
The General Meeting is a formal meeting for members that has been called by the Board to propose a series of changes to the Articles of Association, in response to the views of almost 2,000 respondents following a thorough and robust consultation change programme.
The meeting will start at 7pm and all members from Paddle UK, Paddle Scotland, Paddle Northern Ireland, and Canoe Wales are invited to attend.
British Canoeing is the registered legal name of Paddle UK, hence why the meeting is still referred to as a “British Canoeing General Meeting”.
Proposed Changes to the Articles of Association
The Board of Directors recommends approving several important changes to the Articles of Association to ensure the continued growth and adaptability of British Canoeing, trading as Paddle UK.
These amendments aim to modernise the governance structure, aligning it with our evolving needs and broader membership base.
The proposed changes focus on two primary areas:
- To amend the way English nominated Directors are elected to the Board to enhance member representation. This change will also include the removal of all references to the now-defunct English Forum. We will establish a new Paddle UK Paddle England Assembly, to ensure key voices across England are represented at Board level.
- To replace the role of President with a Patron, serving as a lead ambassador to advance the strategic priorities of Paddle UK, thereby elevating the profile of paddlesport for the benefit of all members and the wider paddling community.
The British Canoeing Articles of Association require these changes to be passed by Special Resolution and therefore require a 75% majority of votes cast to be approved.
General Meeting Notice and Papers
The notice for the General Meeting and papers required can be downloaded below.
General Meeting Registration
In order to attend the General Meeting and vote on the day all members are required to register in advance of the meeting. Use the button below to register.
Confirm your attendance by 7pm on Saturday 23 November 2024. Once registered you will receive a confirmation email from Paddle UK.
It is vital you retain this email as it contains your details on how to access the General Meeting. The email you receive will include:
- Your joining instructions
- Your unique PIN to access the Lumi Voting Platform to vote at the General Meeting
- The link to login to Zoom to join the General Meeting
Once registered, if you wish to submit a question in advance specifically in relation to the Motions presented at the General Meeting, please do so by emailing .
There will also be an opportunity to ask questions on the evening of the General Meeting, by raising your hand in the Zoom meeting.
A guide for using the Lumi Voting Platform can be downloaded below.
Proxy Voting
If you are unable to attend the meeting as a member, you are entitled to appoint a ‘proxy’ to exercise all or any of your rights to attend, speak and vote at the General Meeting.
You can appoint a proxy electronically using the button below. For guidance on completing the form please download the Proxy guidance document below. Proxy votes should be submitted and received by Paddle UK by 7pm on Saturday 23 November 2024.
If you appoint a proxy, but subsequently register and attend the meeting virtually, any proxy appointment you have made will automatically be terminated.
A guide for electronic proxy voting can be downloaded below.