Obligations of members
Unranked members
Unranked members do not incur any further obligation but to notify and communicate the pertinent personal data to the guildhead or a to an assigned “keeper of the books”. This data should contain: SCA name, local group, email address, FB handle (if applicable).
Unranked members are welcome to wear and display the guild device once established.
Ranked members
Ranked members and titled holders of office have the same rights and obligations as unranked members but they also will be particularly conscious of their comportment reflecting on the Guild and in addition to the obligations their rank confers, will always strive to enhance the standing of the Guild within the Society.
Guild structure
Branches of knowledge within the Guild
- Apothecary – Using herbs for medicinal properties
- Dyer – Using herbs for their properties as dyes, fixatives, and mordants
- Forager – learning to find, recognise and safely and legally harvest wild herbs for use
- Gardener – studying and growing domesticated herbs and preparing them for use
- Pepperer - Using herbs for culinary purposes including both food and drink.
- Perfumer – Using herbs to produce scented products, including soaps, incense, perfumes, pot pouries, etc.
- Beautician- using herbs to produce products for personal hygiene and beautification
- Retter – Using herbs for fiber production.
- Beekeeper – keeper of bees
The individual branches can assign themselves an in-official symbol of identification.
Members of knowledge branches will assist the Guildhead in the assessment of the projects as meeting the standards of quality. ( Period source & Documentation, Proper methodology, Safety)
Steps of achievements: Projects
A project is any application of any of the branches of herbalism which results in a finished product.
Practical examples include but are not limited to: a tisane, a poultice, a cream, an ointment, a dye (or a dyed item), a beverage, food made using the herb, a diary of planting and harvest of a particular plant, an historically accurate plan of a garden, an account of a foraging expedition. All such projects MUST be safe. (see disclaimer)
Examples of projects demonstrating knowledge might include producing a written and pictorial study of one particular herb, a field guide to berrying in your region, a garden diary of raising herbs from seed to useful plants etc.
Documenting a project should produce content for the Guild’s web and social media presence, it can be in writing but all media is appropriate.
Digital herbal
Studies of specific herbs will build into the Guild’s Digital Herbal.
Ranks
Initiate — those just beginning.
To be ranked as initiate one has to have completed two projects, each with a different type of finished product (this can be in the form of documentation) that includes information about the herbs used, including modern safety information and how they are grown or identified in the wild and what is known about their use in period. They are to submit the project for evaluation by the guild. This can be done by submission to the guild head who will either give feedback themselves, or assign somebody to the task of review. The results of the work, with the review will be submitted to the Guild head either directly. The rank achievement will be announced in an appropriate way by the guild leadership, preferably via a local branch where possible.
Scholar — those learning and trying their hands at practical herbalism.
- Has completed a further five projects, not all of the same type of finished product, as above.
- Has shared their knowledge by teaching a class or exhibiting a project in either a competition or a display.
- A scholar may use the name or associated sign of: Gardener, Gatherer, Pepperer, Apothecary, Dyer or Perfumier by completing five projects demonstrating that specialism to the satisfaction of the group of specialists. And will help the Guild head in the assessment of the projects submitted by others.
Sage — those who can demonstrate and advanced level of skill in three or more areas of herbalism.
- Has completed at least one project in three or more specialist categories, as above.
- Has entered at least one herbal project into an A&S competition.
- Has taught a class either at an event or through online channels, ensuring members are aware of the opportunity to attend. Commits to helping the Guild head in the assessment of the projects submitted by others.
Leadership, obligations and titles
Guild council
The Guild Council consists of an uneven number of members. As such they will be available to discuss guild matters in confidence and offer council.
A simple majority of the votes shall be sufficient. The guild council runs the actual guild. They have the right to appoint helpers, confer upon them appropriate titles for the time they fulfill the guild related task but also to remove them. They also keep records and facilitate communication between the different branches and territorial groups.
Term limits and removal
The Guild Council regulates itself in terms of appointing successors in the council. If unable to do so the matter will be presented to the entire guild.
Tasks of the Guild Council
The guild council’s primary task is to be the administrator and leader of the guild. They shall maintain the guild newsletter and other online presences, they may solicit any help they need from other members and assign them titles as they see fit as long as these individuals fill their roles and the Guild Council is in office. Members should be encouraged to volunteer for guild related tasks. For safety there should at all times at least be 3 people who have the website admin privileges and access to the necessary passwords.
Reports
The Guild Council is responsible for the annual reports (in January) to the KMoAS. Reports should entail:
- The name of the guild.
- SCA as well as mundane name of the reporter with full contact information (mundane address, telephone number and email address if any SCA Membership number and expiration date).
- Time period covered by the report.
- Activities organized/sponsored by the guild.
- Size of current members.
- If nothing special has happened just a short note that the guild is still active.
Keeping the lists
The Guild Council may solicit the help of a volunteer to maintain the member information. If the Guild Council chooses to maintain these lists themselves they have to keep a file which is conforming to the GDPR.
The lists being:
- A compilation of all active members: SCA name, local group, FB handle (where applicable) and email address.
- A list of all ranked members with their achievements.
Representation
Inasmuch as the Guild needs representation in court or otherwise the Guild Council is in charge of this. They can appoint other individuals on a case by case basis. This individual then will report to the Guild Council after the event.
Changes to the charter
Changes to this Charter can be proposed to the Council and voted upon. A simple majority of votes shall be sufficient.