Booking form for Knots and Ropes Activity Day
Saturday May 9th 2026 at Rough Close Camping and Activity Site
IGKT Council of Trustees & Constitution
The Guild is a charity under UK law, registered with the Charity Commission, a UK government supervisory body.
The Trustees have legal responsibility for ensuring that the Guild is run according the Charity Commission's strict rules.
The IGKT Registered Charity Number is 802153
Guild address: Oaken Cleave, Cobbaton, Umberleigh, EX37 9SG, UK
Chairman: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Secretary: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Treasurer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Trustee: David Bodger
Trustee: Lynne Hudson
Trustee: Clive Sandrey
Trustee: Position Vacant
IGKT Constitution
Lastest update is here: IGKT_Constitutional_Rules_2025
IGKT Code of conduct
for trustees, volunteers and members
The Guild has moral, organisational and legal obligations.
The code is based upon the recommendations of the
UK Charity Commission and is available here:
Download IGKTCode_of_Conduct_2025
IGKT Executive Committee
The day-to-day running of the Guild is organised by an Executive Committee. The Trustees request that this committee's membership be voted upon at each AGM.
Members by Country
Australia
Belgium
France
Graham MacLachlan, Treasurer IGKT France
Germany
UK
USA
Knotting Matters Editorial Board
Knotting Matters:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Other IGKT Office Holders
Publications Committee:
Membership Secretary:
Sales of Books and Supplies:
Web Admin:
The Current Structure of the Guild
The IGKT has recently had queries from various sources which have made us realise that it might help you to know more about the Guild, how it is run and how it operates. We hope that this article will help to explain these issues.
The IGKT
The Guild is set up as a UK Charity which gives us a number of advantages, especially with regard to taxation. We therefore must operate within UK Charity Law and are answerable to the UK Charity Commission. They have approved our Constitution which can be found here and on the Charity Commission website
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/
and then by searching for our charity number 802153
The President
Currently Mikko Snellman from Finland
The President is the figurehead who represents all the Guild stands for. He or she is elected for a 3-year term by the AGM on the recommendation of the outgoing President.
The Council of Trustees, or Council
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining the ethos of the Guild and its aims, including information and education. They are also responsible for ensuring that the Guild adheres to the rules of the UK Charity Commission and as such must be UK residents. There are 7 Trustees elected by the AGM and who serve a 5-year term which is renewable. Three of them are the officers, nominated by the Trustees and confirmed by the AGM. They too serve for a 5-year term which is renewable just once. They are, currently:
Chairman: Sue Pennison
Treasurer: Colin Byfleet
Secretary: Tim Martin
Trustees: Lynne Hudson, David Bodger, Clive Sandrey
Philip Pratt is a present a co-opted member of the Council and will, we trust, be elected formally at the 2026 AGM.
The Council meets several times a year by Zoom, and in person at the AGM, to discuss issues facing the Guild and raised by the members, topical matters and ways of developing the Guild to promote its aims. These may involve considerable research and discussion. Where appropriate the decisions will be passed on to the Executive Committee for action and implementation.
All Trustees, Executive Committee members and IGKT members are expected to adhere to the Guild's Code of Coduct (Download IGKTCode_of_Conduct) regarding both social and legal behaviour.
The Executive Committee
This is the Guild’s “working party” following through the ideas passed to them by the Council. They also act as a conduit for issues from the Branches. There are 9 members appointed by the Council. They currently represent six different countries. This membership includes a representative from the Trustees to link the two committees. Like the Council they have a Chairman and Secretary appointed from within their membership on their recommendation and approved by the Council. Members and Officers are appointed for a 5-year term which is renewable. The current members are:
Chairman: Darren Samphier
Secretary: Howard Kanare
Council Appointee: Lynne Hudson
Other members: Graham MacLachlan, Ralph Streller, John Trevvett, Geert Willaert, Anke Gregersen
National Organisations and Branches
Local Branches and National Organisations have been set up around the world. Any group of members are welcome to set up their own Branch: there is no set format. However to be recognised by the Guild they should primarily be of Guild members and have a proper constituted format, aims and objectives. Many of them have their own membership and a subscription to cover their necessary costs such as a Zoom subscription. Thus Guild members will pay both subs and non-Guild members just the Branch or National Organisation (eg IGKT France, IGKT-NA) sub. There is a list of these here and in each issue of Knotting Matters.
Knotting Matters
This is the quarterly magazine sent to members and currently produced by a group of four editors. It contains articles submitted by members, reports on events held and Branch activities, as well as other important Guild information. It is your magazine so please submit articles and news to the editors via
The Website
This website is there to convey up to date information on events, activities and Guild issues plus providing information about the Guild, contact points, etc. There is a public section, and the members’ section which is accessible by registration. There is also a flourishing Forum which is available to both members and non-members. At present we have no Web Master so please contact us if you’re interested in this important role. In the meantime, please send any comments or information for posting to
The Guild and Facebook
Members are invited to 'converse' via the Guild Facebook page Official International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT). This is also useful for disseminating things and events about knotting. The rather clumsy title of the page is a relic of the time when our name and logo were pirated.
Membership
Membership is open to people who are interested in all things concerning every aspect of knotting and rope. The Guild’s Membership Secretary handles all membership issues and problems. Please contact her via
Publications
The Guild produces a number of its own publications. These are produced and updated by the Publications Team. If you would like to submit something for possible publication, please contact the
Sales
The Guild has about 30 books in print, about many aspects of knotting. and a number of different Guild badges. The stock is listed on the Sales page. Please contact our
Future Plans
In order to keep members as up to date as possible, we produce an occasional email Bulletin to all members who wish to receive it. This will carry news and information about forthcoming events. It will supplement Knotting Matters, not replace it, but fill in between issues.