The meeting was chaired by the Master, Canon Barry Fry who welcomed everybody to Shanklin. Supported by the Honorary General Secretary Robert Cater, the Honorary General Treasurer Michael Bubb and the Minute Secretary Francis Mitchell, he started proceedings at 3.45 p.m. with a prayer.
The Master thanked Paul and Kate Flavell of Kingston on Thames for judging the Guild Inter District striking competition earlier in the day. They congratulated the Guild on achieving a high standard of ringing on the challenging bells of Shanklin which had provided a good test of striking for the five District teams taking part. The marking was by points, not faults, two points being awarded for a good change.
Out of a maximum of 448 points, the results were:
| 1. | Winchester District ringing Cambridge Major | 365 points | ||
| 2. | Isle of Wight District ringing Plain Bob Major | 335 points | ||
| 3. | Portsmouth District ringing Little Bob Major | 334 points | ||
| 4. | Alton & Petersfield District ringing Plain Bob | 325 points | ||
| 5. | Channel Islands District ringing Little Bob Major | 240 points |
The following 52 members signed the attendance book: Viv Stacey (Arreton), Francis Mitchell and Carolyn Wright (Bishop’s Waltham), Barry Fry (Bitterne Park), Rachel & Andrew Byford, and Mark Esbester (Catherington), Robin Milford (Curdridge), Bill Harris (East Meon), Sheila Hicks and Peter Smith (Freshwater), Jim Twiney (Hambledon), Andrew Banks and Roger Barber (Hawkley), Peter Hill and Tony Smith (Hursley), Rex Corke and Brigit Lyne (Lymington), Maureen Kelly (Newchurch), Phil Watts (North Stoneham), Sarah Hutchinson (Portsmouth Cathedral), John Davey (Ringwood), Adrian Burns and Joan Parry (Ryde), Peter Routier (St. Helier), Colin Belsey, Anne Fraser, Joy Jackson and Prisca Tremeer (St. John, Jersey), Chris Caryer and Brian Oakes (St. Mary Bourne), Rachael Barber and Jemma Rhodes (Selborne), Jill Busby, Margaret & Robyn Downer, Jan Hookey and June Mitchell (Shanklin), Betty Daysh (Shedfield), Pauline Biddlecombe and Mary Tester (Shorwell), Val Cleaver (Sopley), Michael Bubb, Nicky & John David, and David Strong (Vale), Gail & Robert Cater, and John Colliss (Winchester Cathedral), Michael Evans (unattached) and guests Michael Rogerson (Cheam) and Robin Winckworth (Guildford).
Apologies were presented from: Peter Clarke, Reg Cockle, Gilian Davis, Ceri Dodd, Ruth & Derek Jackson, Anne and Roy Le Marechal, Wendy Ling, David Salter, Les Tremeer, Martin Waldron, Margaret and Michael Winterbourne, Margaret Wolverson.
The meeting stood in silence to remember members: Tom Bowles of Liss, Christine and Richard (Dick) Boyce of St John Bournemouth, Arthur Davis of Curdridge, Sonia Doe of Fawley, Harold Milford of Southwick, Reg Reed of Hursley; previous members Anne Williams of Alton All Saints and Colin Lever of St Peter Bournemouth plus Mrs Clay the tower correspondent at Stockbridge.
Minutes of the 2002 AGM held at Glebe Hall, Basingstoke had been circulated to all towers.
They were accepted by the meeting as a true record and signed by the Master.
In response to a question about the distribution of the AGM notice and Agenda, Steve Castle apologised for not ensuring that paper copies were made available to all towers that needed them.
There were no matters arising.
Renee Sturgess of Fareham was congratulated on achieving Life Membership for completing 50 years membership of the Guild.
The reports had been published in the Guild Report. Their acceptance was proposed by John Davey and seconded by Anne Fraser. They were accepted with no questions and no votes against.
There were no questions regarding the Accounts, which were accepted with no votes against.
There were no questions regarding the BRF Report and Accounts, which were accepted with no votes against.
Tony Smith reported on the Council Meeting at Llandudno on 26 May, details of which will appear in The Ringing World shortly. Gail Cater resigned as a Winchester & Portsmouth DGCBR Representative immediately before the start of the meeting (See Minutes 12 and 13). The other four Representatives attended the meeting. Tony pointed out that they play a full part in the continuous work of the Council all year round.
Andrew Craddock is on the Information and Communications Technology Committee, Tony Smith is Chairman of the Methods Committee, Phil Watts is chairman of the Redundant Bells Committee and on the Tower and Belfries Committee, Mike Winterbourne is on the Education Committee and a Director of The Ringing World Ltd. Gail Cater was re-elected as a Honorary member of the Central Council and continues as Chairman of the Ringing Centres Committee.
Other points of particular interest to the Guild: The Bell News will be available on CD soon, perhaps by Christmas; Phil Watts and John Baldwin gave a presentation to the meeting on a proposed national bell register, drawing on the experience of our Guild’s Bell Stock Survey, but a national scheme was not proceeded with.
Mark Esbester reported on an application considered by the Executive Committee in November 2002 following a change in the BRF rules which permits grants from the BRF to be approved by the Executive Committee. where time is pressing. This was for Leckford, costing just over £2820, a grant of £350 was approved. The work has already been completed and the grant paid.
No applications for grants were made to the AGM.
Bob Cater had given notice of his resignation from the post of Hon Gen Sec with effect from this AGM, due to Bob and Gail’s anticipated move back to Yorkshire.
The Guild Master thanked him for his support and efforts on behalf of the Guild.
As no candidate was forthcoming, Bob agreed to stay in post until he actually moved, when the Executive Committee would appoint someone to fill the vacancy pending an election at the next AGM.
As Gail Cater had resigned from her post of Central Council Representative, someone else was needed to serve until the start of the 2005 Central Council Meeting. Gail was thanked by the Guild Master on behalf of all the members for representing us on the Central Council and for her work on Ringing Centres, one of which is at Bishopstoke.
Michael Church, already very experienced in Central Council matters as an Honorary member, was proposed by Gail Cater, seconded by Barry Fry and elected unopposed.
Mike Winterbourne, Rachael Barber, Tony Buttle, Ruth Cooper, Robert Forster, Graham Hedges, Michael Lynds, Barry Pointer, Ben Waterson and Margaret Winterbourne were proposed by Mark Esbester, seconded by Phil Watts and elected unopposed.
Andy Byford was proposed by John Davey, seconded by John Colliss and elected unopposed. As no other candidates were forthcoming, but more people were needed on this committee, Andy was advised to co-opt one or more suitable members.
Phil Watts, Andrew Banks, William Bickers-Jones, John Davey and Hugh Routh were proposed by Tony Smith, seconded by Gail Cater and elected unopposed.
June Mitchell spoke of the value of this Committee, but with no volunteers it remains inactive.
N.B. The supply of Guild Garments is being co-ordinated by Janet Chatfield of Bishop’s Waltham.
Margaret Wolverson did not wish to stand again. As no nominations had been received, this position would be held in abeyance, to be dealt with by the Executive Committee.
Tony Smith proposed on behalf of the Executive Committee that:
in Rule 6d, 2nd sentence, after “Compounding members shall have no vote at meetings of the Guild” should be added “and shall not propose or second a belfry election”;
and in Rule 7, 3rd sentence, “Members may also be elected prior to a peal which is intended to be rung by the Guild, provided that there is a majority of ringing and/or life members present, and subject to confirmation at the next meeting of the District in which the election took place” should be replaced with “Members may also be elected prior to a peal which is intended to be rung by the Guild, provided that at least half the band are already life and/or ringing and/or compounding members who have transferred from ringing membership, and subject to the peal being successful and the election being confirmed at the next meeting of the District in which the election took place”.
A supporting paper had been circulated with the Agenda. The changes had been drafted in response to several recent ineligible Belfry elections and possible loopholes in the current Rules. The main effects of the changes would be to clarify the number and type of members required to elect a member before a peal attempt and to make Belfry Elections valid only if the peal attempt is successful. The change had been approved by the Executive Committee but had to be voted on at the AGM.
The proposal was adopted by the AGM (with effect from 1 Jan 2004) by 37 votes in favour, none against.
Bob Cater briefly explained the work of the Executive Committee, which brought officials of the Districts and the Guild “Centre” together to provide services to all Guild members. He introduced four such examples of the Executive’s work, which were being brought to the attention of the members.
Mike Bubb explained that the Executive had appointed a small group of six members to examine the pros and cons of registering the whole Guild as a Charity, rather than just the BRF as at present.
The financial advantage of reclaimed Income Tax on Guild subscriptions would only be realised by holding more member details and expending more effort on obtaining Gift Aid Declarations from each member who paid tax. After consulting other Guilds who had taken the irrevocable step of becoming a charity, the recommendation was that the increased income was unlikely to be worth the extra effort, and no further action should be taken.
Mike Bubb reminded the meeting that since the tragic events in America on 11 September 2001 there had been two dramatic increases in the premium paid for the Guild’s Public Liability Insurance, the major reason for the increase in Guild subscriptions last year. A reduced premium would be payable if the Guild did not want cover for working on bells, rather than just ringing them.
The Executive had kept this situation under review and decided that cover should continue to be available for members of the BSC and all other Guild Members while working in Towers. Mike Bubb informed members that in order to ensure that this Public Liabilty Insurance applied in all cases, he needed two weeks notice of major bell work.
Bob Cater explained the impact of the Act on Ringers. Compliance with the Act in each Parish was the responsibility of the PCC, following Diocesan guidelines. Ringers should also take account of specific guidance issued by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, which the Executive had decided should be made available to all members via the 2002 Guild Report.
The Guild master reminded the meeting of the Bell Stock Survey instigated by the Belfry Stewardship Committee in 1997. The bells of the Channel Islands had been covered by Rev David Cawley’s book to be published very soon and the part of the Guild area in the County of Dorset was included in “The Bells and Belfries of Dorset” but the majority of the bells in the two dioceses had to be recorded by us. Mark Esbester explained that the BRF needed to know the number and condition of ringing peals in the Guild area to estimate the likely future need for bell restoration grants.
Phil Watts of the Belfry Stewardship Committee expressed the desire to ultimately record all bells in the area, but the priority was to cover all peals of bells hung for full circle ringing. This was about half complete and the Executive had recently supported the recruitment of more members to progress and assist in the completion of forms for the remaining towers.
Progress and progression of the Survey is to be checked at the next Executive meeting.
Celebrations will be centred on the AGM (See Item 18). Peal attempts had been requested at all 3 Cathedrals in the Guild’s original area: Winchester, Portsmouth and Guildford. Other locally oriented events are more appropriately organised by the Districts.
The Channel Islands District will host the AGM in 2005 on the usual date of first Saturday in July as part of a long weekend Ringing Festival.
Guild members were encouraged to come and listen to the expected excellent ten bell competition ringing at this prestigious event involving seven Guilds from the South and East of England.
This had been postponed from FA Cup Final day due to the involvement of Southampton FC. The date is 27 Sept, venue to be announced.
This is being organised by the Alton & Petersfield District at East Meon on 26 June 2004, the exact 125th Anniversary of the formation of the Guild. N.B. Change of Date.
The Guild Master was intending to invite a Bishop and requested members to ensure a good turnout at the Service. The Inter District Striking Competition will be held in the morning. In the evening, members will be able to enjoy one of the A&P District’s excellent Barbecues.
Tony Smith gave notice that he would not be standing for re-election as Report Editor in the Triennial Elections at the AGM in 2004.
Winchester Cathedral Refectory has been “Pencilled in” for the Guild Dinner on 24 April 2004.
The Guild Master presented Peter Smith of Freshwater with a commemorative copy of the details of the first Peal on the rehung bells at Arreton, plus a small wooden bell made from the old frame, as a token of appreciation for his efforts in keeping Arreton bells ringable for many years and getting them rehung.
There being no further business, the Master thanked Mary Tester and helpers for the excellent Tea and for making all the local arrangements; the Vicar of Shanklin for taking the service and everyone for attending. He closed the meeting with The Grace at 5.11 p.m.
A draw for the W&P 200 club took place after the meeting.