The Guild Master - Rachael Barber, supported by Vice-Master - Peter Niblett, Hon. Gen. Secretary - Steve Castle, Hon. Gen. Treasurer - Robin Milford and Minute Secretary - Tony Smith, opened the meeting at 5.04 p.m. and Barry Fry said a prayer. The Master welcomed those present and thanked the Andover District for making the arrangements, the Striking Competition committee for organising the competition that morning, the judges and Hurstbourne Priors Churchwarden - Fenella Williams, Canon Dodie Marsden for taking the service at St. Mary Bourne and Lucy Hopkins Till for playing the organ, and Jenny and Leslie James for the refreshments (applause).
Martin Rice from Newbury and Mark Robins from Hungerford had judged the Inter-District 8-bell Striking Competition at Hurstbourne Priors that morning. The following results had been announced and certificates presented to the team captains.
| Position | District | Method | Faults | Drawn | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Portsmouth | Grandsire Triples | 29 | 9th | ||||
| 2nd | Winchester | Grandsire Triples | 30 | 8th | ||||
| 3rd | Basingstoke | Grandsire Triples | 33 | 1st | ||||
| 4th | Isle of Wight 1 | Grandsire Triples | 42 | 3rd | ||||
| 5th | Alton & Petersfield 1 | Plain Bob Triples | 55 | 5th | ||||
| 6th | Isle of Wight 2 | Call changes | 63 | 7th | ||||
| 7th | Alton & Petersfield 2 | Call changes | 70 | 4th | ||||
| 8th | Andover | Grandsire Triples | 72 | 2nd | ||||
| 9th | Christchurch & Southampton | Grandsire Triples | 79 | 6th |
The Master presented the trophy to David Mattingley, the captain of the winning team (applause).
The following 65 members and two guests attended: Jessica Hornsby and Matthew Watts (St. Lawrence, Alton), Richard Paxford (Andover), Ben Constant, Adam Greenley and Margaret Smith (All Saints, Basingstoke), Lynne & Pete Jordan, and Steve Lutener (St. Michael, Basingstoke), Simon Poyser (Bentley), Clare Carpenter and Jeremy Pratt (Bishop’s Waltham), Julia Brunt (Bramshott), Barry Fry (Brockenhurst), Ros Brandwood (Burghclere), Francesco & Luca Greenslade (Buriton), Mark Esbester (Catherington), Robin Milford (Curdridge), Mike Hopkins-Till (Ecchinswell), Roger & Ellen Barber (Hawkley), Rodolph de Salis and Lucy Hopkins-Till (Highclere), Jinny Kufluk and Tony Smith (Hursley), Gill Gardner and Helen Piper (Kingsclere), Jen Churchill and Alan Sparrow (Lockerley), Paul Trend (Lyndhurst), Carolyn & Francis Mitchell (Netley), Christine & David Holmes (Overton), Katherine Wilkins (Petersfield), David Mattingley (Portsmouth Cathedral), Andrew Glover and Nigel Herriott (Romsey), Viv & Graham Nobbs, and Trisha Shannon (Ryde), Rachael Barber and Nick James (Selborne), Brian Oakes (St. Mary Bourne), Steve Castle (Southampton), Micki Nadal (Stockbridge), Charlotte & Edd Colliss, and Stephanie McMahon (Swanmore), Edwina Carpenter (Upham), Lucy & Michael Church (Upton Grey), Roger Knight, Paul Myers, Peter Niblett, James & Paul Rampton (Whitchurch), John Colliss, Caroline Fairley and Bruce Purvis (Winchester Cathedral), Christine Knights-Whittome (Wonston), Chris Pack (Woolton Hill), John Croft and Edmund Wratten (unattached), Alexander & Nathaniel Colliss (guests).
Apologies for absence had been received from Lizzie Colliss (Alverstoke), David Close (Andover), Heather Frazer and Peter Rowe (St. Michael, Basingstoke), Julia Day and Keith Merritt (Bentworth), Malcolm Cooper (Blackmoor), Bridget Farren and Maggie Hiller (Kingsclere), John Palk (Lockerley), Sallie & Andy Ingram (Milford-on-Sea), Elizabeth Johnson (New Alresford), Phil Watts (North Stoneham), Jackie & John Downham (Petersfield), Ian Carey (Portsmouth Cathedral), Allan Yalden (Purbrook), Alan Bentley (Ringwood), Rodney Skinner (Ropley), Martin Barnes and Nici Collins (Rotherwick), Eve Lind-Smith (St. Mary Bourne), Mary Tester (Shorwell), Dan Graham (Southampton), Mo & Hugh Routh (Steep), Alan Hutchinson (Winchester Cathedral), Shân & Adrian Nash (unattached). Further apologies were received from Roger Booth and Andrew Johnson (New Alresford), Nick Bucknall, Colin Cook, Kate Kernick and Trish Spink (Winchester Cathedral).
The meeting remembered members: Pat Chaplin-Orman (Newchurch), Edwin Cole (Chale), Gerry Cornick (Wonston), Gerry Faulkner (Arreton), Mary Floyd (Chale), Sue Froome (Wolverton), E Nora Pointer (Sherfield English) and Richard Uzzell (Alderney); and former members: Martin D Bishop (Ringwood), Margaret Carter (Winchester Cathedral), Ann Cattermole (Winchester College), Dorothea Drummond (St. John, Bournemouth), Angela Edwards (Shedfield), Jeremy Hallam (Newport), Ed Hynard (Vale), Joan Stevenson (Brighstone), Colin Vickers (Whitchurch) and Pauline Weston (Brading). Barry Fry said a prayer.
Viv Nobbs was standing down after seven years as P.R.O. The Master thanked her for all her work (applause). There were no candidates.
At its November meeting the Executive Committee elected Dan Graham to temporarily fill a vacancy as Safeguarding Officer. The Master proposed and Pete Jordan seconded that this election be confirmed. There were no other nominations.
At its November meeting the Executive Committee elected Steve Castle to temporarily fill one of the vacancies as Central Council Representative. Mike Hopkins Till proposed and Barry Fry seconded that this election be confirmed. Tony Smith proposed and Peter Niblett seconded that the Master fill the other vacancy. There were no other nominations.
The minutes of the 2022 AGM at Alton were adopted on the proposition of Roger Barber, seconded by Nick James, and signed by the Master as a true record.
There were no matters arising.
Neale Fray (Shedfield), Theo Getty (Alverstoke), Viv Nobbs (Ryde), Susan Savage (Romsey) and Paul Trend (Lyndhurst) had completed fifty years’ ringing membership of the Guild. The Master congratulated Viv and Paul who were present (applause). Life membership certificates would be sent to them in due course.
There were no comments and the reports were adopted en bloc on the proposition of Barry Fry, seconded by Michael Church.
The report and accounts had been independently examined and agreed by the Trustees. The Hon. Gen. Treasurer said that the following balances were held: TSB current account £4,455.82, TSB deposit account £1,621.95, CCLA deposit fund £71,686.68, TOTAL cash and investments £77,764,45 of which £31,664.45 unallocated.
David Mattingley said the Trustees met earlier that day and he reported on the outstanding grants: Brading - no update; Hawkley - clock bell still to be installed; Ropley - no update. The November Executive Committee had approved grants to Andover general refurbishment £1,300; Netley rehang £12,000; Portchester general refurbishment £800; and the March Executive Committee had approved a grant to East Tisted restoration for full-circle ringing £2,000. They had received a revised application from Andover and recommended a revised grant of £1,750 and a new application from Eling for general refurbishment and anchoring a loose beam at a cost of £7,130 and the Trustees recommended a grant of £1,000. These were seconded by Mark Esbester and agreed.
Mike Hopkins Till gave a verbal report of the meeting at Nottingham Trent University specifically mentioning Safeguarding, the Senior Stakeholder Liaison WG (being “wound up”), a Volunteer and Leadership group on improving striking that he was leading, a proposed national ringing centre in a converted Northamptonshire pub and a mobile belfry. [The minutes are available on the CC website.]
A supporting paper prepared by the principal officers had been distributed.
Tony Smith explained that rule changes required at least 20 voting in favour and double those voting against and if there was any doubt the votes would be counted. The changes would come into effect on 1st January 2024 and would not affect the disposition of the subscriptions collected in 2023.
The Master proposed and Peter Niblett seconded that it be made easier and fairer for members to access funds earmarked for Training & Development. The aim is to allow Districts to decide for themselves what things they would like to fund, to specifically benefit their members. Districts are best placed to know what their members need and this will encourage better use of the portion of their subscriptions set aside for recruitment, training and development. Specifically that the following rules be amended by deleting the words struck through and inserting the words underlined and that the decision at last year’s AGM that £1 of each subscription (other than from Probationary Members) should be transferred from the Central Fund to the Training and Development Fund be rescinded.
Each District Treasurer shall receive ALL subscriptions of members in his District, pay from the funds all the expenses of the District, and at the end of the year prepare a balance sheet which shall be independently examined and, after presentation to the Annual District Meeting, forwarded to the Honorary Treasurer of the Guild not later than 28th February, together with the proportion of the subscriptions due to the Central Fund and Guild Bell Restoration Fund (Rule 17).
District funds may only be expended for administration and for such purposes as are sanctioned by these rules or by a General Meeting of the District concerned.
First charge on District funds after administration shall be for instruction (whenever possible) in change ringing. If District funds prove insufficient for this charge, the deficiency may be met in whole or part by a contribution from the Central Fund. The instructor(s) may claim travelling expenses and any other out of pocket expenses.
Each District has a responsibility to encourage training and development in their District. The principal District Officers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) may approve expenditure on recruitment, training and development activities in change ringing. This could include:
financial assistance with the provision of training, or attending courses and events.
purchase of training materials and educational assets or other goods and services to assist in the development of a ringer or group of ringers.
any other worthy project to enhance and enable the training and development of members.
If there is a vacancy among the principal District officers, expenditure must be approved by a General Meeting of the District.
Seventy Sixty per cent of all subscriptions, excluding the proportion allocated to the Guild Bell Restoration Fund, shall be allocated to a Central Fund for the general administration and expenses of the Guild and for any other purpose that the members in General Meeting may direct. The Honorary Treasurer shall receive, not later than 28th February, all monies due to the Central Fund and Guild Bell Restoration Fund and shall be empowered to disburse all accounts properly incurred in the central administration of the Guild, either in cash payments or by cheques drawn on the Guild current banking account, which cheques he shall be authorised to draw. He shall maintain a statement of central accounts. The remaining thirty forty per cent of subscriptions, excluding the proportion allocated to the Guild Bell Restoration Fund, shall be retained by the Districts for the purposes of meeting expenses of the Districts incurred under these rules. If there be any deficiency in the Central Fund, the Annual General Meeting of the Guild may, by resolution, require the Districts to meet the deficiency in proportion to the amount of each District’s receipts retained that year. At any time during the year the Executive Committee may, if necessary, direct the District Treasurers to pay over to the Central Fund all, or part of, the proportion of subscriptions actually received and due to the fund.
Districts are requested to compile a list of instructors who are willing to assist towers (Rule 16).
The Guild Training and Development Fund is a Designated Fund within the Central Fund.
Terms of Reference: The fund is to support members of the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers. The object of this fund shall be to provide financial assistance to support any worthy project/expenditure to enhance and enable the Guild-level training and development of members under 25, and financial assistance towards larger capital purchases or projects, for example, installation of a training dumb-bell or simulator, when District funds prove insufficient.
Operation. Requests to the Honorary Treasurer of the Guild; in writing or electronic message.
Officials. The Master, the Vice-Master, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer of the Guild. The Officials will request input from other Guild Committees when required.
Decisions. An application for a grant from this fund shall be expedited as swiftly as possible using email/electronic/telephonic communication between the Officials.
Caroline Fairley requested the use of gender-neutral pronouns. Specifically that in rule 16.a “his” be changed to “their” and in rule 17 “He” be changed to “They”. This was accepted by the proposer, seconder and the meeting.
Bruce Purvis questioned the restriction in rule 18.b to members under 25 and the Master explained that this was a feature of the Training & Development fund, setup by the Executive Committee in November 2016 but not previously covered by the rules, and money had been given to the fund on that understanding. Jeremy Pratt pointed out that there was no age restriction on Districts’ spending on training and development.
Subject to the changes agreed above the motion was passed nem. con. by the required majority.
Andy Ingram proposed and Tony Smith seconded that the inactive Teaching Hubs Committee be dissolved. Specifically that rule clauses 9.b.v and 10.e be deleted. The motion was passed nem. con. by the required majority.
Steve Castle proposed and Robin Milford seconded that references to the Central Fund should be standardised. Specifically that three occurrences of “General Fund” in rule 21 be corrected to “Central Fund”. The motion was passed nem. con. by the required majority.
The Master thanked the other principal officers and Tony Smith for all their work on these proposals (applause),
| 8th July 2023 | RWNYC - York | |
| 9th September 2023 | Essex Trophy - Walthamstow | |
| 16th September 2023 | Inter-Tower 8-bell striking competition - St. Michael, Basingstoke | |
| 7th October 2023 | Education course - Kent & Oxford Treble Bob / Maintenance day, Holybourne | |
| 4th November 2023 | Education course - Plain hunt, Swanmore | |
| 18th November 2023 | Executive Committee Meeting |
Saturday 8th June 2024 in the Portsmouth District.
The Communication Committee had advised that the next Guild newsletter would be published in August and would combine news of recent ringing for Royal events with regular content. News of ringing in towers or Districts for the Jubilee, Queen’s death or the King’s coronation or any other items should be emailed to comms@wpbells.org by Saturday 1st July.
Richard Paxford thanked those who responded to his request to confirm their attendance at today’s events.
Christine Knights-Whittome said that Gerry Cornick of Wonston, who had died that morning, was interviewed from his hospital bed in a report on the Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover on yesterday evening’s edition of BBC South Today.
Viv Nobbs thanked the principal officers for all their work and The Ringing World for their sales stall.
There being no further business, the Master closed the meeting at 6.03 p.m.
[After the meeting Robin Milford conducted the draw for the W&P 200 Club. The winners were as follows (given by club number, name and prize amount)
30 Ian Redway £25; 36 Roger Booth £10; 8 Mike Winterbourne £5; 14 Rosalind Brandwood £5; 10 Tangley bellringers £2.50; 15 Viv Nobbs £2.50]