The Master Rev. Barry Fry, supported by the Honorary General Secretary Robert Cater, the Honorary General Treasurer Michael Bubb and Minute Secretary Francis Mitchell, opened the meeting at 10.17 a.m. with a prayer.
He welcomed everybody, especially those attending for the first time.
The others attending were:
Petra Ballantyne, Andrew Banks, Andrew Byford, Gail Cater, Andrew Craddock, John Davey, Ceri Dodd, Mark Esbester, Lyndon Hatfield, Ian McCallion, June Mitchell, Brian Oakes, Tony Smith, Barbara Townsend, Prisca Tremeer, Jack Walters, Phil Watts, Mike Winterbourne, Margaret Wolverson. Margaret and Philip Carter attended in lieu of Winchester District’s Secretary and Executive Committee Representative.
Linda Bulpitt, Peter Clarke, Gilian Davis, Alan Hoar, Wendy Ling, Joan Parry, Roger Smith, Peter Taylor, Rosalind Turrell,
Flora MacDonald Stocker of Milford on Sea and Colin Steers (not a member but Partner of Gilian Davis).
Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted by the meeting and signed by the Master as a true record.
Tony Smith reported little progress on publication of “Church Bells of The Channel Islands”.
The simulator has been repaired and enhanced and may be booked through the Education Committee.
Bishopstoke has been awarded Ringing Centre status by the Central Council. The Education Committee is assessing what equipment is required so a grant can be requested from the Central Council which is anxious to actually spend the funds donated by The Worshipful Company of Founders to help set up Ringing Centres. Andy Banks offered to assist in acquiring a PC.
The Guild’s Millennium tour of the Holy Land led by the Master Rev Barry Fry, did not actually happen, due to lack of numbers. There was no cost to the Guild.
Mark Esbester reported that Graham Grant has drawn up plans for a suitable old style frame to hold the small bell of less than half a hundredweight, with cannons, so it can be used for demonstration and teaching purposes. Acquisition of materials and construction is in hand.
A Guild team entered by Peter Hill took part this year and came last. Peter did not wish to continue in this role, so if the Guild were to be invited next year, a team would be organised by the new Striking Committee convenor Andy Byford.
Peter Hill was thanked for his efforts and the success of actually getting a band to the competition.
Gilian Davis was thanked for organising a successful and happy meeting on Saturday 30th September in Winchester Cathedral refectory. A report by Derek Jackson had been circulated, accounts will follow.
Subject to final expenses, the Raffle had raised around £1300 for the BRF, for which thanks were expressed to Peter Claridge and all those responsible. After the meeting had assisted in identifying a winner with an incomplete phone number, June Mitchell confirmed that very little negative reaction to the Guild holding a raffle had been received.
Sale of sweatshirts had raised £200 for the BRF. They were still available on request to June Mitchell who would place orders preferably in batches of at least a dozen. Twenty seven engraved goblets had been ordered so far and were being distributed. They would be available next year, without “Year 2000”. Teeshirts would be advertised soon as being available again in Spring 2001.
Ken Tipper of Petersfield was nominated. There may be others from the Andover District.
Copies of last year’s PRO Report are still available from Tony Smith as an Addendum to the 1999 Report.
Update forms for the District data have been distributed to District Secretaries. Executive Committee members were asked to supply Tony Smith with any updates on their details. He requested that reports be submitted electronically where possible and agreed to investigate the possibility of reprinting the Guild Rules and/or BRF Rules in the next Report.
The idea of including colour photographs in the report was not pursued because it would virtually double the cost. That would be better achieved through a special edition of the Guild Newsletter.
District Treasurers were reminded that the rule change re members in full time education could cause a significant reduction in the value of subs collected next year.
The very full report distributed with the Agenda was accepted. John Colliss and the previous committee were thanked for many years of hard work. The other committee member’s view of John’s contribution was evident in the extra lines they had requested to be added to the report.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted, with a minor historical amendment. The previous convenor John Davey was thanked for his efforts. The meeting was informed that dinners may be held in some Museums and similar venues such as HMS Warrior. Bob Cater pointed out the advantageous financial terms offered by Winchester Cathedral Refectory to Diocesan organisations such as the Guild.
Philip Carter was thanked for taking over the organisation of the successful Mid Monthly Meetings. His report, though not a sub-committee report, was considered by the Executive to be worth printing in the Annual Report as a record of Guild activities.
The report by Caroline Eisenhauer was also agreed to be suitable for printing in the Guild Report. More volunteers are always welcome.
The Guild Master described how a 25th anniversary peal at South Wonston by mainly ex-resident Compounding members broke the rule on number of Ringing members required for a tower election and could therefore not be accepted as a W&P peal nor printed in the Guild Report.
After some discussion and explanation of the reasons for different membership criteria for ringing peals accredited to the Guild and electing members to ring in them, Mike Winterbourne proposed the Executive should recommend to the next AGM acceptance of this peal as a Guild peal under rule 19 due to the exceptional circumstances. This would be without prejudice to the existing rules.
The proposal was carried on a vote of: For - 16, Against - 6, Did not vote - 3.
Bob Cater was asked to invite the ringer concerned to stand for election as a member in the near future.
Under the terms of the Data Protection Act, all Guild and District officers and tower contacts whose name & address is printed in the Guild Report have to complete a permission form before their details could be included in the electronic version on the Guild website. They only needed to do it once.
The Life Member Certificates created by Jack Walters with updated colour photographs of both Cathedrals had been much appreciated. Jack was thanked by the Master. There are 30 spares available for future Life Members.
As the Ringing Member certificates will shortly need a new issue, Bob Cater proposed a similar update, not in colour. This was agreed by the meeting.
Before ordering new supplies of the current Guild badge, which was designed in 1974 by the late Arthur Davis, Bob Cater invited the Exec to consider whether or not the design should be changed.
There was general support for the bell shape and admiration for the combination of Diocesan emblems, though identification of the Guild, perhaps by “W&P”, was suggested. Another issue of silver badges could be ordered if required. Districts were asked to consult members and report back to the March Executive meeting.
Ian McCallion explained that due to exceptional personal commitments he had regretfully decided to resign from the Public Relations Committee. He supported the revision of the Guild Website with a more meaningful domain name, the cost of which is likely to be only a small proportion of the PRC budget. The meeting agreed.
Currently the Guild’s Display Stand is being administered by Francis Mitchell and David Forder is looking after the Guild Website. Bob Cater will call a meeting of the committee to decide the way forward.
The meeting agreed that the Display Stand, with its new post-Millennium posters, should be exhibited at the Ringing Roadshow at Keele on 31 March 2001. Francis agreed to take it. Assistance in preparing answers to the expected questions was offered by Mike Winterbourne and Phil Watts.
The following bids were approved:
| i. | Librarian & Archivist | £75 | |
| ii. | Report Editor | £50 | |
| iii. | Education Committee | Nothing, at present. | |
| iv. | Striking Competitions Committee | Bid not prepared yet. | |
| v. | BSC | No bid, but a loan of £100 was requested by Phil Watts for materials for the Crawley working party, to be repaid by the Parish. | |
| vi. | BRF FRC | £20 | |
| vii. | PR Committee | No bid as £400 approved last year has not yet been spent. |
Mike Bubb introduced a paper from the BRF Trustees explaining the problems caused by some requests for grants being received outside the stipulated time frame, the Trustees are suggesting revisions to the Trust deed of the BRF:
The time limit for application for grants to be increased to two months before the AGM.
The Executive meeting be allowed to approve grants in exceptional circumstances, as well as a general meeting. Major applications are still expected to be dealt with through a general meeting.
The Charity Commission had been informed of the proposed rule change and saw no impact on the BRF’s charitable status. Districts had been consulted and reported general support. It was agreed that the formal proposal to change the BRF Rules be presented to the March Executive meeting and the Charity Commission and mentioned at Annual District Meetings.
Nothing to report.
A provisional list, including the brand new six at Botley, had been circulated to the towers involved. It would be made available on the Guild E-group and posted on the Website when finalised.
The Master Rev Barry Fry will not be available on the advertised AGM date of 7 July 2001 due to his reelection to the General Synod which meets on that day. A proposal to hold the AGM one week earlier on 30 June was passed with 14 votes for, 2 against. This was acceptable to the C&S District, who were arranging the AGM at Minstead in the New Forest with ringing at other towers as well.
The Inter District 8 bell competition will be held on the morning of AGM day, 30 June 2001.
The Guild tower competitions are scheduled for 19 May 2001, 6 bell at Purbrook, 8 bell at Soberton. The fact that these towers would also be included in the Open Day was not thought to be a problem.
The 2001 dates 31 March, 28 April, 20 Oct, 10 Nov had been announced last July. A full range of courses including “Higher Numbers” would be held, with something on the Isle of Wight.
This was agreed as Saturday 10 March 2001 at St Barnabas Church Hall, at 10.15 a.m.
Phil Watts reported that the De minimis Faculty Jurisdiction proposals had been communicated to Winchester DAC as agreed at the previous Executive meeting, but a reply was being delayed by the lack of a DAC Assistant Secretary.
Helpers are required by the BSC at Crawley 29 Nov - 1 Dec for refurbishment work such as scraping, repainting and replacing pulley boxes. Learner ringers are ready to be trained by Gail Cater when the work is complete.
In response to a query about dates of posting material from Hon Gen Sec to District Secretaries for distribution to towers, Bob Cater referred to the previously agreed communication strategy, whereby he generates major mailings direct to towers in late May/early June before the AGM and in late November via District Secretaries before ADMs. Other ad hoc items are sent to District Secretaries for onward distribution “As you can”.
There being no further business, the Master closed the meeting with a prayer at 12.26 p.m.