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 10.29 a.m. with a prayer.
He welcomed everybody, especially those attending for the first time.
The others attending were:
Andrew Banks, Andrew Byford, Gail Cater, Ben Constant, John Davey, Gilian Davis, Ceri Dodd, Mark Esbester, David Forder, Lyndon Hatfield, Alan Hoar, Maureen Kelly, Wendy Ling, June Mitchell, Brian Oakes, Roger Smith, Tony Smith, Barbara Townsend, Prisca Tremeer, Jack Walters, Phil Watts, David Weir.
Petra Ballantyne, Peter Clarke, Andrew Craddock, Martin Waldron, Mike Winterbourne, Margaret Wolverson.
Enid Treagus an unattached member in the Portsmouth District and Harold Moody (LM) Alton.
Minutes of the meeting held on 18 Nov 2000 were accepted by the meeting with a minor amendment to 15.2 BRF Matters and signed by the Master as a true record.
Tony Smith reported that Rev. David Cawley’s latest amendment had been incorporated into a prepublication version of “Church Bells of The Channel Islands” which is available for inspection.
Gail Cater reported on progress being made to spend the grant awarded via the Central Council for equipping Bishopstoke as a Ringing Centre. A computer was being selected from the various offers received and an overhead projector is still needed.
Mark Esbester reported that timber was required for the construction of a frame for the small bell, so it can be used for demonstration and teaching purposes.
Andy Byford is in process of selecting a team for this 10 bell competition, to be held at Saffron Walden on 15 September 2001.
Feedback from the Districts at their ADMs indicated a general preference for the existing bell shape (perhaps smaller) plus Guild initials, though there was some support for the older circular design and for the provision of whatever design was chosen in silver. Designs are to be drawn up for consideration at the next Exec.
David Forder has taken over from Ian McCallion as convenor and newsletter editor.
The March edition of the Guild Newsletter has been produced and was distributed to District Secretaries at the meeting. Thanks were expressed to Roy Le Marechal for getting it printed.
The new website name has been chosen by consultation with Guild members as wp-ringers.co.uk About 90% of the permission forms had been received for placing name and address details on the website. Andover District had achieved 100%, other Districts were urged to try and match this.
Following advice given at the November Executive meeting, the ringer subject to the non compliant tower election at South Wonston has been elected as a Compounding Member at a subsequent Winchester District meeting. The Peal will be published in the Annual report as “subject to confirmation” (by the AGM).
Jack Walters showed the meeting samples of the revised membership certificate, in black and white, copied for the existing price of 20p and a higher quality version costing 75p each. Roger Smith suggested an alternative and perhaps cheaper source of high quality copies. A proposal by Mark Esbester to use the better quality copy at the best price available was carried without opposition.
Terry Tarrant of Andover. Mike Goss thinks he was elected in 1951, but the Guild Reports don’t show him until 1952. So unless other evidence is found he will be put forward in 2002.
(This item should be treated as confidential to the Executive, until the AGM)
Prisca Tremeer had submitted details of Jack Worrall’s ringing history and his outstanding contribution to the revival and current good health of ringing in the Channel Islands. The proposal that he be elected Life Member was supported by the Executive unopposed.
Dick and Christine Boyce of St John’s Surrey Road, Bournemouth had been suggested by Patrick Matthews. As most of their commendable efforts had been in towers in the Salisbury Diocese, in which they reside, it was not felt appropriate for our Guild to confer Life Membership. It will be suggested to Patrick that it may be more fitting for the Salisbury Diocesan Guild to confer an honour.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted, though figures were needed from some Districts to allow calculation of the Total Financial Assets. Mike Bubb summarised the report by confirming the Guild’s satisfactory current financial situation.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted with one amendment.
The report distributed before the meeting was accepted, with a correction to the Peal breakdown figures and removal of the asterisk from Painswick Major.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted, with a minor change to the bank interest figure.
Gilian Davis thanked Derek Jackson for his interim report on the Seniors meeting which was submitted to the November executive meeting while she was unavailable. She explained that due to the costs of the event being notably less than expected, donations from the Districts had not been spent and would be returned with thanks. The executive agreed. Gilian’s report distributed with the Agenda was accepted.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted.
The report distributed with the Agenda was accepted, after some clarification of the “Three Year Rule”, which is implemented by the Trustees under BRF Rule 8d.
The report distributed at the meeting was accepted. Mark Esbester noted the reduced number of tower donations and requested the Districts to encourage BRF donations from their towers and quarterly meetings. A discussion followed on the effect of donating collections taken at District meetings direct to local restoration projects rather than to the Guild BRF.
Tony Smith thanked the Districts who had submitted details for the Report early in the year and requested approved committee reports be sent to him electronically, where available, as soon as possible, at smithap@acm.org . He hoped the Report would be published in April, with the Guild Rules included. A report on Bishopstoke Ringing Centre could be included next year.
The amended draft rules had been distributed before the meeting. Mike Bubb thanked Tony Smith for his assistance with drafting the proposed changes to allow approval of applications at an Executive Meeting. A request that Rule 8a be amended to read “ … shall be considered ONLY at a General Meeting … ” was accepted. The new rules were then agreed by the meeting and will be forwarded to the AGM for its approval.
A letter from the Central Council Education Committee had been circulated with the Agenda. It outlined proposals for supporting those who teach ringing and asked for the Guild’s support.
Bob Cater asked the Executive’s opinion so he could reply on behalf of the Guild.
It was agreed that the Guild would be supportive of this initiative. Promotional material could be distributed with Hon Gen Sec’s pre-AGM and pre-ADM mailings and those responsible for training ringers would be encouraged to join the Network. Bob Cater had been asked to help run the Network, any other volunteers were welcome to contact the Chairman of the CC Education Committee, John Harrison direct.
A letter had been circulated with the Agenda, suggesting a Tower Open Day on the Island for 6 May 2002. Profit and expenses to be shared between The Society For The Preservation of Isle of Wight Church Bells and The Guild BRF. As the current cycle of District Open Days ends this year with the Portsmouth District, this suggestion was agreed by the Executive. The Channel Island bells will be available when the AGM is held there in 2005 (not 2004 as previously mentioned), and something may be planned for the Guild’s 125th anniversary in 2004. A possible repeat of the District Open Day cycle would be considered at a later date.
21 July at Christchurch priory, jointly organised by W&P Education Committee with SDGR and DCA.
Service and meeting in the afternoon at Minstead, with towers open morning and evening. Guild Tower Striking Competition starting at 10.00. It was noted that the National 12 bell contest on the same day could make it difficult for at least one entry to raise a band for the Guild’s competition.
The Executive agreed that the AGM would be on the first Saturday in July (6th) as usual, regardless of the General Synod. The National 12 bell competition is scheduled for Winchester in June that year.
This was agreed as Saturday 24 November 2001 at St Barnabas Church Hall, at 10.15 a.m.
Steve Castle had requested advice on how to raise an issue at the Central Council. A lengthy discussion included the role of the Guild’s Central Council Representatives (not Delegates), the Central Council’s relationship with The Ringing World and the legal obligations of The Ringing World Ltd, all of which were thought to be relevant to this matter.
The Executive instructed the Hon Gen Sec to reply to Steve advising him that there were three ways forward to pursue his interests viz:
He could approach the Company Secretary of Ringing World Ltd;
He could approach any Central Council Representative;
Should he wish the Executive to consider any matter further, he must explain clearly what it is he wishes them to consider.
The new Winchester DAC Assistant Secretary is now in place. Bob Cater is to make contact about the De minimis Faculty Jurisdiction proposals.
Lyndon Hatfield produced a Diocese of Portsmouth Declaration Form on Child protection, which all the ringing instructors at Titchfield had been required to complete. Although this was the first report of such a form in the Portsmouth Diocese, it seemed to be similar to existing instances in Winchester Diocese. Attention was drawn to the Central Council’s guidelines on Child Protection in the back cover of The Ringing World Diary, and the general guidance to do whatever was required locally.
It was reported that the Botley Bells project is virtually complete, the try out had taken place on Thursday 1 March. More news in the March 2001 edition of the Guild Newsletter.
The Queen’s Golden Jubilee will be celebrated on Monday 2 June 2002 when the Spring Bank Holiday will be one week later than usual. Guild towers are encouraged to prepare to celebrate this event.
In answer to a request for advice on holding ringing events during the current Foot & Mouth outbreak, which so far included no cases in the Guild area, it was stated that there is no Guild policy on the subject. Decisions whether to hold or cancel events must be based on local judgement, though organisers were urged to obey official guidelines and consider the question very carefully.
Roy Le Marechal had made a supply of his Hampshire Bells CDs available to the meeting. So far 90 had been sold out of 500 made. This had already covered costs and produced £250 profit for BRF. The CD was commended to all members and Roy thanked by the Master and the meeting in general for his fund raising efforts on this project and the Guild Calendars in previous years.
Bob Cater suggested the possible reissuing of the Guild Centenary Bells record issued in 1979, as a CD with extra tracks to mark the Guild’s 125th anniversary in 2004.
There being no further business, the Master closed the meeting with a prayer at 12.44 p.m.