The meeting was held online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Guild Master - Pete Jordan, supported by the Vice-Master - Allan Yalden, Hon. Gen. Treasurer - Helen Woolford and Minute Secretary - Tony Smith, opened the meeting at 10.03 a.m. The Master welcomed those present and said a prayer.
The other members attending were Martin Barnes (Belfry Stewardship), Michael Church (CC Rep.), Nici Collins (Basingstoke Sec.), Edd Colliss (Peal Recorder), John Davey (Safeguarding), Barry Fry (BRF Trustee), Andrew Glover (Communications), Mike Hopkins Till (CC Rep.), Lucy Hopkins Till (Andover Exec Rep.), Andy Ingram (Education, C&S Exec Rep.), Sallie-Louise Ingram (C&S Sec.), Nicholas James (A&P Exec Rep.), David Mattingley (BRF Trustee), Adrian Nash (CC Rep.), Shân Nash (CC Rep.), Viv Nobbs (PRO), John Palk (Report Editor), Simon Poyser (A&P Sec. proxy), Bruce Purvis (Librarian & Archivist, Winchester Sec.), Mary Tester (IoW Sec.), Mike Winterborne (Immediate Past Master, Andover Sec. proxy) and guests Roger Barber, Steve Lamb and Robin Milford.
Apologies for absence had been received from John Croft and Maggie Hiller.
The Master read the following names, asked for a few moments silence and said a prayer.
| R Andrew Routh (LM) | Steep | |
| Carol Ward | Candover Valley | |
| Arthur L Pooles | formerly of Wootton St Lawrence | |
| Ronald Sherman | formerly of Ringwood |
The minutes of the meeting held on 16th November 2019 were proposed by John Davey, seconded by Allan Yalden, and signed by Tony Smith, on behalf of the Master, as a true record.
There were no matters arising.
Steve Lamb was elected on the proposition of Viv Nobbs, seconded by Mike Winterbourne.
John Davey said that Maggie Cobb (née Poole) of Milford-on-Sea would complete fifty years’ ringing membership in 2021.
Peal Recorder - Nil.
Librarian and Archivist - £300.
Report Editor - Nil.
Public Relations Officer - £200.
Education Committee - Nil.
Striking Competitions Committee - £172.
Belfry Stewardship Committee - Nil.
Communications Committee - £400.
Ringing Schools Committee - Nil.
Young Ringers’ Group - £50.
The bids were approved en bloc on the proposition of John Davey, seconded by Tony Smith.
A Budget for 2021 prepared by the Hon. Gen. Treasurer had been distributed. The Hon. Gen. Treasurer noted two items of projected expenditure: zero for the Guild Report, because a Biennial Report will be produced in 2022 instead of an Annual Report in 2021, and the lower figure for Insurances. This may reduce further as like-for-like quotes are being sought and savings are expected in our public liability insurance.
Andy Ingram queried the projected 2021 income from Districts dues and Tony Smith explained this was the proportion of the subscriptions collected by the Districts in 2020 due to the Central Fund in 2021. It is the dues to the Central Fund in 2022 that will be lower because of the lower subscriptions in 2021. Andy asked that the Young Ringers’ Group should be shown separately from the Education Committee.
David Mattingley reported that no new grant application had been received at the Trustees’ virtual meeting on Saturday 14th November. He went through the five outstanding grants: St Lawrence, Ecchinswell, awarded in March 2015, the bells have been taken out and the new bells expected shortly; St Mary the Virgin, Silchester, awarded in November 2017, project has been completed; St Mary the Virgin, Brading, awarded in March 2018, on-going; St Mary, Twyford, awarded in November 2019, due for completion next year; SS Peter & Paul, Hambledon, awarded in September 2020, project complete.
On 31st October the Master and the Channel Islands District Chairman, Jane Le Conte, attended the opening part of a virtual EGM of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild convened to consider and agree to the CID joining the SDG. The motion was agreed and an Integration Group was formed consisting of the SDG principal officers, the Master, the CID Chairman, and other W&P officers and personnel as required. After a couple of informal meetings, three formal meetings are planned to discuss membership and funds, BRFs, and other issues mainly involving the SDG. The meetings are planned to be completed by the end of the year in preparation for the move which is expected to take place in the Spring.
Viv Nobbs asked about the financial arrangements between the two Guilds. The Master said that the BRF rules, as agreed with the Charity Commission, did not allow for the transfer of any money to the SDG fund (the Llewellyn Edwards BRF) but that, once the part of the subscriptions due to the BRF and the Central Fund had been paid, the remainder belonged to the District and so our current thoughts are that the District funds would go with the District to the SDG.
John Davey asked whether any CID members had nearly completed 50 years’ membership because, they may want to continue their ringing membership in order to secure life membership. The Master said that the CID ringing membership would continue through to the end of 2021 and after the move members could, if they wished, transfer to compounding membership or continue to pay a subscription as non-resident members. Bruce Purvis said that maybe the CID members needed to be made explicitly aware of their options. Tony Smith said that the first Integration Group meeting would cover membership. [Post-meeting note. Channel Island members were first elected in 1976.]
| 20th March 2021 | Executive Committee Meeting | |
| 15th May 2021 | Inter-Tower 6 & 8-bell striking competitions | |
| 12th June 2021 | Inter-District 8-bell striking competition | |
| 12th June 2021 | AGM | |
| 10th July 2021 | RWNYC |
The Master expected the March Executive Committee meeting to be held on Zoom.
Roger Barber, Roger Booth and Viv Nobbs have been co-opted to the Belfry Stewardship Committee. The Master read a note from Viv Nobbs explaining her idea that the enlarged committee would be able to consider the existing bell stock and establish the likely future needs of bell restoration and maintenance. Allan Yalden said that the Central Council Stewardship & Management workgroup was producing advice on what to do with bells that had been out of use for some time before ringing starts again.
The Master said that the Guild simulator is currently taking up space in his garage. He picked it up from the Isle of Wight, where it had been in use, when he was there in October. The simulator is now available to any tower in the Guild who needs it and he asked that they get in touch with him. In reply to an enquiry from Steve Lamb, Andy Ingram said it was an early electronic David Bagley Ringleader simulator, comprising eight optical sensors that connect to the wheels of the bell with cables running to the simulator box. It will simulate the sound of silenced bells and is pre-programmed by pushing buttons to ring methods while one or more bells are rung by individuals so you can practise with no noise outside. It has been used on numerous Guild training courses, but is largely now superseded by Roger Booth bringing along a number of laptops so more than one simulator can be run. It is perfectly functional for people who want to do silent practice. Tony Smith commented that the value of the simulator was effectively written-off in the accounts twenty years ago. Andy said that even if the simulator itself was deemed obsolete the sensors were still perfectly usable.
Plans to review district training resources for restart of ringing. The Master said that he had been in conversation with Andy Ingram. They have been considering a return to ringing some time next year and there will undoubtedly be some losses due to Covid-19. A recruitment drive will be needed but there is no point in finding new ringers if the local infrastructure to teach a large number of potential learners is not in place. It is important to keep this at district level to spread the load and to help new ringers by interacting with members from their prospective new district so they do not have to travel far which may improve their availability. The Master plans to hold a Zoom meeting in the next couple of months, initially with a couple of people from each district who are known to be active tutors, to explore and share ideas, with the thought of perhaps setting up local ringing centres to undertake bell handling skills, sufficient to allow new learners to go back to their own towers where their tuition can continue. There may be some people who are already in mind but the District Ringing Masters may also be contacted for their thoughts and suggestions. This is not intended to be a secret society so people should not be offended if they think they ought to have been invited to the first meeting. It is just to avoid the group getting too big and unwieldy. As things develop more people can be included as needed for their support and experience.
Viv Nobbs spoke in support and asked if it could be extended to cover publicity and bell maintenance. The Master agreed these things would be needed moving forward.
Simon Poyser spoke in support and said the A&P District had already made a start.
Zoom Pro licence. The Master said that districts are expected to hold their ADMs in the normal January/February timeframe. The meetings are needed, at the very least, to approve the district accounts so the monies due to the Central Fund and the BRF can be remitted to the General Treasurer in a timely manner. Districts can use whatever online platform they choose but the Guild will look to making a Zoom Pro licence available during that period. If districts wish to use Zoom they should let the Webmaster, Andrew Glover, know by 20th December and that will allow us to plan and buy the licence for the necessary months.
Allan Yalden pointed out that only one district could use the licence at a time. The Master said in most cases the meetings are on separate Saturdays and there was only one Saturday when there is a clash; it may be that someone in one of those districts already has a Zoom Pro licence. Tony Smith remarked that meetings did not have to be held in the afternoon and the some districts might decide that the morning would be more convenient. [Post-meeting note. The ADM rota is January 2nd Saturday - A&P and Andover, 3rd Saturday - Basingstoke, 4th Saturday - C&S; February 1st Saturday - Portsmouth, 2nd Saturday - Winchester, 3rd Saturday - Isle of Wight]
Viv Nobbs wondered whether the principal officers might like to contact the Winchester Cathedral ringers to see if there might be a special service in November 2021 for the centenary of the dedication of the Guild war memorial. Viv said it might also be an opportunity for any members who had not been able to get to the other two services and also Bishop Timothy who had been unable to attend. The WW1 team would be happy to extend the deadline for submissions to the digital archive to the end of 2021. The Winchester Cathedral Ringing Master, Mike Hopkins Till, said he can ask the Cathedral ringers’ secretary to put it on the agenda so they can discuss it at their AGM; the Cathedral authorities will also need to be contacted.
Mike Winterbourne wondered whether any of the CID members might be deserving of life membership for their services to the Guild and asked that this be considered.
Bruce Purvis said three things: we now have, as a result of a recent discovery in somebody’s loft, the first minute book of the Portsmouth District, taking the story from the foundation of the District in 1902 up to 1922, and this has been lodged in the Hampshire Record Office; Carol Ward’s funeral is next Monday, there is the intention of holding a memorial service when the pandemic is over and, if anyone wishes to donate to the hospice where she died, they should contact him; he thought we should note with sadness the passing of Alec Fry, not he of New Alresford, but he of Kings Worthy who died on 13th June, aged 97. He never was a member of the Guild but was a link between the old days back in the 60s at Kings Worthy and the start of ringing on a proper basis under Dave Goodwin.
Simon Poyser said that Guild members would be welcome to join A&P members at a wreath-laying ceremony at Ypres on 25th September 2021 if the conditions were such that this could go ahead.
Viv Nobbs said that next year marked the centenary of the formation of the Isle of Wight District.
There being no further business, the Master closed the meeting at 10.57 a.m.
[After the meeting Robin Milford announced the results of the draw for the W&P 200 Club conducted by himself and Wendy Smart. The winners were as follows (given by club number, name and prize amount)
10 Tangley bellringers £20; 16 Graham Nobbs £8; 19 Ann LeMarechal £4; 35 Piers Armstrong £4; 27 Christine Hill £2; 31 Wendy Ling £2.]