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 10.16 a.m. The Master welcomed those present and said a prayer.
The other members attending were Roger Barber (A&P Exec Rep.), Roger Booth (Winchester Exec Rep.), Steve Castle (C&S Exec Rep.), Michael Church (CC Rep), Edd Colliss (Peal Recorder), Lizzie Colliss (Communications), John Davey (Safeguarding), Margaret Downer (IoW Exec Rep.), Barry Fry (BRF Trustee), Lucy Hopkins Till (Andover Exec Rep.), Mike Hopkins Till (CC Rep), Andy Ingram (Education & Teaching Hubs), Sallie-Louise Ingram (C&S Sec.), Stephen Lutener (Basingstoke Exec Rep.), David Mattingley (BRF Trustee), Micki Nadal (Winchester Sec.), 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), Mary Tester (IoW Sec.), Matthew Wilks (Portsmouth Exec Rep.), and guests Charlotte Colliss (Independent Examiner) and Andrew Glover (Webmaster).
Apologies for absence had been received from Martin Barnes and Nici Collins.
The Master read the following names, asked for a few moments silence and Barry Fry said a prayer.
| George Dowling (LM) | Goodworth Clatford | |
| Brian Billimore | formerly of Easton | |
| Joan Hollier | formerly of Easton | |
| Joan Hollis | formerly of Chale |
The minutes of the meeting held on 20th November 2021 were proposed by John Davey, seconded by Helen Woolford, approved nem. con. and signed by Tony Smith, on behalf of the Master, as a true record.
(11) In answer to a question from Tony Smith, the Hon. Gen. Treasurer said that the insurance review had been updated and would be distributed in the next couple of weeks, and an insurance webinar for Guild members was being arranged for April. She was happy for Micki Nadal to pass news of the webinar on to John Boggis of Broughton who was concerned about cover for bell maintenance.
(14) In answer to a question from Tony Smith, the Master said there was still no date for the transfer of the Channel Islands parishes to the Salisbury Diocese but agreed that it would make sense for us to move forward on an informal basis on the assumption that it had happened.
(10) In answer to a question from Roger Booth, the Hon. Gen. Treasurer said the BRF Trustees had been in touch with the Ropley PCC to arrange a site visit and would ask if further information was needed in advance of the visit.
No further names were brought forward under the 50-year rule.
The following reports and accounts had been distributed and were considered.
General Secretary. Position vacant.
General Treasurer (and accounts). Charlotte Colliss said she had not yet had an opportunity to examine and sign off the accounts.
Peal Recorder. No comments.
Librarian and Archivist. No comments.
Public Relations Officer. No comments.
Education Committee. No comments.
Striking Competitions Committee. No comments.
Belfry Stewardship Committee. No comments.
Communications Committee. No comments.
Teaching Hubs Committee. No report.
The reports and accounts were accepted en bloc on the proposition of John Davey, seconded by John Palk.
Reports and accounts. The Hon. Gen. Treasurer said the report and accounts as distributed had been approved by the Trustees that morning.
Report on Trustees’ meeting. Barry Fry reported that no new grant applications had been received and provided brief updates on the outstanding grants: Ecchinswell completion expected in the next couple of months; Brading hoping for Heritage Lottery Funding; Twyford moving along; Hawkley slight delay until Summer due to lack of storage space for bells at Matthew Higby’s premises; Newton Valence completion expected by the Summer; and Ropley ongoing. Roger Booth highlighted the recent changes in interest rates on the CCLA deposit fund and asked whether the reserve and investment policy needed a further review. The Hon. Gen. Treasurer said the Trustees regularly review their reserve and investment policy. Viv Nobbs asked for an up-to-date project summary for the AGM.
Website and Database. Lizzie Colliss had distributed a proposal from Peter Sheppard to build a new website for £750 and host and support the website for £20 per month including VAT. Lizzie proposed and Allan Yalden seconded the proposal which was approved nem. con.
Welcome pack for probationary ringers. The Master said we are proposing to update the existing probationary member’s certificate to provide more information. The order is about to be placed with the printers and leaflets will be distributed via the District Secretaries to towers with their Guild Reports.
Charitable status. The Master had distributed a paper prepared with gratefully received help from Damian Chapman, Director of Fundraising and Marketing with the Civil Service Benevolent Fund and a Guild member who rings at St Michael, Basingstoke. Following reservations expressed by several members there was a consensus not to proceed with this at the present time.
Subscriptions. The Master said the Guild subscriptions and potential future financial requirements had been reviewed and two areas identified. BRF reserves are reducing following recent commitments and reduced income last year due to COVID. The financial impact of future tower closures due to redundancy are still unclear but we need to place ourselves in a position that we could help to support projects should the need arise. With many new ringers having been taken on, as seen by the numbers of probationers put forward for election at the ADMs, we need to make sure there is sufficient budget available to help support training of all Guild members both at District and Guild level. We feel that, although not yet extensively used, having a Training and Development Fund at Guild level allows us to provide the same level of support across the Guild for everyone and the increased share previously released to the districts allows initiatives to be supported. The subscriptions were last increased in 2010 and are low compared with other Guilds and Associations or other activities.
Following discussion, during which it was noted that the reasons for the increase and possible benefits would need to be explained to members, it was agreed on the proposition of the Master, seconded by the Hon. Gen. Treasurer, that it should be proposed to the AGM on behalf of the Executive Committee, that the Ringing, Associate and Compounding Member subscriptions should be raised to £15 (£12.50 for Ringing and Associate Members over the age of 60 and £10 for Ringing Members in full-time education), that £4 of each subscription (other than from Probationary Members) should be allocated to the BRF; and that £1 of each subscription (other than from Probationary Members) should be transferred from the Central Fund to the Training and Development Fund.
Guild and District Trophies - Archive and History. Allan Yalden was creating a list of trophies and had prepared a form that would be distributed to districts for them to provide details of any trophies they have, their purpose, who donated them and where they are held.
| 2nd April 2022 | SEECON Youth Striking Contest - Essex | |
| 9th April 2022 | Education course | |
| 21st May 2022 | Inter-Tower 6-bell striking competitions - 14.30 Fawley | |
| 21st May 2022 | Inter-Tower 8-bell striking competitions - 14.30 Eling | |
| 11th June 2022 | Inter-District 8-bell striking competition - 10:00 West Meon | |
| 11th June 2022 | AGM - St Lawrence, Alton (ringing and service at Holybourne) | |
| 2nd July 2022 | RWNYC - Exeter | |
| 24th September 2022 | Essex Trophy - Bletchingley | |
| 19th November 2022 | Executive Committee Meeting |
The Master said the triennial elections would be held at the AGM and the Master, Vice-Master, General Treasurer and Peal Recorder would not be standing for re-election. [Post-meeting note: the Safeguarding Officer is also not standing for re-election.]
Viv Nobbs said there were public relations opportunities in ringing for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June and the Heritage Open Days from 9th to 18th September.
The decision as to whether the next Executive Committee meeting would be in person or held on Zoom was left to the incoming principal officers.
The Master said he was about to send out the last of the current batch of Membership Certificates and needed to get some more printed. Printers he had consulted said that, since the master copy was greyscale, clarity in the photographs of the two cathedrals would be lost in scanning. Following discussion the Master would see if the graphics department at the college where his wife works could improve the quality.
There being no further business, the Master closed the meeting at 11.49 a.m.
[After the meeting Tony Smith announced the results of the draw for the W&P 200 Club conducted by Robin Milford at the Botley practice on Thursday. The winners were as follows (given by club number, name and prize amount)
6 Pete Jordan £25; 27 Christine Hill £10; 31 Wendy Ling £5; 15 Viv Nobbs £5; 19 Roy & Ann LeMarechal £2.50; 35 Piers Armstrong £2.50.]