WINCHESTER AND PORTSMOUTH DIOCESAN GUILD OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 13 MARCH 1992 AT ST BARNABAS CHURCH HALL, SOUTHAMPTON
Opening Prayer and Master’s Welcome
The Master, Rev Barry Fry, supported by the Honorary General Secretary, Derek Jackson, the Honorary General Treasurer, Michael Bubb, and the Minute Secretary, Andrew Case, opened the meeting at 10.02 with prayers, and welcomed the 20 other members present. The Master especially welcomed David Weir, the new Isle of Wight Executive Committee Representative, and advised that the Basingstoke District Secretary, was now Mrs Helen Barsby.
Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from:-
Joyce Croft, Gilian Davis, Robin Milford, Jane Le Conte, Barbara Townsend, Terry Collins and Martin Waldron.
Loss of Members through death
The meeting stood in silence to remember:
Robert Pound (Hawkley and East Meon);
Ernest Whitfield (Life Member - Ringwood);
Fred Whitear (Micheldever).
Minutes of the last meeting (22 November 1991)
Minutes of the last meeting had been circulated by the Minute Secretary in December. Subject to an alteration to minute 10e, substituting “Ruby Wedding” for “Golden Wedding”, the minutes were approved by the meeting and signed.
Matters Arising
Books on the conduct of meetings had been distributed to Districts.
Recruitment Video. It was proposed by Tony Smith and seconded by the Secretary that the Public Relations Officer should purchase a copy for the Guild. This was carried nem. con. Bob Cater suggested that the producers might like to consider whether the video deserved a wider audience as such training aids for ringing were in fairly short supply.
It was agreed that the Guild should accept with thanks the offer from John Croft of the illuminated address presented to Ken Croft and also the framed map of Guild towers. Further consideration would be given as to where these could be kept, Peter Hill suggesting the ringing chamber at St Mary, Southampton City Centre. The Secretary suggested it might be appropriate for the map to be kept by the Master to be handed on with the Guild Badge.
Tony Smith summarized the current position reached by the Central Council Administrative Committee as to the representation of Societies. The committee felt that the problem of multiple representation was not as widespread as first thought and that most of the problems could be overcome with fair and easily workable membership rules. One of the proposed new rules was that societies with more than 1000 members should be able to send a fifth representative to Central Council. Tony advised that he would be pleased to discuss the matter in more detail after the meeting.
Honorary Life Members
David Hughes proposed that Cecily Roberts of Steep should be recommended for election to Life Membership at the AGM in recognition of her outstanding service to the Guild. This was seconded by Hugh Routh and carried unanimously.
Correspondence
Rotherwick had advised that work on the bells was scheduled to commence on 21 July and invited a representative of the Guild to be present on that day when the bells would be removed.
Alan Buswell had sent the Secretary a package of papers on Bristol by the late A York-Bramble. These were passed initially to Tony Smith who would then pass them to the Librarian. The Secretary was to thank Alan Buswell for the papers.
The Secretary had received a letter of thanks from Christchurch on receipt of their grant from the BRF.
A letter had been received from Bob Cater inviting the Guild to send at least four representatives to a Central Council Seminar to address the problems in four key areas of ringing identified by the National Survey. The seminar was due to be held on 28 March. Gail Cater, Brian Oakes, Stephen Noyes and Derek Jackson hoped to attend on behalf of the Guild. It was agreed that those attending may claim reasonable expenses from the Guild.
The Central Council Education Committee had sent a copy of their newsletter for Winter 1992 (sic) and the Secretary had forwarded copies to all members of the Executive. Bob Cater encouraged the Guild to consider sponsoring students to attend the Central Council Ringing School.
J J Hill had written to advise that he had in the past had some correspondence with Alice White which he would be happy to pass to the Guild Library. It was agreed that the Secretary would accept this with thanks.
The Secretary passed copies of forms offering lifts and/or hospitality to ringers from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Wight to Michael Bubb and Stephen Noyes.
the Secretary circulated at the meeting copies of correspondence which had appeared in the Ringing World regarding Fordingbridge wishing to be in union with the Salisbury Guild. A copy of a letter from the Fordingbridge tower captain had also been received by the Secretary from Patrick Matthews. There was some discussion, but no decision was reached pending a forthcoming meeting to be attended by the Master and Secretary.
Honorary General Secretary’s report
The Secretary read his report to the meeting. Adoption of the report was proposed by Tony Smith, seconded by Bob Cater and carried nem. con.
Honorary General Treasurer’s report
The Treasurer’s report and accounts were circulated at the meeting. The report and accounts were approved on a proposition from John Colliss, seconded by Andrew Craddock.
Honorary Peal Recorder’s report
Roy LeMarechal presented his annual report to the meeting. Adoption of the report was proposed by Tony Smith, seconded by Mark Esbester, and carried nem. con.
Public Relations Officer’s report
Joyce Croft’s report was read to the meeting by the Secretary. It was proposed by Mark Esbester that the report be adopted and the account be topped up by £75 with authority for additional expenditure up to a further £75. This was seconded by the Secretary and carried nem. con.
Honorary Librarian’s report
Kim Matthews presented her report and accounts. It was suggested that the Librarian might purchase copies of the Atlas of bells and the book of Bell Fittings. With these purchases in mind, Andrew Craddock proposed that the Librarian’s report and accounts be adopted and that the fund should be topped up by £50. This was seconded by Roy LeMarechal and carried nem. con.
Annual Report
The meeting felt that it would be appropriate to publish Alan Buswell’s quarter peal report in the Annual Report. Ruth Jackson advised that the cost of the Report had been reduced as a result of efforts by John Dodd, Ian McCallion and Roy LeMarechal and that for the 1992 report it was hoped that it might be possible for the report to be produced by IBM employees.
Report and Accounts of the Trustees of the Bell Restoration Fund
The Treasurer circulated the report and accounts at the meeting. The report and accounts were approved on a proposition from Tony Smith, seconded by John Colliss.
Expenses incurred by Guild Officials
The meeting considered a possible change to Rule 15 to enable Guild Officers to claim expenses for attending Guild and other relevant functions. It was not possible to agree an amendment to this rule which found unanimous support and it was therefore proposed by the Master that Mark Esbester should draft a suitable resolution, with assistance from Tony Smith and others as necessary, to be submitted to the AGM.
Guild Annual General Meeting - 4 July 1992, Romsey
Elizabeth Johnson had arrangements well in hand for the AGM, but because the 1993 AGM was to be held in Bournemouth, it was felt that it might not be appropriate to have ringing in the Lymington area because these towers would be on a route for 1993.
Date and Venue of Next Meeting
It was agreed that the next meeting would be held at 10 am on 14 November 1992 at St Barnabas Church Hall, Southampton.
Any Other Business
Margaret Aylieff advised that she had tickets available for the Guild Dinner.
Mark Esbester had forms available for the 200 Club.
Roy LeMarechal asked that District Secretaries should please advise him if they were planning to hold district open days. Bob Cater advised that Winchester Cathedral would be having an open day on Saturday 17 October when the new bells would be available together with various other towers.
The Treasurer advised that he had BRF covenant forms available.
Tony Webster asked which officers would not be seeking re-election at the AGM. The meeting was advised that only Derek Jackson and Joyce Croft had advised the Executive Committee that they would not be standing for re-election at the AGM.
There being no further business, the Master closed the meeting with prayers at 1.07 pm.