2001 has been a year of further consolidation in the Guild. Much work has gone on at District and tower level to provide continuing tuition to our Millennium recruits. The central Committees have also provided a well-used range of services for members. The various reports following amply testify to all this.
The final annual Open Day in the seven UK Districts was held by the Portsmouth District in May. These Open Days to raise money for the BRF have been highly successful: over the seven years a total of £5308 has been raised. The Guild’s thanks are due to the hard work of all those members who have given their time to make this possible. It will be the Channel Islands District’s turn in 2005, when we next hold a Festival of Ringing there.
On Remembrance Sunday, to commemorate those 76 members of the old Winchester Diocesan Guild and the present Guild who gave their lives in the two World Wars, a wreath of poppies was laid at the Guild Roll of Honour Board in Winchester Cathedral ringing chamber. A full report appeared in Guild News and The Ringing World.
There was appropriate ringing at many Guild churches in September in memory of those who died in the terrorist outrages in the USA.
With a Guild such as ours, with a decentralised management structure, whereby most of the Guild’s work is done by the Districts, it is essential to have effective communication, so that the Guild “holds together” and members know well in advance what services are being provided for them. To this end, District Officers and Committee Convenors agreed a plan of action for improving communication at the November Executive Committee meeting. I trust that all members will be fully in the picture in the future as to “what’s on”, through the variety of communication channels now in existence. The latest channel provides the minutes of the Guild AGM and the Executive Committee meetings on the Guild’s Web site for all those who wish to read them.
Our AGM in July was hosted by the C & S District at Minstead, with the Inter-District Striking Competition being held in the morning. It was good to see teams from seven of the Guild’s eight Districts. A Service in the delightful village church rounded off a full day’s enjoyable activities. Thank you C & S members for your hard work.
Robert Cater