Dear Friends,
I cannot begin this message without acknowledging my predecessor’s contribution to the Guild. Canon Barry J Fry was Master of the Guild from 1986 to 2004. Only George Williams held the office for longer (1919 to 1939). On your behalf, I would like to thank Barry for everything that he has done for the Guild, not only as Master, but before that as General Secretary.
It is frequently said that the real work of the Guild is done in the Districts. I’m sure this is true. Whilst certain tasks or activities are best done centrally, most are best done at the District or Tower level. I have found it fascinating to observe the different cultures and traditions operating in the Districts. This is how it should be. There is no requirement for them to operate in a totally uniform manner. However, Districts often have good practices and ideas that others might benefit from adopting.
The Guild, like all ringing societies, has to respond to two major challenges. Challenge number one is recruiting, training and retaining enough ringers to ensure that the bells in our churches ring out on Sundays. Challenge number two is to ensure that the bell installations in our Guild area are kept in an adequate condition. The decline in Church of England attendances increases the difficulties posed by both challenges but I believe that they are surmountable.
The recently expanded Guild’s Public Relations Committee is looking at ways to maximize publicity for ringing. Occasions such as the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar are ideal events that reinforce the link between national identity, tradition and ringing.
Once a potential recruit visits a tower we need to dramatically reduce the time it takes them to learn to handle a bell. Steve Castle, Mike Winterbourne and I have discussed some ways to do this, and the result should be more emphasis on courses aimed at “Teaching the Teachers”.
There are about 1300 bells hung for ringing in the Guild’s area. That’s equivalent to a replacement cost of about £13m assuming a valuation of £10,000 per bell (including fittings). Are our BRF reserves of about £50,000 adequate to meet the challenge? It’s a difficult question to answer without knowing the condition of the bell stock and when restoration work is likely to be required. You could help provide the answer to this important question by ensuring that your tower has responded to the Belfry Stewardship Committee’s Bell Stock Survey. Please complete the survey form as far as you can and send it to Phil Watts. A partially completed form is better than nothing at all!
This year’s AGM takes place in St Peter Port, Guernsey, at the same time as the Channel Islands Ringing Festival. At the time of writing, nearly 150 ringers have booked travel and accommodation in Guernsey, which should make the weekend of 2nd July one to remember. May 9th, 2005, marks the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of the Channel Islands (the only part of Great Britain to be occupied by enemy forces during World War II) - yet another opportunity to link ringing with a secular event of local and national importance.
Finally, I would like to thank all those of you, too numerous to mention, who have contributed to the running of the Guild. Without your efforts there would be no Guild. On a more personal level, I would like to thank all those officers and members who have helped, advised and supported me in my first months as Master.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the coming year.
Enjoy your ringing.
Andrew G Craddock