At the AGM, kindly hosted by the Christchurch and Southampton District, David Strong became the first Vice-Master, and Life Membership was conferred on David Forder, Brian Oakes and Keith Sansom. An Alton and Petersfield team won the Inter-District 8 bell striking competition.
Guild work continued. The education courses were highly successful and a momentum developed to complete the bell stock survey. During the year the Executive Committee supported the Master’s suggestion to separate the tasks of internal and external communications.
Andover came second in the Inter-District 10 bell striking competition and the Guild’s “wedding of the year” was marked by Barbara Townsend departing Andover Baptist Church to the sound of handbells. Kingsclere band arranged two school trips to the tower during a school music week. Isle of Wight ringers elected one of their youngest ringing masters and some rang in the first District 8 bell handbell quarter. Arreton hosted various PR events together with an all-ladies and a sponsored peal. I was privileged to attend the Channel Island ADM in September and was impressed by the number of young ringers around.
Milestones have included a new ring of 12 at Hursley and a new 13 bell frame installed at Bitterne Park. Basingstoke District have been very supportive of one of their parish’s augmentation plans.
A Portsmouth District group met to brainstorm ways to attract new ringers. Winchester District gained 62 new ringers (probationary and full).
It seems one of the Guild’s greatest successes over the last few years has been the ability to continue working with under 18 year olds despite unequal requirements for CRB-checks imposed by different parishes across the diocese. New legislation passed, but not yet implemented, may provide further challenges. The Guild’s aim to support each other might involve further consideration of developing recruitment resources for any band or Tower to use as and when needed.
It is good to report two traditions being strongly maintained: of ringing at towers currently without bands and inter-tower support to either assist existing, or develop new, bands. Perhaps the latter is the most valuable Guild resource of all. I was struck by a phrase used by one of our secretaries, “It is thanks to those experienced ringers who give their time to teach … that we continue to keep alive the enthusiasm for ringing.”
Steve Castle