Dear Friends,
First, on a personal note, I thank you for your hospitality whenever I have attended an Annual District Meeting or other District event, or a tower practice. Now that Anne and I have moved from Guernsey to Lockerley, I can move around more freely, and I hope to have the pleasure of meeting many more of you in the coming year.
Second, I thank you for supporting Guild events - education days, striking competitions, the dinner, fund raising activities, contributing to the Guild Newsletter, and everything else. I make a particular mention of the Guild dinner, which was so very well attended last year, and at which Kate Flavell, Vice-President elect of the Central Council, proposed the Guild, and Tony Smith, President elect of the Central Council, replied on behalf of the Guild. We congratulate Tony on his elevation to the Presidency of the Central Council. All this leads me into an anticipation of the dinner in 2009, which is to be attended by my distant (though remembered by many) predecessor as Master, Roger Savory, who does so much today for ringing in the North American Guild, and who arranged our first Guild dinner forty years ago.
Third, I thank you for all you do in your Districts and towers. Ringers are constantly being trained. Rings of bells are being restored or augmented. There is very much encouraging activity. The number of Guild members is holding its own. Although the cutting edge level of learning activity is at tower level, the participation in District, Guild and National courses may give an additional and accelerated progress in learning.
However, I must now mention a matter still on the horizon, but which will hit us all in October 2009. The “Supporting Vulnerable Groups Act 2006” will be implemented at this time. If this is new to you, please try to look at two very good articles in The Ringing World of 2008, pp 493-4 and 962-3. The Child Protection legislation is being enhanced to cover vulnerable groups of all ages, and will no longer be the sole responsibility of individual parishes to administer. The Guild itself will have legal responsibilities, which will include making sure that all those who teach on education days are CRB checked or ISA (Independent Safeguarding Authority) registered. The ISA will be the successor to the CRB. The Guild Executive Committee has agreed to the co-option of an Officer who will ensure that the Guild is up to speed on the new arrangements. If you feel that you might be that person, or if you think you know that person, please ask for further details. This is an opportunity to serve the Guild, as well as being an urgent request for help.
On a more homely note, Derek Jackson, in his researches, has hit upon an interesting fact concerning the date of the formation of the Winchester Diocesan Guild, which we have always regarded as the 26 June, 1879. It is confirmed by the Central Council Librarian, by reference to copies of Church Bells of that year, that the correct date is the 20 June 1879, the meeting being held at Basingstoke. The Guild’s stationery and other documents will be amended on a rolling basis.
Enjoy your ringing.
David Strong