and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers Winchester District

Unconfirmed Minutes of the Quarterly District Meeting held on Saturday 8th August 2015 in the yard of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, .

1. Chairman’s welcome: In the absence of the Chairman, Bruce Purvis (Secretary) opened the meeting at 1.00 p.m. with a welcome to those present and with thanks to Mary Tiles and local helpers for providing teas, coffees, etc, to go with attendees’ picnic lunches, to the Vicar, the Revd Sue Forster and the Wardens for the use of the bells, also to Gerry Cornick for arranging the use of the bells at , and the Rector and Wardens there.

2. Attendance: The following 13 members of the District signed the attendance register (representing nine towers with one member unattached): Pam and Richard Thompson (), Jonathan Smith (King’s Worthy), Mary Tiles (Micheldever), Elizabeth Johnson (), Andrew Glover (Romsey), Rodney Skinner (Ropley and New Alresford), Jenny Watson (Sparsholt), John Gawne-Cain, Bruce Purvis, (Winchester Cathedral), Gerry Cornick, Christine Knights-Whittome (Wonston) and Joyce Croft, (unattached).

3. Apologies for absence. Apologies for absence were received from Amanda Bayford, Judy Bishop, John Croft, Gary Davies, Christine and Peter Hill, Rosemary Oakeshott, John and Bren Palk, Juliet Pattinson, Nicola Plummer, Tony Smith and Trish Spink

4. Minutes of the Previous Meeting. The minutes of the Quarterly District Meeting held on 9 May in the Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul, King’s Somborne, were accepted as a true record, following corrections to the number of faults and the equivalent peal speed of the Lockerley Team in the Striking Competition: proposed by Bruce Purvis, seconded by Joyce Croft, passed on a show of hands.

5. Matters Arising. There were no matters arising.

6. Confirmation of belfry elections.

Compounding members:

Timothy B Davis of Leek prior to a peal at Stroud on 4 May 2015 proposed by Roy LeMarechal, seconded by John Colliss.

Probationary members:

Bevis Clarke Smith of Winchester Cathedral on 31 May 2015 proposed by Bruce Purvis, seconded by Nick Bucknall.

Megan Bucknall of Winchester Cathedral on 31 May 2015 proposed by Nick Bucknall, seconded by Bruce Purvis.

7. Election of new ringing members.

Imogen Smith of King’s Worthy and David Frowd of Wonston, proposed by Jonathan Smith and seconded by Gerry Cornick, both elected on a show of hands. 8. Romsey Show.

By way of background, Bruce Purvis explained to the meeting that John Palk had approached the organizers of the Romsey Show to suggest that the District have a pitch at the show to demonstrate and explain ringing and, following a positive response had arranged for a pitch, to include Graham Wright’s Mini-Ring. To meet incidental costs, the following motion was put to the meeting: That the District officers be authorised to spend not more than £100 on incidental expenses associated with running a stall incorporating Graham Wright's mini-ring at the Romsey Show on 12 September 2015", to be proposed by Tony Smith (District Treasurer), seconded by Bruce Purvis (District Secretary. Bruce explained that the costs so far – for a map of the Diocese showing ringing towers, at £16 and 300 of the Central Council recruitment leaflet, at £9 plus postage – were running at about £30. The motion was put to the meeting and passed on a show of hands. Suggestions from the floor that, on the day of the show, a record of people interested in learning, or resuming, ringing be taken, and relevant tower secretaries be forwarded the details.

9. Future Events.

The Secretary presented the programme of events for the rest of the year and as far as the annual district meeting at Romsey next February. There were two amendments to the list as presented: the training evening scheduled for 12 September was planned to take place at Sparsholt, and at the suggestion of the meeting would be put back to 19 September (so as not to coincide with the Romsey Show) subject to there being no serious clashes on the Guild calendar. The District practice in the New Year would be held at Crawley on 13 January. Andrew Glover, who had organised this year’s outing on 17 October in the New Forest area outlined the itinerary: Minstead (new ring of six), Brockenhurst, Lymington, Milford on Sea, Hordle and Ringwood (all eights, ranging from super-light to fairly heavy), and was thanked for his efforts.

Commenting on the Secretary’s report that the previous two training events (6 June, Surprise Major, Twyford and 11 July, Call Changes, Cheriton) had had to be cancelled for lack of support, Rodney Skinner suggested that a greater degree of proactivity in gathering support for the fixtures would pay dividends.

10. Any Other Business

Richard Thompson advised the meeting that there would be no Surprise Major Practice at Hursley on the following Tuesday, 11 August, because of holiday commitments.

Elizabeth Johnson advised the meeting that on Sunday 9 August, at the annual Mothers’ Union Commemoration Service at , a new window, honouring Mary Sumner, founder of the MU, would be dedicated by the Bishop of Basingstoke. She asked for anyone available to ring from 3.15 for the 4.00 service to contact Heather Galley.

Joyce Croft advised the meeting that the bells of St Michael, Stoke Charity – on the route of the afternoon’s walk – would be available for chiming.

No collection was taken for the Guild Bell Restoration Fund.

The meeting closed at 1.27 p.m.

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