and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers Winchester District

Minutes of the Quarterly District Meeting held on Saturday 14 th May 2011 at the Cricket Club Rooms, Brown Candover

The meeting started at 5.30 p.m., with 29 full members of the District and one probationer present.

The Chairman, John Palk, opened the meeting with a welcome to those present and a vote of thanks to Jill Parr and her team of helpers from the Candover Valley for their most sumptuous ringers’ tea.

1. District Striking Competition. Mike Hopkins Till, joint Ringing Master, then announced the results of the District Striking Competition, which had been judged by a panel of umpires (himself, Philip Carter, Alan Hutchinson and Bruce Purvis).

Method ringing contest:-

1st : Bishopstoke, ringing Grandsire Doubles: 10 faults 2nd : , ringing Grandsire Doubles: 11 faults 3rd : , ringing Grandsire Doubles: 15 faults 4th : Lockerley, ringing Plain Bob Doubles: 38 faults

Call change ringing contest:-

1st : Hursley: 16 faults 2nd : Crawley and Sparsholt: 26 faults 3rd : Lockerley: 34 faults

Certificates were presented to the first three teams in each contest.

2. Apologies for absence. Apologies for absence were received from John and Joyce Croft, Alan Hutchinson, David Strong and Jack Walters.

3. Minutes of the Previous Meeting. Minutes of the Annual District Meeting, held on 12 February at New Alresford, were corrected as follows: Item 3: Apologies for absence: Jacquie Horne; Item 8: Election of Officers: In the absence of a record of proposers and seconders for the posts of chairman, treasurer, ringing masters, public relations officers and independent examiner, the minutes were amended to state that having been duly proposed and seconded, thse officers were elected unopposed.

4. Matters Arising. No matters were raised from the minutes of the previous meeting.

5. Members elected, certificates presented. Election of New Members:

Barton Stacey: Nicola Plummer, Nick Allingham, David Rowley, Mark Bailey, Mark Wadey, Alan Gower, Wendy Harris, Elayne Norman, Sarah Hazard – all proposed by Edmund Wratten, seconded by Mike Hopkins Till.

Hursley: Joe Arthur, Michael Arthur – both proposed by Peter Hill, seconded by Christine Hill.

Membership certificates were taken for John Chaplin and Rosanna Chadwick of King's Somborne, Barney Stratford of Hursley and Alexander Dicks of Bishopstoke.

A first peal certificate was presented to Charlotte Stansbury (Hursley) and first quarter-peal certificates were presented to Carol Higgins (Lockerley) and taken for George and Michael Eastwood (Sherfield English).

6. Future Events.

Quarterly District Meeting and Barbecue, Barton Stacey, 13 August : Lucy Hopkins Till requested that some of the nearby three-bell towers be opened during the afternoon.

Best-Kept Tower : Mike Hopkins Till explained that the purpose of this was to identify and commend good practice in health and safety, facilities and educational resources, and that awards would be made to towers meeting these criteria rather than to establish a scored ranking.

District Outing to West Sussex : John Palk had secured three towers

Carol Service : Twyford and , the suggested churches for the service, were currently without an incumbent: it was suggested that Mark Bailey, now of Barton Stacey, could be approached to take the service.

7. Any Other Business.

Edmund Wratten drew to the meeting’s attention the fact that the district was in danger of losing contact with three- and four-bell towers. It was mentioned that Hursley supported the ringing at Compton; discussion was concluded with Elizabeth Johnson remarking that ultimately it was up to the membership to visit other towers, as the Hursley band at Compton, and to welcome ringers from the threes and fours.

Elizabeth Johnson had written to request support from the district for the work on the bells of New Alresford, and advised the meeting that the award of a contract for the work was imminent. Rosemary Oakeshott, District Treasurer, reported that the district had funds sufficient to allow the support of bell restoration projects and suggested that the District officers should discuss the request. Peter Hill reminded the meeting that any grants made from District funds should be placed before, and approved by, general meetings of the District. John Palk mentioned the bell restoration project currently in progress at West Tytherley and Jill Parr reported that consideration was being given to the restoration of the bells at Northington. The work planned for Bullington was also mentioned as another project which might need support.

The collection for the Bell Restoration Fund raised £25.15.

The meeting closed at 6.20 p.m.