The Association’s Autumn General Meeting was held at Stepney, St Dunstan today, with the President (Geraldine Forster) in the chair. Around 40 members attended. A truly sumptuous tea was very generously provided by the Stepney ringers and friends. This raised £100 for the Bell Restoration Fund. Funds for the BRF were also raised through a raffle.
Headlines were:
- The 6-Bell Striking competition was held in the afternoon at Stepney St Dunstan (on the front six), judged by Adrian Sweeting and Peter Richards. Acton won the Association Plate for two 120s of Plain Bob Minor. Stepney won the Rhodesia Plate for the best 120 nor rung by the overall winners. Other teams competing were Hillingdon, Aldgate and Islington.
- The finances of the Association were reported to be in good health, with subscription income of £5000 in 2017, and a forecast annual surplus of £2000, to add to reserves of £3,500. No increase in subscription rates was being proposed for 2018.
- The Bell Restoration Fund was forecasting £26,000 as available for new grants at the end of 2017. The meeting voted an additional grant of £2,500 for Harlington, to support work scheduled for spring 2018.
- Colin Friend was elected as BRF Treasurer, in succession to Sarah Taylor, who was thanked for all her hard work in the post.
- Lucy Chandhial, Clyde Whittaker and Roger Booth described the successful August Summer School for beginners/inexperienced ringers, and the follow up training activity which was happening or scheduled, The meeting agreed that similar activities should be planned in 2018 and beyond.
- Clyde Whittaker reported on Central Council initiatives and plans, in which he was involved as a Middlesex CC representative.
- Stephen Jakeman reported that, since the AGM in April 2017, commemorative ringing had been organised at Tottenham, Harlington, Barnet, Stamford Hill, Heston, Action, and Isleworth for the centenaries of the deaths of ringers who fell in the First World War. These had all had successful quarter peals rung in their memory. Looking forward ringing was planned to commemorate fallen ringers at Southgate, Watton at Stone (formerly Upper Clapton) and Holborn (as a substitute for Clerkenwell where unfortunately we had been advised that permission to ring the bells for this purpose was unlikely to be granted).
The Association’s Annual General Meeting will be held at Harrow on the Hill on Saturday 28 April 2018.
Stephen Mitchell
General Secretary