We had a good AGM meeting at Irchester on Saturday 13^th June, many thanks to the Wellingborough branch for hosting us.

I guess there were about 50 members present.

At the service, taken by Revd Debbie Smith-Wilds, the following names of members who had died in the last 12 months was read:

Will Adams (Whitfield), John Beadman (Brooke), Janet Bowers (Whilton), Alan Chantler (Yelvertoft), Ellena Christie (Hellidon), Len Hallifax (Lowick), Roy Hibbard (Castor), Tim Holt (Great Casterton), Michael Hurst (Twywell), Janet Ingram (Lyddington), Phillip Lindley (Yardley Hastings), Bert Ogle (Willoughby), and Stella Wilkinson (North Luffenham)

My notes of the Meeting:

The following were congratulated on being members for 50 years :

Richard Beadman, Braunston, Rutland
Tony Brunton, Brixworth, Guilsborough
Claire Yates, Potterspury, Towcester

Subscription rates remain as £10 for Adult members, £5 for those in Full-time Education.
Peal fees remain as zero pence per rope; Reports £5 unless pre-ordered by the end of February.

Bell Fund Grants:

• A Grant of £5,300 was approved for major work at Stoke Albany.
• A Grant of £350 was approved for minor works at Maxey.
• An “ex gratia” Grant of £200 was approved for minor works at Brixworth.
• The Steward was given authority to approve up to £2,000 on minor works.

A Grant request from All Saints Northampton was declined by the Committee: Giles Willson offered additional background information and asked that that decision be reviewed. 

Election of Guild Officers

The results of the Elections are as follows :

President                           Alistair Donaldson        

Master                               (Vacant)                         *Trustee Post

Secretary                           (Vacant)                         *Trustee Post

Treasurer                           Chris FitzGerald            

Steward                             John Beresford              

PRO                                    (Vacant)

Peal Secretary                   Paul Mason     

Webmaster                       Richard Allton

Safeguarding Officer        John Beresford              

100-club                            Cathy Dixon     

Training Officer                 Cathy Dixon

Report Editor(s)                (Vacant)

Newsletter editor             Duncan Lilly

Youth Officer                    (Vacant)

CC Reps                             Nick Elks;  Simon Dixon;  Sarah Bence;  Alistair Donaldson

The Secretary reminded the Meeting that under the Guild Rules the Executive can make an appointment to a Vacant position at any time that is then effective until the next AGM.
Noted that the current Roles (see website) can be adjusted to suit what members feel they can offer, and that delegation of particular elements is encouraged in the current Role Descriptions.

The President thanked the Secretary for additionally covering the PRO role over the last year, but felt this should not continue.

The Executive had discussed forming a team under the PRO to take on Social Media, Communications to outside parties, and News Collation for Website and Newsletter.

In the coming year the Executive will look again at adopting computer systems to lighten the load of both Guild and Branch Officers.    If any member would like to be involved in selecting appropriate systems please contact the Treasurer.

Guild Events

1.     2026 calendar

·       Summer Festival: 12^th September in Culworth branch. 

o      Contest at Brackley, which has the church rooms next to the church. 

o      Other Towers likely to be Whitfield & Greens Norton as a route in. 

2.     2027 calendar

·       Spring Meeting: 10^th April 2027   Towcester branch. (Easter Sunday is 28^th March) 

·       AGM: 12^th June 2027          Guilsborough branch. 

·       Summer Festival: 11^th September 2027      Northampton branch. 

3.     Proposed Social Events 2027

§       Quiz: 13^th February 2027. 

§       Open Day: 8^th May 2027. 

4.     10/8 bells Practices

·       11^th July, 8 bell at Welford

·       12^th September, 10 bell at Towcester

Safeguarding

Copies of the Safeguarding Officer’s Report and a new form to be completed by Visiting Ringers were circulated for comments as the Safeguarding Officer will be meeting the Diocesan Team in the next few weeks.

Any Other Business

Andrew Gunstone proposed that the Executive look again at the Structure of the Guild with a view to better matching the number of roles available across the Guild with the number of volunteers coming forward.   

Please would each Branch nominate a representative to join a Review Group to consider this.

Since the AGM the Executive have met to discuss how to cover the Five Vacancies noted above.

In order to keep open lines of communication within the Guild and to the outside world the generic Guild Email addresses of the vacant positions will be re-directed as follows:

• Master & Youth to the President
• PRO to the Steward 
• Secretary & Reports to the Treasurer.   

In addition a new email address will be created membership@pdg.org.ukin order to streamline processing of both new membership forms and renewal of membership forms.  Please speak to the Treasurer before sending in any newly completed forms.

Any Member who could consider taking on any part of the vacant roles listed above, maybe joining a team as outlined under PRO above, are encouraged to contact a member of the Executive to discuss what they can offer to support the Guild in the coming year.

So…

• If you think the Guild does a good job please come on board to help keep it running. There are proposed events and activities that may not take place without volunteers coming forward to help.

• If you think the Guild could be improved do come on board and tweak or radically shake what the Guild does. 
• If anything is holding you back from volunteering please let us know and we may be able to resolve that.

Finally : Grateful Thanks to all those Officers who have kept the Guild running so well over the last year.
Alistair DonaldsonPresident
Peterborough Diocesan Guild