Our Branch funds have accumulated over £1000 and we are looking to disburse that money in the form of small grants to local towers. If you need to buy a new rope, stay, slider etc then you can apply for a small grant from the Branch funds to help towards the cost. There is an application process (a form to complete) and grants are capped at £100 per application. This grant is, for the time being, only available during 2022, and applications cannot be backdated to cover purchases made before Jan 1st 2022. Any enquiries as to what is covered, and for application forms, please contact me as Branch Steward at the following email address… nick.elks@gmail.com

Do remember this Friday is the monthly branch practice, 1930hr at Castor.

The special methods will be Double Norwich and London…. back by popular request!!

If you cannot manage these yet, don’t worry there will be opportunities to ring Plain Bob8/Little Bob8.

See you there,

James

Many of you may have signed a Gift Aid declaration in the past but if you haven’t or are a newly elected member and you pay income tax, please do email me and I will happily send you a form.

Although it seems a small amount the Guild Treasurer advised me that collectively the 25% tax reclaim on subs across the Guild amounts to around £2.5k he claims back each year.

Many thanks

Andrew Christie – Branch Treasurer (bells@peterborough-stmarys.org.uk)

Dear Ringers,

It was good to see many of you, virtually, at our Zoom AGM last Saturday, 15 January. In particular, it was helpful to put faces to names, so thank you to all those who were able to attend.

The minutes are now on the Petbells downloads page for those who would like to read them. The minutes also give details of the new Committee, for those who were unable to attend, but would like to know who is on it.

There is no real change, but we are looking for a new Press Correspondent, as Terry Wright has decided to stand down. Thank you, Terry, for your contribution over the last 5 years in this role. It has been much appreciated by all. Would anyone like to consider volunteering? All offers to the Secretary, please.

Best wishes,

Julie Pocock

Branch Secretary

Firstly a big thank you for all who paid their subs for 2021 and any arrears for 2020. With a few members who retired we had a success rate of over 98%.

Subs are still at £7 (£3.50 students) and with us unable to meet again at the AGM the best way to pay is online. If you were successful in making a payment last year I would be grateful if you can repeat that again, quoting your surname in the reference field.

Otherwise please drop me a SMS/email and I can share account details or provide alternative ways of making a payment.

Many thanks

Andrew Christie – Branch Treasurer

07954 405924

Bells@peterborough-stmarys.org.uk

Dear All,

It was good to see many of you at the Branch AGM on Saturday afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to attend.

Here is Helen’s latest update for you to read. It includes suggestions for Jubilee ringing for HM The Queen on or around 6 February, to celebrate the day She ascended the Throne. This year, 6 February is a Sunday.

There is also the “Golden Blog” by Simon Linford, our President. Open it to find out why he has named it thus. Keen photographers can participate in the photo competition.

Finally, there is a Guild update.

Enjoy the read,

Best wishes,

Julie

Helen’s text:

To: Branch chairs, secretaries & treasurers: please forward on to members. 

Happy New year to you all. Half-way through January and we have completed 7 out of 10 branch AGMs, it’s good to see the business of the Guild proceeding to plan. I know that branches will be in touch with members and contacts to ensure that details are correct for the 2021 report, which will capture activity in another very unusual year. One for posterity to ponder over. 

Jubilee ringing

6^th February sees the 70^th anniversary of the Queen ascending to the throne. While the main celebration of the Jubilee will be the extended bank holiday weekend in June, ringing on or around the 6^th February would be welcomed by the church. There is a little more information on the CCCBR website. https://cccbr.org.uk/2022/01/12/hm-queens-jubilee/ If you can arrange to ring, please do and please register it on Bellboard AND let secretaries know that you rang. The Guild will, again, let the Queen’s representatives in our area know that we have rung to mark this occasion. 

If you rang for the death of the King or the coronation of the Queen, please get in touch with Cathy Dixon (pro@pdg.org.uk) or me (secretary@pdg.org.uk). We’d like to support the CCCBR and have some small articles prepared for distribution locally.  

CCCBR update

The President’s first blog of 2022 has been published. https://cccbr.org.uk/2022/01/05/presidents-golden-blog/

Photo Contest

With the weather having had a seasonable turn (it’s been cold, clear and bright!) you may have been able to take a seasonable picture of your church recently. In which case consider submitting it to the Guild’s photo contest. Images will be selected to form a Guild calendar for the 10^th anniversary year, in 2024. Consider sending in your images to be part of this event. More details available on the website. https://pdg.org.uk/latest-news/photo-contest

Guild Update

Just to remind members that they have a say in how the Guild in run. They can propose someone for Guild office unto the Guild AGM in June. That can be in writing (e-mail is acceptable) to the Guild secretary or in person at the AGM itself. 

At the 2021 GMC there was a sub-committee created to review the rules that the Guild, the branches and the Bell repair fund follow. This has not been actively pursued during 2021, when meeting was difficult, but is now being revived. If you are interested in contributing to this project, please let the Guild Secretary know. 

The next few months see the bulk of the planning activity for the Guild for the year. Any thoughts you have that you would like to see considered are welcome. What do you want to see your Guild do? Let us know, we’re good, but we’re not very psychic! 

Thanks

Helen

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

Telephone: 01832 735 266

Dear Ringers,

This is the final reminder for the Branch AGM.

To join the AGM at 16.00 on Saturday 15 January 2022, please e-mail Hilary Hardie here at least 24 hours in advance and she will send you the link.

Please check the downloads page of PetBells later on today to see all documents relevant to the meeting.

See you on Saturday.

Best wishes,

Julie Pocock

Branch Secretary

Dear Ringers,

After e-mail exchanges with Alex, we have decided to switch the physical AGM to a Zoom meeting at 16.00 on Saturday 15 January 2022. Alex’s decision is explained in his message below:

“Dear Friends, I have decided to move the AGM to a Zoom meeting. I have taken this decision for several reasons. There have only been eight acceptances to date, and thirteen apologies, so there could to be a low turnout on the day, and with the uncertainty of what may or not develop over the next 10 days or so, I felt it needed decisive action sooner rather than later. Hilary has kindly offered to host the AGM on Zoom, but this needed to be actioned now. Finally, having had my own PCR testing positive, I didn’t feel happy mixing with folk a week on Saturday, even though I was legally allowed to do so. Alex”

This is an opportunity for all members to participate in the Branch AGM Zoom meeting. To join the AGM at 16.00 on Saturday 15 January 2022, please e-mail Hilary Hardie here at least 24 hours in advance and she will send you the link.

It is disappointing not to be holding the full AGM at Castor. It offered Branch members the opportunity physically to meet after, for some, a long time. As Secretary, I was particularly looking forward to meeting Tower Correspondents with whom I have communicated only by e-mail.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our Zoom AGM.

Best wishes,

Julie Pocock
Branch Secretary

Dear Ringers,

After e-mail exchanges with Alex, we have decided to switch the physical AGM to a Zoom meeting at 16.00 on Saturday 15 January 2022.  Alex’s decision  is explained in his message below:

“Dear Friends, I have decided to move the AGM to a Zoom meeting. I have taken this decision for several reasons. There have only been eight acceptances to date, and thirteen apologies, so there could to be a low turnout on the day, and with the uncertainty of what may or not develop over the next 10 days or so, I felt it needed decisive action sooner rather than later. Hilary has kindly offered to host the AGM on Zoom, but this needed to be actioned now. Finally, having had my own PCR testing positive, I didn’t feel happy mixing with folk a week on Saturday, even though I was legally allowed to do so. Alex”

There is an opportunity for ringers not on the Committee to participate in the Branch AGM Zoom meeting. To join the Committee at 16.00 on Saturday 15 January 2022, please e-mail Hilary Hardie here and she will send you the link.

It is disappointing not to be holding the full AGM at Castor. It offered Branch members the opportunity physically to meet after, for some, a long time. As Secretary, I was particularly looking forward to meeting Tower Correspondents with whom I have communicated only by e-mail.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our Zoom AGM.

Best wishes,

Julie

Julie Pocock

Branch Secretary

Dear Ringers,

A happy and healthy New Year to you all. LEt’s hope 2022 brings better cheer and joy than 2021.

I wrote on 14 December giving you details about our Branch AGM. This is a reminder. To refresh your memories the venue is the church of St Kyneburgha and the Cedar Centre at Castor (postcode PE5 7AX). Here is the schedule:

14.00 Ringing. Please note it is a first floor ringing chamber, with a spiral staircase leading up to it.

16.00 Service

16.45 Tea. Given January is a cold month, tea will be hot soup, sandwiches, cake, biscuits and, of course, tea and coffee.

18.00 AGM

19.30 or earlier: resumption of ringing.

RSVP’s from you all would be really helpful. It would allow us to cater, properly, for our Tea. Also give the Committee a better sense of numbers attending the ringing and the AGM. The current COVID rules may well influence your decision to attend, or not, but do please respond to me here with your acceptance or regret by Friday 7 January.

Some of you may already be familiar with St Kyneburgha and the Cedar Centre and remember how spacious it is. The Cedar Centre has reduced its guest capacity from 72 to 42 to allow better space for all those attending meetings, in this case our AGM. Current guidelines would mean masks would need to worn at all times, apart from when seated and having tea.

II look forward to hearing from you all before 7 January.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Julie

Julie Pocock

Branch Secretary