Guild of Devonshire Ringers

Guild Review Launched at Festival - Saturday 21 June 2008.

A full scale review of the Guild was launched at the Guild Festival, which took place in Exeter on 21st June. Three working parties have been formed, each to look at one important area of the Guild’s work and responsibilities, in order to shape the direction of the Guild for the next twenty years. Clearly not all Guild members can serve on the review body, but all are invited to make their contribution, by passing on their comments and suggestions to the Guild secretary.

The three groups will be looking at these topics:

Recruitment and publicity

Support and development or ringing skills

Bell restoration and tower maintenance

Each group will report to a steering group which will also produce a final report with any recommendations about the structure and constitution of the Guild. It is expected that the final plan will have drawn not just on the recommendations of the three groups, but also on the knowledge and experience of the whole Guild, best practice from other territorial associations and the Central Council, and the recognition of the unusual position of the Guild, as a territorial association sharing a territory with another society.

After the Guild Annual General Meeting, each group met and appointed someone to chair their meetings and someone to take notes. The interim reports of the three groups should be ready by the end of November, and it is hoped that the final report should be available for consideration by the membership at next year’s Guild Festival.

Other business considered by the meeting included the election of a number of vice-presidents, the appointment of John Steere of Stoke Damerel as Guild Master elect for 2009-10, the approval of budgets for the Guild library and for RRD, and agreement on the purchase of some library shelving; it was also suggested that towers might ring for at least two minutes in the afternoon of 28th August to mark the closure of the Beijing Olympics, and the handing-over the Olympic flag to the British party in advance of the London Olympic games in 2012. Russell Chamberlain took over as Guild Master for the current year, and wore his badge of office over his alb as he conducted the Guild service.

The day was for many the first chance to ring on the twelve at Crediton, which was the first tower open during the day; the Crediton ringers provided welcome refreshments in the Boniface Centre during the ringing. Meanwhile a training session was held at Newton St Cyres for those wishing to break into the intricacies of ringing Surprise Major. The Frank Mack bells were available at St Mark’s, as well as the ten bells in the tower. Unfortunately the tenor clapper fell out, and one important piece was lost – it was subsequently found hidden in Matt Hilling’s clothing (the tenor clapper of the mini-ring, that is). The local ringers provided a delicious lunch before the meeting, as well as tea after the service. After ringing at St Petrock’s, there were over seventy people in the ringing chamber at the Cathedral, and the evening for the hardiest ended with a pint in the George’s Meeting House. It was agreed that the Guild had spent a very pleasant day, with an uncontroversial meeting, the opportunity for some challenging ringing, the renewal of old friendships, and the welcoming of new friends and Guild members.