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2020-12-31-accounts

Central Council of Church Bell Ringers

Annual Trustees’ Report for 2020

The Executive is responsible to the mem‐ bers, through the annual meeting, for the gen‐ eral running of the Council. It holds regular meetings during the year and is in contact by electronic means between meetings. Execut‐ ive members, who are also the trustees, are directly elected by the members. They retire in rotation and are limited to a maximum of six years on the Executive unless the mem‐ bers resolve otherwise at an annual meeting. The Executive appoints the workgroup lead‐ ers and individual Executive members act as sponsors for workgroups.

1. Legal and Administrative Information

1.1 Charity

The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (“the Council”) was founded in 1891 and is a registered charity, no.270036. Its ad‐ dress is that of its Secretary for the time be‐ ing, namely 11 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9DB. The constitution and conduct of the Council is governed by its Rules, last revised in May 2018, amended September 2020.

Learning and Development

3.2 Working Groups

Stewardship and Management

The Council has eight workgroups: (1) Volunteer and Leadership; (2) Historical and Archive; (3) Communications and Marketing; (4) Stewardship and Management; (5) Tech‐ nical and Taxonomy; (6) Young Ringers – Schools and Youth Groups; (7) Young Ringers – Universities and Colleges; (8) Senior Stakeholder Liaison. Most of the work of the Council is carried out by these work‐ groups.

1.2 Trustees

1.2 Trustees f) encouraging
sources
of
funding,
products, expertise and facilities to
The Council’s Trustees during 2020 were support ringing and the availability of
as follows: bell installations;
President Mr S J L Linford g) sharing, promoting, and advising on
Deputy President Mr D Kirkcaldy best practice relating to the mainten‐
Secretary Mrs M Bone ance and improvement of bell installa‐
Treasurer Mr A G Smith tions and training facilities;
(to 5 September) h) promoting best practice relating to stat‐
Mr F M S Stracey utory compliance, safety and gov‐
(from 5 September) ernance in relation to ringing;
Ordinary Trustee Dr P R J Barnes
Ordinary Trustee Ms A M Everett Technical and Taxonomy
Ordinary Trustee Mr D L Smith
Ordinary Trustee Mr C R Whittaker i) defning
and
publishing
technical

3.3 Membership

The Council’s membership comprises Representative Members (elected or appoin‐ ted by affiliated societies); Small Society Representatives (elected or appointed by Re‐ gistered Small Societies); the trustees, stew‐ ards and workgroup leaders who shall be exofficio members if not otherwise members; and Fellows. Only Representative Members and Fellows (elected prior to 28 May 2018) may vote at an annual meeting. Applications by societies to affiliate are approved at an an‐ nual meeting. Applications to become a Re‐ gistered Small Society are approved in ac‐ cordance with the Rules and Standing Orders.

At the Annual Meeting held by video con‐ ference on 5 September Mr S J L Linford was elected for a 3-year term. Mr D Kirkcaldy was re-elected for a 3-year term. Mr F M S Stracey was elected to complete Mr A G Smith’s term expiring in September 2021.

Historical and Archive

1.3 Principal Agents and Advisors

The Council’s bankers are Lloyds Bank tions and artefacts relating to the herit‐ plc, Butler Place Branch, 1 Butler Place, age of bell ringing and the role of indi‐ Westminster, London, SW1H 0PR. Its Inde‐ vidual ringers. pendent Examiners are Mr J D Cheesman (to May 2020) and Ms C A Stockmann. Its in‐ 2.2 Public Benefit surers are Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, Be‐ nefact House, 2000 Pioneer Avenue, The public benefits from the following Gloucester Business Park, Brockworth, areas of activity of the Council: Gloucester, GL3 4AW.

4. Progress and Achievements in 2020

2. Objectives and Activities

2.1 Charitable Objects (as defined in Rule 3.2):

To advance the practice, heritage and ap‐ preciation of bell ringing as an enjoyable mental and physical exercise and unique per‐ forming art for the public benefit of both church and community, in particular but not exclusively by:

Communications and Relationships

ringers and ringing; The Council quickly assembled a small (vi) the preparation and publication of edu‐ team to develop an understanding of what the cational and training materials. virus meant for ringing and how ringing

might be adapted to be done safely. Trustees Simon Linford and Phillip Barnes (a recently retired Medical Director) were joined by Mark Regan of the Senior Stakeholder Li‐ aison Workgroup and engaged with the ‘House of Bishops Recovery Group’ of the Church of England charged with giving ad‐ vice to the Church. Advice was developed that enabled a limited return to ringing, with social distancing and time limits, when lock‐ down restrictions were limited in the summer. The joy of ringing normally for Christmas was short-lived, with lockdown following and continuing into 2021, with ringing not getting back to anything like normality until the middle of 2021.

  1. The pursuit of method ringing is not the only measure of success for a ringer

  2. The Church continues to value our contribution.

Progress has been made on all of the Strategic Priorities throughout the year. Initi‐ atives that continued included a six-round YouTube competition that engaged ringers in creating and showcasing videos of ringing, particularly bringing competition call change ringing into the spotlight; the ‘Cast of 1000’ project, intended to provide more opportunities to ringers to make progress in surprise major ringing, was launched online; Dickon Love has joined as a Dove Steward and has delivered a technological stepchange in Dove’s Guide capacity and fea‐ tures. One of the current strengths of the Council is the number of ringers who are vo‐ lunteering to take on roles outside just Mem‐ bers.

Eight months of 2020 therefore had no meaningful ringing for the majority of bell ringers in the world, although ringers in Aus‐ tralia and New Zealand, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, where infections stayed low, did manage to maintain some normality.

Ironically, the pandemic enabled the Council to develop new and strong relation‐ ships with key people in the Church of Eng‐ land which it had not had before. Likewise, many of the Council’s affiliated societies have developed closer ties with Church leaders loc‐ ally or in their country and also with their members. Societies that have maintained con‐ tact with their members, providing regular online ringing and training, have weathered the storm, and in some instances even got stronger. These new relationships put us in a stronger position to manage some of the chal‐ lenges that lie ahead particularly in terms of the impact the pandemic has had on the accel‐ eration of church closures.

Covid restrictions prevented the Council from having a physical face-to-face AGM, which had been planned to be in Nottingham in September. A number of affiliated societies had already held their AGMs successfully us‐ ing the Zoom platform, and this was used by the Council, ably supported by Colin New‐ man running the technical support behind the scenes. There were 158 attendees, and many members said it was at least as effective as a physical meeting, and better in many ways. It certainly provided a forum in which more members were able to speak and present their views. The main piece of non-routine busi‐ ness was the passing of a motion to allow a new form of affiliation for smaller bellringing societies, intended to give the Council broader representation for instance from small university societies and young ringers’ groups. These ‘Registered Small Societies’ can now join with fewer than 75 members, at‐ tend the AGM, but not vote.

Just before the suspension of ringing the Council was about to launch a major recruit‐ ment campaign in association with the Churches Conservation Trust, which sees bellringing as a strategically important activ‐ ity in its churches. That relationship is getting stronger at a time when an increasing number of churches with bells are heading into their care. The Council also welcomes the affili‐ ation of the Guild of Clerical Ringers which has changed its constitution in order to help with strengthening the relationships between ringers and the Church.

churches with bells are heading into their The Council Executive has tackled one The Council also welcomes the affili‐ outstanding recommendation from the CRAG of the Guild of Clerical Ringers which review and that is that the Council considers changed its constitution in order to help some form of direct membership of the Coun‐ strengthening the relationships between cil. Three Trustees, Simon Linford, Alison ringers and the Church. Everett and David Kirkcaldy, held 15 con‐ So many of the activities and initiatives of sultation events all via Zoom, including the Council have stalled as a result of the sus‐ nearly 200 ringers including many represent‐ pension of normal ringing activities, but per‐ ative of affiliated societies. Some of the ses‐ just as remarkably many continued. sions were with young ringers and those at Some workgroups, released from the need to university. These were completed by the end go ringing, were even busier than of the year, and although they raised a number continuing to develop services, give of issues that the Council and its affiliated so‐ advice, and recruit new members. cieties should consider in terms of how things At the start of the year, the Executive re‐ can be done better, there was no consensus on its new Strategic Priorities, to guide how any form of direct membership could be strategy and activities in 2020 and beyond: achieved, despite a majority of consultees seeing benefit in it. One very positive out‐ 1. Find alternative long term sources of come of the consultation was that young recruits who have the potential to be ringers saw value in a single membership or‐ good ringers ganisation for them, and a small group of 2. That no ringer should hit a barrier to young ringers has been formed to take this their own progression proposal forward in 2021.

So many of the activities and initiatives of the Council have stalled as a result of the sus‐ pension of normal ringing activities, but per‐ haps just as remarkably many continued. Some workgroups, released from the need to actually go ringing, were even busier than usual, continuing to develop services, give advice, and recruit new members.

At the start of the year, the Executive re‐ leased its new Strategic Priorities, to guide strategy and activities in 2020 and beyond:

  1. That no ringer should hit a barrier to their own progression

  2. The pursuit of excellence in everything we do

The President’s Blog, published fort‐ nightly, has become a valuable and popular channel for connecting the activities of the Council with the wider ringing population. It exploits all the media channels the Council

  1. The sound of church bells remains part of our cultural soundscape and is ap‐ preciated and understood

has available to it, and has done much to raise the profile of the Council. The Council has been using its media channels more and more, with regular news stories promoted by its workgroups.

Our Safeguarding team has been expan‐ ded and we now have two very experienced Safeguarding Officers, Dave Bassford and Ann White. Unfortunately they have been quite active dealing particularly with prob‐ lems generated by injudicious use of ringing social media.

The lack of a physical AGM removed the major item of expenditure from the Council’s finances which means they remain very healthy, as we have reported in Section 6 here.

The Trustees of the Central Council are confident that progress and achievements will continue to be made across all the Council’s stated Objects.

5. Statement of Policies

5.1 Reserves

5.2 Investment

Funds are invested in low risk invest‐ ments and bank accounts. The need for regu‐ lar income from investments is considered important to support the work of the Council.

5.3 Investment and Borrowing Powers

The Trustees have the power to invest money and adopt such measures as seem to them necessary in the interest of the Council. They do not have any power to borrow money, except by Council resolution.

5.4 Risk Assessment

The Trustees have identified and reviewed the major risks to which they believe the Council may be exposed and have taken steps to minimise and manage those risks.

The Council’s banking deposits are fully protected by the Financial Services Compen‐ sation Scheme (FSCS). Expenditure is only incurred on receipt of relevant supporting documentation and proof of service delivery. Bank statements are electronically available to the Treasurer. The Treasurer provides a fin‐ ancial update to each Executive meeting, highlighting financial issues that need to be brought to the Executive’s attention.

5.5 Expenses

Updated guidance on expenses was ap‐ proved by the Executive in November 2019.

5.6 Safeguarding

The Council’s guidance on safeguarding was revised in June 2019 and issued to soci‐

eties and members. A safeguarding policy applicable to the Council and its own activities and events was prepared in January 2020 and placed on the website.

ral Council can meet its commitments for the foreseeable future. The Trustees have in‐ cluded considerations of the impact of the pandemic in both the short and long term within their conclusions.

5.7 Conflicts of Interest

Although the pandemic has had a huge impact on ringing as described earlier in the report, in terms of risk assessment there is a positive financial impact to the CCCBR. Longer term risks such as fewer ringers as we return to ringing tower bells are being ad‐ dressed by some of the initiatives described in the report.

A revised policy was approved in June and came into effect on 1 October 2020. Members of the Executive are required to complete an annual declaration which is available to the members.

5.8 Data Protection (GDPR)

On reviewing the financial controls, aside from changes already mentioned, they are consistent with prior years.

The guidance note on data protection was last reviewed in January 2018. A privacy no‐ tice is available on the website.

7. Membership

At the close of the Annual General Meet‐ ing on 5 September 2020 the Council’s mem‐ bership comprised four Fellows, 14 Ex-offi‐ cio Members and 170 Representative Mem‐ bers representing 66 affiliated societies. Since then two Ex-officio Members have retired; one Representative Member has become an Ex-officio Member, and one further Ex-offi‐ cio Member has been added. Five Represent‐ ative Members retired and their vacancies were filled. We regret to record the death of Jay Bunyan, a Representative Member for the Bath & Wells Diocesan Association since 2005. Subject to any further changes, at the start of the 2021 Council meeting there will be four Fellows, 14 Ex-officio Members and 177 Representative Members representing 66 affiliated societies. There are 22 vacancies.

6. Review of Financial Activities

The accounts for 2020 show total funds at the year-end of £457,812, of which £259,748 is in restricted funds. Income for the year totalled £47,740 (including legacies of £25,000 from John Barnes and £50 in memory of John Collier both for bell restora‐ tion, together with publications and library sales of £8,927). The main expenditure was for grants for bell restoration of £5,550, and publication cost of sales of £5,848. The pan‐ demic has resulted in a reduction in the sales of publications and corresponding reduction in the cost of sales.

The 2020 figures include further dona‐ tions for the Kilifi project totalling £120. No significant fundraising activity has been carried out during the year.

The Council had no employees during the Declaration year. All of its work is carried out on a volun‐ tary basis. The

tary basis. The Trustees declare that they have ap‐ It is confirmed that the Council’s assets, proved the Trustees’ report above. together with the expected income for 2021, Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees are available and will be adequate to fulfil the on 15 May 2021. objects of the Council in that year. The 2021 S J L Linford financial estimates were approved by the Ex‐ President ecutive in October 2020 and they support the fact that the Trustees consider that the CCCBR is a going concern, i.e. that the Cent‐

S J L Linford President

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS

Registered Charity Number 270036

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

**Note ** General General Education Bell F Dukes F Dukes Publications Publications Library Total Total
Fund Courses Restoration Internat'l Fund Fund Funds Funds
Fund Bell Fund 2020 2019
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Income and Expenditure
Incoming Resources
Afliation fees 7,960 7,960 8,000
Other income 859 859 1,848
Subscriptions from friends of Library 1,374 1,374 1,444
Interest receivable 7 1,667 353 915 49 29 3,013 3,324
Sales of publications, books and CDs 6,689 2,238 8,927 25,889
Sales of jigsaw puzzles and prints 211
Sales of training video/dvd 10 10 17
Stock written back 226 226 566
Donations to Kilif, Kenya 8 120 120 120
Gift Aid 30 92 122 136
Sale of PDF's 105
Library sundry Income 3 3
Other donations 25,050 76 25,126 8,844
Council Meeting 10,768
10,496 - 25,553 915 6,964 3,812 47,740 61,272
Resources expended
Council meeting 309 309 15,701
Workgroup expenses 9 1,512 38 1,550 1,660
ART conference 500 500 1,943
Council and other committee costs 10 10
Ringing Remembers project costs 71
Recruitment leafets 8 8 61
Cost of publications sold 3,887 1,961 5,848 14,144
Cost of jigsaws 25
C'church Cath NZ - project cost 6,069
Library maintenance 829 829 388
Equipment costs 29 29
Grants for bell restoration 10 4,550 1,000 5,550 19,225
Advertising 2,223 85 2,308 2,283
Storage and distribution 12 2,500 2,500 2,500
Stationery, postage and telephone 29 771 800 766
Insurance 2,466 377 2,843 2,856
Project Costs 26 26
Depreciation - Library Collection 1,717 1,717 1,753
Depreciation - shelving 106 106 106
Paypal charges 130 130 371
Sundry expenses 313 313 343
5,137 - 4,550 1,000 9,127 5,562 25,376 70,265
Net incoming resources before transfers 5,359 - 21,003 (85) (2,163) (1,749) 22,365 (8,993)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds 5,359 - 21,003 (85) (2,163) (1,749) 22,365 (8,993)
Balances at 31 December 2019 160,787 1,950 38,462 79,726 32,131 122,391 435,446 444,439
Balances at 31 December 2020 166,146 1,950 59,465 79,641 29,968 120,642 457,812 435,446
**2. ** Accounting policies 2.2 Resources expended
The accounts have been drawn up in ac‐ Expenditure is included on an accruals
cordance with the going concern, accruals, basis.
consistency and prudence concepts. Grants are accounted for when paid
2.1 Incoming resources over.

Interest is accounted for when receiv‐ 3. Consistency 1. Basis of accounting able. The accounts are prepared on a consist‐ The accounts have been prepared under Donations, grants and legacies are ac‐ ent basis with the previous year and in ac‐ the historic cost convention and in accord‐ counted for as soon as the Council is noti‐ cordance with the accounting policies. ance with applicable accounting standards fied of the legal entitlement and the amount 4. Funds and the Statement of Recommended Prac‐ due. The General Fund is unrestricted and tice on Accounting by Charities. includes designated funds raised and held for a particular purpose.

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS

Registered Charity Number 270036

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2020

General
Fund
Education
Courses
Bell
Restoration
Fund
F Dukes
Internat'l
Bell Fund
Publications
Fund
Library
Fund
Total
Funds
2020
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
162,092
30,777
79,131
272,000
84,147
84,147
318
318
162,092
30,777
79,131
-
84,465 356,465
6,645
1,279
7,924
2,590
30
92
150
2,862
3,519
1,950
28,658
418
23,499
34,748
92,792
6,109
1,950
28,688
510
30,144
36,177 103,578
(2,055)
(176)
(2,231)
4,054
1,950
28,688
510
29,968
36,177 101,347
166,146
1,950
59,465
79,641
29,968
120,642 457,812
165,737
165,737
409
1,950
29,968
32,327
59,465
79,641
120,642 259,748
166,146
1,950
59,465
79,641
29,968
120,642 457,812		 Total
Funds
2019
£
272,000
85,864
424
358,288
8,634
2,943
67,995
79,572
(2,414)
77,158
435,446
160,378
34,490
240,578
435,446
7. Interest receivable
Interest, in a continued climate of low
from 2019. Of these expenses the Execut‐
ive accounted for £423.

Interest, in a continued climate of low interest rates, was received from – National Savings Bonds £2,920 Central Board of Finance of the Church of England Deposit account £76 Other £16

The Education Courses Fund and Pub‐ lications Fund are unrestricted designated funds.

10. Grants paid

During the year, the Fred E Dukes Inter‐ national Bell Fund paid one grant totaling £1,000. There is one outstanding grant commitment, with £2,308 available for new schemes.

The Bell Restoration Fund, the Fred E Dukes International Bell Fund and the Lib‐ rary Fund are maintained for restricted pur‐ poses.

Amounts received were lower than 2019.

During the year, the Bell Restoration Fund awarded no new grants. Eight grants totaling £4,550 were paid. Outstanding commitments total £22,200.

5. Transfers between funds

8. Donations and grants received

No amounts have been transferred between funds.

Donations have been received in re‐ spect of Kilifi, Kenya, for ropes and a train‐ ing project. These are included in the Bell Restoration Fund as a restricted item and, together with any related gift aid, amounted to £150 in 2020, bringing the total now available to £807.

6. Tangible assets and intangible assets

11. Charitable commitments

The major tangible assets of the Council are the Investments in National Savings In‐ come Bonds and the Library Collection. The Library Collection is valued at a re‐ placement cost of £95,000. The revaluation was undertaken by Roger Barnes of Church Green Books as at 31 December 2014. The policy now is to revalue the collection every twenty years, but keeping the policy under review. It is being depreciated for ac‐ counting purposes at 2% on the reducing balance per annum. An asset register is maintained for other tangible assets. The policy is to treat assets of an individual cost up to £1,000 as fully depreciated in the year of purchase.

There is one grant of £2,000 awarded but not yet paid by the Fred E Dukes Inter‐ national Bell Fund, and twenty one grants totaling £22,200 awarded but not yet paid by the Bell Restoration Fund. There is also a charitable commitment to Kilifi bell res‐ toration in respect of the balance of dona‐ tions received but not yet paid amounting to £807.

8.2 Bell Restoration

During the year the Bell Restoration Fund received two donations totaling £25,050, the larger of these being £25,000 from the estate of the late John Barnes.

12. Publications fund

Storage and distribution costs of £2,500 was paid to a Council member.

8.3 Ringing Remembers The balance, at 31 December 2020, of the Ringing Remembers Grant of £15,606 is held within general balances for future related work.

13. Payments to trustees

There were no payments to Trustees.

14. Emoluments of employees

The Council had no employees during the year.

9. Workgroup Expenses

The major intangible asset of the Coun‐ cil is the copyright of Dove’s Guide .

Total workgroup expenses amounted to

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers

I report on the accounts of The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (charity no. 270036) for the year ended 31 December 2020, which are set out on the attached pages.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiners

My examination of the Trust’s accounts was carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act, and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that is required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that, in any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signature:

Name: Caroline Stockmann FCA DChA Address: Bell House High Street Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1JD Date: 15 May 2021