Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 Trustees Annual Report This annual report has a threefold purpose. Firstly, it summarises what took place in the year. This aspect is covered more fully and in a timely manner in the Guild Magazine published quarterly. Secondly it acts as a repository for all the useful information needed about the Guild and as such serves as its handbook. Finally, but not of least importance, it satisfies the obligations placed on the trustees of a registered charity to make public our operation. Generally, the trustees are the elected officers of the Guild and form the Executive Committee of the Guild. They also serve as the trustees of the separate Bell Repair Fund (BRF) charity. The close relationship between these two charities means that this one report covers the work of both and that separate meetings of each charity are not held. 2024 has been a difficult year for the Guild. During January, our longest standing Trustee and Treasurer of 44 years, Simon Rogers notified us of his sudden but serious illness. We were all devastated when he passed away on April 8 . May he rest in peace. This has left an enormous gap in our Guild and has presented many challenges for the remaining Trustees. Our thanks to Mark Sayers, a previous Trustee, for stepping up and guiding us through this challenging period. We are pleased to welcome Mrs Claire Tosh who has become the new Guild Treasurer. Guild membership, as measured by those paying subscriptions during the year, has increased in 2024, after having decreased over the last few years. At the time of preparing the accounts the Guild's paying membership in 2024 wa5 split thus:. District Coventry District Rugby District Warwick District Unattached Totals Senior 100 84 251 13 448 Junior Total 106 88 264 13 471 Towers 16 13 43 13 23 75
Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 There are also 7 active life members resident within the Guild taking the resident membershipto478. Thanks go again to Gerald Trevorand Freda Bennettfortheir invaluable help in the collecting and recording of your subscriptions over the last 12 months. After many years of service, Freda has handed the responsibility to Alison Collins and we wish her the best of success in her new role. If you have not paid your subscription for 2025 by the time you read this (adults £10; juniors £2) could you to send the money to one of us as soon as possible. At the October business meeting, members agreed to use Membermojo to help with the collection of subscriptions. This will be implemented in 2025 with a view to collecting subscriptions in 2026. This year the General Fund ended up with a surplus of £851. New training bells, purchased with the Jill Roberts legacy are gradually being installed. We paid for two during the year, Shipston and Long Compton. The Guild now therefore has reserves of £26,754, of which £12,209 is designated for expenditure on special projects. The remaining £14,545 is held in the general funds, this is roughly equivalent to 3 years income. The Trustees will continue to monitor the income, and currently the reserves are deemed sufficient for the Guild. Thanks must go to Sarah Thomas for examining this year's Guild and Bell Repair Fund accounts, her first year in the role. Also, many thanks to Jane Rogers who helped with the transltion following Simon's death. The Guild Bell Repair Fund income for the year surpassed £28,000, mainly due to income from the Phil Faulks Memorial Bell Repair Fund. Expenditure was about £69,994 giving us a surplus of nearly £10,000 over the year. During the year we donated sums of money to 6 different churches for various improvements to their rings of bells, the highest amount of which was the £45,000 given to Bulkington for the rehanging of the bells including casting of two new bells. This is the largest grant the Guild has ever give and is only possible because of the Phil Faulks legacy. Grants were given to:
Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 Bulkington Burton Dassett Harbury Long Compton Nuneaton Tredington £45,000 £19,000 £1,068 £126 £3,300 £1.500 It was decided at the Guild six monthly meeting to cancel the inspection scheme which had been running since 2018. Much of the work done recently in the Guild on bell installations has come as a result of these inspections and they have picked up on some important points that might easily have been overlooked. The Guild Bell Repair Fund now has reserves of £33,500, with £17,500 of these already committed to further projects. It is due almost entirely to the Phil Faulks Fund that we can make such commitments. The very nature of the Fund means that the donations it makes to churches vary from year to year according to repairs, maintenance issues, and enhancements that occur and qualify for support. The donations made from the Fund vary from a few hundred pounds to several thousand according to the work needed. In simple terms with over 100 towers With bells in the Guild the Fund at the end of 2024 is equivalent to just over £335 per tower. The Trustees regard the current level of reserves as adequate. They are being proactive in using the money effectively by donating to churches having bell maintenance reports whilst still being receptive to funding any maintenance needed on bells/fittings; and augmentations to existing ring5. After 20 successful years, it was decided to retire the 100 Draw club. The money raised over the years has been so importantto our continued support of the bells within the Guild. Member numbers had been falling and with the Phil Faulkes legacy, there is now a reliable flow of money on to the BRF. Thanks to Joy Pluckrose and Chris Worley for running the scheme for so many years. The Guild takes it contribution to local communities very seriously and encourage all members to take part in National events. Ring for the King bands are going
Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 from strength to strength and are involved in community activities. Many towers th rang to commemorate the 80 anniversary of the D Day landings. Warwick rang at 6.30 am, the time the initial landings took part. Rosemary Spencer, who had been editor of the Guild magazine, Guild Matters, decided to retire her pen and Janette Wolf has taken over as editor. We wish Janette the best of success and thank Rosemary for her service. Training has continued to be a key focus in 2024 with Training Hubs now running at Kineton; Lighthorne; Leek Wootton; Stretton on Dunsmore; and Tysoe. Many individual towers and "Clusters" are helping local ringers perfect their striking; hunting and method ringing, including the transition from 6 to 8 bells and beyond. The success of any training relies on the dedication of many volunteers who give their time so willingly to not only run the sessions but also to help by sharing their experience and 'know how,. Successful striking competitions were held at Clifton upon Dunsmore in March and Bulkington in September. The drive to improve standards is of great importance. Every time we ring the bells it is a public performance and part of the cultural heritage of this country. We have a duty to make sure it is of the highest standard. Regular Surprise major practices are held to allow more experienced ringers to practice and improve their skills. The Guild participated in the celebratory ringing for the 80 Anniversary of the D-Day Landing in June; and those towers within the Borough of Solihull joined in the Solihull Council celebrations in March and April to commemorate the 70 th th anniversary of Solihull becoming a Municipal Borough; the 60 anniversary of th becoming a County Borough; and the 50 anniversary of it becoming a Metropolitan Borough. The Guild outing to Coventry Cathedral in January proved popular and our thanks go to Chris Worley for his informative tour of the Cathedral and to Audrey and Andrew Alldrick for the opportunity to climb the tower and ring the bells. The July Outing to Mollington; Cropredy; Byfield; Napton on the Hill; and Stockton proved popular as did the evening meal and quiz at Long Itchington. 10
Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 The Youth Team practice monthly and the highlight of this yearfs activities was a trip to London for the Ringing World National Youth Competition. The band rang well and our young members are a credit to the Guild and to the teachers who give so generously of their time to help them develop. The Guild's "New for Novemberf initiate certainly caught the imagination of members with many'firsts" recorded. Peals and quarter peals were scored and members tried new methods; conducting; visiting a new tower; and going on a ringing outing. A summary of the"Firsts" can be found later in the Annual Report. A successful Carol service was held at Wellesbourne. Michael Chester, (President), Annie Hall (General Secretary), Claire Tosh (Treasurer) & Steve Tibbetts (Ringing Master) The beacon at Burton Dasseti lit up on D Day 11
Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 The cOnIryD10CO8#ll Gulldot ClMw¢hBeitrln¥•rx ChwTIty 14umber517977 e5trl¢ted Funds 2024 Desl#nted Ful5 2024 i Tot•lFunds 2024 2023 .,sutcr1ptlonS 'Warwick .Unatlached .LatelEaTIy .'Nonvresi£Jent GiftWdAeco¥¢iei io DonatlOnS RepDltknrt YotithTeam Donation,. 4,735 4735 CentialCounc115ui>8crlptlo PA,wobte,etc .'YouthTeam Donatlon5- Trainln&Bells-IIIiRoLrtsio.i4cy..,,.,....... tsabllltleslMalrtienunc¢ Insuran¢e 601 1,665 5.669 1.191 .Transi•rolsubsto Bell Rtpalr fun(1 ..12215.1.,,...,... ..j2,215j., 976 'Tot•llib e•rihdloar3J D•G•mber 903 iFun¢is t¢•kdl iChurchtsConservationTfu* Fund jill Robe15 LtP.CY,,........ ..... '.YoiithTeam Tot41 Fund5 41 31D•c•mbeT 936 26,754 29,3 staternont0fAs1S al jl Decemb¢r 10.138 S 10.033 1 Cash at Bankondlntrfand RinEinEWoi!tt Credlt ,'CwrentA85et$ 81 IZ209 ',SundiyCielitor5 Cwt•nt Ll4blUtleJ N?tA55ets Bt¢ouTrt5were approved and outhorisedlof is5sue tytheTFUSteeson24March2025andwere 51gTredon Itsbehatfty. etslreToJh Trustee andTfea5urer InrtependeTrt Ex&mine&2 _
Coventry Diocesan Guild Report 2024 Accounts for the Coventry Diocesan Guild Bell Repair Fund TheCovBntyDloce5an Gulidol Chwch BUrh4efl Charlty Numbef 502574 Aecowts forthoypai•nded313tDecember2024 Tot41FundJ TotalFw Income ',Subcsrlpt.ions from Covent!y.Diocesan Gulld ofchufch BellringeTS Coventry.DiocesanTrustees- lihilip Faulk5 Memprlal Bell Repalr Fun(1 ,' DDnatlonsfrorn PCC affiLlation scheT Drawclub Surplu5from Gulld events and sales .' Buidii.ti¢soclety.Interest ,'Totsl Incom• Domtions. Bulkingion. Sl jarrs ,' Donat10Tr5- Burton Dassett. Ali Saints DoThations- Harbury. All Saints '.Donatlons. Loni.Comptoré- SSPele! & PBul '. Donation5- Nuneaton. si Nicolas DonBtior15- Tredln&ion- Sl Gregofy '. Donatlons. 2023 ¢5) Maintenance Inspectlons TotaitXPefKllture .(41:428j.. '.TotalfuiKls brougtit iorwar(i l january........ ',Tfit41fund% caiiled fornaiii JI Decemi>trr 33&32 ' 74,960 .' St4tementof Assets al 31 C•ecemlier Coventry Buildingsociely '.Cash at Bank and in Hand N•t assets 3332 . The aCCQLFntsweTe approved and authorisedfor i55w by theTru5tee5 on 24 March 2025 and were SIed on its behalf by: ClalrtTosh Trustee andTreasurer S•r4hThomaJ Independent Ex8mlner 13