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 cO￿nIryD10CO8#ll Gulldot ClMw¢hBeitrln¥•rx
ChwTIty 14umber517977
e5trl¢ted
Funds 2024
Desl#n*ted
Ful￿5 2024 i
Tot•lFunds
2024
2023
.,sut￿cr1ptlonS
'Warwick
.Unatlached
.LatelEaTIy
.'Nonvresi£Jent
GiftWdAeco¥¢iei
io
DonatlOnS
RepDltknrt
YotithTeam Donation,.
4,735
4735
CentialCounc115ui>8crlptlo
PA,wob￿te,etc
.'YouthTeam
Donatlon5- Trainln&Bells-IIIiRoL*rtsio.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•rihdlo￿ar￿3J D•G•mber
903
iFun¢is t￿¢•kd￿l
iChurchtsConservationTfu* Fund
jill Robe15 LtP.CY,,........ .....
'.YoiithTeam
Tot41 Fund5 41 31D•c•mbeT
936
26,754
29,￿3
staternont0fAs1￿S 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 B*Urh4efl
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 jarr*s
,' 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
33￿32 .
The aCCQLFntsweTe approved and authorisedfor i55w by theTru5tee5 on 24 March 2025 and were SI￿ed on its
behalf by:
ClalrtTosh
Trustee andTreasurer
S•r4hThomaJ
Independent Ex8mlner
13