3.1.9 At the direction of the Central Committee, the Report Editor shall produce an Annual Report for distribution at the Annual General Meeting of the Association, to include:
in respect of the previous year:
- audited accounts,
- reports of the Officers and Committees of the Association,
- details of the peals rung by the Association and the compositions used;
and the following current information:
- a list of the Officers of the Association,
- a list of the Ordinary members of the Association,
- a list of all the towers within the Association area with four or more bells hung for change ringing,
- reports and/or obituaries of members who have died;
and any other such information as directed by the Central Committee.
3.1.10 The Peal Recorder shall maintain a record of all peals rung for the Association and their
compositions where appropriate.
3.1.11 The Membership Secretary shall keep written records of all members of the Association which will be made available to the Officers of the Association upon request.
3.1.12 The Bell Restoration Officer shall convene the Bell Restoration Committee and co-ordinate the Association's bell restoration activities.
3.1.13 The Training Officer shall convene the Training Committee and coordinate the Association's training activities.
3.1.14 The three Trustees shall oversee the Association property and funds, their whereabouts and
signatories, and deal with any unforeseen contingency, and if necessary call an immediate meeting of the Central Committee or of the Association.
3.1.15 The Central Council Representatives shall represent the Association's interests and give an account
of matters of interest at Central Committee meetings and General meetings.
3.2 Central Committee
3.2.1 The government of the Association shall be invested in a Central Committee consisting of the
President, Vice-Presidents, Master, General Secretary, Assistant Secretary, General Treasurer, Bell Restoration Fund Treasurer,
Librarian, Report Editor, Peal Recorder, Membership Secretary, Bell Restoration Officer, Training Officer, Trustees, the Central Council Representatives, and
two officers from each District.
3.2.2 The Central Committee shall meet at least once a year, and the quorum shall be ten.
3.3 Association Funds
3.3.1 There shall be a Central Fund for the administration of the Association, a Bell Restoration Fund, a
Training Fund and any other such fund as may be determined by General Meetings of the Association
3.3.2 Transfer may be made from the Central Fund to the Bell Restoration Fund each year, the amount being
determined by the Central Committee.
3.4 General Meetings
3.4.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall normally be held on the fourth Saturday in
April for the purpose of receiving the audited accounts for each fund and the reports of Officers and Committees; for the election
of Officers, and for any other business.
3.4.2 The Association shall hold an Autumn General Meeting normally on the fourth Saturday in October to
conduct such business as may be appropriate.
3.4.3 Notice of these meetings shall be given through the "Ringing World".
3.4.4 Special General Meetings may be called at any time by the Central Committee, or by the General
Secretary at the written request of not fewer than twenty members.
3.4.5 The quorum for General Meetings shall be thirty voting members.
4 DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
4.1 Function
4.1.1 To implement the aims of the
Association at a local level and to hold Business Meetings.
4.1.2 Those eligible to vote at District Business Meetings are the voting members attached to that
District (see paragraph 2.2.5).
4.1.3 The quorum at District Business Meetings shall be ten, including at least two District Officers.
4.2 Officers
4.2.1
Each District shall elect annually a Chairman, Ringing Master, Secretary, two representatives to the Training Committee, and any such other Officers as are considered necessary. It shall send two Officers to the Central Committee. Each District shall also appoint an Independent Examiner or Honorary Auditor.
4.2.2 District Secretaries shall be responsible for collecting joining fees and annual
subscriptions for the Ordinary members attached to their District. District Secretaries shall be responsible for distributing Annual Reports to members of the Association.
4.3 District Committee
4.3.1 In each District there shall be a Committee consisting of the District Officers and a representative of each band in the District.
4.3.2 The quorum at meetings shall be seven and shall include at least two District Officers.
4.3.3 Meetings of the District Committee shall be held at least annually and minuted.
4.4 District Funds
4.4.1 Each year before 21 December, each District Secretary shall remit to the General Treasurer the
balance of all monies received after payment of the normal running expenses of the District. They shall also submit audited
accounts of the District to the General Treasurer by the end of February of the following year.
4.5 Annual Meeting
4.5.1 Each District shall hold an annual meeting not later than the last Saturday in February for the election of Officers, to receive an audited statement of District accounts for the previous year, and for the transaction of any other business.
5 BELL RESTORATION COMMITTEE
5.1 There shall be a Bell Restoration
Committee for the purpose of:
- Provision of help and advice on the
planning and execution of maintenance, repairs,
installations and restorations in bell towers
- To maintain and enhance the Bell
Restoration Fund
5.2 The Bell Restoration Fund shall be
registered as a charity in law, and shall be administered as
required by the separate rules of the fund.
5.3 Members of the Bell Restoration
Committee shall be as set out in rules
2.1.3,
3.1.5
3.1.7,
3.1.12, and
4.2.1,
Other persons may be co-opted to assist with the Committee's work.
5.4 Applications for grants and loans shall
be made in writing to the General Secretary giving details of
approved work to be carried out and estimates of the costs
involved. Such applications shall be considered by the Bell
Restoration Committee who shall make a recommendation to a
General Meeting of the Association. Applications for a grant or
loan shall be considered by a General Meeting, normally with a
recommendation from the Bell Restoration Committee.
5.5 The Bell Restoration Committee may,
without making a recommendation to a General Meeting of the
Association, exceptionally make loans to a value of not more than
£500 each, with a total outstanding at any one time of no more
than £1,000 to help support emergency repairs at an active tower
in the Association. The Bell Restoration Committee shall advise
the Central Committee and the next General Meeting of such loans,
which may at that time be converted to grants.
5.6 The Bell Restoration Committee shall
report to each Central Committee and Association General Meeting.
5.7 The quorum for meetings of the
Committee considering grants or loans shall be five.
6 TRAINING COMMITTEE
6.1 There shall be a Training Committee for
promoting the training of ringers throughout the Association.
6.2 Members of the Training Committee shall
be as set out in Rules
3.1.12,
3.1.13,
and
4.2.1.
Other persons may be co-opted to assist with the
Committee's work.
6.3 The Training Committee shall report to
each Central Committee and Association General Meeting.
7 PEALS
7.1 A true peal may be credited to the
Association provided that all the members of the band are members
of the Association under the provisions of rule 2.2 et seq.
7.2 The conductor of any peal rung for the Association shall forward the composition to the Peal Recorder if requested.
8 AMENDMENT OF RULES
8.1 Amendment to these rules shall only be made at a General Meeting or a Special General Meeting of the Association.
8.2 Notice of any amendment must be received by the General Secretary at least 28 days before the Meeting and must be circulated to Association Officers and Tower Correspondents at least 14 days before the Meeting.
8.3 Amendments to the rules shall require the support of two-thirds of all those voting at the meeting.
SCHEDULE OF SUBSCRIPTION FEES
AND BENEFITS
| Membership |
Joining Fee |
Annual Subscription |
Eligible to vote |
Eligible to ring peals |
Receive benefits (Annual report, Bell News, Insurance) |
| Ordinary (adult) |
Adult fee |
Adult fee |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ordinary (juniors
aged less than 19 years) |
½ Adult fee |
½ Adult fee |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ordinary Life |
40 x Adult fee
(cumulative)
or
20 x Adult fee(one-off) |
None |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Associate |
None (see rule 2.2.2) |
None |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Honorary Life and Honorary |
None |
None |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Fees as at 1 January 2011: |
|
|
| |
Adult Fee: |
£8 |
RULES OF THE BELL RESTORATION FUND
1. The Fund shall be known as the Middlesex County Association of Church Bell Ringers Bell Restoration Fund.
2. The object of the Fund shall be to advance the Christian religion by providing financial assistance to churches in and around the county of Middlesex and the Diocese
of London for the purpose of restoring or improving their bell installations. Restoration or improvement of a bell installation shall be deemed to include the
following:
a) Removal of an existing ring of bells, frame and fittings for the purpose of repair or restoration,
b) Repair or replacement of frame or parts thereof, including installation;
c) Repair, replacement, re-tuning, re-clappering and re-hanging of bells;
d) Installation of repaired or replaced bells, frame or fittings and making good any relevant defects to towers or ringing chambers therein;
e) Installation and maintenance of sound control equipment,
f) The provision of additional bells, frames and fittings and the erection of the same in churches;
g) The acquisition of bells, frames or fittings from churches declared redundant, or bells, frames or fittings which are redundant or unsuitable for their existing
location, particularly within the area of the Association.
3. The membership of the Fund shall be that of the Middlesex County Association and London Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, hereinafter referred to as
"the Association", as defined in the rules thereof.
4. a) The Fund shall be administered by the Bell Restoration Committee of the Association, hereinafter referred to as "the Committee".
b) The Committee shall have the power, after considering an application submitted to it in writing, to recommend a grant from the Fund, to be approved at
an Association General Meeting.
c) The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees, for the purpose of detailed study or work, which shall report back their action fully and
promptly to the Committee.
d) The Committee shall have powers to co-opt such persons as it considers necessary to assist in its deliberations. The number of co-opted persons at any one
meeting of the Committee shall not exceed three.
e) The management of the Bell Restoration Fund shall be an item on the agenda of every meeting of the Committee, and of the Central Committee of the
Association.
5. a) There shall be four Trustees of the Fund as follows: the three Association Trustees and the Association General Secretary. The Association General Secretary
shall be the official (registered) contact for the Bell Restoration Fund.
b) Such bank accounts and investment accounts as may be required shall be opened in the name of the Fund. The four Trustees and the BRF Treasurer shall be the
signatories to the account(s), any two of which will be required to sign cheques or make amendments to the operation of the accounts.
c) Any outstanding monies in the hands of the Committee not required for the immediate purpose of the Fund shall be invested in any manner the Trustees may
think fit, in the best interests of the Fund.
d) The Committee and its sub-committees shall have the power to raise funds by any means they see fit as long as permanent trading is not engaged in.
e) The Fund shall be set up by the transfer to it of the balance of those monies collected, made available or allocated for bell restoration by the Association.
6. In the event of the dissolution of the Fund the assets of the Fund shall be distributed for the purposes of bell restoration in accordance with the objectives of the
Fund (described in rule 2), as decided by a General Meeting of the Association.
7. The Bell Restoration Fund Treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet as at 31st December for each year and an income and expenditure account for the year ended on that
date, which shall be independently examined or audited by the Association Independent Examiner or l Honorary Auditor, and presented to the Members at the Annual
General Meeting of the Association first held after 31st December to which the Fund's accounts are prepared.
8. No alteration or addition or deletion of these rules shall be made so as to cause the Fund at any time to cease to be a charity in law. No alteration, addition or
deletion shall be made except at a General Meeting of the Association. Notice of any proposed alteration or addition to or deletion from these rules shall be given
to the Secretary of the Association at least one calendar month prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.
RULES FOR THE
INTER-DISTRICT STRIKING COMPETITION
"THE AUDREY TAYLOR CUP"
1. This competition will be held on the same day as the Annual General Meeting, with timing to be agreed by the Master and District Ringing Masters.
2. One team from each District will take part.
3. The composition of each team will be decided by the respective District Ringing Master. Each member of
the team should ring regularly within that District and be a member of the Association. No ringer may ring for more than one
team.
4. A draw will be made immediately prior to the start of the competition and the teams will ring in the order
resulting from that draw, with no subsequent alterations in this order allowed.
5. Two minutes' practice is permitted prior to the test piece, with a steward to time this practice.
6. One bell will be struck for two whole pulls to alert the adjudicator(s) that the test piece is about to
be rung.
7. The test piece each year will be decided upon by the Association Master, after consultation with the
District Ringing Masters.
8. These rules may only be amended at an Association General Meeting.
RULES FOR THE RHODESIA PLATE AND ASSOCIATION PLATE
1. These competitions will take place prior to the Autumn General Meeting, held on the fourth Saturday of
October each year.
2. Bands taking part are the first two in each District competition, plus the current holders of the plates.
3. If either of the first two teams are unable to participate, then their place will be taken by the team coming third.
4. The test piece will be two 120s of Doubles or Minor, with five or six whole pulls of rounds in between.
5. Two minutes' practice will be allowed with a steward in the tower.
6. Each team will signify their readiness to ring by two whole pulls on a single bell.
7. The Rhodesia Plate will be awarded to the band with the best individual 120 and the Association Plate to the band with the best combined score.
8. The Rhodesia Plate is a challenge trophy and the winners may be challenged at any time.
9. No ringer may ring for more than one team.
10. A team which "fires out" will not be permitted to ring again.
11. The decision of the judge(s) is final.
RULES FOR THE HANDBELL CHANGE RINGING COMPETITION "THE GOODFELLOW CUP"
1. The competition shall be known as "The Goodfellow Cup" in memory of Frederick W Goodfellow (1905-1990).
2. The object of the competition is to encourage the art of change ringing on handbells by members of the Association.
3. The competition shall be held annually.
4. The winning band shall be awarded the cup donated to the Association by F W Goodfellow, and known as "The Goodfellow Cup".
5. Each band shall consist of four Ordinary or Associate members of the Association.
6. The majority of the members of each band shall ring together regularly on tower bells or handbells.
7. The composition of each band shall differ from every other band in the majority of its members.
8. The conduct of the competition shall be under the direction of the Association Master or their appointed deputy, whose interpretation of these rules shall be final.
9. The competition shall be judged by one or more competent handbell ringers.
10. Ringing shall take place on the set of eight handbells bequeathed to the Association by F W Goodfellow.
11. The order in which the bands ring shall be determined by drawing lots.
12. The judge or judges shall be positioned so that they cannot see the band which is ringing, and shall not know the order in which the bands ring.
13. Ringing shall otherwise take place in full view of non-participants.
14. The test piece shall consist of at least 200 changes of Triples or Major rung double-handed with the bells retained in hand throughout.
15. Each band must submit details of its test piece to the judge or judges before ringing.
16. A band which breaks down shall be allowed one further attempt to ring the test piece without penalty.
17. The decision of the judge or judges shall be final.
RULES FOR THE SIX BELL HANDBELL CHANGE RINGING COMPETITION "THE PHIL CUCKSON CHALLENGE SHIELD"
1. The competition shall be known as "The Phil Cuckson Challenge Shield" after Phil Cuckson and his friends who inspired the notion of a six bell competition.
2. The competition aims to encourage handbell ringing by members of the Association, particularly those who ring on six bells.
3. The competition shall be held annually.
4. The winning band shall be awarded the shield donated to the Association by Phil Cuckson and his friends and known as the "Phil Cuckson Challenge Shield".
5. Each band shall consist of three ringers of whom at least two should be current members of the Middlesex Association.
6. The majority of the members of each band shall ring together regularly on tower bells or handbells in the Middlesex area.
7. The composition of each band shall differ from every other band in the majority of its members.
8. The conduct of the competition shall be under the direction of the Association Master or their appointed deputy, whose interpretation of these rules shall be final.
9. The competition shall be judged by one or more competent handbell ringers.
10. Each band shall ring on the same set of six handbells which will be provided.
11. The order in which the bands ring shall be determined by drawing lots.
12. The judge or judges shall be positioned so that they cannot see the band which is ringing, and shall not know the order in which the bands ring.
13. Ringing shall otherwise take place in full view of non-participants.
14. The test piece shall consist of at least 120 changes of Doubles or Minor rung double-handed with the bells retained in hand throughout. This does not exclude Plain Hunt
15. Each band must submit details of its test piece to the judge or judges before ringing.
16. If the ringing should break down, the band shall be allowed two further attempts to ring the test piece without penalty.
17. The decision of the judge or judges shall be final.
