Officer Positions up for Election at the AGM

The Guild Officers are searching for members to fill the roles of Honorary General Secretary, Public Relations Officer, Central Council Representative and Guild Independent Examiner.

The following suggestions may be helpful to members thinking of offering themselves for election. The descriptions are in no way exhaustive but are intended to give a feel for the position.

 All Officers

1. Put simply, Officers aim to further the objects and aims of the Guild – essentially that is to encourage more and better ringing, good bell maintenance and safe practice by uniting ringers for mutual
2. The Guild organises meetings, practices and You may well be involved in the planning of these.

3. Good communications are always important. Simply talking to as many people as possible at Guild or District events helps enormously.
4. District members may come to you for help and advice on matters concerning their bells and ringing in their tower. Other Officers and Committees are available for advice and support.

Specific to the role of Honorary General Secretary

As Secretary you are the focal point for communication. You receive letters, emails, reports and telephone calls and disseminate information to the appropriate people as quickly and effectively as possible. You book halls for the Executive Meetings and District Officers Forum and work with the District that hosts the AGM each year, deal with the sales of membership certificates and Guild badges and organise reprints and re-orders when necessary. You prepare agendas for meetings, calling in reports, budget bids, and papers for discussion from the other Officers and Committee Conveners. In conjunction with other officers make policy and the day-to-day decisions for the Guild.

You are one of the Trustees of the Bell Restoration Fund and will act as its secretary.

Specific to the role of Public Relations Officer

• Work with the Church to raise the profile of the Guild and to highlight the value of ringing both at Diocesan level, or with an individual church alongside the local ringers.
• Engage with the Media, e.g. by providing a “Press-Release” to local TV/ radio/ newspapers prior to, and after, important ringing events, using social media where appropriate. This may involve arranging local TV/Radio interviews with an appropriate member of the Guild.
• Engage with local communities and dignitaries e.g. schools, Councils, Lord Lieutenants, High Sheriffs and Mayors.

• Provide advice/information to individual Districts and towers who are taking on their own P.R. activities, including arranging a Guild Representative to attend an event.
• Maintain and enhance contacts with other ringing/ related organisations including the ‘Central Council’ to work on National initiatives, and share ideas and information.
• Awareness of activities of outside bodies (e.g. Hampshire archives, Royal British Legion) to identify national and other events which would provide a focus for ringing, particularly those which might raise the profile of ringing to the general public e.g. VE Day commemorations.
• Work with the Guild Communications Committee to highlight

• Work with the Guild Web Master to provide content for the Guild website to keep information and links updated.

Specific to the role of Central Council Representative

• Attend the Annual CCCBR Meeting in person, voting and contributing to the work of the CCCBR with the interests of the W&P Guild in mind.
• Feed information back to Guild members on the activities and decisions of the CCCBR, both before and after the Annual Meeting, and as appropriate throughout the year.
• Attend the W&P Guild AGM and Executive Committee Meetings, to keep in touch with current opinions, direction and needs of the W&P Guild, to enable you to represent the interests of the W&P Guild accurately.

Specific to the role of Guild Independent Examiner

The position of Independent Examiner is an important role but not an onerous one. It involves checking the Guild Accounts once a year when the Treasurer has produced the balance sheets in early spring. Most of the calculations are done in spreadsheets but the IE needs to look at other evidence such as invoices. It is especially important that the BRF accounts are accurate as they could be called in by the Charity Commission. Your ringing ability is not relevant but ideally you should have a logical mind, a facility with numbers and possibly some knowledge of basic accounting.

To express your interest, please email the Master directly at:

guild.master@wpbells.org