St. Martin's Guild of Church Bellringers

for the Diocese of Birmingham

Guild Constitution and Rules

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Guild Constitution and Rules

1. The Guild shall be called "The St. Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of
Birmingham".

2. The objectives of the Guild shall be:
2.1 The maintenance of ringing for church services,
2.2 The practice, encouragement and advancement of change ringing,
2.3 The provision of a fund, The Bell Restoration Fund, from which contributions may be made for the
augmentation, installation or restoration of bells within the Diocese of Birmingham as directed by
the rules of the Fund.

3. The Guild shall be affiliated to the Central Council of church Bell Ringers and shall loyally abide
by its rules and decisions.

4. The Bishop of Birmingham shall be invited to be President of the Guild.

5. There shall be two classes of Vice President:
5.1 Honorary Vice Presidents, who are entitled to attend meetings of the Guild, but do not have the
right to vote on the business of the Guild,
5.2 Life Vice Presidents, who have all the rights and privileges of Full Ringing Members of the Guild.

6. The Guild shall consist of the following classes of members:
6.1 Full Ringing Members, who are entitled to attend meetings, to vote on the business of the Guild and
to ring in Guild peals,
6.2 Non-resident Life Members, residing outside the Diocese of Birmingham, who are entitled to
attend meetings, but not to vote on the business of the Guild, and to participate in Guild peals
subject to rule 15.1.4.
6.3 Associate Members who are in agreement with the objectives of the Guild, but who are not bell
ringers; such members have the right to attend meetings, but not to vote on the business of the
Guild; such members shall not normally receive the mailings of the Guild.

7. The officers of the Guild shall be:
7.1 A Master, who shall normally preside at all General Meetings of the Guild.
7.2 A Ringing Master, whose duties shall include:
7.2.1 the organisation of the ringing at Guild Meetings,
7.2.2 the democratic election of Area Ringing Masters,
7.2.3 the arrangement of practices, peals and other ringing events to further the objectives of
the Guild.
7.3 A General Secretary, whose duties shall include:
7.3.1 attendance at, and recording minutes of General Meetings of the Guild,
7.3.2 conduct of the Guild's correspondence,
7.3.3 informing a contact at each Guild tower of the dates, venues and business of the Guild's
meetings and other activities,
7.3.4 maintaining as complete register of all members of the Guild.
7.4 A Treasurer, whose duties shall include:
7.4.1 keeping an account of the income and expenditure of the Guild,
7.4.2 the preparation of an annual statement of the accounts for audit and presentation at the
Annual General Meeting.
7.5 Two Trustees in whose names all funds and assets, other than the Bell Restoration Fund, of the
Guild are vested.
7.6 Two Trustees in whose names all the funds and assets of the Bell Restoration Fund are vested.
7.7 Two Independent Examiners who shall verify the General Funds of the Guild and the Bell
Restoration Fund and report to the Annual General Meeting.

7.8 A Peal Secretary, whose duties shall include:
7.8.1 recording details of peals rung by the Guild,
7.8.2 collecting the peal recording fees and membership subscriptions of provisional members,
7.8.3 transferring the collected fees to the Treasurer at regular intervals.
7.9 A Librarian, whose duties shall include:
7.9.1 the safekeeping, preservation and insurance of the Guild's library and other property,
7.9.2 the maintenance of an inventory of the Guild's property,
7.9.3 overseeing the loan of books and other property to members.
7.10 A Dinner Secretary who shall organise the Henry Johnson Commemoration Dinner.
7.11 A Public Relations Officer, whose duties shall include the promotion of the best possible image of
bell ringing and bell ringers in the Guild to the general public.
7.12 A Webmaster, whose duties shall include the maintenance of the Guild website.

8. The Standing Committee shall consist of the Master, Ringing Master, General Secretary, Treasurer
and such other members of the Guild that they may co-opt.
8.1 The Standing Committee shall transact urgent business and deal with matters referred to them by
General Meetings of the Guild.
8.2 The Standing Committee shall include the management of the Bell Restoration Fund as an item on
the agenda of each meeting of the Standing Committee.

9. Guild Meetings:
9.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Guild shall normally be held on the second Saturday in January
for the following purposes:
9.1.1 the election of Vice Presidents, Officers and Members of the Guild,
9.1.2 the presentation of the accounts and reports from Guild Officers,
9.1.3 the determination and apportionment of subscriptions and fees,
9.1.4 other appropriate business including the election of Central Council representatives.
9.2 Two further General Meetings shall normally be held on the second Saturday in May and
September for the election of members and other appropriate business, including a written report on
the decisions of the Standing Committee since the previous General Meeting.
9.3 Three further meetings shall be held in March, July and November principally for ringing activities.
9.4 The Henry Johnson Commemorative Dinner shall be held on the nearest available Saturday to 28th
February, being the anniversary of his birth.
9.5 Special General Meetings shall be held at a venue to be decided by the Standing Committee, to
consider a specific item of urgent business within four weeks of either:
9.5.1 such a meeting being called by the Standing Committee,
9.5.2 or the receipt by the General Secretary of a written notice specifying the business to be
transacted at the meeting signed by at least one third of the Full Ringing Members of the
Guild.
9.6 The quorum at a General Meeting shall be:
9.6.1 at the Annual General Meeting: one quarter of the Full Ringing Members of the Guild,
9.6.2 at other General Meetings: twenty Full Ringing Members of the Guild,
9.6.3 at Special General Meetings: one quarter of the Full Ringing Members of the Guild.
9.7 All motions and propositions, unless otherwise provided for by the rules, shall be decided on a
simple majority of those members voting. The Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
9.8 Full Ringing Members unable to attend a General Meeting and having tendered a written apology
may register their views on the business of the meeting and vote by writing to the General Secretary
prior to the meeting. The number of such voting members shall not count towards the relevant
quorum but their votes shall count equally with those of the members present.
9.9 In the absence of either the Master or General Secretary from any General Meeting the members
present shall elect a substitute for that meeting.

10. Election of officers:
10.1 All officers and Vice Presidents shall normally be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
10.2 All officers of the Guild shall be elected from the Full Ringing Members and Life Vice Presidents
for a term of office which shall terminate at the next Annual General Meeting.
10.3 The term of each office shall normally take effect from the Annual General Meeting with the
exception of the Dinner Secretary whose term of office shall take effect from 1st April following
the Annual General Meeting.
10.4 Subject to the nominees written acceptance, the proposer and seconder of a candidate for an office
shall give the proposed name to the General Secretary no later than six weeks prior to the Annual
General Meeting or next General Meeting in the event of an office being vacated between Annual
General Meetings.
10.5 In the event of a vacancy occurring the Standing Committee may appoint a replacement who shall
serve until the next General Meeting when an election to fill the office shall take place under the
procedure outlined in rule 10.4. Such temporary officers shall not act as Trustees of the Bell
Restoration Fund.

11. Election of members:
11.1 Full Ringing Members shall usually be elected at a General Meeting at which they should normally
be present. prospective members will be formally proposed and seconded by Full Ringing
Members with the proposer satisfying the meeting as to the competence and character of the
nominee. A vote on the proposition shall follow. Membership shall take effect from the end of the
meeting.
11.2 Non-resident Life Members shall normally be elected at a General Meeting. Prospective members
will be formally proposed and seconded by Full Ringing Members. A vote on the proposition shall
follow.
11.3 Members may be provisionally elected before a Guild peal attempt subject to their formal election
at the next General Meeting. The number of such provisional members shall not exceed half of the
peal band.
11.3.1 Associate Members shall be elected by a decision of the Standing Committee upon receipt
of a signed application, countersigned by one existing Full Ringing Member, and the appropriate
membership fee. The names of such new members shall be reported at the next General Meeting of
the Guild.
11.4 A Full Ringing Member who has paid at least three annual subscriptions may assume the status of
Non-resident Life Member on leaving the Diocese. Such members may regain the status of Full
Ringing Member by paying the annual subscription.
11.5 A Full Ringing Member whose subscription is more than twelve months in arrears shall forfeit all
rights to membership until such time as either all outstanding subscriptions are paid or they are re-
elected in accordance with rule 11.1.
11.6 A member shall be expelled from the Guild by a two-thirds majority at an Annual or Special
General Meeting if, after calling for a personal explanation, it is considered that the member's
general conduct is against the best interests of the Guild.

12. Areas of the Guild:
12.1 The allocation into areas of the Churches within the Diocese with bells hung for change ringing
shall be determined at an Annual General Meeting. A map showing the areas shall be produced and
distributed to each Guild tower.
12.2 Ringing Masters shall be elected for each Area annually by a simple majority vote at meetings,
called by the Guild Ringing Master, of Guild members from churches in that Area. Such meetings
shall normally be held in the period between the Annual General Meeting and the May General
Meeting. Area Ringing Masters shall be elected from the Full Ringing Members or Life Vice
Presidents of the Guild.
12.3 The duties of the Area Ringing Masters shall include:
12.3.1 the promotion of the objectives of the Guild within their Area,
12.3.2 liaison with the Guild Ringing Master and each other to promote joint activities.
12.4 Area Ringing Masters may be required to deputise for the Guild Ringing Master and to attend
Standing Committee meetings when matters relevant to their duties are on the agenda.

13. The funds of the Guild shall be raised by subscriptions and fees as determined at each Annual
General Meeting as follows:
13.1 Membership subscriptions:
13.1.1 Full Ringing Members shall pay an annual subscription to cover the year following the
Annual General Meeting. Those members receiving full-time education without a grant
and those retired from employment are entitled to pay half the amount.
13.1.2 Non-resident Life Members shall pay a single subscription at the time of their election or
provisional election if this occurs prior to a peal attempt.
13.1.3 Associate Members shall pay a single subscription, equal to the Annual Subscription of a
Full Ringing Member, at the time of their election.
13.2 A peal recording fee shall be levied on each ringer participating in a Guild peal.
13.3 A steeplage fee shall be levied on each ringer attending Guild ringing functions.

14. Membership subscriptions shall be apportioned between the General Funds of the Guild and the
Bell Restoration Fund in accordance with a ratio to be determined at the Annual General Meeting
on the recommendation of the Treasurer and Independent Examiners.
14.1 The General Funds of the Guild shall be used:
14.1.1 to defray the normal expenses of the Guild,
14.1.2 to defray any special expenses sanctioned at a General Meeting of the Guild,
14.1.3 to defray the reasonable accommodation and travelling expenses incurred by the Guild's
representatives attending the Annual Meeting of the Central Council of Church Bell
Ringers.
14.2 Peal fees shall be used for the expense of inserting in the Guild Peal Book particulars of all peals
rung by the Guild. Fees not so expended shall from time to time be transferred to the Bell
Restoration Fund.
14.3 The steeplage fees at each Guild ringing function shall be collected by the Ringing Master or Area
Ringing Master, as appropriate, and given to the funds of the tower at which the function was held.

15. Guild peals:
15.1 A record of a peal shall be made in the Guild peal books providing that:
15.1.1 the peal complies with the prevailing rules of the Central Council of Church Bell
Ringers,
15.1.2 it is published in "The Ringing World" as being rung for the Guild,
15.1.3 the peal recording fees together with brief details regarding the date, tower, method(s),
names and subscriptions of provisional members, have been received by the Peal
Secretary from the conductor within one month of the peal being rung,
15.1.4 all participant ringers are members of the Guild with at least half the band being past or
present Full Ringing Members of the Guild.
15.2 A peal not meeting any one of the above conditions shall not be recognised as having been rung for
the Guild and if published as such shall be withdrawn by means of a notice published in "The
Ringing World" except that, if the peal fees and brief details are not received by the Peal Secretary
within one month but all the other conditions are met, the Peal Secretary shall refer the peal to the
Standing Committee who may, after consideration of the full circumstances, in their absolute
discretion decide that the peal is recognised as having been rung for the Guild.

16. Modification of Rules:
16.1 Any alteration to these rules shall only be made at an Annual General Meeting with the consent of a
majority of two-thirds of those members voting.
16.2 Notice of proposed alterations to the rules shall be given at the September General Meeting.
16.3 The motion(s) shall be circulated by the General Secretary to a contact at each tower with the
agenda of the Annual General Meeting.
16.4 Amendments to the proposed alteration may be made at the Annual General Meeting.
16.5 No alteration to these rules shall have the effect of causing the Bell Restoration Fund to cease to be
a charity at Law.

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Adopted by the Annual General Meeting – 8th January 2000
Updated 2002