This year the AGM was held in Rugby on 5th September. The agenda was not demanding and consisted principally of the usual boilerplate items. Two motions were carried by a large majority: moving the date affiliation fees become payable to 31 March and adopting the HMRC approved mileage rate to whatever it may be at the time of the claim.
We received reports from the various council workgroups – all making progress towards meeting their respective aims, but many hampered by lack of resources from meeting their targets. We heard much about projects “continuing to progress”; “further development planned” and being “picked up and revived” – all of which highlights that the CCCBR has lots of good ideas and initiatives, but lacks the resources, principally money, to put them into effect.
The most encouraging report came from the Young Ringers for Ringing 2030 group. The Young Ringers’ Hub website is now live, consisting of 4 sub sites: the University Ringing site has now been launched with entries covering over 150 establishments; the U18 site is also live with details of all youth groups, plus lesson plans, together with an information library and a “Development Pathways” site. All of this has been made possible by the employment of two honorariums to take up the slack from the volunteers.
Most of these initiatives lead, one way or another, towards the goal of “Ringing 2030” which, to this representative at least, remains a somewhat fuzzy concept. We received updates on how progress was being made towards completion of the 3 pillars underpinning Ringing 2030, which is apparently “showing significant traction on planned projects”. No doubt all will become clear over the next 4 years.
Arguably the most interesting item relevant to the SDGR was the forthcoming Census – a simple online survey due to take place during a week in mid November. Like any census, it will only provide a snapshot of activity at a given time. It will inevitably not therefore be 100% accurate, but on the swings and roundabouts principle should provide a useful database of the number of active ringers worldwide (yes, Worldwide!) and what they are doing. We were told that: “The Ringing Census 2026 is an effort to better understand the current state of ringing, not simply by counting numbers, but by building a clear and honest picture of who is ringing, where, and how the community is changing.”
Some 500 towers will be surveyed – which doesn’t seem that many – and whilst for obvious reasons we are not told how these towers will be chosen, it is reasonable to assume that 20-30 SDGR towers will be included. Enumerators will be appointed to help towers complete the survey and cajole/bully them into co-operating and it is hoped our own guild and branch officers will help to support and encourage this project.
Whilst for the most part the business of the 2026 meeting was run of the mill and no seismic initiatives were announced, the CCCBR is clearly well thought of by the Exercise at large and has the potential to do much good for ringing generally. As such it deserves to be supported by the SDGR.
Bob Crighton
SDGR Central Council Rep
