RAF GAI 6047

THE ROYAL AIR FORCE GUILD OF = BELL RINGERS

RULES ADOPTED BY THE AGM ON 13 MARCH 1999 (Revised 11 March 2006)

NAME

1. = The Guild shall be called “The Royal Air Force Guild of Bell Ringers̶= 1;, hereinafter referred to as the Guild.

AIMS

2. = The aims of the Guild shall be to:

a.&= nbsp; Encourage the art of bell ringing within the RAF.

b.&= nbsp; Provide bands of ringers to ring on special RAF occasions.

c.&= nbsp; Promote close liaison with ringing associations and towers adjacent to RAF establishments.

d.&= nbsp; Organise visits to towers at home and overseas.

MEMBERSH= IP

3. = Membership of the Guild will fall into the following categories:

a.&= nbsp; Full Members. Serving and ex-serving members of the RAF, PMRAFNS, RAuxAF and RAFR = may be Full Members without election.

b.&= nbsp; Associate Members. Persons who are, or have been, connected with RAF, PMRAFNS, RAuxAF a= nd RAFR in a civilian capacity, their dependants, and the dependants of Full Members, may be accepted as Associate Members without election.<= /span>

c.&= nbsp; Honorary Members. Selected ringers= , not eligible to be Full or Associate Members, who have given service to the Gui= ld, may be invited to become Honorary Members; they will be elected at General Meetings.

d.&= nbsp; Honorary Life Members. Honorary Life Membership may be conferred by the Annual General Meet= ing on Full Members who have rendered eminent service to the Guild.<= /span>

PATRON A= ND PRESIDENT

4. = The Chaplain-in-Chief of the RAF shall be invited to be the Patron and Presiden= t of the Guild.

LIFE-VICE PRESIDENTS

5. = The President may appoint Full Members who have rendered exceptional service to= the Guild to the honorary office of Life-Vice President of the Guild; this would normally be on the recommendation of the Annual General Meeting.=

OFFICERS=

6. = The Guild will elect the following officers at the Annual General Meeting:=

a.&= nbsp; Chairman - to serve for a period of five years.

b.&= nbsp; Vice-Chairman - to serve for a period of three years.

c.&= nbsp; Ringing Master - to serve for a period of three years.

d.&= nbsp; Deputy Ringing Master - to serve for a period of two years.<= /p>

e.&= nbsp; Secretary - to serve for a period of two years.

f.&= nbsp; Treasurer - to serve for a period of two years.

g.&= nbsp; Public Relations Officer - to serve for a period of two years.

h.&= nbsp; Peal Band Secretary - to serve for a period of one year.

The Chairman will be a serving Full Members of the Guild. (Rev 12/3/05)&n= bsp; At the discretion of the Chairman, one individual may hold more than= one officer appointment.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

7. = The duties of the officers will be as follows:

a.&= nbsp; Chairman - overall responsibility for the conduct of the Guild and shall preside at = all General and General Committee Meetings.

b.&= nbsp; Vice-Chairman - to assist the Chairman in his duties and deputise in his absence.

c.&= nbsp; Ringing Master - to control all ringing at the General Meetings of the Guild and other Guild events and organise Guild ringing courses.

d.&= nbsp; Deputy Ringing Master - to assist the Ringing Master in his duties and deputis= e in his absence.

e.&= nbsp; Secretary - to keep the minutes of all General and General Committee Meetings of the Guild, maintain a complete register of all members, issue notices of General Meetings and carry out such duties as may be required for the advancement of the Guild.

f.&= nbsp; Treasurer - to receive all moneys on behalf of the Guild and keep such accounts as the Guild desires, prepare accounts annually to 31 December for submission to t= he Independent Examiner and presentation at the Annual General Meeting. The Guild Fund is to be held in a = bank account(s) as agreed by the General Committee.

g.&= nbsp; Public Relations Officer - to publicise the activities of the Guild with the a= im of ensuring that those ringers eligible for membership are encouraged to jo= in.

h.&= nbsp; Peal Band Secretary - to record all peals and quarter peals rung for the Gui= ld.

GENERAL COMMITTEE

8. = The General Committee will consist of the officers of the Guild and shall meet whenever the need arises; five members shall form a quorum. The General Committee shall be emp= owered to make decisions on both financial and other matters and shall account for= such decisions to the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

MEETINGS=

9. = The Guild will hold its Annual General Meeting on, or as near as possible to, t= he second Saturday in March each year. The principal purpose of the Annual General Meeting is to:

a.&= nbsp; Receive the reports of the Chairman and Ringing Master.

b.&= nbsp; Approve the statement of accounts.

c.&= nbsp; Elect the officers of the Guild and members of the General Committee.<= /span>

d.&= nbsp; Elect an Independent Examiner of the accounts of the Guild.

e.&= nbsp; Amend the Rules of the Guild as necessary.

f.&= nbsp; Agree the programme of events.

Prior to the Annual General Meeting there will normally be a service of evensong. In addition to the = Annual General Meeting, the Guild may hold general meetings during the year; these will normally occur immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting, in September and December, and, if required, at the annual course for bell rin= gers held at the Armed Forces’ Chaplaincy Centre. Also, the Guild will normally hold= a joint meeting (not to include a business meeting) with the Royal Navy Guild= of Bell Ringers and/or the Army Guild of Bell Ringers each year.

RAF GUIL= D OF BELL RINGERS FUND=

10. The R= AF Guild of Bell Ringers Fund is to be managed by the Treasurer and held in a bank account(s= ) as agreed by the General Committee.

SUBSCRIP= TIONS

11. Subsc= riptions are subject to review at the Annual General Meeting and are payable by all Full, Associate and Honorary Members. Members who have not paid their subscriptions for two years shall automatically and without notice cease to be members.

COURSES<= o:p>

12. The G= uild will support the annual course for bell ringers held at the Armed Forces= 217; Chaplaincy Centre.

PEALS AND QUARTER PEALS

13. Peals= and quarter peal attempts will be encouraged throughout the year, Guild members comprising at least two-thirds of the band. All peals rung for the Guild shall conform in all respects to the Rules and decisions of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. Peals th= at are arranged to take place on special occasions will be organised by the Ringing Master.

ALTERATI= ON OF RULES

14. No alteration, deletion or addition to these Rules shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting, and at least 2 months’ notice shall be given = to the Secretary in writing of any proposed amendment. No amendment shall be made which w= ould cause the rules to be in conflict with Service regulations.

Annex:

A. Standing Orders - General Meetings.