Spring is here...

And that means the General Committee meets to set the world to rights. It was Janice’s first experience of the “Great and the Good” of the Association (or so we like to think of ourselves!) - welcome Janice – and also Rob’s last such meeting being able to boss us all around as Master before he retires in May.

We were on-line again - Zoom is wonderful as it means that we do not have to drive halfway across Sussex and back. Not only that, we can do the crossword (or Wordle) if we are getting bored and slurp coffee without being noticed! 

Apart from the usual business of approving reports for 2021 and being amazed at Sue’s expertise in produced the annual accounts, all sorts of interesting things were discussed:

• We were excited to learn of the nominations for General Officers for the forthcoming year with that of Master left as a cliff-hanger (you will need to come to the AGM to see how it is resolved).
• We heard about the Central Council’s proposals for linking fees paid by Associations to the number of members. This meant that we had the opportunity of studying a spreadsheet and looking as if we knew what it meant.
• We marvelled at the detailed planning for the Annual General Meeting scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday 14th May – much more interesting than the FA Cup final which you will have to record.
• We learnt that we have the opportunity to acquire books about ringing for a donation to the Bell Restoration Fund as part of the rationalisation of the Association’s library – come to the AGM to take advantage of this excellent offer.
• We enthused about the prospect of the Annual Report being on-line, but rest assured that paper copies will remain for us luddites!
• And lots, lots more . . . 

We have approximately 1,200 members. It would be lovely to see lots of you at East Grinstead for the AGM where you then have the chance to tell us how best to take the Association forward into the post-Covid world. 

See you then!

Jonathan Franklin (Trustee)