Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers

Rules of the Bell Repair Fund

 The Bell Repair Fund is a Registered Charity, number 508480

 

1. The fund shall be known as the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers Bell Repair Fund.

2. The object of the Fund shall be to advance the Christian religion by providing financial assistance to churches in the Counties of the North, East and West Ridings of Yorkshire (as defined at 31 March 1972) and the City of York, together with those churches situated at the said date in Darlington, Hurworth, and Stockton on Tees in the then County of Durham for the purpose of maintaining and improving their bell installations by making grants to them. Maintenance and improvement of a bell installation shall be deemed to include the following:

a) Taking out an existing ring of bells, supplying and installing a new frame and fittings, recasting the bells and erecting the same;

b) Taking out, overhauling and reclappering existing bells, supplying and installing a new frame and fittings and reerecting bells;

c) Taking out existing bells, overhauling existing frame and fittings, recasting, or overhauling and reclappering the same and reerecting;

d) Augmentation and bringing existing bells, frame and fittings to an adequate state of repair;

e) Other major repairs to bells, frame and fittings;

f) The provision of bells, frames and fittings and erection of the same in churches which previously had none;

g) The provision of sound control.

3. The membership of the Fund shall be that of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers as defined in the rules thereof together with such Parochial Church Councils and/or individuals as may make donations to the said Fund and thereby become Friends of the Bell Fund.

a) The Fund shall be administered by the Bell Repair Fund Committee of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers, hereinafter referred to as "The Committee". The Committee shall consist of the Custodian Trustees, and other members appointed by the General Committee. Each member of the Bell Repair Fund Committee shall meet the legal requirements to act as a Charity Trustee. The committee shall elect the BRF Secretary who shall be an ex-officio member of the General committee.

b) The Committee shall have the power, after considering an application submitted to it in writing, to approve a grant from the Fund. The committee has the right to withdraw the offer of a grant. The Committee also has the power to reduce the grant given if less work has been completed than planned.

c) The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees which shall report back their actions fully and promptly to the Committee.

d) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt such persons as it considers necessary to assist in its deliberations. The number of co-opted persons at any one meeting of the Committee shall not exceed three.

e) The President, General Secretary and Treasurer of the Association shall be ex-officio Custodian Trustees of the Fund and two other members of the Association elected at the Association's Annual General Meeting shall act as Custodian Trustees of the Fund.

f) Such bank accounts as may be required shall be opened in the name of the Fund. Any two of the five Custodian Trustees shall have the power to sign cheques.

g) Any outstanding monies in the hands of the Committee not required for the immediate purposes of the Fund shall be invested in any manner authorised by law.

h) The Committee and its sub-committees shall have the power to raise funds by any means they see fit as long as permanent trading is not engaged in.

4. In the event of the dissolution of the Fund any remaining assets of the Fund shall be distributed by the Custodian Trustees to Charities with similar aims to the BRF.

5. The Treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet as at the 31 December in each year and an income and expenditure account for the year ended on that date which shall be independently examined by independent examiners and be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the replicas relojes hublot Association first held after 31 December in which the Fund's accounts are prepared. The independent examiners shall be elected annually by the members of the Association at their Annual General Meeting.

6. No alteration or addition or deletion of these rules shall be made so as to cause the Fund at any time to cease to be a charity in law. No alteration addition or deletion shall be made except at a General Meeting of the Association. Particulars of a proposed alteration, addition or deletion shall be notified in writing to the General Secretary, placed on the agenda and announced at a General Meeting. This proposition shall not be put to the vote until the General Meeting following its announcement.

 

POLICIES AND ORGANISATION OF THE BRF

 

These policies along with the rules of the BRF explain how the BRF Trustees operate.

The text below is extracts taken from the BRF report.

 

3.0 Organisation

3.1 The Bell Repair Fund is managed and operated by the Bell Repair Fund Committee made up of Custodian and Managing Trustees. All Members are appointed annually by the YACR General Committee excluding the President, General Secretary and Treasurer. The other Positions are: Two further Custodian Trustees, and up to 13 others drawn from the whole Association. All newly appointed Trustees are required to complete a YACR BRF C Form declaring they qualify to be a suitable trustee under the Charities Commission. All Trustees of the committee must be elected members of the Association.

3.2 The Bell Repair Fund Committee deals with applications for grants. Churches wanting financial assistance to carry out work can submit an application for a grant from the Bell Repair Fund. The Committee usually meets in February with an Annual General Meeting and a September meeting to discuss such applications and approve or otherwise, a grant from the Bell Repair Fund. The deadline for applications is the 31st December and 30th June respectively.

3.3 Applications for grants from the Bell Repair Fund should be submitted in writing preferably electronically. The submission should include the following information: -

A Completed YACR BRF “A” form

A Letter of support from the PCC or appropriate church authority

Any quotations for this work on relevant dated and headed notepaper from specialist contractors, suppliers, or installers.

If no external party is being used then a YACR BRF “B” form must be submitted containing details of the cost of the planned materials, Proof of Public Liability Insurance and a complete set of RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method)

The Bell Repair Fund may ask to see proof of any permissions that may have had to be sought e.g. Faculty/Building Regulations etc.

3.4 The Bell Repair Fund Committee holds an Annual General Meeting for the purpose of:

Approving grant applications,

Approving the Bell Repair Fund Annual Report and Accounts,

Receiving reports from sub Committees,

Dealing with any other matters.

3.5 Tax is reclaimed under the Gift Aid provisions on donations made at Association and Branch meetings and on payments made under standing order by individuals to the Bell Repair Fund.

3.6 Collections are taken for the Bell Repair Fund at Association General Meetings and some Branch meetings. The Bell Repair Fund may run its own fund-raising events and projects.

3.7 The Association operates a ‘Friends of the Bell Fund’ scheme. Friends are groups, either churches or ringing bands, who make regular donations to the Bell Repair Fund.

 

4.0 Policy

4.1 The basic concern of the Bell Repair Fund Committee is that each application be treated on its supposed merits at the time of deliberation as against a stated set of unchanging guidelines arising from the agreed Rules. The Committee see it as their task to interpret these Rules in their consideration of an application.

4.2 The funding of grants in support of schemes is made from the incoming revenue stream. It is recognised that donors to the Bell Repair Fund contribute their money to be spent on bell schemes and not to build up a capital fund. Therefore in calculating grants it is policy to allocate money that is available.

4.3 There will be a ring-fenced fund of the bequest of Colin Ashworth. This will be for casting of bells only. This fund will run until the fund is exhausted.

4.3.1 The Bell Repair Fund will give one grant from either the Colin Ashworth Bequest or the Main Fund per application

4.4 Those who are undertaking projects need to have the security that funding is in place before the project is in place. In the case of large projects this can result in a delay of several years between having a grant approved and requiring the payment. The Bell Repair Fund usually only pays out money in grants on completion of a project. Thus, in large projects spanning several years there can be a delay between allocating the funding and paying out the money. Clearly it would not be making best use of money if the allocated money is held in the Bell Repair Fund account for the duration of the project. The Bell Repair Fund will only accept one application from a single church at one time and won’t accept another application. Payment will be given on receiving the completed invoices and the work has been completed to satisfactory condition. This requires an inspection from a representative appointed by the Bell Repair Fund Secretary. Payment will only be given to the PCC or, on written authority of the PCC, directly to the contractor. The Bell Repair Fund can withdraw the grant at anytime and reduce the amount being paid out. Projects are reviewed annually, and we request an annual update.

4.5 Therefore when monies are allocated to projects it will be on the basis that payment will be made from future income held in the fund at the time of payment.

4.6 The available funds for allocation include 100% of forecast income for a period of 2 years from the closing date for applications, 25% of the year after that, and 10% of the year after less the grant money already committed but not yet paid out. This amount is a maximum available and can only be allocated in full if suitable applicant projects have been submitted. The approved funding in the case of large schemes is thus paid out from future income - not money currently residing in the Fund. It is therefore important that successful applicants keep the fund managers informed of the timescale of projects and when their completion is likely.

4.7 At Meetings Trustees are required to declare any conflict of interest. If any conflicts of interests are declared, that Trustee must abstain on any voting regarding that issue in that meeting.