Notice of an EGM of the Association
Saturday 26 September 2026
Venue: St Mary the Virgin, Chalk DA12 2NL
In accordance with Rule 7.8(b) of the Association Rules, a requisition to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) signed by eight members of the General Committee has been received.
Consequently, an EGM of the Association will take place on Saturday 26 September 2026 at approximately 11:30am. The venue will be St Mary the Virgin, Chalk and the EGM will take place following the 6-bell method striking competition (but before results are announced). The timing of the EGM is dependent on the number of entries for the competition that have been received by the General Secretary. If further entries are received then the EGM will begin later, but no later than 12:30pm. It will not start before 11:30am. Alterations to the timing will be communicated on the KCACR website and by email to members who have consented to receive emails on Friday 25 September. The EGM will be held in ‘The Barn’ adjacent to St Mary the Virgin, Chalk (where refreshments are being served) unless the number of attendees make this impractical, in which case it will be held in the church.
This EGM is being called in accordance with rule 8 of the Bell Restoration Fund Rules, which state:
“No alteration, addition or deletion shall be made except at the Annual General Meeting of the Association or at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association especially called for the purpose. Notice of any proposed alteration or addition to or deletion of these rules shall be given to the General Secretary of the Association at least one calendar month prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.”
The purpose of the EGM is to propose to change the wording of the charitable objects of the Bell Restoration Fund.
Current wording
The current wording of the charitable objects of the KCACR BRF as stated on the Charity Commission Register of Charities is:
“To advance the Christian religion by providing financial assistance to churches in the county of Kent or that part of London formerly in the county of Kent for the purpose of maintaining and improving their bell installations by the making of grants from the fund.”
Reasoning for the changes
EGMs had been held in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to propose changes to the wording of the charitable objects. At all three EGMs the proposals were approved, however the amendments have been rejected by the Charities Commission. It should be noted that the rules of the BRF published on the website and in the handbook are the version adopted by the Association in 2023, however rule 2 (which states the charitable objects) includes the wording that has been rejected by the Charities Commission.
The Principal Officers, in consultation with General Committee member Isobel Legg, have been working to understand the criteria set out by the Charities Commission for charitable objects. Revised wording is now being proposed. The purpose for the change is to ensure that rings of bells in secular towers and redundant churches can still benefit from grants awarded by the BRF.
Proposed changes
That Rule 2 of the Rules of the Kent County Association of Change Ringers’ Bell Restoration Fund be amended to alter the wording of the Object of the Fund as follows:
“The object of the Kent County Association of Change Ringers Bell Restoration Fund is to preserve the historical tradition of bellringing and enhance the nation’s cultural heritage by making grants to churches and towers within the area of the KCACR (as defined in the annual report) to maintain, restore, improve and install bells for change ringing, enabling the bells to serve churches and communities for the benefit of the public.”