[Cambridge-youths] GSM

[Malcolm Edwards]

Dear all,

As people who are actually coming to tonight's meeting have now started
sending emails, I have decided to do the same.

I'll be attending tonight as a Senior Officer of the Guild, at CYB's
request (she is unable to attend). I'm not a voting member, and that's
actually useful - as someone who doesn't ring the bells week in week
out, I don't have a vested interest.

There are two points I would wish to make:

1) The interests of the Guild are served more than anything else by a
strong Society of Cambridge Youths. I am quite convinced that, if there
were to be a schism amongst the band, this would be harmful all round. I
therefore hope that, whatever the outcome of tonight's meeting, those
who are strongly opposed to the outcome (whatever that might be) will be
gracious in supporting the decision of the meeting once it is made. I
hope that the Society will speak with one voice to the Church. It's a
bit like cabinet government - there should be vigorous and frank debate
tonight, but solidarity thereafter.=20

2) Having recently taken up running again after a break of several
years, I was initially sceptical about all the modern equipment that
people use - heartrate monitors, orthotics, nutrition supplements. I was
always over half way up the field, but now I found myself (even after
regaining my fitness) some way down it. Finally, I decided to try all
these modern boons, and what a difference they make. Maybe some people
think that that's cheating, but I've belatedly come round to the view
that its just the way of the modern world.

The analogy is far from perfect, of course, but I am struck by the fact
that equipment which was adequate before may have ceased to be so, even
if it has not deteriorated (though in the case of the bells, my own view
is that they have), because our competition (if that is the right word)
now have access (on average) to better equipment. We can't get away from
the fact that there are more and easier 12s now than there were 20 years
ago, and that will affect which towers are able to become nationally
leading centres of ringing excellence. I hope that GSM aspires to be a
centre of excellence (If it doesn't, then I may start imposing my own
ringing on you all once again, so be warned!)

But everything under (2) is very much subordinate to what I said under
(1): I do hope we can all agree to accept the eventual mind of the
meeting.

See you all tonight,

Malcolm

Dr Malcolm S Edwards
Secretary, School of Clinical Medicine,
Box 111,
Addenbrookes Hospital,
Hills Road,
Cambridge CB2 2SP
=20
Direct Line + 44 (0)1223 336726
Fax +44(0)1223 336709