Thankyou to John Tomalin and the Black Bull for our Branch Dinner on Friday! Thanks also to Nigel for his reflections on being in the thick of the Falklands conflict; sobering stuff. An excellent evening all round.
Branch Dinner 24th March
Come along to the Branch Dinner at the Black Bull, Market Overton – see Newsletter for details!
Rounds and Calls practices for new Ringers
Come and join us on Saturday 4th February at Edith Weston – 13:30, to increase confidence in ringing in a band, with experienced ringers around you.
There is another session on Saturday 25th February at North Luffenham, again at 13:30. Come along and have some fun!
CCCBR published new website for Steeple Keepers
The Central Council has launched a new website, with information on belfry maintenance. It can be found here: https://belfryupkeep.cccbr.org.uk/
It is intended to be useful to those involved in belfry maintenance.
Gretton back in action!
New ropes have been installed at Gretton – they are back in action after a short interval 🙂
Wombell at Uppingham Feast Day
We borrowed the ‘Wombell’ from the Guild for Uppingham Feast Day – see picture – and attracted quite a few people to try their hand at ringing! The Wombell is a Saxilby Ringing Simulator mounted on a frame, and is especially useful for younger people to try the feel of a real bell, but safely. It has a laptop attached to produce the sound, and can be used to ring any method supported by the software.
We would like to say thankyou to Uppingham Church for permission to erect it inside the Church, to the Peterborough Guild for lending it to us – and to all the volounteers who helped assemble, teach and dismantle the thing.
Well done Sue Webster for taking the initiative to try it out and manage all the ins and outs of transport and logistics!
Summer Ringing Tour Cancelled
Unfortunately, we had to cancel the Summer Ringing Tour on 25th June, but the next planned event will be the 5-Bell get-together and Picnic, set for 16th July at Hambleton!
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee
It is now just over a month to go before the Jubilee bank holiday weekend. Every Tower that can ring probably will! Plenty of time left to practice, but it will come around sooner than you think …
Guild Second Saturday Sessions!
Second Saturday Sessions
May 14th 2022 sees the first Guild-organised SSS to allow expertise across the Guild to be shared and enjoyed by as many ringers as possible. This time two separate sessions are being run, but if they both appear popular, they will be repeated at a later date. Therefore, we are asking that if anyone is interested in either session, that they contact Simon Dixon (master@pdg.org.uk) to let him and we’ll be in touch with more details. Please note that there will be a small fee of £2 per student to go towards a tower donation.
Session 1 – Basic Bell Maintenance
This is aimed at those who are interested in the mechanics of the bells and would like to learn a bit more, especially about how to keep the bells and fittings in good working order. It will be a mainly practical session held up in the belfry and would suit new recruits as well as existing ringers.
Session 2 – Beyond Plain Bob
For those ringers who have been confidently ringing Plain Bob (Doubles or Minor) and want to find out how to learn and ring other methods, such as St Simon’s Doubles, St Clements and Single Oxford Bob Minor. It will be a combined theory and practical session.
Cathy Dixon
Public Relations Officer
Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
Guild Striking Competition
This weekend, 23rd April is the Guild 6-Bell Striking Competition – see Events page for details!