On Wed 1st May 10 ringers from around the branch (4 locals from Piddington, 1 from Bicester, 2 from Launton, 1 from Charlton on Otmoor, 1 from Ludgershall, 1 from Ambrosden) met at Piddington for the branch practice. Last years practice was a good fun meeting and this years (though with less locals) was no less an event.
We started off with call changes, followed by call changes , followed by call changes…. nothing wrong with call changes you understand – that is just what the locals tend to ring. The striking was mostly very good and loud 🙂 The conductors voice is always challenged here as there isn’t a “deadening chamber” between the bells and the ringers (usually taken up by a church clock). We did try some plain hunt with a couple of the locals joining in before more call changes. We did manage both Double Court Minimus and Double Canterbury Minimus through the course of the evening, but without the ringers knowledge as we rang the methods as call changes 🙂
Nosy that I am I went for a quick peek at the organ only for word to get around tht I was interested and a key was duly produced! I asked the ringers to ring something (to drown me out) whilst I had a go, but they finished before I did so they heard me and there was a little applause when I finished.. how embarrassing! Anyway, we finished with more call changes, but unlike last year, we did not venture to the pub this time as the village’s only pub closed last year 🙁
The next branch event is the special practice at Islip in 2 weeks time – Little Bob Minor (far easier than it sounds – plain hunt on 4 for the treble and essentially the treble from treble bobbing for the rest) and Grandsire Triples – hopefully we will get a lovely warm evening to encourage lots of ringers to come along – see you all soon!