On Monday 14th December 9 ringers (from 3 branch towers) came to Bicester for the last branch event of the year – the special practice and Christmas social. On the schedule was St Nicholas Doubles and St Clements Minor.
After a very shaky up we rang St Nicholas Doubles (appropriate for the time of year I thought!).. also a little shakily, but we got through a plain course eventually. We were then rewarded with a sausage roll each (freshly baked by yours truly!). Next we rang a touch of Grandsire Doubles which had a false start, but the second attempt worked ok… another sausage roll.
We rang more Grandsire Doubles – plain courses this time, followed by another attempt at St Nicholas .. and another sausage roll. Before Steve went off to work we rang a touch of Plain Bob Minor (with Bobs and Singles) and then we finished with more plain courses of Grandsire Doubles. Sadly we didn’t quite have a good enough band to try the St Clements Minor, but maybe another day.
After down we headed to the Littlebury Hotel bar for a drink and a chin wag – a nice way to end the year’s branch activities. The next branch event is the branch practice (again at Bicester) on Monday 4th January. May I take this opportunity to wish all the branch folk a lovely Christmas and a Happy and hopefully ringing filled 2016!
Anthony Cole