of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
19 ringers came to the Branch Practice at Brill on Monday 22 May. Although Brill doesn’t have a resident band at the moment, Andrew Haseldine looks after the ringing there (primarily based in Long Crendon).
We rang Grandsire, Kent and Stedman as well as rounds and call changes – thanks to an earlier practice time than ‘normal’ we finished in the sunshine and wonderful views from Brill as we left!
Kathryn Grant
An amazing group of around 25 plus, including some non-ringers and one dog, arrived for the first tower at Great Gaddesden at 9.45am on Saturday 15 April. Impeccably organised by Richard and Jan Haseldine, they immediately ensured that ringers of all abilities were catered for – we had Grandsire, Bob Doubles, Stedman, Cambridge, rounds, call changes and – to the alarm of some – Kent. Our repertoire was replayed at Little Gaddesden, Studham, Kensworth, Whipsnade, and Eaton Bray with a welcome lunch interval at Studham which included the memorable sight of a string of ringers’ cars following each other in totally wrong directions for the pub!
Thank you to Richard and Jan, and Jeremy, for all the work of organising the towers and the ringing at each – we’re already looking forward to the next outing.
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| 9.45 to 10.30 | Great Gaddesden | |
| St. John the Baptist | 6 bells (10cwt) | |
| OS ref TL028112 | Postcode HP1 3BT | |
| 11.00 to 11.45 | Little Gaddesden | |
| St.Peter and Paul | 6 bells (6-1-16) | |
| OS ref SP998138 Postcode HP4 1NZ | Postcode HP4 1NZ | |
| 12.15 to 1.00 | Studham | |
| St.Mary the Virgin | 6 bells (10-0-22) | |
| OS ref TL015159 | Postcode LU62NW | |
| LUNCH | Own arrangements There is a pub at Studham called The Bell Website: thebellinstudham.co.uk | |
| 2.45 to 3.30 | Kensworth | |
| St. Mary | 6 bells (3-3-16) | |
| OS ref TL031190 | Postcode LU6 3RA | |
| 4.00 to 4.45 | Whipsnade | |
| St. Mary Magdalene | 6 bells (3-1-24) | |
| OS ref TL011179 | Postcode LU6 2LL | |
| 5.15 to 6.00 | Eaton Bray | |
| St. Mary the Virgin | 6 bells (9-2-0) | |
| OS ref SP969207 | Postcode LU62DL | |
| £15 will be left at each tower, we’ll take a collection during the day | ||
| Date | Location | Event | Note |
| Mon 13.3.23 | All | Commonwealth Day – 10th Anniversary | |
| Mon 20.3.23 | Kirtlington | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Thu 13.4.23 | Weston on-the-Green | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Sat 15.4.23 | Various | Radley course | |
| Sat 15.4.23 | Bedfordshire | Branch outing | |
| Sun 23.4.23 | All | St George’s Day | |
| Sun 23.4.23 | Bletchingdon | Raising & Lowering | 2.30 – 4pm |
| Wed 3.5.23 | Piddington | Branch Practice | 7.30-9pm |
| Sat 6.5.23 | All | Coronation Ringing | |
| Sun 14.5.23 | Bell Sunday | ||
| Sat 20.5.23 | Broadwell | Guild AGM | |
| Mon 22.05.23 | Brill | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Wed 7.6.23 | Middleton Stoney | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Sat 8.7.23 | Christ Church | Guild Festival | |
| Tue 25.7.23 | Woodeaton | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Wed 9.8.23 | Launton | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Sat 2.9.23 | Tbd | Striking competition | |
| Fri 22.9.23 | Ludgershall | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Tue 17.10.23 | Islip | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Wed 8.11.23 | Stratton Audley | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Wed 22.11.23 | Bletchingdon | Branch Practice | Doubles and Minor? |
| Wed 6.12.23 | Charlton-on-Otmoor | Branch Practice | 7.30 – 9pm |
| Mon 18.12.23 | Kirtlington | Xmas Special Practice |
Held in Weston-on-the-Green, on Saturday 19 February 2022
The Notice, Guild and Branch Report and minutes from last year’s AGM are available below.
10 members of the Bicester Branch from 4 towers) came to Islip on Tuesday for a Branch Practice – we were joined by our Guild Master, Katie Lane, which made us all perform better! For those of us who usually ring plain hunt on 3,4 or 5 bells, ringing on 7 was a bit of a challenge and forced quite a lot of quick homework!
We were all more comfortable with Grandsire Doubles – and it was great to have enough to stand by to ensure success with some of our less experienced ringers.
Kathryn Grant
Fifteen ringers from six towers came to tonight’s Branch Practice at Bicester, including Sally Cross, Gerald Bushby and Dinah, ringing there for the first time.
We started with some rounds and call changes on six for Pinda and Dinah, then a few plain courses of Grandsire doubles with Sue Carter and Gerald on the hunt bells, Judith Vickars inside and Sue Macready covering.
It was good to see Sally master the six and tenor to plain hunt doubles, before we rang the back four up and did rounds and call changes on all ten, with Gerald getting his first go on that number. We then rang some nice plain courses of St Simons doubles for Kathryn Grant.
On to a touch of Grandsire doubles, with Judith inside, before more rounds and call changes for Dinah and Pinda and an attempted touch of plain Bob minor with Anne inside, getting to the final set of Bob’s before firing out.
Our final blast was to ring all ten again, with Judith and Dinah in the team, before ringing down the front six and back four, with some good striking.
Well done everyone, hope to see people at ringing for the Christmas tree festival at Ambrosden on 4th December and branch practice at Islip on 7th December.
Steve Vickar
Big congratulations to Gerald Bushby of Weston on-the-Green for achieving his second Quarter Peal on 7th October 2021, and the first at Weston since the improvements to the ringing chamber and rope circle as well the first there by a member of the team re-formed in 2018.
In the team for this special occasion were appropriately ringers representing the Oxford Guild: Tony Crabtree, conducting and ODG Deputy Master, Lesley Belcher, Chair of ART, Susan Read, head of the ringing school at Abingdon, Jeremy Adams, joint Ringing Master Bicester Branch and Steve Vickars, Branch Training Officer.
Many thanks also to Mandy Jones for laying on some wonderful refreshments after the event and taking the team photo. Thanks also to Jeremy, Lesley and Susan for staying on afterwards for some ringing practice with the Weston Team.
The Bellboard event is at: https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1463208
The new team at Weston is a real recent success story of a band reforming and there appears to be a prospect of re-starting handling practice for the Weston recruits that started early 2020 just before the Pandemic.
There have been many very favourable comments about the improved ringing facilities at Weston. I hope you get the chance to ring there soon.
