Author: odg_bicuser1

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Ludgershall practice

On Friday 1st August Ludgershall hosted the branch practice where 11 ringers from 6 towers rang quite a wide variety of methods.

After ringing up we started with rounds and call changes and followed that with some plain courses of Stedman Doubles. We then rang plain courses of Grandsire Doubles and then a touch of Plain Bob Doubles before pushing the limits of branch practices further with a touch of St Simon’s Bob Doubles!

Next was more call changes (once the Nintendo DS could be prised from Samuel’s hands and a rope put in them instead :D) Next we rang a touch of Grandsire Doubles – well done Anne with the observation (or half hunt if you prefer) bell. We then rang a touch of Stedman Doubles followed by another touch of Grandsire Doubles.

As we neared the end we rang the Ludgershall special method (Clifford’s Pleasure) and some more call changes (the battery of the Nintendo DS was flat at this point!) before ringing down.

A very interesting practice practising some methods we haven’t for some time and even better, succeeding in ringing touches of them.

Recently we had the Ringing Up & Down course – hoping to have a report produced by a couple of the pupils shortly. We do not have any further scheduled practices in August as too many people are on holiday, but do send the webmaster any good ringing stories if you visit other towers on your holidays.

Next branch practice is at Launton on Tues 2nd September. Hopefully we will have details of the branch striking competition and outing ready soon too. Have a good summer.

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Bicester Surprise

On Monday 21st July Bicester hosted the (rescheduled) special practice for July. The methods nominated were Grandsire Doubles & Kent TB Minor. With a couple of people calling to apologise for non-attendance before the practice I was sceptical we would have enough to ring, but as usual when I get these feelings, I am proved wrong! 15 ringers from 6 branch towers came along (the main draw obviously being Grandsire Doubles). After ringing up (with a 10 year old showing how it is done!!) we started with plain courses of Grandsire Doubles before ringing up the back 4 so we could ring rounds on all 10! (Well done Samuel – first time ringing on anything above 6).

We rang more plain courses of Grandsire before some more rounds on 10 (well done Amanda this time – again first time on 10). We had a touch of Grandsire Doubles with a couple of people stood behind to watch before several folk decided to drift away to work etc. This killed off the possibility of attempting Kent (sorry Kathryn – to be fair we were skating on thin ice with that one anyway!) but we rang more Grandsire Doubles and call changes on 8 (again a first for Amanda – *so* pleased with my learners 🙂 ) before ringing down. A good evening with a surprisingly large turnout – long may that continue!

We have a ringing up & down course on Saturday to help improve confidence ringing up & down individually as well as in peal so a report on that after the event! Have a good summer break everyone (we still have some practices over the summer!!)

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Ringing Roadshow

Details of the programme of events (lots of handbell concerts and seminars about ringing) at the Ringing Roadshow are now online. Well worth a visit on Sat 6th Sept if you are anywhere near Newbury.

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Plain Bob and Stedman at Islip

On Tues 17th June 9 ringers (from 3 branch towers) and 2 learners came together for the special practice at Islip. The set methods were Plain Bob Doubles and Stedman Doubles. The learners had a go first and then we rang up the back 5 bells.

We started with plain courses of Plain Bob Doubles, followed by more tuition for the learners. Then we had a touch of Plain Bob Doubles with the 3 observation (and Sally watching). This was followed by more tuition for the learners after which they went home. We then repeated the touch of Plain Bob Doubles with Sally observation (and Kathryn “helping” her!!).

Next we had a go at Stedman Doubles. It was going well so a quiet single was called but one of the affected bells proceeded to do the single incorrectly and it fired out.

We had another go at a touch of Plain Bob Doubles with Steve affected by the “bobs” this time, and finished with another touch of Stedman Doubles which got a past all the singles this time (but still didn’t get to the end:( )

A walk down to the Swan Inn followed ringing down (pretty well struck!) for some refreshment.

We have a little gap now with the next branch event being the special practice (again at Islip) on Tues 15th July – Grandsire Doubles & Kent TB Minor being the set methods.

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Middleton of the park

On Wednesday 4th June 5 branch folk (and one young recruit) ventured into Middleton Park to ring with 6 locals on the six bells of Middleton Stoney.

We started with rounds with Samuel on the treble (being a longish draught the sally did land on his head a few times, but his dad was more than a match for a wayward sally). We then progressed to plain courses of Grandsire Doubles which became much the method of choice for the evening. We did manage a touch of Grandsire Doubles for Anne, more rounds and call changes for Samuel (on the 2 this time, and with a better behaved rope) and at the end a 120 of Plain Bob Doubles with the tower captain on the treble.

A lovely evening was had by all and the first branch practice for the branches youngest new recruit – well done Sam!

 

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Little bit of practice

On Tuesday 20th May 9 ringers (and one fairly new recruit) arrived for the special practice at Islip – great to see our secretary back up the tower following slipping and breaking her wrist earlier in the year. The nominated methods for the evening were Little Bob Minor and Grandsire Triples.

We started with a rather shaky course of Little Bob Minor on the back 6before ringing up the front two and ringing plain hunt on 7. Flushed with the success of ringing on 8 we pushed onward with a couple of fairly well struck Grandsire Triples… Very satisfying, though the first course was better than the last. We then had some plain courses of Grandsire Doubles before having a further go at Little Bob Minor (this time more successfully so we rang three courses). We finished with a touch of Grandsire Doubles, some plain hunt on 7 and then down, before heading the Swan for a drink.

Another fine evening with fine ringing and fine company.

Next is the branch practice at Middleton Stoney on Wednesday 4th June – hopefully see many of you there for that.

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Piddington practice

On Wednesday 7th May it was the turn of Piddington to host a branch practice. It was a lovely summers evening and whether this, the bells, or the fabulously friendly Piddington ringers were the draw I don’t know, but 15 ringers from 8 branch towers came along!!! (Piddington 4, Launton 1, Ambrosden 1, Stratton 1, Bicester 1, Charlton 3, Ludgershall 3, Brill 1).

Piddington’s local band generally ring call changes, and perhaps plain hunt but wanted to hear us ring more advanced things too. We started with plain courses of Grandsire Doubles, and then call changes. One of the locals then wanted to try plain hunt and with a bit of help managed it. We rang more Grandsire and more plain hunt. Yet another call for us to ring something more advanced so a touch of Grandsire was duly rung with one of the locals on the Treble. After more Grandsire plain courses and plain hunt we finished with a touch of Plain Bob Doubles.

As always at Piddington, we had a fun evening with lots of giggles and had a good ring also, and we left with them wanting us to come back more regularly.. Will have to se what we can do!

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Happy Birthday Terry

Quarter peals can be rung to mark all sorts of occasions (weddings, national events, memorials etc). If you go to www.campanophile.co.uk or www.bb.ringingworld.co.uk you will find details of many peals and quarter peals rung around the country and the world.

On Wednesday 30th April the tower captain of Witney, Terry Hester (known to some of the Bicester branch folk) celebrated his 75th birthday and to mark it a quarter peal was rung and of which I was privileged to be a part of:

Witney, Oxon
Wed 30th April 2014
1250 Yorkshire Surprise Major in 48 mins
1. Michael Probert
2. Richard White
3. Roger Barnes
4. David Floyd
5. Alison Merryweather-Clarke
6. Lorna Curtis (c)
7. Brian Curtis
8. Anthony Cole

Rung to celebrate the 75th Birthday of Terry Hester.
6: first major as conductor

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Graduation

On Friday 21st March the University of Buckingham had the annual graduation ceremonies for those successfully completing their degrees. The ceremony is at SS Peter and Paul’s church in Buckingham and after each ceremony the bells are rung.

As I work for the University I am able to help out with graduation and this year was able to hep form the band that rang for the multiple ceremonies. The bells at Buckingham are a little on the heavy side so a strong band is required to make a good sound, and this year we had a better band than for last year. At the morning ceremony we rang a touch of Grandsire Triples and a touch of Plain Bob Triples, and the afternoon ceremony we just rang a touch of Grandsire Triples. The striking for both ceremonies was rather good and I felt pleased that I had been able to ring touches of both methods as I get little practice at this level of ringing these days..though the Bicester branch capabilities are improving so long may that trend continue.