Author: odg_bicuser1

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Dubai?

“I’m in Dubai”

“Wimbledon calling”

Excuses abound for the lack of turnout for the branch Practice at Stratton Audley on a warm and sunny Thurs 4th July.

Despite these excuses we did get 5 ringers (3 Stratton ringers, one from Launton and me) and we rang call changes, and plain hunt on five.

There was a chat about a locally haunted house and then how many ringers they would have for the following Sunday service which triggered comments of Jeremy needing to ring two bells and him saying how easy it was! When called to demonstrate he declined, but egged on I duly did ring the treble and two to show that it was possible (years of fooling around teaches many things about what is possible with a bell rope). Intrigued Debs then rang the treble one handed to see how easy it actually was though she didn’t venture as far as ringing two. Jeremy then felt he had to show willing and rang one handed on treble and then the two, but didn’t ring two bells together.

After this “showing off” session we rang some plain courses of Grandsire Doubles which Debs hadn’t tried before and with a little help talking her through it she managed the two ok and seemed pleased she had tried something new. Very well done also goes to Ann who managed the treble without any guidance.

Our next event is the special practice at Islip on 16th July – Stedman Doubles and Plain Bob Major if we get enough. Hopefully I will see many of you there.

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Grandsire at Bletchingdon

On a muggy Wednesday 19th June 15 ringers from 6 towers (6 ringers from outside the bicester branch) had an evening ringing just Grandsire Doubles. We rang lots of plain courses with helpers stood behind (particular thanks to Ron), and interspersed that with touches for those working on the observation bell (well done Sue and Steve, and hopefully those stood behind watching spotted some of it too).

A useful evening for everyone I felt and great to see Fay back ringing too.

Next practice is the branch practice at Stratton Audley – please do support this if you can – the bells require a little effort but practising on bells with character is great for improving bell handling which helps wherever you go to ring.

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Middle(ton) of the year

Half way through 2013 already, and Middleton Stoney hosted the June Branch Practice on Wed 5th – for the 3rd year running it was a beautiful sunny summer evening so those not ringing could sit outside and listen. We started very slowly with 2 learners (who had yet to handle a bell) and 5 others (1 Launton, 3 locals and myself) . We rang up 5 and gave the new recruits a demonstration of plain hunt on 5 before giving them tower safety instructions (don’t touch ropes as you cannot tell if they’re up or down!) and then letting them have a little go. Hopefully the next time I go Graham and Anita will be fully capable ringers.

More ringers (2 Islip, 3 Charlton) arrived at about 8:10pm enabling us to do much more of what a branch practice is about – helping teach the locals so they can make progress! We started with plain courses of Grandsire Doubles before moving on to Plain Bob Doubles as two of the locals had looked it up. A shaky start, but we got to the end of the course and ran through a few times with helpful hints from the conductor. More Grandsire Doubles and (really must get Anne on an inside bell soon!) and then multiple goes at Plain Bob Doubles for the locals again – they were getting it by the end 🙂

We finished with a well struck ring down (apart from the catch at the end!).

Next branch event is the Grandsire Doubles special practice at Bletchingdon so hoping to see lots of keen Grandsire enthusiasts & learners in 2 weeks time.

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Little practice at Islip

If I’m honest I was expecting a better turnout for the Islip special practice – I guess no one wants Grandsire Triples practices.  All credit to the 7 ringers who did go though as we did manage the other chosen method Little Bob Minor.

The evening started with just 5 ringers(4 regular Islip ringers and myself). At 7:50pm we did wonder whether it was worth ringing, but as we were there I suggested we at least have some Grandsire Doubles practice for Sally so we rang up and then did some plain courses. 2 further ringers turned up at 8:10pm (if you turn up that late at Bicester then you’ll likely have wasted your trip as we tend to give up earlier if we haven’t enough to ring, but enough of me on my punctuality soap box). We rang a touch or two of Grandsire Doubles and then as one person had looked up Little Bob Minor we thought we’d have a go at it. The first attempt was only an approximation to the method(!), but the second go was much better and almost trip-free so a little achievement.  We ended the evening with a fairly good ring down followed by the usual pub trip (which sadly I had to pass on this time)

Next practice is Middleton Stoney..Let’s hope it is as good as we have had the last few years with a warm sunny evening and an even warmer welcome.

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Piddington practice

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!

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30th surprise 16th April 2013

Tuesday 16th April was the 30th anniversary of me starting to ring (yes, I am that old!). To help me celebrate Lorna Curtis kindly arranged a quarter peal with lots of my friends from the Witney & Woodstock branch at Bicester. The chosen method (at my request) was Cambridge Surprise Major, something I used to love ringing, but haven’t managed more than half a course of in many years as we simply haven’t a band capable of ringing it in the Bicester branch. One day maybe..!

The quarter peal took 45 minutes which is pretty quick for the back 8 at Bicester and my hands now have 4 blisters to prove it, but it was worth it for such a good quarter peal – the ringing was very well struck and hardly any trips were made by anyone. My thanks to all those who came to help me celebrate (and joined me in the pub afterwards!). Full details:

Tuesday 16th April, Bicester
1250 Cambridge S. Major in 45 mins
1. Michael Probert
2. Brian Curtis
3. Roger Barnes
4. Lorna Curtis
5. Josie Irving
6. Richard White
7. Anthony Cole
8. Stuart Gibson (c)

To mark 30 years of ringing by 7.

The record on bellboard can be found here 

Anthony Cole

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A right royal ring

Bicester was the host for the special practice on Monday 15th April with Reverse Canterbury Doubles and St Clements Minor on the plan.

The practice started as so many do these days with 6 ringers (2 new Bicester ringers, 2 older Bicester ringers, one from Islip and one all the way from my old stomping ground – North Leigh). However, before we had the front 6 up we had 2 more Bicester ringers and one from Stratton Audley making 9 ringers so the back 4 were duly raised! We started off with plain hunt on 7 before tackling the first set method – Reverse Canterbury. After a quick theory lesson on the board we rang a plain course with people watching, and it went so well that we followed it with a 120. We next rang some call changes on the back 8, and then a 10th person arrived (Royal = 10 bells, hence the title!). We then rang some plain courses of Grandsire Doubles followed by some plain courses of Reverse Canterbury for those who had watched earlier – well done Ian 🙂 Given we had 10 ringers we felt we had to have a go on all 10 so we rang call changes until we reached Queens (1357924680) which sounded pretty good – possibly the first time Bicester have heard all 10 this year!

Not enough ringers claimed to be able to try St Clements so we decided Kent Treble Bob Minor should be attempted instead – we didn’t get to the end, but more than half way through.

A good evenings ringing

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Golden Ambrosden

On Fri 5th April the word had been spread that Ambrosden bells we to be rung for a branch practice so the village were expectant! Silence is golden as they say, and sadly that is what Ambrosden received as only 4 ringers turned up. However it was good to have a short chat with the only ringer in the village and it is encouraging that she is able to get practice elsewhere in the branch.

Those disappointed by the silence will at least be appeased today as there is both a visiting band and a wedding at Ambrosden when the bells will be rung.

The next branch event is the special practice at Bicester on Mon 15th April – Reverse Canterbury Doubles and St Clements Minor so hoping to see lots of keen ringers for that 🙂

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Progress in Bletchingdon

On Wed 20th March Bletchingdon hosted the special Grandsire Doubles practice. We started off with only 5 ringers (rather down on the heady heights of nearer 20 ringers at the last one!). We rang up and rang some plain courses before an unlocked-gate-ily challenged ringer found her way to the church!

We then worked on getting Sue through a bobs only touch (non-observation), Di on 120s, and Ernie on plain courses. Without anyone else coming along we were able to repeat this cycle a few times over the course of the evening giving them each time to work out what they didn’t spot the time before and try again and they were all making good progress by the end so a very worthwhile practice.

Next week is Holy week so no ringing anywhere….. so… join us on the Branch Outing on Saturday for your last fix of ringing for a week or so – car outing to the Newbury Branch.