odg_bicuser1 – Page 9 – The Bicester Branch

8th March 2013

Grand-branch practice-sire

On Tuesday 5th March 9 ringers (1 Launton, 3 Islip, 3 Bicester, 1 Stratton, 1 Woodeaton) went along to Islip for the Branch practice.

We started off with plain hunt on 7 which Anne did really well with 🙂 We then pushed ourselves and rang a couple of courses of Grandsire Triples! (First time in the branch for a while). We then moved on to Grandsire Doubles with Sally ringing the observation bell.. would have been better if the conductor hadn’t thought he was ringing a different bell (how embarrassing – sorry Teresa!) … thanks to Sarah the mistake was discovered and the next attempt was successful.

We rang more plain hunt on 7 (Anne on a different bell) and again Anne did really well. We had another couple of courses of Grandsire Triples with different ringers inside and finished with a course of Stedman Doubles.

All trips to Islip require some apres-ring (if there is such a term) so we headed off to the Swan for some drinks and prawn crackers :9

Next branch event is the special practice (Grandsire Doubles) in Bletchingdon, shortly followed by the branch outing – looking forward to them both 🙂

5th March 201317th February 2021

Weston welcomes Jenny

On Monday 4th March a new chapter in the bells of Weston on the green began! A new bell has been added to the existing 5 bells augmenting them to six and returning them to a ringable state and Monday 4th March was the first try-out of the bells following the work.

The new bell (inscribed “Jenny”) was rung first so that the donor could hear the new bell (via a long distance phone call to South Africa!). Taylors of Loughborough staff then rang up the bells one by one and then ringers from the surrounding area (Bicester, Islip and Launton) joined with Tower Captain Bob Hessian to ring all the bells in rounds.

There were numerous villagers (keen new recruits mostly!) listening outside the tower and a Champagne celebration was held in the church following the ringing. I look forward to being able to ring method on them shortly and to welcome many new faces to the art of bellringing.

Anthony Cole, 5th March 2013

2nd March 20138th February 2021

Revised 2013 branch outing schedule

Following the cancellation of Great Shefford which I reported at the Branch AGM (great to see 18 ringers for this years meeting – and thanks for putting up with my organ playing!) I have rearranged the tower before lunch and the pub. The revised details of the outing (Saturday 23rd March, Newbury area) can be downloaded below:

Outing2013Poster

LUNCH MENU

Please pass on and if you are planning to come along please let Anthony know.

Due to forecast snow tomorrow I’ve set up a Twitter feed so I can get updates to everyone. The feed should automatically update on this web page (top right), but if not please search for @accole32 #bbo13 on Twitter.

19th February 2013

Stedman at Bicester

On Monday 18th Feb 6 ringers (mostly from Bicester, but glad to see Kathryn too) banded together for what was advertised as a Stedman Doubles and Plain Bob Major practice. Well, given there were only 6 of us, Major was not going to be an option (not enough of us can ring two bells each!!!)

We started with Stedman Doubles and managed two courses without real problems which was a good start. We then gave Jan practice at Plain Bob Minor which was a little shaky, but got through it ok.

Having done so well with the plain courses of Stedman I put in a couple of “Singles” which tested Kathryn rather, but we got through to the end so I would say that was a good start at a touch 🙂

Having had a rest we then rang a touch of Plain Bob Minor (just two singles which threw the more experienced ringers!).. Jan managed without too many trips and we got to the end so perhaps a little progress there too.. maybe!

Steve had to leave for work so we finished off the evening with Morris’ 240 of Grandsire Doubles.. LOTS of “Singles” .. made it nearly to the end before two bells swapped over.. having not spotted it in time I quickly recomposed and brought it round without resorting to a call of “ROUNDS”.. feeling smug now 🙂

Our AGM is on Saturday so hopefully see lots of branch members (at least one from each tower pretty please?!) at Ludgershall.. if the forecast is right wear something warm! Supper at the Bull & Butcher should warm us up though 🙂

14th February 2013

Details of 2013 outing

The Branch Outing for 2013 will be to the Newbury area on Saturday 23rd March. Please put the date in your diary.

Update 20130223: Great Shefford now require building work so have cancelled. I’m arranging an alternate tower and pub – revised details available as soon as confirmed.

Do please mention this to everyone you can – it would be great to see lots of ringers to make the outing more interesting for everyone.

6th February 201310th February 2021

2013 Branch AGM notice – 23rd Feb

The Annual General Meeting of the Bicester Branch of the ODG will be held on Sat 23rd Feb in Ludgershall. This year we will be having an evening meeting followed by supper at the Bull & Butcher. We would like to encourage at least one member from each tower to attend so that each towers opinions can be represented in the way the branch is run. The plan is:

Ringing	6pm
Service	6:30pm
Meeting	7pm
Supper at the Bull & Butcher	7:45pm

AGM Notice and Agenda 2013 Download

AGM Minutes 21 Feb 2012 Download

6th February 2013

Kirtlington PLO

“PLO” you say? Palestine Liberation Organisation?? Err.. no. In days gone by when I went on ringing weeks a “PLO” was a “Potential Lock Out” and Friday 1st Feb was one of those. 7 ringers met at Kirtlington with instructions that we should get the key from the church warden as the tower correspondent was away. Unfortunately when I visted the church wardens house she was not at home either! We stood by the church gates and chatted (whilst some rapid phone calls were made), and were just about to give up and go to the pub (or home) when we spotted a car arrive in the churchwardens drive. Success!! We then had a key 🙂

With not enough to ring all eight bells we elected to ring the front six (not quite in key, but didn’t sound too bad). We rang plain courses of Grandsire Doubles, some plain hunt on five, a touch of Plain Bob Doubles, and finished with a short touch of Grandsire Doubles with Sally “observation” – didn’t quite get to the end, but it wasn’t Sally’s fault.

A good evening, but a few more ringers would have made it better. Well done all those who came out (especially Willy who wasn’t really fit to ring – we all really hope Willy will be back fighting fit very soon).

Next practice is the special practice at Bicester on 18th Feb – Plain Bob Major and Stedman Doubles, shortly followed by our Branch AGM on Saturday 23rd Feb.

16th January 2013

St Nicholas at St Nicholas’

On Tuesday 15th January 8 ringers (from 5 towers) banded together for the first special practice of the year. On the menu were St Nicholas Doubles and Plain Bob Minor.

Our attempts at St Nicholas proved very shaky though we did (just) get to the end of a plain course by the end of the evening.

We proved more capable at Plain Bob Minor and rang plain courses without fault. However, when we tried a touch near the end of the evening we sadly were not up to the task 🙁 We will have to keep plugging away at it.

We also rang plain courses of Grandsire Doubles and plain hunt on 7 for those for whom St Nicholas & Plain Bob Minor were too advanced. Islip’s latest recruit was also there learning to handle a bell ably taught by Teresa so hopefully we will see Kim at future branch events as she progresses.

A trip to Islip is not complete without a trip to the pub where we chatted and ate Prawn Crackers which the Swan give us when we drink there 🙂

Only a few weeks until the AGM… hoping we will see at least one representative from each tower at Ludgershall on the 23rd Feb – with a meal afterwards in the local pub.

12th December 2012

Next keep fit craze?

The BBC website today features an article about how good bellringing (Campanology) is for keeping fit. The bellringing population (at least in the Bicester area) is ageing, but I don’t mean that in a bad way – ringing is often possible well into your 70s and 80s and is a great way to keep yourself moving and I hope it helps me keep going just as long; it’s great for younger folk too – you don’t need to work out in a gym (and pay huge gym fees) when you can pop along to your local tower and get some free exercise (for your body and your mind!). Take a look at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20691056 and if you’re interested then either contact your local town/village church or contact me and I’ll teach you (if you are near Bicester) or put you in contact with someone nearer to you who can teach you.

Anthony Cole
webmaster@bicesterbranch.org.uk