Category: Article

On Sunday 14th September 2025 at Dorchester Abbey, Steve Vickars was one of fourteen people who received the award of the Fellowship of St Birinus. Steve was nominated by Rev. Gareth Miller, Rector of the Akeman Benefice and Area Dean of Bicester and Islip, for his work over several years as Tower Captain of St Mary’s Kirtlington, and in leading practices, training and recruiting – not only at Kirtlington, but also at other towers in the Benefice and further afield.

The Fellowship of St Birinus held its first meeting in May 2009 when the then Bishop of Dorchester founded the Fellowship with the support of the Rector of Dorchester Abbey. It is seen as a modest way in which people can be honoured who have given exceptional service in some way or other to their church and community over a number of years.

Members of the Fellowship receive a certificate showing why they were nominated, and a lapel pin badge showing the symbol of St Birinus.

Thirteen ringers came to tonight’s practice at Kirtlington, where Judith led the majority of sessions as part of her ART Foundation assessment, with Susan and Mark assessing the practice.
I am really pleased to announce that Judith passed the assessment and will shortly be receiving her certificate of accreditation in teaching Module 2F, congratulations!

We had a good number of ringers at Learning the ropes Level 2, including Debbie and Rachel from Witney, Nick and Pinda.
After raising the front six in two threes, Judith called a number of quick-fire call changes, then a practice involving one of six ringers making a deliberate mistake and three non-ringers facing outwards.
Next a theory session on call changes for Liping, with six holding numbers and moving place when their bell was affected in a called change. This was then put into practice with the same six ringing their bells called to Queens and back to rounds.
Next was a session of Mexican Wave involving Short Places starting with each pair announced, then repeated with no prompts. Good to note that Julie rang the five for the first time changing places.

While Judith went off to hear feedback from Susan and Mark, the rest of the band practiced Kaleidoscope short places starting at backstroke and full pull and stand, after a number of even blows determined by each team member in turn.

Finally, we rang up the tenors and practiced ringing rounds and a few call changes on all eight, followed by call changes to Queens and back on the front six, before Susan led us down lowering all eight.
Finally we took the obligatory team photo.

A really good practice. See several of you at Witney tomorrow and Middleton Stoney for branch practice on Wednesday.

Ten ringers attended last night’s practice at Weston on-the-Green, including Lesley Belcher, Chair of ART, who came to present Andrew Wilkinson’s M1 Teaching Certificate for Teaching of handling and also to celebrate tower captain Gerald Bushby’s receiving his ART Learning the Ropes Level 3 certificate.  Congratulations to both!

Also in attendance was Kathryn Grant, Branch Secretary with Pam and Tracey, Weston’s latest recruits, who received handling tuition as well as the opportunity to ring rounds with assistance.

Many thanks also go to Mandy Jones who provided wonderful cup cakes at the half-time interval.

Lesley commented on the event: “Congratulations to Gerald and Andrew.  It does really mean a lot to see the Weston team developing.”

Gerald also reflected: “Thank you all so much for your help you have given me along the way.  It is a great personal achievement for me to have reached this level. It goes to show what can be achieved with some individual effort and a great deal of help and encouragement from the surrounding ringing community.”