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.
Our ringers have been very busy over the Coronation weekend ringing to celebrate the occasion. Below are some summaries and photos of our exploits.
On Friday 5th May a band of mainly Bicester Branch ringers rang a Quarter Peal at Kirtlington before the pre-Coronation musical event, then Kirtlington ringers rang before the Kirtlington Coronation Service Sunday 7th May. Over the weekend, many villagers chimed (“dinged”) the bells and signed a special book which will be donated to the village archives.
the Quarter Peal band at Kirtlington
ringing team for the Kirtlington Coronation Service
Kirtlington School ringers
Emily Dinging for the King
Nine rang at Weston on the Green, including new recruits Pam and Tracy. Afterwards 80 villagers came and ”Dinged for the King”
Ringers for the King at Bletchingdon. And a great turnout of ‘dingers’!
the band at Bletchingdon
Bicester ringers rang at Caversfield and Bicester on Saturday morning.
the band at Caversfield
Bicester ringers
Ludgershall Ringers rang on Coronation Day including two new learners. They followed up with a Quarter Peal of mixed doubles on Monday 8th.
Ludgershall Ringing for the King
Quarter Peal Band
The band at Ludgershall
On Monday 8th May, eight ringers from Ambrosden, Stratton Audley, Islip and Kirtlington rang rounds and call changes on the bells at St Marys Ambrosden. Well done to Leandro on his first ring on these bells!
Eleven Islip ringers rang before the Abbey service on Saturday morning – particularly special for us as Westminster Abbey, the location for all coronations of English and then British monarchs since 1066, was originally built by St Edward the Confessor who was born in 1005 in Islip. Our ringers included three teenagers, one of whom was ringing in a band for the first time About 60 from the village turned up to ‘Ding for the King’ on Bank Holiday Monday.
In Woodeaton, five ringers from Islip rang on Sunday afternoon before the village party and then 20 from Woodeaton ‘Dinged for the King’.
Just back from tonight’s practice at Weston where I joined Mandy, Andy D, Nick Dutton and Andrew W ringing call changes (hand and backstroke), Kaleidoscope and plain hunt on four.
Recent recruits Pam and Tracey also had handling practice and joined in rounds and call changes assisted with hand or backstroke.
The high point was when Nick received his Ringing School Graduation and Learning the Ropes Level 1 certificates with the obligatory photo calls. Many congratulations again to Nick! Thanks also to Mandy and Pam for the photos.
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.”
On Saturday 7th January, Winter Ringing School sessions started again for the New Year. At Kirtlington we celebrated another graduate, Rachel Mackenzie.
Rachel reflected : “Winter Ringing School has been a great boost to my skill and confidence. It has been great to visit new towers, try new bells and get the benefit of excellent 1:1 tuition in a really friendly and supportive atmosphere – I would definitely recommend it to all new ringers. Thank you to all who have generously donated their time to help develop our skills.”
Congratulations, Rachel! Very best wishes for your future ringing career!
Rachel receiving her certificate from Steve Vickars, Training Officer, Bicester Branch of Bellringers
After over a decade of trying, the branch website has finally completed its migration from Anthony Cole’s server to its new home on the Oxford Diocesan Guild’s servers.
In December 2020 we worked with Anthony and the Guild Server team to re-direct internet addresses to the new home, while final checks of content have now completed and under Gus’ patient and methodical care, we have verified all content has safely migrated to the new server.
We have also now established new mailing lists for members (members@bicester.odg.org.uk), officers (officers@bicester.odg.org.uk) and tower correspondents (towers@bicester.odg.org.uk).
Farewell, old Bicester Branch site (www.bicesterbranch.org.uk), hello new Bicester Branch site (www.bicester.odg.org.uk).
Very big thanks go to Anthony for hosting the branch site and mailing lists and providing responsive and reliable support for such a long time!.
Six ringers from Bicester Branch, including our Ringing Master, Deputy Ringing Master, Secretary, Jan and Ellie successfully completed a quarter peal of Plain Bob Minor, conducted by Richard on Thursday evening, at Islip, to celebrate the Christmas period. Congratulations to Kathryn for her first minor quarter inside.
As well as being a Christmas quarter peal, this was also dedicated to Gill and Tony Summerfield’s upcoming 53rd wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them both!
In September, Bicester Branch’s Ellie Seddon, from Kirtlington tower, became the 100th ringer to achieve Level 5 in the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART) Learning the Ropes scheme, which she completed in less than two years after her first lesson. For this, Ellie needed to complete a number of theory and practical targets, including ringing inside to Quarter Peals in two Doubles methods and also Bob Minor. Congratulations, Ellie!
This has been celebrated on the ART website and Facebook page, for further details, see
Congratulations to Jan and Richard Haseldine on the arrival of their latest grandson, Edward, for which they have just rung a Quarter Peal at Ludgershall. Congratulations also to Anne Martin, for ringing her first Quarter of Plain Bob Doubles inside.