Category: Branch Event

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2015 AGM update

On Saturday 21st February 10 branch members (from Launton, Bicester, Islip and Charlton on Otmoor), 2 new recruits (also from Bicester) and 2 Guild representatives met at Launton for the Branch AGM. Ringing started at 10:30am with call changes. More call changes followed as I went to prepare for the service – thanks to those who continued running the ringing.

We held a half hour service led by the Rev Becky Mathew and then held our meeting in the church. All officers were re-elected and 3 new members (Samuel Cole, Nicholas Thomas and Amanda Harris, all of Bicester) were elected. Reports were presented (most reports were made available prior to the meeting on the branch website).

As well as a number of guild dates, a few dates of note were mentioned:

  • Fri 13th March – trip to Leigh End mini ring in Wheatley – contact Anthony if you wish to come along
  • Sat 18th April – branch outing to Bedford area – exact route to be published when all towers booked.
  • Sat 5th Sept – Branch BBQ and Striking Competition

Full minutes of the meeting will be made available in due course.

Following the meeting an excellent lunch was enjoyed by many of us in the Black Bull, Launton.

Next branch event will be the Branch Practice in Islip on Tues 3rd March – hopefully see lots of you there.

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2015 Branch AGM notice

Our branch AGM is on the morning of Saturday 21st February in Launton, followed by a pub lunch. The timings for the meeting are as follows:

  • 10.30am Ringing
  • 11am Service
  • 11.30 am Meeting – see agenda below
  • 12.30pm Lunch at the Black Bull – all welcome – 52 West End, Launton, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX26 5DG

It would be nice to see at least one representative from each of the 14 towers in the branch with members (more than one per tower would be even better :D). It would be nice to see some of our new recruits too.

Papers:

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Special practice at Bicester

On Monday 19th Jan 8 branch ringers (one back briefly from his world tour), 1 learner and 2 new recruits came to Bicester for the monthly special practice.
After ringing up all 10 (front 6 then back 4) we started with call changes on the back 8. Next we scraped our way through some plain courses of Plain Bob Minor.
Next we had a touch of Grandsire Doubles before we attempted Winchendon Place where we just about managed plain courses.
Lastly we rang some courses of Plain hunt on 7 (a first for Samuel) before ringing down.
Throughout the evening our new recruits had handling sessions – backstroke first then handstroke and catching the handstroke (which is one of the hardest bits new recruits have to learn as catching the sally in just the right place is not easy)… well done everyone.
Next practice is at Kirtlington on Tues 3rd Feb… Hope to see lots of people there.

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Happy 2015

On Monday 5th January 8 ringers came to Bicester for the first branch practice of 2015.
Very much a low key start to the year compared to Jan 2014, but a cracking practice nonetheless with the whole of the Caversfield band gaining lots of help from the aid of Fay (great to see you back ringing), Ann and Jeremy.  Sam and Nick joined  in the ringing up in peal to start with then we rang plain hunt on 5 and then Nick had a go at the treble to Grandsire Doubles with advice on which to follow. Sam showed us how to ring the treble to Plain bob Doubles by listening only (using the methodology app on his Hudl). We then progressed to Plain hunt on 6 with both Amanda and Nick managing well. Amanda then tried covering as we rang plain courses of Grandsire Doubles before ringing down (not so good but Nick and Amanda are still learning).
All in all a thoroughly useful practice that really helped the learners..exactly what they needed and exactly what branch practices are for.
Next branch event is the special practice at Bicester on Monday 19th Jan – hopefully see lots of you there then.

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Bicester social

On Monday 15th December Bicester hosted the branch special practice and social.  Sadly only two branch towers were represented (Stratton Audley and Bicester), but we were at least able to ring 8 bells at one point.
We started with plain courses of Grandsire Doubles and followed that with call changes on the back 8. Next we attempted one of the set methods for the evening – Single Oxford Bob Minor. We didn’t get that far through sadly! At this point Steve had to go to work so we rang a touch of Plain Bob Doubles before ringing down. Sausage rolls and mince pies were consumed during the evening, but we did not go to the pub – the Swan Inn is currently still closed.
May I take this opportunity to wish all branch members a happy Christmas and I look forward to ringing with you all in the new year.  Next practice is at Bicester on Monday 5th January. We are hoping to distribute a card with all branch events early in the new year.

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Crash course at Charlton December 2014

On Wednesday 3rd December Charlton on Otmoor hosted the last branch practice of 2014. The local band had recently been on an intensive course of Grandsire Doubles so the 10 branch members (2 from Bicester, 3 from Launton, and 5 from Chalrton) worked on that all evening with the inclusion of some plain courses of Plain Bob Doubles. We mostly rang plain courses of Grandsire Doubles, but Ann, Ali and Ian had goes at the bobs in Grandsire succeeding thanks to encouraging words from Willy and other ringers who stood behind. The evening was both encouraging in terms of progress and satisfying for the locals who felt that this really helped consolidate the efforts at the recent course.

We went to the pub afterwards to sample some new (very good) beers and a good chat.

The last branch event of the year is at Bicester on Mon 15th December – the special practice with a Christmas social – it will have to start a few minutes late (there is a carol service in the church finishing at 7:30pm-ish!). Look forward to seeing lots of you there (for the mince pies/sausage rolls as well as the ringing!)

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Bicester Guild Meeting

On Saturday 22nd November the Bicester played host to the Guild Committee Meeting. The meeting was preceded with some ringing for those who were attending the meeting (there was some ringing on the 10 (plain hunt on 9) and the highlight for the Bicester tower captain was a touch of Stedman Triples which he had not tried for many years). The meeting was held in St Edburg’s church hall where around 50 guild members attended a (fairly short) meeting to disseminate information from all the sub-committees and to decide on some proposals (such as the Guild subs for 2015 – kept at £8 per person) and the announcement of the results of the 10 bell striking competition held earlier in the day at Long Crendon. This meeting is also an opportunity for branch secretaries to collect the autumn issue of Odd Bob (so be on the look out for Kathryn weighed down with large quantities of paperwork at the next few branch events!). A buffet tea was provided by the Bicester ringers with donated cakes from the Islip ringers – a feast with a surprising number of leftovers – the Banana Bread was a lovely treat at the Bicester practice on Monday night, and I am still eating leftover sandwiches!

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A few saints

On Monday 17th Nov 7 ringers from 3 branch towers banded together for the special practice at Bicester.
We started with plain hunt on 6 for Samuel and then rang plain courses of All Saints Place Doubles, one of the set methods for the evening.
Next we rang a plain course of Plain Bob Doubles with Samuel on the treble. Then we decided that as we weren’t going to have enough to ring Plain Bob Triples (the other set method) we would ring a longish (240) touch of Plain Bob Minor.
With time running out for a couple of the ringers before they needed to leave we rang a touch of St Simon’s Bob Doubles before ringing down.
Whilst the turnout was disappointing the ringing turned out to be anything but.

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Bletchingdon BP

On Wed 5th November whilst some were out listening to loud bangs from fireworks 16 ringers (from 4 branch towers and two towers outside the branch) were making a different (and much more musical) sound in Bletchingdon which was playing host to the November branch practice.

We rang a small number of things over the evening – Call Changes, Grandsire Doubles plain courses and Grandsire Doubles touches, but with lots of helpers it made for a good teaching practice as those learning generally had someone behind them to whisper useful tips.

The evening finished with a pretty good ring down in peal which received applause from those not ringing so a good end to a good evening.

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Major at Bicester

On Monday 6th October Bicester hosted the October branch practice. 11 ringers came along from as far afield as Buckingham boosting what we would be able to ring.

We started by ringing up the front 6 and then Samuel rang the treble to plain hunt on 5. We then rang up the back 4 and rang plain hunt on 7 and then 8.

Next we rang a plain course of Grandsire Triples before moving up to ringing call changes on 10.

Next we rang one of the methods Ian wanted to try – a plain course of Plain Bob Major.. no problems so perhaps a quarter peal is his next target?

We rang a touch of Plain Bob Doubles for Steve and then attempted a touch of Grandsire Triples.. miscalled by me.. whoops.. in my defence I rarely get to ring even plain courses so not entirely surprised!  We tried again and got it the second time.

We rang some more plain hunt on 8 before attempting Kent Treble Bob Minor.. Ian’s first attempt.. we got just over half way so a good start.

After dropping the treble and two we rang 8 down in peal which was pretty well struck.

A visit to the pub followed for some but sadly I had to get Samuel home to bed… school night!