Category: Uncategorized

At Saturday’s Ringing School , we welcomed three students from Standlake for the first session, then David, Michael and Nadine to the second hour.
I’m really pleased to report that Nadine from Witney successfully passed her Learning the Ropes Level 1 assessment.
We then took the opportunity to give our students some practice ringing rounds, call changes and Kaleidoscope exercises using the Simulator – a first experience for some of our teachers too!

Nadine gave this summary of her experience of Ringing School:

“I am thrilled to have completed the bell handling course. I just want to thank all the teachers who put so much work into me. Their patience, encouragement, and expertise are inspirational. All those comments in my blue log book will remind me of all the hours they gave so selflessly. Thank you, everyone who makes this ringing school such a success!”

On Saturday 1st July Liping Liu from Kirtlington passed her ART LTR L1 assessment at Dorchester Ringing Centre and therefore has now graduated from Ringing School Handling sessions. Liping is the 10th Ringing School Graduate in the 2022/2023 season. Many congratulations!!

At the Kirtlington practice on 3rd July Liping was presented with her Ringing School graduation certificate and her ART LTR L1 certificate. She is now starting to practice Foundation level exercises aiming for her LTR L2 assessment.
Well done and just reward for your hard work, Liping!

If you are interested in finding out more about Oxon Ringing School, get in touch with oxonringingschool@gmail.com or trainingofficer@bicester.odg.org.uk

Ten ringers went to tonight’s branch practice at Middleton Stoney, including Teresa and Jeremy. The local band was represented by Linda and Hilary, who rang up and practiced a number of plain courses of Grandsire Doubles, which we came back to throughout the practice and by the end was sounding very reasonable.

We were really lucky with the weather and were able to enjoy a superb late spring evening in the rural setting of Middleton church. For Diana we rang a number of call changes called by both Jeremy and Teresa, and this time Diana’s experience of ringing the Middleton bells with their long draft was much better. Andy, Graham and Judith joined in ringing plain courses of Bob Doubles and we also a to uch of Grandsire Doubles for Michael affected on the three.It was nice to also ring several courses of Plain Hunt on six, getting the rhythm of the bells going well.

Steve Vickars

Last week’s Foundation practice at Witney was attended by four ringers at Learning the Ropes Level 2.

We practiced Full Pull and Stand, a full set of call changes for the Witney Branch Striking Competition called by Laura, “Twister”, “Twinkle twinkle Little Star”, Mexican Wave short places, more call changes called by Debra and “Big change, little change”.

At the end Laura received her LTR L1 certificate. Well done Laura!

Laura stated her appreciation of Oxon Ringing School with the following comments:

“Bell ringing school has been very helpful because when I got to the school I was barely putting both strokes together. I got to experience new bells and also got to see different points of views from other ringing teachers. It is good that I could see different people teaching it in different ways. I want to thank everyone who helped me over the last couple of months.”

Resident Guild Members are invited to attend the Guild Festival to be held in Oxford on 8th July 2023.

Eucharist Service at the Cathedral: 11:00

Ringing Times:

	Tower	Time
	Magdalen College (10)	09:00 – 10:00
	Christ Church Cathedral (12)	09:30 – 10:45
	St Thomas (10)	13:30 – 14:30
	St Ebbes (8)	14:00 – 15:00
	St Giles (8)	14:30 – 15:30
	Lincoln College (8)	15:00 – 16:00
	New College (10)	16:00 – 17:00
	St Mary the Virgin University Church (6)	17:15 – 18:15
	Carfax Tower (6)	17:30 – 18:30

The Master’s Garden in Christ Church will be available for picnics after the service.

With thanks to the Oxford Society for their hospitality.

19 ringers came to the Branch Practice at Brill on Monday 22 May. Although Brill doesn’t have a resident band at the moment, Andrew Haseldine looks after the ringing there (primarily based in Long Crendon).

We rang Grandsire, Kent and Stedman as well as rounds and call changes – thanks to an earlier practice time than ‘normal’ we finished in the sunshine and wonderful views from Brill as we left!

Kathryn Grant

An amazing group of around 25 plus, including some non-ringers and one dog, arrived for the first tower at Great Gaddesden at 9.45am on Saturday 15 April.  Impeccably organised by Richard and Jan Haseldine, they immediately ensured that ringers of all abilities were catered for – we had Grandsire, Bob Doubles, Stedman, Cambridge, rounds, call changes and – to the alarm of some – Kent. Our repertoire was replayed at Little Gaddesden, Studham, Kensworth, Whipsnade, and Eaton Bray with a welcome lunch interval at Studham which included the memorable sight of a string of ringers’ cars following each other in totally wrong directions for the pub!

Thank you to Richard and Jan, and Jeremy, for all the work of organising the towers and the ringing at each – we’re already looking forward to the next outing.

9.45 to 10.30	Great Gaddesden
	St. John the Baptist	6 bells (10cwt)
	OS ref TL028112	Postcode HP1 3BT
11.00 to 11.45	Little Gaddesden
	St.Peter and Paul	6 bells (6-1-16)
	OS ref SP998138 Postcode HP4 1NZ	Postcode HP4 1NZ
12.15 to 1.00	Studham
	St.Mary the Virgin	6 bells (10-0-22)
	OS ref TL015159	Postcode LU62NW
LUNCH	Own arrangements There is a pub at Studham called The Bell Website: thebellinstudham.co.uk
2.45 to 3.30	Kensworth
	St. Mary	6 bells (3-3-16)
	OS ref TL031190	Postcode LU6 3RA
4.00 to 4.45	Whipsnade
	St. Mary Magdalene	6 bells (3-1-24)
	OS ref TL011179	Postcode LU6 2LL
5.15 to 6.00	Eaton Bray
	St. Mary the Virgin	6 bells (9-2-0)
	OS ref SP969207	Postcode LU62DL
	£15 will be left at each tower, we’ll take a collection during the day

Another successful session at yesterday’s Winter ringing School at Kirtlington, where David from Witney graduated having covered all required skills.

Here is Emma presenting David with his certificate. Congratulations David!

Afterwards Kirtlington held a tower open morning with plenty of helpers, a big thank you to Judith, Christine, Ruth, Dana, Vikki, Jonathan and Janice from Wolvercote.

We had four visitors plus two youngsters who watched some ringing and then had a go on backstroke and then chiming. We are hopeful that at least three will continue to learn the amazing craft of Bellringing!

If you would like to find out more about Ringing School, email training-officer@bicester.odg.org.uk

On Sunday 8th January Kirtlington hosted the Young Ringers’ practice of 2023, attended by 11 young ringers, including Marcus from Islip.

Susan Read, who with husband Brian, organises these very useful sessions, said:

“Eleven young ringers gathered at Kirtlington for a ringing practice organised by the Old North Berks Branch on Sunday 8th January 2023. Some came quite a long way for the practice, coming from six branches, including Banbury, Vale of White Horse and Reading. Ringing included the much enjoyed game of setting after a number of whole pulls determined by the throw of a dice, forward and backward rounds as well as plain bob doubles and triples. Refreshments included mince pies, chocolate cake and peanut butter cookies!”