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.
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.”
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!
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.
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!”
Thirteen came to last night’s branch practice at Ambrosden, the second time the bells have rung there in less than a week.
The practice was led by Richard, and helped by our steward, Colin, and we had a good number of strong ringers, including Laurence, Emma, Steve, Celia and Jeremy enabling us to ring triples and major as well as plain hunt on seven and eight and call changes on eight.
We rang a couple of plain courses of Bob major, a plain course of Bob triples, with Anne trebling and Graham inside, a plain course of Stedman triples and a touch of Grandsire Triples.
The ring is a heavy, albeit easygoing eight, but take a bit of getting used to. Our striking improved during the evening. Towards the end we had a set of call changes on eight with Gerald and Anne in the band.
We finally lowered on eight, with Simon taking the tenor. There was a moment at the final chime, where Simon, with help from dad Colin, tried to eke out a final bong, but to no avail.
Next branch practice is on the 26th May at Weston, I believe, where Gerald will host us ringing doubles and minor.
Thirteen came to tonight’s branch practice at Ambrosden, the second time the bells have rung there in less than a week.
The practice was led by Richard, and helped by our steward, Colin, and we had a good number of strong ringers, including Laurence and Emma, enabling us to ring triples and major as well as plain hunt on seven and eight and call changes on eight.
We rang a couple of plain courses of Bob major, a plain course of Bob triples, with Anne trebling and Graham inside, a plain course of Stedman triples and a touch of Grandsire Triples.
The ring is a heavy, albeit easygoing eight, and take a bit of getting used to. Our striking improved during the evening. Towards the end we had a set of call changes on eight with Gerald Bushby and Anne inside.
We finally lowered on eight, with Simon taking the tenor. There was a moment at the final chime, where Simon, with help from dad Colin, tried to eke out a final bong, but to no avail.
Next branch practice is on the 26th May at Weston, I believe, where Gerald will host us ringing doubles and minor.
