Ringing Suspended at St Mary’s Tower, East Claydon.
All ringing at St Mary’s tower, East Claydon has been suspended with immediate effect until the repairs to the tower roof have been completed. The decision was made by the DCC on Thursday evening following a recent inspection of the tower roof.
Thursday evening practices will be at St Michael’s Church Tower, Steeple Claydon at the usual time of 19:30, for the foreseeable future.
If anyone has any queries or questions, please contact Kate Edgar at eastclaydon@cbucks.odg.org.uk.
Orchard Cup Striking Competition – Winslow –
Saturday 12th October.
This year’s Orchard Cup Striking Competition against the Chiltern Branch will be held at St. Laurence, Winslow.
Details are on the adjacent poster which can be
downloaded here as an A4 pdf.
A copy of the Rules are available here.
One Day Ringing Course, Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire,
Saturday, 26th October 2024
Are you learning Plain Bob Doubles or Grandsire Doubles? 
Do you want some more practice?
Do you want to move on to Triples or Major??
If so, then this ringing course at Steeple Aston organised by the Guild, is the one for you!
Ailsa Knightley writes: “Many of you have been coming along to my Bob Doubles practices. Can I commend this course to you! (It also offers Grandsire Doubles and 7- & 8-bell ringing).
Last year I took a couple of people so was able to witness first hand what happens. The morning started with a really useful theory session, which for those of you who have been learning for a while might be especially useful. It puts all the little bits and pieces together for you.
You then visit 3 towers and ring with a team of really experienced ringers. (I have offered myself, Sherri and Evie as helpers, and John Chantler from Bierton has offered, so you may even know someone helping in your group!) At each tower each person rang twice, but in between you can watch or discuss with others.
There is a cost for the course and you have to buy lunch in a pub (which was very nice!) If your tower has funds maybe they could help? We at Stewkley try to pay the course fee and ask ringers to pay for their own lunch.
Please consider if you can do this course!! It isn’t as intimidating as I thought it would be and everyone genuinely wants to help you.“
The Poster, (above-right), is available to download here as a PDF.
The cost of the course is £30 which includes tower donations and a 2-course evening meal. Lunch is separate and is arranged by the individual groups.
Application forms are available on the Guild website or can be downloaded here in the latest version of Microsoft ‘Word’. The latest version of Word Documents may not be able to be opened and edited on older computers or those running a Mac. A PDF version of the application form is available to download here but it will need to be printed, filled by hand and scanned before sending to Jo Druce at joannedruce2@gmail.com .
The closing date of applications is 31st August 2024.
How Ringing Works.
The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers has released a booklet entitled ‘From Practice to Perfect’. It contains a lot of useful information about how church bells ringers are trained, safeguarded and organised and, although it is aimed primarily at the clergy, PCCs and safeguarding advisors, please take time to have a look as it may be useful within your towers.
A copy may be downloaded here as a ‘pdf’ file.
Special Practices
Special practices will be held on the third Wednesday of the month at Stewkley, from 7.30 to 9pm.
The next practice is on Wednesday 18th September, from 7.30 to 9pm.
Other practices are planned for:
Wednesday 16th October,
Wednesday 20th November,
Wednesday 18th December,
all from 7.30 to 9pm.
Guild 6-Bell Striking Competition and 6-Bell ‘Raising and Lowering’ Competition
Saturday 5th October 2024
The Guild’s annual 6-Bell Striking Competition and 6-Bell ‘Raising and Lowering’ Competition will both take place on Saturday 5th October 2024.
The 6-Bell Striking Competition will be held at Shottesbrooke, Berkshire, commencing 13:30,
and the ‘Raising and Lowering’ Competition at Twyford, Berkshire, also at 13:30.
Both competitions will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 5th October. For bands entering both competitions (and we hope many do), timings of the draw will ensure you can ring in both – and that you have time to get between the towers!
The ‘raising and lowering’ competition is open to any band within the Guild.
The Guild poster, (right), is available here as a ‘pdf’ file.
The 6-Bell Striking Competition Rules are available here as a ‘pdf’ file.
The 6-Bell ‘Raising and Lowering’ Competition Rules are available here as a ‘pdf’ file.
Entry forms can be downloaded in the latest version of Microsoft ‘Word’ here for the Striking Competition and here for the ‘Raising and Lowering’ Competition. Either complete the form or email Chris Mundy directly at depmaster@odg.org.uk providing the details as requested on the form to enter the competition.
Deadline for entry: Sunday 8th September.
Guild Higher Numbers Practices.
Following feedback from Guild members, the ODG has decided to organise ‘Higher Numbers’ Practices on a quarterly basis for members of the Guild who want to ring on 10 and/or 12 bells. These are open to anybody who can ring a touch of Stedman Triples.
The next practice is at High Wycombe (12) on Sunday 15th September from 15:00 – 17:00. If any member of the Branch is interested in attending one of these practices would they please email Chris Mundy (ODG Deputy Ringing Master) at depmaster@odg.org.uk so that numbers can be managed.
Another Planned practice is on;
Sunday 17th November at Bicester (10) 15:00 – 1700
The Guild poster, (right), is available here as a ‘pdf’ file.
Dates for your Diary
BRANCH PRACTICES
2nd Saturdays of the month: 10:00 – 12:00
unless otherwise stated.
Dates for 2024
| September 21st | OUTING – Contact Ailsa at brm@cbucks.odg.org.uk for details |
| October 12th | Winslow – Orchard Cup From 14:00 onwards |
| November 9th | Cuddington |
| December 14th | Little Horwood |
| 2025 |
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| January 11th | Mursley * |
| February 8th | AGM |
* To Be Confirmed
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Tower Practice Nights Please contact tower |
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| Monday: Chearsley (not B/H) Great Horwood Winslow |
. – 01296 713281 01296 715106 |
Branch Chairman: Sherri Woodland chairman@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Branch Vice-Chairman: Oliver Rhodes vicechairman@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Secretary: John Chantler secretary@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Treasurer: Amanda Digne-Malcolm treasurer@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Ringing Master: Ailsa Knightley brm@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Deputy Ringing Master: Jan Robinson dbrm@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Branch Representative: Kate Edgar branchrep1@cbucks.odg.org.uk . Webmaster: Ted Robinson webmaster@cbucks.odg.org.uk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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| Tuesday: Aylesbury Marsh Gibbon Twyford Whitchurch |
. 07723 621385 01896 277671 01896 277671 07795 988135 |
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| Wednesday: Granborough Haddenham Little Horwood Quainton Stewkley Wingrave |
. 07710 189575 01844 345439 07984 332532 01296 658665 07745 478573 01296 681879 |
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| Thursday: Aston Abbotts Dinton* Drayton Parslow* East Claydon Hardwick Long Crendon Soulbury* Swanbourne |
. 01296 681478 01296 748679 01296 720608 07799 766270 01296 640906 01844 208948 07713 626780 01296 720219 |
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| Friday: Bierton Cuddington Nether Winchendon* Wing Wotton Underwood* |
. 07958 527490 01844 292221 01844 290307 01296 682915 01296 770473 |
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| Saturday: Mursley (10:30 – 12:00) |
. 01296 770473 . |
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| * Occasional–check in advance |
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