Seems winter has arrived. Brrrr. How many layers can you ring in? I managed 4 on Friday, I reckon there’s space for another one if needed. Hope you’re keeping warm and safe. 

A couple of branches have confirmed details for the December meetings, so check the diary of events for the additions. 

Fundraising

Benefact are running their movement for Good campaign again this Christmas. Draws for £1000 run through to the 18^th December. You can nominate the Guild on this link: 

https://movementforgood.com/index.php?cn=250569&ct=heritage_arts#nominateACharity

CCCBR news

A couple if videos for advertising ringing have been available for a while now via YouTube These are now available via the CCCBR website. https://cccbr.org.uk/2023/11/26/discovering-bellringing-enjoyment-films/

Dates for the Diary

Guild 10 bell Practice Saturday 13^th January 10:30 Location Kettering

Guild 100th Anniversary event Sunday 14^th January Peterborough Cathedral Ringing 2:00, Evensong 3:30, reception afterwards. 

Guild 100th Anniversary event Saturday 10^th February Moulton Village Hall, Barn dance with live band & ploughman’s supper.  Starts at 7 pm. Tickets are £15 in advance from centenary@pdg.org.uk

A couple of confirmations added to the branch events in December. 

Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 9^th December 10:30 Wollaston

Wellingborough Branch Quiz. Saturday 9^th December 7:30 pm. Earls Barton Church Hall. Buffet £5 per person, bring your own drinks. Team entries to Jenny Ball, secretary@wellingborough.pdg.org.uk  please. 

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 16^th December 3:00 Whitfield

Daventry Branch Ringing, tea & Carol Concert Saturday 16^th December 3:30 Whilton, Concert 6:30

Kettering Branch Practice. Saturday 16^th December 2:00 pm Rothwell. 

And we start 2024! 

Guilsborough Branch AGM Saturday 6^th January 3:00 Guilsborough. Ringing & Service in the church, AGM in the Village Hall then evening ringing

Rutland Branch practice Thursday 11^th January 7:00 Great Casterton

Rutland Branch AGM Saturday 13^th January 3:00 North Luffenham, Service & AGM Edith Weston

Stay warm out there. 

Thanks

Helen

Hopefully your muffles stayed put last weekend. Well done to all those steeple keepers who went up and down putting them on and off. I heard of one on the wrong stroke, which led to some inventive on the wrong stroke rounds. There’s a solution to every problem! The 10 bell practice at Higham concentrated on ringing Caters and proved to be popular even with the bells half muffled. It is an amazing sound. 

CCCBR news

The President’s blog is here: https://cccbr.org.uk/2023/11/15/presidents-blog-86/

And another in the series of articles looking at various aspects of the ringing 2030 project. https://cccbr.org.uk/2023/11/19/27439/

Dates for the Diary

Guild 10 bell Practice Saturday 13^th January 10:30 Location TBC

Guild 100th Anniversary event Sunday 14^th January Peterborough Cathedral Ringing 2:00, Evensong 3:30, reception afterwards. 

Guild 100th Anniversary event Saturday 10^th February Moulton Village Hall, Barn dance with live band & ploughman’s supper. Tickets in advance from centenary@pdg.org.uk

Rutland Branch 8 bell practice Tuesday 21^st November 7:30 Oakham

Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 2^nd December 3:00 Welford

Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 9^th December 10:30 Wollaston

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 16^th December 3:00 Whitfield

Daventry Branch Ringing, tea & Carol Concert Saturday 16^th December 3:30 Whilton, Concert 6:30

Other news

A couple of items of ringing interest. Leanne Martin of Daventry appeared on NLive radio talking about ringing and did an excellent job of making ringing fun and engaging. The show is still available on catch up; https://player.autopod.xyz/452628 Leanne starts at ~ 1:34 in. She references *that* Mars Bar advert, but we may as well embrace the stereotype. You can cringe or enjoy it again here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3l832ZdeFI

In Bolton Museum there’s a display of photographs taken of a tower across 2022 & 23. If you are in Bolton, it might be worth a look in. https://www.margebradshawphotography.co.uk/why-we-ring

Branches are beginning to send out details of their AGMs in January. Branches are only as strong as their members, and they need to ensure the committee is strong and active. If you like what your branch is doing – and want to see more of it – get involved. If you want something different from your branch, again, get involved and get active. 

Thanks

Helen

The worsening weather often encourages branches to undertake some more social activity than ringing in a sometimes(!) cold church. Towcester branch held their quiz at the weekend, which a team of Interlopers (their name, not mine) from Culworth branch joining us in Cold Higham village Hall. And they’re not the only branch taking that approach, Daventry are holding a quiz on 11^th November (names to Alison by the 9^th November), while Wellingborough have their quiz on 9^th December. And a couple of branches have a dinner in the next month or so, again, Towcester start the trend at the end of November. Maybe see you in a party frock sometime before the end of the year. 

Talking of poor weather, Daventry Town Council organised a Feel-Good festival in the town. This was for the second time of asking, having originally been postponed form August due to storm Antoni. This time Storm Babet moved the location into William Parker School halls. A rota of helpers manned the ringing display and a number of names of interested potential ringers were taken. First sessions were held this week. Well done all. 

Guild Newsletter

The Guild newsletter was distributed to branches at the Summer Festival, so hopefully a copy has made it to your tower. The latest edition can be found here: https://pdg.org.uk/newsletters/newsletter_202309.pdf

Next print deadline is before the end of the year. Articles can be submitted at any time to newsletter@pdg.org.uk

ART Awards

The Annual ART awards are now open for nominations. There are 6 different categories and £3,000 in prize money to be awarded. Who do you know who needs to have their trumpet blown? Nominations forms and criteria are avai;able on the website: https://bellringing.org/2023/09/29/the-2024-art-awards-are-open/

CCCBR news

A couple of articles looking at various aspects of the ringing 2030 project. 

A new direction for the marketing of bellringing 

Understanding ringing from the external perspective 

Dates for the Diary

Guild 10 bell Practice Saturday 11^th November 10:30 Higham Ferrers. This is Remembrance day and the bells will be half muffled. That being the case we’ll concentrate on Caters, Grandsire, Stedman, Erin, Double Norwich CB Caters https://www.ringing.org/method/?title=Double%20Norwich%20Court%20Bob%20Caters and Little Grandsire Caters https://www.ringing.org/method/?title=Little%20Grandsire%20Caters. These last two have two hunt bells.

Peterborough Branch 8 bell Practice Friday 3^rd November 7:30 Castor

Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 4^th November 3:00 Yelvertoft

Rutland Branch 6 bell practice Wednesday 8^th November 7:30 Braunston

Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 18^th November 10:30 Rushden

Wellingborough Branch Practice Saturday 18^th November 2:30 Great Doddington

Towcester Branch Practice Saturday 18^th November 10:30 Whilton

Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 18^th November 3:00 Aynho

Daventry Branch Meeting Saturday 18^th November 3:00 Flore, 6:30 Weedon Bec

Northampton Branch Practice Saturday 18^th November 7:00 Dallington

Kettering: Evensong ringing Sunday 19^th November 2:10 Peterborough Cathedral, meet outside the West Front

Rutland Branch 8 bell practice Tuesday 21^st November 7:30 Oakham

By the next update we’ll have rung for Remembrance day. May your muffles be fitted on the same side and not slip. It is one of those days when your performance will be noticed – ring well. 

Thanks

Helen