I am sure I don’t have to remind you that we are hosting the evensong at the Cathedral as part of the PDG 100 year anniversary celebrations on the 14th of January next year (we are nearly there).
This is a request to all you fabulous cake bakers – would you be able to bake a cake for this event? We also require 4 additional volunteers to help us serve the drinks and cakes. If you are able to help with either of these, please let me know via the email below.
Dear all, the Peterborough Branch AGM will be held on Saturday 20th of January 2024, at St Mary’s Church, Peterborough. The proposed programme is as follows:
We start the year with Evensong in the Cathedral. There will be open ringing at Peterborough St Marys from 2:00 to 3:00, then the Evensong at 3:30 in the Cathedral. Bishop John, as patron, will give the address. And we have a reception in the transept afterwards, with tea & cake. To make sure we don’t run out of cake (can you imagine anything worse?!), we’d appreciate knowing if you’re intending to come, expressions of interest can be sent to centenary@pdg.org.uk Hope to see you there at the start of an eventful year. A poster for the first 3 events, January to March, is attached.
As well as events, we have some ringing aims for the year. These split into 3 strands.
We aim to have a piece of ringing dedicated to the anniversary in each tower across the year. Hopefully with a whole year to get organised we can, collectively, manage that. There’s a Bellboard event for you to link your performance: https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/event.php?id=17979. Please send for publication as normal, the event is to help us keep track.
We want to achieve 100 firsts. These could be first quarter, first inside, first, away from cover, first at a stage, first surprise, first as conductor, first treble bob, first surprise, first stedman, first date touch, first peal – you get the idea. Again, please link your performance to the Bell board event to help us keep track.
And there’s an aim to ring 100 peals across the year.
If you need assistance to achieve one of these aims in your tower, please talk to your branch in the first instance, or get in touch with the Master, Simon Dixon, master@pdg.org.uk
Anniversary Merchandise
We still have a few calendars for 2024 available. There are also mugs with the anniversary logo, which will be available to purchase at each anniversary event. There is still plenty of time to place your order for clothing with the anniversary logo and the jigsaw puzzles are proving popular. More, in both 500 and 1000 piece sizes, are expected in January. See the website for details. https://pdg.org.uk/pdg-100/centenary-year-merchandise
Guild Newsletter
The next Guild newsletter will be produced in January, meaning that any items for inclusion need to be with Jonathan Stuart by the 31st December. The last newsletter was published in September, so don’t forget what you’ve been up to since September through to December. Items of interest from across the Guild are welcome, as well as the information collated by branches. Items can be mailed to Jonathan on newsletter@pdg.org.uk. Show us your Christmas party pictures, who wears a paper crown with the most panache!
Guild 10 bell Practice Saturday 13th January 10:30 Location Kettering
Guild 100th Anniversary event Sunday 14th January Peterborough St Mary’s Ringing 2:00 to 3:00, Evensong 3:30, reception afterwards.
Guild 100th Anniversary event Saturday 10th 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
It’s AGM season:
GuilsboroughBranch AGM Saturday 6th January 3:00 Guilsborough. Ringing & Service in the church, AGM in the Village Hall then evening ringing
Rutland Branch practice Thursday 11th January 7:00 Great Casterton
Rutland Branch AGM Saturday 13th January 3:00 North Luffenham, Tea & AGM Edith Weston
Rutland Branch Practice Thursday 18th January, 7:30 Uppingham
PeterboroughBranch AGM, Saturday 20th January, 2:00 Peterborough St Mary
NorthamptonBranch AGM, Saturday 27th January, 3:00 Abington (note change form original date) Ringing, Service, Tea and Meeting, then ringing
The Ringing World this week is a bumper Christmas issue. It has 2024 date touches on page 1277 and, in a seasonal piece on pages 1244 & 1245, Sue Marsden poses the question what would you wish for from a ringing genie? Hmm… let me think…
May your bells all go smoothly over the Christmas season & I will finish by wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
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 18th December. You can nominate the Guild on this link:
Guild 100th Anniversary event Saturday 10th 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 9th December 10:30 Wollaston
Wellingborough Branch Quiz. Saturday 9th 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 16th December 3:00 Whitfield
Daventry Branch Ringing, tea & Carol Concert Saturday 16th December 3:30 Whilton, Concert 6:30
Kettering Branch Practice. Saturday 16th December 2:00 pm Rothwell.
And we start 2024!
Guilsborough Branch AGM Saturday 6th January 3:00 Guilsborough. Ringing & Service in the church, AGM in the Village Hall then evening ringing
Rutland Branch practice Thursday 11th January 7:00 Great Casterton
Rutland Branch AGM Saturday 13th January 3:00 North Luffenham, Service & AGM Edith Weston
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.
Guild 100th Anniversary event Saturday 10th 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 21st November 7:30 Oakham
Guilsborough Branch Practice Saturday 2nd December 3:00 Welford
Wellingborough Surprise Practice Saturday 9th December 10:30 Wollaston
Culworth Branch Practice Saturday 16th December 3:00 Whitfield
Daventry Branch Ringing, tea & Carol Concert Saturday 16th 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
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.
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 11th November (names to Alison by the 9th November), while Wellingborough have their quiz on 9th 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.
Northampton Branch Practice Saturday 18th November 7:00 Dallington
Kettering: Evensong ringing Sunday 19th November 2:10 Peterborough Cathedral, meet outside the West Front
Rutland Branch 8 bell practice Tuesday 21st 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.
Peterborough Branch 