Dear Friends, I am pleased to say that our usual branch practice will be going ahead at Castor this Friday 7th January at 7-30pm.

I wonder if Father Christmas brought any of you the newly published book “The Core Seven and beyond” written by Simon Linford and edited by our own Will Bosworth. https://www.ringingworld.co.uk/purchase/shop/the-core-seven-and-beyond.html

The book plots a course through treble dodging major methods but starts with a plain method: Double Norwich Court Bob Major. So this will be our method of the month.

For those of you who know the rhyme to remember it, please learn the blue line too. If you don’t know the rhyme don’t find it out, just learn it by leads and by the treble! Happy bank holiday learning.

See you on Friday.

James

Guidance for England under Plan B

Please find above an update to the Covid guidelines published by the central council. It represents a clarification of the guidelines already in place rather than a significant change.

Face masks have been the subject of much debate amongst ringers. This update confirms that ringing can be considered an exception to the general advice to wear a mask (as is singing and preaching). Where ringing takes place in a separate ringing room masks are optional.

Lateral flow tests remain encouraged.

Once again can I implore all of us to resist the temptation to “fall out” if and when we come to varied decisions based on our individual risk assessments. The whole point of risk assessments is that they are specific to location and person.

As is always the case, we only ring with the permission of our incumbents whether they be a Dean, Vicar, Rector or church wardens interregnum.

James Thorpe

Click to access Guidance-at-a-glance-2.5.pdf

There has now been a change to the guidance. The most significant change is that face coverings are now mandated within places of worship and there is no exemption for ringing.

This change comes into effect on 10th December.

James Thorpe

There have so far been no changes to the CCCBR’s official guidelines regarding Covid safety. The latest version of the guideline was update yesterday and is available here: https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Guidance-at-a-glance-2.3.pdf

As previously, each ringer, tower captain, incumbent and diocese must individually assess the situation taking into account their own particular context and feelings. So let’s try not fall out with each other if (as is inevitable) we reach slightly different conclusions about how we respond to this evolving situation!!

I will try to watch for any changes in the CCCBR’s advice and alert you to it.

James Thorpe

It is that time again!

The branch eight bell will be Friday 3rd December at Castor 1930hrs

The special method will be Lessness surprise (one of the core seven). We may need to ring it spliced with Little Bob…you have been warned😉

The practice will also suit those who can already ring Bob Minor and wish to apply the same principles to Bob Major.

See you there, James

It is that time again! The branch eight bell practice will be at Castor as usual on Friday 5th November at 1930hrs. Please come along.

The special method has to be Superlative surprise major as the practice falls on the 200th anniversary of the first peal in the method.

See you there,
James

Our next practice will be 1930hrs Friday 1st October at Castor.

The practice will be on eight bells and aim to achieve some surprise major ringing and/or Stedman.

The practice will also suit those who can already ring bob minor and wish to apply the same principles to bob major.

The covid policy for the practice will remain:

• hand sanitisation will be available
• mask wearing will not be required and is a matter of personal choice
• confirming or demonstrating evidence of your vaccination status will not be required

I appreciate that for many individual reasons not every ringer will be ready, willing or able to ring – please let me know if you ARE planning to come – apologies/explanations for absence are not required.

James Thorpe

I am delighted to give you advanced notice that the branch practices will be restarting! The first practice will be 1930hrs Friday 3rd September at Castor.

The covid policy for the practice will be that:

• hand sanitisation will be available
• mask wearing will not be required and a matter of personal choice
• confirming or demonstrating evidence of your vaccination status will not be required

From a ringing point of view the practice will be on eight bells and aim to achieve some surprise major ringing and/or Stedman – if you need to revise yorkshire and cambridge then you have two weeks notice!!

The practice will also suit those who can already ring bob minor and wish to apply the same principles to bob major.

I appreciate that for many individual reasons not every ringer will be ready, willing and able to ring – please let me know if you ARE planning to come – apologies/explanations for absence are not required.

James Thorpe

So Boris has spoken! With the lifting of social restrictions there will be more opportunities to resume ringing after 19th July.

However, whilst legal restrictions like the “rule of six” will have disappeared there may be other restrictions or mitigations suggested by any of the interested parties: The Church of England, individual incumbants, tower captains and indeed individual ringers. Any advice that emerges about masks, vaccination, lateral flow tests and tower ventilation will be circulated as it becomes available.

As far as branch organised ringing is concerned, we will NOT be having a branch practice on the first friday in August. My hope is that a practice can be arranged in September but I will confirm that nearer the time.

I am organising one or more striking workshops. These will suit people who can already ring plain hunt or above – if you already know that you ARE interested in attending a 2 hour workshop to work on rhythm listening and handling to allow better striking then please let me know.

Look to…

James

The central council has published guidance for the proposed partial restart of ringing on 17th May

A summary can be found here with further links to the detail: https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/04/21/guidance-from-17th-may-england/

Your tower captains will be assessing your individual towers to decide if ringing can restart in your particular tower.

If ringing can restart in a particular tower it will be:

• Restricted to a maximum of 45 mins
• Limited to a prearranged six people
• Face masks will be required
• Hand sanitisation should take place when changing ropes
• Lateral Flow Tests should be performed twice a week – preferably on the day on ringing
• Social distancing of 2m when not ringing and 1m when ringing

You will of course come to your own opinion on your own risk and the appropriateness of returning to social activities like ringing. If you require guidance about your own personal risk assessment then the central council has proposed this advice: https://cccbr.org.uk/coronavirus/is-it-appropriate-for-an-individual-to-ring/

Whilst of course the situation can change these are the proposed guidelines

Look to Treble’s Nearly Going…

James Thorpe