Four more ringers required to ring for a wedding on Friday 27th August (Bank holiday weekend) at Lower Benefield PE8 5AF. £25 per ringer. Wedding starts at 12:30pm so you would need to arrive by 1:00pm. Let me know if you are available to ring please nick.elks@gmail.com or call me on 07961 916819

Dear all,

Good morning on this rather damp and miserable August day.

While Helen’s update is short, there are plenty of good reads in it including the President’s latest blog, where he is promoting an on-line publication entitled “Calling it Round”. For those wanting to progress to calling and conducting, this could be part of your way forward.

Best wishes,

Julie

Helen’s text:

To: Branch Chairs, Secretaries & Treasurers. Please circulate to your members

Just a reminder of the (Not the) Spring festival, the guild ringing and social event taking place this Saturday, 21st August at SS Peter & Paul church, Abington, Northampton, from 3 to 5 pm. It will be an opportunity for general ringing and the chance to catch up with ringers from across the Guild. If you wish to, please bring a picnic, including drinks of your choice.

The church has a number of requirements for those attending, in order to keep attendees and those using the church safe. Please see https://pdg.org.uk/latest-news/spring-meetingfor more details.

A poster is available to circulate, available here: https://pdg.org.uk/forms/Not_the_Spring_meeting.pdf

In other CCCBR news:

The president’s latest blog: https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/08/10/presidents-blog-40/

The Westley award for church bell maintenance and improvement 2021 was presented recently: https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/08/06/westley-award-for-church-bell-maintenance-and-improvement-2021/

It might be that your church is considering opening for the annual Heritage open days, from 10^th to 19^th September. Think about if you can use the opportunity to engage the public in the history and art of bellringing. https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/08/10/heritage-open-day-10th-19th-september-2021/

Thanks

Helen

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

Telephone: 01832 735 266

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

Four ringers required for a wedding at Lutton on Saturday 14th August. Wedding starts at 1pm. Please note that the bells are not to be rung full circle, but are only to be chimed because they are currently unsafe to ring full circle. Let me (Nick Elks) know if you are available please. £20 per rope.

Dear all,

Herewith the latest news from Helen Allton about Guild events happening very soon. Check your diary folks…..

Best wishes,

Julie

Helen’s text :

The first Guild event in almost 2 years will be held on 21st August at SS Peter & Paul church, Abington, Northampton, from 3 to 5 pm. It will be an opportunity for general ringing and the chance to catch up with ringers from across the Guild. If you wish to, please bring a picnic, including drinks of your choice.

The church has a number of requirements for those attending, in order to keep attendees and those using the church safe. Please see https://pdg.org.uk/latest-news/spring-meetingfor more details.

A poster is available to circulate, available here: https://pdg.org.uk/forms/Not_the_Spring_meeting.pdf

Arrangements for the Summer Festival for the 25^th September are underway. Arrangements will be announced shortly. 

In other CCCBR news:

The president struggles with a cat/mask incident. https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/07/27/presidents-blog-39/  

Thanks

Helen

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

Telephone: 01832 735 266

Dear all, unfortunately, having told you yesterday that the Branch was planning an outing on 21 August, I have been notified that the date clashes with a rearranged Guild event, so we can’t go ahead on that date.  It may now be better to postpone until 2022.

Best wishes,

Hilary Hardie

Events Organiser

Now we are able to ring and socialise again, your Branch Committee thought it would be a good idea to organise an all day Branch outing and lunch in August. The date for this is Saturday 21 August.

I am contacting towers around Huntingdon to put together the progrramme, and as soon as I have them confirmed I will let you know.

In the meantime, please put the date in your diary, and let me know if you would like to join us.

Hilary Hardie, Events Organiser – hilary.hardie@btinternet.com

Dear all,

Below is Helen’s latest update. Whilst it is good news that proper ringing in towers is returning, there are still areas of concern to be aware of.

Helen makes reference to The Flying Squad, aka “The Sweeney” in her update, so if you are intrigued, read on!

Best wishes,

Julie

Start of Helen’s text:

To: Branch Chairs, Secretaries & Treasurers

With the government’s announcement of relaxation in legal restrictions from the 19^th, the CCCBR has been working with the CofE and has updated its guidance. It can be found here: https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Guidance-at-a-glance-2.0-3.pdf

While ringing is allowed, it will vary across different towers with different situations and populations. We should bear in mind that some people may not yet be ready to mingle in an unlimited manner, or to be shoulder to shoulder in an enclosed space. We should also be mindful of an increasing infection rate and the impact that could have on the band. Remember that all ringing is with the permission of the incumbent and they could set additional restrictions. 

In light of this, if any tower or branch finds that it needs some assistance in getting back to ringing, or brushing the rust off some methods, please contact the Master, Simon Dixon, for support using master@pdg.org.uk. The Flying squad are poised and ready to help. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d be writing! 

Other CCCBR news

CCCBR President’s latest blog: https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/07/13/presidents-blog-38/

The CCCBR is running a photo competition to generate a gallery of good quality images of various aspects of ringing. The first round is completed, and the winners can be viewed here: https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/07/09/round-1-photo-competition-winners/ . Round 2 is bells and installations and details of how to enter can be found here: https://cccbr.org.uk/competition/

And with that I will leave you to enjoy your sunny weekend, as I’m just about to enjoy mine. 

Thanks

Helen

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

Telephone: 01832 735 266

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

Dear all,

Please find Helen’s latest update below.

To all those ringing this evening for the NHS, to honour their service during the pandemic, do ring your hearts out.

Best wishes,

Julie

Helen’s text:

It appears that today is “thank you day” an opportunity to thank those members of our communities who make a difference to those around them. In which case I’d like to thank the members of the bellringing community and those who hold office at branch or Guild level. 

Thank you. One and all. 

Guild news

If you were unable to make the Guild AGM, or were maybe not paying complete attention, there’s a write up of the meeting available on the website. https://www.pdg.org.uk/latest-news/agm-2021-report

CCCBR update

The President’s latest blog is available here. I’m not sure about his predilection for cricket, I’ve been getting my sport watching fix with Wimbledon. https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/06/30/presidents-blog-37/

There’s also a latest edition of the Survival & Recovery newsletter. https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Survival-Recovery-Newsheet-Issue-6.pdf Just to remind you that the Guild has a CO2 monitor that can be borrowed – requests to John Beresford – steward@pdg.org.uk

Hopefully some of you will be able to be involved in the NHS thank you day on 5^th July. https://cccbr.org.uk/2021/05/28/nhs-social-care-frontline-workers-day-5th-july-2021/ Don’t forget to submit your ringing to Bellboard, linking to the event. It would be good to get a good representation form the Guild. 

Hopefully more ringers’ minds are turning towards ringing, if you’ve not already. For those who have, it seems that the muscle memory is still there and the method memory is beginning to have the dust blown off. Don’t be afraid to ask for some support, it’s there for you if we know you want it.

Thanks

Helen

Helen Allton

Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PDGCBR

Website: www.pdg.org.uk

e-mail: secretary@pdg.org.uk

telephone: 01832 735266