In some diocese, ringing is being viewed as part of worship, and has been considered acceptable to continue while in a Tier 2 area. In which case it might be that some towers may decide, in conjunction with the incumbent, that they can continue to ring. This would be contingent on always taking appropriate care and updating the risk assessment to capture the latest situation. The Guild would remind you that ringing is always to take place with the incumbent’s permission.
Guild Newsletter
The Autumn edition of the Guild newsletter is now available. This will, again, be a purely electronic edition. This is due to the ongoing issues relating to distribution and the lack of opportunity to read the newsletter in the tower. If there is a need for a limited number of printed copies, please get in touch and we’ll do what we can to assist.
Wasn’t it lovely when the sun came out this morning. Walking down to Warmington church and seeing it outlined against a deep blue sky was a very cheering sight, only bettered in the happiness stakes by having my first ring of the bells in 7 months!
I hope you are all keeping well. Helen’s update from the Guild follows.
Best wishes
Sylvia
Not sure who has turned winter on all of a sudden! The heating might need to go on soon. The chill in the air could almost make me pleased not to be having to attend a cold, draughty tower – almost, but not quite.
The more towards localised risk assessment, taking into account a more rounded review of risk than simply distance between ropes, is to be welcomed. The Guild has resources to aid towers in performing and documenting a risk assessment, which can be found here: http://www.pdg.btck.co.uk/LATESTGUILDNEWS#ANCHORC19restart
If you’re at all uncertain, please get in touch and the Guild will do what it can to help.
One for the wordsmiths and scrabble fiends. How many words (of 3 letters or more) can you make from Peterborough? What’s your highest scoring word?? The most fun word to say???
A word puzzle for you. Can you change 1 letter, and rearrange the letters, if necessary, to make a sequence of words to convert the top word into the bottom word. There’s a worked example to get you started, hand to back in 3 moves. How many do you need to solve the other puzzles? https://www.facebook.com/PDGCBR/posts/185571289714936
Training to ring
Have you ever seen an unusual apparatus in a tower and wondered what it was? Click on the link to see it in action! https://youtu.be/qBAN6Pgx3VY Maybe even see if yours can be got going safely?
The Central council have been in talks with the Church of England Recovery Group about moving forward plans to relax the quite stringent current guidelines for ringing. The result is that we can look forward to more ringing with slightly fewer restrictions – but not quite yet.Click on the link below to see an article about this…
I’ve been trying to get out as many Guild reports as possible but still have a few towers that I haven’t been able to deliver to. If you are still waiting for your copy my apologies – it has been a bit difficult this year. I will now post some and will of course slip a few copies of this year’s Guild quiz in the envelope in the hopes that you can buy / sell a few.
The committee have been discussing the Branch AGM and have decided it will be held via Zoom on January 16 th at 2 pm. Details about how to join will be sent out nearer the time.
Seems like autumn has arrived all of a sudden this week, although there’s less in the way of change to report in ringing. The introduction of the “Rule of Six” has been determined to have little impact on ringing, with very few towers being able to ring more than 6 at present with the current distance requirements. Latest information can be found from the Central Council website. https://cccbr.org.uk/coronavirus/
Having completed the Guild AGM, thoughts turn to Branch AGMs. According to the Guild’s rules, all branches have to hold an AGM in January. Each branch will be working through the process by which they’ll plan to achieve this, look out for news locally.
You have just a few more days to enter September’s YouTube contest (Best showcase of school or university ringing) while October’s theme is Most effective instructional video (could be handling, maintenance, rope splicing, etc). More details on past winners and how to enter can be found here: https://cccbr.org.uk/youtube-competition/
Presenting Ringing
Bells on Sunday this week is something a bit different – a news report from my old home tower about the return to ringing and the difficulties that exist. It’s a good piece, have a look and share to your communities to explain what we’re up against.
Towcester tower has been having a Zoom get together and quiz in lieu of practice night. It had to happen, finally someone produced a quiz about ringing. See if you do any better than we did! https://www.facebook.com/PDGCBR/posts/179212487017483
And just to let you know that the Guild quiz for 2020 will start being circulated through the branches and will be available direct from me on request. Cost a whole £1 as usual.
Thanks
Helen
Helen Allton
Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers
We do have an attendance limit of 100, so make sure you get in early… J
The Guild has also decided to postpone the deadline for the Autumn edition of the newsletter to the end of September. Make sure you get your stories of how you’ve kept your bands together in lockdown and how you’ve found returning to ringing to your branch PRO or the newsletter editor.
Return to Ringing
The restriction on gathering to no more than 6 has been determined not to apply, in general, to churches. It is far to say that things are still being worked through. There are also the current local situations to consider. While that in Northampton seems to have improved, that in Corby & Wellingborough has not. Any bands that have bene or are planning on ringing should remain in touch with their incumbent.
The Central Council guidance has not yet changed to allow closer distancing while ringing, although that remains under consideration. The interval between s=ringing sessions has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours. Information is updated weekly and is available here: https://cccbr.org.uk/coronavirus/
The winner of the August YouTube contest was announced, this was judged by a non-ringer with mathematical and musical experience, which makes her remarks interesting. https://cccbr.org.uk/2020/09/09/august-youtube-winner/
September’s YouTube contest is looking for the best showcase of school or university ringing. More details can be found here: https://cccbr.org.uk/youtube-competition/
The other item of interest is the investigation of gender in ringing. Any experiences, both positive and negative, can be shared via the webpage that has been set up. You can choose to contribute but not to publish your experiences to the website. https://www.womeninringing.info/
And finally, some good news. The Kettering branch cyclists successfully completed their ride around Rutland water last weekend. It’s not too late to sponsor them for the BRF. Well done guys. https://www.facebook.com/PDGCBR/posts/178082950463770
I hope to see as many of you as possible at the AGM next week. Until that’s done I will have my fingers firmly crossed that all goes to plan!
Thanks
Helen
Helen Allton
Secretary: Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers
Good morning everyone and I hope you are having a happy bank holiday Monday. Helen’s update follows.
Best wishes
Sylvia
I’m not sure what’s happened to Summer recently! The air has had a distinctly autumnal feel. Let’s hope for some more cheerful weather – and news – in the final third of the year.
Guild News
There’s a lot to report. The Guild AGM is going to be held on Saturday 19thSeptember at 6 pm. As an in person AGM is currently impractical, we are going to be using Zoom. You can register to attend using this link. https://bit.ly/PDGAGM2020It will request your name and e-mail address in order to send you a unique link to join the meeting. If your household intend to join on different devices, you will need to register separately. Any questions, please get in touch with me.
In order to help with a smooth running of a meeting, any apologies, AOB, matter arising and nominations to be with the Secretary by 14th September.
The lack of ability to currently ring all bells and for bands to ring consecutively means that the striking competition of the Summer festival is a non-starter. This event will be cancelled for 2020.
David Dainty and Bill Adcock are intending to undertake their cycle ride round Rutland water on 5th September. This is sponsored to raise funds for the Bell Fund. They would appreciate any support you can offer. This was originally scheduled for April, but was postponed due to lockdown.
Portmanteau places. There are some 60 or so towers in the diocese that have place names that are made up of 2 or more words. The file contains the first, middle and last parts of all those places. How many places can you find? Or what’s the most fun place you can invent?? https://www.facebook.com/PDGCBR/posts/175039727434759
Ringing Training
Now we are getting back to a little bit of ringing but usually not on all the bells due to social distancing, how many methods do you know on 4 bells?
Again, there has been little change to guidance since the last update. Ringing may take place with the incumbent’s permission, it does not have to be exclusively for a service. As an example, this opens the way for ringing on a Sunday, as an indication that the church is present in the community, even if there is not a service. The remainder of the guidance remains in place.
The Central Council meeting will be held next weekend, virtually rather than in Nottingham. Meeting papers are available at the bottom of this page: https://cccbr.org.uk/about/annual-meetings/2020-meeting/ Any questions or comments can be put to the Guild Reps, Simon Dixon, Nick Elks, Jane Sibson or David Westerman.
Registration does not have to come through the secretary, it can be direct with the AGM meeting. The link to register is here: https://bit.ly/PDGAGM2020
The registration simply asks for your name and an email address. You will then receive an invitation that is unique to you. This helps us manage attendees.
Any business, matters arising or nominations still need to come to the secretary, as can any questions or queries.
Items of AOB, nominations and matters arising to be submitted to the Secretary in advance, to be received by 14th September.
All members intending to attend are required to register with Secretary to receive joining details: secretary@pdg.org.uk or 01832 735266
The Exec debated the various options open to the Guild. It was felt that a physical meeting held too many limitations and risks at the present time. The constitution requires and AGM to be held, so a virtual meeting was the only option. Other societies have successfully held their AGM via Zoom, so we can learn from best practice. We are aware that some people would appreciate some assistance, so will be providing step by step guides to joining. We hope to host some practice sessions as well. Members should be aware that they do not have to have a webcam to join and contribute to the meeting. It is possible to join via a telephone line only, although that would preclude the option of voting.
The Summer Festival, postponed to 3rdOctober, has been cancelled for 2020. The inability to ring 8 bells and to ring consecutively makes a striking contest impossible at present. Towcester will hold the trophy for a bonus year. No, they don’t get their name on it again.
It’s been lovely to hear of more towers starting to ring, with towers marking VJ day and Sunday services. If you need any help to get back to ringing, the Guild is keeping the website up to date, check here for help and support. http://www.pdg.btck.co.uk/LATESTGUILDNEWS#ANCHORC19restart
Return to Ringing
There has been little change to guidance since the last update, although some refinement. The Central Council guidance makes clear that ringing for any service is acceptable, meaning that weddings can be rung for, as long as a suitable risk assessment is carried out.
The guidance has had the term “face masks” replaced with “face coverings”, which brings this into line with the language used in both the government and CofE documentation.
Where there are exemptions for those who cannot wear a face covering in public spaces, for whatever reason, the Central Council’s view is that “… face coverings reduce the risk of transmission of the virus and therefore protect our fellow ringers. Anyone who is unable to wear a face covering should not ring.” The Guild would like to encourage towers with ringers who cannot or are reluctant to wear a face covering to seriously consider the situation before proceeding; we would not want to either ostracise a ringer nor to cause an increase infection risk to other ringers.
This project is looking to put together a sound exhibition of bells, and things that are inspired by bells. Ringing, tolling, chiming or using the ellacombe chime would all fit the bill. Any short clip can be submitted. How inventive can you be?
Peterborough Branch 